JPH05284122A - Pay broadcast device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the automatic extension of viewing or the management of the remainder and validity by transmitting prescribed information to the transmission side when stored reception information is successively changed and exceeds a set value decided beforehand in the case of receiving pay broadcasting. CONSTITUTION:At a pay broadcasting decoder 7, a remainder decrease detecting means 7a detects that the remainder is decreased rather than a prescribed amount, and the signal is transmitted to a remainder decrease signal transmitting means 5A. The transmitting means 5A reads a center side phone number from a center side phone number storage part 5a and makes a phone call to a center side calling device 1B. The center side answers, a line is connected, this is detected by a connection detecting means 3, and a detecting signal is impressed to the transmitting means 5A. Based on the remainder decrease signal from the decoder 7, the transmitting means 5A transmits a transmission request signal through an NCU modem 9 to the center side. A center side terminal 13 receives this signal through an NCU modem 11 and transmits data generated at an amount data generating device 13a for charging through the NCU modems 11 and 9 to the decoder 7, and the automatic extension of the program is completed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pay broadcasting device, and more particularly, to a pay broadcasting device which facilitates and ensures management of the balance and expiration date by PPV.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, pay broadcasting has started, and pay broadcasting devices for receiving this pay broadcasting are becoming widespread. Such a pay broadcasting apparatus has a pay broadcasting decoder internally provided with a memory or the like for holding monetary amount data for billing and information relating to viewing contracts, and further, presence or absence of these monetary amount data and information relating to viewing contracts. Alternatively, it has means for making a contract decision or viewing application decision according to the contents to enable viewing, and means for subtracting a predetermined fee from the amount data stored in the memory of the pay broadcast decoder according to the viewing. ..

The pay broadcasting will be briefly described below. In a conventional pay broadcast decoder, data (hereinafter, simply referred to as individual information) indicating contract content between a broadcast side, which is a pay broadcast sending side, and a viewer who receives and views the pay broadcast is contracted in advance, for example. At the beginning of the program, or at the time of the program broadcast, from the broadcast side, and the EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programabl
e Read Only Memory).

Then, the data relating to the program (hereinafter, simply referred to as program information) multiplexed with the video and audio signals and the individual information in the EEPROM are compared and judged to determine whether or not the receiver can watch. Make a decision. If it is determined that the signal is viewable, the broadcast signal is encoded or encrypted (hereinafter, simply referred to as scramble) and decrypted to restore the original broadcast signal (hereinafter simply referred to as descramble). Specifically, by controlling the video descrambler and the audio descrambler, the descrambler descrambles and outputs the video and audio signals so that the receiver can watch the received broadcast. Also,
The PPV is connected to the descrambler via the input / output port.
(Paper view) The applicant and the security device are connected.

On the other hand, there are several methods for viewing the received program depending on the contract content. The contract contents are handled as individual information as described above.

First, for example, there is a flat fee viewing system which is a viewing system in which a fixed viewing fee is paid on a monthly basis for each channel and all programs on the channel can be viewed. Secondly, there is a paper view (program type) viewing method which is a viewing method that enables viewing of the program by paying a predetermined viewing fee set for each program. This paper view viewing method has an advantage that the viewing fee only needs to be paid for the program desired to be viewed.

Thirdly, a predetermined viewing fee is set for each unit of time, and a paper view (time type; this time type is simply referred to as paper below is a viewing method in which the viewing fee is paid for the time the program is viewed. There is a viewing method called "view-per-time". This paper view viewing method has an advantage that the viewing fee only has to be paid for the desired portion of the program desired to be viewed. For example, the time that can be viewed in one unit is preset for each program, and the unit price per unit is also set. Specifically, the time that can be viewed in 1 unit is set to 1 minute for a specific program, and the unit price per unit is 1
Set to a circle. Therefore, in this particular program, the viewing fee is set at 1 yen per minute.

Further, the information related to the viewing fee is sent as a part of the program information. Therefore, in order for the viewer to watch the program, the PP of the conventional pay broadcast decoder is used.
When an operation such as pressing a button on the V application device is performed, the microcomputer subtracts 1 yen per minute from the advance payment stored in the RAM or EEPROM according to the data of the program information sent in the above example. By doing so, you will be charged.

Further, in the case of contract viewing, it is necessary to send the viewing history of the program actually watched to the management center which is the sender of the pay broadcast, and charge the fee by bank withdrawal or the like based on the data. Therefore, it is usually connected to the management center via a telephone line, a so-called public line.

Further, in the pay broadcast decoder, an ID number is set for each pay broadcast decoder in order to identify a specific terminal and maintain security such as erroneous contracts and wiretapping. Therefore, contract and amount data cannot be set unless the ID number of each pay broadcast decoder is known.

On the other hand, in the above-mentioned conventional pay broadcast decoder, the amount data for billing gradually decreases when the contract expires or when the PPV program is viewed.
If the balance is exhausted, viewing will be impossible.

[0012] For example, in the case where the contract expiration date is set, such as monthly payment, when the contract expiration date approaches, the contract expiration date is determined from the customer database of the broadcasting side, and the broadcasting side sends new contract information to the pay broadcast. Although it is designed to be sent to the decoder, if the power of the pay broadcasting decoder side is off due to the fact that this sending system happens manually or when there is a time when the pay broadcasting is not being watched. , The pay broadcast decoder cannot receive the contract information, and the contract expiration date has passed so that the viewing cannot be performed.

Next, the conventional pay broadcasting apparatus will be described in detail with reference to FIG. In the conventional pay broadcasting apparatus shown in FIG. 3, the applicant side is composed of an applicant side communication apparatus 1A, a pay broadcasting decoder 107 and an NCU modem 109,
On the other hand, the management center side is the center side communication device 1B, NCU
It is composed of a modem 111 and a center-side terminal 113, and further includes an applicant-side NCU modem 109 and a center-side N.
The CU modem 111 is connected via a telephone line.

Since the management center side does not have a function of detecting the balance of the charge amount data in the pay broadcast decoder 107 on the viewer side, the charge amount data corresponding to the decrease of the balance amount. It is not possible to automatically send contract information such as. Also, when approaching the contract deadline,
Since the viewer's intention to continue the contract cannot be confirmed, the contract information such as contract data cannot be automatically sent in response to the approaching contract deadline.

[0015]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION As described above,
The contract and monetary data in the conventional pay broadcasting decoder can be transmitted from the management center side by the viewer verbally informing the management center side of the reduction of the remaining amount of the amount data for billing or the continuation of the contract via the telephone line. The contract information is sent to the pay broadcast decoder via a broadcast wave or a telephone line so as to be set.

Therefore, the pay broadcast decoder is provided with a function for displaying the remaining amount of money and the contract deadline, and the viewer monitors the remaining amount of money and the contract deadline, and when the remaining amount of money is running low or the contract deadline is approaching. When this happens, the information must be transmitted to the management center, which is the sender of the pay broadcast, so that the contract information such as the charge amount data or the contract data can be transmitted before the viewing becomes impossible. However, it is very annoying to the viewer and may cause an error.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a pay broadcasting apparatus capable of automatically extending viewing and listening and easily and reliably managing received information such as balance and expiration date. The purpose is to do.

[0018]

To achieve the above object, a pay broadcasting apparatus of the present invention comprises a communication means for communicating with a pay broadcast sending side, and a storage means for storing reception information relating to the reception of pay broadcasting. And processing means for changing the received information stored in the storage means with respect to viewing of the pay broadcast.
And a sending means for sending predetermined information to the pay-broadcast sending side via the communication means when the value of the received information changed by the processing means exceeds a predetermined value set in advance. And

[0019]

In the pay broadcasting device of the present invention, when the pay broadcasting is received, the processing means changes the reception information relating to the reception of the pay broadcasting stored in the storage means with respect to the viewing of the pay broadcasting. When the value of the received information changed by the processing means exceeds a preset predetermined value, the sending means sends the predetermined information to the pay-broadcast sending side through the communication means. As a result, the pay-broadcast sending side can know the state of the reception information related to the receiving side receiving the pay broadcasting, and can take action corresponding to the state.

Specifically, the processing means changes the viewing of the pay broadcast of the received information. For example, changing the remaining time until the contract expiration date as reception information according to the viewing time of the pay broadcast, reaching the contract expiration date, reducing the balance of the remaining money as reception information depending on the viewing of the pay broadcast, or changing the pay broadcast The balance increase is changed by receiving new reception information from the sending side.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a pay broadcast receiving device and a pay broadcast transmitting side for explaining an example of the pay broadcast device according to the present invention. First, the schematic configuration of the pay broadcast receiving apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

The pay-broadcast receiving apparatus on the applicant side is connected to the communication device 1A, the connection detection means 3 connected between the communication device 1A and the NCU modem 9 by a communication line, and the connection detection means 3. Remaining balance reduction signal transmitting means 5A
The center side telephone number storage unit 5a provided in the balance reduction signal transmission means 5A, the pay broadcast decoder 7 connected to the balance reduction signal transmission means 5A and the NCU modem 9, and the balance provided in the pay broadcast decoder 7. It is composed of the drop detecting means 7a.

The calling device 1A, the connection detecting means 3 and the NCU modem 9 constitute a calling means.

On the other hand, the pay-broadcast sending side is composed of a center-side terminal 13, a billing amount data generator 13a provided in the center-side terminal 13, and a calling device 1B. The calling device 1B and the NCU modem 11 are Connected by a call line. The applicant NCU modem 9 and the center NCU modem 11 are connected to each other via a telephone line.

Next, the operation of the pay broadcast receiving apparatus of this embodiment will be described together with the function and action of each block.

In a normal state, the pay broadcast decoder 7 is provided with a balance decrease detecting means 7a provided in the pay broadcast decoder 7.
Monitor the balance stored in the storage unit of the pay broadcast decoder 7, and when the balance reduction detecting means 7a detects that the balance is less than a predetermined amount, a balance reduction signal is transmitted. It is sent to the means 5A. The balance reduction signal sending means 5A, which has received this balance reduction signal,
The center side telephone number is read from the center side telephone number storage section 5a provided in the balance reduction signal sending means 5A, and a call is made to the center side communication device 1B. The center responds and the telephone line is connected. The connection detection means 3 detects the connection of the telephone line, and gives a connection detection signal to the balance decrease signal transmission means 5A.

When the balance decrease signal sending means 5A receives the connection detection signal output from the connection detecting means 3, the balance decrease signal sending means 5A sends a transmission request signal based on the balance decrease signal input from the pay broadcast decoder 7. To the center side via the NCU modem 9.

When the center-side terminal 13 receives this transmission request signal via the NCU modem 11, the center-side terminal 13 has already sent information on the applicant from the center-side database or the like based on the applicant's ID number or the like. For example, the name, address, past history, contract deadline, contract conditions, etc. are called, and the charging amount data generated by the charging amount data generator 13a is transferred from the center side terminal 13 to the NCU.
It is transmitted to the pay broadcast decoder 7 via the modem 11 and the NCU modem 9. By receiving this billing amount data, the automatic extension of program viewing is completed.

According to this embodiment, the viewer is not required to pay special attention to the automatic extension of the program viewing, and the pay broadcasting is not interrupted during the viewing of the program. You can enjoy.

Although the communication device 1A and the communication device 1B for the operator on the center side are described in this embodiment,
It can be omitted.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2 in which the extension of program viewing is automatically performed in response to the approach of the expiration date.

In the pay broadcast receiving apparatus shown in FIG.
In order to cope with the approaching of the expiration date, the expiration date approaching signal sending means 5B is replaced by the remaining balance decrease signal sending means 5A, and the expiration date approaching detection means 7b is replaced by the remaining deposit decrease detecting means 7a.
Further, in the terminal 13 on the center side, instead of the billing amount data generating device 13a, the contract expiration date updating data generating device 1
3b are provided respectively. The call device 1A and the call device 1B of the operator on the center side are omitted in this embodiment.

Thereafter, as in the first embodiment, first, the pay broadcast decoder 7 is detected by the pay period decoder 7 by the expiration date approach detection means 7b provided in the pay broadcast decoder 7.
The expiration date stored in the internal storage unit is monitored. When the expiration date approaching detection means 7b detects that the period until the expiration date is shorter than the predetermined period, it sends an expiration date approach signal to the expiration date approach signal sending means 5B.

The expiration date approaching signal transmitting means 5B, which has received the expiration date approaching signal, reads the center side telephone number from the center side telephone number storage section 5a provided in the expiration date approaching signal transmitting means 5B and sends it to the center side. to call. When the connection detecting means 3 detects the connection of the line, the connection detecting signal is given to the expiration date approach signal transmitting means 5B.

When the connection detection signal output from the connection detection means 3 is received by the expiration date approach signal transmission means 5B,
The expiry date approach signal sending means 5B sends a transmission request signal to the center side via the NCU modem 9 based on the expiry date approach signal input from the expiry date approach detection means 7b of the pay broadcast decoder 7.

When the center side terminal 13 receives this transmission request signal via the NCU modem 11, the center side terminal 13 has already obtained information on the applicant from the center side database or the like based on the applicant's ID number or the like. For example, the name, address, past history, contract expiration date, etc. are called, and contract expiration date update data generated by the contract expiration date update data generator 13b is charged from the center side terminal 13 via the NCU modem 11 and the NCU modem 9. It is transmitted to the broadcast decoder 7. Upon receiving the contract expiration date update data, the automatic extension of program viewing is completed.

As described above, according to each of the above-described embodiments, the extension application such as the program contract is not transmitted through the viewer and the operator on the center side but directly and automatically from the pay broadcast decoder. Since it is automatically sent to the center side terminal, it is possible to prevent transmission errors due to typos and listening mistakes at the time of transmission without requiring troublesome procedures, and to certainly apply for extension of program viewing. It can be carried out.

As described above, in the above embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the shortage of the remaining amount in the billing information held in the pay broadcast decoder has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. However, for example, when an upper limit is set for the billing information that can be stored in the pay broadcast decoder, it can be applied to detect and prevent the possibility of excess balance in the billing information in advance.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, the received information such as the balance and the expiration date stored in the storage means is changed with respect to the viewing of the pay broadcast, thereby reducing the balance and approaching the expiration date. Therefore, it is possible to automatically extend the viewing, and easily and surely manage the balance and expiration date.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of another embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Calling device 3 Connection detecting means 5A Remaining balance reduction signal transmitting means 5B Expiration date approaching signal transmitting means 5a Center side telephone number storage section 7 Pay broadcast decoder 7a Remaining balance reduction detecting means 7b Expiration date approaching detection means 9 NCU modem 11 NCU modem 13 center Side terminal 13a Charge amount data generator 13b Contract expiration date update data generator

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A communication means for communicating with a pay-broadcast sending side, a storage means for storing reception information related to reception of a pay broadcast, and reception information stored in the storage means for viewing the pay broadcast. When the value of the processing means to be changed and the received information changed by the processing means exceeds a predetermined value set in advance, the predetermined information is sent to the pay-broadcast sending side via the communication means. A pay broadcasting apparatus having a sending means.