JP2002170026A - Data broadcasting point system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a point up system suitable for data broadcasting system. SOLUTION: A receiver 10 comprises a point counting means and a point transfer means, and the point transfer means transfers the point information of an audience temporarily stored in the receiver 10 to a customer server 51 to count the acquired point every audience. The point transfer means detects that the audience continuously selects the broadcasting station until a second event message is received after the receipt of a first event message or that the audience selects any object determined by a data broadcasting program to add the point value temporarily stored in the receiver 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a point system using a digital data broadcasting service.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to fix customers,
Point systems for giving points to customers according to purchase amounts at stores are widely used in various industries. Recently, a point system has been proposed in which points are given by replying to an e-mail received via the Internet. There has been a movement by stores not only to fix customers, but also to use a point system as a means of increasing the advertising effectiveness of product manufacturers and service providers or as a means of collecting information on potential customers.

[0003]

The data broadcasting service is a new broadcasting service that enables two-way communication between a broadcasting station and a viewer, and has great potential as a new broadcasting medium. However, there is no point system utilizing this broadcasting service. The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and has as its object to provide a point-up system suitable for a data broadcasting service.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first aspect of the present invention provides a broadcast station that provides a data broadcasting service, a non-volatile storage unit that records viewer acquisition points, and a communication unit. Digital data broadcast reception using a central processing processor that receives a data broadcast program data transmitted from a line interface and a broadcast station and interprets them to generate a data broadcast screen, and inserts and uses an IC card on which viewer information is recorded A data server that manages a customer database, which receives data transmitted from the receiver via a communication network as required, and a customer server that manages a customer database. , The first from the selected station
From receiving the event message to receiving the second event message, confirming that the viewer has watched the program of the broadcasting station, counting the points, and recording the point value in the nonvolatile storage unit. A counting means is provided, and at a suitable timing, the recorded point value is read, and the point information of the viewer to which the viewer identification information read from the IC card is added is transmitted to the customer server through the communication line interface. The gist of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problem by a point-up system using digital data broadcasting, in which point information transfer means is provided so that a viewer can perform point counting.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the point counting means and the point information transfer means of the first aspect are embodied, the point counting means and the point information transfer means are adapted to broadcast a data broadcast program. The data is described as a script in the data, and while the broadcast data is received by the receiver and the broadcast data is held on the receiver, the central processing processor built in the receiver uses 2. The point-up system using digital data broadcasting according to claim 1, wherein the scripts function by interpreting the scripts.

[0006] The broadcast screen of a data broadcast program is generated and displayed by the central processing processor of the receiver interpreting the data broadcast program data. Data broadcast program data not only describes the structure and appearance of the screen,
A description of a procedure of a dynamic operation when the screen is displayed can be included. This is called a script.

In a third aspect of the present invention, when the point counting means receives the first event message, the point counting means turns on a flag set at a certain address in a storage area of the receiver, and thereafter the second counting means When an event message is received, only when the flag is ON, it is determined that the viewer has watched the program for a time between two event messages, and the point addition value recorded in the storage area of the receiver is determined. Is a point-up system using digital data broadcasting according to the second aspect, which operates to update.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, the point counting means preferably reads a numerical value recorded in a private data area included in the first or second event message, and uses the read numerical value for the point addition calculation. A point-up system using digital data broadcasting according to the third aspect, which is used as a coefficient value at the time. The event message sent from the broadcasting station has a fixed format, and a certain area can be used as a private data area arbitrarily determined by the broadcasting station.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the point counting means, the viewer selects a specific resource defined in broadcast program data received by the receiver and currently held therein. A point-up system using digital data broadcasting according to the second aspect, wherein the point is detected and points are counted. As a result, in a certain broadcast program, points can be added when, for example, an application content transmission button or a detailed material request button on the data broadcast screen is selected by the remote controller.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The following embodiment will be described as a system using a data broadcasting service of BS digital broadcasting which is started from December 2000.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating components of a BS digital broadcasting system. Reference numeral 60 denotes a broadcasting station. The broadcast signal is sent from the broadcast antenna 5 to the broadcast satellite 6. The broadcasting satellite is a geostationary satellite located above the southwest (110 degrees east, north latitude). The broadcast satellite 6 emits the broadcast signal toward the receiving antenna 7. 10 is a receiver. The viewer connects the cable of the receiver 10 to the TV monitor 20.
, And insert the IC card 30 to receive the program.
The viewer can operate the remote controller 40 to select and enjoy a desired program. During reception of the data broadcast, the contents of the remote control operation can be transmitted to the customer center 50 through the uplink 8 and the uplink 9. The uplink can be used as a communication channel for transmitting a request for data from a viewer or a questionnaire response, depending on the content of the program of the broadcasting station. The customer center 50 has a customer database 5
2 is installed.

Before starting the description of the system 1, the broadcasting system of the BS digital broadcasting service will be described. The broadcasting system adopted for BS digital broadcasting is DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting).
casting: MPEG2-systems defined by a private standardization organization or standard for promoting and standardizing digital broadcasting systems in Europe. The broadcasting station digitizes elements (video, audio, data of data broadcasting) constituting the program in the BS digital broadcasting, multiplexes and sends out them.
These elements are sent to the receiver as a TS (Transport Stream), which is a stream format that can be received by the receiver by bundling several broadcast channels or programs.

FIG. The TS is schematically shown in FIG. Information transmitted as a TS can be classified into the following three types. (1) Broadcast program (program itself) A digital broadcast program is composed of main video, main audio, and data of data broadcast. Data for data broadcasting is described in BML (Broadcast Markup Language). A plurality of BML files are collected to become data of one data broadcast program. File1, f in Fig.3
ile2,. . , FileN indicate a BML file. Data broadcasting programs are on the main line (so-called ordinary television broadcasting)
There are cases where the contents are related to the main line, and cases where the contents are different from the main line. (2) Broadcast directory / detailed program information In order for the receiver to receive a specific program or channel selected by the viewer, the correspondence between the program and the TS packet group constituting the program and the TS packet and its transmission are transmitted. Transponder support is required. Each program is assigned an event ID that can be uniquely identified, and is associated with a program and a channel, and a channel and a packet identification number. The configuration information of such a program is transmitted as table information called PSI (Program Specific Information). In addition, of program
Detailed information such as title, broadcast time, channel, and program content is transmitted in a data format called SI (Service Information). (3) Limited reception information Information for setting individual receivers to be able to receive only specific channels or specific programs. In order to carry out pay-broadcasting, specific channels and programs are scrambled so that they can be viewed only with the specified receiver (IC card number). There is information for collecting information viewing results for recording and collecting the viewing results required for broadcast billing processing (PPV).

FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a data broadcast screen. FIG. (A) is a screen at the time of drama broadcasting. A data broadcast portion composed of a BML file is arranged around a display frame of a drama (main line video). (B) shows the time when it became a commercial video (CM). At this time, the data broadcast portion also has another content. Such a data broadcast program in which the content of the data broadcast changes in synchronization with the main line video is called a linked data broadcast.

In data broadcasting, the data of the data broadcasting program at that time is repeatedly broadcast so that the user can view the contents no matter when the user tunes to the channel. This is called a carousel transmission method. FIG. Then
file1 to fileN are one carousel (= 1 data broadcast program). FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a carousel transmission method. In the figure, squares numbered 1 to 4 are BML files (file 1,..., File 4) that form each screen of one program composed of a top screen 1 and selection screens 2, 3, and 4. Is shown. These four files are broadcast simultaneously while the program contents are the same.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a basic function receiver used in BS digital broadcasting. The tuner section 102 and the demodulation section 103 perform channel selection and select one TS stream. The descrambling 104 descrambles the broadcast signal. By selecting a desired packet by the TS decoder 105, a specific program of a specific channel is selected. The main line video / audio signal is converted into a signal accepted by the TV monitor 20 by the MPEG decoder 113 and presented.

The working memory 106 is a storage area where data broadcasting data of a selected channel is cached (temporarily stored). When a channel is changed, or when a message indicating that the content of the data carousel has been changed is received from a broadcasting station, a new data carousel is fetched and held here.

Reference numeral 110 denotes an input / output port for receiving signals from a remote controller operated by a viewer. Reference numeral 109 denotes a modem interface. 108 is a non-volatile memory,
Usable areas are determined for each broadcaster. The data recorded in the non-volatile memory is retained even when the power of the receiver 10 is turned off. 115 is a volatile memory. This is a temporary storage area where data can be stored only while the same channel is selected. Moving to another station, the data on volatile memory 115 is erased. Reference numeral 111 denotes an IC card interface. It reads and writes the data of the IC card 112 in which the viewer's identification information, personal information and the like are recorded. Reference numeral 107 denotes a central processing processor (hereinafter, CPU). The CPU 107 receives a remote control operation command or the like from the input / output port 110 and controls the receiver 10. When selecting data broadcasting, the CPU 107 reads and interprets the BML file cached in the working memory 106 to convert the data broadcasting screen data. And writes it to the video memory of the graphic controller 114. Thus, the data broadcast screen is displayed on the TV monitor 20.

A trigger signal called an event message can be sent from a broadcasting station during program broadcasting. The event message can be used for a purpose such as changing the display of the data broadcast content at a certain timing of the program.

BML stands for XML (eXtensible Markup La
nguage) is a description language dedicated to data broadcasting applications. In order to be able to express a dynamic operation on a data broadcast screen, a processing procedure can be described in a procedural description language called ECMAScript. ECMAScript is JavaScri
An object-oriented scripting language based on pt. Also, DOM Level1 I / F is provided to dynamically operate each object in the document. DOM (Document Obje
ct Model) is a document structure model defined for dynamically manipulating the content structure of an HTML document or an XML document.
With the preparation up to this point, an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

In the BML file of the data broadcast program providing the point service, a processing procedure for executing the event message 1 processing when the event message 1 is received, and the event message 2 when the event message 2 is received
The processing procedure for executing the processing is described as a script of the BML file, and at the beginning of the data broadcast program, the CPU is executed.
By causing 107 to interpret the scripts of those BML files and keeping the receiver waiting for those event messages, the point coefficient means is executed (when the event messages 1 and 2 arrive).

FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the receiver when displaying a data broadcast program involving such point counting processing. First, when receiving a message of program switching from a broadcasting station, the receiver newly caches data broadcasting data in the working memory 106 (S10). Next, the BML of the data broadcast top screen is interpreted and the top screen is displayed. At this time, the script of event message processing 1 and event message processing 2 described in the BML data is interpreted and the state of waiting for an event message is displayed. (S13). And FIG. A data broadcast screen as shown in (A) is displayed. Thereafter, the receiver responds to the viewer's remote control operation (S16). However, when the event message 1 or the event message 2 is received, the corresponding interrupt processing is executed.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the event message 1 processing (FIG. 7. (A)) and the event message 2 processing (FIG. 7. (B)) which are the operations of the point counting means. The event message 1 process operates upon receiving the event message 1, and sets the address of the volatile memory 115 determined as a flag to 1 (S10).
0). Then, the data broadcast screen is switched (S10
2). As a result, for example, FIG. A data broadcast screen as shown in (B) is displayed. The event message 2 process operates when the event message 2 is received. First, it is checked whether the flag is on (S103). If the flag is on, the coefficient value of the point addition is acquired from the contents of the event message 2 (S106), and the point value is updated (S10).
9). To update the point value, the current acquired point value is calculated based on the previously acquired coefficient value, and this is added to the original point value recorded in the area of the relevant broadcast station in the nonvolatile memory 108 and rewritten. . Thereafter, the data broadcast screen is switched (S111). As a result, for example, FIG. The display returns to the data broadcast screen as shown in FIG. If the flag is off in step S103, the data broadcast screen is immediately switched without performing point counting (S111). Thus, the event message 2 processing ends.

A receiver that caches data broadcasting contents including a script of a point counting unit that handles event message processing that operates as shown in FIG. 7 can give a point only to a viewer who has viewed a CM from beginning to end. It is possible. As a premise, it is assumed that an event message 1 is sent from a broadcast station at the timing of drama → CM and an event message 2 is sent at the timing of switching from CM → drama. FIG. In FIG. In a time chart. Main line video is drama → C
In synchronization with the change from M to drama, the data broadcast content is also changed.

If the viewer has selected the channel from before the arrival of the event message 1 to after the arrival of the event message 2, FIG. Obviously, points are counted by the point coefficient processing described in (1). Next, what if you switch from drama to CM and then move to another channel and return to the original channel again before the CM ends? in this case,
The flag is turned on by the event message process 1, but the volatile memory 115
Is deleted, the point value is not updated even if the event message 2 processing is executed after returning to the original channel again. As described above, the point counting means described above can give points only to viewers who watch the CM from the beginning to the end.

It is to be noted that the address of the volatile memory 115 used accidentally as a flag becomes 1 before the event message 1 arrives, only when the viewer has always selected the same channel. Can be considered,
In this case, no inconvenience occurs.

A private data area is reserved for the event message. This area can be used as an area for specifying a coefficient for adding points. (See S106)

Next, the point information transfer means will be described.
The point information transfer processing performed by the point information transfer means is as follows.
The receiver caches the BML data including the script describing the procedure of the point information transfer processing,
Is performed by interpreting it.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a point information transfer unit. First, the viewer identification information is read from the IC card 112 through the IC card interface 111 (S30), and then the point value of the broadcast station recorded in the nonvolatile memory 108 is read (S3).
3), together, modem interface 109
, The data is transferred to the customer server 51 installed in the data center that receives the uplink signal from the receiver (S36). The transfer destination address may be described in a script describing the procedure of the point information transfer process. Finally, the point value of the broadcast station recorded in the nonvolatile memory 108 is returned to zero (S39).

The BML data including the script describing the procedure of the point information transfer processing is transmitted to a broadcast station by a broadcaster once a day or once a week, or at a certain frequency. And broadcast it.

At the customer center, the customer server 5
When 1 receives the point information of the viewer, the point data of the corresponding viewer is extracted from the customer database 52 based on the viewer identification information, and is updated.

As a modification of the point counting means, instead of performing an operation corresponding to an event message, the point counting is performed when it is detected that a specific object defined in a data broadcast program is selected. It is also possible to make it. Components of a document (data broadcast screen) described in BML can be operated as an object because the BML has DOM Level1 I / F. These objects are identified by resource numbers. Therefore, for example, when the viewer selects the application content transmission button or the detailed material request button on the data broadcast screen with the remote controller, point counting means for adding points can be operated on the receiver. . It is only necessary to describe a procedure that operates as described above and include this script in the data broadcast screen data.

The point-up system using the data broadcasting service has been described above. By devising the data broadcast program screen on the broadcast station side, the point-up system of the present invention can be used for various purposes, such as collecting questionnaires for advertising products and incentives for collecting program viewing information. .

[0034]

As described above in detail, the point-up mechanism of the present invention has a remarkable effect of realizing a point-up system for providing an incentive in a data broadcasting service.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a BS digital broadcast.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a BS digital broadcast receiver.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a data format of a BS digital broadcast.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a transmission method of data broadcasting data of BS digital broadcasting.

FIG. 5 is an example of a data broadcast reception screen.

FIG. 6 is a transition diagram illustrating an example of a data broadcast program configuration.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a point counting process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a receiver that displays a data broadcast program with point counting processing.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a point information transfer process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 Broadcasting Antenna 6 Broadcasting Satellite 7 Receiving Antenna 8 Uplink 9 Uplink Network 10 Digital Broadcasting Receiver 20 TV Monitor 30 IC Card 40 Remote Control 50 Customer Center 51 Customer Server 52 Customer Database 60 Broadcasting Station 101 Antenna 102 Tuning Circuit 103 Demodulation Circuit 104 Descramble circuit 105 Transport stream decode circuit 106 Working memory 107 CPU 108 Non-volatile memory 109 Modem interface 110 Input / output interface 111 IC card interface 112 IC card 113 MPEG decoder 114 Graphic controller 115 Volatile memory

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 7/08 H04N 7/173 630 7/081 7/20 630 7/173 630 17/00 Z 7/20 630 7/08 Z 17/00 F term (reference) 5C025 AA25 AA30 CA02 CA09 CB10 DA04 DA05 DA10 5C061 BB20 CC05 CC09 5C063 AA20 AB05 AC01 AC05 CA40 DA01 DA05 5C064 BA07 BB10 BC27 BD03 BD08 BD16 DA10

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A broadcasting station that provides a data broadcasting service, a non-volatile storage unit that records points acquired by viewers, a communication line interface, and data broadcasting program data transmitted from the broadcasting station. A digital data broadcasting receiver which is equipped with a central processing processor for generating a screen and inserts and uses an IC card on which viewer information is recorded, and, if necessary, transmits data transmitted from this receiver via a communication network. In a digital data broadcasting system comprising: a customer server that manages a customer database; and
From receiving the first event message from the selected broadcasting station until receiving the second event message, it is confirmed that the viewer has viewed the program of the broadcasting station, and the points are counted. A point counting means for recording the point value in the non-volatile storage unit is provided, and at a suitable timing, the recorded point value is read out, and the point information of the viewer to which the viewer identification information read from the IC card is added is obtained. A point-up system using digital data broadcasting, in which point information transfer means for transmitting to the customer server via a communication line interface is provided so that viewers can count points. 2. The point counting means and the point information transfer means of the receiver are described as a script in broadcast data of a data broadcast program, and the broadcast data is received by the receiver, 2. The digital system according to claim 1, wherein, while the broadcast data is stored on the receiver, the central processing unit included in the receiver interprets these scripts so that they function on the receiver. Point-up system using data broadcasting. 3. Upon receipt of the first event message, the point counting means turns on a flag defined at an address in a storage area of the receiver, and thereafter,
When the event message is received, it is determined that the viewer has watched the program for the time between two event messages only when the flag is ON, and the point addition recorded in the storage area of the receiver is performed. 3. The point-up system using digital data broadcasting according to claim 2, wherein the point-up system operates to update a value. 4. The point counting means reads a numerical value recorded in a private data area included in the first or second event message, and uses the read numerical value as a coefficient value in a point addition calculation. 3. A point-up system using digital data broadcasting according to 3. 5. The point counting means counts points by detecting that a viewer has selected a specific resource defined in broadcast program data received by a receiver and currently held therein, and counting points. 3. The point-up system using digital data broadcasting according to claim 2, wherein: