FR2736784A1 - Teletext processing method e.g. for interactive operation - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves display for a viewer of a first question on a first page, and a choice of responses. The viewer must select a response (R) which then selects a page. If the response is correct, a new page (Pikj) is displayed, and a new set of questions displayed. If the response is wrong, a page corresponding to the wrong choice (Pkij) is displayed, indicating the wrong response. For correct answers, the process continues until the set of questions is completed, when a page (Puvw) with a telephone number to telephone is displayed. The teletext pages and response can be changed with every cycle.

Description

INTERACTIVE TELETEXT METHOD AND SYSTEM
The present invention relates to a method for processing teletext information allowing interactive selection of users, as well as to a system implementing this method.

The principle of teletext (or similar systems) consists in transmitting on a channel digital information of the alphanumeric or semi-graphic character type during the time intervals not occupied by the signal, such as for example during the line scan return. This system can generally transmit a thousand pages (EEC standard
FAX) composed of forty columns on twenty four lines. To use this teletext system, it is necessary to have a dedicated decoder and memory circuits controlled by a microprocessor. The user can, thanks to his remote control, display the page he wishes, instantly if it has been memorized, or after a certain time necessary for scrolling through the pages.

In order to save time and simplify the navigation of the viewer in the middle of the many pages, two improvements have been proposed.

 One, "TOP" for "Top Of Page", organizes the teletext pages according to a tree structure (block, page, etc ...) and the user can select blocks associated with themes (example: sports, games , news, etc ...) by pressing a key (example: red, green, yellow key, etc ...) then select specific pages within these themes (example: national, international, etc ... ) with another touch of color.

 The other improvement, the "FLOF" system organizes the television page after page (example: pages 111 to 115: sports), the colored buttons (example: red and green) will play a role similar to that of a search button a video recorder (front, rear).

One of the important limitations of this type of system is that all televisions equipped with a suitable teletext decoder have access to all the pages transmitted. However, it can be very useful to display certain pages only on certain televisions or, in the context of games or advertising offers, it is very useful to select the winners following selections in order to make the game or attractive promotion and not to bottle up the standards of the game or advertising publisher. For example, in the context of a "QUIZ" game show, several questions are successively asked and displayed on the screen in real time, the
viewers call, give their contact details and their score is
calculated by a central computer, according to their actions on the keys
of the phone.

The success of this type of program poses a problem of
logistics. It has happened many times that the standard
television station, or even that of the city, is saturated. For
to overcome this problem, software has been developed which limits the number
callers, for example at a maximum of one thousand. However, this solution is not
not satisfactory because it severely limits the number of calls and therefore
participants in the games. We could think of a solution which would consist in
allow deferred calls, however, this solution is generally not
not applicable. Indeed, most often spectators are present on the
TV game board and also have the opportunity to play
live so it is necessary to give the solution within a period of time
reasonable and therefore to transmit it also to viewers, which
Furthermore, regardless of this fact, it seems necessary to limit the risk of fraud. In other words, the results
telephones must remain personalized, a delayed response makes it possible
and facilitates the communication of results to other people.

There is therefore a real need to be able to select a certain
number of viewers in the context of games, contests, education, votes,
advertisements, etc ... thanks to a process or system which selects the
information, ensures the confidentiality of this information, and avoids
saturation of telephone networks.

The present invention meets this need and provides a
simple process which can be implemented by known technology and
widely accessible.

Indeed, the present invention relates to a method
Teletext page processing allowing viewers
fitted with a television set including a teletext decoder
select and display a page by entering
the corresponding number on its remote control. On a first
page, a question is asked to viewers and a choice of answers
selectable by a page number is offered to him, at least one of these
numbers corresponding to the correct answer to the question asked. If the
viewer enters a page number corresponding to a wrong answer on his remote control, the page bearing this number is displayed and a message indicates to the viewer his wrong choice. However, if the viewer enters a number corresponding to a correct answer, a new page bearing this number is displayed and proposes a new question with a choice of answer of the type above.

Thus, after a certain number of correct answers, a telephone number may appear on the screen allowing the viewer to validate his correct answer
Preferably, the question pages and the answer pages are modified at each transmission cycle of all the teletext pages, this giving more security to the selection.

 The answers can be entered in different ways, for example: classification of 3 digits to put in order, page numbers or colored buttons (thanks to the "FLOF 'system) in front of each possible answer, etc ...

 The present invention also relates to a system implementing this method.

The present invention will be better understood and additional advantages will appear on reading the description which follows, illustrated by the following figures:
FIG. 1 represents a known system enabling the method according to the invention to be implemented,
FIG. 2 represents an example of a method according to the invention,
- And Figure 3 shows another example of a method according to the invention.

 As shown in FIG. 1, the system implementing the method according to the invention comprises a remote control 1 provided with alphanumeric and / or colored keys, making it possible to control the microprocessor 3 of the television 6, thanks to the interface circuit 2 receiving infrared remote control instructions. The microprocessor 3 is connected to the teletext decoder 4 which receives the teletext signals at 7, and can display on the screen 5 the pages P0 to P999 selected by the viewer.

These various components are of known type and accessible to all. In a conventional manner, the viewer therefore has the possibility of choosing the page number from a menu that appears automatically when the decoder is requested. This menu generally corresponds to page 100 of teletext.

 FIG. 2 represents an example of a method according to the invention from the menu of the teletext service. On this menu 8, the viewer is invited to select the page number x corresponding to the first question Q1 of the game. Of course, there may be intermediate pages explaining, for example, the rule of the game or the theme of the selection.

According to an important characteristic of the present invention, the screen of page x offers viewers three responses R11, R12 and
R13 to be put in a specific order (example: classification of the arrival of a Formula 1 grand prize) each corresponding to a number i, j and k which, combined together, form six numbers ijk, ikj, jik, jki, kij and kji each corresponding to a page number. From his remote control 1, the user enters at 9 the number corresponding to what he thinks is the right answer.

 If the viewer selects a wrong number (for example: jki), the jki page will be displayed at 13 and will inform the viewer that he has lost.

 If, as in the example in figure 2, the correct answer is the ikj number, the ikj page is displayed at 10 and proposes another question Q2 with, in the same way, a choice of answers to put in order or to select directly in 11. A certain number of questions are thus put to the viewers until the last correct answer corresponding to the uvw page in the example of FIG. 2 which displays a message informing the viewer that he has won and For example, displays a phone number where the winner can call to receive a prize or be selected for something else.

 The television can be equipped with a modem programmed automatically by the microprocessor by the transmitted telephone number. This can be very useful for polling or voting viewers. In the latter case, each response offered can correspond to a page displaying a telephone number dedicated to the response.

 Preferably, rather than a classification among several responses which require as many pages of teletext as combinations of responses (in the example of FIG. 2, classifying three responses requires six pages), a choice could be made among several corresponding responses each one has a page number, so per question the number of pages required will be equal to the number of responses (in our example: 3 pages).

In this case, the number of responses is much less limited.

 Another example of a method according to the invention consists, as shown in FIG. 3, in asking a question to the viewer at 15 with, as choice of answer R11, R12, R13 corresponding to a touch of red, green and yellow color respectively, which when activated on the remote control display an uv or Pw page corresponding respectively to each of the colors. This system is based on the principle of "FLOF" mentioned above which creates links between pages and gives direct access from one page to another by simply pressing the colored buttons.

 If the viewer selects at 16 the red or green button which corresponds to a wrong answer, the corresponding page Pu or v is displayed with a message informing the viewer that he has lost.

 On the other hand, if the viewer selects the yellow button corresponding in our example to the correct answer, the page number corresponding to the yellow button is displayed with a message informing the viewer that he has won or proposing another question in 17, until 'to the last correct answer which displays the Pz page and which informs the viewer that he is a winner and, for example, gives him a telephone number or a code number so that he can withdraw his prize or be selected for something else.

 This example in FIG. 3 has the advantage of being more user-friendly than the previous one.

 Other examples of interrogation modes using the present invention are possible, in particular yes or no answers, each of the two yes or no answers corresponding to a page number displayed that the viewer can enter.

 Another advantage of the present invention is to allow the operator of these games to distribute remote controls dedicated to these programs and games in parallel with the viewer.

 The questions can be broadcast by teletext at the same time as a game show during which viewers are invited on the set to decide on the questions asked in parallel on teletext.

 For more security, the pages corresponding to the questions as well as the pages corresponding to the answers could be broadcast only during a transmission cycle of all the pages by the teletext process (approximately 30 seconds).

 Preferably, the difficulty level of the questions is higher and higher as the viewer descends in the tree of questions in order to make the game more attractive.

 The method according to the invention requires an already known and accessible technology and can be applied to numerous activities such as play or education.

Claims (1)

CLAIMS - if the viewer enters a number corresponding to a correct answer (Pik), a new page (Pikå) bearing this number (ikj) is displayed and proposes a new question with a choice of answers (R) of the type above. - if the viewer enters a number corresponding to a wrong answer (here), the page (Pjki) bearing this number (jki) is displayed and a message indicates the wrong choice, - on a first page (Px) a question (Q1) is asked to the viewer and a choice of answers (R) selectable by a page number (Pijk) is proposed to him, at least one of these page numbers (ijk) corresponding to the correct answer,  1 ". Method for processing teletext pages allowing the viewer provided with a television set (6) comprising a teletext decoder (4), to select and display a page by entering the corresponding number on his remote control (1), characterized in that:  20. A method for processing teletext pages according to claim 1, characterized in that the last page (uvw) of the tree structure of the pages corresponding to the correct answers displays a telephone number (N) corresponding to the operator standard of the questionnaire or code.  3. Method for processing teletext pages, characterized in that the pages (Pijk) are changed at each transmission cycle of all the teletext pages.  4. Method for processing teletext pages according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that three responses (R11, R12, R13) are proposed and each corresponding to a one-digit number, the correct order of response realizing the number of the page corresponding to the correct answer.  5. Method for processing teletext pages according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the responses (R11, R12, R13) are selectable by pressing as many keys of different colors using the "FLOF 'method.  6 ". Teletext page processing system, comprising a television set (6) provided with a teletext data reception system (4), this television set comprising a control device (1) of the keypad type, characterized in that that it implements the method according to any one of the preceding claims.