Patent Publication Number: US-2003237092-A1

Title: Web page display apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a Web page display apparatus for displaying Web page information relating to a television program during receiving the television program.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] The number of people using the Internet and personal computers has increased in recent years, and along with this increase, more information relating to television programs and commercials has been provided on Web pages and there is increasing need for using personal computers to access Web pages on the Internet to obtain such related information.  
       [0005] For a user to obtain such information under present circumstances, the user memorizes information such as a URL, a product name, or a company name that may be required, or makes a note of such information during watching a television program or commercial. Then, the user uses a device such as a personal computer to access the Internet and directly inputs the URL or uses a search site on the Internet to search for the Web page by using the product name or company name as a search key.  
       [0006]FIG. 21 shows an overview of a system in which URL information is obtained during receiving a television broadcast and Web page information is obtained based on the URL information.  
       [0007] As shown in FIG. 21, a viewer jots down URL information on a memo pad  92 , “fujibeer.com” for example, displayed on a television screen during watching a broadcasted television program or commercial. Then, the viewer boots up a personal computer  93  and uses a web browser installed in the personal computer  93  to enter the URL, http:/www.fujibeer.com, based on the URL information that he or she has jotted down on a memo pad  92  to display Web page information on the personal computer  93 .  
       [0008] If the viewer cannot directly obtain URL information on the television screen  91  but can obtain related information such as the name of a product or company, he or she may memorize the product or company name or jot it on the memo pad  92 . Separately, he or she may boot up the personal computer  93 , access an Internet information search site, and search for the Web site based on the product or company name to obtain desired information.  
       [0009] In practice, however, it is difficult for the viewer to accurately memorize or jot down URL information displayed on the television screen  91  and obtain Web page information in a timely manner.  
       [0010] Furthermore, it is troublesome to find URL information based on related information such as a product or company name and then access an appropriate Web page. It is not easy enough for anyone to perform such operations to obtain information in a timely manner.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011] In light of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a Web page display apparatus that allows a user to obtain and display Web page information relating to a television program that is being received in synchronization with the progress of the television program without having to perform any special operations.  
       [0012] A first Web page display apparatus of the present invention that achieves the above-described object comprises a broadcast receiving section receiving a broadcast signal containing broadcast information representing a television broadcast and location information indicating the location of a Web page on the Internet; a first display section displaying the television broadcast represented by the broadcast information contained in the broadcast signal received by the broadcast receiving section in a first display area on a given display device; a Web-page-information-obtaining section extracting the location information contained in the broadcast signal received by the broadcast receiving section and, upon being triggered by the extraction of the location information, accessing a homepage the location of which is indicated by the location information to obtain information provided by the Web page in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast; and a second display section displaying the information obtained by the Web-page-information-obtaining section in a second display area on the display device in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast.  
       [0013] The first Web page display apparatus of the present invention can automatically obtain Web page information relating to the content of a broadcast received and display the information on the same screen on which the received broad cast is being displayed, in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast without requiring any extra operations by a viewer if a broadcasting station embeds in advance information about the location of the Web page in a broadcast signal.  
       [0014] A second Web page display apparatus according to the present invention that achieves the above-described object comprises an image-receiving section receiving an image signal representing image of a television broadcast;  
       [0015] a character recognition section analyzing the image represented by the image signal received by the image receiving section to recognize a character string contained in the image; a Web-page-information-obtaining section triggered by recognition of a location character string by the character recognition section to access a Web page the location of which is indicated by the location character string to obtain information provided by the Web page in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast if the character string recognized by the character recognition section is the location character string indicating the location of the Web page on the Internet; and a display section displaying the information obtained by the Web-page-information-obtaining section in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast.  
       [0016] The second Web page display apparatus of the present embodiment can automatically obtain Web page information relating to the content of a television broadcast being received and display the information on a screen in synchronization with the progress of the television broad cast without requiring any extra processes or operations by a broadcasting station or a viewer.  
       [0017] Preferably, the second Web page display apparatus comprises a search section searching the Internet for a Web page based on a character string recognized by the character recognition section; wherein if the Web page is found by the search section, the Web-page-information-obtaining section is triggered by the finding of the Web page to accesses the Web page to obtain information provided by the Web page in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast.  
       [0018] Configured as described above, the second Web page display apparatus of the present invention can find a Web page based on a company name or product name to display information provided by the Web page in synchronization of the progress of a television broadcast even if the image of the broadcast does not contain URL information.  
       [0019] A third Web page display apparatus of the present invention that achieves the above-described object comprises a sound-receiving section receiving a sound signal representing sound of a television broadcast;  
       [0020] a speech recognition section analyzing the sound represented by the sound signal received by the sound receiving section to recognize a word contained in the sound; a Web-page-information-obtaining section accessing a Web page the location of which is indicated by the location word to obtain information provided by the Web page in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast if the word recognized by the speech recognition section is the location word indicating the location of the Web page on the Internet, the access being triggered by the recognition of the location word; and a display section for displaying the information obtained by the Web-page-information-obtaining section in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast.  
       [0021] The third Web page display apparatus of the present invention can automatically obtain Web page information relating to the content of a television broad cast being received and display it on a screen in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast without requiring any extra operations performed by a broadcasting station or a viewer.  
       [0022] The third Web page display apparatus preferably comprises a search section searching the Internet for a Web page based on a word recognized by the speech recognition section, wherein; if the Web page is found by the search section, the Web-page-information-obtaining section is triggered by the finding of the Web page to access the Web page to obtain information provided by the Web page in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast.  
       [0023] Configured as described above, the third Web page display apparatus of the present invention can find a Web page based on a company name or product name to display information provided by the Web page in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast even if the sound of the broadcast does not contain URL information and the like. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0024]FIG. 1 shows a general configuration of a Web page display apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0025]FIG. 2 shows a general view of a computer system including the Web page display apparatus according to the first embodiment;  
     [0026]FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a hardware of the computer system shown in FIG. 2;  
     [0027]FIG. 4 shows URL information collected by a broadcasting station according to the first embodiment;  
     [0028]FIG. 5 shows a format of location information contained in a broadcast signal according to the first embodiment;  
     [0029]FIG. 6 shows how the location information is sent from the broadcasting station according to the first embodiment;  
     [0030]FIG. 7 shows how the URL information is obtained from a received television broadcast signal according to the first embodiment;  
     [0031]FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of a process performed in the Web page display apparatus according to the first embodiment;  
     [0032]FIG. 9 shows a data structure of a URL database used in the embodiment;  
     [0033]FIG. 10 shows a general configuration of a Web page display apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0034]FIG. 11 shows a computer system including the Web page display apparatus according to the second embodiment;  
     [0035]FIG. 12 shows a flowchart of a process performed in the Web page display apparatus according to the second embodiment;  
     [0036]FIG. 13 shows a general configuration of a Web page display apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0037]FIG. 14 shows a flowchart of a process performed in the Web page display apparatus according to the third embodiment;  
     [0038]FIG. 15 shows a general configuration of a Web page display apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0039]FIG. 16 shows a flowchart of a process performed in the Web page display apparatus according to the fourth embodiment;  
     [0040]FIG. 17 shows a general configuration of a Web page display apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0041]FIG. 18 shows a flowchart of a process performed in the Web page display apparatus according to the fifth embodiment;  
     [0042]FIG. 19 shows a setting panel for Web page display;  
     [0043]FIG. 20 shows a Web page URL recording programming panel; and  
     [0044]FIG. 21 shows a system for obtaining URL information during receiving a television broadcast and obtaining Web page information based on the URL information according to the related art. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0045] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.  
     [0046]FIG. 1 schematically shows a general configuration of a Web page display apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0047] The first embodiment is an example of the first Web page display apparatus of the present invention.  
     [0048] As shown in FIG. 1, the Web page display apparatus  10  of the first embodiment comprises a broadcast receiving section  11 , a first display section  12 , a Web-page-information-obtaining section  13 , and a second display section  14 .  
     [0049] The broadcast receiving section  11  receives broadcast signals containing broadcast information representing television broadcasts and location information indicating the Web page locations. The first display section  12  displays the television broadcasts represented by the broadcast information contained in the broadcast signals received by the broadcast receiving section  11  on a first display area  12   a  on a given display device. The Web-page-information-obtaining section  13  extracts the location information contained in the broadcast signals received by the broadcast receiving section  11 , is triggered by the extraction of the location information to access the Web page the location of which is indicated by the location information, and obtains information provided by the Web page in synchronization with the progress of the television program. The second display section  14  displays information obtained by the Web-page-information-obtaining section  13  on a second display area  12   b  on the above described display device in synchronization with the progress of the television program.  
     [0050]FIG. 2 shows an overview of a computer system including the Web page display apparatus according to the first embodiment.  
     [0051] The computer system  50  shown in FIG. 2 comprises a computer system unit  51  containing a television tuner, a display device  52  that can display Web page information in synchronization with a television program, a keyboard  53  for inputting required commands into the computer system unit  51 , a infrared commander  54  for providing a command indicating a channel for receiving a television broadcast and other commands, a communication line  55  for connecting the computer system unit  51  to the Internet, and a television antenna  56  for receiving television broadcasts.  
     [0052] Provided in the computer system unit  51  are the broadcast receiving section  11 , first display section  12 , a Web-page-information-obtaining section  13 , and second display section  14  shown in FIG. 2.  
     [0053] A web browser for the Web page is installed in the information-receiving section  13  for browsing Web pages on the Internet based on URL information. Also provided in the Web-page-information-obtaining section  13  is a URL database storing URL information obtained by the Web-page-information-obtaining section  13 . The data structure of the URL database will be described later.  
     [0054] In the first embodiment, for example, a television broadcasting station includes in a television program or commercial the URL information of a Web page relating to a television program or commercial display in synchronization with the display during a vertical retrace interval of a broadcast signal and broadcasts it.  
     [0055] In the Web page display apparatus, the broadcast receiving section  11  provided in the computer system  50  (see FIG. 2) receives the broadcast signal containing the broadcast information representing the television broadcast and the location information indicating the location of the Web page and first display section  12  displays the television broadcast represented by the broadcast information contained in the broadcast signal received by the broadcast receiving section  11  in a first display area  52 _ 1  of the display device  52 . At the same time, the Web-page-information-obtaining section  13  accesses the Web page the location of which is indicated by the URL information, that is, the location information as referred to herein, contained in the broadcast signal received by the broadcast receiving section  11  to obtain information provided by the Web page in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast program. The second display section  14  displays the information obtained by the Web-page-information-obtaining section  13  in a second display area  52 _ 2  of the display device  52  in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast program.  
     [0056]FIG. 3 shows a configuration of the hardware of the computer system shown in FIG. 2.  
     [0057] As shown in FIG. 3, the computer system  50  comprises a Central Processing Unit (CPU)  101 , memory  102 , a display unit  103 , a keyboard  104 , an infrared commander  105 , a file  106 , a television tuner  107 , a communication controller  108 , and a bus  109  interconnecting these components.  
     [0058] A television antenna  107   a  is connected to the television tuner  107 . The communication controller  108  is connected to the Internet  108   a  through a modem or LAN.  
     [0059] Hardware components such as the CPU  101 , memory  102 , keyboard  104 , infrared commander  105 , file  106 , television tuner  107 , and communication controller  108 , shown in FIG. 3 form the components of the Web page display apparatus  10  shown in FIG. 1.  
     [0060] A process performed in a television broadcasting station according to the first embodiment will be detailed below.  
     [0061] In the television broadcasting station, an information processing device such as a personal computer is used to search the Internet for a Web page with reference to a television program schedule or a commercial timetable and collect URL information to be contained in a broadcast signal of a television program or commercial.  
     [0062]FIG. 4 shows URL information collected in the television broadcasting station according to the first embodiment.  
     [0063] For example, URL information, “http://www.xxx.co.jp/news7”, is obtained for a news program XXX to be broadcasted from 7:00 on December 25 from XXX television station, and URL information “http://www.fmworld.net/product/frame/pcpm0110/biblo/” is obtained for a BIBLO commercial to be broadcasted from 15:30 on December 26, as shown in FIG. 4. The URL information thus obtained can be embedded in the vertical retrace interval of the leading part from where the send signal of the program or commercial is starting to construct a broadcast signal containing broadcast information representing the television broadcast and location information indicating the location of the Web page on the Internet.  
     [0064]FIG. 5 shows the format of location information contained in a broadcast signal according to the first embodiment.  
     [0065] As shown in FIG. 5, a URL start header  58   a  indicating the start of the URL information is provided at the leading part of the location information  58  and a URL end footer  58   d  indicating the end of the URL information is provided at the trailing part of the location information  58   d . Related information such as a product name and/or company name and the URL information  58   c  is provided between them.  
     [0066] The location information  58  is sent over airwaves. There is a possibility that the location information  58  may be dropped off and cannot be received surely by a receiver depending on conditions of the airwaves. Therefore, a plurality of pieces of the same location information are sent in vertical retrace intervals of an image signal to improve the accuracy of URL detection in the receiver.  
     [0067]FIG. 6 shows how the location information is sent from the television station according to the first embodiment.  
     [0068] When XXX news program at 7:00 on December 25 is broadcasted from the television broadcasting station  60  as shown in FIG. 6, location information  58  including URL information, for example, http://www.xxx.co.jp/news 7 shown in FIG. 7, which is obtained by using a computer system  62  to search the Internet  61  for a Web page, collected and stored in the file  63 , is embedded in a vertical retrace interval  65  of a video signal  64 . Then the broadcast signal  67  in which the information is embedded is sent through a transmitting antenna  66 .  
     [0069]FIG. 7 shows how URL information is obtained from a received television broadcast signal according to the first embodiment.  
     [0070] As shown in FIG. 7, the broadcast signal sent from the television station is received by a Web page display apparatus  70  of the present embodiment. URL information is extracted from location information embedded in a vertical retrace interval  72  of an image signal  71  and the URL information is used to access a Web page on the Internet  73  and obtain Web page information provided by the Web page. The obtained Web page information  74   b  is displayed on a display device  74  along with a television broadcast  74   a.    
     [0071]FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of a process performed in the Web page display apparatus according to the first embodiment.  
     [0072] A user of the Web page display apparatus  50  (see FIG. 2) operates an infrared commander  54  to call up a channel (step S 01 ), as shown in FIG. 8. Then, the tuner (broadcast receiving section  11  (see FIG. 1)) contained in the computer system unit  51  detects an image signal of a television broadcast (step S 02 ). The first display section  12  (see FIG. 1) displays on the first display area  52 _ 1  of the display device (see FIG. 2) the television broadcast received by the broadcast receiving section  11 .  
     [0073] Then the Web-page-information-obtaining section  13  (see FIG. 1) detects a URL start header in location information embedded in a vertical retrace interval of the image signal (step S 03 ). The location information consists of the URL start header  58   a , related information  58   b  such as a product name or company name, URL information  58   c , and URL end footer  58   d , as shown in FIG. 5.  
     [0074] After the URL header is detected, URL information is obtained (step S 04 ).  
     [0075] When the URL end footer  58   d  is detected (step S 05 ), the related information  58   b  such as the product name or company name and the URL information  58   c , which are the body of the location information, are extracted and stored in the URL database provided in the computer system unit  51  (see FIG. 2) (step S 06 ).  
     [0076]FIG. 9 shows a data structure of the URL database used in the present embodiment.  
     [0077] The URL database is provided in the file  106  shown in FIG. 3.  
     [0078] As shown in FIG. 9, the URL database  75  stores information  75   a  such as product names or company names, “Fuji Beer” for example, URLs  75   b  such as “jp.fujibeer.com” for example, and last access time and date  75   c  such as “2002:04:01 12:00.” 
     [0079] The URL information extracted at step S 05  is stored in the URL database  75  at step S 06 . If a commercial is repeatedly broadcasted during a short time period and Web page information about the commercial were displayed each time the commercial is broadcasted, it would bother viewers. Therefore, if the last access time and date  75   c  shows that a commercial has been displayed quite recently, step S 07  and the subsequent steps may be skipped and the process may return to step S 03 , thereby aborting the display of the Web page information.  
     [0080] After the URL end footer is detected at step S 05  in FIG. 8, the URL information is sent to a Web browser installed in the Web-page-information-obtaining section  13  (see FIG. 1) (step S 07 ). The Web browser accesses the Web page at the URL (step S 08 ) to obtain Web page information.  
     [0081] The second display section  14  (see FIG. 1) displays the Web page information in the second display area  52 _ 2  (see FIG. 2) in synchronization with the progress of the television program (step S 09 ).  
     [0082] As described above, the television broadcasting station embeds the URL of a Web page relating to a television program or commercial in a vertical retrace interval of a television broadcast image signal, for example, and broadcasts it in synchronization with the display of television program of commercial. The broadcast receiving section  11  and Web-page-information-obtaining section  13  of Web page display apparatus  10  (see FIG. 1) included in the computer system  50  (see FIG. 2) of the viewer obtain the URL information and accesses the Internet to obtain the Web page information. The first display section  12  displays the television broadcast information in the first display area  52 _ 1  of the display device  52  (see FIG. 2) and the second display section  14  displays the Web page information in the second display area  52 _ 2  of the display device  52  (see FIG. 2).  
     [0083] Thus, the Web page display apparatus according to the first embodiment allows the user to view Internet Web page information on the same screen on which a television program or commercial is displayed without having to perform any extra operation for searching for URL information or accessing the Web page.  
     [0084] While the example of the first embodiment has been provided in which location information indicating the location of a Web page is embedded in a vertical retrace interval of an image signal, the position in which the location information is embedded is not limited to it. The location information may embedded in any position of an image signal from which the location information can be extracted.  
     [0085] The location information as referred to herein is not limited to URL information. It may any information that indicates the location of a Web page.  
     [0086] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below.  
     [0087]FIG. 10 schematically shows a configuration of a Web page display apparatus according to the second embodiment.  
     [0088] The second embodiment is an example of the second Web page display apparatus of the present invention.  
     [0089] As shown in FIG. 10, the Web page display apparatus  20  of the second embodiment comprises an image receiving section  21 , a character recognition section  22 , a Web-page-information-obtaining section  23 , and a display section  24 .  
     [0090] The image-receiving section  21  receives image signals representing television broadcast images. The character recognition section  22  analyzes the images represented by the vide signals received by the image receiving section  21  to recognize a character strings included in the images. If the character string recognized by the character recognition section  22  is a location character string representing the location of a Web page on the Internet, the recognition of the location character string triggers the Web page information obtaining means  23  to access the Web page at the location indicated by the location character string and obtain information provided by the Web page in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast. The display section  24  displays the information obtained by the Web-page-information-obtaining section  23  in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast.  
     [0091]FIG. 11 shows an overview of a computer system including the Web page display apparatus according to the second embodiment.  
     [0092] The computer system  80  shown in FIG. 11 comprises a computer system unit  81  containing a television tuner, a display device  82  for displaying Internet Web pages, a keyboard  83  for inputting required commands in the computer system unit  81 , an infrared commander  84  for providing a command for providing a command indicating a channel for receiving a television broadcast and other commands, a communication line  85  for connecting the computer system unit  81  to the Internet, and a television antenna  86  for receiving television broadcasts.  
     [0093] Provided in the computer system unit  81  are an image receiving section  21 , character recognition section  22 , and Web-page-information-obtaining section  23  shown in FIG. 10. A display section  24  is provided in the display device  82 .  
     [0094] A Web browser for browsing a Web page based on the URL information is installed in the Web-page-information-obtaining section  23 . Also, a URL database for storing URL information obtained by the Web-page-information-obtaining section  23  is provided in the Web-page-information-obtaining section  23 .  
     [0095]FIG. 11 shows the embodiment in which Web page information is displayed in the display screen of the display device  82  of the computer system  80  while a television broadcast is being received by using television receiver  87  and a remote controller  88  provided separately from the computer system  80 . However, the broadcast and Web page information may be simultaneously on the screen of the display device  82  of the computer system unit  81 , rather than providing the separate television receiver  87 , which is not separated from the computer system  80 .  
     [0096] The configuration of hardware of the computer system  80  shown in FIG. 11 is the same as that of the computer system shown in FIG. 3.  
     [0097]FIG. 12 shows a flowchart of a process performed in the Web page display apparatus according to the second embodiment.  
     [0098] As shown in FIG. 12, when a user of the Web page display apparatus  80 (see FIG. 11) and the television receiver  87  operates the remote controller  88  or the infrared commander  84  or the like to call up a receiving channel (step S 11 ), the television receiver  87  displays information broadcasted over the channel on the screen. At the same time, the image-receiving section  21  (see FIG. 10) contained in the compute system unit  81  detects an image signal of the television broadcast (step S 12 ).  
     [0099] The character recognition section  22  (see FIG. 10) captures the detected image signal and performs a character recognition operation to extract character information (step S 13 ). Then, predetermined character information is detected (step S 14 ).  
     [0100] The predetermined character information may be character strings, such as “http,” “www,” “jp,” or “.com” that are often used in URLs.  
     [0101] If the predetermined character information is detected at step S 15 , the process proceeds to step S 16 . On the other hand, if the predetermined character information is not detected at step S 15 , the operation for detecting it is repeated.  
     [0102] At step S 16 , URL information is extracted through character recognition from the information captured at step S 13  and stored in a URL database provided in the computer system unit  81  (see FIG. 11) (step S 17 ) and also sent to the browser installed in the Web-page-information-obtaining section  23  (see FIG. 10) (step S 18 ). The Web browser accesses a Web page based on the URL information (step S 19 ) to obtain Web page information. The display section  24  displays the Web page information on the screen of the display device in synchronization of the progress of the television program (step S 20 ). Then, the process returns to step S 15  and the operation for detecting the predetermined character information is repeated.  
     [0103] In this way, the user can view Web page information while watching a television program without having to perform any extra operation for searching for URL information or accessing the Web page.  
     [0104] A third embodiment of the present invention will be described below.  
     [0105]FIG. 13 schematically shows a configuration of a Web page display apparatus according to the third embodiment.  
     [0106] The third embodiment is a variation of the second embodiment of the present invention. The Web page display apparatus of the third embodiment is configured by adding a search section  25  to the Web page display apparatus of the second embodiment that searches the Internet for a Web page based on a character string recognized by a character recognition section  22 . A Web-page-information-obtaining section  23  accesses the Web page found by the search section  25  to obtain information provided by the Web page in synchronization with the progress of a television program.  
     [0107] As shown in FIG. 13, the Web page display apparatus  30  of the third embodiment comprises an image receiving section  21 , a character recognition section  22 , a Web-page-information-obtaining section  23 , a display section  24 , and a search section  25 .  
     [0108] The hardware configuration of the third embodiment is the same as that of the computer system shown in FIG. 11.  
     [0109]FIG. 14 shows a flowchart of a process performed in the Web page display apparatus according to the third embodiment.  
     [0110] A user of the Web page display apparatus  80  and a television receiver  87  (see FIG. 11) operates a remote controller  88  or infrared commander  84  to call up a receiving channel (step S 21 ) as shown in FIG. 14. As a result, the television receiver  87  displays information broadcasted over the channel on the screen. Then, the image-receiving section  21  (see FIG. 13) contained in a computer system unit  81  detects an image signal of the television broadcast (step S 22 ).  
     [0111] The character recognition section  22  (see FIG. 13) captures the detected image signal and performs a character recognition operation to extract character information (step S 23 ). Then, predetermined character information is detected (step S 24 ).  
     [0112] The predetermined character information may be character strings such as “Corporation” and “Co.” that are often used in company names.  
     [0113] If the predetermined character information is detected at step S 25 , the process proceeds to step S 26 . On the other hand, if the predetermined information is not detected, the process proceeds to step S 27 .  
     [0114] At step S 26 , a company name is obtained based on the detected predetermined character information. Then, the process proceeds to step S 28 .  
     [0115] At step S 27 , on the other hand, character information other than the predetermined character information is extracted. If the broadcast is stereophonic, for example, then it is likely to be a commercial which expresses a product name. Therefore a character string that is likely to be a product name is extracted from the character information extracted at step S 23 . Then, the process proceeds to step S 28 .  
     [0116] At step S 28 , a URL database  75  (see FIG. 9) formed in the computer system unit  81  (see FIG. 11) is searched for URL information that corresponds to the company name obtained at step S 26  or the product name obtained at step S 27 . If such URL information is not found, an Internet search site or the like, to detect whether the URL information corresponding to the URL database  75  exists or not is used to search for the URL information (step S 28 ). If the URL information is found (step S 29 ), then the process proceeds to step S 30 , where the URL information retrieved is stored in the URL database and also sent to a Web browser installed in the Web-page-information-obtaining section  23  (see FIG. 13) (step S 31 ). The web browser access a Web page based on the URL information to obtain Web page information (step S 32 ). The display section  24  displays the Web page information on the screen of a display device in synchronization with the progress of the television program (step S 33 ). Then the process returns to step S 25  and the operation for searching for predetermined character information is repeated.  
     [0117] Thus, the Web page display apparatus according to the third embodiment allows the user to view Web page information simultaneously with watching a television program without having to perform any extra operation for searching for URL information or accessing the Web page.  
     [0118] A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described below.  
     [0119]FIG. 15 shows a Web page display apparatus according to the fourth embodiment.  
     [0120] The fourth embodiment represents an example of the third Web page display apparatus of the present invention.  
     [0121] As shown in FIG. 15, the Web page display apparatus  40  of the fourth embodiment comprises a sound receiving section  41 , a speech recognition section  42 , a Web-page-information-obtaining section  43 , and a display section  44 .  
     [0122] The sound-receiving section  41  receives sound signals representing sound of a television broadcast. The speech recognition section  42  analyzes sound signals received by the sound-receiving section  41  to recognizes a word contained in the sound. If the word recognized by the speech recognition section  42  is a location word indicates the location of a Web page on the Internet, the recognition triggers the Web page information obtaining means  43  to access the Web page indicated by the location word to obtain information provided by the Web page in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast program. The display section  44  displays the information obtained by the Web page information obtaining means  43  in synchronization with the progress of the television program.  
     [0123] The configuration of the hardware of the fourth embodiment is the same as that of the computer system shown in FIG. 11.  
     [0124]FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a process performed by the Web page display apparatus according to the fourth embodiment.  
     [0125] A user of the Web page display apparatus  80  (see FIG. 11) and a television receiver  87  operates a remote controller  88  and an infrared commander  84  to call up a receiving channel (step S 41 ) as shown in FIG. 16. Then, the television receiver  87  displays information broadcasted over the receiving channel on the display screen. At the same time, the sound-receiving section  41  (see FIG. 15) contained in the computer system unit  81  detects a sound signal in the television broadcast (step S 42 ).  
     [0126] The speech recognition section  42  (see FIG. 15) captures the detected sound signal and performs a speech recognition process to extract word information (step S 43 ). Then a predetermined word is detected (step S 44 ).  
     [0127] The predetermined word information may be the sound of a character string that is often used in URLs, such as “http,” “www,” “jp,” and “.com.” 
     [0128] A process at step S 45  and the subsequent steps is the same as the flowchart in the third embodiment described in view of FIG. 14, and therefore the description of which will be omitted.  
     [0129] Thus, the Web page display apparatus according to the fourth embodiment allows the user to view Internet Web page information while watching a television program without having to perform any special operations for searching for URL information and accessing the Internet Web page.  
     [0130] A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described below.  
     [0131]FIG. 17 schematically shows a Web page display apparatus according to the fifth embodiment.  
     [0132] The fifth embodiment is a variation of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The Web page display apparatus of the fifth embodiment is formed by adding a search section  45  to the Web page display apparatus of the fourth embodiment that searches the Internet for a Web page based on a word recognized by a speech recognition section  42 . A Web-page-information-obtaining section  43  accesses the Web page found by the search section  45  to obtain information provided by the Web page in synchronization with the progress of a television broadcast program.  
     [0133] As shown in FIG. 17, the Web page display apparatus  50  of the fifth embodiment comprises a sound receiving section  41 , a speech recognition section  42 , a Web-page-information-obtaining section  43 , a display section  44 , and a search section  45 .  
     [0134] The configuration of the hardware of the fifth embodiment is the same as that of the computer system shown in FIG. 11.  
     [0135]FIG. 18 shows a flowchart of a process performed in the Web page display apparatus according to the fifth embodiment.  
     [0136] A user of the Web page display apparatus  80  and a television receiver  87  (see FIG. 11) operates a remote controller  88  or an infrared commander  84  or the like, to call up a receiving channel (step S 51 ) as shown in FIG. 18. Then, the television receiver  87  displays information broadcasted over the channel on its screen. At the same time, the sound receiving section  41  (see FIG. 17) contained in the computer system unit  81  detects a sound signal of the television broadcast (step S 52 ).  
     [0137] The speech recognition section  42  (see FIG. 17) captures the detected sound signal and performs a speech recognition process to extract a word (step S 50 ). Then predetermined word information is detected (step S 54 ).  
     [0138] The predetermined word information may be the syllabic sound of a character string, such as “corporation” or “Co.”, that is often used in a company name.  
     [0139] A process at step S 55  and the subsequent steps is the same as the flowchart in the fourth embodiment described in view of FIG. 16, and therefore the description of which will be omitted.  
     [0140] Thus, the Web page display apparatus according to the fifth embodiment allows the user to view Internet Web page information while watching a television program without having to perform any special operations for searching URL information and accessing the Web page.  
     [0141] In the above description of the each embodiment, the Web page display apparatuses have been described that use one of the three URL information detecting methods: the method of detecting URL information embedded in a vertical retrace interval of a broadcast signal in advance, the method of capturing an image signal and extracting URL information contained in it, and the method of capturing a sound signal and extracting URL information contained in it. However, a Web page display apparatus can be configured so as to be capable of performing a plurality of URL information detecting methods and allowing a user to select a desired method from among the plurality of the detecting methods.  
     [0142]FIG. 19 shows a setting panel for Web page display.  
     [0143] As shown in FIG. 19, the Web page display setting panel  89  includes buttons  89   a  for enabling or disabling Web page display, buttons  89   b  for selecting one of the three URL information detecting methods, an OK button  89   c , and a Cancel button  89   d.    
     [0144] The page display apparatus of the present invention configured so as to be capable of using any of a plurality of detecting information to found URL information allows a user to select a desired URL information detecting method from among them by using the Web page display setting panel  89  shown in FIG. 19.  
     [0145] Furthermore, Web page URL recording programming capability similar to image recording programming capability may be added to a Web page display apparatus of the present invention to automatically collect and store URL information during receiving television broadcasts.  
     [0146]FIG. 20 shows a Web page URL recording programming panel.  
     [0147] As shown in FIG. 20, the Web page URL recording programming panel  90  includes a date-and-time direct entry field  90   a  for entering a recording start date and time, a recording end date and time, and a channel, a G-code entry field  90   b , a record and play selection field  90   c , an OK button  90   d , and a cancel button  90   e.    
     [0148] A user uses the Web page URL recording programming panel  90  provided in the Web page display apparatus including Web page URL recording programming capability to direct the Web page display apparatus to record/play a television program at a desired date and time. The Web page display apparatus receives the specifications and automatically collects URLs and stores them in a URL database or the like. When the user later directs the apparatus to play the program, the apparatus sequentially displays Web page information based on the URLs stored in the URL database.  
     [0149] Thus, according to the present invention, a Web page display apparatus can be implemented that can display Web page information relating to the content of a television broadcast in synchronization with the progress of the television broadcast program without any special operations being performed by the user.