JP2001256404A - Device, system and method for distribution - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a distributing device enabling a user to easily access information about an advertisement supplied together with contents of a program, etc. SOLUTION: The distributing device 52 distributes a contents signal including contents information and the URL of a merchandise information providing device 80 to a receiver 53. When the receiver 53 transmits a user's merchandise purchase request to the providing device 80 by using the URL, a charging part 56 reduces a charge requested the user to pay about contents distribution.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a distribution apparatus and method for distributing contents such as programs, and a distribution system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in a system for distributing information from a server of a distributor to terminals of ordinary households, information such as images and sounds is treated as digital, and MPEG (Moving) is used.
By compressing information by a Picture Experts Group (Picture Experts Group) method or the like, highly efficient information transmission and storage are enabled.
In addition, transmission and reception of information via the Internet has spread to ordinary household users, and users can not only receive information unilaterally from media but also positively access media information on the Internet using a browser or the like.

Further, the above-mentioned MPEG system makes it possible to realize a high compression ratio while maintaining high image quality and high sound quality, thereby realizing multi-channels in systems such as satellite broadcasting and cable television. Further, for example, 720 × 480 pixels, an interlaced scanning method,
In addition to the standard resolution of 30 Hz, for example, 1920 × 108
Images can be distributed with 0 pixels, interlaced scanning, and a high resolution of 30 Hz.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a conventional distribution system 1 employing the MPEG system. As shown in FIG. 4, a conventional distribution system 1 includes a distribution device 2 used by a content provider and a reception device 3 used by a user such as a general household.
And

[0005] In the distribution device 2, for example, a bit stream of a content such as a program or an advertisement to be distributed according to a predetermined time schedule is read from a memory 5, and the bit stream is subjected to a modulation process in a distribution unit 4 according to a transmission system. Then, it is transmitted to the receiving device 3. The distribution unit 4 also performs conversion processing (transcoding) according to the bandwidth of the transmission path.

[0006] For example, when transmitting a bit stream via a broadcasting satellite or a communication satellite, the bit stream is transmitted from the antenna 7 of the distribution device 2 and received by the antenna 10 of the reception device 3, and is transmitted to the BS (Broadcasting Sate).
llite) / CS (Communication Satellite) Tuner 1
After demodulation, channel selection processing, and the like are performed in step 2, the data is output to the content use condition confirmation unit 16. When transmitting the bit stream by terrestrial wave, the bit stream is transmitted from the antenna 7 of the distribution device 2 and received by the antenna 11 of the reception device 3, and is transmitted by UHF (Ultra High Frequency).
/ VHF (Very High Frequency) The demodulation and channel selection processing are performed by the tuner 13, and then output to the content use condition confirmation unit 16. When the bit stream is transmitted by the cable television system, the bit stream is transmitted from the distribution unit 4 and received by the cable television modem 14 of the receiving device 3, and demodulation and channel selection processing are performed by the cable television modem 14. Then, it is output to the content use condition confirmation unit 16.

[0007] In the content use condition confirmation unit 16, for example, the received and tuned bit stream is received by the receiving device 3.
It is determined whether or not the user can use the bit stream, and if it is determined that the user can use the bit stream, the received bit stream is output to the memory 17 or the data separation unit 18.

[0008] In the data separation unit 18, the bit stream input from the content use condition confirmation unit 16 or the memory 17 is separated into audio data, image data and other data, and the audio data is output to the audio decoding unit 19. , Image data is output to the image decoding unit 20, and for example, text information and EPG (ElectricPro
(gram guide) is output to the data processing unit 21. Then, a sound corresponding to the decoding of the bit stream by the audio decoding unit 19 is output from the speaker 23, and an image corresponding to the decoding of the bit stream by the image decoding unit 20 is displayed on the display 24. At this time, synchronization between the sound and the image is established based on the time stamp information stored in the bit stream.

The above-described distribution system 1 employs, for example, the following two types of charging methods. First
According to the charging method described above, for example, the user pays a fee to a distributor in advance on a fixed monthly basis, for example. Then, in the receiving system 3, the BS / CS tuner 12, the UHF / VHF
After demodulating the bit stream in the tuner 13 or the cable television modem 14, the content use condition checking unit 16 determines whether or not the user has paid in advance, and stores the demodulated bit stream in the memory when it is determined that the user has paid. 17 or the data separation unit 18. The second billing method is called pay-per-view. The user operates a browser or the like provided by the user interface 22 to display a program list screen displayed in the EPG format.
Choose what you want to see. The selection information is transmitted to the charging unit 6 of the distribution device 2 via the cable television modem 14 or the telephone line modem 15. Then, after the charging unit 6 performs the charging process, the bit stream of the content selected by the user is distributed from the distribution unit 4 to the receiving device 3.

[0010]

By the way, in the distribution system 1 described above, the user of the receiving device 3 may be interested in a product of an advertisement distributed from the distribution device 2 together with contents such as a program, or may be interested in the product. In order to make a purchase, it is necessary to go to a store that sells the product or to check the homepage address of the company that provides the product by itself to access it, which is troublesome. Also, for example, in the above-described distribution system 1, since the user is generally charged for the distribution of the content as described above, a system that does not charge the user for the distribution of the content, such as terrestrial broadcasting, is used. On the other hand, there is a problem that it is difficult to spread the system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and has as its object to provide a distribution apparatus, a distribution system, and a method for allowing a user to easily access information related to an advertisement distributed together with contents such as a program. And An object of the present invention is to provide a distribution device, a distribution system, and a method thereof that can easily spread the system in terms of billing and the like.

[0012]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and achieve the above-mentioned object, a distribution apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention provides content information and merchandise information. A signal accumulating unit for accumulating a content signal including device specifying information for specifying a product information providing device to be performed; a distribution unit for distributing the content signal; and a device to which the content signal is distributed is included in the content signal. Charging means for performing a charging process relating to the distribution based on an access made to the product information providing device using the device specifying information.

The operation of the distribution device according to the first aspect of the present invention is as follows. First, a content signal including content information and device specifying information for specifying a product information providing device that provides product information is read from the signal storage device by the distribution unit and distributed to a predetermined distribution destination. And
When the distribution destination accesses the merchandise information providing device using the device identification information included in the distributed content signal, the access is notified to, for example, a billing unit. The billing means receives the notification and performs a billing process such as reducing a fee for the delivery to be charged to the delivery destination user.

[0014] In a distribution apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention, preferably, the billing means transmits the purchase request of the commodity or a response result of a questionnaire regarding the commodity to the commodity information providing apparatus. , And performs the accounting process based on the information.

[0015] Further, a distribution apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is a distribution apparatus comprising:
Preferably, the charging unit reduces an amount charged to the distribution destination user for the distribution of the content signal based on an access made by the distribution destination apparatus of the content signal to the product information providing apparatus. Perform processing.

[0016] Further, the distribution device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes:
Preferably, the signal storage unit stores the content signal further including advertisement information of the product.

Further, the distribution device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes:
Preferably, the device specifying information is an address of the product information providing device on a network.

Further, a distribution device according to a second aspect of the present invention includes:
Distribution means for distributing a content signal including content information and device specifying information for specifying a product information providing device for providing product information; and a device specifying a device to which the content signal is to be distributed included in the content signal. Charging means for performing charging processing relating to the distribution based on an access made to the product information providing apparatus using information.

Further, a distribution system according to a first aspect of the present invention has a first server device for distributing content signals and a second server device for providing merchandise information, wherein the first server is provided. The apparatus includes a signal storage unit that stores the content signal including content information and device specifying information that specifies the second server device, a distribution unit that distributes the content signal, and a device to which the content signal is distributed. A charging unit for performing a charging process relating to the distribution based on an access made to the second server device using the device specifying information included in the content signal, wherein the second server The apparatus includes: a product information providing unit for providing the product information; and a device for requesting the purchase of the product or a questionnaire regarding the product from a device to which the content signal is distributed. And a reception means for receiving an answer result.

The operation of the distribution system according to the first aspect of the present invention is as follows. That is, the operation of the first server device is the same as the operation of the distribution device of the first aspect described above. Further, when the second server device receives an access using the above-described device specifying information from the destination of the content signal, the second server device provides the product information to the destination. Also,
In response, the receiving unit receives a purchase request for the product or a response result of a questionnaire regarding the product from the distribution destination.

[0021] In the distribution system according to the first aspect of the present invention, preferably, the second server device further includes a charging unit that performs a charging process for providing the product.

Further, the distribution system according to the second aspect of the present invention preferably includes a first server device for distributing a content signal and a second server device for providing product information.
A signal device for receiving the content signal and the product information, wherein the first server device stores the content signal including content information and device specifying information for specifying the second server device; An accumulating unit, a distributing unit for distributing the content signal to the client device, and an access performed by the client device to the second server device using the device identification information included in the content signal. A charging unit for performing a charging process related to the distribution, wherein the second server device relates to a product information providing unit that provides the client device with the product information, and a purchase request for the product or the product. Receiving means for receiving a response result of the questionnaire from the client device, wherein the client device An output unit configured to perform an output according to the content information included in the content signal received from the first server device; and an output unit configured to output the second server device based on the device identification information included in the content signal. An interface for receiving an instruction to access from a user.

Further, in the distribution system according to the second aspect of the present invention, preferably, the output means performs a display corresponding to the device specifying information, and the interface displays a display corresponding to the device specifying information by a user. Is specified, an instruction to access the second server is received.

[0024] In addition, the distribution method of the present invention distributes a content signal including content information and specific information for specifying a source of merchandise information, and the distribution destination of the content signal is the identification signal included in the content signal. Based on an access made to a provider of the product information by using information, a billing process related to the distribution is performed.

Further, the distribution method of the present invention preferably
Based on an access performed by the destination of the content signal to the source of the product information using the specific information included in the content signal, the source of the product information is transmitted to the destination by the source of the product information. The distribution is performed, and the distribution destination transmits a purchase request for the product or a response result of a questionnaire regarding the product to the provider of the product information.

[0026]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a distribution system 51 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG.
The distribution system 51 includes, for example, a distribution device 52, a product information providing device 80, and a receiving device 53. Although FIG. 1 shows one receiving device 53, the receiving device 53
Is arbitrary. Here, the distribution device 52 corresponds to the distribution device and the first server device of the present invention, the product information providing device 80 corresponds to the product information providing device and the second server device of the present invention, and the receiving device 53 corresponds to the product server. It corresponds to the client device of the invention.

[Distribution Device 52] The distribution device 52 is used, for example, by a broadcaster or a content provider that distributes contents to users. The distribution device 52
It has a distribution unit 54, a memory 55, and a charging unit 56. Here, the distribution unit 54 corresponds to the distribution unit of the present invention, the memory 55 corresponds to the signal storage unit of the present invention, and the charging unit 56 corresponds to the charging unit of the present invention. The memory 55 stores a URL (Uniform Rsource Loca) used as an address for specifying content information such as a program to be provided and a product information providing apparatus 80 for providing product information on the Internet.
tor: device identification information) and a content bit stream (content signal). Note that the bit stream may include, for example, an image that displays the screen 101 related to the commercial of the product illustrated in FIG. 2A, audio data corresponding to the image, and the like. The URL is embedded in the bit stream in the MPEG system layer. In the present embodiment, a case where a bit stream including content information and a URL is stored in the memory 55 is illustrated. However, the present invention separately stores the content information and the URL of the product information providing apparatus 80 in the memory 55. These may be stored in the memory 55 and read out at the time of distribution to generate a bit stream. The content information is, for example, the distribution device 5
2 is information to be charged by the distribution service according to 2. For example, image and audio information such as programs and movies,
As well as music information.

The distribution unit 54 reads, for example, a bit stream of the content to be distributed according to a predetermined time schedule from the memory 5, modulates the read bit stream according to the transmission method, and then transmits the bit stream via the antenna 57. The data is transmitted to the receiving device 53. Further, the distribution unit 54 receives, for example, a content transmission request according to a user's operation from the receiving device 53 via a cable TV line or a telephone line, and sends the request to the receiving device 53 of the user who issued the transmission request. The bit stream of the requested content may be read from the memory 55 and transmitted. Telephone line is analog or ISD
Any digital method such as N (Integrated Services Digital Network) may be used. The distribution unit 54 also performs conversion processing (transcoding) according to the bandwidth of the transmission path. For example, when transmitting the bit stream via a broadcast satellite (BS) or a communication satellite (CS), the distribution unit 54 converts the bit stream into a PSK (Pha).
After being modulated by a predetermined modulation method such as se ShiftKeying, the signal is transmitted to the receiving device 53 via the antenna 57. Also,
When transmitting the bit stream by the terrestrial wave, the distribution unit 54 modulates the bit stream by the UHF or VHF method, and then transmits the modulated bit stream to the receiving device 53 via the antenna 57. Further, when transmitting the bit stream by the cable television system, the distribution unit 54 modulates the bit stream by a predetermined modulation system and then transmits the modulated bit stream to the receiving device 53 via the cable television line.

The billing unit 56 manages, for example, by individually registering the users of the receiving device 53, and bills the provision of the content for each user. At this time, the above-mentioned monthly system or the pay-per-view system is used as a billing method. Further, for example, when the user operates the receiving device 53 to transmit a product purchase request or a response result of a questionnaire regarding the product to the product information providing device 80, the billing unit 56 receives these and determines in advance. In accordance with the set conditions, the charge amount for the distribution of the content to the user of the receiving device 53 is discounted. The discount is performed, for example, by determining the discount rate according to the price of the product purchased by the user or by determining the discount rate according to the type of the product. Note that the charging unit 56 is
Instead of receiving the purchase request of the product or the response result of the questionnaire from the third device, the information indicating that these are transmitted to the product information providing device 80 is received from the receiving device 53 or the product information providing device 80. You may.

[Commodity Information Providing Apparatus 80] The merchandise information providing apparatus 80 is, for example, a trader who sells or provides some merchandise, and is used by a trader who sponsors the creation or distribution of content by the distribution apparatus 52. The product information providing device 80 includes, for example, a product information providing unit 81, an order receiving unit 82, a charging unit 83, and a delivery managing unit 84.
Having. Here, the product information providing unit 81 is the second embodiment of the present invention.
Corresponding to the product information providing means of the server device of
Corresponds to the receiving means of the second server device of the present invention. For example, a URL included in the content signal distributed by the distribution device 52 described above is assigned to the product information providing device 80 as an address on the Internet. The product information providing unit 81 provides the receiving device 53 with a homepage screen such as a product advertisement or a description.

The home page is, for example, as shown in FIG.
2 has a screen 102 for displaying the appearance and description of the product to be provided, and a screen 103 for product purchase procedure as shown in FIG. 2C. The user looks at the screen 102 shown in FIG. 2B, for example, and clicks on the display 102a in the screen 102 using a mouse or the like when the user desires to purchase the product. As a result, FIG.
The screen 103 shown in (C) is displayed on the display 74. The user enters input fields 103 a and 103 in the screen 103.
b and 103c respectively show the number of products desired to be purchased,
The user inputs his / her name and address by operating the keyboard 75 or the like. Then, the user selects the display 103 on the screen 103.
Click a. As a result, a product purchase request including the purchase content is transmitted from the receiving device 53 to the order receiving unit 82 of the product information providing device 80 and the charging unit 56 of the distribution device 52. Next, the product information providing unit 81 displays a screen 104 shown in FIG. 2D showing that the distribution fee of the content charged to the user of the receiving device 53 has been discounted by purchasing the product, and the discounted amount. Is displayed on the display 74 of the receiving device 53.

Further, the home page has a screen such as a questionnaire regarding products as required. The user answers the questionnaire according to the instructions on the screen. Thereby, the response result of the questionnaire is transmitted from the receiving device 53 to the order receiving unit 82 of the product information providing device 80 and the charging unit 56 of the distribution device 52.

The order receiving unit 82 receives, from the receiving device 53, a product purchase request and a questionnaire response result according to a user operation. The order receiving unit 82 causes the charging unit 83 to perform a charging process based on the received product purchase request. Also, the order receiving unit 8
2 stores the received questionnaire response result in a database (not shown) or the like. The questionnaire response result is used when the user of the product information providing device 80 determines a product to be provided thereafter. The billing unit 83 performs a billing process for the user of the receiving device 53 that has made the product purchase request in accordance with the instruction from the order receiving unit 82. The charging process is performed, for example, by using a credit card or electronic money according to the operation of the user, or by confirming the transfer made by the user to a designated bank account.

The delivery management unit 84 manages the delivery of a product to a user who has made a product purchase request, for example, after the charging process in the charging unit 83 is completed.

[Receiving device 53] The receiving device 53 includes, for example, a BS / CS tuner 62, a UHF / VHF tuner 63, a cable television modem 64, and a telephone line modem 6.
5, a content use condition confirmation unit 66, a memory 67, a data separation unit 68, an audio decoding unit 69, an image decoding unit 70, a data processing unit 71, a user interface unit 72, a speaker 73, and a display 74. Here, the speaker 73 and the display 74 correspond to the output unit of the client device of the present invention, and the user interface unit 72 corresponds to the interface of the client device of the present invention.

The BS / CS tuner 62 includes an antenna 60
The channel selection and demodulation processing of the BS / CS system bit stream received in step (1) is performed, and the obtained bit stream is output to the content use condition confirmation unit 66.
The UHF / VHF tuner 63 selects and demodulates the UHF / VHF bit stream received by the antenna 61, and outputs the obtained bit stream to the content use condition confirmation unit 66.

The cable TV modem 64 performs channel selection and demodulation processing of the bit stream received from the distribution unit 54 via the cable TV line, and converts the obtained bit stream into the content use condition confirmation unit 6.
6 is output. Further, the cable television modem 64 accesses the product information providing device 80 using the URL included in the above-described bit stream in response to an access request by the user operating the keyboard 75 or the mouse 76, and the product information providing unit 81 Of the home page shown in FIG. 2 provided by the user, and the display 74 displays a screen corresponding to the received signal. The cable TV modem 64 is connected to a keyboard 75 by the user.
Alternatively, the product purchase request and the questionnaire response result input from the user interface unit 72 in response to the operation of the mouse 76 are transmitted to the distribution device 52 via the cable TV line.
Charging section 56 and order receiving section 82 of the product information providing device 80
Send to

The telephone line modem 65 responds to an access request by a user operating the keyboard 75 or the mouse 76, and the UR included in the bit stream described above.
Using L, the product information providing device 80 is accessed, a signal of a homepage screen provided by the product information providing unit 81 is received, and a screen corresponding to the received signal is displayed on the display 74. The telephone line modem 65 is
The merchandise purchase request and the questionnaire response result input from the user interface unit 72 in response to the operation of the keyboard 75 or the mouse 76 by the user are transmitted via the telephone line to the charging unit 56 of the distribution device 52 and the merchandise information providing device 8.
0 to the order receiving unit 82.

For example, the content use condition confirming unit 66 determines whether or not the user of the receiving device 53 has the use eligibility of the bit stream received and selected, and judges that the user has the use eligibility. , And outputs the received bit stream to the memory 67 or the data separation unit 68. The content use condition confirmation unit 66 uses, for example, a user ID assigned to the user of the receiving device 53 to determine whether or not the user has already been registered, and whether or not the monthly fee has been appropriately paid. It is determined whether or not the user has eligibility to use the received bit stream based on the above.

The memory 67 stores the received bit stream of the content when the user is qualified to use the content. As the memory 67, for example,
A recording medium such as an optical disk, a magnetic disk, or a flash memory is used.

The data separating section 68 separates the bit stream input from the content use condition checking section 66 or the memory 67 into audio data, image data and other data, and outputs the audio data to the audio decoding section 69. The image data is output to the image decoding unit 70, and for example, text information and EPG (Electric Program
uide) is output to the data processing unit 71. In this case, the URL of the product information providing device 80 multiplexed in the bit stream is output from the data separation unit 68 to the data processing unit 71.

The audio decoding unit 69 decodes the audio bit stream input from the data separating unit 68 to generate an audio signal, and outputs this to the speaker 73. Image decoding unit 7
0 decodes the bit stream of the image input from the data separation section 68 to generate an image signal, and outputs this to the display 74. Note that synchronization between the sound output from the speaker 73 and the image displayed on the display 74 is established based on the time stamp information stored in the bit stream.

For example, based on the URL of the merchandise information providing device 80 input from the data separating unit 68, the data processing unit 71 displays a character indicating the URL or an image corresponding thereto on the display 74 via the user interface unit 72. Display. User interface unit 72
Controls the output of the speaker 73 and the display of the display 74, and outputs an operation signal corresponding to the operation of the keyboard 75 and the mouse 76 by the user to the cable television modem 64 or the telephone line modem 65.

Hereinafter, the operation of the distribution system 51 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the operation of the distribution system 51. [Step S1] First, a content provider generates a bit stream including content information of a program, advertisement information of a product, and a URL of the product information providing device 80, and stores the bit stream in the memory 55. Next, the bit stream of the content to be distributed according to a predetermined time schedule is read from the memory 5 by the distribution unit 54 of the distribution device 52, for example. Next, the read bit stream is subjected to modulation processing in the distribution unit 54 in accordance with the transmission method, and the modulated bit stream is
The data is transmitted to the receiving device 53 in a wireless or wired manner.

In the receiving device 53, the received bit stream is demodulated in the BS / CS tuner 62, UHF / VHF tuner 63 or cable television modem 64, and after the use condition is determined by the content use condition confirmation unit 66, It is output to 67 or a data separation unit 68. In the data separation unit 68, the bit stream input from the content use condition confirmation unit 66 or the bit stream read from the memory 67 is separated into audio data, image data, and other data. The data is output to the image decoding unit 70 and the data processing unit 71. Then, a sound and an image corresponding to the content information included in the bit stream are output from the speaker 73 and the display 74, respectively. At this time, for example, during a program,
A screen 101 of a product advertisement provided by the product information providing apparatus 80 as shown in FIG. 2A is displayed on the display 74, and a user interested in the product uses the mouse 76 to display the display 101 a of the screen 101. click.

[Step S2] The user interface unit 72 or the data processing unit 71 of the receiving device 53 determines whether or not the user has designated the display 101a shown in FIG. If it is determined that the process has been performed, the process of step S3 is executed.

[Step S3] If the user interface unit 72 or the data processing unit 71 determines that the display 101a shown in FIG. 2A has been designated, it uses the URL included in the received bit stream to Alternatively, the product information providing device 80 is automatically accessed via the telephone line modem 65. When receiving the access from the receiving device 53, the product information providing device 80 uses a cable TV line or a telephone line to
An image signal or the like for displaying a screen as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C is transmitted to the receiving device 53. Receiver 53
Upon receiving the image signal or the like, the cable television modem 64 and the telephone line modem 65 perform predetermined processing such as demodulation processing, and then display a screen corresponding to the image signal or the like on the display 74.

[Step S4] Product information providing device 80
For example, according to the screen 103 shown in FIG. 2 (C), it is determined whether or not a product purchase request has been issued from the receiving device 53 to the order receiving unit 82.
5 is executed.

[Step S5] Product information providing device 80
When the order receiving unit 82 receives a product purchase request from the receiving device 53, the charging unit 83 performs a charging process for selling the product to the user of the receiving device 53. afterwards,
The delivery management unit 84 manages the delivery of the product to the user. Further, the product purchase request issued by the receiving device 53 is received by the charging unit 56 of the distribution device 52, and according to the content thereof, the receiving device 5 issues a content distribution request.
The billing amount is discounted for the third user.

As described above, according to the distribution system 51, by transmitting the advertisement of the product and the URL of the product information providing device 80 to the receiving device 53 together with the content such as the program, the viewer of the program (user ) Can simplify the access to the product information providing apparatus 80 and the purchase procedure of the product, reduce the burden on the user, and promote the purchase of the product by the user. Further, by accessing the product information providing device 80 using the URL included in the bit stream and discounting the content distribution fee for the user who purchased the product, it is attractive for the user to receive the distribution service. And the spread of the system can be promoted. That is, the distribution system 5
According to 1, it is possible to provide an attractive business base to all of the content distributors, product providers and users.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the content use condition confirmation unit 66 confirms the use condition of the content by the user is illustrated, but the process is not necessarily required. The present invention is also applicable to a case where the receiving device 53 stores all the received bit streams in the memory 67, or a case where all of the received bit streams are output to the data separation unit 68 without using the memory 67. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the content information and the U
Although the case where the RL is transmitted from the distribution device 52 to the receiving device 53 is illustrated, the format of the content signal is not particularly limited. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the charge of the delivery service by the delivery device 52 is discounted in the charging unit 56 when the user purchases the product based on the advertisement, but the content storage unit of the digest delivery device 80 is used. At 83, the selling price of the product may be discounted.

[0052]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A distribution device, a distribution system, and a method thereof that allow a user to easily access information on an advertisement distributed together with content such as a program can be provided. Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a distribution apparatus, a distribution system, and a method capable of promoting the system in terms of billing and the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a screen provided by a distribution device and a product information providing device illustrated in FIG. 1 to a receiving device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of the distribution system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a conventional distribution system.

[Explanation of symbols]

51: distribution system, 52: distribution device, 53: receiving device, 54: distribution unit, 55: memory, 56: charging unit, 5
7, 60, 61: Antenna, 62: BS / CS tuner, 63: UHF / VHF tuner, 64: Cable TV modem, 65: Telephone line modem, 66: Content usage condition confirmation unit, 67: Memory, 68: Data separation Department,
69 audio decoding unit, 70 image decoding unit, 71 data processing unit, 72 user interface unit, 73 speaker, 74 display, 81 product information providing unit, 82
... Order receiving unit, 83 ... Charging unit, 84 ... Delivery management unit

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) G06F 13/00 354 G06F 13/00 354D 9A001 15/00 310 15/00 310A H04L 12/18 H04N 7/16 C 12 / 54 H04L 11/18 12/58 11/20 101B H04N 7/16 F-term (reference) 5B049 AA01 BB11 BB49 CC05 CC10 CC36 FF03 GG02 GG03 GG04 5B085 AC04 BE07 BG07 5B089 GA11 GB03 HA10 HA11 HA20 JA33 JB03 JB05 K015 BB01 BB05 BC10 BC18 BD02 BD03 BD08 5K030 GA17 GA20 HA05 HB01 HB02 HB08 HC01 JL01 JL02 JT02 KA19 LD07 9A001 BB06 CC02 CC04 EE04 HH15 HH23 JJ25 JJ27

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A signal storage unit for storing a content signal including content information and device specifying information for specifying a product information providing device for providing product information; a distribution unit for distributing the content signal; A charging unit configured to perform a charging process for the distribution based on an access performed by the device to which the signal is distributed to the product information providing device using the device specifying information included in the content signal. . 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the charging unit receives information indicating that the distribution destination apparatus has transmitted the product purchase request or a questionnaire response result to the product to the product information providing apparatus. The distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the charging process is performed based on the information. 3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said charging means sets an amount charged to said distribution destination user for distribution of said content signal based on an access made by said apparatus to said commodity information providing apparatus to said distribution destination of said content signal. The distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the distribution device performs a reduction process. 4. The distribution device according to claim 1, wherein said signal storage means stores said content signal further including advertisement information of said product. 5. The distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the content information is at least one of image data and audio data. 6. The distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the device identification information is an address of the product information providing device on a network. 7. The distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the distribution means transmits the content signal by broadcasting in a wireless system or a wired system. 8. The distribution apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said charging means receives said information using an up line or a telephone line of a cable television. 9. A distribution unit for distributing a content signal including content information and device specifying information for specifying a product information providing device for providing product information, wherein a device to which the content signal is distributed includes an A delivery device that performs a billing process related to the delivery based on an access made to the product information providing device using the included device specifying information. 10. A system comprising: a first server device for delivering a content signal; and a second server device for providing product information, wherein the first server device includes content information and the second server. Signal accumulating means for accumulating the content signal including device specifying information for specifying a device; distributing means for distributing the content signal; and a device to which the content signal is distributed is included in the content signal. And charging means for performing a charging process relating to the distribution based on an access made to the second server device by using the second server device, wherein the second server device provides the product information. An information providing unit, and a receiving unit that receives a purchase request for the product or a response result of a questionnaire regarding the product from a device to which the content signal is distributed. Delivery system. 11. The distribution system according to claim 10, wherein said second server device further comprises a billing means for performing a billing process relating to the provision of said product. 12. A first server device for delivering a content signal, a second server device for providing product information, and a client device for receiving the content signal and the product information, A server device for storing the content signal including content information and device identification information for identifying the second server device; a distribution unit for distributing the content signal to the client device; A charging unit configured to perform a charging process relating to the distribution based on an access performed by the client device to the second server device using the device specifying information included in the content signal; A server device for providing the product information to the client device; and a purchase request for the product or a Receiving means for receiving, from the client device, a response result of the questionnaire regarding the product, wherein the client device performs output in accordance with the content information included in the content signal distributed from the first server device A distribution system comprising: output means; and an interface for receiving, from a user, an instruction to access the second server device based on the device identification information included in the content signal. 13. The output means performs a display corresponding to the device specifying information, and the interface accesses the second server device when a user designates a display corresponding to the device specifying information. 13. The distribution system according to claim 12, which receives an instruction to that effect. 14. A content signal including content information and specific information specifying a source of the product information is distributed, and a destination of the content signal is determined by using the specific information included in the content signal. A distribution method for performing a charging process related to the distribution based on an access made to a provider of the distribution. 15. The distribution source of the product information is changed to the distribution destination based on an access made by the distribution destination of the content signal to the distribution source of the product information using the specific information included in the content signal. 15. The distribution method according to claim 14, wherein the product information is provided, and the distribution destination transmits a purchase request for the product or a response result of a questionnaire regarding the product to a provider of the product information.