Abstract:
A method of providing means for smooth communication between audiences in a television and a TV communication terminal used for the method are provided. An address of a communication server is transmitted via a television or a communication network to the TV communication terminal that can receive the television and make a connection with the communication network. A plurality of communication channels is prepared for one television program. An attribution of the audience using the TV communication terminal and attributions of the communication channels are compared, so that the audience receiving the television program can use an optimal communication channel for communicating with other audiences.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a method of providing means for communication between audiences in a television containing data broadcast and a TV communication terminal that can be used for the communication.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Conventionally, there are some communication tools such as a chat or a bulletin board using a personal computer for interchanging information between audiences about a television program. Such information interchange between audiences is performed using a communication network including the Internet and telephone lines. It is expected that such bi-directional communication means in real time can provide an abundant opportunity of communication concerning television broadcast.  
           [0005]    In addition, it is desired to use an easy input tool such as a remote controller with a television set (and an accessory such as a set-top box) so that an audience who is not familiar with using a computer can perform the communication easily.  
           [0006]    However, there is a problem as explained below when performing the above-mentioned communication between audiences about a television program in real time.  
           [0007]    Namely, it is extremely difficult to control many communications between audiences about a specific program at one site. For example, if all the audiences watching the program everywhere in the country gather at one communication site, the communications will become substantially impossible. It is easy to predict that massive confusion will be caused if many audiences having different personalities and tastes about one subject gather at one communication site without being controlled.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    An object of the present invention is to provide a method of providing means for communication between audiences, a TV communication terminal used for the method and a computer program, which enable smooth communication between audiences about a television program.  
           [0009]    The present invention provides a method of providing means for communication between audiences by transmitting an address of a communication server via a television or a communication network to a TV communication terminal that can receive the television and can be connected to the communication network. The method comprising the steps of preparing a plurality of communication channels for one television program, and comparing an attribution of an audience who uses the TV communication terminal with an attribution of each of the communication channels, so that the audience watching the television program can use an optimum communication channel for making communication with other audiences.  
           [0010]    According to this method, a plurality of communication channels (i.e., sites for communication) adapted to different personalities and tastes of audiences, and an optimum communication channel is provided to each of the audiences. As a result, a concentration of a large audience on one communication channel can be avoided. The plural communication channels can be prepared in one communication server or in plural communication servers. In addition, the audience can select easily a communication channel that matches his or her taste among many communication channels.  
           [0011]    In a preferred embodiment, each of the communication channels has an exclusive attribution and the method further comprises the step of eliminating a connection of an audience to a communication channel if the attribution of the audience matches an exclusive attribution of the communication channel. According to this method, the audience can reject an undesired opponent in the communication in advance.  
           [0012]    In another preferred embodiment, the method further comprises the step of using an attribution filter set by an audience for filtering a comment of another audience having a specific attribution. In this way, each audience can avoid displeasure caused by a comment of another audience and can enjoy the communication.  
           [0013]    The present invention also provides a TV communication terminal comprising a reception portion for receiving television including data broadcast, an analyzing portion for analyzing information described in contents of the data broadcast, a display control portion for controlling a monitor display in accordance with the result of the analysis, an input process portion for processing an input signal from an input device, and a communication process portion for performing communication with a predetermined communication server via a communication network in accordance with the result of the analysis and an instruction from the input process portion. By using such a TV communication terminal, the audience can receive comfortably the service of providing the communication between audiences in television as explained above.  
           [0014]    The present invention also provides a computer program that can be executed by a computer built in a TV communication terminal. The program comprises the processing steps of analyzing information described in contents of received data broadcast, controlling a monitor display in accordance with the result of the analysis, processing an input signal from an input device, and performing communication with a predetermined communication server via a communication network in accordance with the result of the analysis and the result of processing of the input signal. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 shows a concept of a TV communication service according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 shows an example of an initial screen display in receiving data broadcast according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3A shows description of a chat button described in the data broadcast markup language.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3B shows an example of a channel list.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the process concerning the selection of an optimal channel by comparing attribution of an audience with attribution of the communication channel.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 shows an example of method for filtering comments of an audience who has a specific attribution.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 shows an example of the communication screen.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7A shows an example of changing areas of screens in accordance with a keyword included in a comment of an audience.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7B shows an example of changing a TV picture in accordance with a keyword included in a comment of an audience.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 shows an example where the audience performs an input operation easily using information displayed in a comment input support portion.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 shows an example of using a time code received by a TV communication terminal for reproducing the corresponding scene. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]    Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained more in detail with reference to embodiments and drawings.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 shows a concept of a TV communication service according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system for realizing this service includes a broadcast station  1 , a TV communication terminal  2  and a communication server  3 . The TV communication terminal  2  and the communication server  3  can communicate with each other bi-directionally via the communication network  4 .  
         [0028]    The broadcast station  1  performs TV broadcast to the TV communication terminal  2 . The TV communication terminal  2  has a connection function with the communication network  4  for performing bi-directional communication with the communication server  3 . Moreover, the TV communication terminal  2  includes a monitor (a display device)  21  for displaying received TV pictures and other various displays for the communication function and a remote controller  22  as an input device.  
         [0029]    The TV communication terminal  2  includes a reception portion  11  for receiving television containing data broadcast from the broadcast station  1 , an analyzing portion  12  for analyzing information described in contents of the received data broadcast, a display control portion  13  for controlling display contents of the monitor  21  in accordance with the analysis. The TV communication terminal  2  also includes an input process portion  14  for processing an input signal from the remote controller  22  and a communication process portion  15  for performing communication with the communication server  3  via the communication network  4  in accordance with the analysis of the analyzing portion  12  and an instruction from the input process portion  14 .  
         [0030]    In the TV communication service according to the embodiment of the present invention, the broadcast station  1  can describe a format of the screen display on the monitor  21  in the data broadcast that is a sort of the television. The broadcast station  1  can also describe various processes that will be executed when a certain event occurs. For example, the data broadcast can contain a description of a display or a process for enabling a connection from the TV communication terminal  2  to the communication server  3  responding to an input from the remote controller  22 .  
         [0031]    After receiving the data broadcast, the TV communication terminal  2  analyzes the data broadcast and outputs images in accordance with display information contained in the data broadcast so as to display the images on the screen of the monitor  21 . As shown in FIG. 1, the screen of the monitor  21  contains the TV picture  23  as well as a communication button (C-button)  24 . When audience press the C-button  24  using the remote controller  22 , the TV communication terminal  2  makes a connection with the communication server  3  that is described in the contents of the data broadcast, thereby communication between audiences can be performed.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 2 shows an example of an initial screen display in receiving the data broadcast. On the screen of the monitor  21 , a weather button  26 , a news button  27  and a chat button  28  are displayed together with the TV picture  23 . By pressing the weather button  26  using the remote controller  22  while receiving the TV broadcast, the audience can change the present screen to a screen of weather forecast (weather information) described in a data broadcast markup language (BML). In the same way, by pressing the news button  27 , the audience can change the present screen to a news screen. In addition, when the audience presses the chat button  28 , the TV communication terminal  2  makes the connection with the communication server  3  and displays the communication screen. Using this screen, the audience can make communication with other audiences.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 3A shows description of a chat button described in the data broadcast markup language. FIG. 3B shows an example of a channel list. When the chat button  28  is pressed, as described by &lt;BUTTON&gt;in FIG. 3A, the process “connecto” of the object “chat” is called. The object “chat” is a communication project described in&lt;OBJECT&gt;, which describes information necessary for making a connection with the communication server, such as a communication server, a communication channel and means for making a connection to the communication server.  
         [0034]    The communication server  3  provides a site for various communications about the program of the TV broadcast. The communication server  3  is provided with a plurality of the communication channels for treating a lot of subjects. Each of the channels is independent of other channels, so that communication sites about different subjects are provided. When the audience presses the chat button  28 , the process connect( ), i.e., the process for making a connection with the communication server  3  is executed by the communication process portion  15 .  
         [0035]    The analyzing portion  12  provides the communication process portion  15  with information about a communication server  3  to be connected with, method of the connection and a communication channel that were obtained from information described in the contents of the received data broadcast. The communication process portion  15  executes the connection with the communication server  3  in accordance with the information obtained from the analyzing portion  12 . By this structure, the audience can make a connection with the communication server  3  and enjoy the chat with other audiences only by pressing the chat button  28  using the remote controller  22 , without complicated setting. If the connection with the communication server  3  fails for the reason why a communication line is busy or other, the failure and the reason thereof are displayed on the screen of the monitor  21  so that the audience is informed thereof.  
         [0036]    The information described in the contents of the data broadcast may include a plurality of communication channels that are used for making a connection with the communication server  3 . A list of the plural channels as illustrated in FIG. 3B for example, is generated by analyzing the information described in the contents of the data broadcast.  
         [0037]    Though a list containing all the generated channels can be provided to the audience, it may be burdensome to the audience electing a communication channel to be used if too many channels are provided. Therefore, it is better that the audience can reduce the number of the communication channels to be used in accordance with an attribution registered by the audience. For this purpose, the TV communication terminal  2  includes an attribution memory portion  16  for memorizing the attribution of the audience.  
         [0038]    The analyzing portion  12  compares the attribution of the audience that was read out of the attribution memory portion  16  with the attribution of each communication channel obtained from the information described in the contents of data broadcast, so as to reduce the number of communication channels to be displayed on the screen of the monitor  21 . It is possible to change the display order so that the communication channels are displayed in the order of descending matching ratio of their attribution with the attribution of the audience.  
         [0039]    For example, it is supposed that the audience is watching a sport program such as a professional baseball game. It is also supposed that a first audience has an attribution of requesting anonymity and does not have an attribution of “being a fan of Team A” or “being a fan of Team B”. In this case, it is offered to the first audience that there are two channels having the attribution matching the first audience; one is a channel of “cheering Team A (anonym)” (Channel B shown in FIG. 3B) and the other is a channel of “cheering Team B (anonym)” (Channel D shown in FIG. 3B). Then, the audience is required to select either of the channels.  
         [0040]    Furthermore, it is supposed that a second audience has two attributions; one is an attribution of “allowing the name to be on public” and the other is an attribution of “being a fan of Team A”. In this case, the channel of “cheering Team A” (Channel A shown in FIG. 3B) is displayed at the first line of the channel list so as to be selected easily by the audience since the channel has two matching attributions and is considered to be an optimal channel. Then, the channel of “cheering Team A (anonym)” (Channel B shown in FIG. 3B) and the channel of “cheering Team B” (Channel C shown in FIG. 3B), whose attributions match partially, are also displayed in the channel list.  
         [0041]    A setting may be possible for making a connection with the optimal channel automatically. In this case, the channel of “cheering Team A” (Channel A shown in FIG. 3B), whose two attributions match, is considered to be the optimal channel and is connected automatically. The attribution of the audience is registered by the audience. Alternatively, the TV communication terminal  2  learns tastes of the audience and registers the attribution in accordance with the learning result. For example, the TV communication terminal  2  may register an attribution of a channel that is selected by the audience frequently as an attribution of the audience.  
         [0042]    It is also possible to exclude (i.e., not to allow the connection of) an audience who has a specific attribution from a specific channel. For example, in the channel of “cheering Team A”, the attribution of “being a fan of Team B” is set as an exclusive attribution. In this case, the channel of “cheering Team A” is excluded from the channel list that is displayed on the display of the TV communication terminal  2  (the monitor  21 ) of the audience who has the attribution of “being a fan of Team B”.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the process concerning the selection of an optimal channel by comparing the attribution of the audience with the attribution of the communication channel. In Step # 101 , the process of the first channel in the channel list is started. In Step # 102 , it is checked whether the channel has an exclusive attribution that matches the attribution of the audience. If the channel has an exclusive attribution that matches the attribution of the audience, the process goes to Step # 105 , while if the channel does not have the exclusive attribution, it is checked whether there is an attribution that matches the attribution of the audience in Step # 103 . If there is an attribution matching the attribution of the audience, the channel is added to the channel list to be displayed, and the number of matching attributions is memorized (Step # 104 ).  
         [0044]    In the next Step # 105 , it is checked whether the process is finished for all channels. If the process is not finished for all channels, the next channel is processed (Step # 106 ). The process from Step # 102  through Step # 106  is repeated until the process is finished for all channels.  
         [0045]    After finishing the process for all channels, it is checked in Step # 107  whether the channel list contains only one channel. If the channel list contains only one channel, the process goes to Step # 112 . Otherwise, if the channel list contains plural channels, it is checked in Step # 108  whether an optimal channel is connected (is set to be connected) automatically. If it is connected automatically, the channel having the most matching attributions is selected in Step # 109 , and the process goes to Step # 112 . If the automatic connection is not set, the channel list, whose number of channels is reduced so that the channels are listed in the order of descending number of matching attributions, is displayed in Step # 110 . Then the audience is required to select a channel. When the audience selects a channel in Step # 111 , the process goes to Step # 112 .  
         [0046]    In Step # 112 , the TV communication terminal  2  makes a connection with the selected communication channel, and displays a communication screen in Step # 113 . Thus, the audiences can communicate with other audiences.  
         [0047]    In the communication (chat) between audiences, it is possible to filter comments of an audience who has a specific attribution. For example, when a first audience wants to neglect comments of a fan of Team B, it is possible to set such that comments of an audience who has the attribution of “being a fan of Team B” are not displayed.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 5 shows an example of method for filtering comments of an audience who has a specific attribution. First, it is supposed that the first audience makes setting of neglecting comments of an audience who has the attribution of “being a fan of Team B”. The set information is transmitted to the communication server  3 , and it is set as an attribution filter of the first audience that comments of an audience who has the attribution of “being a fan of Team B” are not received. In addition, it is supposed that the attribution filter is not set for the second audience. Moreover, it is supposed that a third audience who has the attribution of “being a fan of Team B” makes a comment.  
         [0049]    When transmitting comments of an audience to other audiences who joined the communication channel, the communication server  3  compares the attribution of the originator with the attribution filter of the audience who is a receiver. If both the attribution and the attribution filter match each other, the transmission is not performed. In this way, comments of the third audience are transmitted to the second audience but are not transmitted to the first audience. In this example, the communication server  3  performs the filtering. Alternatively, the TV communication terminal  2  may acquire the attribution of the audience who joins the communication channel and performs the above-mentioned filtering, so that comments of an audience having a specific attribution is not displayed.  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 6 shows an example of the communication screen. In the example of the screen display shown in FIG. 2, the chat button  28  is pressed so as to communicate with the communication server  3  as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4. Then, the communication screen  30  appears on the monitor  21  as shown in FIG. 6. On this occasion, the communication channel can be selected.  
         [0051]    The communication screen  30  includes a communication message display portion  31 , a TV picture display portion  32 , a comment input portion  33  and a comment input support portion  34 . The comment input support portion  34  will be explained later and is not indispensable. By using a keyword included in a comment of an audience in the communication channel, areas of (an area ratio between) the communication message display portion  31  and the TV picture display portion  32  can be changed, or a picture displayed in the TV picture display portion  32  can be changed. The keyword can be set by the audience or set in the broadcast station  1  side.  
         [0052]    An example of the method for changing the area or the contents of the display by using the keyword is as follows. In the communication screen  30 , an event that a keyword appears for the communication channel activates the process, a script process that can be described in the contents of the data broadcast changes the data screen or perform the process of tuning.  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 7A shows an example of changing areas of screens in accordance with a keyword included in a comment of an audience. FIG. 7B shows an example of changing a TV picture in accordance with a keyword included in a comment of an audience. In these examples, in accordance with a keyword “home run” included in the comment of the audience (the originator B), areas of (an area ratio between) the screens are changed as shown in FIG. 7A, or a TV picture (a TV program) is changed as shown in FIG. 7B. Namely, when a keyword “home run” is detected in the communication channel, the area of the communication message display portion  31  is decreased while the area of the TV picture display portion  32  is increased as shown in FIG. 7A. The picture displayed in the TV picture display portion  32  is changed from a drama to a baseball game as shown in FIG. 7B.  
         [0054]    Next, the comment input support portion  34  shown in FIG. 6 will be explained. The information that is displayed in the comment input support portion  34  is transmitted via the data broadcast or the communication network to the TV communication terminal  2 , which utilizes the information for the audience to do input operations easily.  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 8 shows an example where the audience performs an input operation easily using the information displayed in the comment input support portion  34 . In this example of a sport program, the information as shown in (a) is displayed in the comment input support portion  34 . The audience selects “1. Player&#39;s name” in the comment input support portion  34 , for example. This selection can be performed by pressing “1” button or “cursor move” button and “selection” button using the remote controller  22 , for example.  
         [0056]    Then, a list of player&#39;s names as shown in (b) is displayed in the comment input support portion  34 . When pressing the “1” button or pressing the “selection” button after moving the cursor by the “cursor move” button so as to select the player A, a name of the player A is inputted in the comment input portion  33 . In this example, the input of the player&#39;s name requires only two strokes of selection, which are less than the trouble of the case where a general hiragana-to-kanji conversion method is used. If the general hiragana-to-kanji conversion method is used for inputting characters, the input strokes can be reduced by using a conversion dictionary that is adapted to the program. The conversion dictionary adapted to the program can be transmitted via the digital broadcast or the communication network to the TV communication terminal  2 . By arranging the dictionary so that words having closer relationship with contents of the program or the communication channel are displayed with higher priorities, the efficiency of inputting characters using the hiraganato-kanji conversion method will be improved.  
         [0057]    Next, a cooperative service of the communication and picture accumulation function will be explained. The TV communication terminal  2  that can utilize this service must include an accumulation function of TV programs (record function) and a picture reproduction function by designating time. These functions can be realized by external equipment that is connected to the TV communication terminal  2 . A time code as a communication message is transmitted to the TV communication terminal  2  having the TV program accumulation function and the reproduction function. The audience selects the time code received by the TV communication terminal  2 , so that the picture of the corresponding scene can be reproduced from programs accumulated in the TV program accumulation function. The time code can be replaced with other information that can specify a scene such as an inning number of a baseball game, for example. If such information is embedded in the contents of the accumulated programs, the scene can be reproduced automatically in the same way as in the case utilizing the time code.  
         [0058]    [0058]FIG. 9 shows an example of using a time code received by the TV communication terminal  2  for reproducing the corresponding scene. First, information of time when the player A hit a home run is transmitted as a time code from an originator  2 . An audience who received this time code can select the time code for performing a process. For example, if the audience wants to watch the scene, he or she selects the time code for decision or other similar operation. Then, picture data of the designated time are retrieved from the accumulated TV pictures and automatic reproduction of the corresponding picture is started. In this way, by transmitting and receiving a time code as a message, other audience can reproduce the picture of the scene at that time easily. In addition, it is possible to provide a service of transmitting a digest of contents containing the time codes.  
         [0059]    While the presently preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that the present invention is not limited thereto, and that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.