JP2845803B2 - CATV billing system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a CATV billing system, and more particularly to a CAT in a hotel providing pay-per-view video.
V relates to a CATV charging system that displays a charging status on a TV screen in response to a user request.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as means for notifying the charging status of a watched CATV according to a user's request, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-177683, a charging process is performed in each terminal device. The charging information is stored in the memory in each device, and when the user requests the charging information, the charging information is read out from the memory in the terminal device to be a character image signal, and is displayed on the screen of the TV receiver. Is displayed.

[0003]

As described above, in the conventional example, a memory for storing billing information is provided in each terminal device.
A character image generator and a television modulator for converting the billing information into a character image signal and displaying the character information on a TV screen are provided. For this reason, when applied to a CATV system in a hotel, each of the above-mentioned circuits for displaying billing information must be provided in each of terminal devices in a large number of guest rooms.
There is a problem that the cost becomes high as a whole system.

In the multimedia age, CAT
Since the information provided by V is diversified into video games, karaoke, characters (Japanese, English, etc.), it is difficult for conventional terminal devices to cope with the information.

An object of the present invention is to provide a CATV billing system capable of displaying various kinds of billing information in response to a user's request while suppressing the cost of the entire system.

[0006]

The CATV billing system according to the present invention centrally executes a billing process on the CATV center side, and sends billing information to the terminal side in response to a user request. In addition, a function is provided for transmitting billing information as a character image signal to a plurality of video channel units that transmit video signals.

[0007] Specifically, a CATV that displays billing information of a pay video on a TV screen of a terminal in response to a user's request.
In the billing system, a billing center for transmitting the pay video includes billing processing means for centrally processing and storing billing information of the pay video, and a polling signal to the cabin terminal.
Information channel unit that sends response and receives response signal
And the image signal of the pay video can be transmitted and the
Multiple videos that can send billing information as text image signals
A channel unit and the information channel unit
The plurality of video channels according to the received response signal
Select an empty unit in the unit and
Or the character image signal of the billing information
And a management personal computer .

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are block diagrams showing an embodiment of the present invention. A CA that provides a pay video game and billing information from a CATV center in a hotel to each guest room.
1 shows a TV system. Here, FIG. 1 shows a configuration on the center side, and FIG. 2 shows a configuration on each guest room side.

As shown in FIG. 1, on the center side, as shown in FIG. 1, a management personal computer 1 for controlling the whole system, a charging personal computer 2 for collectively performing a charging process for each guest room, and a terminal of each guest room by a polling method. An information channel unit 3 for communicating with the device and a plurality of video channel units 4 for generating a game image signal are provided. And
The management personal computer 1 is connected to each unit via the multi-communication interface 5, and is connected to the charging personal computer 2 via the LAN.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, a TV receiver 6, a terminal device 7, and a remote controller
Are installed respectively. By operating the remote control transmitter 8, various instructions and requests can be sent from the terminal device 7 to the center.

Now, referring to FIG.
Sends a polling signal to the terminal device 7 of each guest room via the information channel unit 3 and receives a response signal indicating a user request. Then, various information requested by the user, a video game, and the like are transmitted via the information channel unit 3 and the video channel unit 4.

The billing personal computer 2 receives instructions from the management personal computer 1 and accumulates and stores billing information such as room number, date and time, usage time, and fee. That is, when the user selects the pay video game, the charging process is started in response to an instruction from the management personal computer 1. When the user requests billing information, the billing process is interrupted in response to an instruction from the management personal computer 1, and the recorded billing information is read out and sent to the management personal computer 1.

CPU 31 of information channel unit 3
Is controlled by the management personal computer 1, polls the terminal device 7 in each guest room, receives a response signal, and sends it to the management personal computer 1. That is, the CPU 31
Generates a polling signal to be transmitted to each terminal device, and sends out the polling signal via the modem 36 and the mixer / distributor 37. In addition, a response signal from the terminal device is received via the mixer / distributor 37 and the modem 36 and transmitted to the management personal computer 1.

When transmitting information to the terminal device, the CPU 31 receives the information from the management personal computer 1, converts the information into a character image signal of a predetermined channel by the character image generation unit 32 and the television modulation unit 33, and controls the mixing / distribution unit 37. To send through. In this case, the CPU 31 controls the PLL 34 in accordance with the specification of the management personal computer 1, sets the frequency of the polling signal and the character image signal to the specified frequency, and
The used frequency is reported to the terminal device.

A plurality of video channel units 4 are provided according to the number of channels of the line, and are selected and operated by the management personal computer 1. That is, when a request for a video game is received from a user, the management personal computer 1
Selects a video channel unit 4 in an empty state, and selects a video game unit 40 of the selected video channel unit.
Load the video game program into

The selected video game unit 40 generates a game image signal, and the changeover switch 49 and the television modulation unit 43
Then, the data is transmitted to the terminal device in the cabin via the mixing distributor 48. In this case, the CPU 41 performs switching control so that the changeover switch 49 selects the game image signal.

This game image signal is displayed on the screen of the TV receiver 6 via the terminal device 7 shown in FIG. Then, when the user operates the remote control transmitter 8 while watching the game screen of the TV receiver 6, a remote control signal of the game operation is transmitted from the terminal device 7 to the center. This remote control signal is separated by the mixer / distributor 48 of the selected video channel unit 4 on the center side shown in FIG. 1 and is input to the video game unit 40 via the remote control signal demodulation unit 47 and the remote control decoder 46. The video game unit 40 operates in response to a remote control signal and outputs a game image signal. Thus, the user can operate the remote control transmitter 8 to enjoy the video game.

Each of the plurality of video channel units 4 has a character image generating section 42 and a changeover switch 49 so that a video game or character information can be transmitted. The changeover switch 49 is a CPU
Controlled by 41, one of a game image signal and a character image signal is selected. By doing so, when there are many requests for billing information, information can be provided using the video channel unit 4 in an empty state, so that it is efficient. In this case, the management personal computer 1 selects the vacant video channel unit 4 and sets the frequency number of the selected video channel unit to the terminal device 7.
After that, the accounting information recorded by the accounting personal computer 2 is read and transmitted.

Next, the terminal device 7 on the passenger side will be described.

In FIG. 2, a character image signal and a game image signal sent from the center side are mixed by a mixing / distributing device 7.
1 to be supplied to the up-down converter 72 and displayed on the screen of the TV receiver 6.

The changeover switch 77 is connected to the CPU 73
Switching control is normally performed, and the CPU side (contact point a) is normally selected. However, when the user requests a video game, the remote control receiving section side (contact point b) is selected.

The modem 76 receives a polling signal from the center separated by the mixer / distributor 71,
7 to the CPU 73 via the contact a. The remote control receiving unit 78 receives a remote control signal transmitted from the remote control transmitter 8 and transmits the signal to the CPU 73 and the contact b of the changeover switch 77. When receiving the polling signal, the CPU 73 generates a response signal corresponding to the instruction request indicated by the remote control signal, and sends it to the center via the contact a of the changeover switch 77, the modem 76, and the mixing / distributing device 71. Note that C
The PU 31 controls the PLL 34 at the frequency specified by the management personal computer 1 to enable communication with the center.

When the user operates the remote control transmitter 8 to request a video game, the CPU 73 transmits a remote control signal requesting a video game when receiving a polling signal. Thereafter, a game image signal is transmitted from the center, and when the user starts the game, the switch 77 is switched to the contact b side, and the charge L is set.
The ED 79 is turned on to indicate that charging is in progress. In this state, the user can operate the remote control transmitter 8 to enjoy a video game.

The CPU 73 terminates the video game,
Alternatively, when a remote control signal indicating a billing information request is received, the changeover switch 77 is switched to the contact a side, and when a polling signal is received, this remote control signal is transmitted, and the billing LED 79 is turned off or blinks. Indicates that it is stopped.

Next, a description will be given of an operation example of the remote controller in a case where the user requests a video game and then requests billing information.

When the information request button of the remote controller transmitter 8 is pressed, for example, guide information as shown in FIG.
It is displayed on the screen of the receiver. Here, if "1. pay channel guide" is selected, a description of the pay video is displayed on the screen.

When the menu button of the remote control transmitter 8 is pressed for a few seconds, a menu as shown in FIG. 3B is displayed on the TV receiver. Here, if "1. Game title" is selected, the title of the video game is displayed. Here, if a desired video game title is selected, a game image is displayed on the TV receiver. Then, by operating the buttons of the remote control transmitter 8 while watching the TV screen, the user can enjoy the video game.

When requesting the billing information, the menu button of the remote control transmitter 8 is pressed for a few seconds to display the menu screen shown in FIG.
By selecting "charging information", for example, charging information as shown in FIG. 3C is displayed on the TV receiver. Here, if the “C” button is pressed, the screen returns to the menu screen shown in FIG. Furthermore, "7. Return" on the menu screen
Is selected, the screen for guidance information shown in FIG. 3A is displayed.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, C
The center side of the ATV centrally executes charging-related processing, and selects and transmits a vacant unit among a plurality of video channel units capable of transmitting a pay video image signal and a character image signal of charging information. In addition to being able to cope with various kinds of billing information, it is not necessary to provide a billing information display function in the terminal device as in the related art, so that the terminal device can be reduced in size and cost, and the system cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention;
The configuration on the center side is shown.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention;
This shows the configuration on the guest room side.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a TV screen when a user requests pay video and billing information.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Management personal computer 2 Charging personal computer 3 Information channel unit 4 Video channel unit 6 TV receiver 7 Terminal device 8 Remote control transmitter

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-63-24778 (JP, A) JP-A-2-46081 (JP, A) JP-A-62-25596 (JP, A) JP-A-5-205 235878 (JP, A) Practical application Microfilm (JP, U) photographing the contents of the specification and drawings attached to the application of Hei 2-22574 (Japanese Utility Model Application No. 3-113579) (58) Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04N 7/16

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In a CATV charging system for displaying pay-video charging information on a TV screen of a guest room terminal in response to a user request, a center transmitting the pay video concentrates the charging information of the pay video. And a polling signal to the cabin terminal.
An information channel unit for outputting and receiving a response signal;
The image signal of the pay video can be transmitted and the charge
Multiple video channels that can transmit information as character image signals
Channel unit and the information channel unit receive
The plurality of video channel units according to the response signal
Of the paid video is selected.
Image signal or the character image signal of the billing information.
CATV, comprising: a management personal computer ;
Billing system.