Abstract:
There is described a network apparatus for administering product purchases. The network apparatus includes means for receiving product data from one or more vendors, means for advertising the product data using a plurality of electronic sales channels, and means for receiving purchase requests via the electronic sales channels. In this way, the network apparatus acts as an intermediary, or broker, between vendors and customers. There is also described an electronic auction system in which bidders make their bids using their cellular phones.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the right to priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 based on British Patent Application Number 0515160.0 filed on 22 Jul. 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to a system, and apparatus forming part of the system, for managing transactions, and operational methods employed by the system.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The introduction in recent years of personal video recorders which record television programmes to hard disk is initiating a fundamental change in television viewing habits. Of particular importance to retailers, personal video recorders allow a viewer to skip advertisement breaks. Retailers are therefore looking for new ways to advertise their products on television. One way which has already been widely adopted is the use of shopping channels which exclusively show promotional trailers for products. However, many consumers actively dislike shopping channels.  
         [0004]     It has been recognised for a number of years that the appearance of a product in a successful television show can result in increased sales of that product. This has led to retailers actively trying to place their products in popular television shows. A problem with such product placement is that although a viewer may wish to purchase a product seen in a show, the viewer does not immediately know where to purchase the product. There is accordingly a risk that the viewer does not find out where to buy the product, or that in the time needed to find out where to purchase the product the viewer loses interest in purchasing the product.  
         [0005]     Various attempts have been made at facilitating the purchase of products viewed in television programmes. For example, Delivery Agent, Inc (whose current web address is www.deliveryagent.com) provide technology to television companies, film companies and the like which allow consumers to purchase products placed in television programmes or films through websites associated with the television programmes or films.  
         [0006]     An aim of the present invention is to provide an alternative product purchasing system.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network apparatus for administering product purchases. The network apparatus includes means for receiving product data from one or more vendors, means for advertising the product data using a plurality of electronic sales channels, and means for receiving purchase requests via the electronic sales channels. In this way, the network apparatus acts as an intermediary, or broker, between vendors and customers.  
         [0008]     Preferably, the sales channels include interactive television, the internet and the mobile internet.  
         [0009]     In a preferred embodiment, the network apparatus includes means for associating one or more products with a media event such as a television show. In this way, products placed in a media event may be easily identified by a customer by reference to the media event.  
         [0010]     In a preferred embodiment, the network apparatus is operable to administer an auction for a product, and the purchase request is in the form of a bid. This is particularly well suited to products which have been placed in a media event because the actual product used in the media event can be auctioned. For example, an item of clothing worn by a famous film star in a television show can be auctioned.  
         [0011]     According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus which is operable to administer an auction over the mobile internet. The apparatus is operable to send details of the auction to a cellular phone which is operable to access the mobile internet, and receive bid information entered into the cellular phone and then transmitted by the cellular phone. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  schematically shows the main components of a product purchasing system;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  schematically shows the main components of a central administration server forming part of the product purchasing system illustrated in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  schematically shows the main components of an entry in a vendor database stored in the central administration server illustrated in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  schematically shows the main components of an entry in a product database stored in the central administration server illustrated in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  schematically shows the main components of an entry in a show database stored in the central administration server illustrated in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  schematically shows the main components of an entry in a customer database stored in the central administration server illustrated in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  schematically shows the main components of an entry in a basket database stored in the central administration server illustrated in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  schematically shows the main components of an entry in an order database stored in the central administration server illustrated in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  schematically shows the main components of an entry in an auction database stored in the central administration server illustrated in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a flow chart schematically showing the operations performed by the central administration server during a customer session;  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is a flow chart schematically showing the main operations performed by the central administration server when a customer purchases a product; and  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is a flow chart schematically showing the main operations performed by the central administration server when a customer bids for a product under auction. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0000]     System Overview  
         [0025]     As shown in overview in  FIG. 1 , in the product purchasing system of the present invention a central administration server  1  allows the purchasing of products, which may be goods or services, from multiple vendors through multiple sales platforms. In this embodiment, the central administration server  1  is run by an administration company which liaises with television companies to feature the products or services of the vendors in television programmes. A viewer of the resulting television programme is then able to purchase the goods or services by either: 
        accessing the central administration server  1  using a conventional computer  3  (sometimes called e-commerce);     accessing the central administration server  1  using the interactive capability of a conventional interactive television  5  (sometimes called t-commerce); and     accessing the central administration server  1  using a conventional cellular phone  7  (sometimes called m-commerce).        
 
         [0029]     As schematically shown in  FIG. 1 , the customer computer  1  is connected to the central administration server  1  via the internet  9 , and the customer cellular phone  7  is connected to the central administration server  1  via a conventional cellular communications network  11 . The customer interactive television  5  is connected to a conventional interactive television network  13 , which is connected to the central administration server  1  via an interactive television adapter  15 . The purpose of the interactive television adapter  15  is to convert the signals received from the interactive television network  13  into a format which is recognisable by the central administration server  1 , and vice versa.  
         [0030]     Each vendor has an associated vendor server, three of which are shown for exemplary purposes in  FIG. 1  referenced  17   a  to  17   c , which uploads details of products or services offered by that vendor to the central administration server  1 . As will be discussed in more detail hereafter, the central administration server  1  records in which television shows products are placed, and a prospective customer is able to view products associated with a television show by accessing the central administration server  1 . If a customer wishes to purchase a product, the customer sends a purchase request to the central administration server  1  which collates details of the purchase and forwards the details to the appropriate vendor server  17  for processing. Alternatively, some products may be purchased by auction, in which case a customer sends a bid to the central administration server  1  which determines the highest bid and forwards the details of the highest bid to the appropriate vendor server  17  for processing.  
         [0031]     It will be appreciated that, in practice, all of the above network arrangements to some extent include common networks. In particular, the central administration server  1  is connected to a communications network through which the communications with the customer computer  3 , the customer interactive television  5 , the customer cellular phone  7  and the vendor servers  17  pass.  
         [0000]     The Central Administration Server  
         [0032]     The central administration server  1  will now be discussed in more detail with reference to FIGS.  2  to  12 . As schematically shown in  FIG. 2 , the central administration server  1  has an operator interface  21 , a network interface  23 , a processor  25 , a volatile memory  27  and a hard disk  29  which are interconnected by a bus system  31 .  
         [0033]     In this embodiment, the operator interface  21  includes a keyboard for allowing an operator to enter data into the central administration server  1  and a display for allowing an operator to read data produced by the central administration server  1 . The operator interface  21  also includes a CD-ROM reader/writer via which data stored on a CD-ROM  33  can be input into the central administration server  1  or data may be written onto a recordable CD-ROM  33 .  
         [0034]     The network interface  23  receives data from remote devices and outputs data to remote devices in the form of a signal  35 .  
         [0035]     The processor  25  performs processing operations in accordance with program routines stored in the hard disk  29 . These program routines may be either stored during manufacture, or input to the central administration server  1  via the operator interface  21  or the network interface  23 . The program routines process data stored in the hard disk  29  and data received via the operator interface  21  or the network interface  23  using the volatile memory  27  as working memory. Further, portions of the data stored in the hard disk  29  are dynamically uploaded into the volatile memory  27  in a conventional manner to increase the processing speed.  
         [0036]     The hard disk  29  stores a database memory  37 , a routines memory  39  and an interfaces memory  41 .  
         [0037]     The database memory  37  stores a vendor database  43 , a product database  45 , a show database  47 , a customer database  49 , a basket database  51 , an order database  53  and an auction database  55 .  
         [0038]     The vendor database  43  stores details for each vendor. As shown in  FIG. 3 , an entry  101  in the vendor database  43  has: 
        a vendor_ID field  103  which is a unique number assigned to the vendor by the central administration server  1 ;     a vendor_name field  105  storing the name of the vendor;     an address_info field  107  storing address information for the vendor, including postal address, IP address and contact information; and     a status_info field  109  storing details of the status of the vendor.        
 
         [0043]     The product database  45  stores product data associated with each product. As shown in  FIG. 4 , an entry  121  in the product database  45  has: 
        a product_ID field  123  storing a unique number allocated to the product by the central administration server;     a product_name field  125  storing a name for the product;     a vendor_ID field  127  storing the unique vendor_ID number for the vendor offering the product for sale;     a short_description field  129  storing a short description of the product;     a long_description field  131  storing a longer description of the product;     a thumbnail_image field  133  storing a low resolution image of the product;     a full_image field  135  storing a high resolution image of the product;     a category_info field  137  storing categorisation information;     a pricing_data field  139  storing pricing data for the product, including details of the portions of the product price which are paid as commission to the company running the central administration server  1  and are paid as tax;     a status_info field  141  storing details of the availability of the product, e.g. a date range over which the product is available.        
 
         [0054]     The show database  47  stores information relating to each television show in which products from the product database  45  are placed. As shown in  FIG. 5 , an entry  151  in the show database  47  has: 
        a show_ID field  153  storing a unique number assigned by the central administration server  1  to the show;     a show_name field  155  storing the name of the show;     a show_info field  157  storing information concerning the television company producing the show;     a show_description field  159  storing a description of the show;     an associated_products field  161  storing a list of the products for purchase placed in the show, with the products being identified by their unique product_ID numbers; and     an associated_auctions field  163  storing a list of the auctions related to products placed in the show, with the auctions being identified by unique auction_ID numbers.        
 
         [0061]     The customer database  49  stores the details of each customer using the central administration server  1 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , an entry  171  in the customer database  49  has: 
        a customer_ID field  173  storing a unique number assigned to the customer by the central administration server  1 ;     a customer_name field  175  storing the name of the customer;     an electronic_contact_info field  177  storing the email address and, if available, the cellular phone number for the customer;     a customer_password field storing a password which is used to verify the identity of the customer;     a billing_address field  181  which stores the billing address for the customer;     a delivery_address field  183  which stores the address to which products for the customer should be delivered; and        
 
         [0068]     a credit_card details field  185  which stores the credit card details for the customer.  
         [0069]     The basket database  51  stores details of each customer visit in which a customer indicates interest in a product by placing the product in a virtual shopping basket. As shown in  FIG. 7 , an entry  191  in the basket database  51  has: 
        a basket_ID field  193  storing a unique number assigned to the entry by the central administration server  1 ;     a session_info field  195  storing information relating to the session in which the basket database entry was created, including the time of the session; and     a product_info field  197  storing a list of the unique product_ID numbers corresponding to the products placed in the virtual shopping basket by the customer.        
 
         [0073]     The order database  53  stores details of each order made. As shown in  FIG. 8 , an entry  201  in the order database  53  has: 
        an order_ID field  203  storing a unique number assigned to the entry by the central administration server  1 ;     an order_number field  205  storing an order number for transmission to the customer and the vendor;     a customer_ID field  207  storing the unique customer_ID number for the customer making the order;     a product_info field  209  storing the list of unique product_ID numbers corresponding to the products in the order;     a timing_info field  211  storing a time stamp indicative of when the order was made.        
 
         [0079]     The auction database  55  stores details of each auction. As shown in  FIG. 9 , an entry  221  in the auction database  55  has: 
        an auction_ID field  223  storing a unique number assigned to the entry by the central administration server  1 ;     a product_ID field  225  storing the unique product_ID number for the product being auctioned;     an auction_start_time field  227  storing a time after which bids may validly be made;     an auction_end_time field  229  storing a time when the auction closes and no more bids may be made;     a bid_start_price field  231  storing an initial bid amount above which a bid amount must be to be valid;     a minimum_increment field  233  storing the minimum amount by which the amount bid may be raised;     a current_highest_bid field  235  storing the amount of the highest bid made;     a current_highest_bidder field  237  storing the unique customer_ID number for the customer who made the highest bid;     an auction status field  239  storing data indicating the status of the auction.        
 
         [0089]     Returning to  FIG. 2 , the interfaces memory  41  stores interface software enabling the central administration server  1  to communicate, via the network interface  23 , with customer computers  3 , customer interactive televisions  5 , customer cellular phones  7  and vendor servers  17 . In particular, the interfaces memory  41  stores interactive TV interface software  81 , internet interface software  83  and mobile interface software  85 .  
         [0090]     The interactive TV interface software  81  includes templates for displaying information on the customer interactive television  5  in response to requests received from the customer interactive television  5  via the interactive television network  13  and the interactive television adapter  15 . In particular, in response to a request the central administration server  1  outputs a corresponding template, with each template having a number of fields into which data from the database memory  37  is input in dependence on the received request. For example, the fields may relate to product names and thumbnail images for products associated with a television show which is identified by the received request as being currently shown on the customer interactive television  5 .  
         [0091]     In this embodiment, the interactive television adapter  15  is provided remote from the central administration server  1 . The reason for this is that access to an interactive television network  13  is strictly controlled, with various companies which are approved by the owner of the interactive television network having extended access rights. In this embodiment, the interactive television adapter  15  is operated by such an approved company.  
         [0092]     The internet interface  83  includes web server software and multiple page templates in HTML format. Each HTML page template includes data fields in which data from the database memory  37  may be inserted in response to received customer requests. In a similar manner, the mobile interface  85  includes WAP server software and multiple page templates in WML format. Again, each WML page template includes data fields in which data from the database memory  37  may be inserted in response to received customer requests.  
         [0093]     The routines memory  39  stores a Master_Control routine  61  which controls the overall operation of the central administration server  1  by monitoring for interrupts indicating that a processing operation is required, and then initiating the required processing operation. These processing operations are implemented using a number of sub-routines in the routines memory  39 . In particular, the sub-routines are: 
        a Register_Vendor sub-routine  63 ;     a Product_Download sub-routine  65 ;     a Register_Show sub-routine  67 ;     a Place_Product sub-routine  69 ;     a New_Session sub-routine  71 ;     a Product_Purchase sub-routine  73 ;     an Auction_Bid sub-routine  75 ;     an Auction_Result sub-routine  77 ; and     a Register_Customer sub-routine  79 .        
 
         [0103]     Each of these sub-routines will now be discussed in detail.  
         [0000]     The Register_Vendor Sub-Routine  
         [0104]     The Register_Vendor sub-routine  63  is initiated in response to an instruction received from the operator of the central administration server  1  via the operator interface  21 . The Register_Vendor sub-routine  63  causes a data entry form to be displayed on a display forming part of the operator interface  21 , the form including data input fields into which the name of the vendor and information about the address of the vendor are input by the operator of the central administration server  1  using a keyboard which also forms a part of the operator interface  21 . When the data entry fields of the displayed form have been completed, a new entry  101  in the vendor database  43  is created and assigned a unique Vendor_ID number which is stored in the Vendor_ID field  103 , the name of the vendor is stored in the Vendor_Name field  105 , the address information of the vendor is stored in the Address_Info field  107  and an active status is stored in the Status_Info field  109 .  
         [0000]     The Product_Download Sub-Routine  
         [0105]     The Product_Download sub-routine  65  is initiated in response to product information being received from one of the vendor servers  17  via the network interface  23 . In this embodiment, the product information is received in XML format. For each new product identified in the received product information, a new entry  121  in the product database  45  is created, with a unique Product_ID number being stored in the Product_ID field  123  and the remaining fields being completed using information provided by the vendor in the received product information.  
         [0000]     The Register_Show Sub-Routine  
         [0106]     The Register_Show Sub-Routine  67  is initiated in response to an instruction received from the operator of the central administration server  1  via the operator interface  21 . The Register_Show sub-routine  67  causes a data entry form to be displayed on the display forming part of the operator interface  21 , the form including data input fields into which the name of the show, information about the show and a description of the show are input by the operator of the central administration server  1  using the keyboard forming part of the operator interface  21 . When the data entry fields of the displayed form have been completed, a new entry  151  in the show database  47  is created and assigned a unique Show_ID number which is stored in the Show_ID field  153 , the name of the show is stored in the Show_Name field  105 , the information about the show is stored in the Show_Info field  157  and the description of the show is stored in the Show_Description field  159 .  
         [0000]     The Place_Product Sub-Routine  
         [0107]     The Place_Product sub-routine  69  is initiated in response to an instruction received from the operator of the central administration server  1  via the operator interface  21 . The Place_Product sub-routine  69  causes a data entry form to be displayed on the display forming part of the operator interface  21 , the form including a data input field into which the name of a show is input and a data input field into which the name of a product is input. The form also includes a data input field for indicating if the product is for purchase or for auction.  
         [0108]     When the data entry form has been completed, if the product is for purchase then the entry in the show database  47  corresponding to the input show name is accessed, and then the Product_ID number for the entry in the product database  45  corresponding to the input product name is added to the list of Product_ID numbers stored in the Associated_Products field  161  of the entry  151  in the show database  47 . If the product is for auction, a new form is displayed on the display of the operator interface with data input fields for the operator to input the start and end times of the auction, an initial bid price, and a minimum bid increment amount. The central administration server  1  then generates a new entry  221  in the auction database  55 , assigns the new entry a unique Auction_ID number, and enters the Product_ID number, start and end times for the auction, initial bid price and minimum bid amount in the appropriate fields of the new entry. The central administration server  1  then adds the Auction_ID number for the new entry to the list of Auction_ID numbers stored in the Associated_Auctions field  163  of the entry in the show database  47  for the show.  
         [0000]     The New_Session Sub-Routine  
         [0109]     The New_Session sub-routine  71  is initiated in response to a customer accessing the central administration server  1  using a customer computer  3 , a customer interactive television  5  or a customer cellular phone  7 . The main operations of the New_Session sub-routine  71  will be described with reference to  FIG. 10 .  
         [0110]     After the New_Session sub-routine  71  is initiated, at S 1 , the central administration server  1  determines the format of the received customer signal and then uses the appropriate interface software stored in the interfaces memory  41  for the remainder of the session. The central administration server  1  then checks, at S 3 , whether the customer for the session is using an interactive television  5 . If the customer is using an interactive television, the central administration server  1  identifies, at S 5 , the show being watched on the interactive television from the return path signal. After identifying the show, the central administration server  1  determines the products associated with the show and the auctions associated with the show from the entries in the Associated_Products field  161  and the Associated_Auctions field  163  respectively of the entry in the show database  47  for the show, and outputs, at S 7 , a signal to cause the interactive television  5  to display the associated products for purchase and products for auction. In particular, the interactive TV interface  81  generates page data by inserting information retrieved from the entries in the product database  45  for the associated products for purchase and products for auction into a stored template.  
         [0111]     If the central administration server  1  determines, at S 3 , that the customer for the session is not using an interactive TV, then the central administration server  1  outputs, at S 9 , a signal conveying a HTML page or a WML page (depending on whether the customer is using a computer  3  or a cellular phone  7 ) for displaying to the customer a list of all shows in the show database  47 . The central administration server  1  then waits, at S 11 , until a signal is received from the customer selecting one of the shows. The central administration server  1  then outputs, at S 13 , an HTML page or a WML page listing the products for purchase and auction associated with the show.  
         [0112]     After the products associated with a show have been displayed to the customer, the central administration server  1  waits for a signal from the customer. On receipt of a signal, the central administration server  1  checks, at S 15 , if the signal identifies selection of a product for purchase. If the signal does identify selection of a product for purchase, the central administration server  1  adds the selected product to the Product_Info field of the entry in the basket database  51  for the session. If the product is the first selected product for purchase for the session, then an entry for that session in the basket database  51  is created and assigned a unique Basket_ID number which is stored in the Basket_ID field  193 , and session data is stored in the Session_Info field  195 . After a selected product has been added to the session basket, the central administration server  1  waits for another signal from the customer.  
         [0113]     On receipt of a signal from the customer, the central administration server  1  also checks, at S 19 , if the signal conveys a request to purchase the items stored in the Product_Info field  197  of the entry in the basket database  51  for the session. If the customer signal does convey a purchase request, then the central administration server  1  initiates, at S 21 , the Product_Purchase sub-routine  73  which is described in detail hereafter. After running the Product_Purchase sub-routine  73 , the central administration server  1  ends, at S 23 , the session.  
         [0114]     On receipt of a signal from the customer, the central administration server  1  also checks, at S 25 , if the signal conveys a request to make a bid for a product for auction. If the customer signal does convey a bid request, then the central administration server  1  initiates, at S 27 , the Auction_Bid sub-routine  75  which is described in detail hereafter. After running the Auction_Bid sub-routine  75 , the central administration server  1  ends, at S 29 , the session.  
         [0115]     On receipt of a signal from the customer, the central administration server  1  also checks, at S 31 , if the signal indicates that the customer is ending the session. If this is the case, the central administration server  1  saves, at S 33 , the session basket entry in the basket database  51  and then the session ends, at S 35 . The session basket entry is saved for future analysis of customer shopping trends.  
         [0000]     The Product_Purchase Sub-Routine  
         [0116]     As discussed above, the Product_Purchase sub-routine  73  is initiated in response to a signal from a customer during a session indicating that the customer wishes to purchase the products added to the Product_Info field  197  for the entry in the basket database  51  for the session. The main operations of the Product_Purchase sub-routine  73  will be described with reference to  FIG. 11 .  
         [0117]     After initiation, at S 41 , of the Product_Purchase sub-routine  73 , the central administration server  1  sends a signal to the customer apparatus asking if the customer is an existing customer and checks, at S 43 , the response. If the customer is an existing customer, the central administration server  1  sends, at S 45 , a request to the customer apparatus for the customer email address and password. On receiving the customer email address and password, the central administration server  1  finds the entry in the customer database  49  having the received email address stored in the Email_Address field  177 , and confirms that the password stored in the Customer_Password field  179  for that entry matches the received password. If the customer is not an existing customer, the central administration server  1  initiates, at S 47 , the Register_Customer sub-routine  79 , which will be described in detail hereafter.  
         [0118]     After establishing the identity of the customer, the central administration server  1  sends, at S 49 , a signal to the customer apparatus causing the customer apparatus to display the purchase details and a request for confirmation of the purchase. The central administration server checks, at S 51 , the response to the request for purchase confirmation and if the purchase is not confirmed the sub-routine ends, at S 53 .  
         [0119]     If the purchase is confirmed, then the central administration server  1  generates, at S 55 , one or more order requests and an entry in the order database  53 . Each order request is associated with a particular vendor and includes details of the customer and the products from that vendor ordered by the customer. In particular, the order request includes the billing address, the delivery address and the credit card details stored in the entry for the customer in the customer database  49 . The central administration server  1  then transmits, at S 57 , the one or more order requests to the respective vendor server  17  for the one or more associated vendors. Given the confidential nature of the customer information transmitted, this transmission is performed over a secure communication channel.  
         [0120]     On receiving an order request, the vendor server  17  verifies the availability of the product and also verifies the billing details for the customer in a conventional manner. If the availability of the product and the billing details are confirmed, the vendor server  17  sends an order confirmation signal to the central administration server  1 . Otherwise, the vendor server  17  sends an order denial signal to the central administration server  1 .  
         [0121]     On receiving a signal from a vendor server  17 , the central administration server checks, at S 59 , if the order has been confirmed. If the order has been confirmed, then the central administration server  1  transmits, at S 61 , an order confirmation signal to the customer apparatus and the sub routine ends, at S 63 . If the order is not confirmed, then the central administration server sends, at S 65 , an order refusal signal to the customer apparatus and the sub-routine ends, at S 67 .  
         [0000]     The Auction_Bid Sub-Routine  
         [0122]     The Auction_Bid sub-routine  75  is initiated in response to a signal from a customer during a session indicating that the customer wishes to make a bid for a product which is up for auction. The main operations of the Auction_Bid sub-routine  75  will be described with reference to  FIG. 12 .  
         [0123]     After initiation, at S 81 , of the Auction_Bid sub-routine  75 , the central administration server  1  sends a signal to the customer apparatus asking if the customer is an existing customer and checks, at S 83 , the response. If the customer is an existing customer, the central administration server  1  sends, at S 85 , a request to the customer apparatus for the customer email address and password. On receiving the customer email address and password, the central administration server  1  finds the entry in the customer database  49  having the received email address stored in the Email_Address field  177 , and confirms that the password stored in the Customer_Password field  179  for that entry matches the received password. If the customer is not an existing customer, the central administration server  1  initiates, at S 87 , the Register_Customer sub-routine  79 , which will be described in detail hereafter.  
         [0124]     After establishing the identity of the customer, the central administration server  1  sends a signal conveying the start and end times for the auction, the starting price, the current highest bid and the minimum bid amount increment details from the entry in the auction database  55  for the auction, and requests a bid amount from the customer. On receiving a signal conveying a bid amount from the customer, the central administration server  1  processes, at S 89 , the bid to check that the bid was made between the start and end times of the auction and that the bid amount is greater than the current highest bid by an amount larger than the minimum bid amount increment. If these conditions are satisfied the central administration server  1  accepts, at S 91 , the bid. If these conditions are not satisfied, the central administration server  1  transmits, at S 93 , a signal indicating refusal of the bid to the customer and ends, at S 95 , the session.  
         [0125]     If the bid is accepted, the central administration server  1  accesses the entry in the customer database  49  corresponding to the Customer_ID number stored in the Current_Highest_Bidder field  235  of the entry in the auction database for the auction, and sends details of the new highest bid to the previous highest bidder using the email address stored in the Electronic_Contact_Info field  177 . Further, in this embodiment if a cellular phone number is stored in the Electronic_Contact_Info field  177  then the central administration server also sends an SMS message to the cellular phone number giving details of the new highest bidder. In this way, the previous highest bidder is warned of the new highest bid and can consider making another bid.  
         [0126]     After advising the previous highest bidder, the central administration server  1  updates, at S 99 , the entry in the auction database  55  by replacing the details in the Current_Highest_Bid field  235  and Cureent_Highest_Bidder field  237  with the amount of the new highest bid and the Customer_ID number of the customer for the session respectively. The central administration server then transmits, at S 101 , a signal to the customer confirming that the customer has the present highest bid, and then ends, at S 103 , the session.  
         [0000]     The Auction_Result Sub-Routine  
         [0127]     The Auction_Result sub-routine  77  is initiated when the internal timer of the central administration server  1  reaches the time stored in the Auction_End_Time field  229  for an auction.  
         [0128]     On initiation of the Auction_Result sub-routine  77 , the central administration server  1  stores data indicating that the auction is closed in the Auction_Status field  239 . The central administration server  1  then generates an order request and an entry in the order database  53 . Each order request is associated with the vendor for the product under auction, and includes details of the customer who made the highest bid and the amount of the highest bid. In particular, the order request includes the billing address, the delivery address and the credit card details stored in the entry in the customer database  49  for the customer who made the highest bid. The central administration server  1  then transmits the order request to the respective vendor server  17  for the associated vendor. Given the confidential nature of the customer information transmitted, this transmission is performed over a secure communication channel.  
         [0129]     On receiving an order request, the vendor server  17  verifies the availability of the product and also verifies the billing details for the customer in a conventional manner. If the availability of the product and the billing details are confirmed, the vendor server  17  sends an order confirmation signal to the central administration server  1 . Otherwise, the vendor server  17  sends an order denial signal to the central administration server  1 .  
         [0130]     On receiving a signal from a vendor server  17 , the central administration server checks if the order has been confirmed. If the order has been confirmed, then the central administration server  1  transmits an order confirmation signal to the customer apparatus and the sub-routine ends. On the other hand, if the order is not confirmed then the central administration server sends an order refusal signal to the customer apparatus and the sub-routine ends.  
         [0000]     The Register_Customer Sub-Routine  
         [0131]     As discussed above, the Register_Customer sub-routine  79  is initiated during the Product_Purchase sub-routine  73  or the Auction_Bid sub-routine  75  if the customer is not an existing customer. On initiation of the Register_Customer sub-routine  79 , the central administration server  1  transmits a data entry form to the customer apparatus requesting the customer to enter their name, email address, a password, a billing address, a delivery address and their credit card details. Given the confidential nature of this information, for the purposes of the Register_Customer sub-routine  79  a secure connection is established between the central administration server  1  and the customer apparatus.  
         [0132]     After the customer has entered the requested customer information, the customer transmits the customer information to the central administration server  1 , which then creates a new entry in the customer database  49  for the customer, assigns a unique Customer_ID number to the entry and stores the unique Customer_ID number in the Customer_ID field  173  for the created entry, and stores the received customer information in the corresponding fields of the created entry.  
         [0000]     The System in Operation  
         [0133]     As discussed above, in this embodiment vendors upload product information into the central administration server  1 . The administration company running the central administration server  1  then provides details of products to producers of television shows, who select products for inclusion in the television shows. In order to aid selection of products, the short description of the product may include keywords allowing searching of the product database for certain types of product. The products associated with each television show are then stored in the show database  47 .  
         [0134]     After selecting products for inclusion in the television show, the producers make the television shows and generate data signals for broadcasting the television show on an interactive television network. Data for the interactive features associated with the television shows is also generated, including data defining that when the red button on the remote control for an interactive television is pressed a link is established with the central administration server  1 .  
         [0135]     A viewer watching a television show has a choice of ways in which to purchase, or bid for, products placed in the television show. If the viewer has an interactive television, the viewer may access the central administration server  1  by pressing the red button on the remote control of the interactive television. Alternatively, the viewer may access the central administration server using a computer or a cellular phone as discussed above. In this way, a viewer is able to find out details of a product placed in a television show quickly and easily, and purchase that product if desired.  
         [0000]     Modifications and Further Embodiments  
         [0136]     Although in the illustrated embodiment an interactive television adapter  15  is provided remote from the central administration server  1  to take advantage of the extended access rights to the interactive television network  13 , this is not essential. In an alternative embodiment, the central administration server is able to communicate directly with the interactive television network  1 .  
         [0137]     In the illustrated embodiment, cellular phones access product information stored in the central administration server and instruct operations to be performed using conventional browser software. In an alternative embodiment, the central administration server stores a software application (for example a Java application) containing (i) product information for products associated with a television show and (ii) an emulator which, which when run on a cellular phone, simulates accessing of the product information as though it was product information stored on a server being accessed by a browser, but causes the cellular phone to communicate with the central administration server using a messaging service such as the SMS messaging service provided by the GSM communications protocol instead of a mobile internet protocol such as GPRS. In a particular embodiment, on seeing a product in a television show, the customer sends an SMS message to the central administration server identifying the television show. The central administration server then sends details of a mobile internet address (e.g. a URL) from which the Java application may be downloaded. The customer then uses the mobile internet functionality of the cellular phone to access the identified mobile internet address to download the Java application from the central administration server. On running the Java application, the customer interacts with the Java application in the same manner as if using a web browser, but the “web” pages are actually data stored in the Java application on the cellular phone. When the customer completes an order, the order information is sent to the central administration server as an SMS message. If the product information for the television show is updated, the central administration server sends an SMS message to the cellular phone advising that an updated Java application should be downloaded.  
         [0138]     In a modified version of the illustrated embodiment, when the vendor server uploads product information to the central administration server, the product information includes stock information identifying the number of products in stock. The central administration server is then able to keep track of orders and when no more stock is available, advise customers of that fact.  
         [0139]     In the illustrated embodiment, when a product is placed in a television show an operator of the central administration server  1  enters data into the central administration server  1  associating the product with the television show. In an alternative embodiment, producers of television shows may access the central administration server in order to view a list of products, and then transmit signals identifying the products to be placed in the television show directly to the central administration server, which associates the identified products with the television show automatically. The categorisation data stored in the category_info field  137  in each product database entry  121  may be used to facilitate searching for particular types of products.  
         [0140]     In the illustrated embodiment, products are placed in television shows. These televisions shows could be viewed on conventional television sets (whether cathode ray tube, plasma, LCD or any other type), interactive television sets, personal computers (whether by web broadcast or any other means), large screen devices for public display, mobile devices for personal viewing, or any other suitable display device.  
         [0141]     It will be appreciated that the products may be placed in other media events, such as films or plays. Alternatively, products could be placed in print media, for example editorial or advertising within magazines, newspapers, catalogues and company brochures with the central administration server including links to the various different print media to allow identification of products placed in each print medium.  
         [0142]     Further, products could be placed in live events such as sporting events and concerts, with the central administration server including links between the live event and the products associated with that live event. Products could also be placed in the television coverage for a live event.  
         [0143]     Products could also be placed in computer games with the administration server being operable to provide details of products placed in a computer game.  
         [0144]     Alternatively, the central administration server could associate products directly with the vendors, so that a customer identifies a vendor and the central administration server provides details of products provided by that vendor.  
         [0145]     The central administration server could also be used in conjunction with outdoor advertising such as billboards, giant screens and posters. Each advertisement includes an identification code which can be sent to the central administration server by a customer, in response to which the central administration server provides details of the product. The identification code could be written on the advertisement. Alternatively, the identification code could be included in a barcode associated the advertisement which may be read by a conventional barcode reader which preferably forms part of a device which is operable to access the mobile internet. The identification code could also be written in a magnetic strip or an RFID tag associated with the advertisement, which may respectively be read by a conventional magnetic strip reader or a conventional RFID tag reader which preferably form part of a device which is operable to access the mobile internet. As another alternative, the identification code could be transmitted by a Bluetooth (or other RF communications protocol) device associated with the advertisement to a nearby Bluetooth device, preferably also able to access the mobile internet, associated with the consumer.  
         [0146]     As described above, there are many ways in which a consumer may become aware of a product. When the central administration server stores details of a large number of products, it is important to classify products based on how consumers are exposed to that product so that a user may quickly retrieve the details of a product based on how the consumer was exposed to that product, for example by entering the name of a television show in which the consumer saw the product.  
         [0147]     As discussed above, one sales channel is the mobile internet, with the customer being able to access the mobile internet through a suitable cellular phone (sometimes called mobile phone, cell phone or the like). The phrase cellular phone covers any device operable to access the mobile internet, and therefore also covers suitably enabled personal digital assistants (PDAs) and the like. The term mobile internet covers the transmission of textual information between a client device and a remote network device in which the transmission link to the client device uses free-space radio waves.  
         [0148]     Although the described embodiment of the invention comprises computer apparatus and processes performed in the computer apparatus, the invention also extends to computer programs, particularly computer programs on or in a carrier, adapted for putting the invention into practice. The program may be in the form of source code, object code, a code intermediate source and object codes such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other form suitable for using the implementation of the processes according to the invention.  
         [0149]     The carrier may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. For example, the carrier may comprise a storage medium, such as a ROM, for example a CD-ROM or a semi-conductor ROM, or a magnetic recording medium, for example a floppy disk, or a hard disk. Further, the carrier may be a transmissible carrier such as an electronic or optical signal which may be conveyed via electrical or optical cable or by radio or other means.  
         [0150]     When the program is embodied in a signal which may be conveyed directly by cable or other device or means, the carrier may be constituted by such cable or other device or means. Alternatively, the carrier may be an integrated circuit in which the program is embedded, the integrated circuit being adapted for performing, or for use in the performance of, the relevant processes.  
         [0151]     Although in the described embodiments the invention is implemented using software, it will be appreciated that alternatively the invention could be implemented using hardware devices, or a combination of hardware devices and software.