MXPA99008554A - Transmission and reception of television programmes and other data - Google Patents

Abstract

In a digital television system, a receiver/decoder (or"set-top-box") can download one of more of several applications which can be run by the receiver/decoder to provide interactivity with the user. The applications include:an Internet browser application which uses a PSTN connection to make Internet requests and the television signal path to receive Internet responses;a shopping application operable in an"impulse"mode and a"catalogue"mode;a banking application;a quiz application which runs in synchronism with a quiz television programme;a magazine browser application;and a weather or traffic application.

Description

TRANSMISSION AND RECEIPT OF TELEVISION PROGRAMS AND OTHER DATA This invention relates generally to the transmission and reception of television programs and other data, and more particularly to: - a method for transmitting a television program and other data; • a digital television receiver / decoder; and • a system of (communications and) digital television transmission. The emergence of digital transmission systems whose main purpose is to transmit television signals, in particular, but not exclusively satellite television systems, has opened the possibility of using these systems for other purposes, such as to provide interactivity with the end user , or to provide the end user with additional information. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for transmitting a television program and other data, comprising the steps: in a transmission system, to transmit a digital data stream containing at least one program of TV; in a user receiver / decoder, of: - receiving the digital data stream; in a television mode: - extract that television program from a digital data stream; and supplying the extracted television program to a television; and in an Internet mode: - use a modem to dial a communications center; receive an Internet request from the user; and transmitting the Internet request received via the modem to the communications center; in the communications center, of: - receiving that Internet request; obtain a response to the Internet request received from the Internet; and provide the Internet response to the transmission system; in the transmission system, to integrate the Internet response supplied into the digital data stream; and in the receiver / decoder, in the Internet mode, of: - extracting the Internet response from the digital data stream; and provide the Internet response extracted to the user. The extracted Internet response can be provided to the user by means of displaying it visually on the television, or by means of a computer connected to the receiver / decoder. In accordance with the foregoing, this aspect of the invention gives the user access to the Internet without necessarily requiring a computer, such as a personal computer. In addition, Internet traffic is usually much heavier from the Internet server to the user, than from the user to the server. This aspect of the invention allows heavy traffic to be transmitted on the high speed television link, with the lighter traffic being transmitted on a low speed telephone link. In accordance with the above, significant access time improvements can be made, but without requiring the expense and complication of a bidirectional television type link. In the event that the end user experiences problems in receiving the Internet response, preferably the system is selectively operable in a mode in which the communication center supplies the Internet response to the receiver / decoder via the modem. The method may also include the steps: in the transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in the Internet mode; and in the receiver / decoder, in a download mode, of: - extracting the application code from the digital data stream; and start the application defined by the extracted application code, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in the Internet mode. In accordance with the foregoing, the initial loading of the Internet mode application code, and updating thereof, can easily be achieved, and there is no need for the receiver / decoder to have the ability to permanently store the application code. The method may also include the steps: - in the transmission system, to integrate purchasing data into the digital data stream; in the receiver / decoder, in a purchasing mode, of: - extracting the purchasing data from the digital data stream; supply the extracted shopping data to the television; receive a purchase order from the user, in response to the data of purchases supplied; use the modem to dial a communications center; and transmit the purchase order received by means of a modem to the communications center; and in the communications center, of: - receiving that purchase order; and process the received purchase order. These last steps can be provided independently of the first aspect of the invention. In accordance with the foregoing, a second aspect of the present invention provides; a method for transmitting a television program and other data, comprising the steps: in the transmission system, for transmitting a digital data stream containing at least one television program and purchasing data; in the user's receiver / decoder, of: - receiving the digital data stream; in a television mode: - extract that television program from the digital data stream; and supplying the extracted television program to a television; and in a purchasing mode: - extract purchasing data from the digital data stream; supply the data of purchases extracted to the user; receive a purchase order from the user, in response to the data of purchases supplied; use a modem to dial a communications center; and transmit the purchase order received by means of the modem to the communications center; and in the communications center, of: - receiving the purchase order; and process the received purchase order. This aspect of the invention thus enables "imaginary" purchases by the user, which requires relatively little modification to the equipment used to receive the television programs. Preferably, in the receiver / decoder, in the purchasing mode: the receiver / decoder supplies the data of purchases extracted to the user, by means of the television; the receiver / decoder causes at least one icon to be visually displayed by means of the television; and in response to the user's purchase order, the receiver / decoder causes a change in the visual display of that icon through the television. The system may have an "impulse" mode of operation in which the user makes a purchase order by selecting a product (which may include a service), which at that time is the subject of the television program. The system may additionally or alternatively have an operation mode per "catalog", in which a user selects, at any time, from a plurality of products. The method may also include the step of providing recognition to the user, and the recognition may include the actual price the user will pay. This can, therefore, take into account any discount that can be given to the user, or any difference between the currencies that are used to advertise the product and to buy the product. This method can also include the steps: - in the transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in the purchasing mode; and in the receiver / decoder, in a, or the download mode, of: - extracting the application code from the digital data stream; and start the application defined by the extracted application code to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in the purchasing mode. In accordance with the foregoing, the initial loading of the application code of purchasing mode, and updating thereof, can easily be achieved, and there is no need for the receiver / decoder to have the capacity to permanently store the application code. The above methods may also include the steps: - in the user's receiver / decoder, in a banking mode, of: - supplying banking options to the user; receive a request from the user's bank, in response to the options provided; use the modem to dial a communications center; and transmit the received banking request to the communications center; in the communications center, of: - receiving that banking request; process the request for banking received, and produce a response or recognition; and transmitting the response or recognition to the receiver / decoder by means of the modem; and in the receiver / decoder, in the banking mode, of: - receiving that response or acknowledgment; and provide the response or recognition to the user. The last steps can be provided independently of the first or second aspects of the invention. In accordance with the foregoing, a third aspect of the invention provides a method for transmitting a television program and other data, comprising the steps: in a transmission system, to transmit a digital data stream containing at least one television program; in a user receiver / decoder, of: - receiving the data stream; in a television mode: - extract that television program from the digital data stream; and supplying the extracted television program to a television; and in a banking mode: - provide banking options to the user; receive a request from the user's bank, in response to the options provided; use the modem to dial a communications center; and transmit the received banking request to the communications center; in the communications center, of: - receiving that banking request; process the request for banking received, and produce a response or recognition; and transmitting the response or recognition to the receiver / decoder by means of the modem; and in the receiver / decoder, in the banking mode, of: - receiving that response or acknowledgment; and provide the response or recognition to the user. This aspect of the invention, therefore, enables an "imaginary" bank by the user, which requires relatively little modification to the equipment used to receive the television programs. The communications center does not necessarily need to be in a single site, and typically can include a communications server and a banking server that are remote from each other. Preferably, in the receiver / decoder, in the banking mode: the receiver / decoder supplies the banking options and / or the response or recognition from the communication center to the user by means of a television; the receiver / decoder causes at least one icon to be visually displayed by means of the television; and in response to the user's banking request and / or response or acknowledgment from the communications center, the receiver / decoder causes a change in the visual display of that icon through the television. This method may also include the steps: in the transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in the banking mode; and in the receiver / decoder, in a, or the download mode, of: - extracting the application code from the digital data stream; and start the application defined by the extracted application code, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in the banking mode. In accordance with the foregoing, the initial loading of the banking mode application code, and updating thereof, can easily be achieved, and there is no need for the receiver / decoder to have the ability to permanently store the application code. This method may also include the steps, in the receiver / decoder, of: - reading data from a bank card provided by the user; and incorporate the data read into the purchase order or the banking request, as the case may be, transmitted to the communications center. In accordance with the above, there is no need for the user to enter their banking details, although a service can be provided to request the user to enter a personal identification number ("PIN"). The above methods may also include the steps: -in the transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream data of questionnaires that include response data related to, and synchronized with, the content of that television program; and in the receiver / decoder, in a questionnaire mode, of: - extracting the questionnaire data from the digital data stream; receive from the user a response to the questionnaire data or to a synchronized question in the television program; compare the response received and the response data; and provide the result of the comparison to the television. These last steps can be provided independently of the first to third aspects of the invention. In accordance with the above, a fourth aspect of the present invention provides a method for transmitting a television program and other data, comprising the steps: in a transmission system, for transmitting a digital data stream containing at least one television program and questionnaire data that include response data related to, and synchronized with, the content of that television program; and in a user receiver / decoder, of: - receiving the digital data stream; in a questionnaire mode: extract the television program from the digital data stream; supply the extracted television program to a television; extract the questionnaire data from the digital data stream; receive from the user a response to the questionnaire data, or to a question synchronized in the television program; compare the response received and the response data; and provide the result of the comparison to the television. In accordance with the above, a user can actively participate in a televised questionnaire program, with the receiver / decoder being able to verify the user's responses, and optionally keep the user's score. Preferably, in the receiver / decoder in the questionnaire mode, in response to the comparison step, the receiver / decoder causes one of a plurality of icons to be displayed visually by means of the television, selected depending on the result of the comparison.

This method may also include the steps: - in the transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in the questionnaire mode; and in the receiver / decoder, in a, or the download mode, of: - extracting the application code from the digital data stream; and start the application defined by the extracted application code, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in the questionnaire mode. In accordance with the above, the initial loading of the application code of the questionnaire mode, and updating thereof, can easily be achieved, and there is no need for the receiver / decoder to have the capacity to permanently store the application code. The above methods may also include the steps: in a transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream a plurality of pages of journal page data; and in a user receiver / decoder, in a magazine mode, of: - extracting a first page of the magazine page data from a digital data stream; supply the first page extracted to the television; receive a user instruction to select another page; extract the data from journal pages related to the other page, from the digital data stream; supply the other extracted page to the television; and repeat the steps of receiving instruction, -extract another page, and supply another page; wherein, in the magazine mode: at least one of the pages includes a plurality of button objects, one of which has an initial focus; and the step of receiving instruction to select the subsequent page comprises the steps of: receiving one or more instructions from the user, by means of a remote controller, for the receiver / decoder to change that of the button objects having focus; change the focus of the button object, in accordance with the received change instruction (s); receive a user instruction through the remote controller to select that one of the button objects, which has focus at that moment; and determining the identity of the subsequent page by the pages of magazine pages of the current page and the selected button object. These last steps can be provided independently of the first to the fourth aspects of the invention. In accordance with the foregoing, a fifth aspect of the present invention provides a method for transmitting a television program and other data, comprising the steps: in a transmission system, for transmitting a digital data stream containing at least one television program and a plurality of page pages of magazine pages; and in a user receiver / decoder, of: - receiving the digital data stream; in a television mode: - extract that television program from a digital data stream; and supplying the extracted television program to a television; and in a magazine mode: - extracting a first of the pages of journal page data from a digital data stream; supply the first page extracted to the television; receive a user instruction to select another page; extract the data from journal pages related to the other page, from the digital data stream; supply the other extracted page to the television; and repeat the steps of receiving instruction, extract another page, and provide another page; wherein, in the magazine mode: at least one of the pages includes a plurality of button objects, one of which has an initial focus; and the step of receiving instruction to select the subsequent page comprises the steps of: receiving one or more instructions from the user, by means of a remote controller, for the receiver / decoder to change that of the button objects having focus; change the focus of the button object, in accordance with the received change instruction (s); receive a user instruction through the remote controller to select that one of the button objects, which has focus at that moment; and determining the identity of the subsequent page by the pages of magazine pages of the current page and the selected button object. This aspect of the invention, therefore, allows a service to be provided, and the user can navigate through the pages of the magazine by changing the focus on different buttons, and selecting a focused button. Preferably, the pages of magazine pages for at least one of the pages include sound data, and also includes the step of supplying the sound data to the television, in response to the selection by means of the remote controller of one of the objects of button. This method may also include the steps: - in the transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in magazine mode; and in the receiver / decoder, in a, or the download mode, of: - extracting the application code from the digital data stream; and start the application defined by the extracted application code, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in magazine mode. In accordance with the foregoing, the initial loading of the magazine application code, and updating thereof, can be easily achieved, and there is no need for the receiver / decoder to have the ability to permanently store the application code. The above methods may also include the steps: in a transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream a plurality of pages of climate or traffic data; and in a receiver / decoder, in a weather or traffic mode, of: - receiving a user instruction to select a particular page of weather or traffic data; extract the selected page of weather or traffic data from the digital data stream; and supply the extracted page to the television; where, in climate or traffic mode: the climate or traffic data pages are related to respective geographic regions, and can be distinguished by means of the codes established for those regions; and the step of receiving instructions to select the particular page comprises receiving the code for the respective region from the user. These last steps can be provided independently of the first to fifth aspects of the invention. In accordance with the foregoing, a sixth aspect of the present invention provides a method for transmitting a television program and other data, comprising the steps: in a transmission system, for transmitting a digital data stream containing at least one television program and a plurality of pages of weather and traffic page data; and in a user receiver / decoder, of: - receiving the digital data stream; in a television mode: - extract that television program from the digital data stream; and supplying the extracted television program to a television; and in a weather or traffic mode: - receive a user instruction to select a particular page of weather or traffic data; extract the selected page of weather or traffic data from the digital data stream; and supply the extracted page to the television; where, in climate or traffic mode: the climate or traffic data pages are related to respective geographic regions, and can be distinguished by means of the codes established for those regions; and the step of receiving instructions to select the particular page comprises receiving the code for the respective region from the user. In accordance with the above, a user can select a relevant page of information on climate or traffic, simply by entering a code, which is highly likely to know the user, without necessarily having to navigate through the pages of others data, or having to find a less meaningful code. The established codes preferably comprise at least part of the postal codes, zone codes, state, county or province codes or numbers, telephone area codes, other administrative codes, or the like, for the geographical regions. This method may also include the steps: in the transmission system, to integrate the application code for an application into the digital data stream, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in the weather or traffic mode; and in the receiver / decoder, in a, or the download mode, of: - extracting the application code from the digital data stream; and start the application defined by the extracted application code to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in weather or traffic mode. In accordance with the foregoing, the initial loading of the weather or traffic application code, and its update, can easily be achieved, and there is no need for the receiver / decoder to have the capacity to permanently store the application code. With any of the above aspects of the invention, the transmission system can be configured to transmit the digital data stream in an MPEG format, with the data apart from the television program (s), being included in at least one private section of the MPEG data stream. Other different aspects of the invention relate to a digital television receiver / decoder, which is configured to perform the appropriate steps in the methods of the first to the sixth aspects of the invention. In addition, other different aspects of the invention are related to a system of (communications and) digital television transmission, which is configured to perform the relevant steps in the methods of the first to the sixth aspects of the invention. Now the characteristics of the present invention will be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 shows the overall architecture of a digital television system. Figure 2 shows the architecture of an interactive system of the digital television system of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the interfaces of a receiver / decoder that is part of the system of Figures 1 and 2. Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of a remote controller that is used in the digital television system. Figure 5 shows the configuration of files inside a module downloaded into the memory of an interactive receiver / decoder. Figure 6 shows the global architecture of a system mode, when it is in Internet mode. Figure 7 illustrates software layers in the user equipment of the system of Figure 6. Figures 8-12 are block diagrams of different configurations of the equipment modalities of the user of Figure 6. Figure 13 is a diagram flow diagram illustrating an example of the operation of the 'system of Figure 6. Figure 14 is an auxiliary flow chart of the diagram of Figure 13. Figure 15 shows the overall architecture of a system mode, when it is in his way of shopping. Figure 16 shows an example "of different components of the MPEG-2 bit stream used in the purchasing mode, Figure 17 is a first part of a flow diagram illustrating an example of the operation of the Figure 15. Figures 18-20 illustrate examples of different screens of the television set of the system of Figure 15. Figure 21 is a second part of the flow chart shown partially in Figure 17. Figure 22 shows an example of different components of the MPEG-2 bitstream used in banking mode Figure 23 shows a modality of the overall architecture of the system, when it is in its banking mode Figures 24-25 are flow diagrams which illustrate an example of the operation of the system in Figure 23. Figure 26 shows an example of different components of the MPEG-2 bit stream that is used in the questionnaire mode Figure 27 is a flow diagram illustrating an e Example of the operation of the system, when it is in the questionnaire mode. Figure 28 is a flow chart illustrating an example of system operation, when in magazine mode. In Figure 1 there is shown an overview of a digital television system 1000, in accordance with the present invention. The invention includes a mostly conventional digital television system 2000, which uses the known compression system MPEG-2 to transmit compressed digital signals. In more detail, the 2002 MPEG-2 compressor is a transmission center receiving a stream of digital signals (typically a stream of video signals). The compressor 2002 is connected to a multiplexer and encoder 2004 by the link 2006. The multiplexer 2004 receives a plurality of additional input signals, assembles one or more, carries currents and transmits the compressed digital signals to the transmitter 2008 of the transmission center via the transmitter. 2010 link, which of course can take a variety of forms, including telecommunications links. The transmitter 2008 transmits electromagnetic signals via the ascending 2012 link, to a 2014 satellite transmitter-receiver, where these are electronically processed and transmitted via the speculative descending 2016 link to the land receiver 2018, conventionally in the form of a proprietary dish or rented by the end user. The signals received by the receiver 2018 are transmitted to an integrated receiver or decoder 2020 owned or rented by the end user, and connected to the television set 2022 of the end user.

The receiver / decoder 2020 decodes the compressed MPEG-2 signal to a television signal for the television set 2022. A conditional access system 3000 is connected to the multiplexer 2004 and the receiver / decoder 2020, and is located partially in the transmission center, and partially in the decoder. This allows the end user to access digital television transmissions from one or more transmission providers. A smart card can be inserted, capable of deciphering messages related to commercial offers (that is, one or many television programs sold by the transmission provider), within the receiver / decoder 2020. Using the decoder 2020 and the smart card, the end user can buy commercial offers in either a subscription mode or a pay-per-event mode. An interactive system 4000, also connected to the multiplexer 2004 and the receiver / decoder 2020, and again partially located in the transmission center and partially in the decoder, allows the end user to interact with different applications via a modulated return-modulated channel 4002. . Figure 2 shows the general architecture of the interactive television system 4000 of the digital television system 1000 of the present invention. For example, the interacting 4000 system allows an end user to buy catalog items on the screen, check local news and weather maps on demand, and play games through their television set. The interactive system 4000 generally comprises four main elements: - an originating 4004 tool in the transmission center or elsewhere, to allow a transmission provider to create, develop, debug and test applications; • an application and data server 4006, in the transmission center, connected to the originating tool 4004, to allow a transmission provider to prepare, authenticate, and format applications and data for sending to the multiplexer and encoder 2004 for insertion into the MPEG-2 transport stream (typically the private section thereof) to be transmitted to the end user; • a virtual machine that includes a runtime machine (RTE) 4008, which is an executable code installed in the own receiver / decoder 2020 or rented by the end user, to allow the end user to receive, authenticate, decompress, and load applications within the working memory of the decoder 2020 for execution. Machine 4008 also runs resident, general-purpose applications. The machine 4008 is independent of the hardware and operating system; and • a modulated-demodulated back channel 4002 between the receiver / decoder 2020 and the application and data server 4006, to enable signals that tell the server 4006 to insert data and applications into the MPEG-2 transport stream on the request of the end user. The interactive television system operates using "applications" that control the functions of the receiver / decoder and different devices contained therein. The applications are represented on the machine 4008 as "resource files". A "module" is a set of files and resource data. A "memory volume" of the receiver / decoder is a storage space for the modules. The modules can be downloaded into the receiver / decoder 2020 from the MPEG-2 transport stream. The physical interfaces of the receiver / decoder 2020 are used to download the data. With reference to Figure 3, the decoder 2020 contains, for example, six discharge devices; the 4028 MPEG stream tuner, the serial 4030 interface, the parallel 4032 interface, the 4034 modem and two 4036 card readers. For the purposes of this specification, an application is a piece of computer code for controlling high-level preference functions of the receiver / decoder 2020. For example, when the end user places the focus of a remote 2026 controller (as shown in more detail in Figure 4) in a button object that is seen on the screen of television set 2022, and presses the validation key, a sequence of instructions associated with the button is executed. An interactive application proposes menus and executes commands on the end user's request, and provides data related to the purpose of the application. The applications can be either resident applications, that is, stored in the ROM (or FLASH? Other non-volatile memory) of the receiver / decoder 2020, or transmitted and downloaded into the RAM (or FLASH) of the decoder 2020, by means of extract the application code from the digital data stream. The applications are stored in memory locations in the receiver / decoder 2020, and are represented as files and resource data. The resource files comprise unit files describing graphic objects, variable block unit files, instruction sequence files, and application files. With reference to Figure 5, a module 4010, such as a purchasing module that will be described later, is a set of files and resource data, comprising the following: a single application file 4012; an indeterminate number of files 4014 of the graphic object description unit; an indeterminate number of 4016 files of variable blocks unit; an indeterminate number of 4018 instruction sequence files; and where appropriate, 4020 data files, such as icon library files, image files, character font files, color table files and ASCII text files. The graphic object description unit files describe the screens, the man-machine interface of the application. The variable block drive files describe the data structures that the application handles. The instruction sequence files describe the processing operations of the applications. The application files provide the entry points for the applications. Applications made in this way can cause data files, such as icon library files, image files, character font files, color table files, and ASCII text files. An interactive application can also obtain data online by making entries and / or outputs. The machine 4008 only loads into its memory those resource files that it needs at a given moment. These resource files are read from the graphic object description unit files, instruction sequence files, and application files; the variable block drive files are stored in the memory after a procedure call to load the modules and remain blocked there until a specific call is made to a procedure to download the modules. The examples of the applications are as follows, and each will be described later in greater detail: - • an initialization application; • an ignition application; • a program guide; • a payment-by-event application; • an application to download PC; an Internet browser application; a shopping application; a banking application; a questionnaire application; a magazine browser application; and a weather or traffic application. With respect to the initialization application, the receiver / decoder is equipped with a resident initialization application, which is an adaptive collection of modules that allows the receiver / decoder 2020 to be immediately operative in the MPEG-2 environment. The application provides core characteristics that can be modified by the transmission provider if required. It also provides an interface between resident applications and downloaded applications. With respect to the ignition application, this allows any application, whether downloaded or resident, to run on the receiver / decoder 2020. This application acts as a loading operation on the arrival of a service, in order to start the application. The ignition is discharged into the RAM and, therefore, can be easily updated. This can be configured in such a way that the interactive applications available on each channel can be selected and executed, either immediately after downloading or after preloading. In the case of pre-loading, the application is loaded into the 2024 memory, and activated by power-on when required. The program guide is an interactive application that gives complete information about programming. For example, it can give information about, say, the one-week television programs provided by each channel of a digital television bouquet. By pressing a key on the remote controller 2026, the end user accesses an added screen, above the event that is displayed on the television set 2022 screen. This added screen is a navigator that gives information about the current and future events of each channel of the digital TV corsage. By pressing another key on the remote 2026 controller, the end user accesses an application that visually displays a list of event information for a week. The end user can also search and select events with simple and custom criteria. The end user can also directly access a selected channel. The pay-per-event ("PPV") application is an interactive service available on each Pay Per View channel of the digital TV bouquet, in conjunction with the conditional access system 3000. The end user can access the application using a TV guide or channel navigator. Additionally, the application automatically starts as soon as the Pay Per View event is detected on the Pay Per View channel. Then the end user is able to buy the event in progress either through his smart daughter 3020 card or through the communication server 3022 (using the modem, a telephone and DTMF, MINITEL or similar codes). The application can be either resident in the ROM of the receiver / decoder 2020 or downloadable within the RAM of the receiver / decoder 2020. With respect to the PC download application, on the application, an end user can download computer software using the PC download application. With respect to the Internet browser application, this allows web pages to be provided to the end user, through the receiver / decoder 2020, for visual display either in a television set 2022, or by means of a computer connected to the receiver / decoder 2020. The modem 4034 of the receiver / decoder 2020, or alternatively an external modem, such as a V34 modem capable of transferring data at up to 28.8 kbytes per second, connected to the serial interface, is connected by means of a telephone line to application server 4006 and data. In operation, first assume that the receiver / decoder 2020 is operating in a "television mode", ie, extracting a television program from the digital bit stream, and supplying the television program extracted therefrom to the set 2022 of television, for visual display to the end user. By pressing a button on the remote co-controller 2026, the end user is able to activate the Internet browser application by placing the receiver / decoder 2020 in an "Internet mode". The application executes a program stored in the receiver / decoder 2020 to mark the application and data server 4006, using the modem 4034. Once communication has been established between the receiver / decoder 2020 and the server 4006 of application and data, the end user is informed of the connection to the Internet, by means of a message displayed visually in the television set 2022. The end user enters an Internet request, such as a request to view a web page having a particular URL, to the receiver / decoder 2020, using the remote 2026 controller. The receiver / decoder 2020 outputs this request to the server 4006, by means of the modem 4034. The server 4006 receives this request and takes the request to the Internet. In response to this request, the Internet provides an Internet response, comprising the appropriate web page, to the server 4006. The server 4006 sends the response to the multiplexer and encoder 2004, where it is integrated into a private section of the stream of MPEG bits and is transmitted by transmitter 2008, and received by receiver 2018, as previously mentioned. The receiver / decoder 2020 extracts the web page from the MPEG bit stream, and visually displays the web page in the television set 2022. As an alternative to providing the web page to the end user by visually displaying the web page in the television set 2022, the web page can be provided to the end user by means of a computer connected to the receiver / decoder 2020, typically by means of of a parallel interface of 700 kbits per second. Instead of entering the requests to the Internet to the receiver / decoder 2020 by means of the remote controller 2026, the end user can enter those requests by means of a similar keyboard connected to the computer. If the user employs a PC in conjunction with the receiver / decoder 2020, the PC can run well-known web browser applications, such as Netscape and Microsoft Internet Explorer, without any modification to those applications, the change required being at the controller level, as will be described in detail later. As indicated above, Internet traffic is generally much heavier from the Internet server to the user, than from the user to the server 4006. The Internet browser application allows heavy traffic to be transmitted on the high-speed television link, typically 38 megabits per second. In accordance with the above, significant access time improvements can be made, but without requiring the expense. and the complication of a bidirectional television type link. Referring to Figure 6, when in Internet mode, the user's computer 10 can be connected to the application and data server 4006, by means of the public switched telephone network ("PSTN") 12. The application server 4006 and data can be connected to the Internet 16 by means of a fire wall I4, in a known manner. The application and data server 4006 can also communicate with the user's equipment 10, by means of the multiplexer and encoder 2004, the transmitter 2008, the transceiver 2014 and the receiver 2018. As shown in Figure 7, the levels of software that are employed in the user's computer 10 comprise a web browser application, such as Netscape and Microsoft Internet Explorer, HTTP, plug-in, TCP / IP, PPP / SLIP and a driver level. The controller level is modified, compared to a browser application that traditionally works on a PC, in the sense that it is divided into a modem controller for communication with the PSTN 12, by means of the modem of the user's equipment, and a tuner controller for communication via the MPEG 4028 tuner. Now, different configurations of the user's equipment 10 will be described. In a configuration shown in Figure 8, a PC is not used. All user software operates in the receiver / decoder 2020. The receiver / decoder 2020 communicates with the PSTN 12 by means of its internal modem 4034 (or optionally an 'external modem and the serial port). The receiver / decoder 2020 can receive the Internet responses in the bit stream from the ground receiver 2018. In this configuration, the user interface is provided by means of remote controller 2026 and television set 2022, connected to receiver / decoder 2020. A second configuration as shown in Figure 9, differs from that of Figure 8 in that a PC 18, which is connected by means of its parallel port to the 4032 parallel port of the receiver / decoder 2020 (or optionally by means of its serial port to serial port 4030 of the receiver / decoder 2020). In this case, a higher portion of the software levels, shown in Figure 7, operates on the PC 18, and the remaining lower portion of the software levels operates on the receiver / decoder 2020. In addition, the interface of the The user is provided by means of an 18K keyboard and an 18D monitor connected to the PC 18. A third configuration as shown in Figure 10 differs from that of Figure 9, in that an external modem is used to connect the receiver / decoder 2020 by means of its port 4030 in series to the PSTN 12. An external high-speed modem can be used to provide a faster data rate, than that provided by the internal modem (if any) of the receiver / decoder 2020. A fourth configuration as shown in Figure 11, differs from that of Figure 10, in that the PC 18 is the which is connected to the PSTN 12, by means of an external 18M modem, connected to a serial port of the PC 18 (or alternatively by means of an internal modem of the PC 18). This configuration provides an advantage over those of Figures 9 and 10, in the sense that there is a unidirectional data flow from the parallel 4032 port (or serial 4030 port) of the receiver / decoder 2020 to the parallel (or serial) port of PC 18, and therefore faster data rates can be achieved. A fifth configuration as shown in Figure 12 differs from that of Figure 11, in that the receiver / decoder 2020 is provided in the form of an add-in or connection card of the PC 18, connected to the ISA or PCI bus Of the same. The operation of the system in the Internet mode will now be described, with reference to the flowcharts of Figures 13 and 14, which on the left illustrate the processes of the user's equipment 10, and on the right illustrate the application server processes and data.

In step 20, the user requests the Internet mode, for example, by pressing a dedicated key on the remote 2026 controller, or by pressing a series of keys, to call a menu and navigate through it, in order to select the Internet mode. In step 22, the receiver / decoder 2020 extracts from the received MPEG-2 bit stream, the application of Internet and associated data, including the application's phone number and data server 4006, and mount the application. The remaining steps taken by the user's computer 10 in Figures 13 and 14 are caused by the downloaded Internet application. In step 24, the user's equipment 10 causes the associated modem to dial the downloaded telephone number of the application and data server 4006, and in step 26 a PSTN connection is made. In Internet mode, the user must have placed his smart card in one of the card readers 4036, and in step 28 the user's equipment 10 sends the smart card number via the PSTN connection. Then the user equipment waits to receive an error message via the PSTN connection in step 30, to receive an acknowledgment by means of the PSTN connection in step 38, or for a waiting interval in step 34. If in step 30 an error message is received, then the error message is displayed visually on the television 2022 or the monitor 18D in step 32, in step 88 the PSTN connection is disconnected, and in step 86 the modem of the user's computer 10. Similarly, if a waiting interval occurs in step 34, in step 36 an error message is displayed visually on the television 2022 or the monitor 18D, in step 88 the PSTN connection is disconnected, and in step 86 The modem hangs up. However, if an acknowledgment is received in step 38, then in step 40 the user can make an Internet request, for example, by specifying the unique resource location ("URL") of a desired web page or of an Internet search engine. In step 42 the Internet request is sent via the PSTN connection, and then, in step 44, the user's computer 10 waits to receive an error message, via the PSTN connection, to receive, in the step 48, the packet data by means of the PSTN connection, or by a wait interval in step 54. If in step 44 an error message is received, then in step 46 the error message is displayed visually, and then the process returns to step -40 to wait for other Internet requests from the user. Similarly, if a wait interval occurs in step 54, an error message is displayed visually in step 56, and then the process returns to step 40 to wait for another Internet request from the user. If the packet data is received via the PSTN connection in step 48, the packet data will contain sufficient information to enable the user's computer 10 to extract the required web page from the MPEG-2 data stream, received by the user. medium of the 2018 ground receiver. The packet data can include the IP address, the relevant 2014 transceiver identification, the service ID and the package ID. In step 50, the user's equipment 10 extracts the relevant web page, and in step 52 it is displayed visually by means of the user interface (the television 2022 or the monitor 18D). Then the process returns to step 40 to wait for another Internet request from the user. How I know. shown in Figure 14, the user may leave the process at any time, in which case the PSTN connection is disconnected in step 88, and the modem hangs in step 86. In addition, if the user's equipment detects that the lost the PSTN connection, then in step 84 a message is displayed visually, and in step 86 the modem hangs up. The operation of the application and data server 4006 will now be described in Figures 13 and 14. In step 58, a modem of the server 4006 waits for a ring tone, and when it arrives, the PSTN connection is made in step 26. In step 60, the server 4006 waits for reception of the smart card number, and when it receives it, in step 62 it checks whether the received smart card number is valid, for example with reference to the subscriber management system ( "SMS") 3004. If it is not valid, then in step 64 the server 4006 sends the error message described above with reference to step 30, then disconnects the PSTN connection in step 96, hangs up its modem in step 94, and then the process returns to step 58, to wait for another ringtone. If in step 62 it is judged that the smart card number is valid, then in step 66 the server 4006 sends the acknowledgment described above with reference to step 38, and then waits to receive the Internet request, described above with reference to step 42, in step 68, or wait for a waiting interval to occur in step 70. If a timeout occurs, then in step 96 the server 4006 disconnects the PSTN connection and hangs up its modem in step 94 However, if in step 68 the Internet request is received, in step 72 the server 4006 requests the relevant web page of the Internet 16, by means of the fire wall 14. In step 74, if the required web page is not successfully received, then in step 76 the server 4006 sends, via PSTN 12, the error message described above with reference to step 44, and then the process returns to the step 68/70 to wait for the reception of another Internet request from the user's equipment 10. However, if in step 74, the required web page is successfully received, then in step 78 the server 4006 determines the package data to send the web page _ by means of the satellite television system, that is, the address IP, the transmitter-receiver ID, the service ID and the packet ID, and in step 80 it sends the packet data via the PSTN 12, so that the user's equipment 10 receives it in the step 48 described previously. Then, in step 82, the server 4006 sends the web page and the packet data to the multiplexer and encoder 2004, and the multiplexer and encoder 2004 transmits the web page in accordance with the received packet data, to be received by the user's equipment 10 in step 50 described above. Then the process returns to step 68/70 to wait for the reception of another Internet request by the user's equipment 10. As shown in Figure 14, if at any time the server 4006 detects that the PSTN connection has been lost, then the server 4006 hangs up its modem in step 94 and returns to step 58 to wait for a ring tone. Now we will describe the purchasing mode of the system operation. The purchase application allows "imaginary" purchases by the end user. In the television set 2022, offers of goods (or services or other products) for sale are displayed visually, either by means of a television program downloaded by means of the receiver / decoder 2020, or by means of a "catalog" downloaded by means of the receiver / decoder 2020. The goods can be purchased by means of a purchase order introduced to the receiver / decoder 2020 by the end user. The modem 4034 of the receiver / decoder 2020, or alternatively an external modem, such as a V34 modem capable of transferring data at up to 28.8 kbytes per second, * connected to the serial interface, is connected by means of a telephone line to the server 4006 of application and data, or alternatively to a separate sales system, whose telephone number has been downloaded to the receiver / decoder 2020. In operation, first assume that the receiver / decoder 2020 is operating in a "television mode", that is, extracting a television program from the digital bit stream, and supplying the television program extracted therefrom to the television set 2022, for visual display to the end user. By pressing a button on the remote controller 2026, the end user is able to activate the purchasing application by placing the receiver / decoder 2020 in a "purchasing mode". When the receiver / decoder 2020 has been placed in the purchasing mode, the application enables purchasing data included in the private section of the MPEG bit stream that is to be extracted from the receiver / decoder 2020, and will be displayed. visually on the screen of the television set 2022. In a first embodiment of the purchasing application, the offers of goods for sale are displayed visually in the television set 2022, by means of the television program that is currently broadcasting by a transmission provider (for example, a television program transmitted in a "channel of purchases" of a provider of transmissions) and that is unloading the receiver / decoder 2020. For example, the data of purchases can comprise a series of commands that provoke the simultaneous visual display e? the television screen of the television program, and typically one or more icons representing the goods that are being shown at that time in the television program, and the purchase price. The purchasing data included in the MPEG bitstream is synchronized with the video and audio signals contained therein, so that, as the goods shown in the television program change, the purchasing data changes , in such a way that the icon is updated to represent those goods that are displayed visually at that moment on the television screen. In a second embodiment, the offers of goods for sale are displayed visually in the television set 2022 by means of a "catalog" downloaded by the receiver / decoder 2020. This catalog may be separated from the television program that is being displayed visually in that moment on the 2022 television. In this modality, the purchasing data may comprise a series of commands that provoke the visual display on the television screen of the icons that typically represent the goods on offer and the purchase price. Shopping data can be made cyclically continuously, so that each individual visual display can be made to appear on the television screen at regular intervals. One or more individual visual displays can be displayed on the television screen at a time, the end user being able to navigate between the visual displays using the buttons on the remote 2026 controller. In any of the above modalities, the end user may, as desired, purchase one of the goods displayed visually in the television program, by means of pressing the appropriate buttons on the remote 2026 controller. This purchase order is received by the receiver / decoder 2020, which executes a program stored in the receiver / decoder 2020, to mark the server 4006 of application and data or to the separate sales system using the modem. While communication is being established between the receiver / decoder 2020 and, for example, the server 4006, a message is displayed visually, typically in the form of an icon or a cartoon, on the television set 2022. In accordance with the above, in response to a purchase order for particular goods, the application may cause the representative icon of those goods to change. Once the communication has been established, the receiver / decoder 2020 outputs this purchase order to the server 4006 via the modem. The server 4006 receives and processes this order, for example, with an order to charge the account for a credit card that has been inserted into one of the receiver cards 4036 of the receiver / decoder 2020. More specifically, as shown in Figure 15, the receiver / decoder 2020 can be connected, via the PSTN 12, to the communication server 3022. The communication server 3022 can be connected to the SMS 3004 and to a product management system 98, and a server 100 of the credit company. The SMS 3004 can be connected to a 4050S product sales system, which in turn can be connected to the product management system 98, the data server 4006, the multiplexer and encoder 2004, a product provider 102 and a product provider. bank server 104 The product management system 98 can also be connected to the application and data server. The connection of the 4050S system of sales of products to the multiplexer and encoder 2004, enables the video and audio of the television program of purchases, and also the photographs of the products that are going to be supplied through the product sales system, and that they will be integrated into the transmission data stream. The connection of the 4050S product sales system to the product management system allows the catalog data to be supplied. The catalog data includes, for each product, a product reference, a product title, a product description, the price of the product and an ID for a product photograph. The catalog data is then supplied to the application and data server 4006. The connection of the product sales system 4050S to the application and data server 4006 allows an operation list to be supplied to the application and data server 4006. The operation list includes a list of hours, and for each hour a product reference of the product to be announced starting at that time. The connections of the application and data server 4006 to the multiplexer and encoder 2004 allows (1) the purchase application to be transmitted, (e) the catalog data to be transmitted and (3) the synchronization data to be transmitted, which includes the product reference of the product that is currently subject to the video and audio data supplied by the 4050S product sales system, directly to the multiplexer and encoder 2004. Referring now to Figure 16, the components of the bit stream MPEG-2 that relate to the shopping television program and the shopping application, they include the video section and one or more sections of the television program, together with a private section. The private section contains (1) the purchasing application that is going to execute the receiver / decoder 2020; (2) the telephone number of the communication server 3022; (3) the synchronization data that includes the product reference of the product that is currently the subject of the shopping television program; (4) catalog data that includes, for each product, the title, description, reference and price of that product, together with a photo ID for the photograph that shows the product; and (5) the photographs and IDs of the photographs of the products. The operation of the system in the purchasing mode will now be described, with reference to Figures 17 to 21.

Figure 17 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the receiver / decoder 2020, while Figure 21 is a flow diagram which, on the left side, illustrates the operation of the receiver / decoder 2020 and, on the right side, illustrates the operation of the rest of the system. Referring to Figure 17, when the purchasing program is selected, in step 106 the receiver / decoder 2020 downloads and executes the purchasing application, and sends the associated data downwardly. The remaining steps taken by the receiver / decoder 2020 are caused in Figures 17 and 21, by means of the downloaded shopping application. In step 108, the shopping television program is displayed visually on the 2022 television, and Figure 18 shows the layout of the visual display. The video of the broadcast program covers most of the screen. However, two icons are also displayed visually, one 110 to select a impulse purchase, and the other 112 to select purchases by catalog. One of the icons 110, 112 has the initial focus, for example by means of having an animated bank. The user can change the icon that has the focus by using the "up" and "down" buttons on the remote 2026 controller, and can then select the icon that has the focus by pressing an "OK" button on the remote control. 2026 remote controller. After step 108 in Figure 17, the process waits until the user selects the impulse icon 110 in step 114, or the catalog icon 112 in step 116. When any 110, 112 icon is selected, it is animated , for example, by changing the icon or its position on the television screen. If the catalog icon 112 is selected in step 116, then the receiver / decoder 2020 causes a screen to be displayed visually, such as the one shown in Figure 19 on the television. In the lower portion of the screen, a series of "condensates" of the photographs of the products being advertised are displayed visually, together with a "return" button 124. One of the condensates 122 has the initial focus, and preferably that condensate is for the product that was being advertised at that time, when the catalog icon 110 was selected in step 116. The upper right portion of the screen is used for visually displaying a larger photograph of the product having the focus at that time, the photograph and the condensates being taken from the photography data described with reference to Figure 16. The upper left portion of the screen is used to visually display the title, description and price of the product that has focus at that time. In step 126, the process allows the user to change the focus of the condensates, by pressing a left arrow button and a right arrow button of the remote 2026 controller. Accordingly, the focused condensate 122 moves to the left or right, and the photograph 120 and the corresponding title, description and price change accordingly. If the number of products on offer is greater than the number of spaces for the condensates, then a displacement action can be used. In step 126, if the user presses the "OK" button of the remote controller 2026, while the return button is focused, then the process returns to step 108, in which the normal shopping screen of Figure 18 is visually displayed. However, in step 126, if the user presses the "OK" button of the remote controller 2026, while one of the condensates is focused, then, in step 128, the receiver / decoder 2020 notices the product reference of the selected condensate . If the user selects the impulse icon 110 in step 114, then in step 130 the receiver / decoder 2020 notes the product reference of the product being advertised at that time in the shopping television program, by taking the reference of that product from the transmission synchronization data, as shown in Figure 16. After step 128 or 130, in step 13 the receiver / decoder 2020 causes the television 2022 to visually display a purchase-type screen, as shown in Figure 20. The upper portion of the screen is similar to the one shown in Figure 19. The lower portion of the screen includes a 142"D / D" button to select a purchase with payment by direct debit from a bank account, a button 144"C / C" to select a purchase with payment using a credit card account, and a button 146 to cancel the purchase operation. One of the buttons has the initial focus, which is displayed by an animated border around that button, and the focus can be changed by pressing the left arrow button or the right arrow button on the remote 2026 controller. Then the button focused at that moment can be selected by pressing the "OK" button of the remote 2026 controller. In step 134, if the OK button is pressed with the return button in focus, then the process returns to step 108, in which the normal purchase screen of Figure 18 is displayed visually. If the OK button is pressed with the button 142 D / D in focus, then, in step 136, the receiver / decoder 2020 reads the data from a bank card inserted in one of the card readers 4036 of the receiver / decoder 2020. On the other hand, if Press the OK button with the 144 C / C button in focus, then in step 138 the receiver / decoder 2020 reads the data from a credit card inserted in one of the card readers 4036 of the receiver / decoder 2020. These processes can include additional steps, which are not shown in Figure 17, to request that the user insert the appropriate type of card, and return the process to step 108 if an inappropriate type of card is inserted. In step 140, the receiver / decoder 2020 asks the user who is using the television 2022 to insert the appropriate PIN code by means of the remote controller 2026 for the card that has been inserted into the card reader 4036. Then, in step 148, the receiver / decoder 2020 causes its modem to dial the telephone number contained in the downloaded data, and in step 150 a PSTN connection is made to the communication server 3022. In step 152, the receiver / decoder 2020 sends a product order in the form of the smart card number for the user's smart card that is inserted in the other card reader 4036, the product reference of the product being ordering, the type of payment, which is a credit or direct debit card, and that includes an identification of the credit card account or the bank account read from the credit card or bank card in step 138 or 136, and in step 140 the user enters the PIN code. In step 154, the receiver / decoder 2020 awaits a response from the communication server 3022, which may be an error message or an order acknowledgment that includes the product reference and the actual cost. Whichever type of response is received, this is displayed visually on the television 2022 in step 156. The receiver / decoder 2020 then receives a disconnect signal from the communication server 3022 in step 158, and then causes your modem to hang in step 160. Then the process returns to step 108. Referring to the right side of Figure 21, the communication server 3022 waits in step 162 for a ring tone. When it is received, it makes the 150 PSTN connection mentioned above. Then the communication server 3022 receives the product command from the receiver / decoder 2020, as described above with reference to step 152. In step 166, the communication server 3022 verifies whether the supplied smart card number is valid, with reference to the subscriber management system ("SMS") 3004. If it is invalid, then, in step 168, the communication server 3022 sends via the PSTN 12 the error message described with reference to step 154, in step 170 the PSTN disconnects the signal described with reference to step 158, in step 172 its modem hangs up, and then it returns to step 162, waiting for another ring tone. If it is judged that the smart card number is valid, in step 166, then, in step 174, the communication server determines, with reference to the product management system 98, whether the supplied product reference is valid. If it is not, then the process proceeds to step 168 described above. However, if it is judged that the product reference is valid, then in step 176 the communication server 3022 determines whether the transaction is a C / C transaction or a D / D transaction. If it is a C / C transaction, then in step 176 the communication server 3022 attempts to load the user's credit card account with the server 100 of the credit company. If, in step 180, it is determined that the transaction of the credit card is not successful, then the process proceeds to step 168 described above. However, if the transaction is successful, then the process proceeds to step 182. Furthermore, in step 176, if the transaction is determined to be a D / D transaction, then the process also proceeds to step 182. In step 182 , the communication server 3022 determines the real cost of the transaction. This may take into account, for example, information on discounts for the particular user, which provides the SMS 3004. Then, in step 184, the communication server 3022 sends the order acknowledgment described above, with reference to step 154. ( In Figure 21, step 182 is shown as taking place after step 180 or 176. Alternatively, or more preferably, step 182 may take place immediately before step 176, or immediately after step 178, and immediately after step 176. step 176). After step 184, in step 186 the communication server 3022 sends the signal to disconnect the PSTN described above with reference to step 158, and then causes its modem to hang in step 188. Then, the communication server 3022 places the order through the SMS 3004 with the 4050S product sales system, the SMS 3004 providing additional information to the 4050S system of product sales, such as the name, address and shipping instructions for the particular user who placed the order. In step 192 the communication server determines whether the transaction is a C / C or D / D transaction. If it is a C / C transaction, then the process proceeds to step 162 to wait for the next ring tone. However, if it is a D / D transaction, before doing this, in step 194, the communication server 3022 sends the details of the bank account to be charged, to the 4050S product sales system by means of the SMS 3004. Once the 4050S product sales system has received the order, it can then forward the order to a supplier 102 of appropriate products, and in the case of a D / D transaction this can cause the server 104 of the appropriate bank charge the appropriate account. Now we will describe the banking application, which allows for "imaginary" banking actions by the end user. By inserting the bank card, such as a credit card, into one of the receiver cards 4036 of the receiver / decoder 2020, the end user can, for example, download a statement by means of a telephone line, funds transfer between accounts, request a checkbook, and so on. The modem 4034 of the receiver / decoder 2020, or alternatively an external modem, such as a V34 modem capable of transferring data at up to 28.8 kbytes per second, connected to the serial interface, is connected by means of a telephone line to the banking organization that provides the banking card, the telephone number of the banking organization having been downloaded to the receiver / decoder 2020. In operation, first assume that the receiver / decoder 2020 is operating in a "television mode", that is, extracting a television program from the digital bit stream, and supplying the television program extracted therefrom to the television set 2022, for visual display to the end user. By inserting the bank card into the appropriate card reader and pressing a button on the remote controller 2026, the end user is able to activate the banking application by placing the receiver / decoder 2020 in a "banking mode" . Although there is no requirement for the end user to enter their banking details, such as the account number, to activate the banking mode, as a security feature, an application may ask the end user to enter a personal identification number. (PIN) using the remote controller; if the PIN entered does not correspond to one stored on the bank card, access to banking mode is denied.

The banking application causes a number of services that can be selected using the remote 2026 controller to be visually displayed on the television screen, such as, for example, downloading an account statement, transferring funds between accounts via a telephone line. , request a checkbook, etcetera. These services can be displayed visually on the television screen in the form of one or more icons. After the selection of the service required by the end user (using the appropriate buttons of the remote controller), the receiver / decoder 2020 marks the user's banking organization, using the. telephone number stored in the banking card, or stored in the receiver / decoder 2020, and transmits the received banking request to the banking organization. In response to the request by the end user, the application may cause the icon related to the service required by the end user to change in the visual display. The banking organization receives and processes this request. For example, in relation to the request for a checkbook, the organization produces a recognition of the request for the end user, which is transmitted to the receiver / decoder 2020 by means of the modem. Alternatively, in response to a request for the transfer of funds from one account to another, the organization produces a response to the request, which is transmitted in a similar manner to the receiver / decoder 2020 via the modem. This acknowledgment or response is received by the receiver / decoder 2020 and supplied to the end user by means of the visual display of the acknowledgment or response on the television screen. In response to recognition or response, the application may cause the icon related to the service requested by the end user to change in the visual display. More specifically, referring to Figure 22, the components of the transmitted MPEG-2 bitstream comprise the video and audio sections described above, together with a private section. The private section contains (1) the banking application to be executed by the receiver / decoder 2020; (2) the telephone number of the communication server 3022; and (3) the photographs and IDs of the photographs used by the banking application. Referring to Figure 23, these three components of the private section are supplied to the multiplexer and encoder 2004 via the application and data server 4006. Figure 23 also shows the receiver / decoder 2020 that can be connected, via the PSTN 12, to the communication server 3022, and the communication server 3022, in turn, is in communication with the subscriber management system ( "SMS") 3004 and a diversity of servers 104A to 104C of the bank. During the banking operation, one of the card readers 4036 is used to read the user's smart card, and the other card reader 4036 is used to read the user's bank card. The operation of the system in the banking mode will now be described, with reference to the flow diagrams of Figures 24 and 25. In each of these figures, the left side of the diagram illustrates the operation of the receiver / decoder 2020, and the The right side of the diagram illustrates the operation of the rest of the system. In step 196 the user requests the banking mode, for example, by pressing a dedicated button on the remote 2026 controller, or by pressing a series of keys to call a menu and navigate through it, with the object to select the banking mode. In step 198, the receiver / decoder 2020 extracts from the received MPEG-2 bit stream, the banking application and the associated data including the telephone number of the communication server 3022 and assembles the application. The remaining steps taken by the receiver / decoder 2020 are caused to occur in Figures 24 and 25, by means of the downloaded banking application. In step 200, the receiver / decoder 2020 causes the television 2022 to visually display a request to the user to insert his bank card into one of the card readers 4036. In step 202, the receiver / decoder 2020 reads the bank card and then causes the television 2022 to visually display a request to the user to enter his PIN code of the bank card, using the number buttons of the remote controller 2026. In step 206, the receiver / decoder 2020 causes its modem 4034 to dial the telephone number downloaded from the communication server 3022, and in step 208 a PSTN connection is made. In step 210, the receiver / decoder 2020 sends the communication server 3022, the smart card number of the smart card inserted in the other card reader, a user's bank ID, as read from the bank card, the bank card number and an encrypted text. Then the receiver / decoder 2020 waits either to receive an error message from the communication server 3022 in step 212, or to receive status information from the communication server 3022 in step 218. If the error message is received then, in step 214, that message is displayed visually, and then, in step 216, the receiver / decoder 2020 disconnects or hangs up its modem 4034. If the receiver / decoder 2020 receives status information in step 218, the information Status will include, in an example, (1) the balance of the user's current account and brief details of the last nine transactions in the current account; (2) a statement of transactions for the previous month on the account of the user's credit card, and (3) other information such as the availability of a checkbook or a credit card to be collected at the user's bank branch. In step 220, the receiver / decoder 2020 causes the television 2022 to visually display different banking options, each having a respective button in the visual display. The examples of the options are: • Visually unfold the current account (see 1 above); • Visually display the credit card account (see 2 above); • Display other information visually (see 3 above); • Visually display the deposit account; • Transfer between the deposit account and the current account; • Transfer between the current account and the credit card account; • Loan services; • Request a paper statement; and • Request a checkbook. One of these option buttons has the initial focus, and the focus can be changed by using the left, right, up and down buttons on the remote 2026 controller. Then, when the user presses the OK button, the option that has the focus at that moment is selected. As shown by step 222, in the case that one of the state information options (1) to (3) is being selected, the appropriate information is displayed visually on the television 2022 in step 228, and then the process returns to step 220, so that other options can be selected. In the event that one of the other options is being selected in step 224, the receiver / decoder 2020 asks the user for any required information, such as the amount of a transfer, which is then entered by the user using the remote 2026 controller. Then, in step 230, the receiver / decoder 2020 sends an appropriate instruction to the communication server 3022. The receiver / decoder 2020 then waits to receive, in step 232, a response to, or an acknowledgment of the instruction, together with updated status information. The updating of the status information is sent to the receiver / decoder 2020 because the selection of one of these action options may well change the state of the user's account (s). Then the acknowledgment or response received is displayed visually on the television 2022, in step 234, and then the process returns to step 220, so that the user can 'select other options. As an alternative to receiving a request for status information in step 222, or a request for action in step 224, the receiver / decoder 2020 also responds at that stage to an instruction from the user's part to leave in step 226, and in that case, in step 236, the receiver / decoder 2020 sends a disconnect signal from the PSTN, and then in step 238 its modem 4034 hangs to terminate the banking operation. Now the server operation will be described 3022 of communications in Figures 24 and 25. In step 240, the communication server 3022 waits for a ring tone, and in response thereto, the connection to the receiver / decoder 2020 is made in step 208. Then the server The communication 3022 waits, in step 242, to receive the information supplied by the receiver / decoder 2020 in step 210. Once received, in step 244, the communication server 3022 verifies the validity of the smart card number with reference to SMS 3004. If it is judged that the smart card is invalid, then in step 246 the communication center 3022 sends the error message described above with respect to step 212. Then, the communication server 3022 disconnects the PSTN connection, and hang up your modem in step 248, and then the process proceeds to step 240, to wait for another ring tone. If, in step 244, it is judged that the smart card number is valid, then, in step 250, the communication server 3022 is connected to an appropriate one of the bank servers 104A to 104C, as determined by the ID. The bank that supplies the receiver / decoder 2020. In step 252, if the connection can not be made, then the process proceeds to step 246 described above. However, if the connection is made, then in step 254 the communication server 3022 obtains the appropriate status information from the bank server., related to the bank card number supplied. In step 256, this information is sent to the receiver / decoder 2020, as described above with reference to step 218. The communication server 3022 then waits to receive an instruction from the receiver / decoder 2020 in step 258, sent as result of step 230 described above, or to receive a PSTN disconnect signal in step 260, sent as a result of step 236 described above. If in step 260 the PSTN disconnect signal is received, then in step 268 the communication server 3022 causes its modem to hang, and then the process proceeds to step 240 to wait for another ring tone. However, if an instruction is received in step 258, the communication server 3022 passes that instruction to the banking server 140, without changing the instruction, but merely modifying the communication protocol as necessary. In step 264, the communication server 3022 receives a response or acknowledgment, and updated status information, from the bank server 140, and in step 266 passes that information to the receiver / decoder 2020, where it is received in the step 232 described above, again without changing the data, but merely modifying the communication protocol as necessary. Then, the process returns to steps 258/260 to wait for the receipt of another instruction or a PSTN disconnect signal. Now the questionnaire operation mode will be described. The questionnaire application is preferably synchronized with a transmitted questionnaire program, and allows the end user to participate actively in the questionnaire program, with the receiver / decoder being able to verify the responses of the end user, and optionally keep the score of the final user . The question data and the response data related to, and synchronized with, the content of the television questionnaire program, extracted from the MPEG bitstream, are contained in the private section of the MPEG bit stream, and are extracted from the same by means of the receiver / decoder 2020. By pressing the appropriate buttons on the remote controller 2026, the end user is able to activate the questionnaire application by placing the receiver / decoder 2020 in a "questionnaire mode". In the questionnaire mode, as a question is asked in the television questionnaire program (during a period of "questions"), the receiver / decoder extracts the data from questions synchronized with, and corresponding substantially with that question , from the MPEG bit stream, and are supplied to the television set. The question is typically a "multiple choice" question, in which the question includes a plurality of possible answers to the question. The question data is displayed visually on the television screen 2022, typically in the form of a plurality of icons or a plurality of numbered buttons. Within a predetermined period of time, a "response period", to answer the question (typically many seconds), the end user can select one of the answers to the question displayed visually in the television set, using the 2026 controller remote. The receiver / decoder 2020 extracts the response data corresponding to the question data, from the MPEG bit stream, and is supplied to the television set 2022. The response data is displayed visually on the television screen 2022, typically by means of either changing the visual display of the icon representing the response selected by the end user, and / or changing the visual display of the icon representing the correct answer to the question, informing by the same to the end user if his answer was correct or not. Question data are only transmitted at the end of the question period or at the beginning of the response period; no question data is transmitted during the rest of the response period. To answer a particular question, the end user must enter the questionnaire mode during the question period, or else that question will be lost, and the first question that will be displayed visually on the television screen will be the next question. Since a new question is asked in the television program, then the question data and the response data contained within the MPEG bit stream are changed to correspond to that question. The application can keep score of the user, and cause the marker to be displayed visually on the television screen. Referring in particular to Figure 26, the components of the transmitted MPEG-2 bitstream, related to a questionnaire program, comprise the video section of the questionnaire and one or more audio sections of the questionnaire, together with a private section. The private section contains (1) the questionnaire application that will be executed by the receiver / decoder 2020; (2) the synchronization data that may indicate: the start of a response period and the number of possible responses; and the end of a period of responses and the number of correct answers; and (3) different animations. Referring now to Figure 27, the operation of the receiver / decoder 2020 will now be described to receive a questionnaire program with the questionnaire mode. In step 270, the user selects a questionnaire program and the questionnaire mode, and as a result, in step 272 the questionnaire application and the animations are downloaded, and mounted in the receiver / decoder 2020. In step 274 , a variable "marker" is reset to 0. In the transmitted questionnaire television program, the interrogator will typically ask a multiple-choice question that has a previously determined number N of possible answers, and then give a time period for the response, the response period. At the beginning of the response period, the synchronization start signal is transmitted, which includes the number N of possible answers for the relevant question. This is received by the receiver / decoder 2020 in step 276, and in step 278 the receiver / decoder 2020 extracts the number N of responses. Then, in step 280, the receiver / decoder 2020 causes the television 2022 to visually display a numbered set of response buttons, equal in number to the number N. In addition, an animation is displayed visually in step 282, for example, from a person scratching his head. Then the receiver / decoder 2020 waits either to receive an end-of-synchronization signal in step 284, or the user to press one of the number buttons 1 to N of the remote controller 2026 in step 286. If the signal is received from end of synchronization before one of buttons 1 to N is pressed, this means that it is too late for the user to answer the question, and therefore, in step 288, an animation of "too late" is displayed visually on the television 2022. Then the process proceeds to step 290. However, if one of the buttons 1 to N of the remote controller is pressed in step 286, in step 292 a note of the number A of the pressed button is made, and in step 294 the corresponding button A displayed visually on the television 2022 is highlighted, for example, by means of an animated bank. Also, in step 296, an "expectant" animation is displayed visually on the television 2022. Then, in step 298 the receiver / decoder 2020 waits to receive the end-of-synchronization signal, which includes the number C of correct answers . In step 300, the receiver / decoder 2020 extracts the number C of correct responses from the end-of-synchronization signal, and then, in step 302, tests the equality of the numbers A and C. If these are different, then in step 304 the receiver / decoder 2020 causes the television 2022 to visually display a "sad face" animation, and then the process proceeds to step 290. However, if in step 302 it is judged that the numbers A and C are equal, then in step 306 the receiver / decoder 2020 causes the television 2022 to visually display a "happy face" animation, and then in step 308 increments the value of the "marker" variable. Then, in step 290, which follows steps 304, 308 and 288, the receiver / decoder 2020 causes the television 2022 to visually display the "marker" value. Then the process returns to step 276 to receive the signal to start synchronization for the next question and answer of the questionnaire. Now we will describe the system's operation mode of review. The magazine browser application provides a data network (the magazine) of magazine pages on the television screen, which the user can browse. The page data of the magazine is carried in the private sections of the MPEG-2 bit stream transmitted as video photographs in compressed form. By pressing the appropriate buttons of the remote controller 2026, the end user is able to activate the magazine browser application by placing the receiver / decoder 2020 in a "magazine mode".

When the receiver / decoder 2020 has been placed in the magazine mode, the application allows data to be extracted from pages of the magazine thereof, by means of the receiver / decoder 2020, and displayed visually on the screen of the set 2022 of TV. Each magazine page displayed visually on the television set screen typically comprises a still video image with a number of button objects superimposed on that image. A button object is typically a rectangle, which may be of any desired size, and may have a message displayed visually therein. In the end user can, by using the remote controller, focus on any desired button object, and then you can select that object. Objects are typically linked to other pages, such that the selection of an object results in the system moving to any new page that is associated with a selected button object. The new page is extracted from the MPEG bit stream and visually displayed on the television set 2022 screen. The user can leave the magazine mode in two ways. First, most pages will have an "exit" button that allows the user to exit the magazine application. Secondly, the network of journal pages will often allow the user to reach a topic of particular interest, and the user can then leave directly within that topic. The main system control screen allows the user to select a desired theme either directly from the screen, or through some sequence of sub-screens. Magazine mode provides an alternative route for the user to reach at least some topics. Each button object is defined by a module with some associated parameters, and is linked to the visual display through devices. One of the "parameters" of a button object can be a sequence of sounds that is played when the object is selected (that is, as the system moves to the next selected screen). The sequence of sounds is stored as a file of the module. Referring in particular to Figure 28, the user requests magazine mode, for example, by pressing a dedicated key on the eX 2026 remote controller, or by pressing a series of keys to call a menu, and navigating through of this, in order to select the magazine mode. In step 310, the receiver / decoder 2020 extracts from the received MPEG-2 bitstream, the magazine application and the associated data, and assembles the application. The receiver / decoder 2020 then builds a default initial screen with an initial focus on one of the objects on that screen, and causes the 2022 television to visually display the screen. As an example, the parameters associated with each screen may include: • an identification of a background for the screen, which can be obtained from a motionless MPEG compressed photograph; • a list of objects and their parameters; and • an indication of the object that had the initial focus. The list of objects and their parameters can include, for each object: • the type of object, such as an immobile photograph, a video sequence, a button object, an icon or text; • an identification of the object, such as the direction of the photograph or video sequence, the type and color of the button object, the address of the icon, or the string of characters, the font and the color of the text; • the size of the object; • the position of the object on the screen; • the type of focus that can be given to the object, such as a rectangular edge or a circular edge and its color; • the identities of other objects to which the focus must be transferred from the object in question, in response to the operation by the user of the up, down, left, and right keys of the remote 2026 controller; • one or more actions that must be taken when the object is selected, such as switching to another screen, playing a video, playing a sound file, executing a sequence of instructions, or downloading and running a different application. Referring again to Figure 28, after the initial screen has been constructed in step 312, the receiver / decoder 2020 waits (1) for the user to press one of the arrow keys of the remote controller 2026 in step 314; (2) the user presses a "select" key of remote controller 2026 in step 316; or (3) the user presses an "abandon" key of the remote controller 2026 in step 318. If the user presses one of the arrow keys in step 314, then in step 320 the receiver / decoder 2020 causes the focus changes in accordance with the focus change parameters for the object that has the focus at that moment. Then the process proceeds back to steps 314/316/318. If the user presses the "select" key in step 316, then, in step 322 the receiver / decoder 2020 executes the action (s) designated for the object that has the focus at that time. Then the process proceeds back to steps 314/316/318. If the user presses the "leave" key in step 318, then in step 32 for the receiver / decoder 2020 the magazine application is dismounted. The magazine application has a variety of uses. For example, this can be used as a news magazine, as a reference work, and one as a means to provide access to other applications available with the system, such as those described above, and to television programs. As another example, the journal application can be used to provide lists and reviews of different events, such as cultural events, and the user, who as a result has decided to buy a ticket for a particular event, can then use the application of magazine to initiate a ticket purchase application, which would follow similar steps to the shopping application described above with reference to Figures 17 and 21, particularly steps 136 to 194.

Now the weather or traffic application will be described. Like the other applications described above, when this is selected, the application and the data related to the receiver / decoder 2020 are downloaded and mounted. The weather or traffic application can have many similarities with the magazine application, and in fact you can navigate through some of the pages of the weather or traffic application, using the same techniques as described above with respect to the application of magazine. The climate application has the facility to visually display weather reports and / or climate maps and / or video and / or audio sequences related to the climate situation for different regions, and also the traffic application has the facility to deploy visually traffic reports and / or traffic maps and / or video and / or audio sequences related to the traffic situation for different regions. In each case, the information is selected for a particular region, from an initial screen, by pressing the buttons on the remote controller 2026, which represents a code for that meeting. In addition, the code for each region is at least part of a code established for that region. For example, in France, the code can be one of the ninety-five province numbers of two digits (for example, 75 for Paris), and in the United States it can be the first two digits of the five-digit postal code. In fact, in the case of the United States, the first digit of the postal code can be used to obtain climate information of a wide area, and the first two digits of the postal code can be used to obtain more localized weather information. The traffic or climate information that is related to each region can be contained in a separate file, and the relevant code can be incorporated into the file name, so that the file can be directed in part through the region code . In countries where the most significant characters of a postal code are alphabetic, or alphabetic and numeric, such as in the United Kingdom, those characters can be used to select a particular region in the case where the remote 2026 controller has alphanumeric buttons. In another example, the telephone area codes (or parts thereof) can be used to select a particular region. Because the region that covers a particular telephone area code may typically be smaller than that which can be usefully covered by a particular weather or traffic report, and because codes for geographically adjacent telephone areas may have little similarity between them, the system may be operable to download to the receiver / decoder 2020 a search table or database that provides a mapping of the telephone area codes to the regions covered by the weather and / or traffic information. It will be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and any modifications of the detail may be made within the scope of the invention. Each feature described in the description may be provided, and (where appropriate) the claims and drawings independently or in any appropriate combination. In the preferred embodiments mentioned above, certain features of the present invention have been implemented, using the software of the computer. However, it will of course be clear to the experienced person that any of these features can be implemented, using the hardware. Additionally, it will be readily understood that the functions performed by the hardware, computer software, and the like, are performed on or using electrical or similar signals. The cross reference is made to our pending requests, all of them having the same filing date, and entitled Sign Generation and Transmission (Lawyer Reference Number PC / ASB / 19707), Smart Card for use with a Key Transmission Signal Receiver, and Receiving System (Lawyer Reference Number PC / ASB / 19708), Transmission and Reception and Conditional Access System for it (Lawyer Reference Number PC / ASB / 19710), Downloading a Computer File from a Transmitter via a Receiver / Decoder to a Computer (Lawyer Reference Number PC / ASB / 19711), Transmission and Reception of Television Programs and Other Data (Lawyer Reference Number PC / ASB / 19712), Downloading Data (Lawyer Reference Number PC / ASB / 19713), Computer Memory Organization (PC Lawyer Number Reference) / ASB / 19714), Development of Television or Radio Control System (Lawyer Reference Number PC / ASB / 19715), Extracting Sections. - Data from a Transmitted Data Stream (Reference d e Lawyer Number PC / ASB / 19716), Access Control System (Lawyer Reference Number PC / ASB / 19717), Data Processing System (Lawyer Reference Number PC / ASB / 19718), and Transmission and Reception System , and Receiver / Decoder and Remote Controller for the same (Lawyer Reference Number PC / ASB / 19720). The descriptions of these documents are incorporated herein by reference. The list of applications includes the present application.

Claims (68)

1. A method for transmitting a television program and other data, comprising the steps: in a transmission system, for transmitting a digital data stream containing at least one television program; in a user receiver / decoder, of: - receiving the digital data stream; in a television mode: - extracting said television program from a digital data stream; and supplying the extracted television program to a television; and in an Internet mode: - use a modem to dial a communications center; receive an Internet request from the user; and transmitting the Internet request received via the modem to the communications center; in the communications center, of: - receiving said Internet request; obtain a response to the Internet request received from the Internet; and provide the Internet response to the transmission system; in the transmission system, to integrate the Internet response supplied into the digital data stream; and in the receiver / decoder, in the Internet mode, of: - extracting the Internet response from the digital data stream; and provide the Internet response extracted to the user.

2. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extracted Internet response is provided to the user by means of displaying it visually on the television.

3. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extracted Internet response is supplied to the user by means of a computer connected to the receiver / decoder.

4. A method, as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it also includes the steps: -in the transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause the receiver / decoder operate in Internet mode; and in the receiver / decoder, in a download mode, of: - extracting the application code from the digital data stream; and start the application defined by the extracted application code, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in the Internet mode.

A method, as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it also includes the steps: - in the transmission system, to integrate shopping data within the digital data stream; in the receiver / decoder, in a purchasing mode, of: - extracting the purchasing data from the digital data stream; supply the extracted shopping data to the television; receive a purchase order from the user, in response to the data of purchases supplied; use the modem to dial a communications center; and transmit the purchase order received by means of a modem to the communications center; and in the communications center, of: - receiving said purchase order; and process the received purchase order.

6. A method for transmitting a television program and other data, comprising the steps: - in the transmission system, for transmitting a digital data stream containing at least one television program and purchasing data; in the receiver / decoder of a user, of: - receiving the digital data stream; in a television mode: - extract that television program from the digital data stream; and supplying the extracted television program to a television; and in a purchasing mode: - extract purchasing data from the • digital data stream; supply the data of purchases extracted to the user; receive a purchase order from the user, in response to the data of purchases supplied; use a modem to dial a communications center; and transmit the purchase order received by means of the modem to the communications center; and in the communications center, of: - receiving said purchase order; and process the received purchase order.

A method, as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein, in the receiver / decoder, in the purchasing mode: -the receiver / decoder supplies the data of purchases extracted to the user, by means of the television; the receiver / decoder causes at least one icon to be visually displayed by means of the television; and in response to the user's purchase order, the receiver / decoder causes a change in the visual display of said icon through the television.

A method, as claimed in any of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that it also includes the steps: - in the transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause that the receiver / decoder operates in the purchase mode; and in the receiver / decoder, in a, or the download mode, of: - extracting the application code from the digital data stream; and start the application defined by the extracted application code to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in the purchasing mode.

A method, as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it also includes the steps: - in the receiver / decoder of a user, in a banking mode, of: - supplying banking options to the user; receive a request from the user's bank, in response to the options provided; use the modem to dial a communications center; and transmit the received banking request to the communications center; in the communications center, of: - receiving said bank request; process the request for banking received, and produce a response or recognition; and transmitting the response or recognition to the receiver / decoder by means of the modem; and in the receiver / decoder, in the banking mode, of: - receiving that response or acknowledgment; and provide the response or recognition to the user.

10. A method for transmitting a television program and other data, comprising the steps: in a transmission system, for transmitting a digital data stream containing at least one television program; in a receiver / decoder of a user, of: - receiving the data stream; in a television mode: - extract that television program from the digital data stream; and supplying the extracted television program to a television; and in a banking mode: - provide banking options to the user; receive a request from the user's bank, in response to the options provided; use the modem to dial a communications center; and transmit the received banking request to the communications center; in the communications center, of: - receiving that banking request; process the request for banking received, and produce a response or recognition; and transmitting the response or recognition to the receiver / decoder by means of the modem; and in the receiver / decoder, in the banking mode, of: - receiving that response or acknowledgment; and provide the response or recognition to the user.

A method, as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein, in the receiver / decoder, in the banking mode: -the receiver / decoder supplies the banking options and / or the response or recognition from the communication center to the user by means of a television; the receiver / decoder causes at least one icon to be visually displayed by means of the television, and in response to the user's banking request and / or response or acknowledgment from the communications center, the receiver / decoder causes a change in the visual display of said icon by the television 12.

A method, as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that it also includes the steps: -in the transmission system, to integrate into the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in the banking mode; and in the receiver / decoder, in a, or the download mode, of: - extracting the application code from the digital data stream; and start the application defined by the extracted application code, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in the banking mode.

A method, as claimed in any of claims 5 to 12, characterized in that it also includes the steps, in the receiver / decoder, of: - reading data from a bank card provided by the user; and incorporate the data read into the purchase order or banking request, as the case may be, transmitted to the communications center.

A method, as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it also includes the steps: - in the transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream data of questionnaires that include response data related to, and synchronized with the content of that television program; and in the receiver / decoder, in a questionnaire mode, of: - extracting the questionnaire data from the digital data stream; receive from the user a response to the questionnaire data or to a synchronized question in the television program; compare the response received and the response data; and provide the result of the comparison to the television.

15. A method for transmitting a television program and other data, comprising the steps: - in a transmission system, for transmitting a digital data stream containing at least one television program and questionnaire data including response data related to, and synchronized with, the content of that television program; and in a user receiver / decoder, of: - receiving the digital data stream; in a questionnaire mode: extract the television program from the digital data stream; supply the extracted television program to a television; extract the questionnaire data from the digital data stream; receive from the user a response to the questionnaire data, or to a question synchronized in the television program; compare the response received and the response data; and provide the result of the comparison to the television.

16. A method, as claimed in claim 14 or 15, wherein, in the receiver / decoder in the questionnaire mode, in response to the comparison step, the receiver / decoder causes one to display visually one of a plurality of icons by means of the television, selected depending on the result of the comparison.

17. A method, as claimed in any of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that it also includes the steps: -in the transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause that the receiver / decoder operates in the questionnaire mode; and in the receiver / decoder, in a, or the download mode, of: - extracting the application code from the digital data stream; and start the application defined by the extracted application code, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in the questionnaire mode.

A method, as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it also includes the steps: - in a transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream a plurality of pages of journal page data; and in a user receiver / decoder, in a magazine mode, of: - extracting a first page of the magazine page data from a digital data stream; supply the first page extracted to the television; receive a user instruction to select another page; extract the data from journal pages related to the other page, from the digital data stream; supply the other extracted page to the television; and repeat the steps of receiving instruction, extract another page, and provide another page; wherein, in the magazine mode: at least one of the pages includes a plurality of button objects, one of which has an initial focus; and the step of receiving instruction to select the subsequent page comprises the steps of: receiving one or more instructions from the user, by means of a remote controller, for the receiver / decoder to change that of the button objects having focus; change the focus of the button object, in accordance with the received change instruction (s); . receive an instruction from the user by means of the remote controller to select that one of the button objects, which has focus at that moment; and determining the identity of the subsequent page by the pages of magazine pages of the current page and the selected button object.

19. A method for transmitting a television program and other data, comprising the steps: - in a transmission system, for transmitting a digital data stream containing at least one television program and a plurality of pages of page data of magazine; and in a user receiver / decoder, of: - receiving the digital data stream; in a television mode: - extract that television program from a digital data stream; and supplying the extracted television program to a television; and in a magazine mode: - extracting a first of the pages of journal page data from a digital data stream; supply the first page extracted to the television; receive a user instruction to select another page; extract the data from journal pages related to the other page, from the digital data stream; supply the other extracted page to the television; and repeat the steps of receiving instruction, extract another page, and provide another page; where, in the magazine mode: at least one of the pages includes a plurality of button objects, one of which has an initial focus; and the step of receiving instruction to select the subsequent page comprises the steps of: receiving one or more instructions from the user, by means of a remote controller, for the receiver / decoder to change that of the button objects having focus; change the focus of the button object, in accordance with the received change instruction (s); receive a user instruction through the remote controller to select that one of the button objects, which has focus at that moment; and determining the identity of the subsequent page by the pages of magazine pages of the current page and the selected button object.

20. A method, as claimed in claim 18 or 19, wherein the pages of magazine pages for at least one of the pages include sound data, and further includes the step of supplying the sound data to the television, in response to the selection by means of the remote controller of one of the button objects.

21. A method, as claimed in any of claims 18 or 20, characterized in that it also includes the steps: -in the transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause that the receiver / decoder operate in magazine mode; and in the receiver / decoder, in a, or the download mode, of: - extracting the application code from the digital data stream; and start the application defined by the extracted application code, to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in magazine mode.

22. A method, as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the transmission system transmits the digital data stream in an MPEG format, and the data apart from the television program (s) is included in when minus a private section of the MPEG data stream.

23. A method for transmitting a television program and other data, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

24. A digital television receiver / decoder, comprising: data stream receiving elements for receiving a digital data stream; extraction elements for extracting a television program and an Internet response from the received data stream; television supply elements for supplying the extracted television program to a television; user input interface elements to receive a user's Internet request; and a modem to dial a communications center and transmit the received Internet request to the communications center.

25. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in claim 24, wherein the television supply element is operable to supply the extracted Internet response to the television.

26. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in claim 24 or 25, characterized in that it also includes a computer output port, the receiver / decoder being operable to supply the extracted Internet response to a computer connected to the output port of the computer. computer.

27. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in any of claims 24 to 26, wherein: the extracting element is operable also for extracting purchase data from the received data stream; the television supply element is also operable to supply the extracted shopping data to the television; the user's input interface element is also operable to receive a purchase order from the user, in response to the supplied purchasing data; and the modem is also operable to transmit the received purchase order to the, or another, communications center.

28. A digital television receiver / decoder, comprising: data stream receiving elements for receiving a digital data stream; extraction elements for extracting a television program and shopping data from the received data stream; television supply elements for supplying the extracted television program to a television; input elements of the user to receive a purchase order from a user, in response to the data of purchases extracted; and a modem to dial a communications center and transmit the received purchase order to the communications center.

29. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in claim 27 or 28, characterized in that it also includes elements of icon production to produce icon data, which changes in response to the user's input interface, and wherein the element of TV supply is also operable to supply the extracted shopping data and the icon data to the television.

30. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in any of claims 24 to 29, wherein: an element is provided to provide banking options to the user; the user's input interface element is also operable to receive a bank request by the user, in response to the options provided; - the modem is also operable to transmit the received banking request to the, or another, communications center, and to receive a banking response or recognition from that communication center; and an element is provided to provide the banking response or recognition to the user.

31. A digital television receiver / decoder, comprising: - data stream receiving elements for receiving a digital data stream; extraction elements for extracting a television program and shopping data from the received data stream; television supply elements for supplying the extracted television program to a television; elements to provide banking options to a user; user input interface elements to receive a banking request from the user, in response to the options provided; a modem to dial a communications center, transmit the received banking request to a communications center, and receive a banking response or recognition from the communications center; and elements to provide the answer or recognition of banking to the user.

32. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in claim 30 or 31, wherein: - the banking option supply element and the banking response or acknowledgment supply element are provided by means of the supply element of TV; an icon production element is provided to produce icon data that changes in response to the banking option provision element and / or the bank acknowledgment response element; and the television supply element is operable also to supply icon data to the television.

33. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in any of claims 27 to 32, characterized in that it also includes reading elements for reading data from a bank card provided by the user, said read data being incorporated into the purchase order or the bank request, as the case may be, that is transmitted to the communications center.

34. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in any of claims 24 to 33, wherein: - the extracting element is operable also for extracting questionnaire data including response data from the digital data stream; the user's input interface element is also operable to receive from the user a response to the questionnaire data or to a synchronized question in the television program; a comparison element is provided to compare the response received and the response data; and the television supply element is also operable to supply the result of the comparison to the television.

35. A digital television receiver / decoder, comprising: - data stream receiving elements for receiving a digital data stream; extraction elements for extracting a television program and questionnaire data including response data, from the received data stream; television supply elements for supplying the extracted television program; input elements of the user to receive from the user a response to the questionnaire data or to a question synchronized in the television program; and elements of comparison to compare the response received and the response data; wherein the television supply element is also operable to supply the comparison result to the television.

36. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in claim 34 or 35, wherein: an icon production element is provided to produce icon data, which changes in response to the comparison elements; and the television supply element is operable also to supply the icon data to the television.

37. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in any of claims 24 to 36, wherein: - the extracting element is operable also for extracting selected pages of magazine page data from the digital data stream; the television supply element is also operable to supply said extracted page to the television; the user's input interface element includes a remote controller, and is also operable to receive an instruction from the user, to select another page; and a control element is provided which is operable to cause: the extraction element to extract a first page of the magazine page data from the digital data stream; that the television supply element supplies the first page extracted to the television; that the extraction element extracts the data from magazine pages that are related to the other page, from the digital data stream, in response to an instruction received from part of the user's input interface element, to select another page; and that the television supply element supplies the other page to the television; wherein, in the case of said page including a plurality of button objects, one of which has the initial focus: the user's input interface element is operable to receive an instruction by means of the remote controller, to change that of the button objects that have focus; the control element is operable in response to the focus change instruction of the button, to change the focus of the button object in accordance with the above; the user's input interface element is operable to receive an instruction by means of the remote controller to select that of the button objects having the focus at that time; and the control element is operable to determine the identity of the subsequent page of the magazine page data of the current page and the selected button object.

38. A digital television receiver / decoder, comprising: - data-receiving elements for receiving a digital data stream; extraction elements for extracting a television program and the selected pages of magazine page data from the digital data stream; television supply elements for supplying the extracted television program and the extracted page to the television; user input interface elements that include a remote controller to receive from the user a user instruction to select another page; and control element that is operable to cause: that the extraction element extracts a first of the pages of the magazine page data from the digital data stream; that the television supply element supplies the first page extracted to the television; that the extraction element extracts the data from magazine pages that relate to the other page, from the digital data stream, in response to an instruction received through the user's input interface element, to select said other page; and that the television supply element supplies the other page to the television; wherein, in the case of said page including a plurality of button objects, one of which has the initial focus: the user's input interface element is operable to receive an instruction by means of the remote controller, to change that of the button objects that have focus; the control element is operable in response to the focus change instruction of the button, to change the focus of the button object in accordance with the above; the user's input interface element is operable to receive an instruction by means of the remote controller to select that of the button objects having the focus at that time; and the control element is operable to determine the identity of the subsequent page of the magazine page data of the current page and the selected button object.

39. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in claim 37 or 38, wherein, in the case where the magazine page data for at least one of the pages includes sound data, the television supply element it is operable to supply the sound data to the television, in response to the selection by means of the remote controller of one of the button objects.

40. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in any of claims 24 to 39, wherein the extracting element is operable to extract the application code from the digital data stream; and characterized in that it also includes operable processing elements for initiating an application defined by the extracted application code.

41. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in any of claims 24 to 40, wherein the data stream receiving element is operable to receive that stream of data in a format MPEG, and the extraction element is operable to extract data apart from the television program (s), from at least one private section of the data stream MPEG.

42. A digital television receiver / decoder, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

43. A digital television transmission and communication system, comprising: - a transmission system for transmitting a digital data stream containing at least one television program; and a communications center operable to receive an Internet request from a user's modem, to obtain a response to the received Internet request from the Internet, and to provide the response from Internet to the transmission system; the transmission system being operable to integrate the Internet response supplied into the digital data stream.

44. A digital television transmission and communication system, as claimed in claim 43, wherein the transmission system is also operable to integrate within the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause a receiver / Digital television decoder operate in an Internet mode.

45. A digital television transmission and communication system, as claimed in claim 43 or 44, wherein: - the transmission system is operable also to integrate the purchasing data into the digital data stream; and the, or other, communications center is operable also to receive a purchase order from a user's modem, in response to said purchasing data, and to process the received purchase order.

46. A digital television transmission and communication system, comprising: a transmission system for transmitting a digital data stream containing at least one television program and shopping data; and an operable communications center to receive a purchase order from a user's modem, in response to the purchase data, and to process the received purchase order.

47. A digital television transmission and communication system, as claimed in claim 45 or 46, wherein the transmission system is operable also to integrate within the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause that a digital television receiver / decoder operate in a shopping mode.

48. A digital television transmission and communication system, as claimed in any of claims 43 to 47, wherein the, or other, communications center is operable: - to receive a banking request from the modem of a user; to process the received banking request and produce a response or acknowledgment; and to transmit the response or recognition to the user's modem.

49. A digital television transmission and communication system, comprising: a transmission system for transmitting a digital data stream containing the application code for an application, for causing a digital television receiver / decoder to operate in a mode of banking; and a communications center that is operable: - to receive a banking request by means of a modem from said digital television receiver / decoder operating in the banking mode; to process the received banking request, and produce a response or acknowledgment; and to transmit the response or recognition to the modem.

50. A digital television transmission and communication system, as claimed in any of claims 43 to 49, wherein the transmission system is also operable to integrate within the digital data stream, questionnaire data including data from answers that are related to, and synchronized with, the content of that television show.

51. A digital television transmission system for transmitting a digital data stream, which contains at least one television program and questionnaire data that includes response data that is related to, and synchronized with, the content of the television program.

52. A system of (communications and) digital television transmission, as claimed in claim 50 or 51, wherein the transmission system is also operable to integrate within the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause a digital television receiver / decoder to operate in a questionnaire mode.

53. A system of (communications and) digital television transmission, as claimed in any of claims 43 to 52, wherein the transmission system is also operable to integrate within the digital data stream a plurality of data pages. of magazine pages.

54. A system of (communications and) digital television transmission, comprising a transmission system for transmitting a digital data stream containing at least one television program, and a plurality of pages of magazine page data, at least one of the pages of the magazine page data including parameters defining the positions of a plurality of button objects.

55. A system of (communications and) digital television transmission, as claimed in claim 53 or 54, wherein the pages of magazine pages for at least one of the pages include sound data.

56. A system of digital television (communications and) transmission, as claimed in any of claims 53 to 55, wherein the transmission system is also operable to integrate the application code for a digital data stream into the digital data stream. application, to cause a receiver / decoder to operate in a magazine mode.

57. A digital television (communications and) transmission system, as claimed in any of claims 43 to 56, wherein the transmission system transmits the digital data stream in an MPEG format, and the data apart from the ) television program (s), are included in at least one section, deprived of the MPEG data stream.

58. A digital television transmission and communication system, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

59. A method, as claimed in any of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that it also includes the steps: - in a transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream a plurality of pages of climate data or data. traffic; and in a user receiver / decoder, in a weather or traffic mode, of: - receiving a user instruction to select a particular page of weather or traffic data; extract the selected page of weather or traffic data from the digital data stream; and supply the extracted page to the television; where, in climate or traffic mode: the climate or traffic data pages are related to respective geographic regions, and can be distinguished by means of the codes established for those regions; and the step of receiving instructions to select the particular page comprises receiving the code for the respective region from the user.

60. A method for transmitting a television program and other data, comprising the steps: - in a transmission system, for transmitting a digital data stream containing at least one television program and a plurality of pages of page data of climate and traffic; and in a user receiver / decoder, of: - receiving the digital data stream; in a television mode: - extract that television program from the digital data stream; and supplying the extracted television program to a television; and in a weather or traffic mode: - receive a user instruction to select a particular page of weather or traffic data; extract the selected page of weather or traffic data from the digital data stream; and supply the extracted page to the television; where, in climate or traffic mode: the climate or traffic data pages are related to respective geographic regions, and can be distinguished by means of the codes established for those regions; and the step of receiving instructions to select the particular page comprises receiving the code for the respective region from the user.

61. A method, as claimed in claim 59 or 60, characterized in that it also includes the steps: - in the transmission system, to integrate within the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause the receiver / decoder operate in weather or traffic mode; and in the receiver / decoder, in a, or the download mode, of: - extracting the application code from the digital data stream; and start the application defined by the extracted application code 'to cause the receiver / decoder to operate in weather or traffic mode.

62. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in any of claims 24 to 42, wherein: the extracting element is operable also for extracting selected pages of weather or traffic data from the digital data stream; the television supply element is also operable to supply said extracted page to the television; the user's input interface element includes a remote controller that is operable also to receive a user's instruction from a user, to select said climate or traffic data page; and a control element is provided which is operable to cause: the extracting element to extract a selected page of the weather or traffic data from the digital data stream, in response to an instruction received by the input interface element of the user, to select that page; and that the television supply element supplies that extracted page to the television; wherein, in the case where the weather or traffic data pages relate to respective geographical regions, and can be distinguished by the codes established for those regions, the user's input interface element is operable to receive the code for the region of the weather or traffic page that is to be selected.

63. A digital television receiver / decoder, comprising: data stream receiving elements for receiving a digital data stream; extraction elements to extract a television program and selected pages of weather or traffic data from the digital data stream; television supply elements for supplying the extracted television program and said extracted page to the television; user input interface elements that includes a remote controller, to receive from the user a user instruction to select that weather or traffic data page; and control elements that are operable to cause: the extraction element to extract a selected page of weather or traffic data from the digital data stream, in response to an instruction received by the user's input interface element, to select that page; and that the television supply element supplies the extracted page to the television; wherein, in the case where the weather or traffic data pages are related to respective geographic regions, and can be distinguished by means of the codes established for those regions, the user's input interface element is operable to receive the code for the region of the weather or traffic page to be selected.

64. A receiver / decoder, as claimed in claim 62 or 63, wherein the extracting element is operable to extract the application code from the digital data stream; and characterized in that it also includes processing elements to initiate an application defined by the extracted application code.

65. A digital television (communications and) transmission system, as claimed in any of claims 43 to 58, wherein the transmission system is also operable to integrate a plurality of data pages into the digital data stream. of climate or traffic, each of the pages covering a respective geographical region, and each page can be addressed through, or can be indexed, in accordance with the codes established for those regions.

66. A system of (communications and) digital television transmission, comprising a transmission system for transmitting a digital data stream containing at least one television program and a plurality of pages of climate or traffic data, each one of the pages covering a respective geographical region, where the climate or traffic data pages can be di- verted by, or indexed, in accordance with the codes established for those regions.

67. A system of (communications and) digital television transmission, as claimed in claim 65 or 66, wherein the transmission system is also operable to integrate within the digital data stream the application code for an application, to cause a receiver / decoder to operate in a weather or traffic mode.

68. A method, receiver / decoder or system, as claimed in any of claims 59 to 67, wherein the established codes comprise at least part of the postal codes, zone codes, state, numbers or county or province codes , telephone area codes, other administrative codes, or similar, for geographic regions.