WO2012059633A1

WO2012059633A1 - Provision of an interactive service related to a media service

Info

Publication number: WO2012059633A1
Application number: PCT/FI2011/050937
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rolf Ahrenberg; Kai KEINÄNEN; Antti Niittymaa
Original assignee: Elisa Oyj
Priority date: 2010-11-03
Filing date: 2011-10-26
Publication date: 2012-05-10
Also published as: FI20106152A; FI20106152L; FI20106152A0; FI126079B

Abstract

A method for providing an interactive service. The method comprises providing an interactive service related to a media service, collecting user-specific usage data on the use of the media service, providing said interactive service in a user-specific manner, and using the collected usage data for the user-specific management of the interactive service.

Description

PROVISION OF AN INTERACTIVE SERVICE RELATED TO A MEDIA SERVICE

The present invention generally relates to the provision of an interactive service related to a media service, such as an interactive service related to a television transmission or video service.

IPTV is an Internet protocol-based technology for the distribution of television and video transmissions. In various IPTV services, the customer may, for example, watch TV programs, store desired TV programs in a storage space in the network and watch them at a freely determined time, and rent and watch films offered by video rental shops.

It is possible to transmit information on interactive services with distributed media contents. An example is voting possibilities related to a program being transmitted.

Publication WO 2008/030298 discloses a voting arrangement associated with media contents, where a customer device (set-top box) includes functionality which detects a voting event in the received transmission, presents the voting possibility to the user and is in contact with various voting servers to deliver the voting choice and potential billing information.

Now a new solution is provided for providing an interactive service, such as an interactive service related to an IPTV service. A first aspect of the invention provides a method for proving an interactive service, which method comprises:

providing an interactive service related to a media service,

collecting user-specific usage data on the use of the media service,

providing said interactive service in a user-specific manner, and

using the collected usage data for the user-specific management of the interactive service. A second aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for providing a media service, which apparatus comprises at least one processor and at least one computer program stored in memory, which is configured to control said apparatus with said at least one processor to:

provide an interactive service related to a media service,

collect user-specific usage data on the use of the media service,

provide said interactive service in a user-specific manner, and

use the collected usage data for the user-specific management of the interactive service.

The apparatus in accordance with the second aspect of the invention may be adapted to perform a method in accordance with any embodiment related to the first aspect. A third aspect of the invention provides a computer program which comprises a computer-executable program code which, when executed, controls a device to perform the method in accordance with the first aspect or an embodiment related to it. The computer program in accordance with the third aspect may comprise a program code that is executable by any one of the following, for example: a general-purpose processor, a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit, and a digital signal processor. The computer program in accordance with the third aspect may be stored on a computer-readable medium. Such a medium be a diskette, a CD-ROM, a DVD, a BD (Bluray Disc), a memory stick, or another magnetic or optical memory medium.

The invention will be described in the following by way of example with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 3A shows a method in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 3B illustrates examples of components related to the user-specific management of the interactive service;

Figure 4 shows a message diagram in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 shows a system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 shows a message diagram in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 7 shows a message diagram in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. It should be noted that the figure comprises both separate physical devices and various logical components, the operations according to which may be implemented in one or several physical devices.

The system comprises a portal 101 providing an IPTV service or the like. In practice, the portal 101 is a website residing on a server, for example. The portal 101 comprises various parts, such as a widgets part 102, advertisements 103, (user's) saved data 104, an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) 105, notices 106 and a Video on Demand (VOD) service 107. It should be noted that this is only an example of an IPTV portal and that all the parts presented may not necessarily be needed and that the portal 101 may also include other parts. In addition to an IPTV service, the portal may also be some other media portal providing media contents. The portal 101 is connected to a data transmission network 108 and through it to customer devices 109-1 12. The customer device examples presented here are a computer (PC) 109, a set-top box (STB) 1 10, a tablet PC 1 1 1 , and a mobile station or another mobile device 1 12. The customer devices 109-1 12 may be devices using a fixed data transmission connection or wireless terminal devices. In addition to the examples presented, customer devices 109-1 12 may be other devices suitable for watching moving images/video. The data transmission network 108 may consist of a number of different networks, such as the Internet and various broadband networks, such as ADSL, VDSL and Ethernet networks, and wireless networks, such as WLAN, GSM, UMTS and LTE networks.

The portal 101 is connected to a user database (user DB) 1 13, by means of which the users of the portal 101 are identified. The portal is also connected to a video on demand service 1 14 and contents services 1 15. The video on demand service 1 14 and the contents services 1 15 may be services provided by third parties or some of them may be contents administered by the portal 101 provider itself. The portal 101 is adapted to distribute a media transmission, such as a TV or video transmission, to the customer devices 109-1 12 through the data transmission network 108 on the basis of IPTV technology, for example. The distribution may be performed, for example, by using Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Real Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), or Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The distribution may be performed through the portal 101 , or the portal 101 may control the distribution directly from the video on demand service 1 14 or contents services 1 15 to the data transmission network 108.

In addition, the system comprises a statistical data collection component (stat) 1 16, a statistics database (stat DB) 1 17, a logic engine component 1 19 and a voting database (vote DB) 120.

The statistical data collection component 1 16 collects usage data concerning actual use of the portal 101 from the customer devices 109-1 12. The statistical data collection component 1 16 may request usage data from the customer devices 109-1 12, or the customer devices 109-1 12 may be configured to deliver usage data automatically without a separate request.

The collected usage data is stored in the statistics database 1 17. The usage data may be stored as relating to an individual user and/or as relating to a certain user profile. The logic engine component 1 19 is connected to the statistics database 1 17 and the portal 101 . The logic engine component 1 19 may be configured, for example, to analyze the data in the statistics database 1 17. In an embodiment, the functionality of the portal 101 , the user database 1 13, the statistical data collection component 1 16, the statistics database 1 17, and the logic engine component 1 19 of Figure 1 may be combined into one logical entity, which is provided by one physical device (or several parallel similar devices). In other words, all the intelligence of the service is located in one device, and the service utilizes contents and program data available in external sources (contents 1 15, video on demand 1 14 and external program databases). Alternatively, it is possible that the components 1 14 and 1 15 are also located in the same physical device or at least under the control of the party providing the IPTV service of the portal 101 . In this case, the contents the components 1 14 and 1 15 may be retrieved, downloaded or stored from some external source. The voting database 120 may also be part of the same physical device.

The functionality of the different components 101 , 1 14-120 may thus be implemented by one or several devices. As necessary, there may be several parallel devices providing an identical function, for example for load balancing.

In an embodiment, the media service is implemented as a centralized cloud service, where the intelligence of the services is implemented on a server/servers controlled by the media service provider. In Figure 1 , a dashed line 121 illustrates components that form the functionality of such a cloud service in an embodiment. However, it should be noted that in some embodiments all the presented functionality is not part of the cloud service; rather, the cloud service may utilize external contents sources, for example. In addition to the components presented in Figure 1 , the media service as a whole may also function with an external party providing a media transmission. For example, various parties providing a broadcast service, such as digital video broadcasting (DVB) service providers may transmit a media transmission to the customer devices 109-1 12. Data concerning the use of this media transmission may also be utilized in various embodiments of the invention.

Figure 2 shows an example of a device 20 that is suited to the implementation of some embodiments of the invention. The device may be, for example, a general- purpose computer or server, and it may be adapted to provide, for example, the functionality of one or several of the components 101 , 1 13-120 of Figure 1 .

The device 20 comprises a processor 21 for controlling the operation of the device and a memory 22 comprising a computer program/software 23. The computer software 23 may comprise instructions for the processor to control the device 20, such as an operating system and various applications. Furthermore, the computer software 23 may comprise an application that comprises instructions for controlling the device 20 so that the functionality in accordance with some embodiment of the invention is produced.

The processor 21 may be, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics processor or similar. One processor is shown in the figure, but the device may have several processors.

The memory may be, for example, a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory, EPROM, an electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a random-access memory (RAM), a flash memory, an optical or magnetic memory, or comparable. The device may have several memories. The memory may be part of the device 20, or it may be a separate module that can be connected to the device 20. The memory may only be intended for storing data or it may also be used for data processing. Furthermore, the device 20 comprises a communication unit 25. The communication unit provides an interface for communicating with other devices. The interface may be a fixed, wired connection, such as an Ethernet connection or an ADSL/VDSL connection, or a wireless connection, such as a WLAN, Bluetooth, GSM/GPRS, CDMA, WCDMA or LTE connection. The communication interface module may be integrated into the device 20, or it may be part of an adapter, card, or comparable, which may be connected to the device 20. The communication unit may support one or several communication technologies, or the device may have several communication units.

To receive an input from the user and to provide outputs to the user, the device 20 may also comprise a user interface unit (not shown in the figure), which may comprise, for example, a display and a keyboard (not shown in the figure), which may be an integrated part of the device 20 or independent parts that can be connected to the device 20. However, a user interface is not necessarily needed, or the user interface may be implemented as a remote connection through the communication unit 25. The device 20 may also comprise one or several databases 24 (shown with a dashed line). The databases may comprise, for example, one or some of the databases 1 13, 1 17, 120 of Figure 1 or parts of them.

In addition to the elements shown in Figure 2, the device 20 may also comprise other elements.

In an embodiment of the invention, the media service (e.g., an IPTV service) sends contents to users. This is a so-called normal media transmission, which may be a multicast or unicast transmission. In addition, users are provided with a separate interactive service, the contents of which are managed on the basis of the usage data of said media service and/or the data in a user database. For example, a voting/polling possibility related to a certain program may be opened as a response to the program in question having been watched for a certain period, or some advertisement may only be shown to users having a certain user profile. The separate interactive service may be provided on top of or side by side with the normal media transmission. The normal media transmission may be provided by a party other than the one providing the interactive service, or they may be services provided and/or administered by the same party. An interactive service managed in a user-specific manner may be provided, for example, in the form of a unicast transmission and/or through a user-specific web application. The interactive service being provided may, in this case, be user- specific; in other words, each user may receive individual services. Compared with communicating on the interactive service as part of the normal media contents or as a separate multicast transmission which is sent simultaneously to several recipients, by utilizing a unicast transmission it is possible to provide services tailored in a more individual manner. In an embodiment of the invention, an interactive service on offer is communicated through a user-specific unicast transmission, and access to said interactive service is provided through a user-specific web application. For example, a unicast transmission telling about a voting possibility can be sent on top of the normal media transmission. The actual voting can then be performed through a user- specific web application. Alternatively, a voting possibility (or another interactive service) can be communicated on through a web application, whereby the interactive service can be implemented without a unicast transmission.

In an embodiment of the invention, an interactive service on offer is communicated on or the service in question is managed through a user-specific web application, and the interactive service in question is provided through a user-specific unicast transmission. In an example, a user-specific advertisement video is replayed as a unicast transmission, but a user-specific web application (e.g., a web page) is used for its management (on/off/additional information/. . . ).

In an embodiment of the invention, data on the use of an interactive service is additionally used for the user-specific management of the interactive service in question. In an embodiment of the invention, data included in the user's profile and/or data on the terminal devices used by the user are additionally used for the user-specific management of an interactive service.

In an embodiment of the invention, interactive services are provided through more than one interface, and different interactive services are provided through the different interfaces. In this way, the user may have access to different services through the different terminal devices that the user has in his/her use.

In an embodiment of the invention, an interactive service is implemented as a cloud service; in other words, all the intelligence of the service is on a server of the service provider and the service as a whole is managed from the service provider's server. Customer devices are configured to use the service running on the service provider's server through some data transmission protocol. For example, HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP), HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), Extensible Markup Language (XML) or Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) technologies may be used in the data transmission protocol. The interactive service may be part of an IPTV service or another media service that is implemented as a cloud service.

Figure 3A shows a method in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, which may be applied, for example, in the system of Figure 1 and the device 20 of Figure 2. In step 31 , media contents of a media service are distributed to users. In other words, a data transmission connection is established between the service and each user, through which service contents are transferred to the user's customer device or devices. The connection may be a point-to-point connection (a unicast connection) or a point-to-multipoint connection (a multicast connection).

In step 32, usage data on the use of the media service is collected. This may be implemented, for example, by requesting usage data from the terminal devices connected to the service, or the terminal devices may be configured to deliver usage data automatically without a separate request. Usage data may be collected in real time. The terminal device may, for example, send usage data always when a predetermined event occurs, such as, for example, start of watching, change of the active television program, change of channel, turn-off of the device, change of connection quality to poorer/better. The usage data may also be sent at certain intervals. The collected usage data may contain, for example, one or several of the following: the active television channel, the active television program, an individual identifier of the service, an indicator of the activity or loading of the customer device, the quality of the data transmission connection (e.g., IP connection), one or several most recently used functions of the customer device (e.g., start-up of the device, turn-off of the device, start-up/turn-off of a certain application, change of channel), a time stamp, an identifier of the customer device/customer. In step 33, an interactive service related to the media contents is provided in a user-specific manner; in other words, each user may potentially be sent a different service. The interactive service may be provided continuously or only when certain criteria are met. The interactive service may, for example, be related to certain program contents or be directed to users having a certain user profile. As the contents is sent to users in a user-specific manner (as a unicast transmission, for example), the contents may be tailored in a user or user group-specific manner.

In step 34, the user-specific interactive service is managed on the basis of the collected usage data. In this manner, the service provided to some users may be changed, while any changes are not necessarily made to the service being provided to other users.

It should be noted that it is not necessary to carry out step 31 of Figure 3A in the same service with the remaining steps presented in Figure 3A. In other words, the media contents may be sent by a party independent of the party providing the interactive service.

Figure 3B illustrates examples of components related to user-specific management 35 of an interactive service. As stated above, the usage data 36 of the media service affects the user-specific management of the interactive service. The usage data of the media service may only be, for example, the usage data of the user in question, or it may also include the usage data of other users. Other examples of components affecting the user-specific management of the interactive service are data 37 related to the use of the interactive service in question (or some other interactive service), devices or interfaces 38 available to the user, and a profile 39 of the user or user group. The usage data of the interactive service may only be, for example, the usage data concerning the user in question, or it may also include the usage data of other users. With regard to devices and interfaces, it is, for example, possible to take only those devices into account that the user is using at a certain moment or take into account all devices that the user has registered for the service. It is also possible that the user uses the same interface with a number of different devices, in which case the user may be considered to use only one type of device/interface.

Figure 4 shows a message diagram in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

401 : A user 1 logs into an IPTV service.

402: The user 1 is authenticated on the basis of data in a user database.

403: The service transmits a TV program to the user 1 . The TV program is transmitted as a multicast, so it is, in principle, also transmitted to user 2, even though the user 2 is not watching the program.

404: The user 1 is sent information on a voting possibility related to the TV program over a unicast connection.

405: The user 1 sends his/her voting choice to the service. The user may use the same terminal device through which the user is watching the TV program for this purpose, or he/she may use another electronic device through which the user 1 may contact the service.

406: The voting right of the user 1 is validated, and the expense potentially related to the voting is recorded for billing through the user database. The user's profile may, for example, contain the information whether voting is at all allowed. In addition, if the voting is subject to a charge, the user may be requested to provide a user certificate related to the IPTV service (e.g., a personal identification number (PIN) code), by giving which the user accepts the billing concerning the voting. The actual billing is included as part of the billing of the IPTV service. In this way, the user does not need to enter separate payment details in the system for a service subject to a charge.

407: The voting choice of the customer 1 is sent to a voting database.

408: The user 2 logs into the IPTV service.

409: The user 2 is authenticated on the basis of data in the user database.

410: The service continues to transmit the TV program. Now both the user 1 and the user 2 receive it.

41 1 : The voting situation or a summary of what the voting results look like at the moment in question is retrieved from the voting database.

412: The user 2 is sent information on the voting possibility related to the TV program over a unicast connection.

413: The user 1 is sent information on the voting situation over a unicast connection. The voting possibility is no longer offered to the customer 1 . As can be seen from Figure 1 , the communication of customers 1 and 2 with the service may be interlaced. In addition, even though the customers 1 and 2 watch the same program at the same time, the interactive part of the program may vary in an individual manner. For example, the unicast transmissions 412 and 413 may be simultaneous, whereby the user 2 receives information on the voting possibility at the same time as the user 1 sees the current voting situation.

Here, it should be noted that only one example of a potential implementation is shown in Figure 4. Other possible usage cases are presented in the following: 1 ) Ordering of auxiliary material: A user is watching a film where the actor N.

N. is starring through his/her set-top box on a TV channel. The service detects this, for example, by means of usage data sent by the customer device. After the end of the film, in response to the fact that the user watched the film in its entirety, the service offers the user other films where the actor N. N. is starring, advertisement trailers and personal biography.

The user activates the new service offering, for example, through a web application. 2) The user watches an advertisement. Together with the advertisement, an opportunity is provided to order the advertised product. For example, during a pizza advertisement, the user may be directed directly to a take-away food service, where a pizza may be ordered from the home couch directly to the home door. The pizza may be paid for by means of a user certificate of the IPTV service, whereby the billing of the order is performed in connection with the billing for the IPTV service. When the user has ordered the product, the user in question is no longer necessarily shown the same advertisement, even though the advertisement is shown to other users. This may be done, as the advertisement is sent to each user separately using a user-specific unicast connection, for example.

3) Additional information on the program: In connection with advertising breaks, for example, the user is given the opportunity to receive additional information on the on-going TV program, such as casting with personal histories, the showing schedule of a series, plot descriptions, previous episodes. If the user chooses to watch the additional information, the user is sent the requested additional information as a unicast transmission instead of the normal broadcast advertisements. Some of the additional information may be services subject to a charge, which may be paid for by giving a user certificate of the IPTV service.

The user may watch a TV program and use the interactive service through the same terminal device (e.g., a set-top box or computer). Alternatively, the user may watch a TV program through one device (e.g., a set-top box) and use interactive services through another device (e.g., a tablet computer or mobile station). As the IPTV service is implemented as a cloud service, in other words, all control is on the server of the service provider, simultaneous use of different terminal devices is possible. All the user's terminal devices communicate with the same cloud application, so it is possible to control the interactive transmission sent to one terminal device on the basis of feedback received from another terminal device. In an embodiment of the invention, a set-top box provides usage data to the statistics database 1 17 of Figure 1 and a tablet computer communicates with the widgets part 102 of the portal 101 . The usage data of the statistics database 1 17 is provided to all services provided by the portal 101 (all parts of the operator's cloud service), and thus the usage data may be utilized for all customer devices. In an example, the information on a voting possibility is sent to all customer devices from which the user has opened a connection to the service, for example, both to a set-top box and a tablet computer. The user may then him/herself decide which device to use for voting or whether to use any of them. When the user has voted using one customer device, the voting possibility is no longer shown in the other customer devices of the user, either. Instead, voting results may be sent to the user's customer devices. At the same time, the voting possibility may still be shown to some other user. Thus, the service can adapt itself in a user-specific manner - a part of a user group may be, for example, given the possibility to vote again or the voting period may be extended with regard to some users (on the basis of late channel changing, for example). This succeeds, as the service is altogether implemented as cloud services.

Figure 5 shows a system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

The system comprises an interactive service 521 . The interactive service may only be an interactive service, or it may also provide media contents to users. In an example, the interactive service 521 comprises the functionalities of the entity 121 of Figure 1 .

The interactive service 521 is connected to a data transmission network 108 and through it to customer devices 109-1 12. The customer device examples presented here are a computer (PC) 109, a set-top-box (STB) 1 10, a tablet PC 1 1 1 , and a mobile station or another mobile device 1 12. The customer devices 109-1 12 may be devices using a fixed data transmission connection or wireless terminal devices In addition to the examples presented, the customer devices 109-1 12 may be other devices suitable for watching moving images/video. The data transmission network 108 may consist of a number of different networks, such as the Internet and various broadband networks, such as ADSL, VDSL, and Ethernet networks, and wireless networks, such as WLAN, GSM, UMTS, and LTE networks. In addition, the system comprises a digital video broadcasting (DVB)/broadcast service 522. The broadcast service 522 provides a media transmission to one or several of the customer devices 109-1 12. In the figure, an example is presented where the broadcast service 522 provides a media transmission to the set-top box customer device 1 10. In addition, the broadcast service 522 may also send a media transmission to the computer 109 or the tablet PC 1 1 1 (e.g., by using DVB- T technology) or to the mobile station 1 12 (e.g., by using DVB-H technology).

In addition, the broadcast service 522 is connected to the interactive service 521 . In an example, the user of the set-top box 1 10 receives a media transmission 51 from the broadcast service 522. Information on the media transmission transmitted or to be transmitted is delivered 52 from the broadcast service 522 to the interactive service 521 . Information 53 on the watching of the media transmission is transmitted from the set-top box 1 10 through the data transmission network 108 to the interactive service 521 . The interactive service 521 then provides an interactive service 54 related to the media transmission 51 to the set-top box 1 10 (or another device of the user).

Figure 6 shows a message diagram in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, which may be implemented in the system of Figure 5, for example.

601 : A broadcast service transmits a media transmission to a user. The media transmission may be a TV program, for example, and it may be transmitted as a broadcast transmission or as a multicast or unicast.

602: Usage data concerning the watching of the media transmission passes from the user's terminal device to a statistics database of an interactive service.

603: The watching information is forwarded to a voting service. The voting service may be a part of the interactive service entity, for example. 604: The user is sent information on a voting possibility related to the TV program over a unicast connection from the voting service.

605: The user sends his/her voting choice to the voting service. The user may use the same terminal device through which the user is watching the TV program for this purpose, or he/she may use another electronic device through which the user may contact the voting service.

606: The user is authenticated, and the expense potentially related to the voting is recorded for billing through a user database. In addition, it may be checked if the user has a voting right. The user's profile may, for example, contain the information whether voting is at all allowed. In addition, if the voting is subject to a charge, the user may be requested to provide a user certificate (e.g., a personal identification number (PIN) code), by giving which the user accepts the billing concerning the voting. The actual billing is included as part of the billing for the interactive service. In this way, the user does not need to enter separate payment details in the system for a service subject to a charge.

607: The customer's voting choice is recorded in the voting service, in a voting database, for example.

If a number of voting possibilities are provided to the customer, the steps 604-607 may be repeated as necessary. It should be noted, however, that step 606 need not necessarily be repeated.

608: The voting service compiles voting results from the votes cast.

609: The voting results are sent to the user. Steps 608-609 may also be repeated as necessary. The service may, for example, compile interim results as the voting progresses. In addition, the presentation of the voting results 609 and the communication on the voting possibility may be combined if, for example, it is wished to give the user an opportunity to vote again.

Figure 7 shows a message diagram in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, which may be implemented in the system of Figure 5, for example. 601 : A broadcast service sends a media transmission to a user. The media transmission may be a TV program, for example, and it may be transmitted as a broadcast transmission or as a multicast or unicast.

603: The watching information is forwarded to an advertisement service. The advertisements service may be one part of the interactive service entity, for example.

704: The user is sent information on a possibility to order pizza over a unicast connection from the advertisement service. In addition to the usage data mentioned above, data on the user's user profile, for example, may be used in the selection of the advertisement.

705: The user sends an order request and a user certificate (e.g., his/her PIN code) to the advertisement service. The user may use the same terminal device through which the user is watching the TV program for this purpose, or he/she may use another electronic device through which the user may contact the advertisement service.

706: The user is authenticated, and the expense related to the order is recorded for billing through a user database. In addition, it may checked whether the user has a right to use order services subject to a charge. The user's profile may contain, for example, information whether ordering is at all allowed or for which services ordering is allowed.

707: The service acknowledges the order as received.

708: The service forwards the pizza order to the system of an external service provider (e.g., a pizza restaurant). The most suitable external service provider may be selected, for example, on the basis of address information included in the user data.

The external service provider then delivers the ordered product, or, in this case, the pizza, to the user. In addition, the advertisement service may credit the price of the ordered product to the external service provider. Alternatively, the transfer of income between the advertisement service and the external service provider may have been agreed on separately. The description given above provides non-limiting examples of some embodiments of the invention. It is apparent to persons skilled in the art that the invention is not confined to the details presented above, but that the invention may also be implemented in other equivalent ways. For example, it is to be appreciated that, in the above methods, the order of the individual steps of a method may be changed and some steps may be repeated several times or omitted altogether. It is also to be appreciated that the terms 'comprise' and 'include' as used in this document are open-ended expressions and not intended to be limiting.

In addition, some features of the presented embodiments of the invention may be utilized without employing other features. The above description must be regarded as an explanation describing the principles of the invention and not as limiting the invention. The scope of the invention is only limited by the appended claims.

Claims

1 . A method implemented through a computer for providing an interactive service, which method comprises:

providing an interactive service related to a media service, characterized in that the method comprises:

collecting (32) user-specific usage data on the use of the media service, providing (33) said interactive service in a user-specific manner, and using (34) the collected usage data (36) for the user-specific management (35) of the interactive service.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the method comprises:

providing said media service and said interactive service as a centralized cloud service (121 ), where the intelligence of the services is implemented on at least one server under the control of a media service provider.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the method comprises:

implementing the provision of the interactive service in a user-specific manner through a user-specific unicast transmission.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the method comprises:

implementing the provision of the interactive service in a user-specific manner through a user-specific web application.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the method comprises:

communicating on the interactive service on offer through a user-specific unicast transmission, and

providing access to said interactive service through a user-specific web application.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the method comprises:

communicating on the interactive service on offer through a user-specific web application, and

providing said interactive service through a user-specific unicast transmission.

7. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that the method comprises:

collecting data on the use (37) of said interactive service, and

using said data on the use (37) of said interactive service for the user- specific management (35) of said interactive service.

8. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that the method comprises:

additionally using data (39) included in the user's profile and/or data on the terminal devices (38) used by the user for the user-specific management of said interactive service.

9. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that the method comprises:

providing interactive services through more than one interface, and providing different interactive services through the different interfaces.

10. An apparatus (121 , 20, 521 ) for providing a media service, which apparatus comprises at least one processor (21 ) and at least one computer program (23) stored in memory, which is configured to control said apparatus with said at least one processor to:

provide an interactive service related to the media service, characterized in that said at least one computer program is additionally configured to control said apparatus with said at least one processor to:

collect (32) user-specific usage data on the use of the media service, provide (33) said interactive service in a user-specific manner, and use (34) the collected usage data (36) for the user-specific management (35) of the interactive service.

1 1 .The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that said computer program is configured to control said apparatus with said processor to provide said media service.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 or 1 1 , characterized in that said apparatus provides said interactive service as a centralized cloud service (121 ).

13. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 10-12, characterized in that said computer program is configured to control said apparatus with said processor to:

implement the provision of the interactive service in a user-specific manner through a user-specific web application and/or through a user-specific unicast transmission.

14. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 10-13, characterized in that said computer program is configured to control said apparatus with said processor to:

additionally use data on the use (37) of said interactive service and/or data (39) included in the user's profile and/or data on terminal devices (38) used by the user for the user-specific management of said interactive service.

15. A computer program comprising a computer-executable program code, characterized in that, when executed, the program code controls a computer to carry out a method as claimed in any one of claims 1-9.