Interactive console for television reception

The present invention relates to an interactive system making it possible to participate, from home, by watching his television receiver, in a television program such as a game or a teleshopping or any other transactional application such as an advertising page or the like.

The existing systems available to viewers, such as the multi-point system, are content with a calculator-like box, specializing in a specific type of transaction which is a prize game. This box includes a keyboard, photoelectric sensors for entering information transmitted in binary by two flashing light rectangles appearing on the TV screen at certain times and a microcontroller with a memory allowing the keyboard activity to be recorded and the light information entered by the devices. photoelectric sensors. To participate in a multi-point game offered during a television program, the viewer must enter, using the photoelectric sensors of his box, information transmitted to the screen by two flashing luminous rectangles to identify the game. Then, he possibly taps on the keypad on its case an authorization code to participate in the game then an entry code to answer questions asked during the game show. To find out their gambling winnings, the viewer must return their box to a distributor or reseller equipped with a specialized processing terminal.

These systems are not very interactive and have not achieved great commercial success.

The present invention aims at an interactive system allowing a viewer to participate in games, teleshopping or others, which is very user-friendly, inexpensive and easily customizable to adapt it to various forms of applications. transactional character.

Its object is an interactive television reception console comprising a television receiver connected by a television program reception channel to a television program distributor implementing applications of a transactional nature. This console is remarkable in that it further comprises an interface box with data transmission means connected to the television program distributor by a data transmission channel, with data reception means connected to the distributor. television programs via at least one data reception channel and with image inlay means connected to the television receiver and operating on the image presented on the screen of the latter, a chip card reader, a keyboard allowing the intervention of an operator and a smart card which plugs into the smart card reader and which is personalized for at least one transactional application of which it manages the progress

Thanks to the standardized structure of the interface box and the specialization of the smart card, this console can be used widely, adapted to a wide range of transactional applications, and selective.

Advantageously, the data reception channel is superimposed on the television program reception channel and accessible from the television receiver. It can be doubled with a part superimposed on the television program reception channel and a part taking a telephone channel or the cable channel if the television receiver is connected to a cable network.

The data transmission path uses a telephone channel or the cable channel if the television receiver is connected to a cable network.

The keyboard can be integral with the interface box or be separated from it and connected by a wired link or other: infrared, radio, ... to improve handling. In the case where it is separate from the interface box, the keyboard can be coupled to the smart card reader which then no longer integrates with the interface box.

The interface box has its own power supply or is powered by the power supply of the television receiver.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description of several embodiments given by way of examples. This description will be given below with regard to the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 schematically represents an interactive television reception console according to the invention with a television receiver è SCART socket;

FIG. 2 schematically represents an interactive television reception console according to the invention with a television receiver without a SCART socket;

- Figure 3 schematically shows an interactive television reception console according to the invention with a remote davit; and

FIG. 4 diagrammatically represents an interactive television reception console according to the invention with a remote keyboard and a chip card reader and with an electrical power supply taken from that of the television receiver.

In FIG. 1, we can distinguish the main elements of an interactive television reception console, namely: m television receiver 1 an interface box 2 and a smart card 3.

The television receiver 1 is of the conventional type, "me a SCART socket making it possible to divert the image and sound signals in love with their transposition into video tape. R receives television programs over the air or through a targeted network.

The interface box 2 is connected to the television receiver 1 by a SCART connector 4, to a telephone line by a telephone connector 5 and to the mains by a power supply socket 6. fl is provided with a modem (modulator-demodulator) capable of managing bidirectional data transmission over a telephone line to or from a computer server specially programmed by the distributor of television programs containing applications of a transactional nature, a decoder circuit capable of extracting from the video signal received by the television receiver data coming from the distributor of television programs intended for participants in transactional applications, a picture-in-picture circuit operating on the '' video image of the television receiver diverted when it passes through the SCART socket, of a smart card reader, a keyboard and a microcontroller managing its various elements under the control of the smart card 3.

The smart card 3, which is a microcircuit card, determines each reconciliation step of a transactional nature as a function of data or of an own program stored in memory and of information which reaches the interface box 2 via the forceps, for example the telephone line and pa * the data channel superimposed on the television programs received by the television receiver 1.

The data reception channel superimposed on the television programs received by the television receiver can contain information in text, drawing or digital relating to the different phases of an application of a transactional nature.

It can be added to the video signal received either by a teleti-type coding in the frame return times and during the start and end lines of scanning invisible to the screen or by a particular coding occupying a certain area of ​​the image which can be black è screen by adjusting the chrominance and which is then preferably used by the inlay circuit to superimpose visual information intended for the viewer on the flow of character tapping. transactional outstanding.

It can also be added to the soundtrack in DTMF (vocal frequency modulation) or other format.

Efte is doubled by a channel of transmission and reception of data borrowing the telephone channel more suitable for the transmission of televised programs targeted cfinfonnstions more especially intended for the owner of the console.

The course of a transaction can be as follows:

When the viewer watches a program implementing a transaction, he is warned in plain text to turn on his interface box. The latter, as soon as it is supplied with power, runs a program to verify the correct functioning of its elements then, in the event of positive tests, activates the smart card reader to pass under the control of the smart card which must be checked. * find there. Lake smart card verifies that your intended transaction is indeed within its purview by comparing an internal code with a code transmitted on the data channel superimposed on the video signal received from the television receiver, calls the server by telephone if necessary and carries out the process of the transaction by "training the viewer through the inlay circuit whenever necessary, whether the server has to communicate personal information to him or not or that he has to manifest a choice through the intermediary of the davit. Of course, the smart card can be with a secret code in the case where the transaction requires authorization from the viewer.

The TV remission picture and sound can be encrypted. The smart card 3 then routs a decryption process by intercepting or causing the reader to intercept the video signal received at the SCART socket 4 and by sending back or having them sent back per the reader your processed images to the television receiver, always per sa SCART 4 ​​socket for on-screen display.

The additional information embedded in the television receiver can be produced by the smart card 3 or sent to the server by the data transmission vote superimposed on the received television program or by the telephone link. In the latter case, they can come from an Mfevtel emulation which is ensured by your smart card 3. In all cases, they are displayed under the matoise of the smart card 3.

The smart card 3 can be private and allow IteocAe A dos data with security. The purchase of the smart card 3 then gives rights which can be managed over time by the card itself.

The smart card 3 can operate with security by code, authentication or signature.

As the interface box 2 is not specialized and includes standard electronics making it possible to receive your images, process them, send them back to the television receiver, ensure the telephone link function, receive a smart card and process your information transmitted by the keyboard, it can be used for many types of televised transactions in which the participants are guided by more or less personal information displayed overlay on the image of the television receiver and where a communication of each participant with a server provides possibilities for dialogue allowing the immediate exercise of choice or selection both on the part of the participant and on the part of the server.

However, this does not mean that every owner of the interface shoemaker is able to follow any transaction. In order to make an interface box operational, it is necessary to have the chip card which manages the progress of the desired transaction.

The smart card is used to launch a transactional application. During a transaction, she can earn credit in the form of Bonus points, the unit of value of which is defined by the owner of the application. These Bonus points acquired during an interactive sequence can be accumulated and finally be redeemed for the value given to them by the owner of the application, for example in a store. This circulation of Bonus points can be the basis of motivation for an advertising game.

Several applications can possibly be managed by the same smart card and be loaded in specific directories, at

$ 1 a reseller. This acquisition can be temporary or permanent, the acquisition method can be varied such as loading on a terminal at an application reseller, or even a sales site. R can also be loaded per connection to a Minitel server, and, in these terms, the payment method is defined at the connection, and at the time spent or otherwise by supplying credit card information.

FIG. 2 illustrates a variant of the selective television reception console of FIG. 1 in which the television receiver 11 does not have a SCART socket and where the connection with the interface box 12 is made through the intermediary of the television receiver. UHF or VHF antenna cable which is diverted by the interface box 12 before reaching the antenna or the connection point of a cable network 14.

As before, the interface box 12 is connected to a telephone line by a telephone connector 15 and to the sector by a power socket 16. It is equipped with a holding forceps and a smart card reader intended to receive a smart card 3 ensuring control of the progress of a transaction.

Figure 3 illustrates another variation of the interactive television receiving console of Figure 1 in which the holder 20 has been detached from the interface box 22. As in the case of Figure 1, the interface box 22 is connected to the television receiver 21 by a SCART connector 24, to a telephone line by a telephone connector 25 and to the sector by a power socket 26.

The fact that the davit 20 is separated from the cfinterface box 22 and connected to the latter by a wired link or by an infrared or radio link provides greater ease in handling the console.

FIG. 4 illustrates yet another variant of the interactive television reception console of FIG. 1 in which the holder 30 and the smart card reader have been separated from the interface box 32 for better maneuverability. As in the case of FIG. 1, the interface box 32 is connected to the television receiver 31 by a SCART connector 34 and to a telephone line by a telephone connector 35. But it does not have its own electric power supply, this being common with that of the television receiver thanks to a particular connection of the SCART socket 34. It could also be supplied by the power supply of the television receiver 31 through a specific outlet for this purpose

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown but it is capable of numerous variants accessible to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. The telephone line can, in particular in the case of a cable television network, be replaced by a data transmission channel on the cable. The interface box can be placed inside the television receiver and have as its keyboard that of the remote control of the television receiver, which makes it possible to have a much more compact interactive console. There may also be, in the television reception channel, an auxiliary carrier assigned to the transmission of particular digital or other information, from the application generator to the viewer, without effect on the reception of the image and the sound but detectable by suitable signal processing means fitted to the reader.