Information distributing method and information distributing system

Abstract

In order to allow an advertisement company to register advertisement information using the Internet and conduct publicity activities aimed at specified target users, profile data of a plurality of users is managed using a database, selection conditions for selecting specific users to whom advertisement information should be distributed are received, specific users to whom the advertisement information should be distributed are selected based on the received selection conditions and the managed profile data, and the advertisement information is distributed to the selected specific users utilizing a digital broadcasting system.

1 .- 40 . (canceled)  
     
     
         41 . An information distributing method using a cable line for digital broadcasting, comprising: 
 an identification step for identifying a type of a printing apparatus to be connected to a set-top box of each user;    an obtaining step for obtaining data that should be printed for specific users;    a selection step for selecting a printer driver corresponding to said printing apparatus based on the identification information;    a generation step for generating, using said selected printer driver, print information that should be printed by said printing apparatus of the specific users from said obtained data that should be printed; and    a distribution step for distributing said generated print information to set-top boxes of the specific users via said cable line.    
     
     
         42 . An information distributing method according to  claim 41 , wherein said identification step identifies the type of said printing apparatus by recognizing a device ID of said printing apparatus to be notified by said set-top box via said cable line.  
     
     
         43 . An information distributing method according to  claim 41 , wherein said set-top box transfers the distributed print information to the printing apparatus to be connected.  
     
     
         44 . An information distributing method according to  claim 43 , wherein said set op box separates a print information portion from said distributed information and decodes it to original print information, and transfer said print information to said printing apparatus without displaying it on a monitor.  
     
     
         45 . An information distributing method according to  claim 41 , wherein said cable line is a two-way broad band communication network; and said distribution step distributes said print information as distribution information together with broadcast information that should be outputted on a display to be connected to said set-top box of the user.  
     
     
         46 . An information distributing method according to  claim 45 , wherein distribution information is separated into said print information and said broadcast information in said set-top box, and said print information is transferred to said printing apparatus without being displayed on said display.  
     
     
         47 . An information distributing apparatus for distributing information using a cable line for digital broadcasting, comprising: 
 identifying means for identifying a type of a printing apparatus to be connected to a set-top box of each user;    obtaining means for obtaining data that should be printed for specific users;    selecting means for selecting a printer driver corresponding to said printing apparatus based on the identification information;    generating means for generating, using said selected printer driver, print information that should be printed by said printing apparatus of the specific users from said obtained data that should be printed; and    distributing means for distributing said generated print information to set-top boxes of the specific users via said cable line.    
     
     
         48 . A control program stored on computer readable medium and to be executed in an information distributing apparatus for distributing information using a cable line for digital broadcasting, said program comprising: 
 an identification step for identifying a type of a printing apparatus to be connected to a set-top box of each user;    an obtaining step for obtaining data that should be printed for specific users;    a selection step for selecting a printer driver corresponding to said printing apparatus based on the identification information;    a generation step for generating, using said selected printer driver, print information that should be printed by said printing apparatuses of the specific users from said obtained data that should be printed; and    a distribution step for distributing said generated print information to set-top boxes of the specific users via said cable line.    
     
     
         49 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a control program to be executed in an information distributing apparatus for distributing information using a cable line for digital broadcasting, wherein the control program comprises: 
 an identification step for identifying a type of a printing apparatus to be connected to a set-top box of each user;    an obtaining step for obtaining data that should be printed for specific users; a selection step for selecting a printer driver corresponding to said printing apparatus based on said identification information;    a generation step for generating, using said selected printer driver, print information that should be printed by said printing apparatuses of the specific users from said obtained data that should be printed; and    a distribution step for distributing said generated print information to set-top boxes of the specific users via said cable line.    
     
     
         50 . An information distributing method of distributing print information via a cable network for a digital broadcasting system to a user who has a set-top box for transferring received print information to a connected printing apparatus, comprising: 
 a receiving step for receiving distribution information that should be distributed to a user designated by an information distribution server;    a generation step for generating print information based on said received distribution information for each user; and    a distribution step for distributing said print information generated for each user to said set-top box of the designated user utilizing said cable network.    
     
     
         51 . An information distributing method according to  claim 50 , wherein said distribution step distributes said print information after scrambling it.  
     
     
         52 . An information distributing method according to  claim 50 , wherein said information distribution server is a server of a bank that desires distribution of a use record as distribution information.  
     
     
         53 . An information distributing apparatus for distributing print information via a cable network for a digital broadcasting system to a user who has a set-top box for transferring received print information to a connected printing apparatus, comprising: 
 receiving means for receiving distribution information that should be distributed to a user designated by an information distribution server;    generating means for generating print information based on said received distribution information for each user; and    distributing means for distributing said print information generated for each user to said set-top box of the designated user utilizing said cable network.    
     
     
         54 . A control program stored on a computer-readable medium and to be executed in an information distributing apparatus for distributing print information via a cable network for a digital broadcasting system to a user who has a set-top box for transferring received print information to a connected printing apparatus, said program comprising: 
 a receiving step for receiving distribution information that should be distributed to a user designated by an information distribution server;    a generation step for generating print information based on said received distribution information for each user; and    a distribution step for distributing said print information generated for each user to said set-top box of the designated user utilizing said cable network.    
     
     
         55 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a control program to be executed in an information distributing apparatus for distributing print information via a cable network for a digital broadcasting system to a user who has a set-top box for transferring received print information to a connected printing apparatus, wherein the control program comprises: 
 a receiving step for receiving distribution information that should be distributed to a user designated by an information distribution server,    a generation step for generating print information based on said received distribution information for each user; and    a distribution step for distributing said print information generated for each user to said set-top box of the designated user utilizing said cable network.    
     
     
         56 . A digital broadcasting system comprising a server and a head end for distributing multiplexed broadcast information and print information to a set-top box via a cable network, the system comprising: 
 a user profile database for storing identification of a printer connected to the set-top box, and    a printer driver database for storing a printer driver corresponding to the identification of the printer,    wherein said server refers said user profile database for the identification of the printer connected to the set-top box of a destination of the print information, reads, from said printer driver database, the printer driver corresponding to the identification of the printer connected to the set-top box, and converts, using the printer driver, the print information to be distributed to the set-top box, and    said head end distributes the converted print information to the set-up box to which the printer is connected.    
     
     
         57 . A digital broadcasting system according to  claim 56 , wherein said server converts the print information using the print driver corresponding to the identification of the printer connected to each of the set-top box.  
     
     
         58 . A digital broadcasting system according to  claim 56 , wherein said server converts the print information selected among the print information provided from a providing server connected via the internet.  
     
     
         59 . A digital broadcasting system according to  claim 41 , wherein said server converts a layout of the print information selected among the print information provided from a plurality of providing servers.  
     
     
         60 . An information distributing method in a digital broadcasting system for distributing multiplexed broadcast information and print information to a set-top box via a cable network, the method comprising: 
 a reading step of reading, from a printer driver database, a printer driver corresponding to identification of the printer stored in a user profile database referred by a destination of the print information;    a converting step of converting, using the printer driver, the print information to be distributed to the set-top box; and    a distributing step of distributing the converted print information to the set-up box to which the printer is connected.    
     
     
         61 . An information distributing method according to  claim 60 , wherein the print information is converted in said converting step using the print driver corresponding to the identification of the printer corrected to each of the set-top box.  
     
     
         62 . An information distributing method according to  claim 60 , wherein the print information is selected among the print information provided from a providing server connected via the internet.  
     
     
         63 . An information distributing method according to  claim 60 , wherein a layout of the print information is selected among the print information provided from a plurality of providing server.