Patent ID: 6298239
Filing Date: 2001-10-02
Classification: H04H,H04L,H04W

Abstract:
An information transmission control apparatus for relaying broadcast information from an information provider apparatus to a plurality of information reception apparatuses, wherein the broadcast information allows a user of each of the plurality of information reception apparatuses to reply to the broadcast information, the information transmission control apparatus comprising:a memory;reception means for receiving the broadcast information from the information provider apparatus and storing the broadcast information into the memory;delay time determination means for determining transmission delay time for each of a plurality of destinations so that transmission delay time is different for at least two destinations,the transmission delay time being a time period that is to elapse before transmitting the broadcast information to each of the plurality of destinations, andeach of the plurality of destinations being at least one of the plurality of information reception apparatuses;delay time elapse detection means for detecting whether the transmission delay time determined for each of the plurality of destinations has elapsed, after the broadcast information is received by the reception means; andtransmission means for transmitting, each time the delay time elapse detection means detects that transmission delay time for one of the plurality of destinations has elapsed, the broadcast information to at least one information reception apparatus which is the destination,wherein the delay time determination means includes:a random number generation unit for generating random numbers, andwherein the delay time determination means determines the transmission delay time for each of the plurality of destinations based on the random numbers generated by the random number generation unit.