JPWO2013118711A1 - Information terminal and information providing server - Google Patents

Abstract

The information terminal extracts an information code included in the playback sound of the playback device input from the microphone. The playback device plays back broadcast content included in a broadcast signal from a broadcast station in a form that the user can recognize, and plays back an information code included in the broadcast signal with sound that is difficult for the user to recognize. The information terminal transmits an inquiry signal including the extracted information code to the information providing server, and receives the old information code broadcast before broadcasting the information code included in the inquiry signal from the information providing server. Further, the information terminal acquires network content corresponding to the old information code and outputs it to the user.

Description

Cross-reference of related applications

  This international application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-025271 filed with the Japan Patent Office on February 8, 2012, and is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-025271. The entire contents are incorporated herein by reference.

  The present invention relates to a system for executing processing using an information code added to broadcast content, and an apparatus constituting the system.

  A technique for outputting a broadcast signal obtained by adding an information code to broadcast content from a broadcast station is known. For example, the information code is added to broadcast contents such as programs and commercials in the form of sound that is difficult for the user to recognize.

  The television apparatus outputs the broadcast content in the form of video and audio by reproducing the received broadcast signal, and outputs the information code added to the broadcast content in the form of audio that is difficult for the user to recognize. . The output information code is extracted by an information terminal such as a smartphone via a microphone, for example.

  As a technique for incorporating the information code into broadcast audio, for example, a technique described in Patent Document 1 is known. According to this technique, the transmission side modulates the spread code with the data code to be transmitted. The modulated spreading code is differentially encoded. The differential code is multiplied by a carrier signal having a frequency (for example, 16 KHz) that is difficult for humans to hear, and the frequency is shifted. This code-modulated signal is mixed with an audio signal in an audible frequency band and transmitted.

  On the other hand, on the receiving side, a code modulation signal is extracted from the received audio signal by a filter. Further, the extracted code modulation signal is subjected to delay detection with a delay time of one differential code chip. Then, synchronization between the delay detected signal waveform and the spread code is detected. The data code is demodulated based on the detected peak polarity of the synchronization point.

JP 2011-97242 A

  As described above, broadcasting services for adding information codes to broadcasting contents in the form of audio have just started experimentally. Therefore, in one aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that a technique capable of promoting the use of an information code can be provided for the spread of this service.

  In other words, the information code may be broadcast in association with a commercial in order to guide the viewer to an advertisement page (site) on the Internet. When the information code is broadcast in association with the commercial, the viewer operates the information terminal during the broadcast of the commercial of interest, and causes the information terminal to analyze the broadcast audio, thereby being included in the broadcast audio. The advertisement page corresponding to the commercial specified by the information code can be accessed.

  However, the commercial is switched in a short unit such as 15 seconds or 30 seconds as is well known. Therefore, when an information code is broadcast in association with a commercial, the information code is also switched in a short unit according to the commercial.

  In an environment where information codes can be switched in a short unit, the following problems may occur even if the viewer wants to see an advertisement page corresponding to a commercial being broadcast and operates the information terminal. That is, there is a problem that the commercial and information code are switched during the operation, and the information code corresponding to the commercial that the viewer is interested in cannot be acquired by the information terminal in time. In such an environment, the viewer may not be able to use network content such as a desired advertisement page.

  Therefore, in another aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the information code and network content desired by the viewer from being acquired on the information terminal side owned by the viewer due to the operation delay of the viewer. preferable.

  An information providing system according to a first aspect of the present invention includes an information terminal and an information providing server. The information terminal and the information providing server of the first aspect are configured as follows. The information terminal includes a microphone that can input playback sound of a playback device that plays back a broadcast signal output from a broadcast station.

  The playback device plays back broadcast content included in a broadcast signal output from a broadcast station in a form that the user can recognize, and plays back the information code included in the broadcast signal together with the broadcast content with sound that is difficult for the user to recognize. is there.

  An example of a broadcasting station is a broadcasting station that outputs a broadcast signal in which an information code corresponding to the broadcast content is added to the broadcast content. In particular, a broadcast station that outputs a broadcast signal in which the above information code is added to the broadcast content with sound that is difficult for the user to recognize can be cited as an example. The playback device may play back an information code broadcasted in the form of mere digital data with sound that is difficult for the user to recognize when playing back the corresponding broadcast content.

  The information providing server of the first aspect includes storage means and old information code transmission means. The information providing server is connected to a network that can communicate with the information terminal. The storage means stores each of the information codes incorporated in the broadcast signal output from the broadcast station in a form including information on the broadcast order that is the order output from the broadcast station. When the inquiry signal is received from the information terminal through the network, the old information code transmission means identifies the old information code, which is an information code broadcast before broadcasting the information code included in the inquiry signal, by referring to the storage means, The old information code is transmitted over the network to the information terminal that is the source of the inquiry signal.

  On the other hand, the information terminal of the first aspect includes extraction means, inquiry means, old information code receiving means, and content output means in addition to the microphone. The extraction means extracts an information code included in the reproduced sound input from the microphone. The inquiry means transmits an inquiry signal including the information code extracted by the extraction means to the information providing server.

  The old information code receiving means receives the old information code transmitted from the information providing server in response to the inquiry signal. The content output means acquires network content corresponding to the old information code received by the old information code receiving means through the network, and outputs the acquired network content to the user. Specifically, the network content can be output in at least one of an image (video) and audio.

  According to this information providing system, in response to an inquiry from the information terminal using the information code, the information providing server notifies the information terminal of the information code broadcast before the information code. Therefore, even if the user of the information terminal cannot obtain the information code corresponding to the desired broadcast content (program, commercial, etc.) from the broadcast audio through the information terminal due to a delay in the operation on the information terminal, the information terminal corresponds to this information code. Network content can be used.

  That is, according to the information providing system, it is possible to provide the user with the network content desired by the user while suppressing the influence of the operation delay of the user, and to promote the use of the information code.

  In addition, the information terminal described above is not limited to the network content corresponding to the old information code, but obtains the network content corresponding to the information code extracted by the extracting means and provides the network content to the user. Can do.

  In other words, the content output means can be configured to be able to acquire the network content corresponding to the old information code received by the old information code receiving means and the network content corresponding to the information code extracted by the extracting means.

  Further, the content output means is configured to selectively output one of the network content corresponding to the old information code and the network content corresponding to the information code extracted by the extraction means in accordance with an instruction from the user. be able to.

  According to this configuration, even if the information code extracted by the information terminal is an information code corresponding to the network content desired by the user, the network content can be appropriately provided to the user.

The information providing system described above, for each information code incorporated in a broadcast signal output from a broadcasting station, as content information corresponding to the information code, the network content corresponding to the information code, and the network content It can be configured to include content information storage means for storing at least one of the address information.
The network content address information is information indicating the storage location of the network content in the network. As address information, well-known URL information can be cited as an example.

  The content output unit can access the content information storage unit and acquire network content corresponding to the old information code. This content information storage means can be provided, for example, on one of an information providing server connected to the network and an external server different from the information providing server.

  That is, the content output unit acquires one of the network content and address information corresponding to the old information code from one of the information providing server functioning as the content information storing unit and the external server different from the information providing server, Based on this, the network content corresponding to the old information code can be output.

  According to this configuration, even if the information code broadcast from the broadcasting station is not the network content address information or the like, the information terminal can acquire the network content corresponding to this information code based on the information code. .

Moreover, the information provision system of the second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that an information terminal and an information provision server constituting the system are configured as follows.
The information providing server according to the second aspect includes storage means and content information transmission means. When the content information transmitting means receives the inquiry signal from the information terminal through the network, the content information transmission means corresponds to the content information (network content and its address information) corresponding to the old information code that is the information code broadcast before the information code included in the inquiry signal is broadcast. The content information is transmitted to the information terminal that is the source of the inquiry signal through the network.

  The storage means of the information providing server stores each of the information codes incorporated in the broadcast signal output from the broadcast station in a form including information on the broadcast order, which is the order output from the broadcast station. One of the network content corresponding to each of the address information and the address information of the network content is stored as content information.

  The information terminal of the second aspect includes content information receiving means and content output means in addition to the extraction means and inquiry means similar to the information terminal of the first aspect described above. The content information receiving means receives content information transmitted from the information providing server in response to the inquiry signal.

  The content output means outputs the network content corresponding to the old information code to the user based on the content information received by the content information receiving means. Also by this information providing system, the same effect as the information providing system of the first aspect can be obtained.

  In other words, in this information providing system, the content information transmitting means included in the information providing server sends the content information corresponding to the information code included in the inquiry signal together with the content information corresponding to the old information code to the transmission source of the inquiry signal. The information terminal can be configured to transmit through the network.

  The content output means of the information terminal can be configured to output the network content corresponding to the old information code and the network content corresponding to the information code extracted by the extraction means. Further, the content output means can be configured to selectively output any one of these two network contents in accordance with an instruction from the user.

  In addition, the information providing system of the third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that an information terminal and an information providing server constituting the system are configured as follows. The information terminal of the third aspect is configured similarly to the information terminal of the second aspect. On the other hand, the information providing server of the third aspect is configured as follows on the assumption that the information code included in the broadcast signal from the broadcast station is an information code representing the broadcast time.

  The information providing server according to the third aspect includes storage means and content information transmission means. For each broadcast content, the storage means stores at least one of the network content corresponding to the broadcast content and the address information of the network content as content information in association with the broadcast time of the broadcast content.

  When the content information transmission means receives the inquiry signal from the information terminal through the network, the content information transmission means corresponds to the old broadcast content that is the broadcast content broadcast before the broadcast content broadcast at the broadcast time indicated by the information code included in the inquiry signal. The content information is specified by referring to the storage means, and this content information is transmitted through the network to the information terminal that is the source of the inquiry signal. Also with this configuration, the same effect as that of the information providing system of the second aspect can be obtained.

By the way, the broadcast station may be configured to switch the information code to be broadcast in a broadcast content unit such as a program unit or a commercial unit. However, the broadcast station does not depend on the unit of the broadcast content. The information code indicating the broadcast time may be broadcasted on a unit basis.
Then, the information providing server that processes the inquiry signal including the information code specifies which broadcast content belongs to the broadcast period of the broadcast time represented by the information code included in the inquiry signal. Based on this, it is possible to configure the content information corresponding to the old broadcast content.

  Further, in the information providing system of the third aspect, the content information transmitting means includes the content information corresponding to the broadcast content broadcast at the broadcast time indicated by the information code included in the inquiry signal together with the content information corresponding to the old broadcast content. The information signal can be transmitted to the information terminal that is the source of the inquiry signal through the network.

  The content output means corresponds to the network content corresponding to the old broadcast content and the broadcast content broadcast at the broadcast time indicated by the information code extracted by the extraction means based on the content information received by the content information receiving means. It can be configured to output network content. Specifically, the content output means can be configured to selectively output any one of these two network contents in accordance with an instruction from the user.

  Further, in each of the information providing systems of the first to third aspects described above, the information code can be configured to include a code portion representing a broadcasting station that broadcasts broadcast content to which this information code is added. For example, the information code can be configured to include a code part representing a broadcast station and one of a code part for each broadcast content to which this information code is added and a code part representing a broadcast time.

  According to this configuration, even if a user inputs a broadcasting station code to the information terminal and the information source is not provided to the information terminal, the information terminal broadcasts each of the plurality of broadcasting stations. It is possible to configure an information providing system capable of providing network content corresponding to the information code to the user.

  The playback device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention is a playback device that receives and plays back a broadcast signal from a broadcast station, and includes a reception playback means, a history storage means, an inquiry signal receiving means, and an old information code. Transmitting means.

  The reception / reproduction means reproduces the broadcast content included in the broadcast signal received from the broadcast station in a form that can be recognized by the user, and reproduces the information code included in the broadcast signal with sound that is difficult for the user to recognize. On the other hand, the history storage means stores a reproduction history of the information code reproduced by the reception reproduction means. The reproduction history may take a form as a list of reproduced information codes, for example.

  The inquiry signal receiving means receives an inquiry signal including an information code from the information terminal. When the inquiry signal receiving means receives the inquiry signal from the information terminal, the old information code transmitting means transmits the old information code, which is the information code reproduced before reproducing the information code included in the inquiry signal, by referring to the history storage means. The old information code is identified and transmitted to the information terminal that is the source of the inquiry signal.

  By using this playback device, the user of the information terminal can acquire the information code through the playback device even if the information code cannot be acquired through the information terminal during the broadcast period of the information code desired to be acquired due to operation delay or the like. can do. Based on the information code, the corresponding network content can be acquired.

  Further, in correspondence with the playback device of the fourth aspect, the information terminal includes the following characteristics: a microphone, an extraction unit, an inquiry unit, an old information code reception unit, and a content output unit Can be.

  That is, the information terminal extracts the information code included in the reproduction sound of the reproduction apparatus input from the microphone by the extraction means, and transmits an inquiry signal including the extracted information code to the reproduction apparatus by the inquiry means.

  The information terminal receives the old information code transmitted from the playback device in response to the inquiry signal by the old information code receiving means. The content output means can acquire the network content corresponding to the old information code received in this way from an external server through the network, and can output the acquired network content to the user.

  When an information providing system is configured using the information terminal and the playback device, an information providing server that stores address information of network content corresponding to the information code can be connected to the network for each information code.

  The content output means included in the information terminal accesses the information providing server through the network, acquires address information corresponding to the old information code, and acquires the network content to be acquired based on the address information through the network to the external server. The configuration can be obtained from

  As another example, for each information code, an information providing server that stores network content corresponding to the information code may be connected to the network as the external server. The content output means may be configured to access the information providing server through the network and acquire network content corresponding to the old information code.

  Also in this information terminal, the content output means acquires the network content corresponding to the old information code and the network content corresponding to the information code extracted by the extraction means from the external server through the network and outputs them to the user. Can be configured.

  In other words, the content output means outputs the network content selected by the user to the user among the network content corresponding to the old information code and the network content corresponding to the information code extracted by the extraction means. can do.

  Further, when the information providing system is configured using the playback device and the information terminal according to the fourth aspect, the playback device and the information terminal may be configured to be capable of wireless communication with each other. If the playback device and the information terminal are configured to be capable of wireless communication in this way, the user of the information terminal can acquire the old information code from the playback device by a simple operation of the information terminal.

Further, the playback device may be configured to provide content information corresponding to the old information code to the information terminal instead of the old information code.
The reproduction apparatus according to the fifth aspect of the present invention includes the same reception reproduction means, history storage means, and inquiry signal reception means as the reproduction apparatus according to the fourth aspect, and also includes the following old information code specifying means and content information transmission means. .

  In this reproducing apparatus, when the inquiry signal receiving means receives the inquiry signal from the information terminal, the old information code specifying means stores the old information code, which is an information code reproduced before reproducing the information code included in the inquiry signal, It is specified by referring to the storage means. The content information transmitting unit accesses the content information storage device, acquires content information corresponding to the old information code specified by the old information code specifying unit, and uses the acquired content information as information that is the source of the inquiry signal. Send to the terminal.

  A content information storage device stores, for each information code incorporated in a broadcast signal output from a broadcasting station, at least one of network content corresponding to the information code and address information of the network content as content information. Can be. For example, the content information storage device may be provided as a server in a network with which the playback device can communicate, or may be built in the playback device. Even with such a configuration, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the playback device of the fourth aspect.

  Even if a user operation delay occurs, providing the user with the information code and network content desired by the user can be realized by configuring the broadcast signal generating device as follows.

  A broadcast signal generation apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the present invention includes broadcast signal generation means for generating a broadcast signal output from a broadcast station, and setting means for setting an information code group to be added to broadcast content. The broadcast signal generation unit generates a broadcast signal having a configuration in which the information code group is added to the broadcast content by adding the information code group set by the setting unit to the broadcast content according to a predetermined broadcast schedule. For example, the broadcast signal generating means adds the information code group to the broadcast content with sound that is difficult for the user to recognize.

  Whenever the update timing of the information code group added to the broadcast content comes along with the change of the broadcast content incorporated in the broadcast signal, the setting means includes the information code group added to the broadcast content before the arrival update timing. , Information code with the latest start time of addition to broadcast content, information code from the latest information code with the start time up to a predetermined number, and information code that is newly added this time along with changes in broadcast content Are set as information code groups to be added to the broadcast content.

  By using this broadcast signal generation device, the information terminal can extract the information code broadcasted together with the broadcast content older than the currently broadcast content based on the broadcast signal. Therefore, according to this broadcast signal generation device, even if a user operation delay occurs, the information code and network content desired by the user can be provided to the user.

  The information terminal can be configured as follows in response to a playback device that receives and plays back the broadcast signal generated by the broadcast signal generation device. The playback device plays back the broadcast content included in the broadcast signal in a form that the user can recognize, and plays back the information code group included in the broadcast signal together with the broadcast content with sound that is difficult for the user to recognize.

  An information terminal corresponding to the playback apparatus includes a microphone, an extraction unit, and a content output unit. Then, an information code group included in the reproduction sound of the reproduction apparatus input from the microphone is extracted by the extraction unit. The network content corresponding to each of the information codes belonging to the information code group thus extracted is acquired from the external server through the network by the content output means. The information terminal can be configured to output this network content to the user.

  Furthermore, the content output means may be configured to selectively output the network content selected by the user among the network contents corresponding to each of the information codes belonging to the information code group extracted by the extraction means. it can. By configuring the information terminal in this way, it is possible to appropriately output the network content desired by the user.

  Moreover, the broadcast signal generation device may be configured as follows. A broadcast signal generation device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention includes broadcast signal generation means for generating a broadcast signal output from a broadcast station, and first and second setting means for setting an information code to be added to broadcast content. .

  In this broadcast signal generation device, the broadcast signal generation means generates a broadcast signal with an information code added to the broadcast content. On the other hand, the first setting means sets an information code corresponding to the broadcast content as the first information code added to the broadcast content. The second setting means sets the first information code set by the first setting means later than the first setting means as the second information code added to the broadcast content.

  In other words, the broadcast signal generating means adds the first information code set by the first setting means and the second information code set by the second setting means to the broadcast content, thereby allowing the broadcast station to A broadcast signal to be output is generated.

  For example, the broadcast signal generation unit can generate a broadcast signal in which the first and second information codes are added by voice that is difficult for the user to recognize. In addition, the broadcast signal generating means can be configured to generate the broadcast signal by adding each of the first information code and the second information code as an audio signal of a different frequency band to the broadcast content. .

  If a broadcast signal is generated using this broadcast signal generation device, a reproduction device that receives and reproduces the broadcast signal, when reproducing the broadcast content, in addition to the information code (first information code) corresponding to the broadcast content The information code (second information code) corresponding to the broadcast content broadcast before that can be reproduced.

  Therefore, if this broadcast signal generation device is used, the information terminal can extract the information code broadcasted together with the broadcast content older than the currently broadcast content based on the reproduced sound from the reproduction device. it can.

  Corresponding to the playback apparatus that receives and plays back the broadcast signal generated by the broadcast signal generation apparatus of the seventh aspect, the information terminal can be configured as follows. The playback device plays back the broadcast content included in the broadcast signal in a form that can be recognized by the user, and plays back the first and second information codes included in the broadcast signal together with the broadcast content with sound that is difficult for the user to recognize.

  An information terminal corresponding to the playback apparatus includes a microphone, an extraction unit, and a content output unit. And the 1st and 2nd information code contained in the reproduction | regeneration sound of the said reproducing | regenerating apparatus input from a microphone is extracted by an extraction means. The network content corresponding to each of the first and second information codes extracted as described above is acquired from the external server through the network by the content output means. The information terminal can be configured to output this network content to the user.

  Further, the content output means is configured to selectively output the network content selected by the user from among the network contents corresponding to the first and second information codes extracted by the extraction means. Can do. By configuring the information terminal in this way, it is possible to appropriately output the network content desired by the user.

  In order to promote the use of information codes, the information terminal automatically repeats the operation of extracting information codes from the playback sound of the playback device, and outputs network content corresponding to these information codes to the user. It may be configured.

  However, when the operation of extracting the information code from the playback sound of the playback device is repeated, unnecessary extraction operations increase unless changes in the information code to be broadcast and played back are taken into consideration. And when an information terminal is a portable terminal which operates with a battery, consumption of a battery becomes intense by unnecessary extraction operation.

  Therefore, in order to realize efficient collection (extraction) of information codes at the information terminal, the broadcast signal generation device may be configured as follows. A broadcast signal generation device according to an eighth aspect of the present invention includes broadcast signal generation means for generating a broadcast signal output from a broadcast station, setting means, and update time specifying means. The setting means sets the information code to be added to the broadcast content so as to switch according to the change of the broadcast content. The broadcast signal generating means adds the information code to the broadcast content according to a predetermined broadcast schedule by adding the information code set by the setting means with sound that is difficult for the user to recognize. Is generated.

  The update time specifying means specifies an update time, which is a time when the information code incorporated in the broadcast signal output from the broadcast station is updated next, based on the broadcast schedule. The broadcast signal generating means adds to the broadcast content, in addition to the information code set by the setting means, an attached code representing the update time specified by the update time specifying means with a voice that is difficult for the user to recognize. Thus, the broadcast signal is generated.

  If this broadcast signal generation device is used, the information terminal side can execute the information code extraction operation at an appropriate timing based on the attached code included in the broadcast signal. Therefore, when performing the extraction operation of the repetitive information code, this can be performed efficiently, and as a result, the use of the information code can be promoted.

  Corresponding to the playback device that receives and plays back the broadcast signal generated by the broadcast signal generation device of the eighth aspect, the information terminal, in addition to the microphone, the following extraction means, content output means, and extraction timing setting It can be configured to include means. The playback device plays back the broadcast content included in the broadcast signal in a form that the user can recognize, and plays back the information code and the attached code included in the broadcast signal together with the broadcast content with sound that is difficult for the user to recognize.

  Corresponding to this playback device, the extraction means extracts the information code and the attached code included in the playback sound input from the microphone. The content output means acquires network content corresponding to the information code extracted by the extraction means from an external server through the network, and outputs the network content to the user.

  The extraction timing setting means sets the next extraction timing based on the attached code extracted by the extraction means. That is, the extraction unit extracts the information code and the attached code included in the reproduction sound input from the microphone every time the extraction timing set by the extraction timing setting unit arrives.

  According to this information terminal, the information code extraction operation can be efficiently and repeatedly executed. As a result, battery consumption and processing load can be suppressed, and use of information codes can be promoted.

Further, promoting the use of the information code can be realized by using the information code for the purpose of collecting the user's viewing behavior, for example.
A viewing information management system according to a ninth aspect of the present invention includes an information terminal and a management server connected to a network capable of communicating with the information terminal. An information terminal and a management server constituting this system are configured as follows.

  The information terminal of the ninth aspect reproduces the broadcast content included in the broadcast signal output from the broadcast station in a form that can be recognized by the user, and the information code included in the broadcast signal together with the broadcast content is in a voice that is difficult for the user to recognize. A playback device for playback is provided with a microphone that can input playback sound.

  Further, the information terminal extracts the information code included in the reproduced sound input from the microphone, the information code extracted by the extraction means, and the user code as the user identification code of the information terminal. Code transmitting means for transmitting to the server.

  On the other hand, the management server specifies, for each user of the information terminal, the viewing history storage means for storing the viewing history of the broadcast content by the user and the user code when receiving the information code and the user code from the information terminal through the network. Updating means for updating the viewing history stored in the viewing history storage means of the user based on the information code.

  According to this viewing information management system, it is possible to collect information related to the viewing behavior of the user who is viewing the broadcast content corresponding to the information code, and this information can be used to grasp the viewing behavior of the user.

  The use of the information code can be further promoted if any privilege is provided to the user for the cooperation of the above information collection. As the provision of a privilege, an example in which special network content (a privilege video, an electronic coupon, or the like) is provided to a user who has performed viewing behavior that satisfies a specific condition can be given.

  For example, the management server includes network content distribution means for selectively distributing specific network content to a user's information terminal whose viewing history satisfies a predetermined condition based on the viewing history stored in the viewing history storage means. Can be provided.

  In addition, the viewing information management system may be a system that digitizes and records user viewing behavior. The viewing information management system according to the tenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that an information terminal and a management server constituting this system are configured as follows.

  The information terminal of the tenth aspect reproduces the broadcast content included in the broadcast signal output from the broadcast station in a form that can be recognized by the user, and the information code included in the broadcast signal together with the broadcast content with sound that is difficult for the user to recognize A reproduction apparatus for reproducing is provided with a microphone capable of collecting reproduction sounds.

  The information terminal further includes an extraction unit that extracts an information code included in the reproduced sound input from the microphone, and a code transmission that transmits the information code extracted by the extraction unit and the user code of the information terminal to the management server. Means.

  On the other hand, the management server stores, for each user of the information terminal, a viewing point obtained by quantifying the viewing performance of the broadcast content by the user, and the viewing performance of the broadcast content belonging to the system for each broadcasting content system. Viewing history storage means for storing the viewing points for each system that is digitized.

  Furthermore, when the management server receives the information code and the user code from the information terminal through the network, the management server stores the viewing point stored in the user's viewing record storage means specified by the user code, and the broadcast content system corresponding to the information code Updating means for updating the viewing point.

  According to such a configuration of the viewing information management system, since the viewing behavior is digitized and recorded, it is easy to grasp the viewing behavior of the user. The viewing information management system can be provided with means for providing network content as a privilege.

  That is, the management server is provided with content information storage means for storing, as content information, at least one of the network content corresponding to the system and the address information indicating the storage location of the network content in the network for each system of viewing points. be able to.

  Further, the management server stores the content information of the system in which the viewing point has reached a predetermined level based on the viewing point for each user and system stored in the viewing result storage means, and the viewing point has reached the predetermined level. Content information distribution means for selectively distributing to the user's information terminal can be provided. If the viewing information management system is configured in this way, the use of the information code can be further promoted.

Further, promotion of use of the information code can be realized by providing a new application (use form) such as using the information code for recording reservation.
A recording reservation system according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention includes a recording device that records broadcast content reserved for recording based on a broadcast signal received from a broadcasting station, and an information terminal that can communicate with the recording device. The recording device and the information terminal constituting this system are configured as follows.

  The recording apparatus according to the eleventh aspect is configured integrally or separately from a playback apparatus that plays back video and audio constituting broadcast content based on a broadcast signal from a broadcast station. However, here, assuming that the broadcast station outputs a broadcast signal in which an information code corresponding to the broadcast content is added to the broadcast content, the playback device configures the broadcast content based on the broadcast signal from the broadcast station. It is assumed that video and audio are reproduced, and audio corresponding to the information code added to the broadcast content is reproduced with audio that is difficult for the user to recognize.

  An information terminal according to an eleventh aspect includes a microphone capable of inputting a reproduction sound of the reproduction device, an extraction means for extracting an information code included in the reproduction sound input from the microphone, and an information code extracted by the extraction means And a recording reservation requesting means for transmitting a reservation request signal, which is a signal for requesting recording reservation of the broadcast content corresponding to the information code, to the recording apparatus.

  On the other hand, the recording apparatus receives the reservation request signal from the information terminal, and receives the reservation request signal by the request signal receiving means, and records the requested broadcast content based on the reservation request signal. Recording reservation means for making a reservation.

  According to this recording reservation system, the recording reservation operation by the user can be simplified by using the information code. Therefore, the use of the information code can be promoted.

  In other words, the recording reservation request unit included in the information terminal, for example, based on the information code extracted by the extraction unit, the reservation request signal including information that can specify the next broadcast date and time of the broadcast content corresponding to the information code. It can be configured to transmit to the recording device. The recording reservation unit included in the recording apparatus records the broadcast content corresponding to the information code based on information specifying the next broadcast date and time of the broadcast content included in the reservation request signal received by the request signal receiving unit. It can be configured to make a reservation.

  In addition, the recording reservation request unit may be configured to transmit a reservation request signal including an information code extracted by the extraction unit to the recording apparatus, for example. The recording reservation unit included in the recording apparatus may be configured to make a recording reservation for broadcast content corresponding to the information code based on the information code included in the reservation request signal received by the request signal receiving unit.

  When a plurality of information codes are included in the broadcast signal and the plurality of information codes are reproduced from the playback device, the recording reservation requesting unit includes the information code selected by the user among the information codes extracted by the extracting unit. A reservation request signal can be transmitted to the recording apparatus.

  Further, the recording reservation means acquires information related to the broadcast content corresponding to the information code included in the reservation request signal from the storage device, and based on the acquired information related to the broadcast content, recording reservation of the broadcast content corresponding to the information code is recorded. Can be configured. For each information code incorporated in the broadcast signal, the storage device can store information that can specify the next broadcast date and time of the broadcast content in the recording device as information regarding the broadcast content corresponding to the information code.

  By configuring the recording reservation unit in this way, it is possible to make an appropriate recording reservation from the information stored in the storage device even if the information code does not include detailed information regarding the recording date and time. This storage device can be provided in an external server connected to the network, and the recording reservation means receives information regarding the broadcast content corresponding to the information code included in the reservation request signal from the external server including the storage device through the network. It can be configured to obtain.

  In addition, assuming that the electronic program guide in which the correspondence between the broadcast content and the information code is described together with the broadcast schedule is assumed to be broadcast from the broadcast station, the recording reservation means stores the electronic program guide in the electronic program guide received from the broadcast station. Based on this, it is possible to make a recording reservation for broadcast content based on the information code included in the reservation request signal.

  An information terminal according to the twelfth aspect of the present invention includes a microphone, an extraction unit, and a permission unit. The extraction means extracts an information code included in the reproduction sound of the above-described reproduction apparatus input from the microphone. The permission means permits playing of the computer game using the information terminal on the condition that the specific information code is extracted by the extraction means.

An example of a computer game using an information terminal is a computer game that can be executed in accordance with a program installed in the device itself, or a computer game that can be executed in cooperation with a server when the information terminal accesses the server. Can be listed. The computer game includes, for example, a slot game.
Examples of the specific information code include an information code added to a commercial of a company that provides a computer game. This information terminal can also promote the use of the information code.

  Among the means included in the apparatus and system of each aspect described above, for a means that can cause a computer to realize the function by a program, a program for causing the computer to realize the function as the means is read by a computer. It can be recorded on a possible recording medium. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include a magnetic disk such as a hard disk, an optical disk such as a CD-ROM and a DVD, and a semiconductor memory such as a USB memory.

It is a block diagram showing the structure of the information provision system in a 1st Example. It is a figure showing the structure of the broadcast signal in a 1st Example. It is a figure showing the structure of acoustic ID in a 1st Example. It is a figure showing the structure of the code | cord | chord time series data for every broadcasting station which the information provision server in a 1st Example has. It is a figure showing the structure of the content detailed data for every acoustic ID which the information provision server in a 1st Example has. It is a flowchart showing the process which the control unit of the information provision server in a 1st Example repeatedly performs. It is a figure showing the structure of the inquiry signal which the information terminal in a 1st Example transmits, and the response signal which an information provision server transmits. It is a flowchart showing the process which the control unit of the information terminal in a 1st Example repeatedly performs. It is a flowchart showing the process which the control unit of the information terminal in a 1st Example repeatedly performs. It is a figure showing the structure of the content detailed data in a modification. It is a figure showing the structure of the response signal which the information provision server in a modification transmits. It is a figure showing the structure of the response signal which the information provision server in a 2nd Example transmits. It is a flowchart showing the acquisition output process which the control unit of the information terminal in a 2nd Example performs. It is a flowchart showing the content information provision process which the control unit of the information provision server in a 2nd Example repeatedly performs. It is a figure showing the time change of acoustic ID in a 3rd Example. It is a figure showing the structure of the schedule data for every broadcasting station which the information provision server in a 3rd Example has. It is a flowchart showing the process which the control unit of the information provision server in a 3rd Example repeatedly performs. It is a block diagram showing the structure of the additional unit in 4th Example. It is a figure showing the 1st structural example of acoustic ID integrated in a broadcast signal in 4th Example. It is a figure showing the 2nd structural example of acoustic ID integrated in a broadcast signal in 4th Example. It is a figure showing the structure of the broadcast signal in 5th Example. It is a flowchart showing the process which the control unit of the information terminal in a 5th Example repeatedly performs. It is a flowchart showing the process which the control unit of the information terminal in a 5th Example repeatedly performs. It is a block diagram showing the structure of the television apparatus and information terminal in a 6th Example. It is a flowchart showing the history write-in process which the control unit of the television apparatus in a 6th Example repeatedly performs. It is a flowchart showing the inquiry signal reception process which the control unit of the television apparatus in a 6th Example repeatedly performs. It is a flowchart showing the process which the additional unit in a 7th Example repeatedly performs. It is a figure showing the update aspect of the acoustic ID row | line in a 7th Example. It is a figure showing the structure of the code | cord | chord which can be added to a broadcast content instead of an acoustic ID row | line | column. It is a flowchart showing the process which the control unit of the information terminal in a 7th Example repeatedly performs. It is a flowchart showing the process which the additional unit in an 8th Example repeatedly performs. It is the figure which showed the time change of 1st and 2nd acoustic ID integrated in the broadcast signal in an 8th Example. It is a figure showing the structure of acoustic ID in a 9th Example. It is a figure showing the time change of acoustic ID integrated in the broadcast signal in a 9th Example. It is a flowchart showing the process which the additional unit in a 9th Example repeatedly performs. It is a flowchart showing the process which the control unit of the information terminal in a 9th Example performs. It is a figure showing the structure of the viewing condition data for every user and the provision condition data for every content code which the information provision server in a 10th Example has. It is a flowchart showing the viewing history transmission process which the control unit of the information terminal in a 10th Example performs. It is a flowchart showing the registration reception process which the control unit of the information provision server in a 10th Example repeatedly performs. It is a flowchart showing the list request | requirement reception process which the control unit of the information provision server in a 10th Example repeatedly performs. It is a flowchart showing the acquisition operation reception process which the control unit of the information terminal in a 10th Example repeatedly performs. It is a block diagram showing the structure of the video recording reservation system in an 11th Example. It is a figure showing the structure of the video recording condition data which the information management server in an 11th Example has. It is a flowchart showing the process which the control unit of the information management server in an 11th Example repeatedly performs. It is a flowchart showing the process which the control unit of the video recording apparatus in an 11th Example repeatedly performs. It is a flowchart showing the process which the control unit of the information terminal in an 11th Example repeatedly performs. It is a flowchart showing the process which the control unit of the information terminal in a 12th Example repeatedly performs.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Information provision system, 10 ... Broadcast station apparatus, 11 ... Input unit, 13 ... Additional unit, 15 ... Output unit, 20 ... Broadcast antenna, 30, 130 ... Television apparatus, 31, 131 ... Speaker, 33 ... Monitor, 35 ... Receiving / reproducing unit 37,55,71,155,171,191 ... Control unit 39,59,159,179 ... Near field communication unit 50,150 ... Information terminal 51,151 ... Microphone 53,73 , 153, 173, 193 ... communication unit, 57, 157 ... user interface, 70 ... information providing server, 75, 175, 195 ... storage unit, 90 ... web server, 100 ... recording reservation system, 131, 132 ... conversion unit, 135 ... mixing unit, 170 ... recording device, 190 ... information management server

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[First embodiment]
The information providing system 1 according to the present embodiment uses a sound ID as an information code added to broadcast content to provide network content corresponding to the sound ID to the information terminal 50 possessed by the viewer (user). It is. As shown in FIG. 1, the information providing system 1 includes a broadcast station device 10, a television device 30, an information terminal 50, an information providing server 70, and a web server 90.

  The broadcast station apparatus 10 installed in the broadcast station generates and outputs a broadcast signal, and includes an input unit 11, an additional unit 13, and an output unit 15. The input unit 11 inputs broadcast content such as programs and commercials that are reproduced in the form of video and audio that can be recognized by the viewer to the additional unit 13 according to a predetermined broadcast schedule, and adds to the broadcast content. The sound ID to be input is input to the additional unit 13.

  The configuration of the input unit 11 includes information on the broadcast content and the sound ID to be broadcast at the time in association with the time, and inputs the broadcast content and the sound ID to the additional unit 13 according to this information. An example can be given. Broadcast content can be stored in a recording medium readable by the input unit 11 in the form of moving image data or the like.

  On the other hand, based on the broadcast content and the sound ID input from the input unit 11, the addition unit 13 adds the sound ID input corresponding to the broadcast content to the broadcast content as a digital watermark by a known method. The broadcast signal is generated. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2A, the additional unit 13 generates a signal having a configuration in which an acoustic ID is added to the broadcast content in the form of sound that is difficult for the user to recognize, as shown in FIG. 2A. Therefore, the broadcast signal includes an audio signal corresponding to an acoustic ID that is difficult for the user to recognize, in addition to video and audio that can be recognized by the user corresponding to the broadcast content. As shown in FIG. 2B, the sound ID is a broadcast station code that is a code representing a broadcast station that broadcasts the broadcast content to which the sound ID is added, and a content that is an identification code of the broadcast content to which the sound code is added. Code.

  For example, the additional unit 13 converts a modulated signal obtained by modulating a carrier signal (carrier wave) in an inaudible frequency band with an acoustic ID input from the input unit 11 into an audio frequency band sound that is an audio signal of broadcast content. The broadcast signal can be generated by mixing with a signal. However, the inaudible frequency band mentioned here can be broadly interpreted as an expression including a frequency band that is difficult for humans to hear in addition to a frequency band that cannot be heard by humans.

  In addition, the additional unit 13 is configured to add a sound signal of an audio ID that is an audio signal in an audible frequency band but difficult for the user to recognize to the broadcast content by making a minute change to the sound included in the broadcast content. May be. That is, the “digital watermark” referred to in this specification is information that is added to information that can be recognized by the user and that is difficult for the user to recognize. In this embodiment, the acoustic ID added as an electronic watermark to the broadcast content can take any form of an audio signal in an audible frequency band and an audio signal in an inaudible frequency band.

  The output unit 15 outputs the broadcast signal generated by the additional unit 13 through the broadcast antenna 20 in the form of broadcast radio waves. The broadcast signal output in this way is received and reproduced by, for example, the television device 30 installed in the viewer's house.

  On the other hand, the television device 30 has the same configuration as a known television device, reproduces a broadcast signal received from a broadcast station, displays a video corresponding to the broadcast content included in the broadcast signal on the screen, The sound corresponding to the broadcast content is output as sound through the speaker 31.

  However, according to the present embodiment, the acoustic ID is added to the broadcast content when the broadcast signal is generated as described above. For this reason, the reproduction sound of the broadcast signal output from the speaker 31 of the television device 30 by the reproduction of the broadcast signal includes an audio ID that is difficult for the user to recognize in addition to the audio that can be recognized by the user corresponding to the broadcast content. Corresponding audio is included.

  This acoustic ID is extracted from the broadcast sound by the information terminal 50 located near the television device 30. The information terminal 50 according to this embodiment includes a microphone 51, a communication unit 53, a control unit 55, and a user interface 57. Examples of the information terminal 50 include a mobile phone, a smartphone, and a mobile computer.

  The microphone 51 included in the information terminal 50 is a microphone capable of collecting the reproduction sound of the broadcast signal output from the television device 30 (the sound corresponding to the broadcast content and the sound corresponding to the sound ID). An electric signal is input to the control unit 55.

  On the other hand, the communication unit 53 is connected to a wide area network (for example, the Internet) and is configured to be able to communicate with various servers such as the information providing server 70 and the web server 90 connected to the wide area network. Examples of the communication unit 53 include a wireless LAN interface connected to a wide area network through a wireless LAN such as a viewer's house, and a communication interface connected to a wide area network through a cellular network.

  The control unit 55 performs various processes in accordance with a program recorded in the ROM 55a, and performs overall control of the entire information terminal 50. As one of processes according to the program recorded in the ROM 55a, the control unit 55 analyzes, for example, the reproduction sound of the television device 30 input as an electric signal from the microphone 51, and the acoustic ID included in the reproduction sound. Is extracted from the reproduced sound, information regarding the network content is acquired from the information providing server 70 using the acoustic ID, and the network content corresponding to the broadcast content is output to the user.

  In addition, the user interface 57 is an interface for transmitting information between the user and the control unit 55, and outputs various information to the user through a screen or a speaker, while receiving input from the user through a touch panel, a key switch, or the like. Accept. The user interface 57 is composed of a liquid crystal monitor having a touch panel function, for example.

  The information providing server 70 includes a control unit 71, a communication unit 73, and a storage unit 75, and sends a response signal corresponding to an inquiry signal transmitted from the information terminal 50 through the wide area network to the inquiry source information terminal 50. By transmitting, various information is provided to the information terminal 50.

  Specifically, the control unit 71 implements various functions by executing processing according to a program recorded in the built-in ROM 71a. The communication unit 73 is connected to the same wide area network as the information terminal 50 and configured to be able to communicate with the information terminal 50 through the wide area network.

  In addition, the storage unit 75 includes a hard disk device or the like, and stores and holds various types of information. Specifically, the storage unit 75 stores content code time-series data (hereinafter referred to as “code time-series data”) for each broadcast day and each broadcast station, and stores detailed content data for each acoustic ID.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the code time-series data is data in which acoustic IDs broadcasted by the corresponding broadcasting station on the corresponding day are arranged in the order of broadcasting. Specifically, the content code in the acoustic ID is It is configured as data arranged in broadcast order.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3B, the detailed content data for each acoustic ID is stored in the wide area network of the acoustic ID, the title information of the broadcast content broadcast together with the acoustic ID, and the network content corresponding to the acoustic ID. This is data describing URL information representing a position.

  The control unit 71 of the information providing server 70 refers to the code time-series data for each broadcasting day and each broadcasting station stored in the storage unit 75 and the content detailed data for each acoustic ID, and receives information from the external information terminal 50. Various information is provided to the information terminal 50 in response to the inquiry. Specifically, the control unit 71 of the information providing server 70 broadcasts the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal in response to the inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID from the information terminal 50 by repeatedly executing the processing shown in FIG. In the station, a response signal storing the detailed content data group of each acoustic ID broadcast from the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal to N pieces before is transmitted to the inquiring information terminal 50 through the wide area network.

  More specifically, the control unit 71 receives the inquiry signal regarding the acoustic ID transmitted from the external information terminal 50 by executing the processing shown in FIG. When an inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID is received from the external information terminal 50 through the wide area network and the communication unit 73 (Yes in S110), the acoustic ID is broadcast based on the broadcasting station code of the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal. A broadcast station is identified (S120).

  Thereafter, the control unit 71 specifies each of the acoustic IDs broadcast N times before the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal in the specified broadcasting station based on the content code of the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal ( S130). Specifically, in the code time-series data corresponding to the specified broadcasting station, by referring to the content code in the direction in which the broadcasting order is forward from the description position of the content code of the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal, Each acoustic ID broadcast from the acoustic ID included in the inquiry signal up to N before is specified.

  Further, based on this result, the control unit 71 reads content detailed data corresponding to each acoustic ID broadcast on the same broadcast station from the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal up to N before from the storage unit 75, A response signal storing the detailed content data group is generated (S140), and transmitted to the information terminal 50 of the inquiry source (inquiry signal transmission source) through the wide area network (S150). The response signal also stores detailed content data corresponding to the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal.

  The variable N is an integer value of 1 or more and can be arbitrarily set by the administrator of the information providing server 70. In addition, as another example, the information providing system 1 may be configured such that the user of the information terminal 50 can specify the variable N. From the information terminal 50, an inquiry signal in which the designated value of the variable N is written together with the acoustic ID is transmitted as an inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID, and the information providing server 70 uses the designated value of the variable N included in the inquiry signal. For example, the processing described above is executed.

  Here, a configuration example of a response signal transmitted from the information providing server 70 to the inquiry source information terminal 50 in response to reception of the inquiry signal regarding the acoustic ID transmitted from the information terminal 50 will be described with reference to FIG. According to this example, the variable N has the value “2”. According to FIG. 5, the acoustic ID “STxx01CTyy06” broadcasted immediately before the acoustic ID “STxx01CTyy07” broadcasted by the broadcasting station identified by the broadcasting station code STxx01, and the acoustic ID “STxx01CTyy07” two before. A response signal storing the broadcast acoustic ID “STxx01CTyy05” and the detailed content data (acoustic ID, title information, and URL information) about the inquired acoustic ID “STxx01CTyy07” is transmitted to the information terminal 50.

  On the other hand, when the information terminal 50 that transmits the inquiry signal regarding the acoustic ID is activated, the control unit 55 repeatedly executes the processes shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. As a result, an operation of a user who desires to output network content is received through the user interface 57, and the network content desired by the user is output to the user through the user interface 57 in at least one of image (video) and audio. To do.

  Specifically, when the control unit 55 starts the processing shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, until a user operation indicating that network content is desired to be output (hereinafter referred to as “content output operation”) is performed through the user interface 57. Wait (No in S210). When the content output operation is performed (Yes in S210), the microphone 51 is occupied, an electric signal about the voice collected by the microphone 51, which is an input signal from the microphone 51, is acquired for a predetermined time, and this input signal Is identified, the current broadcast ID and the sound ID being reproduced included in the input signal are identified (S220). That is, the acoustic ID included in the input signal is extracted.

  Note that the processing of the information terminal 50 corresponding to the content output operation is based on the premise that the acoustic ID included in the broadcast signal is used. It is necessary to exist in a position where the reproduction sound of the broadcast signal including the acoustic ID output from the speaker 31 can be collected.

  If the acoustic ID cannot be specified in S220 because the information terminal 50 does not exist near the television device 30, the control unit 55 makes a negative determination in S225 and cannot acquire the acoustic ID. After a message to that effect is displayed to the user through the user interface 57 (S229), the process returns to S210. On the other hand, when the acoustic ID can be normally specified in S220, an affirmative determination is made in S225, and the processes after S230 are executed.

  When the process proceeds to S230, the control unit 55 outputs an inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID, in which the acoustic ID specified in S220 is described as the acoustic ID to be queried, from the communication unit 53 to the information providing server 70. An inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID is transmitted to the information providing server 70 through the wide area network. In addition, in order to transmit the inquiry signal to the information providing server 70, the address information of the information providing server 70 can be registered in the information terminal 50 in advance.

  When the inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID is transmitted from the information terminal 50 to the information providing server 70, the information providing server 70 includes the acoustic ID described as an inquiry target in the inquiry signal as a response signal to the inquiry signal. A response signal having detailed content data corresponding to each acoustic ID broadcasted from the same broadcasting station up to N before is transmitted.

  Therefore, the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 performs a process of receiving the response signal transmitted from the information providing server 70 through the communication unit 53 as a process subsequent to S230 (S240). And when a response signal is received, based on the detailed content data group included in the received response signal, broadcast at the same broadcasting station from the acoustic ID broadcast at the time of the content output operation and collected by the microphone 51 up to N times before. An output target selection screen for allowing the user to select which of the network contents corresponding to the sound ID that has been output is output to the user through the user interface 57 (S250).

  The content detailed data for each acoustic ID included in the response signal includes the title information of the broadcast content corresponding to the acoustic ID. For this reason, for example, as an output target selection screen, as shown in the right area of FIG. 6B, a screen listing the titles of broadcast content corresponding to each acoustic ID together with the acoustic ID, A screen on which an operation object (such as a radio button) for selecting an ID is written can be displayed.

  When the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 displays such an output target selection screen, it waits until one of the acoustic IDs listed on the output target selection screen is selected as a network content output target through the user interface 57. When selected, the network content corresponding to the selected acoustic ID is acquired, and the acquired network content is output to the user through the user interface 57 (S260).

  According to the present embodiment, the response signal obtained from the information providing server 70 includes the URL information of the network content corresponding to each acoustic ID. Therefore, based on the URL information corresponding to the network content output target acoustic ID indicated by the response signal, the control unit 55 obtains the network content corresponding to the network content output target acoustic ID from the URL destination web server 90. Obtained through the communication unit 53. Then, the acquired network content is output in at least one of an image (video) and a sound corresponding to the type of the network content.

  The information providing system 1 according to the present embodiment has been described above. According to the present embodiment, a broadcast signal in which an acoustic ID is added to broadcast content is broadcast from a broadcast station, and the broadcast content and the sound ID based on the broadcast signal are broadcast. Is reproduced by the television device 30. At this time, the information terminal 50 uses the acoustic ID collected from the reproduced sound, and obtains the URL information of the network content corresponding to the acoustic ID and the acoustic ID broadcast on the same broadcast station before the acoustic ID, Obtained from the information providing server 70, and outputs network content desired by the user based on the obtained URL information.

  Specifically, the network content corresponding to the acoustic ID extracted from the broadcast sound collected by the microphone 51 immediately after the content output operation, and the acoustic ID broadcast before that including immediately before the extracted acoustic ID One of the network contents corresponding to is acquired and output according to the selection operation from the user.

  Therefore, according to the present embodiment, even when the user cannot acquire the acoustic ID of the desired broadcast content (program, commercial, etc.) through the information terminal 50 during the broadcast due to a delay in the operation on the information terminal 50. The network content corresponding to the acoustic ID that could not be acquired can be used.

  That is, according to the present embodiment, the user-desired network content can be provided to the user by using the acoustic ID regardless of the user operation delay. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the use of the acoustic ID can be promoted.

  By the way, as the network content, when the broadcast content is a commercial, an advertisement page of a product corresponding to the commercial can be cited as an example. When the broadcast content is a content such as a TV drama, the TV drama An example of such a privilege video (moving image data), music, or the like can be given.

  In the present embodiment, the information providing server 70 does not store the network content itself corresponding to the acoustic ID, stores the URL information of the network content, and provides this URL information to the information terminal 50 as the content information. I did it. However, the information providing server 70 may be configured to store and hold the network content itself corresponding to the acoustic ID, and in response to the inquiry signal from the information terminal 50, a response signal storing the network content itself instead of the URL information. May be configured to be transmitted to the information terminal 50 (modified example).

  As shown in FIG. 7A, the information providing server 70 in the modified example stores the network content for each acoustic ID in the storage unit 75, and broadcasts the acoustic ID and the acoustic ID as detailed content data for each acoustic ID. The broadcast content title information and the network content file information corresponding to the acoustic ID (information indicating the storage location of the network content in the storage unit 75) are stored.

  And the control unit 71 of the information provision server 70 will perform the process after S120, as shown in FIG. 4, if the inquiry signal regarding acoustic ID is received from the information terminal 50. FIG. In S140, as shown in FIG. 7B, the response signal is based on the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal and the detailed content data corresponding to each acoustic ID broadcast N times before the acoustic ID at the same broadcasting station. Send. That is, the response ID that stores the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal and the title information and network content of the broadcast content corresponding to each of the acoustic IDs broadcasted up to N items before the inquiry ID is stored in the inquiry source. It transmits to the information terminal 50.

  The control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 receives the response signal including the network content itself (S240), and as shown in FIG. 6B, the network content included in the response signal is output to the user. An output target selection screen for selection is displayed through the user interface 57 (S250). Then, the network content selected by the user through this screen is output through the user interface 57 in S260.

  According to the information providing system 1 of the modified example, in S260, the network content is acquired based on the network content stored in the response signal received in advance without acquiring the network content from the web server 90 based on the URL information. Can be output to the user. Therefore, there is an advantage for the information terminal 50 that the user-desired network content can be provided by a simple procedure.

  In the present embodiment, the processing of S130 to S150 (see FIG. 4) executed by the control unit 71 of the information providing server 70 is a processing realized by the content information transmitting means included in the information providing server of the second aspect described above. Corresponding to an example, the process of S220 (see FIG. 6A) executed by the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 corresponds to an example of the process realized by the extraction means included in the information terminal of the second aspect, and the process of S230 is The process of S240 corresponds to an example of the process realized by the content information receiving means, and the process of S260 corresponds to an example of the process realized by the content output means. Correspond.

[Second Example]
Next, the information providing system 1 according to the second embodiment will be described. However, the information providing system 1 according to the second embodiment is different from the information providing system 1 according to the first embodiment in the content of the response signal to the inquiry signal regarding the acoustic ID transmitted from the information terminal 50. Therefore, hereinafter, as the configuration of the information providing system 1 of the second embodiment, a configuration different from the first embodiment will be selectively described, and description of the same components as the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate.

  When the control unit 71 included in the information providing server 70 of the second embodiment receives an inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID from the information terminal 50, the control unit 71 executes the processing after S120 as shown in FIG. In S140, a response signal is generated in which each acoustic ID broadcast up to N times at the same broadcast station identified from the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal and the title information of the broadcast content corresponding to each acoustic ID are generated. In S150, the response signal is transmitted to the information terminal 50 as the inquiry source. As shown in FIG. 8A, the response signal also includes broadcast content title information corresponding to the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal. It should be noted that the response signal of the present embodiment does not include the URL information of the network content corresponding to the acoustic ID or the network content itself.

  On the other hand, when a content output operation is performed through the user interface 57 (Yes in S210), the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 executes the processes after S220 as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. In S240, from the information providing server 70, a response signal including each acoustic ID broadcast from the acoustic ID described in the inquiry signal up to N times at the same broadcasting station and the title information of the broadcast content corresponding to the acoustic ID is sent from the information providing server 70. In S250, the output target selection screen is displayed based on the title information of each acoustic ID included in the response signal, and when the selection operation of the network content output target by the user through the output target selection screen is completed, in S260 Then, the acquisition output process shown in FIG. 8B is executed.

  Specifically, when the acquisition output process shown in FIG. 8B is started, the control unit 55 sends a content inquiry signal describing the sound ID based on the network content output target sound ID selected by the user to the information providing server 70. (S310).

  On the other hand, the control unit 71 of the information providing server 70 receives the content inquiry signal from the information terminal 50 by repeatedly executing the process shown in FIG. 8C. That is, in S410, the control unit 71 waits for the reception of the content inquiry signal from the information terminal 50. When the content inquiry signal is received (Yes in S410), the control unit 71 proceeds to S420, and the acoustic ID indicated by the received inquiry signal The URL information of the network content corresponding to is specified with reference to the content detailed data group stored in the storage unit 75. Then, the URL information is stored in a response signal to the content inquiry signal, and the response signal is transmitted to the inquiry source information terminal 50 through the communication unit 73 (S430).

  After transmitting the content inquiry signal, the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 waits for reception of the response signal transmitted from the information providing server 70 in this way. When this response signal is received, based on the URL information described in the received response signal, the URL destination web server 90 is accessed, and the network content corresponding to the URL is acquired from the URL destination web server 90. The network content is output to the user through the user interface 57 (S320).

  Although the configuration of the information providing system 1 according to the second embodiment has been described above, according to the present embodiment, the information providing server 70 transmits the network content itself and its URL information when receiving an inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID. First, on the basis of the inquired acoustic ID, a list of acoustic IDs broadcast up to N before the acoustic ID is stored in a response signal and transmitted in the same broadcasting station. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the data size of the response signal can be suppressed, and the communication amount related to the network content that the user does not need can be suppressed. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to efficiently provide network content desired by the user.

  By the way, according to the above embodiment, the information providing server 70 stores the URL information of the network content without storing the network content itself corresponding to the acoustic ID, and corresponds the URL information to the content inquiry signal. The information terminal 50 is provided. However, the information providing server 70 may be configured to store and hold the network content itself corresponding to the acoustic ID, and in S420 and S430 (see FIG. 8C) in response to the content inquiry signal from the information terminal 50, A response signal storing the network content itself corresponding to the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal may be generated and transmitted to the information terminal 50.

  If the information providing server 70 is configured in this way, the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 directs the network content included in the response signal to the user without accessing the web server 90 in S320 (see FIG. 8B). Can be output.

  Further, the group of code time-series data and the group of content detailed data may be provided in different servers. That is, the function as the information providing server 70 of the present embodiment may be realized by a plurality of servers.

  In addition, the process of S130-S150 (refer FIG. 4) which the control unit 71 of the information provision server 70 in a present Example implement | achieves is implement | achieved by the old information code transmission means which the information provision server of the 1st aspect mentioned above has. The storage unit 75 included in the information providing server 70 corresponds to an example of the process, corresponds to an example of the content information storage unit, and the process of S220 (see FIG. 6A) executed by the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 is the first. This corresponds to an example of the process realized by the extraction means included in the information terminal of the aspect, the process of S230 corresponds to an example of the process realized by the inquiry means, and the process of S240 is realized by the old information code receiving means. The processing of S260 (acquisition output processing shown in FIG. 8B) corresponds to an example of processing realized by the content output means. Corresponding to the example.

[Third embodiment]
Next, the information providing system 1 according to the third embodiment will be described. However, the information providing system 1 of the third embodiment is due to the fact that the broadcast station apparatus 10 generates and outputs a broadcast signal in which an information code composed of a combination of a broadcast station code and a broadcast time is incorporated as an acoustic ID. The configurations and processing operations of the information terminal 50 and the information providing server 70 are different from those of the first embodiment. Therefore, in the following, as the configuration of the information providing system 1 of the third embodiment, a configuration different from the first embodiment will be selectively described, and the description of the same components as the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate.

  First, the time change of the acoustic ID included in the broadcast signal output from the broadcast station apparatus 10 will be described using the time chart shown in FIG. 9A. As shown in FIG. 9A, the sound ID of the present embodiment is obtained by adding a code (hereinafter referred to as “time code”) representing a broadcast time instead of a content code to a broadcast station code. This time code is switched at a shorter time interval (5 second interval in the example shown in FIG. 9A) than a commercial or the like regardless of changes in broadcast content. The addition of the sound ID to the broadcast content is realized by the additional unit 13 included in the broadcast station device 10.

  On the other hand, the information providing server 70 is arranged in association with the broadcasting time, as shown in FIG. 9B, instead of storing the code time-series data for each broadcasting station in the storage unit 75 as in the first and second embodiments. The schedule data which is the detailed content data group is stored in the storage unit 75 for each broadcasting station.

  Specifically, the storage unit 75 stores the schedule data for each broadcasting station in association with the corresponding broadcasting station code, and as the detailed content data constituting the schedule data, the broadcasting start time of the broadcasting content, the broadcasting content Detailed content data including title information and URL information of network content corresponding to the broadcast content is stored for each broadcast content. However, the broadcast start time indicated by the detailed content data is not limited to the unit of the broadcast time added as the acoustic ID (in FIG. 9A, in units of 5 seconds), but in increments shorter than that (for example, in units of 1 second). There may be.

  The control unit 71 of the information providing server 70 having schedule data for each broadcasting station receives the inquiry signal regarding the acoustic ID transmitted from the information terminal 50 by repeatedly executing the processing shown in FIG. A response signal to the inquiry signal is transmitted to the information terminal 50 that is the inquiry source.

  Specifically, when the control unit 71 receives an inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID from the information terminal 50 (Yes in S510), the acoustic ID is broadcasted based on the broadcasting station code of the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal in S520. Identify the broadcast station

  Thereafter, the control unit 71, based on the time code of the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal and the information on the data request range, the data including the broadcast content broadcast together with the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal at the specified broadcast station. A response signal storing content detail data corresponding to each broadcast content corresponding to the requested range is generated (S530).

  In this embodiment, the inquiry signal transmitted from the information terminal 50 includes data request range information in addition to the acoustic ID to be queried. The data request range is a parameter expressed by the number X of the requested content detail data or the broadcast period T of the broadcast content corresponding to the requested content detail data. For example, the number or time such as 3 or 30 seconds is used. Expressed as a value to represent.

  When the data request range represents the number X of content detail data, the control unit 71 generates a response signal storing X content detail data as a response signal. Specifically, first, based on the sound ID indicated by the inquiry signal, the broadcast content broadcast at the broadcast time indicated by the sound ID is specified from the schedule data of the broadcast station where the sound ID is broadcast.

  In the schedule data, the broadcast start time of the broadcast content broadcast at the corresponding broadcast station is completely written, and during the period when one broadcast content is broadcast, the broadcast content broadcast next from the broadcast start time Can be identified from the schedule data as the period until the broadcast start time. That is, the specification of the broadcast content that was broadcast at the broadcast time indicated by the acoustic ID indicates the broadcast start time that is the same as or earlier than the broadcast time indicated by the acoustic ID, and is broadcast after the broadcast time indicated by the acoustic ID. It can be realized by specifying the broadcast content that ends in the schedule data.

  The control unit 71 specifies the broadcast content that has been broadcast together with the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal, and then uses the specified broadcast content (hereinafter referred to as “reference broadcast content”) as a reference one before the reference broadcast content. From the broadcast content broadcast on the same broadcast station to the broadcast content broadcast on the same broadcast station (X-1) before the reference broadcast content. Then, the content detailed data of each broadcast content is extracted from the schedule data of the corresponding broadcast station, and each of the reference broadcast content and each broadcast broadcast on the same broadcast station up to (X-1) before the reference broadcast content. A response signal storing the detailed content data of the broadcast content is generated.

  On the other hand, when the data request range represents the broadcast period T, the control unit 71 uses the broadcast time indicated by the acoustic ID as an end point as a response signal, and the time indicated by the data request range from the broadcast time indicated by the acoustic ID. A response signal storing the detailed content data of each broadcast content broadcast in the broadcast period T starting from the time that is traced back is generated. Specifically, the broadcast content that was being broadcast at the start of the broadcast period T, the reference broadcast content that was being broadcast at the end of the broadcast period T, and the broadcast content that was broadcast between the two broadcast contents A response signal storing the detailed content data of each broadcast content is generated.

  Thereafter, the control unit 71 transmits the generated response signal to the information terminal 50 as the inquiry signal transmission source through the communication unit 73 (S540). Each time the control unit 71 receives an inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID (Yes in S510), the control unit 71 executes such processing of S520 to S540.

  On the other hand, the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 executes the processing corresponding to the content output operation by executing the processing shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B as in the first embodiment. In S230, an inquiry signal related to the above-mentioned acoustic ID in which the acoustic ID specified in S220 is described as the acoustic ID to be queried, and further, an inquiry signal in which information on the data request range set in advance by the user is written is communicated. The information is transmitted from the unit 53 to the information providing server 70. The setting information of the data request range can be stored in a ROM such as a flash memory capable of electrically rewriting data. For example, if the ROM 55a is a flash memory, the setting information can be stored together with the program in the ROM 55a.

  In S250, for each broadcast content from which network content can be acquired based on the detailed content data for each broadcast content indicated in the received response signal, the screen lists the broadcast content titles together with the broadcast time, A screen describing an operation object for selecting a title can be displayed. That is, as the output interest target selection screen, for example, a screen having a configuration in which the broadcast time is written instead of the acoustic ID in the output target selection screen shown in FIG. 6B can be displayed.

  When one of the broadcast contents is selected as a network content output target by a user operation on the output target selection screen displayed in such a form, the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 according to the present embodiment selects the selected broadcast content. Is acquired based on the URL information included in the received response signal. Then, the acquired network content is output to the user through the user interface 57 (S260).

  The configuration of the information providing system 1 according to the third embodiment has been described above. Also in the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, based on the acoustic ID extracted from the broadcast audio collected by the microphone 51 immediately after the content output operation, the network content corresponding to the broadcast content broadcast together with the acoustic ID One of network contents corresponding to broadcast contents broadcast before then can be output in accordance with a selection operation from the user. Therefore, even when the acoustic ID corresponding to the user-desired network content cannot be extracted from the broadcast sound due to the user's operation delay, the network content can be provided to the user. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is useful for promoting the use of the acoustic ID.

  Also, with respect to the information providing system 1 of the third embodiment, as in the modification of the first embodiment, the information providing server 70 does not use the network content URL information as the network content information corresponding to the acoustic ID. The network content itself can be stored. When the control unit 71 of the information providing server 70 receives the inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID from the information terminal 50, the control time 71 of each broadcast content corresponding to the data request range and the network content itself corresponding to the broadcast content are displayed. The stored response signal can be transmitted to the inquiry signal transmission source information terminal 50.

  Specifically, the information providing server 70 may be configured to store content detailed data having file information for reading out the corresponding network content from the storage unit 75 instead of the URL information of the network content. Based on this file information, the network content stored in the storage unit 75 can be read and transmitted to the information terminal 50.

  Further, the processing of S530 and S540 (see FIG. 10) executed by the control unit 71 of the information providing server 70 in the present embodiment is a processing realized by the content information transmitting means possessed by the information providing server of the third aspect described above. Corresponding to an example, the process of S220 (see FIG. 6A) executed by the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 corresponds to an example of the process realized by the extraction means included in the information terminal of the third aspect, and the process of S230 is The process of S240 corresponds to an example of the process realized by the content information receiving means, and the process of S260 corresponds to an example of the process realized by the content output means. Correspond.

[Fourth embodiment]
Next, the information providing system 1 according to the fourth embodiment will be described. In the information providing system 1 of the fourth embodiment, the broadcast station apparatus 10 is configured to output a plurality of acoustic IDs simultaneously by using a plurality of different carrier frequencies as carrier signal frequencies carrying the acoustic IDs. . As described above, the information providing system 1 according to the fourth embodiment is a system in which the broadcasting station apparatus 10 outputs a plurality of acoustic IDs simultaneously in different frequency bands, but many other configurations are the first embodiment to the third embodiment. Common to the information providing system 1 of the embodiment. Below, description of the structure which is common in the information provision system 1 of 1st Example-3rd Example is abbreviate | omitted suitably.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the additional unit 13 of the broadcasting station apparatus 10 in the fourth embodiment includes first and second conversion units 131 and 132 and a mixing unit 135. The first conversion unit 131 modulates the carrier signal (carrier wave) indicating the first carrier frequency with the first acoustic ID given from the input unit 11, so that the first acoustic ID is difficult for the user to recognize. The sound signal is converted into a sound signal of an inaudible frequency band and input to the mixing unit 135.

  On the other hand, the second conversion unit 132 modulates a carrier signal (carrier wave) indicating a second carrier frequency different from the first carrier frequency by the second acoustic ID given from the input unit 11. The second acoustic ID is converted into an audio signal in an inaudible frequency band that is difficult for the user to recognize, and is input to the mixing unit 135.

  The mixing unit 135 includes the audio signal of the broadcast content, the audio signal of the first acoustic ID generated by the first conversion unit 131, and the second sound generated by the second conversion unit 132. The audio signal of ID is mixed (mixed) to generate an audio signal to be output as a broadcast signal, which is input to the output unit 15.

  According to the first and second embodiments, the sound ID is a broadcast station code provided with a content code for each broadcast content. According to the third embodiment, the sound ID is added to the broadcast station code. A time code is given. According to the fourth embodiment, such an acoustic ID is divided into two, a broadcasting station code is input to the additional unit 13 as the first acoustic ID, and a content code or time code is input as the second acoustic ID. Input to the additional unit 13.

  When the broadcast station code is adopted as the first acoustic ID and the content code is adopted as the second acoustic ID, the first and second acoustic IDs incorporated in the broadcast signal are, for example, time as shown in FIG. 12A. Change.

  On the other hand, the first and second acoustic IDs incorporated in the broadcast signal when the broadcast station code is adopted as the first acoustic ID and the time code is adopted as the second acoustic ID are as shown in FIG. 12B, for example. Changes over time.

  As a result of such an acoustic ID input, the broadcast signal includes a broadcast signal in which the video and audio of the broadcast content, the audio corresponding to the first audio ID, and the audio signal corresponding to the second audio ID are incorporated. It is generated by the broadcast station device 10 and output from the broadcast antenna 20.

  The information terminal 50 extracts each of the plurality of acoustic IDs transmitted at the plurality of carrier frequencies by analyzing the input signal of the microphone 51 (S220). Even with the information providing system 1 of the fourth embodiment configured as described above, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those of the first to third embodiments.

[Fifth Example]
Then, the information provision system 1 of 5th Example is demonstrated. The information providing system 1 of the fifth embodiment is a modification of the information providing system 1 of the third embodiment, and outputs a broadcast signal in which only the broadcast station code is added to the broadcast content as an acoustic ID from the broadcast station apparatus 10. It is what you do. That is, according to the fifth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13A, a constant acoustic ID composed of a broadcasting station code is incorporated in the broadcasting signal of each broadcasting station, regardless of switching of broadcasting contents.

  Using this acoustic ID, the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 acquires a response signal similar to that of the third embodiment from the information providing server 70 and outputs the network content desired by the user to the user. In the information providing system 1 of the fifth embodiment, the processing at the information terminal 50 is different from that of the third embodiment. Therefore, the information terminal 50 will be described below as an explanation of the information providing system 1 of the fifth embodiment. The processing executed by the control unit 55 is selectively described, and the description of the same configuration as that of the third embodiment is omitted as appropriate.

  The control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 in the fifth embodiment repeatedly executes the processes shown in FIGS. 13B and 13C instead of the processes shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. That is, the control unit 55 stands by until a content output operation is performed through the user interface 57 (No in S610). When a content output operation is performed (Yes in S610), an input signal from the microphone 51 is acquired for a predetermined time, and the input ID is analyzed to analyze the current broadcast and playback sound ID included in the input signal. Is extracted and specified, and the broadcast time of the acoustic ID is specified based on the internal clock of the own device. That is, the time when the acoustic ID is specified is specified as the broadcast time of the acoustic ID (S620).

  If the acoustic ID cannot be specified in S620, a negative determination is made in S625, a message indicating that the acoustic ID could not be acquired is displayed (S629), and the process returns to S610. On the other hand, when the acoustic ID can be normally specified in S620, an affirmative determination is made in S625, and the processes after S630 are executed.

  When the process proceeds to S630, the control unit 55 is an inquiry signal regarding the acoustic ID in which the acoustic ID identified in S620 is described as the acoustic ID to be queried, and further information on the broadcast time of the acoustic ID identified in S620. And the inquiry signal which described the information of the data request | requirement range preset by the user is transmitted toward the information provision server 70 from the communication unit 53. FIG.

  When receiving the inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID from the information terminal 50, the information providing server 70 executes the same processing as in the third embodiment based on the acoustic ID, the broadcast time, and the data request range information indicated in the inquiry signal. . That is, when the acoustic ID and the broadcast time indicated in the inquiry signal are regarded as the acoustic ID of the third embodiment, the same processing as the processing executed by the information providing server 70 of the third embodiment is executed, and the inquiry is performed. A response signal is transmitted to the information terminal 50 of the signal transmission source.

  Upon receiving this response signal (S640), the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 can acquire network content based on the detailed content data for each broadcast content indicated in the received response signal, as in the third embodiment. For each broadcast content, a screen listing the titles of the broadcast content together with the broadcast time and displaying an operation object for selecting each title is displayed (S650). When one of the broadcast contents is selected as a network content output target by a user operation on the output target selection screen, the network content corresponding to the selected broadcast content is included in the URL information included in the received response signal. Get based on. The acquired network content is output through the user interface 57 (S660).

  Although the information providing system 1 of the fifth embodiment has been described above, the information providing system 1 can also provide the user with network content corresponding to the broadcast content desired by the user using the acoustic ID. In the information providing system 1 of the fifth embodiment, the information providing server 70 can store the network content itself, not the URL information of the network content. That is, when the control unit 71 of the information providing server 70 receives the inquiry signal regarding the acoustic ID from the information terminal 50, the broadcast time and title of each broadcast content corresponding to the data request range, and the network content corresponding to the broadcast content The response signal storing itself can be transmitted to the information terminal 50 that is the inquiry signal transmission source.

[Sixth embodiment]
Next, the information providing system 1 according to the sixth embodiment will be described. The information providing system 1 of the present embodiment is a modification of the information providing system 1 of the second embodiment, and the television device 30 stores the reproduction history of the acoustic ID, and provides this reproduction history to the information terminal 50. It is configured to be able to. The information terminal 50 acquires the information of the sound ID broadcast and reproduced before the sound ID extracted from the input signal of the microphone 51 from the television device 30 and the network content corresponding to the acquired sound ID. URL information is acquired from the information providing server 70 through the communication unit 53 and the wide area network, and the network content desired by the user is output to the user.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the television apparatus 30 of this embodiment includes a speaker 31, a monitor 33, a reception / reproduction unit 35, a control unit 37, and a short-range communication unit 39.

  The reception / reproduction unit 35 receives a broadcast signal transmitted from each broadcast station and reproduces the broadcast signal, thereby outputting a video included in the broadcast signal through the monitor 33 and an audio included in the broadcast signal. Is output through the speaker 31. Since the broadcast signal of this embodiment includes the same acoustic ID as that of the second embodiment, the user can recognize the sound corresponding to the broadcast content through the speaker 31 when the reception / playback unit 35 reproduces the broadcast signal. In addition to being output as audio, the audio corresponding to the acoustic ID is output as audio that is difficult for the user to recognize.

  The control unit 37 controls the entire television apparatus 30. For example, the control unit 37 controls the reception / reproduction unit 35 in accordance with a user operation signal input through a remote controller (not shown), and broadcasts desired by the user. The broadcast signal of the station is received and reproduced by the reception / reproduction unit 35.

  In addition, the short-range communication unit 39 is configured, for example, as a Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard wireless communication unit, and performs wireless communication with an external device using, for example, a 2.4 GHz band radio wave. In the present embodiment, the near field communication unit 39 is used for communication with the information terminal 50.

  The information terminal 50 according to the present embodiment includes a microphone 51, a communication unit 53, a control unit 55, and a user interface 57 as well as the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and is close to the television device 30. A short-range communication unit 59 for wireless communication is provided. The short-range communication unit 59 is used, for example, for acquiring information on the acoustic ID reproduced in the past from the television device 30.

  Returning to the story of the control unit 37 included in the television device 30. The control unit 37 provided in the television apparatus 30 of the present embodiment performs a history writing process PR1 for writing the information of the acoustic ID reproduced by the reception / reproduction unit 35 in the RAM 37a provided in the control unit 37. Repeatedly after startup. In parallel with the history writing process PR1, an inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID is received from the information terminal 50 through the short-range communication unit 39, and a response signal to the inquiry signal is sent to the inquiry-source information terminal 50 in the short-range communication unit 39. The inquiry signal reception process PR2 transmitted through the terminal 30 is repeatedly executed after the television device 30 is activated.

  As shown in FIG. 15A, when the history writing process PR1 is started, the control unit 37 analyzes the audio signal input from the reception / playback unit 35 to the speaker 31 and extracts the acoustic ID included in the audio signal ( S710). Then, it is determined whether or not the extracted acoustic ID has changed from the previously extracted acoustic ID (S720). If it is determined that it has not changed (No in S720), the process returns to S710, and if it is determined that it has changed (Yes in S720), the process proceeds to S730. If the extraction of the acoustic ID fails in S710, a negative determination is formally made in S720, and the process may be returned to S710.

  After shifting to S730, the control unit 37 stores the reproduction history of this acoustic ID in the RAM 37a by registering the currently extracted acoustic ID in the reproduction history data stored in the RAM 37a. Thereafter, the history writing process is terminated, and the process is started again from S710.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the reproduction history data is configured as data in which a predetermined number of acoustic IDs are arranged in order of registration from the most recently registered acoustic ID. In other words, the reproduction history data has a configuration in which a predetermined number of acoustic IDs broadcast from a broadcasting station and reproduced by the television device 30 are arranged in order of reproduction from the most recently reproduced acoustic ID.

  According to the example shown in FIG. 14, the reproduction history data includes the latest acoustic ID, the acoustic ID reproduced immediately before, and the acoustic ID reproduced most recently in the order of the acoustic ID reproduced two times before. Are arranged so that a group of acoustic IDs up to the acoustic ID reproduced four times before is arranged. When the predetermined number of acoustic IDs are already registered in the reproduction history data when executing S730, the control unit 37 deletes the oldest acoustic ID and registers the latest acoustic ID in the reproduction history data.

  As shown in FIG. 15B, when the inquiry signal reception process is started, the control unit 37 stands by until an inquiry signal regarding the acoustic ID is received from the information terminal 50 through the short-range communication unit 39 (S810). When this inquiry signal is received (Yes in S810), the RAM 37a stores a group of acoustic IDs reproduced by the television device 30 up to N times before the acoustic ID including the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal. It is specified by referring to the reproduction history data to be performed (S820). Then, a response signal describing the group of acoustic IDs is generated (S830), and this is transmitted to the inquiry source information terminal 50 through the short-range communication unit 39 (S840).

  On the other hand, when the content output operation is performed as shown in FIG. 6A (Step S210: Yes), the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 that transmits such an inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID executes the processes after Step S220. In S230, an inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID describing the acoustic ID specified in S220 is transmitted to the television apparatus 30 through the short-range communication unit 59 instead of the information providing server 70. In S240, the inquiry signal in the television apparatus 30 is transmitted. The response signal generated and transmitted by the inquiry signal reception process PR2 is received through the short-range communication unit 59.

  In S250, an output target selection screen in which each of the acoustic IDs included in the response signal is recorded together with an operation object for selecting the acoustic ID is displayed through the user interface 57, and the output target selection screen is displayed. When the selection operation by the user is completed, the acquisition output process shown in FIG. 8B is executed in S260. With this operation, network content corresponding to the acoustic ID of the network content output target selected by the user is acquired, and this network content is output through the user interface 57.

  As described above, the information providing system 1 according to the sixth embodiment has been described. Also in this information providing system 1, the user can obtain a desired acoustic ID through the microphone 51 of the information terminal 50 due to a delay in the operation on the information terminal 50. Even if it cannot be acquired during the broadcast, the network content corresponding to the acoustic ID that could not be acquired can be used.

  Similar to the second embodiment, the information providing server 70 generates a response signal storing URL information of the network content corresponding to the acoustic ID indicated by the content inquiry signal in response to the content inquiry signal from the information terminal 50. It may be configured to transmit this, or a response signal storing the network content itself corresponding to the acoustic ID indicated by the content inquiry signal may be generated and transmitted to the information terminal 50. .

  Further, the control unit 37 of the television apparatus 30 may be configured to execute the following processing. That is, when the control unit 37 receives the inquiry signal (Yes in S810), after executing the process of S820, the control unit 37 proceeds to S830 and corresponds to each of the acoustic IDs belonging to the group of the acoustic IDs identified in S820. The URL information of network content (or the network content itself) and the corresponding broadcast content title information are acquired from the information providing server 70. The control unit 37 generates a response signal storing the information (data) acquired from the information providing server 70 together with the acoustic ID, and transmits the response signal to the information terminal 50 through the short-range communication unit 39 in S840. May be. However, in this case, the television device 30 is provided with a communication unit for communicating with the information providing server 70 through the wide area network.

  On the other hand, in response to such a configuration of the television device 30, when the information terminal 50 starts the processing shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, in S 230, the sound extracted and identified from the input signal of the microphone 51 in S 220. An inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID describing the ID is transmitted to the television apparatus 30 through the short-range communication unit 59. In S240, URL information (or network content itself) of the network content transmitted from the television apparatus 30 is transmitted. A response signal including the response signal can be received through the short-range communication unit 59.

  In S250, a screen listing the broadcast content titles corresponding to each acoustic ID included in the response signal together with the acoustic ID, and an output target describing an operation object for selecting the network content output target acoustic ID The selection screen can be configured to be displayed through the user interface 57. When the selection operation by the user through the output target selection screen is completed, the network content corresponding to the acoustic ID of the network content output target selected by the user is selected based on the URL information included in the response signal in S260. The network content can be acquired (or the corresponding network content included in the response signal is acquired), and the network content can be output through the user interface 57.

  The television apparatus 30 of the present embodiment corresponds to the example of the playback apparatus of the fourth aspect described above, and the operation in which the control unit 37 receives an inquiry signal from the information terminal 50 through the short-range communication unit 39 (S810) Corresponding to an example of the inquiry signal receiving means possessed by the reproducing apparatus, the processing of S820 to S840 executed by the control unit 37 corresponds to an example of processing realized by the old information code transmitting means possessed by the reproducing apparatus. Further, the process of S220 (see FIG. 6A) executed by the control unit 55 in the information terminal 50 of the present embodiment corresponds to an example of a process realized by the extraction unit included in the information terminal corresponding to the playback device of the fourth aspect. The process of S230 corresponds to an example of the process realized by the inquiry unit, the process of S240 corresponds to an example of the process realized by the old information code receiving unit, and the process of S260 is performed by the content output unit This corresponds to an example of realized processing.

  Further, the television device 30 of the modified example that acquires the URL information of the network content from the information providing server 70 corresponds to the example of the playback device of the fifth aspect described above, and the processing of S820 in the modified example is the old information. Corresponding to an example of processing realized by the code specifying means, the processing of S830 and S840 corresponds to an example of processing realized by the content information transmitting means.

[Seventh embodiment]
Next, the information providing system 1 according to the seventh embodiment will be described. However, the information providing system 1 of the present embodiment is a modification of the information providing system 1 of the second embodiment, and was broadcast in the past that was provided from the information providing server 70 to the information terminal 50 in the second embodiment. The list of acoustic IDs is incorporated into a broadcast signal and provided to the information terminal 50. Therefore, in the following, as an explanation of the information providing system 1 of the seventh embodiment, a broadcast signal generation procedure in the broadcast station apparatus 10 and a network content output procedure in the information terminal 50 will be explained, and an information provision system of the second embodiment Description of the same configuration as 1 is omitted as appropriate.

  As shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, the broadcast station apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, in addition to an acoustic ID corresponding to this broadcast content, broadcast content such as programs and commercials, one time before and two times before. A sound ID string formed by arranging sound IDs corresponding to broadcast contents broadcasted is added with a voice that is difficult for the user to recognize, and this broadcast signal is output.

  Specifically, the additional unit 13 of the broadcast station apparatus 10 repeatedly executes the process shown in FIG. 16A to switch the acoustic ID sequence to be added to the broadcast content input from the input unit 11 and generate a broadcast signal. .

  When the process shown in FIG. 16A is started, the additional unit 13 determines whether or not the timing for switching the acoustic ID string to be added to the broadcast content has arrived (S910). Specifically, the additional unit 13 can determine that the switching timing of the acoustic ID string to be added to the broadcast content has arrived whenever the acoustic ID input from the input unit 11 is switched along with the switching of the broadcast content. .

  If it is determined that the acoustic ID string switching timing has not arrived (No in S910), the process proceeds to S930 without executing the processing of S920, and if it is determined that the acoustic ID string switching timing has arrived (S910). Yes), the process proceeds to S920, and the acoustic ID string to be added to the broadcast content is switched according to the following rule.

  Specifically, the additional unit 13 deletes the oldest acoustic ID from the acoustic ID sequence currently set as the acoustic ID sequence to be added to the broadcast content, and instead, the acoustic unit newly input from the input unit 11 this time The ID is added to the sound ID string, and the sound ID string added to the broadcast content is switched.

  Here, the oldest acoustic ID is the acoustic ID used as the acoustic ID constituting the acoustic ID sequence from the earliest in the group of acoustic IDs constituting the currently set acoustic ID sequence. Say that. For example, when three acoustic IDs are added to the broadcast content as an acoustic ID string, the acoustic ID newly input from the input unit 11 this time is “STxx01CTyy07”, and the input unit 11 immediately before that The input sound ID is ““ STxx01CTyy06 ”, the sound ID input from the input unit 11 one more time ago is“ “STxx01CTyy05”, and the sound ID input from the input unit 11 one time before is Consider the case of “STxx01CTyy04”.

  In this case, as shown in Fig. 16B, the setting of the acoustic ID string added to the broadcast content is changed in S920 so as to switch the currently set acoustic ID string "STxx01CTyy04STxx01CTyy05STxx01CTyy06" to "STxx01CTyy05STxx01CTyy06STxx01CTyy07".

  Thereafter, the additional unit 13 proceeds to S930, and the currently set acoustic ID string (the acoustic ID string after the setting change in S920 immediately before the transition from S920 to S930) is performed by the user using the method described above. A broadcast signal added to the broadcast content in the form of sound that is difficult to recognize is generated. For example, this acoustic ID sequence is converted into an audio signal in an inaudible frequency band, and the audio signal is mixed with the audio signal of the broadcast content, thereby generating a broadcast signal in which the audio ID sequence is added to the broadcast content. . The additional unit 13 repeatedly executes such processing.

  On the other hand, the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 executes the process shown in FIG. 17 instead of the process shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. When the processing shown in FIG. 17 is started, the control unit 55 stands by until a content output operation is performed (No in S1010). When a content output operation is performed (Yes in S1010), an electrical signal for the sound collected by the microphone 51, which is an input signal from the microphone 51, is acquired for a predetermined time, and the input signal is analyzed by analyzing the input signal. The current broadcast and playback acoustic ID strings included in are extracted and specified (S1020).

  If the acoustic ID string cannot be specified in S1020, the control unit 55 makes a negative determination in S1025 and displays a message indicating that the acoustic ID could not be acquired through the user interface 57 (S1029). Return processing to. On the other hand, if the acoustic ID string can be specified in S1020, an affirmative determination is made in S1025, and the process proceeds to S1050.

  When the process proceeds to S1050, the control unit 55 displays, via the user interface 57, an output target selection screen in which each of the acoustic IDs constituting the acoustic ID string specified in S1020 is described together with an operation object for selecting the acoustic ID. indicate. At this time, each of the acoustic IDs constituting the acoustic ID sequence identified in S1020 can be arranged on the output target selection screen in the order of the acoustic IDs newly incorporated in the acoustic ID sequence.

  When the selection operation by the user through the output target selection screen is completed, the acquisition output process shown in FIG. 8B is executed in S1060. With this operation, network content corresponding to the acoustic ID of the network content output target selected by the user is acquired, and this network content is output through the user interface 57.

  The configuration of the information providing system 1 according to the seventh embodiment has been described above. According to the present embodiment, even when the control unit 71 of the information providing server 70 does not execute the process for receiving the inquiry signal related to the acoustic ID as shown in FIG. The network content corresponding to the broadcast content that has been broadcast can be provided based on the information of the acoustic ID string broadcast at that time. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the network content desired by the user can be provided, which is useful for promoting the use of the acoustic ID.

  In this embodiment, the acoustic ID string is incorporated in the broadcast signal. However, since the acoustic ID includes a broadcasting station code and a content code, if a plurality of acoustic IDs are incorporated in the broadcasting signal, the broadcasting station The code will be written repeatedly inefficiently. Therefore, in place of the plurality of sound IDs, as shown in FIG. 16C, an information code in which only the content code portion for the plurality of sound IDs is added after the broadcast station code is added to the broadcast signal. The unit 13 may be configured.

  The broadcast station apparatus 10 of the present embodiment corresponds to the example of the broadcast signal generation apparatus of the sixth aspect described above, and the process of S920 (see FIG. 16A) executed by the additional unit 13 is a process realized by the setting unit. The process of S930 corresponds to an example of a process realized by the broadcast signal generation unit. Further, the process of S1020 (see FIG. 17) executed by the control unit 55 in the information terminal 50 of the present embodiment is an example of a process realized by an extraction unit included in the information terminal corresponding to the broadcast signal generation device of the sixth aspect. The processing in S1060 corresponds to an example of processing realized by the content output unit.

[Eighth embodiment]
Next, the information providing system 1 according to the eighth embodiment will be described. The information providing system 1 of the eighth embodiment is a modification of the information providing system 1 of the seventh embodiment, and the broadcasting station device 10 broadcasts two acoustic IDs using carrier signals (carrier waves) of different frequency bands. The content is added to the content. In the following, as an explanation of the information providing system 1 of the eighth embodiment, the contents of processing executed mainly by the additional unit 13 in the broadcasting station apparatus 10 will be explained using FIG. 18A and FIG. 18B. A description of the same components as the information providing system 1 will be omitted as appropriate.

  The additional unit 13 included in the broadcast station device 10 of the present embodiment repeatedly executes the process shown in FIG. 18A to add two acoustic IDs to the broadcast content input from the input unit 11 and to transmit a broadcast signal. Generate.

  When the processing shown in FIG. 18A is started, the additional unit 13 determines whether or not the switching timing of the first acoustic ID to be added to the broadcast content has arrived (S1110). The additional unit 13 can determine that the switching timing of the first acoustic ID to be added to the broadcast content has arrived every time the acoustic ID input from the input unit 11 is switched along with the switching of the broadcast content.

  If it is determined that the first acoustic ID switching timing has not arrived (No in S1110), the process proceeds to S1130 without executing the process in S1120. On the other hand, if it is determined that the switching timing of the first acoustic ID has arrived (Yes in S1110), the process proceeds to S1120, and the first acoustic ID is set to the acoustic ID input from the input unit 11. Thereafter, the process proceeds to S1130.

  After shifting to S1130, the additional unit 13 determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed from the switching timing of the first acoustic ID. If it is determined that the predetermined time has not elapsed (No in S1130), the process proceeds to S1150 without executing the process in S1140. On the other hand, if it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed (Yes in S1130), the process proceeds to S1140, and the value after switching for the first acoustic ID switched at the switching timing before the predetermined time is set to the second value. Set as acoustic ID. Thereafter, the process proceeds to S1150.

  After shifting to S1150, the additional unit 13 modulates a carrier signal (carrier wave) having a predetermined first carrier frequency with the currently set first acoustic ID, whereby the first acoustic ID is changed to the user. Is converted to an audio signal in the first inaudible frequency band that is difficult to recognize (hereinafter referred to as “first digital watermark signal”). Further, by modulating a carrier signal having a second carrier frequency different from the first carrier frequency with the currently set second acoustic ID, the second acoustic ID is difficult for the user to recognize. It is converted into an inaudible frequency band audio signal (hereinafter referred to as “second digital watermark signal”).

  Then, the first and second digital watermark signals are mixed with the audio signal of the broadcast content input from the input unit 11 to thereby add the first and second acoustic IDs to the audio signal of the broadcast content. A signal is generated and input to the output unit 15.

  On the other hand, the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 repeatedly executes the process shown in FIG. 17 as in the seventh embodiment, and analyzes the input signal from the microphone 51 when a content output operation is performed (Yes in S1010). The first and second acoustic IDs are extracted and specified (S1020). In S1050, an output target selection screen in which each of the identified first and second acoustic IDs is recorded together with an operation object for selecting the acoustic ID is displayed through the user interface 57.

  At this time, when the first acoustic ID and the second acoustic ID are the same, only one acoustic ID can be displayed on the output target selection screen. When the selection operation by the user through the output target selection screen is completed, the acquisition output process shown in FIG. 8B is executed in S1060. As a result, the network content corresponding to the broadcast content broadcast at the time of the content output operation or the network content corresponding to the broadcast content broadcast immediately before this broadcast content is output according to the user's selection operation.

  As described above, the information providing system 1 according to the eighth embodiment has been described. Even in the present embodiment, as in the seventh embodiment, the network content corresponding to the broadcast content that has been broadcast is displayed at the time of content output operation. It can provide to the user of the information terminal 50 based on the information of acoustic ID currently broadcast.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 18B, the same acoustic ID as the first acoustic ID is broadcast as the second acoustic ID after a predetermined time delay from the first acoustic ID. This time delay can be set to a value of, for example, about 10 seconds in consideration of a user operation delay.

  In the above embodiment, the second acoustic ID is switched when the elapsed time from the switching timing of the first acoustic ID reaches a predetermined time, but at the same time as the switching timing of the first acoustic ID, The sound ID may be switched. In this case, at the switching timing of the first acoustic ID, at the same time as switching the first acoustic ID to a new value, the second acoustic ID is set to the same value as the first acoustic ID before the switching. be able to. Such an embodiment is basically equivalent to broadcasting the two acoustic IDs that were broadcast as the acoustic ID string in the seventh embodiment separately in different frequency bands.

  The broadcast station apparatus 10 of the present embodiment corresponds to the example of the broadcast signal generation apparatus of the seventh aspect described above, and the processing of S1120 (see FIG. 18A) executed by the additional unit 13 is realized by the first setting unit. The process of S1140 corresponds to an example of the process realized by the second setting unit, and the process of S1150 corresponds to an example of the process realized by the broadcast signal generation unit. Further, the process of S1020 (see FIG. 17) executed by the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 corresponds to an example of the process realized by the extraction unit included in the information terminal corresponding to the broadcast signal generation device of the seventh aspect, The process of S1060 corresponds to an example of a process realized by the content output unit.

[Ninth Example]
Then, the information provision system 1 of 9th Example is demonstrated. The information providing system 1 of the ninth embodiment is a modification of the information providing system 1 of the seventh embodiment, and instead of outputting a broadcast signal obtained by adding an acoustic ID string to broadcast content, an acoustic ID main body unit Attached code that represents the remaining time until the next value is switched is added to the body part of the sound ID consisting of the broadcast station code and the content code, and the sound ID formed in the broadcast signal is output. It is.

  Therefore, in the following, as an explanation of the information providing system 1 of the ninth embodiment, the contents of the processing executed by the additional unit 13 of the broadcasting station apparatus 10 will be explained using FIG. 19A, FIG. 19B and FIG. The contents of the process executed by the process 50 instead of the process shown in FIG. 17 will be described with reference to FIG. On the other hand, the description of the same components in the information providing system 1 of the ninth embodiment as those of the information providing system 1 of the seventh embodiment is omitted as appropriate.

  As shown in FIG. 19A, the sound ID included in the broadcast signal of this embodiment is the main body composed of the same broadcasting station code and content code as in the seventh embodiment, and the remaining until the value of the main body is switched next time. It consists of a combination with an attached code representing time. The example shown in FIG. 19A is an example in which an attached code in which a header “NT” is added to the remaining time “0015” seconds is incorporated in the acoustic ID.

  The attached code included in the acoustic ID is sequentially updated and incorporated in the broadcast signal. According to the example shown in FIG. 19B, the value of the sound ID main body is switched to “STxx01CTyy05” at the broadcast time 18:15:10, and the value of the sound ID main body is next to this sound ID main body. The attached code “NT0015” corresponding to the remaining time 15 seconds up to 18:15:25 to be switched is added, and the acoustic ID “STxx01CTyy05NT0015” is broadcast together with the broadcast content.

  At the broadcast time 18:15:15, the attached code is updated to the value “NT0010” corresponding to the remaining time 10 seconds until 18:15:25, and the acoustic ID “STxx01CTy05NT0010” is added together with the broadcast content. At 18:15:20, the attached code is updated to the value “NT0005” corresponding to the remaining time of 5 seconds until 18:15:25, and the acoustic ID “STxx01CTy05NT0005” is broadcasted. Broadcast with.

  Further, at the broadcast time 18:15:25, the value of the sound ID main body is switched to “STxx01CTyy06” together with the switching of the broadcast content, and the broadcast content and the sound ID main body are next to this sound ID main body. The attached code “NT0015” corresponding to the remaining time of 15 seconds until 18:15:40 is added, and the acoustic ID “STxx01CTy06NT0015” is broadcast together with the broadcast content.

Such switching of the acoustic ID is realized by the additional unit 13 repeatedly executing the process shown in FIG. 19C.
When the process shown in FIG. 19C is started, the additional unit 13 first determines whether or not the timing for switching the setting value of the acoustic ID main body has arrived (S1210). For example, each time the value of the acoustic ID main body input from the input unit 11 (broadcasting station code + content code) is switched as the broadcast content is switched, the additional unit 13 It can be determined that the timing for switching the set value has arrived.

  If it is determined that the timing for switching the setting value of the acoustic ID main body has not arrived (No in S1210), the additional unit 13 does not execute the process of S1220 and proceeds to S1230. On the other hand, when it is determined that the timing for switching the setting value of the acoustic ID main body has arrived (Yes in S1210), the process proceeds to S1220, where the setting value of the acoustic ID main body is input from the input unit 11 (broadcast station After switching to (code + content code), the process proceeds to S1230.

  After shifting to S1230, the additional unit 13 uses the broadcast time of the sound ID incorporated in the broadcast signal in the current processing of S1250 as a reference, and the remaining time from this broadcast time to the time when the value of the sound ID main body portion is next switched in the broadcast signal. The attached code indicating the time is set as an attached code to be incorporated into the broadcast signal in the current processing of S1250. The remaining time can be specified by referring to the broadcast content of the broadcast station device 10 and the broadcast schedule information of the acoustic ID main body.

  When the processing in S1230 is finished, the additional unit 13 is set to the latest value of the acoustic ID main body set in S1220, which is the value of the acoustic ID main body incorporated in the broadcast signal in the current processing of S1250, and attached in S1230. The sound ID to which the code is added is set as the sound ID to be incorporated into the broadcast signal in the current processing of S1250 (S1240). Then, the sound ID is added to the broadcast content input from the input unit 11 with a voice that is difficult for the user to recognize, and a broadcast signal output from the broadcast antenna 20 is generated (S1250). Thereafter, the process is started again from S1210. In this way, the broadcast station apparatus 10 generates a broadcast signal in which information on the remaining time until the next switching time of the sound ID main body is added to the broadcast content, and outputs the broadcast signal through the broadcast antenna 20.

  On the other hand, the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 sequentially acquires network content corresponding to the acoustic ID reproduced from the television device 30 regardless of the content output operation by executing the processing shown in FIG. Is output to the user.

  When the process shown in FIG. 20 is started, the control unit 55 analyzes the input signal for a predetermined time from the microphone 51, and extracts and specifies the acoustic ID included in the input signal (S1310). If the acoustic ID can be identified, an affirmative determination is made in S1320, and the current time is determined based on the remaining time until the next switching time of the acoustic ID main body indicated by the attached code included in the identified acoustic ID. The future time corresponding to the remaining time is set as the next analysis time of the input signal of the microphone 51 (that is, the next execution time of S1310) (S1330).

  Furthermore, a content inquiry signal in which the value (broadcasting station code + content code) of the acoustic ID main body specified in S1310 is recorded as information on the acoustic ID is transmitted to the information providing server 70 (S1340). Then, as a response signal to the inquiry signal, URL information (or network content itself) of the network content corresponding to the broadcast station code and the content code specified in S1310 is acquired from the information providing server 70 through the communication unit 53 ( S1350).

  The information providing server 70 collects a group of content detailed data including the main part of the acoustic ID excluding the attached code, the title information of the corresponding broadcast content, and the URL information (or file information) of the corresponding network content. The data is stored in the storage unit 75.

  Then, the control unit 55 outputs network content corresponding to the acoustic ID specified in S1310 to the user through the user interface 57 based on the content of the acquired response signal (S1360). For example, when the URL information of the network content is included in the response signal, the control unit 55 acquires the network content corresponding to the URL from the web server 90 of the URL destination through the communication unit 53 based on the URL information. This network content is output through the user interface 57.

  When the process in S1360 is completed, the control unit 55 proceeds to S1370 and the next analysis time set in the process in S1330 or S1325 arrives, or the end condition for the process routine in S1310 to S1360 is satisfied. (S1370, S1380). When the end condition is satisfied, for example, when the information terminal 50 is turned off (Yes in S1380), the process shown in FIG. 20 ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the next analysis time has arrived (Yes in S1370), the process proceeds to S1310, and an input signal for a predetermined time is again acquired and analyzed from the microphone 51, and the processes after S1320 are executed.

  By executing such a process, the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 performs the timing at which the value of the sound ID main body (specifically, the content code) is switched in the broadcast signal according to the information of the attached code included in the sound ID. In addition, the input signal from the microphone 51 is acquired and analyzed, and the network content corresponding to the broadcast station code and the content code indicated by the acoustic ID is efficiently acquired and output to the user.

  If the acoustic ID cannot be specified in S1310 and a negative determination is made in S1320, the control unit 55 analyzes the time after the elapse of time corresponding to a predetermined retry interval from the execution time of S1310 next time. The time is set (S1325), and the process proceeds to S1370.

  According to the information providing system 1 of the ninth embodiment described above, the information terminal 50 automatically and repeatedly executes an operation of outputting network content corresponding to the acoustic ID to the user. Accordingly, the network content desired by the user can be provided to the user without dealing with the delay in the operation of the user as in the information providing system that performs the output operation of the network content corresponding to the acoustic ID according to the content output operation. it can.

  Then, according to the present embodiment, the information terminal 50 efficiently performs the sound ID extraction operation at an appropriate time based on the attached code included in the broadcast signal. Therefore, there are few demerits about automatically and repeatedly performing the operation | movement which outputs a network content, and utilization of acoustic ID can be accelerated | stimulated. For example, when the information terminal 50 is an electronic device that operates on a battery, battery consumption can be suppressed.

  The broadcast station apparatus 10 of the present embodiment corresponds to an example of the broadcast signal generation apparatus of the eighth aspect described above, and the process of S1220 (see FIG. 19C) executed by the additional unit 13 is a process realized by the setting unit. The process of S1230 corresponds to an example of the process realized by the update time specifying unit, and the processes of S1240 and S1250 correspond to an example of the process realized by the broadcast signal generation unit. Moreover, the process of S1310 (refer FIG. 20) which the control unit 55 performs in the information terminal 50 of a present Example is an example of the process implement | achieved by the extraction means which the information terminal corresponding to the broadcast signal generation apparatus of an 8th situation has. The processing of S1330 corresponds to an example of processing realized by the extraction timing setting unit, and the processing of S1340 to S1360 corresponds to an example of processing realized by the content output unit.

[Tenth embodiment]
Subsequently, the user's viewing history (in other words, viewing results) is recorded using the acoustic ID included in the broadcast signal, and provided to the information terminal 50 owned by the user according to the user's viewing history The configuration of the information providing system 1 according to the tenth embodiment for changing the above will be described with reference to FIGS. However, the information providing system 1 of the tenth embodiment includes a broadcasting station device 10, a television device 30, an information terminal 50, and an information providing server 70 having the same hardware configuration as that of the first embodiment. Therefore, the description of the hardware configuration of each device constituting the information providing system 1 of the tenth embodiment is omitted as appropriate.

  In the information providing system 1 of the tenth embodiment, the broadcast station apparatus 10 outputs a broadcast signal in which an acoustic ID including an attached code similar to that of the ninth embodiment is incorporated. On the other hand, the storage unit 75 of the information providing server 70 stores data unique to the present embodiment. In addition, the control unit 71 of the information providing server 70 and the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 execute processing unique to the present embodiment. In these respects, the information providing system 1 of the present embodiment is different in software configuration from the information providing system 1 of the first embodiment.

  Hereinafter, as the description of the information providing system 1 of the tenth embodiment, the configuration of data stored in the storage unit 75 of the information providing server 70, the control unit 71 of the information providing server 70, and the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 are executed. The contents of the process will be described selectively.

  As shown in FIG. 21, the storage unit 75 of the present embodiment stores a group of network contents corresponding to broadcast contents output from the broadcast station device 10, as well as viewing history data for each user and content codes for each content code. Provision condition data. The content code constitutes part of the acoustic ID as described above.

  According to this embodiment, a user code, which is an individual identification code, is assigned to a user in advance. Then, from the information terminal 50 to the information providing server 70, as a registration request signal for requesting registration of viewing history, a user code of the user who owns the information terminal 50 and a content code corresponding to the broadcast content viewed by the user are sent. The containing signal is transmitted.

  The viewing history data for each user is updated based on such a registration request signal, and the storage unit 75 stores the viewing history data of each user in association with the user code of the corresponding user. Specifically, the viewing history data includes the content code corresponding to the broadcast content viewed by the corresponding user, in other words, for each content code included in the registration request signal transmitted from the information terminal 50 of the corresponding user. And information on the number of times the corresponding user has viewed the broadcast content corresponding to the content code (hereinafter referred to as “viewing count”).

  However, in this embodiment, an acoustic ID indicating the same content code is added to a group of broadcast content to be provided with the same network content, and a broadcast signal including these is broadcast. . For example, even in the case of commercials of different products, an acoustic ID indicating the same content code is broadcast when a commercial of the same series of products is broadcast. In this embodiment, by adding the same content code to the broadcast content of the same system in this way, the number of times the broadcast content of this system is viewed in the viewing history data for each group of the broadcast content of the same system. Record.

  The provision condition data for each content code is stored in the storage unit 75 in association with the corresponding content code. Each of these provision condition data includes the name of the network content to be provided to the user and the file information (information indicating the storage location of the network content in the storage unit 75) for each number of times the broadcast content corresponding to the corresponding content code is viewed. Have.

  For example, according to the example shown in FIG. 21, the provision condition data corresponding to the content code “CTxx10” provides image data (specifically, still image data) as network content when the number of viewing times is one or more. However, when the number of times of viewing is 5 times or more, it is configured as data in which conditions for providing network content are described so that moving image data is provided as network content.

  Such a method of changing the network content to be provided according to the number of times of viewing can be employed for the purpose of increasing the user's interest in the broadcast content or encouraging the viewing of the broadcast content, for example. For example, when the number of times of viewing is small, common privilege data such as wallpaper corresponding to broadcast content can be provided to the user, and when the number of times of viewing is large, rare data such as privilege video of the broadcast content can be provided to the user. . The provision condition data may be data defined so as not to provide network content when the number of viewing times is less than a predetermined number (for example, once).

  Next, viewing history transmission processing executed by the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 will be described with reference to FIG. When the viewing history transmission processing is started, the control unit 55 extracts and specifies the acoustic ID included in the input signal by analyzing the input signal for a predetermined time from the microphone 51 (S1410).

  If the acoustic ID can be identified, an affirmative determination is made in S1420, and the microphone 51 is determined based on the attached code included in the identified acoustic ID, as in the processing in S1330 in the ninth embodiment. After setting the next analysis time (next execution time of S1410) for the input signal (S1430), the process proceeds to S1440. On the other hand, if the acoustic ID could not be specified, a negative determination is made in S1420, and the time after the lapse of time corresponding to a predetermined retry interval is set as the next analysis time from the execution time of S1410. Later (S1425), the process proceeds to S1470.

  In S1440, the control unit 55 communicates to the information providing server 70 the content code indicated by the acoustic ID specified in S1410, the user code registered in advance in the information terminal 50, and the registered request signal. The data is transmitted through the unit 53 (S1440). Thereafter, the process proceeds to S1470.

  When the process proceeds to S1470, the control unit 55 waits until the next analysis time set in the process of S1430 or S1425 arrives or the end condition for the process routine of S1410 to S1440 is satisfied (S1470, S1480). When the end condition is satisfied (Yes in S1480), the viewing history transmission process ends.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the next analysis time has arrived (Yes in S1470), the process proceeds to S1410, and an input signal for a predetermined time is acquired and analyzed again from the microphone 51, and the processes after S1420 are executed. Thereby, the acoustic ID reproduced by the television device 30 located near the information terminal 50 is acquired from the input signal of the microphone 51 as information corresponding to the broadcast content viewed by the user of the information terminal 50. Information is transmitted to the information providing server 70 together with the user code, and information relating to the viewing history of the user is provided to the information providing server 70.

  Also, the control unit 71 of the information providing server 70 that receives the registration request signal repeatedly executes the registration acceptance process shown in FIG. When the registration request signal is received through the communication unit 73 (Yes in S1510), the viewing history data associated with the user code indicated by the received registration request signal is updated. Specifically, the viewing history data is updated so that the number of times of viewing the content code indicated by the registration request signal is counted up (S1520). The control unit 71 of the information providing server 70 stores the viewing history of each user in the storage unit 75 by executing such processing every time a registration request signal is received.

  Further, the control unit 71 of the information providing server 70 repeatedly executes the list request receiving process shown in FIG. 24 separately from the registration receiving process. When this list request acceptance process is started, the control unit 71 stands by until a list request signal is received from the information terminal 50 through the communication unit 73.

  When the list request signal is received (Yes in S1610), the viewing history data associated with the user code indicated by the received list request signal is compared with the provision condition data group, and the network that can be provided to the user Identify content. Then, a response signal storing a content list listing the names of the network content that can be provided and the corresponding content codes is transmitted to the requesting information terminal 50 through the communication unit 73 (S1620).

  Specifically, in S1620, the viewing history data of the user code indicated by the list request signal is referred to, and each content code registered in the viewing history data corresponds to the content code described in the viewing history data. The number of times the broadcast content is viewed is compared with provision condition data corresponding to the content code.

  As described above, for each network content, the provision condition data describes the number of times that the network content can be provided. Based on the comparison, the control unit 71 identifies the network content that satisfies the provision condition among the network contents indicated by the provision condition data, and names of one or more network contents that satisfy the condition. And the corresponding content code is registered in the content list as information of the network content.

  The control unit 71 executes such processing for each content code registered in the viewing history data, thereby generating a content list in which names of network content that can be provided to the user are described together with the content code. Then, a response signal storing the content list is transmitted to the request source.

  After transmission of such a content list, the control unit 71 determines whether or not the output network content has been selected from the transmitted content list in the information terminal 50 (S1630). If it is determined that the network content is selected (Yes in S1630), the corresponding network content is read from the storage unit 75, and the read network content is transmitted to the information terminal 50 through the communication unit 73 (S1640).

  Specifically, when the control unit 71 receives from the information terminal 50 a selection notification signal indicating that the network content to be output has been selected within a predetermined time after the transmission of the content list, the control unit 71 indicates that the network content to be output is It is determined that it has been selected (Yes in S1630). On the other hand, when the selection notification signal cannot be received from the information terminal 50 within a predetermined time, it is determined that the network content to be output has not been selected (No in S1630).

  When it is determined that the network content to be output has been selected (Yes in S1630), the control unit 71 associates with the content code based on the name and content code of the network content to be output described in the selection notification signal. The file information of the corresponding network content indicated by the provided provision condition data is referred to. Based on the file information, the corresponding network content is read from the storage unit 75, and the read network content is transmitted to the information terminal 50 through the communication unit 73 (S1640). Thereafter, the list request acceptance process ends.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the network content to be output has not been selected (No in S1630), the list request receiving process is terminated without executing the process of S1640.

  In addition, the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 that transmits the list request signal repeatedly executes the acquisition operation reception process shown in FIG. 25 to thereby perform a user operation (hereinafter referred to as “list acquisition operation”) indicating that a content list is to be acquired. Express) and execute subsequent processing.

  Specifically, when the processing shown in FIG. 25 is started, the control unit 55 stands by until the list acquisition operation is performed through the user interface 57 (S1710). When a list acquisition operation is performed, the list request signal, which is a signal for requesting a list of available network contents, is transmitted to the information providing server 70 through the communication unit 53 (S1720). In this list request signal, a user code preset for the information terminal 50 is stored.

  When a list request signal including such a user code is transmitted to the information providing server 70, the information providing server 70 transmits a response signal including a list of network contents (content list) that can be used by the user. The control unit 55 receives this response signal through the communication unit 53 (S1730), and selects which of the network contents listed in the content list is to be output based on the content list included in the received response signal. The output target selection screen for making it output is output through the user interface 57 (S1740). As the output target selection screen, for example, for each selectable network content, a screen in which the name of the network content is described together with an operation object for selecting the network content as an output target can be displayed.

  When the network content to be output is selected by a user operation on the output target selection screen, the selection notification signal describing the name and content code of the selected network content is sent to the information providing server 70 through the communication unit 53. Send. Thus, the selected network content is acquired from the information providing server 70, and the acquired network content is output through the user interface 57 (S1750).

  When the network content is still image data such as a photograph, the image is displayed on a screen (monitor) provided in the user interface 57. When the network content is moving image data, the video is displayed on a screen provided in the user interface 57, and sound is output through a speaker provided in the user interface 57.

  The control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 outputs the network content selected by the user from the network content that can be provided to the user in this way, and ends the acquisition operation reception process.

  As described above, the information providing system 1 according to the tenth embodiment has been described. According to the present embodiment, by using the acoustic ID, it is possible to collect information related to the user's viewing behavior, and this information is used as the user's viewing behavior. It can be useful for understanding. In addition, according to the present embodiment, since the network content corresponding to the number of times of viewing is provided to the user, viewing of the broadcast content corresponding to the network content can be promoted, and the broadcast content corresponding to the network content can be promoted. User interest can be increased.

  For example, when the broadcast content is commercial, image data representing a discount coupon of the corresponding product is provided as network content, and coupon image data whose discount rate increases according to the number of times of viewing is provided as network content. Can increase the user's interest in the commercial. Therefore, the commercial effect is expected to increase.

  In addition, when the broadcast content is a TV drama or the like, for the purpose of increasing the viewing rate of the TV drama, etc., it is conceivable to provide the privileged video of the TV drama as network content according to the number of times of viewing. . As the network content, video data capable of viewing past broadcasts of a TV drama may be provided.

  For example, if a TV drama is being watched for a certain number of episodes, if the video data for the past broadcast of this TV drama is provided as network content, the number of broadcast times that the user could not watch for some reason The moving image data can be provided to the user, and the user's dissatisfaction can be solved. The provision of the moving image data may be realized by transmitting the data file itself to the user information terminal 50, or may be realized by streaming the moving image data.

  Also, if a TV drama for one episode is divided into multiple sections and a different content code is assigned to each section, the user can view up to which section of the TV drama for one episode and from which section. Can be recorded as a viewing history by the information providing server 70, and a detailed analysis of the viewing behavior of the user is possible. It is also possible to provide moving image data of a section that is not viewed by a TV drama as network content. Therefore, according to the present Example, utilization promotion of acoustic ID can be aimed at.

  In this embodiment, the network content itself is transmitted to the information terminal 50 in S1640. However, in S1640, the URL information of the network content may be transmitted to the information terminal.

  Moreover, the information provision system 1 of a present Example respond | corresponds to an example of the viewing-and-listening information management system of the 9th aspect and the 10th aspect mentioned above, and the process of S1410 which the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 performs (refer FIG. 22). Corresponds to an example of the process realized by the extraction means, and the process of S1440 corresponds to an example of the process realized by the code transmission means, and the process of S1520 executed by the control unit 71 of the information providing server 70 (FIG. 23) corresponds to an example of processing realized by the updating means included in the management server, and the list request reception processing (see FIG. 24) executed by the control unit 71 is an example of network content distribution means and content information distribution means. Corresponding to

[Eleventh embodiment]
Next, the configuration of the recording reservation system 100 that makes a recording reservation for broadcast content based on the acoustic ID included in the broadcast signal will be described as an eleventh embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 26, the recording reservation system 100 of this embodiment receives a television signal 130 from the same broadcasting station device 10 as in the first embodiment, and broadcast signals from the television device 130. An information terminal 150 that extracts an acoustic ID from the reproduced sound and a recording device 170 that receives a broadcast signal from the broadcast station device 10 and records broadcast content. The recording reservation system 100 includes an information management server 190 that can be accessed from the recording device 170 through a wide area network (for example, the Internet), in addition to the television device 130, the information terminal 150, and the recording device 170 owned by the viewer.

  The television device 130 reproduces the broadcast signal received from the broadcast station, displays a video corresponding to the broadcast content included in the broadcast signal on the screen, and corresponds to the broadcast content, similarly to the known television device. The sound is output through the speaker 131. As in the first embodiment, since the sound ID is incorporated in the broadcast signal, the reproduction signal of the broadcast signal output from the speaker 131 of the television apparatus 130 by the reproduction of the broadcast signal is a user corresponding to the broadcast content. In addition to the voice that can be recognized, the voice corresponding to the acoustic ID that is difficult for the user to recognize is included.

  On the other hand, the information terminal 150 includes a microphone 151, a communication unit 153, a control unit 155, a user interface 157, and a near field communication unit 159. The microphone 151 included in the information terminal 150 is a microphone that can collect the reproduction sound of the broadcast signal output from the television device 130, and inputs the reproduction sound to the control unit 155 as an electric signal.

  On the other hand, the communication unit 153 is configured to be connectable to a wide area network, like the communication unit 53 of the first embodiment. The control unit 155 performs various processes according to a program recorded in the ROM 155a, and performs overall control of the entire information terminal. This control unit 155 analyzes, for example, the reproduction sound of the television device 130 input as an electric signal from the microphone 151 according to the program recorded in the ROM 155a, and extracts the sound ID included in this reproduction sound from the reproduction sound. Then, a request signal including the sound ID, which is a request signal for requesting recording reservation for the next broadcast of the broadcast content corresponding to the sound ID, is transmitted to the recording device 170.

  Similarly to the user interface 57 of the first embodiment, the user interface 157 is an interface for transmitting information between the user and the control unit 155, and outputs various information to the user through a screen or a speaker. It accepts input from the user through a key switch or the like.

  In addition, the short-range communication unit 159 is configured as, for example, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard wireless communication unit, and wirelessly communicates with an external device using, for example, a 2.4 GHz band radio wave. The near field communication unit 159 is used for communication with the recording device 170. That is, the reservation request signal is transmitted to the recording device 170 through the short-range communication unit 159.

In addition, the recording apparatus 170 includes a control unit 171, a communication unit 173, a storage unit 175, and a near field communication unit 179.
The control unit 171 receives a broadcast signal transmitted from a broadcast station, and records broadcast content reserved for recording based on the broadcast signal. Specifically, the control unit 171 receives a broadcast signal from a broadcast station, and records broadcast content recording data (moving image data) included in the broadcast signal in a storage unit 175 configured by, for example, a hard disk device. Recording broadcast content reserved for recording. The control unit 171 also plays back the requested recording data when a recording data playback request signal is input from a user through a remote controller (not shown) or the like, and records the recording data through the screen of the television device 130 and the speaker 131. Video and audio corresponding to the data are output to the user.

  In addition, the control unit 171 performs short-range wireless communication with the information terminal 50 through the short-range communication unit 179, and the information terminal 50 requests recording reservation according to the reservation request signal received from the information terminal 50 through the short-range communication unit 179. The recording reservation information of the broadcast content is registered in the storage unit 175. Thereby, the recording reservation of the broadcast content is performed, and the corresponding broadcast content is recorded according to the recording reservation information. The recording reservation information includes information on a broadcasting station that broadcasts broadcast content to be recorded and broadcast date and time. When making a recording reservation based on a reservation request signal, the control unit 171 communicates with an external information management server 190 through the communication unit 173 connected to the wide area network, and the information management server 190 requests the recording reservation. Acquire information necessary for recording reservation of broadcast content.

  The information management server 190 also includes a control unit 191, a communication unit 193, and a storage unit 195, and sends a response signal corresponding to the inquiry signal transmitted from the recording device 170 through the wide area network to the recording device 170 that is the inquiry source. By transmitting the information, information necessary for recording reservation is provided to the recording device 170.

  Specifically, the control unit 191 transmits a response signal corresponding to the inquiry signal to the inquiring recording apparatus 170 through the communication unit 193 in accordance with the program recorded in the ROM 191a. The communication unit 193 is connected to the same wide area network as the recording apparatus 170 and is configured to be able to communicate with the recording apparatus 170 through the wide area network.

  In addition, the storage unit 195 includes a hard disk device or the like, and stores recording condition data for each acoustic ID. As shown in FIG. 27, the recording condition data is data obtained by associating the acoustic ID with detailed recording condition data including the next broadcast date and time of the broadcast content corresponding to the acoustic ID.

  When the control unit 191 is activated, the control unit 191 repeatedly executes the process shown in FIG. 28, thereby accepting an inquiry signal from the recording device 170 and sending a response signal storing recording condition data corresponding to the acoustic ID indicated by the inquiry signal. To the recording device 170.

  That is, when the processing shown in FIG. 28 is started, the control unit 191 waits until an inquiry signal from the recording device 170 is received through the communication unit 193. When the inquiry signal is received (Yes in S1810), the recording condition data associated with the acoustic ID is read from the storage unit 195 based on the acoustic ID indicated by the received inquiry signal, and the response signal storing the read recording condition data is stored. Is generated (S1820). Thereafter, the control unit 191 transmits the response signal generated in S1820 to the inquiring recording device 170 through the communication unit 193 (S1830), and ends the processing shown in FIG.

  On the other hand, the control unit 171 of the recording apparatus 170 that transmits the inquiry signal receives the reservation request signal from the information terminal 150 by repeatedly executing the processing shown in FIG. 29 and makes a recording reservation for the requested broadcast content. Do. When the processing shown in FIG. 29 is started, the control unit 171 stands by until a reservation request signal is received from the information terminal 150 through the short-range communication unit 179. When the reservation request signal is received (Yes in S1910), an inquiry signal describing the acoustic ID indicated by the received reservation request signal is transmitted to the information management server 190 through the communication unit 173 (S1920), and transmitted from the information management server 190. An incoming response signal is received (S1930).

  When the response signal is received, the reservation confirmation signal, which is a signal for confirming whether or not the recording reservation may be executed, before performing the recording reservation based on the recording condition data included in the response signal, It transmits to the information terminal 150 of the transmission source through the near field communication unit 179 (S1940). This reservation confirmation signal can store the recording condition data included in the response signal.

  When this reservation confirmation signal is transmitted to the information terminal 150, the information terminal 150, together with information such as the next broadcast date and time of the broadcast content indicated by the recording condition data, a message for inquiring whether to permit recording reservation to the user, Displayed through the user interface 157. Then, by a user operation in response to this message, a signal indicating whether or not to permit recording reservation input from the user interface 57 is transmitted to the recording device 170 through the short-range communication unit 179.

  The control unit 171 of the recording device 170 receives a signal indicating the user's intention as to whether or not to permit the recording reservation through the short-range communication unit 179, and the user is permitted to execute the recording reservation according to the reception result. It is determined whether or not (S1950).

  If it is determined that the execution of the recording reservation is permitted (Yes in S1950), the recording reservation is performed for the next broadcast date and time of the broadcast content corresponding to the acoustic ID based on the received recording condition data (S1960).

  The recording condition data includes information on the next broadcast date and time, and the sound ID includes a broadcast station code. Based on such information, the control unit 171 sets the next broadcast date and time indicated by the recording condition data as the recording date and time, sets the broadcast channel corresponding to the broadcast station code indicated by the acoustic ID as the reception channel of the broadcast content, and Is set in the storage unit 175. Thereby, a recording reservation is performed for the next broadcast date and time of the broadcast content corresponding to the acoustic ID. Thereafter, a reservation completion notification signal for notifying the completion of the reservation is transmitted to the information terminal 150 that is the transmission source of the reservation request signal through the short-range communication unit 179 (S1970), and the processing shown in FIG.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the execution of the recording reservation is not permitted (that is, canceled) (No in S1950), the control unit 171 sends a cancel notification signal for notifying that the execution of the recording reservation has been canceled to a short distance. After transmitting to the information terminal 150 of the reservation request signal transmission source through the communication unit 179 (S1980), the process shown in FIG. 29 is terminated.

  Further, the control unit 155 of the information terminal 150 repeatedly executes the process shown in FIG. When the processing shown in FIG. 30 is started, the control unit 155 waits until a user operation (hereinafter referred to as “recording reservation operation”) for making a recording reservation for broadcast content using an acoustic ID is performed through the user interface 157. (No in S2010). When a recording reservation operation is performed (Yes in S2010), the microphone 151 is occupied, and an electric signal about the voice collected by the microphone 151, which is an input signal from the microphone 151, is acquired for a predetermined time. Are extracted and specified as the current broadcast and playback sound IDs included in the input signal (S2020).

  If the acoustic ID cannot be specified in S2020, the control unit 155 makes a negative determination in S2025, displays a message indicating that the acoustic ID could not be acquired (S2029), and returns the process to S2010. On the other hand, when the acoustic ID can be normally specified in S2020, an affirmative determination is made in S2025, and the processing after S2030 is executed.

  When the process proceeds to S2030, the control unit 155 transmits a reservation request signal in which the acoustic ID specified in S2020 is recorded as the recording reservation target acoustic ID to the recording apparatus 170 through the short-range communication unit 179 (S2030). When the reservation request signal is transmitted to the recording device 170, the above-described reservation confirmation signal is transmitted from the recording device 170. Therefore, after the reservation request signal is transmitted, the reservation confirmation signal transmitted from the recording device 170 is transmitted. Then, the data is received through the short-range communication unit 179 (S2040).

  Then, based on the recording condition data included in the received reservation confirmation signal, a message for inquiring the user about the broadcast date and time of the broadcast content scheduled to be recorded by the recording apparatus 170 and whether or not the broadcast content can be reserved for recording. Is displayed through the user interface 157, and a signal indicating the user's intention as to whether or not to permit the recording reservation to be executed by the recording apparatus 170 in accordance with the user's operation on the reservation confirmation screen is displayed. Then, the data is transmitted to the recording device 170 through the short-range communication unit 179 (S2050).

  When such a signal is transmitted to the recording device 170, the reservation completion notification signal or the cancellation notification signal is transmitted from the recording device 170 to the information terminal 150 through the short-range communication unit 179 as described above.

  When receiving such a notification signal (S2060), the control unit 155 of the information terminal 150 determines whether or not the recording reservation is completed based on the notification signal (S2070). If it is determined that the recording reservation has been completed (Yes in S2070), a message indicating that the recording reservation has been completed is displayed through the user interface 157 (S2080), and the processing shown in FIG. On the other hand, if it is determined that the recording reservation has been canceled (No in S2070), a message indicating that the recording reservation has been canceled is displayed through the user interface 157 (S2090), and the processing shown in FIG.

  The recording reservation system 100 according to the present embodiment has been described above. However, according to the recording reservation system 100, the recording reservation operation by the user can be simplified by using the acoustic ID. For example, if a user performs a recording reservation operation on the information terminal 150 during the broadcast of a drama that he / she wants to watch next time, the user is directed to the information terminal 150 for the recording device 170 using the acoustic ID broadcast at this time. Recording reservation can be executed. That is, recording reservations for the next broadcast of this drama are made to the recording device 170 by adding some simple operations to the information terminal 50 in response to an inquiry from the information terminal 50 for the recording reservation operation. Can do. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the use of the information code can be promoted.

  In this embodiment, the information terminal 150 transmits a reservation request signal indicating the acoustic ID to the recording device 170, and acquires recording condition data corresponding to the acoustic ID from the information management server 190 to the recording device 170. I tried to make it. However, in the recording reservation system 100, the information terminal 150 transmits an inquiry signal describing the acoustic ID specified in S2020 to the information management server 190 through the communication unit 153 in S2030, receives the response signal, and receives this response signal. The reservation request signal storing the recording condition data included may be transmitted to the recording device 170 through the short-range communication unit 159.

  When the control unit 171 of the recording apparatus 170 determines that the reservation request signal has been received (Yes in S1910), the reservation request signal received from the information terminal 150 in S1940 does not execute the processes of S1920 and S1930. Based on the recording condition data, a reservation confirmation signal may be transmitted to execute the processing from S1950 onward.

  In addition, when the electronic program guide in which the correspondence between the broadcast content and the sound ID is described together with the broadcast schedule is broadcast from the broadcast station, the recording device 170 extracts the information of the electronic program guide from the broadcast signal and stores the information. 175 may be stored. Further, when receiving the reservation request signal from the information terminal 150 (Yes in S1910), the recording device 170 searches the electronic program guide for the acoustic ID indicated by the received reservation request signal instead of the processing of S1920 and 1530. The process of specifying the next broadcast date and time of the broadcast content corresponding to the acoustic ID may be executed, and the specified information may be used instead of the recording condition data to execute the processes after S1940.

Even with the configuration of such a recording reservation system, it is possible to make a recording reservation for broadcast content desired by the user with a simple operation for the user by using the acoustic ID.
Further, according to the above embodiment, the recording reservation system 100 in which the recording device 170 and the television device 130 are separate has been described. However, the recording device 170 and the television device 130 may be configured integrally. That is, the recording reservation system 100 according to the present embodiment may be configured using a television device with a recording function instead of the recording device 170 and the television device 130.

  The recording reservation system 100 of the present embodiment corresponds to the example of the recording reservation system of the eleventh aspect described above, and the processing of S2020 (see FIG. 30) executed by the control unit 155 of the information terminal 150 is realized by the extraction unit. The processing of S2030 corresponds to an example of the processing realized by the recording reservation request unit, and the processing of S1910 (see FIG. 29) executed by the control unit 171 of the recording device 170 is a request. The processing of S1920, S1930, and S1960 corresponds to an example of processing realized by the recording reservation unit, and the information management server 190 corresponds to an example of a storage device. .

[Twelfth embodiment]
Next, the information providing system 1 according to the twelfth embodiment will be described.
The information providing system 1 of the twelfth embodiment includes a television device 30 and an information terminal 50 as in the information providing system 1 (see FIG. 1) of the first embodiment. The hardware configurations of the television device 30 and the information terminal 50 in this embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  However, the control unit 55 in the information terminal 50 repeatedly executes the process shown in FIG. 31 instead of the process shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B or in addition to the process shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. In addition, a computer game program is installed in the ROM 55a, and the control unit 55 is configured to execute the computer game in accordance with the program. In these points, the present embodiment is different from the first embodiment.

  When the information terminal 50 according to the present embodiment is activated, the control unit 55 repeatedly executes the process shown in FIG. As a result, an operation of a user who wants to play a computer game is accepted through the user interface 57.

  When the processing shown in FIG. 31 is started, the control unit 55 waits until a user operation for requesting the play of the computer game is performed through the user interface 57 (S2110). When this operation is performed (Yes in S2110), the input signal from the microphone 51 is analyzed to identify the current broadcast and playback sound ID included in the input signal (S2120). That is, the acoustic ID included in the input signal is extracted.

  The process shown in FIG. 31 uses the acoustic ID included in the broadcast signal, as in the first embodiment. For this reason, the information terminal 50 needs to exist in a position where the reproduced sound output from the speaker 31 of the television device 30 can be collected.

  If the acoustic ID cannot be specified in S2120 because the information terminal 50 is not present near the television device 30, the control unit 55 makes a negative determination in S2125 and cannot acquire the acoustic ID. After a message to that effect is displayed to the user through the user interface 57 (S2129), the process returns to S2110.

On the other hand, when the acoustic ID can be normally specified in S2120, an affirmative determination is made in S2125, and the processes after S2130 are executed.
After shifting to S2130, the control unit 55 determines whether or not the acoustic ID specified in S2120 is a computer game acoustic ID registered in advance. The sound ID for a computer game includes an upper code and a lower code. The upper code represents a computer game identification code.

  For example, the lower code is configured as a different code for each type of broadcast content to which an acoustic ID is added. As another example, the low-order code is configured as a code that is updated for each broadcast of the acoustic ID.

  In S2130, whether or not a computer game corresponding to the acoustic ID specified in S2120 has been installed in the information terminal 50 with reference to a database (not shown) in which the identification code of the game is registered when the computer game is installed. Judging. This database is stored in the ROM 55a constituted by, for example, a flash memory.

  If it is determined that the computer game corresponding to the acoustic ID is not installed (No in S2130), an error message indicating that the corresponding computer game is not installed is displayed to the user through the user interface 57 (S2139). , The process returns to S2110.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that a computer game corresponding to the acoustic ID is installed (Yes in S2130), whether or not the acoustic ID specified in S2120 is a used acoustic ID with reference to the play history of the computer game. Is determined (S2140).

  In the play history, the acoustic ID used to permit the game play is registered every time the computer game is played. In this embodiment, the computer game is allowed to be played only once for each acquisition of an acoustic ID corresponding to the computer game and having a different lower code. In S2140, in order to perform such control, whether or not the acoustic ID specified in S2120 is a used acoustic ID is determined based on whether or not the acoustic ID specified in S2120 is registered in the play history. .

  If it is determined that the identified acoustic ID is a used acoustic ID (Yes in S2140), a message to refuse to play the computer game is displayed to the user through the user interface 57 (S2149), and then to S2110. Return processing.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the specified acoustic ID is not a used acoustic ID (No in S2140), the control unit 55 permits the user to play the computer game by executing the corresponding computer game ( S2150). Furthermore, the acoustic ID specified in S2120 is registered in the play history (S2160).

  The control unit 55 according to the present embodiment repeatedly executes such processing (S2110 to S2160), thereby permitting the playing of the computer game every time a new acoustic ID is extracted from the reproduced sound of the television device 30. .

  An example of a computer game is a slot game. By providing a service that provides users with prizes (including electronic prizes) according to the points obtained in the slot game, for example, the advertising effect of commercials as broadcast contents can be improved. An advertising system that is beneficial to both advertisers and consumers can be constructed. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the use of the information code can be promoted.

  In particular, according to the present embodiment, since the game play is not permitted with the same sound ID as the sound ID used in the past play, the advertising effect of the commercial can be further improved. In addition, regarding continuous dramas and the like, if the broadcast signal includes a different sound ID for each broadcast and gives the user the right to play a computer game for each viewing, the audience rating of the continuous dramas and the like can be increased. Can be improved.

  In addition, the process of S2120 which the control unit 55 of the information terminal 50 performs in a present Example respond | corresponds to an example of the process implement | achieved by the extraction means which the information terminal of the 12th aspect mentioned above has. Further, the processing after S2130 corresponds to an example of processing realized by the permission unit.

[Finally]
Although the first embodiment to the twelfth embodiment have been described above, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can take various forms. For example, among the configurations of the systems and apparatuses disclosed in the first embodiment to the twelfth embodiment, compatible configurations can be combined. Moreover, the apparatus which comprises each system mentioned above may be comprised as an apparatus used exclusively for the said system, and may be comprised as a general purpose apparatus which is not limited to the application to the said system.

  In addition, in the first embodiment, the network content selected by the user through the output target selection screen is output (S250, S260). However, the information terminal 50 may be configured to estimate the network content desired by the user as follows and output the network content.

  That is, the information terminal 50 estimates the time lag from the broadcast time of the information code corresponding to the network content desired by the user to the information code acquisition operation triggered by the user operation, and estimates from the acquired information code The information code broadcast before the time lag may be acquired from the information providing server 70, and the network content corresponding to the information code may be output to the user.

  In the ninth embodiment, the sound ID extraction operation is efficiently performed at an appropriate time based on the remaining time until the value of the sound ID main body is switched to the next time. The operation may be performed only when a person is present around the information terminal 50. That is, the information terminal 50 may be configured to determine whether or not there are people around and temporarily stop the execution of the processing illustrated in FIG. 20 during a period when there are no people around. Further, the information terminal 50 may be configured to shift to the sleep mode during the temporary stop.

  Further, when the information terminal 50 does not exist near the television device 30, the information code cannot be extracted, and therefore the processing shown in FIG. 20 is not necessary. Therefore, the information terminal 50 may be configured to start the processing illustrated in FIG. 20 based on the wake-up command from the television device 30. The information terminal 50 can be configured to end the processing illustrated in FIG. 20 and shift to the sleep mode when the information code cannot be extracted for a certain period after the processing illustrated in FIG. 20 is started. The wake-up command can be input from the television device 30 to the information terminal 50 by short-range wireless communication, for example.

  In addition, as an existing system, there is known a system for notifying a user that a program is started by e-mail when the broadcast time of a program desired by the user approaches. 50 may start the process shown in FIG. That is, the information terminal 50 may be configured to start the processing shown in FIG. 20 when receiving a specific electronic mail.

Claims (2)

An information terminal,
A playback device for playing back broadcast content included in a broadcast signal output from a broadcast station in a form that can be recognized by a user, and playing back the information code included in the broadcast signal together with the broadcast content with sound that is difficult for the user to recognize. A microphone that can input playback sound;
Extraction means for extracting the information code included in the reproduced sound input from the microphone;
Inquiry means for transmitting an inquiry signal including the information code extracted by the extraction means to an information providing server through a network;
An old information code receiving means for receiving an old information code transmitted from the information providing server in response to the inquiry signal, which is an information code broadcast before the information code included in the inquiry signal, through the network. When,
Content that acquires network content corresponding to the old information code received by the old information code receiving means through the network, and outputs the acquired network content to the user in at least one form of image and sound Output means;
An information terminal comprising: An information providing server connected to a network capable of communicating with an information terminal,
Storage means for storing each of the information codes incorporated in the broadcast signal output from the broadcast station in a form including broadcast order information which is the order of output from the broadcast station;
The information terminal is configured to reproduce broadcast content included in the broadcast signal output from the broadcast station in a form that can be recognized by a user, and the user recognizes the information code included in the broadcast signal together with the broadcast content. When the inquiry signal is received through the network from the information terminal that extracts the information code included in the reproduction sound of the reproduction device that reproduces with difficult voice and transmits the inquiry signal including the extracted information code, An old information code that identifies an old information code that is an information code broadcast before broadcasting the information code included in the inquiry signal by referring to the storage means, and transmits the old information code to the information terminal through the network A transmission means;
An information providing server comprising: