MXPA99011484A - Information reproducing apparatus and broadcasting system - Google Patents

Abstract

An information reproducing apparatus and method for reproducing information comprises an identification information provider for providing an identification information. A receiver receives broadcast information including broadcast identification information. The receiver includes acomparer for comparing the provided identification information with the broadcast identification information;and a sorter for sorting out received broadcast information in which the provided identification information matches the broadcast identification information. The sorted out information is then output from the apparatus.

Description

REPRODUCTOR INFORMATION DEVICE, AND PROPALACION SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for reproducing the information of a recording medium, and also refers to a propagation system for propagating information. Up to now, several systems have been proposed to receive and load information in various hardware terminals, for their use. These systems have been available in several ways. First, reproductive systems are available to reproduce stored information. Such systems include playback devices (playbac) for reproducing the information stored in a storage medium such as a compact disc (CD), mini-disc (MD), dil audio tape (DAT, dil audio tape), cassette tape, video tape, or similar. Such systems also include portable gaming machines and gaming machines that load pre-stored game information from an appropriate storage medium and use the stored information to play a game. Recording / playback systems have also been proposed in which, in addition to the playback function, a recording function included in the apparatus is provided. Such recorder / player devices include MD or DAT recorders, cassette desks, video cassette desks, cassette recorders, televisions with built-in video cassette trays, and video-cassette trays with built-in decoders, and the like. Said systems comprise a combination of a hardware terminal for loading a pre-stored information of a storage medium, and a recording function, added, for recording information of the storage medium. Such systems may also include the ability to receive information distributed through a radio / wired system and record this information on the recording medium, or reproduce this information immediately. Systems have also been proposed, including TV, radio (FM, AM), CATV, pagers, portable telephones, and telephone systems (PHS, personal handphone systems), to distribute and receive information through a combination of radio transmission and broadcast networks over wired circuits. These systems include receiving terminals to see and hear the propagated information received substantially at the same moment in which the information is distributed and received, in a real-time manner. Pager systems to transmit data to pager terminals have also been proposed to be used as propagation terminals. In order to allow only the desired pagers to receive different information, the propagation system is designed so as to simultaneously propagate data that includes the diverse information together with ID data indicative of the identification of a determined pager that is to receive the propagated data. added to them, as identification information. A pager system of the prior art in which said ID is used, is shown in Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings. As shown in Figure 9, when a transmitting party wishes to initiate a communication with at least one particular pager, the transmitting party issues a desired number associated with the desired pager in a push-button type telephone, 1111 -111m, from a plurality of similar phones. Numerous numbers can be dialed at a time on each keypad dial telephone. The dialed number is communicated via a communication circuit, 112, to a central station 120, and is converted by an ID converter 122 into a terminal ID address indicative of a particular pager to be addressed. The ID address of the pager terminal is then coded by an encoder 123, and is transmitted by a MODEM 124 to a plurality of base stations 130-1-130n. The MODEMS 130.- 30o receive the data transmitted from the central station 120 in each base station 130.-130The transmitters 132? 132n then simultaneously transmit the data by means of propagation waves modulated through the antennas 133.-133n. The transmitted data includes the ID information of the pager terminal, including the data received from the base station. A plurality of pager terminals, each having a respective identification ID assigned to it, are provided to receive the transmitted data transmitted through the antennas 133 ^ 133 ... from the pager terminals 141? -141n that have received the transmitted data, including the IFD information from one or more base stations 130.-130. ,, only one of the pager terminals whose unique ID identifies with part of the transmitted data, is addressed, and it is allowed to download, store and interpret the transmitted data. Therefore, each pager includes a unique ID associated with it, and downloads or downloads only information specifically for that particular pager. However, each of these prior art systems suffers from at least one of the following problems; While the systems in which the game information, or other, pre-stored, is loaded into the terminals to be used to play a game or the like, it can manipulate and reproduce a large amount of data, including image and sound data. , these systems are not able to receive and process information in real time. Therefore, there is no way for a user to receive and use the most up-to-date information. The game information, or other, pre-stored information, can not be updated on a real-time basis. Users have to go to a store or another retail outlet to buy up-to-date information stored in a new recording medium, for example. It is likely that the new recording medium also does not have the most up-to-date data information. On the other hand, systems that are adapted to receive distributed information propagated through a radio or wireline broadcasting system having reception systems provided at the terminals to view and hear the content at substantially the same time as the content is Distributed, they can locate and visualize information on a real-time basis. However, these systems can only receive and process a small amount of information at a time, which limits the ability to receive and display complicated image and sound data. On the other hand, a permanent installation is required to disseminate and distribute the information. Finally, users usually have to pay a fixed tariff for the use of the propagation service, and they are not debited based on the amount of information actually received, processed and displayed. Systems that include a recording function in addition to a hardware terminal to load pre-stored information or that include a function to receive information distributed through a radio and wired circuit, have a greater capacity to receive a more updated information . These systems include a recording function and can record information received from distributed information distributed through the radio or wired system, and can reproduce this information at any future time as desired. However, while said temporal displacement capacity (that is, the reproduction of information at a later time) improves the amount of information that can be received and visualized in an almost real time, it is only the information propagated that is reproduced. to a user in simple playback devices. The amount of information distributed through the radio or wireless signal is the same as during any other propagation, and it is possible that the information can not be viewed on a real-time basis if it takes a long time for the information to be propagated and received. In other words, since the information is being received from a spread, the amount of information that can be received is limited. Therefore, to visualize complicated data, it may take a long time to download or download. In addition, a permanent installation is still necessary to distribute and disseminate the information, and users only have to pay a fixed fee for the propagation service, as mentioned above, instead of paying on a use basis. It would be beneficial to provide a reproduced and improved information propagation system that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Therefore, one of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved information reproductive system and propagation system. Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved information player and propagation system that allows data to be downloaded and processed by a plurality of reproducing devices on a real-time basis.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved information reproducer and propagation system, including hardware terminals that have software information pre-stored therein that can process a large amount of information and that they can also process additional information on a real-time basis. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved propagation system that allows users of a particular pre-stored information to receive propagated information, independently of the real ID of the terminal. And another object of the invention is to provide an improved reproductive system and information propagation system that can bill users based on the amount of information used, instead of billing them a fixed tariff. And other objects and advantages of the invention will be partially obvious and partially evident based on the description and examples.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Generally speaking, according to the invention, an information reproducing apparatus is provided to reproduce identifying information of the recording medium. A receiver is also added to receive a propagation of information in which identification information is added, and a determination circuit is also included to determine whether the identification information from the received propagation signal corresponds to the detected identification information of the medium of recording. A storage memory is provided for storing the lowered propagation information that is lowered by the information player if the identification information of the propagated signal corresponds to the detected identification information of the recording medium, and an apparatus is also included. of exit to exit the information stored in the storage memory. Also in accordance with the invention, a propagation system is provided with an identification information manager to administer the identification information added to the information to be propagated. A propagation network is also provided to disseminate information to which the administrator of the identification information has added identification information. Likewise, an information reproducing apparatus is provided to reproduce the identification information from a recording medium. The information reproducing apparatus further includes a receiver for receiving propagation information to which identification information from the propagation system has been added, a detector for detecting the identification information from the recording medium, a sorter for selecting and separating (sorting) the received propagation information in which the identification information matches the detected identification information from the recording medium, and an output apparatus for outputting the selected and separated information by the selection means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of an information reproducing apparatus designed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of a hardware terminal designed according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of a hardware terminal designed according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the connection of a hardware terminal coupled to an information providing device; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a hardware terminal designed according to the invention; Fig. 6 is a flow chart describing the operation of a determiner, to determine whether a stored ID code and a propagated ID code match; Figure 7A is a plan view of a recording medium of the invention, indicating a table of the content area; Figure 8 illustrates a propagation system and an information provider system, designed in accordance with the invention; and Figure 9 is a block diagram, which describes the structure of a pager system of the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FORMS OF REALIZATION PREFERRED Referring first to Figure 1, there is shown a propagation system designed according to a first embodiment of the invention, which comprises a plurality of input devices, 11¡-11m, connected to a circuit of communication, 12. The communication circuit, 12 provides an output from each of the output devices to a central station 20, for processing. Each of the input devices 11¡-11m comprises a personal computer (PC), for example, and is provided with information in the form of text characters or other information entered by a user or by another automated information provider, for example . The dedicated software for entering, editing and transmitting information can be pre-installed in each of the input devices. In addition to transmitting the information entered from each of the input devices, an ID code, unique to each input device, is transmitted along with the information entered from each of the input devices. The communication circuit 12 comprises an analogue general circuit, a telephony network, a packet network such as an IDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), or an OCN (Open Computer Netword), Open Network for Computers ), or similar. The central station 20 includes a connection center 21 for managing the data received from the input devices, 11.-11mS, an ID converter, 22, to carry out the conversion of ID in the data communicated from the center of data. connection 21, an encoder 23 for encoding the data received from the ID converter 22 according to a predetermined encoding process, and a MODEM 24 for converting the encoded data received from the encoder 23, into serial data of a predetermined format and for transmit the data in series from the central station 20. The connection center 21 of the central station, verifies the ID codes transmitted from each of the input devices, 11¡-11m, to ensure that each of these ID codes , and therefore each of the associated input devices, are actually indicated as registered before the central station 20 and effective, and therefore capable of transmitting r the data through the central station. The connection center also verifies the data and IDs received, in order to determine if the information received from a particular input device is associated with a particular distribution program, and also carries out a quality check on the contents of the data to ensure adequate reception of data. The ID converter identifies and converts the identification information (IDs) indicative of the receiving units that are to receive the information from a particular input device, to be added as identification information to the data received from an input device. associated from the connection center 21 according to a predetermined process. These IDs are not associated with a particular receiving unit, but rather are associated with a particular information (for example, software programs) that can be stored in a storage device in each of one or more receiving units. The encoder 23 then receives the data communicated from each of the particular input devices, and the converted ID information associated therewith., indicative of the information stored in one or more receiving units that are to receive the information to be propagated if the one or more receiving units include the predetermined information (which includes the associated ID), and encode the data into ID information that has been converted by the ID 22 converter, according to a predetermined process. The MODEM 24 receives the data encoded by the encoder 23, converts the encoded data into a serial data stream according to a predetermined process, and transmits the converted data to each of a plurality of base stations, 30¡-30n.

The propagation system includes the plurality of base stations 30¡-30n transmitting and propagating the data received from the central station 20 through a plurality of respective antennas 33¡-33n, to a plurality of hardware terminals 41.-41 n . Each of these hardware terminals acts as a receiving unit to receive data transmitted from each of the antennas 33¡-33n, by means of a broadcasting system. Each of the base stations, 30.-30n, has a respective MODEM 31.-31 n-, to receive the serial data stream transmitted, from that of the modem 24 of the central station 20, and a respective transmitter 32¡ -32n to transmit the data received through a propagation system. Each of the transmitters, 32¡-32n receives the data of the respective MODEM 31¡-31n and processes, ie modulates, the data for its transmission from the respective antenna 33¡-33n through the broadcasting system. The antennas 33. 33n transmit the modulated signals from the respective base stations 30¡-30n by means of the broadcasting system. The hardware terminals 41j-41n acting as receiver units, each store at least one ID code acquired together with information pre-stored in the hardware terminal, or an ID code arbitrarily set in each of hardware terminals 41j-41n. Each of the hardware terminals receives stored data from the base stations 30¡-30n on a real-time basis only when the ID code stored in the hardware terminal matches the ID added to the stored data from the stations base 30j-30n. The flow of data by the broadcasting system designed according to the invention is described below. An information provider, or a transmitting party, enters information to be transmitted in the form of text characters or the like, through one or more input devices, 11¡-11n- The data entered by means of each of the input devices, 11¡-11n, are sent by means of the communication circuit 12, which can be a general analog circuit, a network telephone, a packet network such as an ISDN, or an OCN, to the connection center 21 of the base station 20, as previously mentioned. The connection center 20, verifies the ID codes in the received data from each of the input devices, verifies the received data and ID codes to match a predetermined distribution program prepared, and also verifies the content of the same. the data regarding its quality, everything as previously described. The ID converter, 22, identifies and converts an indicative ID of information stored in one or more receiving units to receive the stored data, and inserts this IFD, identified and converted, into the data to be transmitted. The ID data that has been converted by the ID converter 22, are coded are transmitted by means of the MODEM 24 to each of the base stations 30.-30.,. In each of the base stations, the associated MODEM 31.-31 n receives the data from the base station 20, and the associated transmitter 32¡-32n modulates the data and transmits the modulated data through the associated antenna 33i-33n . In this way, the data entered by the information provider through one or more input devices, 11¡-11n, are transmitted as encoded information with an ID code included in it, simultaneously from each of the stations base. The hardware terminals 41.-41n receive the data transmitted from the base stations 30¡-30n through the broadcasting system, and extract an ID code therefrom. An ID code is also retrieved from pre-stored information, or arbitrarily adjusted, as previously mentioned. Only when the ID code included within the data transmitted from the base stations 30¡-30n matches the ID code stored in a particular hardware terminal 40.-40,. the hardware terminal downloads or downloads and stores the received data from the base stations 30¡-30n on a real time basis. Therefore, the number of hardware terminals 41¡-41n that simultaneously receive the data from the base stations 30¡-30n can be any quantity, as long as each of the hardware terminals has the appropriate ID code. stored in it. In the diffusion system designed according to the invention, the input devices 11.-11. ,, may be dedicated devices, or general-purpose computers operating with dedicated software. The administration process carried out by the connection center 21 in the central general station is carried out in the form of a pre-processing operation. Almost all of the other infrastructure details involved in the subsequent operation of the diffusion system transmission or propagation station may be similar to those of a conventional pager system. Therefore, the diffusion system according to the invention can be easily implemented at low cost. The structure of each of the hardware terminals used in accordance with the propagation system of the invention will now be described with reference to Figure 2. In Figure 2 a simplified box diagram of a hardware terminal is described. of this type, 41, designed in accordance with the invention. Each of the hardware terminals comprises an antenna 51 for converting the received data via a radio or other propagation system into an electrical signal, a receiver 52 for processing, for example expanding and demodulating, a signal sent by the antenna 51 , and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor, Digital Signal Processor), 53 for carrying out the processing of digital signals on the data sent by the receiver 52. During use, the direct antenna 51 and converts the data transmitted by the system of broadcasting, in an electrical signal. The receiver 52 selects a signal of a desired frequency from the converted electrical signal detected by the antenna 51, and processes, ie demodulates, the desired electrical signal. The DSP 53 is controlled by a CPU 54 in order to process the signal sent from the receiver 52 by decoding the encoded data received therefrom, for example, the DSP 53 also emits control signals for an LED, a buzzer ( buzzer), and an engine, based on the content of the digitally processed data. According to a first embodiment of the invention, each of the hardware terminals, 41 further comprises a drive 62 for the storage medium, for driving (driving) and recovering the information stored in a storage medium, an amplifier of RF 61 to extend the RF signal recovered in the storage medium by the storage drive 62, a Digital Signal Processor to carry out certain digital processing, according to the control of the CPU 54, is a signal sent by the RF amplifier, 61 and an a-Analog Digital Converter, 60, for converting a digital signal of the DSP 59 into an analogue projection, and to allow the analog signal as an audio signal. The drive of the storage medium, 62, serves as a drive to drive a storage medium such as an MD, CD, DVD, or other storage medium, for example. The drive of the storage medium, 62, has at least one drive unit to drive the storage medium and a pickup unit to read the data from the storage medium. The RF amplifier 61 processes, ie amplifies, and configures the waveform of a received RF signal from the drive of the storage medium, 62.

The Digital Signal Processor, 59, is controlled by the CPU 54 to process the signal received therefrom from the RF amplifier, 61, by converting the data received therefrom., The Digital to Analog Converter, 60, converts an audio signal decoded by the Digital Signal Processor, 59, into an analog signal, and outputs the analog signal in the form of an audio signal. The CPU 54 of each hardware terminal controls the components of the hardware terminal, and is further coupled with a DRAM 55 which serves as a volatile memory for temporarily storing the data, in EEPROM 56 which serves as a non-volatile memory for maintaining the data stored even when the power supply is switched off, an LCD 58 which serves as a display unit for displaying the characters and images, and an LCD image controller 57 for continuing the LCD 58 based on an image output signal of the CPU 54. The CPU 54 executes a series of steps according to a predetermined programming sequence recorded in the EEPROM 56 which serves as a non-volatile memory for storing program data, for example. The additional, non-permanent data required for the processing carried out by the CPU 54, such as the ID reading from the storage medium, are temporarily stored in the DRAM 55 which serves as a volatile memory. The Image / LCD Controller 57 serves as a control unit for controlling the LCD 58 based on an image output signal from the CPU 54. The LCD 58 presents characters and images according to a control signal of the image controller / LCD, 57. The hardware terminal portion shown in a top section of FIG. 2, in which several signals are output from the receiver 52 and DSP 53, operates in a manner similar to a conventional pager in an FM receiver. The portion of the arrangement shown in a lower section in Figure 2, in which an audio signal is emitted from the RF amplifier, 61, Digital Signal Processor, 59, and the Digital to Analog Converter 60, operates from a way similar to a conventional CD player, a play-back MD player only, or a DATA player. In the box configuration of the hardware terminal shown in Figure 2, the Digital Signal Processors, 53, 59, act as conventional signal processors. These conventional Signal Processors. These Digital Signal Processors, 55, which act as a main memory, EEPROM 56 temporarily store ID codes that are received, and to store real-time information that is received, and the LCD / 57 controller to display information. In real time and images of a storage medium, they are all controlled by the CPU 54. Alternatively, the received ID codes can be stored in the CPOU 54 and in the Digital Signal Processors 53,59, instead if so, in the EEPROM 56. Next, the operation of the hardware terminal 41 is explained to display the real-time information according to the content of a storage medium. When a user loads a storage medium containing various pre-stored information, in the terminal, the ID codes associated with the content recorded in a TOC (Table of Contents, Table of Contents) of the storage medium are read from it. by the hardware terminal. These read codes are stored in the EEPROM or registers within the CPU and Digital Signal Processors, 53, 59. Alternatively, these ID codes can be read from the storage medium, but can be arbitrarily set by the user through the manipulation of several control buttons included with the hardware terminal. The ID codes entered by an input means such as entry buttons; they can be stored in the same way as storing the ID codes read from the storage medium. Next, the propagation data is received by the receiver 52 via the antenna 51 of the hardware terminal in real time, and an ID code included with this received information is detected. Only when the detected ID code of the received information matches the ID code stored in the hardware terminal (in DRAM 55, for example), the rest of the information received in real time is low to be stored in EEPROM 56. Real-time information that is downloaded to EEPROM 56 can be subsequently read, manipulated and used by the user.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a storage medium is not loaded in the hardware terminal. In contrast, the hardware terminal is coupled with the information provider apparatus, and the information is transferred from the apparatus providing the information to the hardware terminal. The internal structure of a hardware terminal according to this embodiment is shown in Figure 3. In this alternative embodiment the elements similar to those of the previous embodiment of Figure 2 receive the same numbers of reference. As shown in Fig. 3, the hardware terminal of this alternative embodiment does not include storage medium drive 62, nor RF amplifier, 61. Instead, an interface 63 is provided to couple with a device supplying information, and additional memory EEPROM 56 'is provided to store the information received through the interface of the interface 61. After having downloaded the information in the EEPROM 56', the operation continues as in the first embodiment, with all the information, read EEPROM 56 'instead of the storage medium. Therefore, the ID code is read from EEPROM 56 'instead of from a storage medium. The interface 63 'allows the hardware terminal to be electrically coupled with the information of the supplying device. As shown in Figure 4, the hardware terminal, 41, can be coupled with an information providing device, in this case, a device 1 that plays a video game. The video game device, 1, which acts as a master device, is shown with a hardware terminal 41 designed in accordance with the present invention loaded thereon. The video game device 1, is provided with a main body portion, 2, housed in a casing or housing, and a disk loading unit, 3, for charging an optical disk, is positioned in a central area thereof. . This optical disk may comprise a CD-ROM as a recording medium, the optical disk having an application program recorded therein to be executed by the video game device, 1, reads the game program recorded on the optical disc, and executes the game program according to instructions of a user (game player). The execution of the game includes the control of the progress of the game, its visualization and sound. The main body portion, 2, of the video game device, 1, also includes in a preferred embodiment a reset switch 4 for optionally resetting the game, an electrical power switch 5, a switch acting on the disk, 6, to load the optical disk, and two slots 7A and 7B. The recording medium for supplying the application program is not limited to an optical disc; and the application program may also be supplied via a communication network or by other non-volatile storage means. Two actuation devices can be selectively concentrated, each one of them, to be one of the slots 7A and 7B in such a way that two users can play a combat and two other players, or a head-to-head game. , -head game). The hardware terminal 41, in which the present invention is embodied, can also be inserted into any of the slots 7A and 7B. although in Figure 1 two slots 7A and 7B are shown, the number of slots can also be different from two. Slots 7A and 7B are intended to have two rows (tiers). In the upper row of each slot there is provided a hardware terminal insertion unit, 8A and 8B, respectively, in which a hardware terminal can be selectively inserted. In the lower row of each slot 7A or 7B there is provided a controller connection unit (jacks) 9A or 9B, respectively, for a connection terminal of each drive device or controller for the video game device. The insertion grooves of insertion units 8A and 8B, are formed as horizontally elongated rectangles whose upper side corners are rounded more prominently than the lower side corners thereof (not shown) in order to prevent the hardware terminal from being inserted with an incorrect orientation. The insertion units of the hardware terminal, 8A and 8B, are also provided with a lattice (shutter) in order to protect a connection terminal provided therein (without representing). The controller connection units 9A and 9B are formed by elongated horizontal rectangles whose lower side corners are rounded more prominently than the upper side corners thereof in order to prevent the connection terminal of the drive device from being inserted with an orientation wrong Additionally, the insertion slots of the controller connection units, 9A and 9B, have a different configuration of the insertion units of the hardware terminal, 9A and 9B, in order to prevent the incorrect insertion of the portable electronic device of the terminal. of hardware in the controller connection units, 9A and 9B. inversely. The hardware terminal 41 of the present invention is shown inserted into the memory card insertion slots 8A of the slot 7A on the front side of the video game device. A movable cover 110 of the hardware terminal 41 is in an open position, allowing insertion of the hardware terminal. The hardware terminal 41 is formed with a display 58 for displaying information in the, as mentioned above, and with an infrared transmitting and receiving unit 140 for maintaining infrared communication with another device capable of infrared. As shown in more detail in Figure 5, the lid 110 of the hardware terminal 41 is provided with a plurality of actuating buttons 121 and 122. Said operating buttons allow the entry of information in the hardware terminal by transferring a force provided to the actuating buttons by means of a actuator provided with the cap 110 to one or more switch members within the hardware terminal, when the cap is in a closed position. The operating buttons are arranged to pass through the lid, and are supported by the lid so as to be movable in a direction that emerges from, and enters, below the upper surface of the lid, thereby allowing the force be moved through it. Referring again to FIG. 2, and additionally FIG. 6, there is shown an operating sequence for receiving and storing the information propagated by the hardware terminal 41. In step S1 of FIG. 6, an ID code transmitted by the receiver 52 and extracted from the received propagation data, it is sent to the CPU 54. In step 52, the CPU 54 compares the ID code stored in EEPROM 56. If the transmitted ID code is not the same ID code stored in the EEPROM 56, control 56 returns to step S1 and CPU 54 receives the next transmitted ID code without downloading the received propagation data associated with the rejected ID code. Yes, in step S2, it is determined that the transmitted ID code is the same ID code as the ID code stored in the EEPROM, then, in step S3, the CPU 54 records the received data associated with the matching ID code. . In step S4, after recording the received data, the CPU 54 confirms if there is a user instruction to stop the operation. If such an instruction exists, the CPU 54 stops the operation. If there is no instruction of this type, the operation returns to step S1, and the CPU receives the next transmitted ID code. According to the invention, the hardware terminal of the propagation system designed in accordance with the invention can be used in a hybrid manner to receive a large amount of pre-stored information from a storage means providing information device in a base that it is not real time, and receive a smaller amount of associated information in real time, depending on the identification information provided with the pre-stored and real-time information. This real-time information may comprise additional auxiliary information, updated information, or selection information. The additional information includes additional information to be provided to a user. For example, if the information on a storage medium included a list of restaurants, the auxiliary information could include the names of the restaurants that opened after the production of the storage medium. Therefore, the information in the storage medium can be updated and added as well. When a user examines the information of the storage medium, this auxiliary information would be provided to the user together with the information retrieved from the storage medium, in the appropriate place thereof. The updated information could include new information about a particular restaurant, such as a new address or phone number, menu or gastronomic specialties, or any other information that could change from the time the storage medium was produced. Therefore, when the original information received from the storage medium has to be issued, the updated information replaces the old information that it replaces.

The selection information allows automatic selection of storage medium information. Therefore, if one were in a particular city, a received propagated information would indicate this city, and information about restaurants in the city in which the user is located, it would be automatically withdrawn from the storage medium, instead of the totality of the stored information. Therefore, more personalized emitted information could be achieved. Other examples of the content of the information transmitted would be general real-time daily information such as news, weather forecasts, information about the transit, information about share prices and the like, etc. Therefore, real-time information can be combined in many ways with pre-stored information to allow the provision of large amounts of data along with the ability to provide updated real-time data. The content of the storage medium, including the ID code, will now be described with reference to the data stored in the disc-configured recording medium 101 referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B. Figure 7A is a plan view of the recording medium configured as a disc, such as an MD, CD or DVD, indicated at 101. Figure 7A shows the physical data position called TOPC (Table of Contents) 101 a stored in the disc-shaped recording medium, and is positioned in a central portion of the recording medium. The TOC 101 a comprises data representative of the content of the data stored in the storage medium. As shown in Figure 7B, while a standard TOC 101 includes only a general description and general location information regarding the contents of the disk, and uses only one sector radially further into the storage medium, the TOC 101 a, it can optionally be expanded into five additional sectors at most. This expansion allows additional information about the content. The use of these additional areas according to the invention, codifies by category the details of the content stored in the storage medium, are defined and stored as ID codes therein. A disk as a whole can be represented by an ID, or alternatively a plurality of ID codes can be defined for a disk, depending on the content thereof. Said plurality of ID codes provides an indication of information that is recorded in the recording medium, as well as where each portion of information is recorded therein. When a storage medium such as a recording medium configured as disk 101 is loaded into the hardware terminal of the propagation system, the hardware terminal reads the TPOC information from the storage medium and stores the TOC information. Next, the hardware terminal waits until an ID code stored therein matches an ID code associated with received real-time propagated information. When the ID codes match, the propagated information is downloaded and stored in the hardware terminal as described above. As previously described, the propagation system distributes information in real time. The storage medium, which stores a large amount of data such as image and audio data with ID codes associated with its content, is loaded into a hardware terminal of the propagation system. When a data ID propagated from a base station via the propagation system matches the ID of the storage medium or with an arbitrarily set ID, the real time information is downloaded to the hardware terminal. In other words, the detected ID codes of the storage medium loaded to the ID codes arbitrarily set in the hardware terminal are stored in the hardware terminal. Only when an ID code of a received propagation information matches a stored ID code, the received propagated information is automatically downloaded, and issued together with the information stored in the storage medium., or, alternatively, it is stored inside the hardware terminal. In the present description, the recording medium configured as disk 101 is illustrated as a storage medium. However, the present invention is not limited to such a recording medium configured as a disk, 101. Other means such as a DAT, etc. could be used as the storage medium.

Referring next to Figure 8, there is shown an information provider system designed in accordance with the invention. The information provider system includes a producer of recording medium, 400, which produces recording media, which includes ID codes, as described above. An information provider, 200, provides content which includes ID codes to be included in the recording media by the producer of the recording media, 400. The information provider and the recording producer, may be the same companies, or affiliated companies, or they may be separate companies that have a agreement (licensing agreement), or another agreement to transfer information between them. An exit point (retail point of sale) is also provided to sell recording media provided by the producer through the recording medium, 400. The retail point of sale can be a commercial establishment as such, a company that make sales by mail, or another place to acquire a recording medium. As an alternative, the information provider, 200, may bypass the provision of the recording medium and allow the desired information to be downloaded from a website or the like. When buying a recording medium, or when downloading information from a website or similar, the buyer has to pay a fee to the retail point of sale or to the supplier of the corresponding information. This tariff may or may not include the right to receive future updated information.

Once the user has acquired the information, the information is downloaded to the hardware terminal, 41, either by placing a recording medium in it, or by downloading the information to it, as described above. After loading the information, the ID codes associated with the information are extracted from the data and stored in the EEPROM memory 56 (see Figure 2). The information provider, 200, provides propagated information, which includes the ID codes, through the communications network 12, to a propagation center 300, as shown in Figure 1. The data is converted and propagated in the form of a data stream, 500, which includes information varies and associated ID information. As shown in the above, the data stream 500 is received by the hardware terminal 51, each ID code in the bit stream is compared with the ID or with the IDs, stored in the EEPROM 56 of the hardware terminal , and the propagated information associated with any propagated ID that matches an ID stored in the EEPROM 56, is downloaded. This downloaded information is then used as described above. Next, a user may have to pay only the recording medium and the actual purchased updates, instead of a fixed fee for a full delivery service. Additionally, instead of requiring a list of hardware terminals that are to receive a certain propagated information, the information can be propagated at one time, and all hardware terminals with a related information (including the appropriate ID code) loaded into said they will receive the propagation. An information provider can therefore be easily updated information, and be paid by users of the updated information. The illustrated embodiments have been given by way of example only, and the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. For example, the propagation system described above can be designed as a system for transmitting information through a wired circuit. According to the present invention, as described above, a large amount of data is supplied in a storage medium, and only the additional real-time information is distributed by a propagation system. Therefore the system according to the present invention is extremely convenient, and has expanded practical and entertainment capabilities. The operation of the propagation system is greatly simplified in that the ID codes of both the transmitted data and the data of the storage medium are detected and the information is automatically retrieved when the ID codes agree with each other. On the other hand, a plurality of terminals that until now had been necessary to distribute the information, can be merged into a single unit, and new applications for propagation networks that until now had not been available are possible. In addition, the present invention is economical in that it is implemented by the simple addition of an administration apparatus to administer ID codes in the information transmitted in the form of a pre-processing operation to a pre-existing information distribution infra-structure. , such as for a pager or other propagation system. Therefore, observing the aforementioned objects, including those that have been evidenced, it is understood that they have been achieved efficiently and, since it is possible to make some changes to carry out the method just described and in the Exposed designs without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, our intention is that all the subjects contained in the foregoing description and shown in the attached drawings are interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It should also be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specific aspects of the invention described in the present and all the statements about the scope of the invention, of which, said in the form of a language can be said to fall within them.

Claims (23)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION
3. Having thus specially described and determined the nature of the present invention and the manner in which it is to be put into practice, it is claimed to claim as property and exclusive right: 1.- An information reproducing apparatus for reproducing information, which comprises: a means of providing identification information, to provide identification information; a receiving means, to receive propagated information that includes propagated identification information; a means of comparison, for comparing said identification information with said disclosed identification information; a means of selection, for selecting the received propagated information, in which said provided identification information agrees with said propagated identification information; and an output means, to output said selected information. 2. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output means records said selected information in a recording medium. 3. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said identification information is retrieved from a storage medium.
4. 4. - The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said storage means includes additional information associated with said identification information.
5. 5. The information player apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said identification information is recorded in a particular predefined area of said recording medium.
6. 6. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said identification information is input from an external source.
7. 7. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said external source comprises a medium operated by the user.
8. 8. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing the identification information provided by said means providing identification information.
9. 9. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said identification information identifies the content of the associated information.
10. 10. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means receives said information propagated by means of a radio system and / or a wired circuit system.
11. 11. - A propagation system, comprising: an administrator means of the propagated identification, to add propagated identification information to the information to be propagated; a means of propagation, to propagate information that has identification information propagated; and an information reproducing means for reproducing the information from a recording medium, said reproducing means comprising the information: a means of receiving, to receive said propagated information, including said propagated identification information; a comparison means, for comparing the stored information with said propagated identification information; means of selection, for selecting said propagated information in which said identification information matches said propagated identification information; and an output means, to output said selected information.
12. 12. The propagation system according to claim 11, wherein said identification information is retrieved from a storage medium.
13. 13. The propagation system according to claim 11, wherein said identification information is input from an external source.
14. 14.- The propagation system according to the claim 11, in which said identification information identifies the content of the associated information.
15. 15. - A reproductive method of information, to reproduce information by means of a reproductive apparatus, which comprises: receiving propagated information that receives propagated identification information; extract propagated identification information from said propagated information associated therewith; comparing said propagated, extracted identification information with the identification information; recording said identification information, received, associated with said propagated identification information, received, in the case in which said propagated identification information, extracted, corresponds to said identification information, stored; and reproducing said propagated, recorded information, instead of the content stored in a storage medium.
16. 16. The method for reproducing information, according to claim 15, wherein said propagated, recorded information is recorded in the recording medium.
17. 17. The method for reproducing information, according to claim 15, wherein said identification information is retrieved from said storage means.
18. 18. The method for reproducing information, according to claim 17, wherein said identification information is recorded in a predefined particular area of said storage means.
19. 19. The method for reproducing information, according to claim 15, wherein said identification information is input from an external source.
20. 20. - The method for reproducing information, according to claim 20, wherein said external source comprises a medium operated by the user.
21. 21. The method for reproducing information, according to claim 15, further comprising the step of storing said identification information.
22. 22. The method for reproducing information, according to claim 15, wherein said identification information identifies the location of said content in said storage means associated therewith.
23. 23. A method for providing information, comprising the following steps: providing a means of storage that includes content information and at least one identifying information indicative of said content information: receiving the payment for the provision of said means of recording and for the future receipt of updated information; generate propagation information, which includes propagation identification information indicative of said propagated information; transmitting said propagation information to a propagation station; propagating said propagation information, including said propagation identification information, from said propagation station; receive such information disclosed; and downloading (downloading) said disclosed information associated with said disclosed identification information if said disclosed identification information agrees with said identification information.