JP3858912B2 - Information receiver - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a billing digital broadcast receiving system that collects a charge according to data downloaded by a user or a television program viewed by the user, and the data or program according to the user's data download status or program viewing status. The present invention relates to a service for discounting a billing amount, a service for allowing a user to freely select a billing amount from a plurality of billing amounts, and a digital broadcast receiving system capable of providing a service for discounting a billing amount when download or reception is abnormal. .

  In digital broadcasting, which recently started services, it is possible to provide various information and television programs on tens to hundreds of channels. For example, in television programs, program information is provided along with video data. An electronic program guide is provided that transmits and analyzes this on the receiver side and displays the program guide on the monitor screen. In order to realize this electronic program guide service, program information including a lot of information such as channel numbers, program titles, broadcast times, etc. of a plurality of programs is distributed from the transmission side so as to be superimposed on the broadcast program. In the conventional information receiving apparatus, the viewer can provide a service in a format in which a time axis is provided in the horizontal direction and programs are displayed in association with the vertical direction as disclosed in, for example, JP-T-6-504165. By selecting and selecting a cell representing each program displayed on the screen by operating the cursor displayed on the screen using an input device such as a remote controller, the desired program is displayed. Can be selected, and the selected program can be easily viewed or reserved for recording.

  In addition, as one of paying billing methods for television programs that are becoming widespread with the practical application of digital broadcasting methods, a pay-per-view method that sets a billing amount for each program and collects charges according to the program viewed by the user There is. In a pay-per-view information receiving apparatus, information (billing information) relating to the billing amount of the program is distributed as program information. When the program viewed by the user is a chargeable program, the viewing fee is generally collected based on the billing information in the program information.

On the other hand, game software, software for controlling the information receiver, or various data information such as news and stock prices, karaoke song data, etc. that are changed over time are also transmitted by digital broadcasting. So, it downloads and uses these data information. In the case of data information as well, it is common that the price attached to the data information is charged each time it is downloaded.
JP-T 6-504165

  In this way, the conventional billing type broadcasting system that determines the billing amount for each program or each piece of data information and collects charges according to the program viewed by the user or the downloaded data information is configured as described above. The billing amount for program or data information is fixed and fixed on the service side (transmission side), when the transmission side fails to transmit, when the reception side cannot download completely, or when watching a television program Even if they couldn't do it, they had to pay the same amount as usual.

  Even if data information or a television program cannot be received from a satellite due to unseasonable weather such as a typhoon or a thunderstorm, it is still necessary to pay the same amount of charge as during normal times.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and realizes an information receiving apparatus capable of discounting the billing amount when data information download fails or when the television program video and audio are abnormal. For the purpose.

  It is another object of the present invention to realize an information receiving apparatus capable of detecting the cause of an abnormality at a specific location and discounting a charge amount based on the cause.

  Another object of the present invention is to realize an information receiving apparatus that can display the cause of an abnormality on a display and quickly notify a viewer.

  In addition, the billing amount is fixed on the transmission side, and the audience rating of the television program is good, and even though many people are watching the program, the information is not returned to the billing amount. An object of the present invention is to realize an information receiving apparatus capable of setting a charge amount according to the audience rating.

  Similarly, according to the present invention, for various types of software or data to be downloaded, those that are downloaded many times, that is, for popular software or data, a charge amount corresponding to the number of times of downloading is set. It is an object of the present invention to realize an information receiving apparatus capable of receiving information.

  In addition, since the billing amount is fixed on the transmission side, the present invention is free from a plurality of billing amounts as compared with the conventional system in which the viewer's opinion on the television program is not reflected in the billing amount. An object of the present invention is to realize an information receiving apparatus that can be selected by a user.

  Similarly, an object of the present invention is to realize an information receiving apparatus capable of freely selecting a charge amount of software or data.

  In addition, since the billing amount is fixed, the present invention has a billing amount discount right for a conventional system that cannot receive the billing amount discount right even if the viewer obtains the billing amount discount with a prize in the program. An object of the present invention is to realize an information receiving apparatus capable of setting a discount amount according to the discount information.

  In order to solve the above problems, an information receiving apparatus according to the present invention is configured to discount the billing amount of a selected program when an abnormality in video and audio of the program being viewed is detected. . In addition, a billing amount is set according to the audience rating of the viewed program. In addition, the viewer can freely select a billing amount from a plurality of billing amounts.

  As described above, according to the information receiving apparatus of the present invention, the program sender determines the discount rate at the time of abnormality for each program, and when an abnormality is found in the program viewed by the user, the discount rate at the time of abnormality is set. In the charging method information receiving device that collects the corresponding fee, the program sender provides the user with discount condition information on the charge amount at the time of abnormality for the specific program, and when an abnormality is detected, An information receiving apparatus capable of providing a service for discounting the charge amount of a program when an abnormality occurs in the program being viewed because the charge amount discounted according to the discount rate at the time of abnormality is charged This can be realized, and there is an effect that the user is not charged a fixed charge up to now and the program charge is reduced when the program is abnormal.

  In the information receiving apparatus of the present invention, in the information receiving apparatus of the charging method, the program sender determines a charge amount for each audience rating and collects a fee according to the audience rating of the program viewed by the user. Since the user is provided with a billing amount according to the audience rating from the hand, and the viewership rate is obtained after the program has been viewed, the billing amount according to the audience rating is charged. It is possible to realize an information receiving apparatus that can provide a service in which the charge amount changes according to the audience rating, and the effect that the user can reduce the charge amount according to the audience rating instead of the conventional fixed charge amount There is.

  Also, in the information receiving apparatus of the present invention, a charging method information receiving apparatus in which a program sender determines a plurality of billing amounts for each program, and a user selects a desired billing amount from among them and collects the fee. In this case, the program sender provides the user with a plurality of billing amounts for the program, and bills the billing amount selected from among them, so that the billing amount varies depending on the contents of the program. An information receiving apparatus that can be provided can be realized, and there is an effect that the user can freely determine the charge amount according to the contents of the program, instead of the conventional fixed charge amount.

  Further, according to the information receiving apparatus of the present invention, the program sender determines a discount rate for each program, and when an abnormality is found in the program viewed by the user, a fee corresponding to the discount rate for the abnormality is charged. When a specific program or software download fails in a charging-type information receiving device that collects, the cause is searched for in a specific location, not the original charge amount that the viewer should pay, but the cause of the abnormality Based on the payment of a new charge amount based on the information receiving device, it is possible to provide an information receiving apparatus that can provide a service for discounting the charge amount of a program when an abnormality occurs in a program being viewed. There is an effect that the program billing amount is reduced when the program is abnormal, instead of the fixed billing amount up to now.

  Also, in the conventional information receiving device that did not promptly and properly display the cause even if an abnormality occurred, the cause was notified to the viewer, so even if the program reception or software download failed Thus, it is possible to realize an information receiving apparatus that can provide a service that can show the cause to the viewer, and the user can know the cause even if the reception suddenly fails.

  In the information receiving apparatus of the present invention, in the information receiving apparatus of the charging method, the sender of the program determines a charge amount for each audience rating and collects a fee according to the audience rating of the program viewed by the user. Now that you ’ve accessed a specific location and gathered additional program information, you ’ll be able to get program discount information for that specific location that you ’re only sharing with certain viewers, The viewer has an effect that the billing amount is reduced as a prize such as a quiz instead of the conventional fixed billing amount.

An information receiving apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention includes a receiving means for receiving program information including billing information for each program, a storage means for storing program information received by the receiving means, and viewing via a network. Additional information collecting means for acquiring additional information relating to the program in the program; and billing amount discount means for correcting the charging information of the program being viewed stored in the storage means based on the additional information acquired by the additional information collecting means; It is provided with.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an information receiving apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 101 is an information source including a video signal, an audio signal and data consisting of a still image or a moving image, and 102 is An information encoding unit that encodes a video signal or an audio signal in accordance with an information source encoding method standardized in, for example, MPEG (Moving Picture Image Coding Experts Group), 103 for selecting a program to be transmitted This is a related information generation unit that generates related information (for example, video, audio and data types constituting a program, program number, start time, etc .; hereinafter also referred to as program additional information). Information is MPEG system standard (GENERIC CODING OF MOVING PI CTURES AND ASSOCIATED AUDIO: SYSTEM Recommendation H.222.0, ISO / IEC 13818-1), and the DVB system standard (Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) system 68, 96) It is generated based on the standard. Reference numeral 104 denotes a multiplexing unit that multiplexes the encoded signal and related information, 105 denotes an error correction code means for processing data for protection against transmission path errors, and digital modulation means for sending a digital signal. Is a channel encoding unit including Reference numeral 106 denotes a transmission path composed of a transmitter, an actual transmission path, and a tuner on the information receiving apparatus side. Reference numeral 100 denotes an information receiving apparatus according to the first embodiment. Reference numeral 107 denotes a digital demodulating unit that demodulates a digitally modulated signal and an error correcting unit for a data error that occurs in the transmission path 106. A channel decoding unit 108 is a demultiplexing unit that demultiplexes the multiplexed digital signal output from the channel decoding unit 107 into an encoded signal and related information, and 109 is an information source encoding specified in, for example, MPEG An information decoding unit for decoding a signal encoded in accordance with a method into a video signal or an audio signal; 110, a related information processing unit for processing related information necessary for selecting a program, input from the demultiplexing unit; 111 is an information synthesis unit that synthesizes video, audio, and data output from the information decoding unit 109 and the related information processing unit 110; 13 video synthesized by the information synthesizing unit 111, the information output unit such as a display for outputting voice and data. Reference numeral 100 denotes the output of the information synthesizing unit 111 as an input, creates and outputs a program guide, operates the program guide with an external control signal input via the external signal input unit 112 as an input, and further views It is an input / output information control unit that discounts the billing amount of the program according to the abnormality when the abnormality is sometimes detected. The input information storage unit 114 is storage means for storing related information (program additional information) for creating a program guide output from the input / output information control unit 100.

  Next, the input / output information control unit 100 will be described in detail. Reference numeral 115 denotes a CPU (central processing unit) that controls information via the input / output information control unit 100. A program ROM 116 stores a program for the CPU 115 to control each means connected to the CPU 115 such as control of data writing, reading, and retrieval. Reference numeral 117 denotes a work RAM for temporarily storing information when the CPU 115 calculates and controls information. Reference numeral 118 denotes an information input / output unit that exchanges video, audio, and information with the information synthesis unit 111. Reference numeral 119 denotes external signal input means for inputting an external control signal such as program selection by the user via the external signal input unit 112. The storage unit control unit 120 is a unit that controls recording and reading of information received from the information synthesis unit 111 to and from the input information storage unit 114. The storage unit control unit 120 is a program received from the information synthesis unit 111. The additional information is recorded in the input information storage unit 114, and the program additional information necessary for creating the program guide is read from the input information storage unit 114 and provided to the program guide creation means 121 described later. The program guide creation unit 121 is a unit that creates a program guide based on the program additional information stored in the input information storage unit 114 and outputs the program guide to the information output unit 113. The abnormality detection means 122 detects an abnormality in the program being viewed, and if an abnormality is found, the charge amount setting means 123 corrects the charge amount using the program additional information on the sender side.

  Next, the operation of the information receiving apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described.

  First, on the information sender side, a video signal, an audio signal and data consisting of a still image or a moving image from the information source 101 are encoded in the information encoding unit 102 in accordance with, for example, an information source encoding method defined in MPEG, Information necessary for selecting the program by the related information generating unit 103, for example, program additional information such as related genre of information content, information amount (data size), time information (program start time and program end time), and the like. The multiplexing unit 104 multiplexes signals generated from the information encoding unit 102 and the related information generation unit 103 and the program additional information. The multiplexing is performed in accordance with, for example, the MPEG system standard or the DVB system standard that is the European digital broadcasting standard. The multiplexed digital signal is processed by the channel encoding unit 105 using error correction code means for processing data and digital modulation means for sending the digital signal to protect against transmission line errors. It is transmitted with. For example, program additional information as shown in FIG. 2 is multiplexed with a video / audio signal and transmitted. The program additional information in this example includes a channel number, a program name, a program start time, a program end time, a charge amount, and an abnormal discount rate.

  On the other hand, on the information receiving apparatus 100 side, the channel decoding unit 107 performs digital demodulation and error correction processing on the signal transmitted through the transmission path 106. The channel decoding unit 107 outputs the same signal as that output from the multiplexing unit 104 by performing a procedure reverse to that of the channel encoding unit 105. The demultiplexing unit 108 performs demultiplexing based on the MPEG system standard document and the DVB system standard document, and the demultiplexed signal is output to the information decoding unit 109 and the related information processing unit 110. Information output to the information decoding unit 109 is decoded into a video or audio signal according to, for example, the MPEG standard. The information combining unit 111 combines the information output from the information decoding unit 109 and the related information processing unit 110 and outputs the combined information to the input / output information control unit 100. Further, in the information output unit 113, the video signal is output to, for example, a monitor, the audio signal is output to, for example, a speaker, and the data signal is output to, for example, a computer. In addition, the input / output information control unit 100 records program additional information in the information received from the information synthesis unit 111 in the input information storage unit 114 via the storage unit control means 120.

  The program guide creation unit 121 acquires the program additional information stored in the input information storage unit 114 via the storage unit control unit 120, creates a program guide (electronic program guide) based on the service information, and outputs information. Output to the unit 113. The information output unit 113 displays the electronic program guide on the monitor screen. For example, an electronic program guide shown in FIG. 3 is displayed. The user scrolls the electronic program guide on the screen or switches screens, searches the program column of various channels, selects a desired program cell (program column) using, for example, a remote control device or a keyboard, and external signals. The data is input to the storage unit control unit 120 of the input / output information control unit 100 via the input unit 112. When a display abnormality is detected during viewing via the abnormality detection means 122, the charge discount means 123 corrects the charge amount of the program stored in the input information storage unit 114. If no abnormality is detected, the billing amount of the program stored in the input information storage unit 114 is used without modification.

  In the present embodiment, the discount condition information for the charge amount of a specific program is provided by being included in the program information delivered by being superimposed on the program broadcast. However, the program information indicates the charge amount of the program. When the information display device is configured not to include discount condition information and the information display device can transmit a discount request signal from a user to a sender via a telephone line or the like for a specific program, and the program sender receives this discount request signal In addition, for a program for which the program is to be discounted, discount condition information on the billing amount of the program may be provided to an information display device that has issued a discount request signal via a telephone line or the like. The program additional information may be sent simultaneously with the program, or may be sent alone.

  With the above configuration, it is possible to realize an information receiving apparatus that can provide a service for discounting the charge amount of a program when an abnormality occurs in the program being viewed. In addition, there is an effect that the charge for the program is reduced when the program is abnormal.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, an embodiment of the second invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an information receiving apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The same components of the information receiving apparatus of the second embodiment and the information receiving apparatus of the second embodiment are given the same numbers, and the description thereof is omitted. The audience rating acquisition means 401 extracts audience rating information of the program being viewed from the program additional information. Using this information, the billing amount setting means 123 calculates a billing amount.

  The operation of the information receiving apparatus according to the second embodiment configured as described above will be described. However, it is assumed that program additional information as shown in FIG. 5 is multiplexed with video / audio and transmitted. Since the operation of the information receiving apparatus according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the information receiving apparatus according to the first embodiment until the electronic program guide is displayed, it will be omitted and only different parts will be described. If audience rating information is included in the program additional information, the accounting amount setting unit 123 corrects the accounting amount of the program stored in the input information storage unit 114 via the audience rating acquisition unit 401. If there is no audience rating information, the billing amount of the program stored in the input information storage unit 114 is used without modification.

  In the present embodiment, the billing amount information corresponding to the audience rating is provided by being included in the program information distributed on the program broadcast, but the program information is charged according to the audience rating. When it is assumed that it does not include information on the amount of money and the TV broadcasting system can send a signal requesting a charge amount according to the audience rating to the sender via a telephone line etc., and the program sender receives this request signal In addition, a billing amount corresponding to the audience rating may be provided to the television broadcasting system via a telephone line or the like. Also, the charge amount may be reduced in the personal viewing situation.

  With the above configuration, it is possible to realize an information receiving apparatus that can provide a service in which the charge amount changes according to the viewing rate of the viewed program. Accordingly, the billing amount is reduced accordingly.

(Embodiment 3)
Next, an embodiment of the third invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an information receiving apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. The same components of the information receiving apparatus according to the second embodiment and the information receiving apparatus according to the third embodiment are given the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. The billing amount selection means 601 controls the viewer to select one of a plurality of billing information as program additional information and control it. The billing amount selection unit 123 sets the billing amount selected by the billing amount selection unit 601 as a new billing amount for the program.

  The operation of the information receiving apparatus according to the third embodiment configured as described above will be described. However, it is assumed that program additional information as shown in FIG. 7 is multiplexed with video / audio and transmitted. Since the operation of the information receiving apparatus according to the third embodiment is the same as that of the information receiving apparatus according to the first embodiment until the electronic program guide is displayed, it will be omitted and only different parts will be described. If the audience information exists in the program information, the accounting amount setting unit 123 corrects the accounting amount of the program stored in the input information storage unit 114 via the audience rating selection unit 601. If there is no audience rating information, the billing amount of the program stored in the input information storage unit 114 is used without modification.

  In the present embodiment, the billing amount information is provided by being included in the program information distributed by being superimposed on the program broadcast. However, it is assumed that the program information does not include the billing amount information. The broadcasting system is configured so that a signal requesting a charge amount can be transmitted to the sender via a telephone line or the like, and when the program sender receives this request signal, the charge amount is transmitted to the television broadcast system via the telephone line or the like. It is good also as a structure to provide.

  With the above configuration, it is possible to realize an information receiving apparatus that can provide a service in which the charge amount changes according to the content of the program, and the user can change the charge amount according to the content of the program instead of the conventional fixed charge amount. There is an effect that the charge amount can be freely determined by the user.

(Embodiment 4)
Next, a fourth embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an information receiving apparatus according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. The same components of the information receiving apparatus according to the second embodiment and the information receiving apparatus according to the fourth embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. When an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection unit 122, the abnormality cause acquisition unit 801 obtains information at a predetermined location and detects the cause of the abnormality. Based on this information, the billing amount setting means 123 sets a new billing amount.

  The operation of the information receiving apparatus according to the fourth embodiment configured as described above will be described. Since the operation of the information receiving apparatus according to the fourth embodiment is the same as that of the information receiving apparatus according to the first embodiment until the electronic program guide is displayed, it will be omitted and only different parts will be described. When a display abnormality is detected during viewing via the abnormality detection means 122, information is obtained at a specific location via the abnormality cause acquisition means 801, the cause of the abnormality is detected, and necessary information is collected. For example, a database in which weather information related information is gathered is accessed to obtain weather information of a place where the viewer currently lives, and the billing amount setting means 123 receives the weather information, that is, the cause of the abnormality, and the charge amount setting means 123 inputs the input information storage unit 114 The billing amount of the program stored in is corrected. If no abnormality is detected, the billing amount of the program stored in the input information storage unit 114 is used without modification.

  In this embodiment, a database is used as a specific place to access to obtain information when an abnormality is detected. However, any data may be collected as long as it is considered to be the cause of the abnormality. For example, an Internet homepage that is currently becoming mainstream But it ’s okay.

  With the above configuration, it is possible to realize an information receiving apparatus that can provide a service for discounting the charge amount of a program when an abnormality occurs in the program being viewed. In addition, there is an effect that the charge for the program is reduced when the program is abnormal.

(Embodiment 5)
Next, an embodiment of the fifth invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an information receiving apparatus according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. The same components of the information receiving apparatus of the second embodiment and the information receiving apparatus of the fifth embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. The abnormality cause control unit 901 outputs the cause of the abnormality acquired by the abnormality cause acquisition unit 801 to the information output unit 113 when the abnormality detection unit 122 detects an abnormality.

  The operation of the information receiving apparatus according to the fifth embodiment configured as described above will be described. Since the operation of the information receiving apparatus of the fifth embodiment is the same as that of the information receiving apparatus of the first embodiment until the electronic program guide is displayed, it will be omitted and only different parts will be described. When a display abnormality is detected during viewing via the abnormality detection means 122, information is obtained at a specific location via the abnormality cause acquisition means 801, the cause of the abnormality is detected, and necessary information is collected. For example, by accessing a database in which weather information related information is gathered, obtaining weather information of the place where the viewer currently lives, and inputting the weather information, that is, the cause of the abnormality, the abnormal cause acquired by the abnormality information control means 801 is information. The information is output to the output unit 113, and the information output unit 113 displays the cause of the abnormality on the monitor screen.

  In this embodiment, a database is used as a specific place to access to obtain information when an abnormality is detected. However, any data may be collected as long as it is considered to be the cause of the abnormality. For example, an Internet homepage that is currently becoming mainstream But it ’s okay.

  With the above configuration, even if program reception or software download fails, it is possible to realize an information receiving device that can provide a service that can show the cause to the viewer, and the user suddenly fails in reception. Has the effect of knowing the cause.

(Embodiment 6)
Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an information receiving apparatus according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. The same components of the information receiving apparatus of the second embodiment and the information receiving apparatus of the sixth embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted. The additional information collection unit 1001 collects additional information regarding the program being viewed at a predetermined location. Based on these pieces of information, the billing amount setting means 123 sets a new billing amount.

  The operation of the information receiving apparatus according to the sixth embodiment configured as described above will be described. The operation of the information receiving apparatus according to the sixth embodiment is the same as that of the information receiving apparatus according to the first embodiment until the electronic program guide is displayed. Therefore, this is omitted, and only different portions will be described. Information is obtained at a specific location via the additional information collecting means 1001, and additional information of the program being viewed is detected and necessary information is collected. For example, by accessing a specific place prepared by the sender side, for example, obtaining a discount ticket when the answer is correct by a quiz, and using the obtained additional information as input, the billing amount setting means 123 stores it in the input information storage unit 114 Correct the billing amount for the program being played.

  With the above configuration, the discount information of the program can be obtained at a specific place that is disclosed only to a specific viewer by the sender side, and the viewer is not a conventional fixed charge amount but a prize such as a quiz, for example. As a result, the billing amount is reduced.

  The information receiving apparatus according to the present invention discounts the billing amount of a program when an abnormality occurs in the program being viewed, changes the billing amount according to the viewing rate of the viewed program or the content of the program, Even if the software download fails, the cause can be confirmed by the viewer, or the program can obtain discount information on the program at the specific location where the sender can only open it to a specific viewer, A service that discounts the billing amount for data or programs according to the user's data download status or program viewing status, a service that allows the user to freely select a billing amount from a plurality of billing amounts, or a discount when the download or reception is abnormal This is useful in a digital broadcast receiving system or the like that can provide a service.

The figure which shows the structure of the information receiver by Embodiment 1 of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the program information transmitted from the program sender side in the information receiver by Embodiment 1 of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the electronic program guide produced based on program information The figure which shows the structure of the information receiver by Embodiment 2 of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the program information transmitted from the sender side of a program in the information receiver by Embodiment 2 of this invention. The figure which shows the structure of the information receiver by Embodiment 3 of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the program information transmitted from the sender side of a program in the information receiver by Embodiment 3 of this invention. The figure which shows the structure of the information receiver by Embodiment 4 of this invention. The figure which shows the structure of the information receiver by Embodiment 5 of this invention. The figure which shows the structure of the information receiver by Embodiment 6 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Input / output information control part 101 Information source 102 Information encoding part 103 Related information generation part 104 Multiplexing part 105 Channel encoding part 106 Transmission path 107 Channel decoding part 108 Demultiplexing part 109 Information decoding part 110 Related information processing part 111 Information composition part 112 External signal input unit 113 Information output unit 114 Input information storage unit 115 CPU
116 Program ROM
117 Work RAM
118 Information Input / Output Unit 119 External Signal Input Unit 120 Storage Unit Control Unit 121 Program Table Creation Unit 122 Abnormality Detection Unit 123 Charge Amount Setting Unit 401 Audience Rating Acquisition Unit 601 Charge Amount Selection Unit 801 Abnormal Cause Acquisition Unit 901 Abnormal Cause Control Unit 1001 Additional information collection means

Claims (1)

Receiving means for receiving program information including charging information for each program, storage means for storing program information received by the receiving means, and additional information collecting means for acquiring additional information relating to a program being viewed via a network And a charge amount discount means for correcting the charge information of the program being viewed stored in the storage means based on the additional information acquired by the additional information collection means.

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