WO2002003699A1 - Sales system using content of broadcast program and use device - Google Patents

Abstract

A sales system using a television broadcast program. The image of a commodity shown in a television broadcast program is captured as a still picture, the captured still picture is sent to a broadcasting station through transmission means, and the broadcasting station sends commodity information to the viewer according to the sent still picture. If the captured still picture shows a plurality of commodities, a desired commodity is designated by pointing it with a pointer such as an arrow or by inputting the coordinates at which the commodity is displayed.

Description

 Description Sales system and equipment using broadcast program contents

 The invention according to the present application provides a new method and apparatus for using television broadcasting or audio broadcasting. Background art

 Various information is provided by television broadcasting or audio broadcasting. Broadcast contents include advertisements (CM: commercial message) programs that are broadcast between broadcast programs or during a broadcast program. CM programs are used to actively convey information such as products to viewers. Although it has information on products, etc., broadcast programs that are not CM programs may also contain product information required by viewers.

 For example, goods used as props in television programs, costumes, music media used as background music, music media such as CDs broadcasted in audio broadcast programs, etc. are usually products. Sold.

 However, the broadcast programs that use these products are not CM programs. Product information is not broadcast, and even if viewers are interested in the product, it is not possible to obtain information on the product. Impossible.

 The ability to include TV shopping programs in a broadcast program where product information is broadcasted in a program The products introduced in a TV shopping program are selected at the convenience of the product seller, and therefore sufficiently meet the needs of viewers is not. Disclosure of the invention

 According to the present invention, by providing information of a product used in a broadcast program other than a CM program to the viewer, the viewer can easily obtain the product. In addition, in this way, the product provider can provide the products used for the broadcast program to the program creator at no charge or at a low cost in cooperation with the broadcast program creator, and reduce the production cost of the broadcast program. At the same time, it will be possible to satisfy viewers' demands for obtaining products used in ordinary broadcast programs that are not commercial programs or television broadcasting programs.

According to the present invention, an image of a product in which a viewer in a normal television broadcast program wants to obtain information is captured as a still image, and is captured. The transmitted still image is transmitted to the broadcasting station via the communication means, and the broadcasting station transmits product information to the viewer based on the transmitted still image. In the case of an audio broadcast program, the viewer of the audio broadcast program captures a part of the audio that the user wants to obtain information, transmits the captured audio to the broadcast station via communication means, and the broadcast station transmits the captured audio. The audio media information is transmitted to the viewer based on the received audio.

 If there are multiple products in the captured still image, indicate the desired product by pointing it out with arrows or by pointing out the coordinates where the product is displayed.

 By using the method and apparatus of the present invention, when the user wants to purchase an article displayed on the screen of a normal program, he or she can inform the information service provider of the desire to purchase the desired article.

 According to the present invention, not only the product purchase but also the request from the viewer can be responded by targeting information other than the product such as the information of the characters and the information of the photographing place. Specific points pointed out by viewers not only have a great effect on the monitoring of program content, but also provide a means of obtaining a certain audience rating. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

 Figure 1: Schematic illustration of the system configuration of the first embodiment

 Figure 2: Illustration of the remote controller used in the first embodiment

 Figure 3: Illustration of the set-top box used in the first embodiment

 Fig. 4: Illustration of the television screen of the modified example of the first embodiment

 Fig. 5: Illustration of the remote controller used in the modified example of the first embodiment. Fig. 6: Illustration of the set-top box used in the modified example of the first embodiment. Fig. 7: Outline of the system configuration of the second embodiment. Illustration

 Figure 8: Illustration of the remote controller used in the second embodiment

 Figure 9: Illustration of the set-top box used in the second embodiment

 1 0 Television broadcasting station

 1 2, 7 0 Viewer device

 1 3, 60, 72 Set-top box

 1 4 Television monitor

 1 5 images

1 6, 5 0, 5 2, 7 3 Remote control port 1 7 Network

 1 8 Information service providers

 1 9 Terrestrial television broadcast receiving antenna

 2 0 Capture button

 2 1 Infrared emitting unit

 2 2 Communication button

 2 3 Display button

 2 4 Erase button

 2 5 Function select button

 3 0 Tuner

 3 1 A Z D converter

 3 2 Data generator

 3 3 Frame memory

 3 4 Modem

 3 5 D Z A converter

 3 6 Control device

 3 7 Infrared receiver

 4 2 pointer

 5 1 Direction button

 5 3 Listening

 5 4 Diamond button

 5 5 Mouthpiece

 6 1 Imposer

 7 1 Television receiver

 8 0 TV receiver power button

 8 1 Television receiver receive channel select button

 8 2 Television receiver volume adjustment button BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show a schematic configuration of the first embodiment of the sales system according to the present invention. It comprises a viewer device 12 and a network 17. The television broadcasting station 10 and the viewer device 12 are connected by terrestrial broadcast radio 11 or satellite broadcast radio or CATV radio, and the viewer device 12 and the information service provider 18. Between the network and the CATV The information service provider 18 and the television broadcasting station 10 are also connected by a communication line such as a public line or a dedicated line.

 The viewer device 12 comprises a set-top pox 13, a television monitor 14, and a remote controller 16. The set-top box 13 is connected to a terrestrial television broadcast receiving antenna 19 or a satellite wave receiving antenna or a CATV coaxial cable, and the set-top box 13 is further connected to a television monitor 1. 4 and network 17 are connected. The set-top box 13 and the remote controller 16 are connected by wireless means such as infrared rays. An image 15 is displayed on the television monitor 14.

 In the sales system shown in Fig. 1, television waves broadcast by terrestrial television broadcasting station 10 via terrestrial broadcasting waves 11 are captured by antenna 19 and set-top box 13 of viewer device 12 The image is displayed on TV monitor 14 as image 15 via.

 In this embodiment, the user who wants detailed information of the projected image 15 and the umbrella image operates the remote controller 16 to capture the moving image 15 as a still image. And stored in the frame memory built in the set top box 13. In that case, the broadcast channel number, date, and time are also stored together with the still image.

 Thereafter, the still image 15 stored in the set top box 13 and the data recorded together are transmitted to the information service provider 18 via the network 17.

 The information service provider 18 is supplied with information for searching for the still image 15 from the broadcasting station 10 and detailed information on the information in advance, and the information service provider 18 Using the channel number, date, time data and still image 15 as clues, detailed information of the still image 15 is searched for and supplied to the viewer device 12 via the network 17. This detailed information includes the price, contact information, and purchase method of the item displayed as a still image 15.

 Viewers make purchases using such detailed information.

Tourist destination information in addition to product information in the image of interest, there is a variety of things force ^s such as restaurant information.

In addition, it is possible to purchase sound source media, etc. by targeting audio.-It is also possible for a broadcasting station to provide information directly instead of an information service provider. FIG. 2 shows an example of a remote controller used in the present invention. This remote controller is composed of only basic elements.

The remote controller 16 has a capture button 20, a communication button 22, a display button 23, a delete button 24, and a function select button 25 _c. 21 is an infrared emitting unit that emits infrared light. It is.

 If the user wishes to store the still image 15 of the moving image displayed on the television monitor in the set box 13, the user can press the capture button 20 of the remote controller 16. Manipulate. As a result, a command to capture a moving image and store it as a still image 15 is emitted as an infrared signal. To send the stored still image to the information service provider, operate the communication button 22. The display buttons 23 are operation buttons for confirming the contents of the stored still images. By operating these buttons, the still images 15 stored in the set top box 13 are displayed on the television monitor 1. Appears in 4. 25 is a function selection button for selecting the function to be performed by the set top box 15. Unnecessary still images are deleted from the frame memory by operating the delete button 24.

 FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration of the set-top box 13. However, in this embodiment, only elements related to signal processing are shown, and elements related to processing control are not shown.

 The set top box 13 consists of a tuner 30, an AZD converter 31, a data generator 32, a frame memory 33, a modem 34 and a DZA converter 35, an infrared receiver 37 and a controller 36. It has.

 The analog television signal received by the terrestrial television reception antenna 19 is extracted as an electric signal by the tuner 30 and the composite video signal is output to the television monitor 14 to display the television image. Is displayed.

 At the same time, the composite video signal is supplied to the A / D converter 31, converted into a digital video signal, and supplied to the frame memory 33. On the other hand, the broadcast channel number, date, and time information of the received television signal is generated by the data generator 32 and supplied to the frame memory 33. The controller 36 is an infrared receiver. The digital video signal is captured as a still image by the capture signal from the remote controller 16 received by the remote controller 17 as a still image, and the frame memory is stored together with the information supplied from the data generator 32. To save.

If there is enough frame memory capacity, digital video signal The digital video signal may be continuously stored in the frame memory, and when the frame memory overflows, the previously stored digital video signal may be overwritten with the new digital video signal.

 In this case, another semiconductor memory device, a magnetic storage device such as a hard disk, an optical recording device, or a magneto-optical recording device can be used instead of the frame memory.

 The controller 36 receives the signal from the remote controller 16 received by the infrared receiver 33 and sends the frame memory to the information service provider 18 via the network 17 using the modem 34. 3 Transmit the digital still image and generated data stored in 3.

 The D / A converter 31 converts the digital still image into an analog still image so that the user can check the contents of the digital still image stored in the frame memory 33, and converts the digital still image into a composite video signal. Output to the input terminal of TV monitor 14.

 Although the set-top box 13 is formed separately from the television monitor 14, these are integrally configured, that is, it is natural that the set-top box 13 is built into the television monitor 14. It is possible.

 Also, instead of the set-top box 13, a personal computer, an electronic game machine, or the like can be used.

 The embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 is a case where only a single piece of information is displayed as in a screen 15 in FIG. However, on the actual screen, various objects are simultaneously displayed on the screen 40 as shown in FIG. 4, and it is unclear which information is to be obtained even if the entire screen is captured as it is.

 For example, in this figure, the only information required for the user is the umbrella indicated by 41. In such a case, by imposing a pointer on the screen as indicated by 42, it is displayed that the information required by the user is about the umbrella.

 In order to perform such an operation, an imposer is further added to the configuration of the set top box 13 shown in FIG.

Figure 5 shows the remote controller 50 with the function of displaying a pointer on the screen.

(a) shows a remote controller 50 in which a pointer instruction function is added to the remote controller 16 shown in FIG. 2, and the remote controller 50 is used to move the instruction pointer to the remote controller 50. Direction indication button 51 is added. This direction button 51 is used in many electronic game machines. The joystick has a joystick function, and when the direction of the arrow above it is pressed, a pulse that moves the pointer in that direction is output, so that the pointer moves ₍ when the pointer moves to the expected position, the direction By performing an operation such as pressing the center of the instruction button 51, the still screen in which the pointer is imposed is captured.

 In this case, a capture button may be separately provided.

 Further, instead of the direction indicating button 51, a device used in a computer or an electronic game machine, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick or a touch panel, can be used.

 In the remote controller 52 shown in (b), a telephone function is added to the remote controller 50, and the remote controller 50 has a dial button 54 used for a normal telephone and a transmission necessary for the telephone. A mouth 55 and an earphone 53 are further provided.

 The user can obtain more specific information by making a call with the information service provider 18 using this telephone function. Also, by adding a character signal transmission function to the dial buttons 54 as used in various telephones, it is possible to add a comment on the captured screen or to communicate with the information service provider i8. It is also possible to enable data communication between them.

 Figure 6 shows the schematic configuration of the record communication set-top box 60 using a pointer.

 The recording communication set-top box 60 is provided in the set-top box 15 shown in FIG. 3 with an imposer 61 1 for displaying the data generated by the data generator 32 and the pointer. It has. The pointer is superimposed on the display screen and displayed in the frame memory 33 by this impossor.

 FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show a schematic configuration of a sales system according to a second embodiment of the present invention having a configuration different from the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. FIG.

 The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in that the configuration of the viewer device 70 of the second embodiment is different from the configuration of the viewer device 12 of the first embodiment.

The viewer device 70 includes a set-top box 72, a television receiver 71, and a remote controller 73. The television receiver 71 is connected to a terrestrial television broadcast receiving antenna 19, a satellite broadcasting receiving antenna, or a coaxial cable for CATV, and the video output terminal of the television receiver 71 is connected to the television receiver 71. Is connected to the video input terminal of the setup box 72. The video output from the television receiver 71 is input to the video input terminal of the set-top box 72, and the video output terminal of the television receiver 71 is input to the video output terminal of the set-top box 72. Video input terminal is connected.

 The set-top box 72 is further connected to an information service provider 18 via a network 17.

 The remote controller 73 and the television receiver 71 and the remote controller 73 and the set top box 72 are connected by wireless means such as infrared rays. The image 15 is displayed on the television receiver 71.

 In the sales system shown in FIG. 7, the television wave broadcast by the terrestrial television broadcasting station 10 via the terrestrial broadcast wave 11 is supplemented by the antenna 19 and the television of the viewer device 70 is provided. The image is projected on the John receiver 71 as an image 15 and sent to the setup box 72.

 In this embodiment, the user who desires detailed information of the projected image 15 and the umbrella image operates the remote controller 73 to capture the moving image 15 as a still image. Then, the data is stored in the frame memory built in the set top box 72. In that case, the broadcast channel number, date, and time are also stored together with the still image.

 After that, the still image 15 stored in the set top box 72 and the data recorded together are transmitted to the information service provider 18 via the network 17.

 The information service provider 18 is supplied with information for searching for the still image 15 from the broadcasting station 10 and detailed information on the information in advance, and the information service provider 18 Using the channel number, date, time data and still image 15 as clues, detailed information of the still image 15 is searched for and supplied to the viewer device 12 via the network 17.

 Viewers make purchases using such detailed information.

 The target image includes various things such as sightseeing spot information and restaurant information other than the product information.

In addition, it is possible to purchase a sound source medium by targeting audio _(a broadcasting station, not an information service provider, can directly provide information.

The remote controller 73 is shown in Fig. 8, and this remote controller 73 is connected to the remote controller 16 shown in Fig. 2 by the television receiver 7 1 The remote controller 73 has a capture button 20, a communication button 22, a display button 23, a delete button 24, and a function selection function. In addition to the buttons 25, a television receiver power button 80, a television receiver reception channel selection button 81, and a television receiver volume adjustment button 82 are provided. Reference numeral 21 denotes an infrared emitting unit that emits infrared light.

 It should be noted that the currently used remote controller for television monitor has a force S in which buttons having some other functions are provided, and it is a matter of course that such buttons can be further provided. That is.

 If the user wants to store the still image 15 of the moving image displayed on the television receiver 71 in the set-top box 72, the user operates the capture button 20 of the remote controller 73. I do. As a result, a command to capture the moving image and store it as a still image 15 is emitted as an infrared signal.

 To send the stored still image to the information service provider, operate the communication button 22. The display buttons 23 are operation buttons for confirming and checking the content of the stored still image. By operating this button, the still image 15 stored in the set top box 13 is displayed on the television. Is displayed on the receiver 71 1. 25 is a function selection button for selecting a function to be performed by the set top box 72. Unnecessary still images are erased from the frame memory of the set-top box 72 by operating the erase button 24. FIG. 9 shows a schematic configuration of the set-top box 72. In this embodiment, only elements related to signal processing are shown, and elements related to processing control are not shown. The set top box 72 is configured by removing the tuner 30 from the set top box 13 shown in FIG.

 The set top box 72 includes an A / D converter 31, a data generator 32, a frame memory 33, a modem 26 and a D / A converter 35, and further includes an infrared receiver 37 and A control device 36 is provided.

 An analog television signal received by a terrestrial television reception antenna 19 (not shown) is displayed on a television receiver 71 as a television image.

At the same time, the composite video signal output from the television receiver 71 is supplied to the AZD converter 31, converted into a digital video signal, and supplied to the frame memory 33. On the other hand, the broadcast channel number, date, and time information of the received television signal is generated by the data generator 32, and Memory 3 3.

 The control device 36 captures the digital video signal as a still image based on the capture signal from the remote controller 73 received by the infrared receiver 37, and captures the frame memory together with the information supplied from the data generator. 3 Save to 3.

 The controller 36 receives the signal from the remote controller 73 received by the infrared receiver 37 and sends it to the information service provider 丄 8 via the network 17 using the modem 34 to the frame memory 33. The stored digital still image and generated data are transmitted.

 The D / A converter 35 converts the digital still image into an analog still image so that the user can check the contents of the digital still image stored in the frame memory 33, and converts the digital still image into a composite video signal. Outputs to the John receiver 7 1.

 It goes without saying that the modified configuration described in the first embodiment described above can be applied to the configuration of the second embodiment described above.

 This example is an example of analog broadcasting, but in digital broadcasting and broadcasting using a communication line, the same function is provided by supplying a digital television signal to the frame memory 33. Is possible. Industrial applicability

 As described above, the sales system according to the present invention provides the information of the product used in the broadcast program to the viewer, so that the viewer can easily obtain the product as needed.

 At the same time, by communicating the purchase desire to the information service provider for the desired goods, it will be possible to demonstrate the functions of promoting sales and collecting consumer trends.

 Furthermore, by targeting information on non-products such as information on characters and shooting locations, it is possible for broadcast stations and broadcast program production companies to respond to viewer requests other than product purchases. In addition, such specific indications of the program contents not only have a great effect on the monitoring of the program contents, but also provide a means for obtaining a certain visibility rate.

Claims

The scope of the claims 1. The viewer fetches the contents of the broadcast program using the product into the storage device together with the broadcast data, the viewer transmits the contents of the broadcast program and the broadcast data to the information service provider, and the information service provider transmits the broadcast. A broadcast program that specifies the product based on the program content and the broadcast data, transmits information on the product to the viewer, and uses the information to determine whether the viewer purchases / non-purchases the product. A sales system that uses the contents. 2. The sales system using broadcast program contents according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast program contents are television broadcast program contents, and the broadcast program contents taken into the storage device are television still images.  3. A sales system using the broadcast program contents according to claim 2, wherein a pointer indicating a product is added to the television still image. 4. The sales system using the broadcast program contents according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast program contents are audio broadcast program contents.  5. A remote controller that has a capture button, communication button, display button, delete button, and function selection button, and is used in sales systems and sales systems that use broadcast programs. 6. The remote controller used in the sales system according to claim 5, and a sales system using a broadcast program, further comprising a direction instruction button for moving a pointer.  7. A remote controller having a telephone function and used in the sales system according to claim 5 or 6 and a sales system using a broadcast program.  8. The remote controller according to claim 5, 6 or 7, further comprising a television receiver operation function, which is used in a sales system using a broadcast program.  9. A remote controller having a set-top box operation function and used in the sales system according to claim 5, 6, or 7 and a sales system using a broadcast program. 10. Tuner, AZD converter to which analog output of the tuner is input, data generator for generating broadcast reception data, digital recording for recording the digital output of the A / D converter and the output of the data generator A tuner, the A / D converter, the data generation device, the digital recording device, the model, and a device for transmitting a recording content of the digital recording device to a network. A set-top box for use in a sales system and a sales system that uses broadcast programs, equipped with a control device that controls the system.  11. The set-top box used in the sales system according to claim 10 and a sales system using a broadcast program, further comprising an A / D converter for converting the recorded content of said digital recording device into an analog output.  1 2. An AZD converter that outputs analog data from a receiver, a data generator that generates broadcast reception data, a digital recording device that records the digital output of the A / D converter and the output of the data generator, and the digital recording A sales system and a broadcast program, comprising: a modem for transmitting the recorded content of the device to a network, the tuner, the A / D converter, the data generator, the digital recording device, and a control device for controlling the modem. A set-top box used in a sales system that uses.  13. The set-top box used in the sales system according to claim 12 and a sales system using a broadcast program, further comprising a D / A conversion for converting the recorded content of the digital recording device into an analog output.  14. Digital tuner, data generation device for generating broadcast reception data, digital recording device for recording the digital output of the tuner and the output of the data generation device, and a model for transmitting the recorded contents of the digital recording device to a network. A set box for use in a sales system and a sales system using a broadcast program, comprising a dem and the digital tuner, the data generation device, the digital recording device, and a control device for controlling the modem.  15. A data generation device for generating broadcast reception data, a digital recording device for recording the output of the data generation device and a digital output from a receiver, a modem for transmitting the recorded content of the digital recording device to a network, and the tuner A set box for use in a sales system and a sales system that uses a broadcast program, the control box including an A / D converter, the data generation device, the digital recording device, and a control device that controls the modem.