System for searching TV program data via the internet

Abstract

A system for searching TV program data via the Internet, wherein TV program data is received from broadcasting stations via the Internet and recorded in a database. A program data search means enables the user to search for specific TV program data or search tabulation data for the TV program data provided by a search tabulation means.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for searching TV program data via the Internet for managing TV program data supplied by broadcasting stations via the Internet and providing TV program data and tabulated data on results of searching the TV program data to a user, the system comprising:
 broadcasting station terminals provided for broadcasting stations supplying the TV program data; 
 user terminals for receiving the TV program data; and 
 a data management apparatus connected to the broadcasting station terminals and user terminals via the Internet; 
 the data management apparatus comprising: 
 a communication connection controller connected to the Internet via a firewall; 
 a database; 
 a web server that receives via the Internet search requirements from the user terminals and transmits via the Internet results of searching the database; 
 a database server for searching and updating the database; 
 a data management terminal for managing the database; and 
 a central processing controller; 
 the database comprising: 
 a program data database including a timetable for recording data of the broadcasting schedule for TV programs, and a subject matter table for storing program guide data; 
 a user table for recording user registration data of users searching the TV program data; 
 a usage fees table for recording usage data of the users; and 
 a user database formed of a search tabulation table for recording tabulation data of searches performed by the user; 
 the central processing controller comprising: 
 a program data recording meansrecorder that includes a broadcasting schedule recording meansrecorder for receiving entry requirements from the broadcasting station terminals and recording broadcasting schedule data in the timetable, and a subject matter recording meansrecorder for recording program guide data in the subject matter table; 
 a user contract recording meansrecorder that includes a user registration meansregister for receiving requirements from user terminals and recording user registration data in the user table and a contract time recording meansrecorder for receiving requirements from the data management terminal and storing contract time data in the user table and the usage fees table; 
 a program data searching meanssearcher for receiving requirements from the user terminals and searching for broadcasting schedule data and program guide data recorded in the program data database; and 
 a tabulation usage fees recording meansrecorder that includes a search tabulation recording meansrecorder for recording the search tabulation data in a search tabulation table, the search tabulation data being the number of searches performed on TV program data recorded in the timetable by the program data searching meanssearcher and tabulated according to broadcasting date, user attributes, program category, and program, and a usage fees data recorder recording means for recording usage fees data for searching TV program data in the usage fees table; 
 wherein the program data searcher provides the user with data related to searches that other users have performed on the TV program data. 
 
     
     
       2. A The system for searching TV program data via the Internet as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the program data searching means searcher comprises:
 a month specific searching meanssearcher for searching the timetable for broadcasting schedule data and program guide data according to a specified broadcast month; 
 a day specific searching meanssearcher for searching the timetable for broadcasting schedule data and program guide data according to a specified broadcast day; 
 a program category specific searching meanssearcher for searching the timetable for broadcasting schedule data and program guide data according to a specified program category; and 
 a station data access ratio searching meanssearcher for calculating the access ratio of program data according to programs by user attributes, programs by program category, and program according to tabulated search data recorded in the search tabulation table by the search tabulation recording meansrecorder and searching the search tabulation data in the reverse order of the program data access ratio. 
 
     
     
       3. A The system for searching TV program data via the Internet as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the TV program data includes television program data of Internet TV broadcasting stations that broadcast via the Internet. 
     
     
       4. The system of claim 1, wherein the program data searcher performs searching of at least one selected from a group consisting of TV program data by genre and TV program data to find programs of interest prior to broadcast of the TV program. 
     
     
       5. The system of claim 1, wherein the usage fees comprise user fees for the searches performed by the user. 
     
     
       6. A system for searching TV program data via the Internet for managing TV program data supplied by broadcasting stations via the Internet and providing TV program data and tabulated data based on the results by searching the TV program data by a user, the system comprising:
 broadcasting station terminals provided for broadcasting stations supplying the TV program data;   user terminals for receiving the TV program data;   and a data management apparatus connected to the broadcasting station terminals and user terminals via the Internet;   the data management apparatus comprising:   a communication connection controller connected to the Internet via a firewall;   a database;   a web server that receives via the Internet search requirements from the user terminals and transmits via the Internet results of searching the database;   a database server for searching and updating the database;   a database management terminal for managing the database; and   a central processing controller;   
       the database comprising:
 a program data database including a timetable for recording data of the broadcasting schedule for TV programs, a subject matter table for storing program guide data, and data including the number of prior searches having the same TV program data; 
 a user database including: 
 a user table for recording user registration data of users searching the TV program data, wherein the user registration data includes at least one of the user's sex, age or occupation; 
 the central processing controller comprising: 
 a program data recorder that includes a broadcasting schedule recorder for receiving entry requirements from the broadcasting station terminals and recording broadcasting schedule data in the timetable and a subject matter recorder for recording program guide data in the subject matter table; 
 a user register for receiving requirements from user terminals and recording said user registration data in the user table; 
 a program data searcher for receiving requirements from the user terminals and from the user register and searching for broadcasting schedule data, program guide data recorded in the program data database, and data including the number of prior searches having the same TV program data; 
 wherein the program data searcher provides the user with data related to searches that other users have performed on the TV program data. 
 
     
     
       7. The system for searching TV program data via the Internet as recited in claim 6, wherein the program data searcher comprises a month specific searcher for searching the timetable for broadcasting schedule data and program guide data according to a specified broadcast month, a day specific searcher for searching the timetable for broadcasting schedule data and program guide data according to a specified broadcast day, a program category specific searcher for searching the timetable for broadcasting schedule data and program guide data according to a specified program category, and a station data access ratio searcher for calculating an access ratio of program data according to programs by user attributes, programs by program category, and programs according to tabulated search data recorded in a search tabulation table by a search tabulation recorder, and searching the search tabulation data in the reverse order of the program data access ratio. 
     
     
       8. The system for searching TV program data via the Internet as recited in claim 6, wherein the TV program data includes television program data of Internet TV broadcasting stations that broadcast via the Internet. 
     
     
       9. The system for searching TV program data via the Internet as recited in claim 6, wherein the database includes a usage fees table for recording usage data of the users; and
 a search tabulation table for recording tabulation data of searches performed by the user.   
     
     
       10. The system for searching TV program data via the Internet as recited in claim 6, wherein the central processing controller comprises a user contract recorder that includes a contract time recorder for receiving requirements from the data management terminal and storing contract time data in the user table and the usage fees table, a tabulation usage fees recorder that includes a search tabulation recorder for recording the search tabulation data in a search tabulation table, the search tabulation data being the number of searches performed on TV program data recorded in the timetable by the program data recorder and tabulated according to broadcasting date, user attributes, program category, and program, and a usage fees data recorder for recording usage fees data for searching TV program data in the usage fees table. 
     
     
       11. The system for searching TV program data via the Internet as recited in claim 6, wherein the program guide data is the data consisting of video data identifying TV programs. 
     
     
       12. The system for searching TV program data via the Internet as recited in claim 6, wherein the program guide data is the data including the contents of the TV program. 
     
     
       13. The system of claim 6, wherein the program data searcher performs searching of at least one selected from a group consisting of TV program data by genre and TV program data to find programs of interest prior to broadcast of the TV program.