WO2001061926A1

WO2001061926A1 - Method for requesting goods and/or services via a packet oriented data network

Info

Publication number: WO2001061926A1
Application number: PCT/DE2000/000460
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin Peter; Jörg Siewerth
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2000-02-18
Filing date: 2000-02-18
Publication date: 2001-08-23

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to request goods and/or services via a packet oriented data network, whereby said goods and/or services are offered by a supplier. Supply information (2) is transmitted via a data network and is received by a terminal (MOG) of said data network using a real time data stream (1) and streaming for instance. An order message (4) for the goods/services offered is produced and sent to a receiving point (AEM) using supply-related data derived from said information and user-specific data, whereby said point can be predetermined. Said message is produced and sent by virtue of an order (3) that is inputted on the terminal.

Description

description

Method of requesting service over a packet-oriented data network

The invention relates to a method for requesting a service offered by a provider via a packet-oriented data network by a terminal connected to the data network.

Offering services of various types within a broadcast, e.g. a radio or television program is well known in the form of an advertising broadcast or the announcement of service numbers of a telephone service. Here, performance is understood to mean any kind of goods, services, including the recording of audience reactions, as well as combinations of these. The broadcast is naturally unidirectional; the consumer - i.e. Listener or viewer - can only react in another way, e.g. send it to the broadcaster by telephone, by post, by means of a reply or the like.

For example, in the course of a radio broadcast, listeners can be offered to take part in an opinion poll by telephone - under a given phone number - to order a trial subscription to a magazine or to compare insurance costs from different insurance providers; the calls from the listeners who follow the offer are usually processed with the help of so-called ^Λ call centers. Another well-known example are so-called 'home shopping' television stations, in which the viewer is presented with a product which can then be ordered, for example, using a displayed telephone number. It should be noted that

Programs with large audience numbers are of course particularly attractive for providers for the purpose of reaching the largest possible number of customers. Another known way of sending audio or video programs uses the known Internet using so-called streaming methods. The program is transmitted in the form of a continuous data stream that runs in real time via the relevant data network

- For example the Internet - to a terminal of the listener / viewer set up as the terminal of the data network, the end-side processing being carried out by means of so-called streaming client programs running in the terminal. For the transmission of audio / video programs in this way, names such as radio via the Internet, web radio, web television, etc. are used, although not entirely correctly, since strictly speaking not via radio. In addition to the transmission of the real-time data stream, additional information such as Title, author, artist etc. of the contribution just transmitted, transmitted and on the part of the recipient's terminal e.g. displayed using a browser.

Streaming processes were primarily developed for the Internet, and here for the so-called 'World Wide Web', and allow real-time transmission of messages on the Internet or other packet-oriented data networks to browsers or streaming clients on the part of a receiving station. The Internet now represents a global network of computer networks, namely those that exchange data according to the so-called Internet protocol; the Internet is just one example of a packet-oriented data network in which real-time transmissions based on the type of streaming can be used.

Real-time transmission methods, in particular the streaming methods, represent a significant expansion beyond the originally intended transmission possibilities in the data network. In principle, the transmission of data in networks such as the Internet takes place as stateless transmission, ie data requested from a server in a so-called download process ("download *) to the requesting station (or a representative station in its place) delivered en bloc, regardless of any internal structure of the transmitted data. Stateless transmission is therefore not suitable for the reproducing transmission of temporally structured data such as voice, audio or video messages. For the (stateless) playback of a film recording, for example, the data of the entire recording had to be downloaded first, saved by the end station and then played back; this is of course associated with considerable waiting times and high demands on the terminal, in particular on the available storage space. A streamlined transmission, based on the packet-oriented transmission, realizes a timely transmission of the message. The transient nature of this transmission makes it unnecessary for the terminal to save large sections of the message. The use of streaming processes means that there are no waiting times and no resources are tied up.

The server and the receiver each require streaming programs to carry out a streaming transmission; Streaming software packages, in particular software that can be integrated with m application programs, are offered by a large number of software manufacturers. In this context, the language SMIL is worth mentioning for the creation of multimedia-supporting browser documents (so-called web pages). The SMIL language is defined in the recommendation "Synchromzed Multimedia Language (SMIL), version 1.0 * of the W3C consortium; it is based on the known

Markup language XML ( ^λ eXtended Markup Language ') and, in addition, represents an extension - possibly provider-independent - regarding the integration of real-time transmission in order to allow the synchronous reproduction of multimedia data. The continuous .playing of media data via the Internet - streaming - currently represents one of the fastest growing users of the Internet, which is reflected in the considerable number - currently over 3000 - of radio stations that broadcast their radio programs over the Internet using streaming Send out procedure, reflects.

In connection with the streaming transmission of radio or television programs, there is fundamentally also the possibility of recording parts of the transmission on the part of the consumer. Due to the restricted - and often widely fluctuating - available bandwidths, the result of the storage of the streaming Data in a file is usually an unsatisfactory recording. There are also legal problems in this connection, e.g. of a copyright type, in particular with regard to compensation for the transmission and storage of an ended contribution or the like, which are difficult to control by known channels from rare channels and are dependent on the goodwill of the consumer.

It is an object of the invention for the consumer of a streaming transmission (e.g. a Streammg radio program) or the like which takes place via the Internet. to create the opportunity to communicate with the broadcaster interactively and easily at the same time, for example to respond to advertising messages, to participate in listening surveys or to download a part of the program - e.g. a piece of music or a film excerpt - in high quality form. Order and / or payment processes should be supported if necessary.

This object is achieved by a method of the type mentioned at the outset, in which the end station in accordance with the invention transmits a) m connection to a data stream which is transmitted via the data network from a transmitting station to the end station in a real-time transmission. bid information relating to at least one service offered by the provider is received, b) derived and stored offer-related data for the creation of an order message from the offer information and c) an order message based on a command entered at the terminal using the offer-related data and user-specific data created for at least part of the service (s) offered and sent via the data network to a predefinable receiving point.

This solution allows the consumer of a real-time transmission to easily via his terminal, e.g. by simply pressing a button to react immediately to the content sent in accordance with the response options that can be specified by the sender.

The invention creates a new type of interaction between the transmitter, e.g. if the transmitter is also the provider of the service in question, e.g. Radio station, and the consumer, e.g. Radio listener, which is particularly useful for use in the area of business brokerage and marketing. Another advantage of the invention is that a higher spontaneity of the public can be achieved due to the uncomplicated possibility of giving, which e.g. may be of particular interest in public surveys.

An advantageous development of the invention, which is particularly suitable for the case where the service or services offered consists of the transmission of predetermined user data, supplements the method according to the invention by a further one

Step in which, after the sending of the order message d), the user receives the user data requested by the end point and sent by the receiving point. This procedure allows files to be downloaded efficiently and easily and is particularly expedient when the useful data are related to the real-time transmission. In addition, the invention enables correct handling of payment if the delivery or downloading of the user data is subject to a charge.

In an advantageous variant, the order message is sent in step c) to a receiving point whose data network-related address was previously determined on the basis of address information derived from the offer-related data.

If such a recipient address is not known or is not to be used, it is expedient if the order message is sent to the sending point in step c). The order message can then be sent from the sender e.g. forwarded to a responsible processing point or processed yourself.

In a particularly useful application of the invention, a data network based on the TCP / IP protocol, e.g. the Internet.

A communication terminal device with access to a packetized data network is particularly suitable for the method according to the invention

a transmitting / receiving device for receiving a data stream transmitted via the data network of a real-time transmission and offer information transmitted in connection with the data stream relating to at least one service offered by a provider, and for sending order messages via the data network to a predefinable receiving part, - A memory for offer-related data, which can be used for creating an order message, as well as for user-specific data and a control device which is set up to derive offer-related data for the creation of an order message from the offer information and to forward it to the memory, and on the basis of a specific command given to it using the offer-related command

Data and the user-specific data to create an order message for at least part of the service offered and to forward it to the transmitting / receiving device.

The communication end device according to the invention expediently has an input element, the actuation of which can be used to trigger the creation and / or sending of an order message.

It is advantageous here if the emitting element has at least two distinguishable states, between which it can be switched by means of specific commands from the control device, the control device being set up to check received offer information for commands relating to the activation of these states and, depending on these, the emitting element to switch between its states.

The merits of this solution and their specific embodiments correspond to those of the inventive Verfan _^ ens and its corresponding training.

The invention and further advantages are explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment, for which the attached figures are used. The figures show m in schematic form, in which only the components necessary for understanding the invention are shown,

1 shows a communication terminal device of the exemplary embodiment;

2 shows the networks and network participants involved in the exemplary embodiment; and 3 shows a signal diagram of the data exchanged in the exemplary embodiment via the Internet.

The exemplary embodiment relates to the processing of an ordering process based on an offer which is presented to the user as a “listener” to a web radio broadcast transmitted via the Internet via streaming.

The terminal device according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 is a mobile device MOG - also referred to as a “cell phone *” which has a known type of mobile phone terminal device MEE, furthermore a processor device PRZ for the control and implementation of the functions of the mobile device including the evaluation of the Input ON commands entered by the user, a memory SPR and an output OFF. Both acoustic and visual information can be output via the output AUS, which has a display ANZ in addition to a loudspeaker LSP. In the example shown, the input ON is designed as a keyboard TAS; further possibilities are e.g. the use of a touch-sensitive screen or a voice-controlled input via the microphone MIK of the mobile device and a voice interface (not shown in the figure).

The mobile device MOG is set up, in a known manner, to receive a web radio broadcast from a radio station RST sent by means of a streaming method via an access to the Internet IPN and with the help of a

Processor device PRZ browser or Streammg client program module running. Internet access is, for example, in the well-known manner - cf. Fig. 2 - with the help of the mobile network MFN, m the mobile device MOG is logged in, by means of a mobile network connection from the

Mobile device MOG implemented via a base station BST of the mobile radio network to an Internet server IPS. The realization of the data network access is of course not for the invention Meaning, which is why it should not be discussed in more detail here.

The radio broadcast transmitted over the Internet is evaluated in a known manner by the MOG mobile device. Here, the data stream sent in a streaming transmission, which contains the audio data of the radio broadcast, and additional browser-oriented data - for example for the display of a web page - are received by the mobile terminal device MEE of the mobile device and sent to a browser - Directs which m the processor device PRZ of the mobile device. The data received in this way is interpreted and reproduced by the browser; in particular, the browser-oriented data is shown on the display ANZ and the audio data stream arriving via streaming is decoded by the Streammg client program module and reproduced to the user via the loudspeaker LSP.

The exchange of data via the Internet IPN according to the invention is shown in the signal flow diagram of FIG. 3, in which the time axis runs in the vertical direction. The continuous data stream of real-time transmission of the

Radio broadcasting is symbolized by thin arrows 1, in contrast to the Emzel messages 2, 4-8 shown with thick arrows. In addition to the real-time transmission 1, according to the invention, offer information 2 is transmitted which, in addition to information relating to the actual range of services, including any associated prices, also contains information for the representation of the range of services to the user (as a potential customer) and the course of an ordering process. The offer information 2 is transmitted, for example, in parallel to the streaming transmission 1 in the form of browser-oriented data, for example for a display in a web page. The offer information 2 received in this way is interpreted by the browser, data relating to the offer taken therefrom and temporarily stored in the memory SPR. The offer information 2 is written, for example, as SMIL message or WML ( ^x Wireless Markup Language ', XML-based markup language specially designed for cordless applications) or WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) message and contains, for example, the following Information:

- An identification number (product ID) for clearly identifying the product offered;

- Product information, with information e.g. m Text, image and / or video form about the product to inform the customer;

- the purchase price or corresponding cost information, e.g. for renting the product;

- Data regarding permissible promotions (e.g. purchase, renting, etc.) that can be drawn by the user via his end device - this can e.g. be given as executable code (so-called scripts); such as

- further information, e.g. with respect to any existing customer credit or the like.

This information is advantageously supplemented with data relating to the display on the terminal, e.g. m In the form of markup commands of the SMIL or WML language or the WAP protocol. In particular, a suitable graphic representation is expediently used for the actions offered to the user as a customer, e.g. as fields, which are drawn by clicking, or in the form of a

List from which an entry can be selected by pressing a key assigned to it.

Advantageously, the offer information 2 can additionally contain address information, e.g. one or more Internet addresses in the form of a so-called URL ('Uniform Resource Locator'), which an order receiving point AEM - e.g. an order server of the provider - indicates to which the user orders for an offered service are to be sent.

At this point it should be pointed out that in the exemplary embodiment the sending point RST and the receiving point 1 1

AEM, for example, are shown as separate devices with independent network access to the data network IPN. In other implementations of the invention, the sending point RST and the receiving point AEM can also be identical without any difference for the inventive concept. In addition, e.g. the sending point RST serve as a network access server for the receiving point AEM, whose data network access thus runs via the server RST; or vice versa, the network access of the sending point RST can be realized via the receiving point AEM.

The offer presented to the user by means of the offer information 2 relates, for example, to a product or service which is currently being advertised in the program 1. Other possible services offered by a provider are e.g. the transmission of further information material - via a separate shipping channel or electronically via the Internet - on a topic of the web radio broadcast, the acceptance of the opinion of the user in a survey or the downloading of one or more files which contain a complete broadcast such as a music title or .dgl. included, which is also shown on program 1 (see below).

The end device, for example via the display ANZ, displays the information relevant to the offer and a corresponding request to enter a command. For example, the product information, e.g. an image of an advertised product, along with a purchase price; at the same time, according to the possible actions, e.g. In a window that appears on the display, the user is asked whether he wants to purchase the offered product.

If the user decides to take part in an action offered or to order an advertised product, he actuates the device intended for the interaction or makes another suitable entry than Order command through. For example, he confirms the order request by pressing a button OBT provided for this purpose with the input ON. Other possibilities are, for example, the actuation of a field on a touch-sensitive display, the field being defined, for example, on the basis of the offer-related data, or else voice input, which is interpreted by the processor device PRZ and implemented m commands.

In order to avoid erroneously placing an order for a service, a query is expediently provided, which takes place after the user enters the order command on the terminal MOG. This can happen, for example, if an order after a query of the type "Are you sure you want to order the (name of the product)? *" Has to be additionally confirmed, for example by pressing a dedicated confirmation button. Also at this point, a dialog regarding desired product specifications, e.g. Color, large, desired delivery date etc., and / or to select or deselect individual products from an offered shopping cart. For example, entering the order command triggers a request for further information, on the basis of which the server rarely transmits a further message (not shown in FIG. 3) with additional information. The display ANZ then shows m depending on this message e.g. a new surface with new input options.

In addition, menu control can be implemented with the help of additional messages, e.g. to enable a collective order, in which several products are bundled.

The terminal device MOG can advantageously be provided with its own operating element OBT for initiating or triggering the application process. This control element OBT can, for example, be shown as a button as shown in FIG. 2 or as a control panel of a touch-sensitive display and could also be identified by a text or a suitable symbol - for example the graphic representation of a shopping cart. The OBT control element is not necessarily always active; rather, it is sufficient if it can only be drawn at certain times, for example while playing an advertising message. The activation or deactivation of the control element can take place, for example, by means of corresponding browser-oriented messages, which are sent from the transmitter RST to the terminal MOG at specified times in relation to the streaming transmission 1, and by the terminal MOG by means of suitable precautions, such as Illuminate the keyboard or the control element or by unlocking, are displayed to the user. For example, the control element OBT can be activated by the first message 2 with offer information, and at a later point in time, for example when the advertising announcement has ended, the deactivation takes place by means of a second message 2 ^{1 from} the transmitter RST.

The deactivation takes place on the basis of a corresponding

Actions entry of message 2 '. The messages 2 and 2 'can be embedded in the streaming transmission 1, as a result of which the activation or deactivation of the control element OBT is determined at specific times in relation to the transmission 1.

The control element OBT can be combined with a dialog and / or a menu control according to the type of what was said above. Then in the menu - e.g. Under the designation "Trigger order *", a command option is provided for the order command, which is triggered by actuating the OBT control element

The operating element OBT provides the user with an easy-to-use and memorable device for interacting with the transmitter or provider. Em further The advantage of the control element is that erroneous job processes can be avoided due to the clear assignment of functions.

On the basis of the order command entered by the user - symbolized in FIG. 3 by event 3 - the processor device PRZ generates an order message 4 and sends it on the return channel of the connection and via the Internet to a receiving point AEM specified on the basis of the address information. The order message 4 contains user-specific data, in particular identification information, such as Name and address of the user, as well as data to initiate or process a payment process, e.g. a credit card number. The user-specific data can also be implemented in the form of a customer number, which relates to data already stored by the user. In this case, the data can e.g. m be handed over to the receiving office in a separate, pre-registration process. Furthermore, it is favorable if the order message contains additional order-specific data, e.g. a service number for unique

Identification of the ordered product and / or information at the time of the order such as date and time and / or a reference to the real-time data stream on which the order is based, i.e. in this example the Streammg radio broadcast.

The order message is composed of the following data, for example:

- a customer identification number, e.g. the user's telephone number, a credit card number (which is entered interactively by the user or which may have previously been entered in the terminal) or a customer number previously assigned by the provider;

- one or more product IDs;

- Date and time of the order. In addition, further information can be given if necessary, for example the current GPS coordinates in the case of a mobile terminal, for the purpose of a later verification option.

The jerk channel over which the order message is sent can e.g. be realized by the mobile radio connection or the network access of the terminal device MOG, the order message being addressed to a receiving point AEM specified in the offer information. If no address information is available, a predefined receiving point (e.g. as default value) is used, e.g. the streaming server RST of the streaming transmission; If he cannot process the order message himself, the latter would then forward the order message to the order receiving point responsible for further processing. Alternatively, the jerk channel can be based on other media, e.g. Short message service (so-called SMS service) or electronic mail (so-called e-mail), via which the receiving point in question can be reached.

The receiving point AEM accepts the order message 4. If the ordered service is chargeable, a payment or credit check can be provided. For this purpose, the receiving point connects with the corresponding financial institution, in the example with the credit card bureau KRE, which corresponds to the credit card number specified by the user, for example directly or via a coordination point, a so-called 'clearing house' CLH. The receiving point AEM sends the credit card bureau KRE a request 5 regarding the desired payment transaction by the customer. The office KRE now directs the required payment or at least checks the creditworthiness of the ordering participant, and then returns a corresponding confirmation message 6 to the receiving point, for example a booking report or a credit report. After receipt of the confirmation message 6, the receiving point sends an acknowledgment message 7 to the user MOG and then directs the achievement of the ordered service em. For example, on the basis of an order for a product, the order is compared with an inventory and an order is issued to a suitable supplier.

The acknowledgment message 7, in which the execution of the service commissioned by the order message 4 is announced, can, for example, be in the form of an automatically generated e-mail message, for example with the content “We have your order from (date, time) received for (product name). The delivery will be made in the next 3 days by post. *.

On the other hand, if the financial institution KRE refuses to pay or if the creditworthiness is inadequate, this will be communicated in the message 6 sent to the receiving agency AEM. In this case there is a message 7, which informs the user MOG that the desired service cannot be provided.

Of course, other means of payment can also be used, such as the debiting of an amount previously displayed to the user via the telephone bill to the terminal MOG, or the collection via the radio fee via the sender's fee account.

Em essential aspect of the invention relates to downloading media data, which is to take the place of a "* picking up or" Mitschneidens ^* of the data stream transmitted by means of the real-time transmission. 1 An example of this - in a continuation of the exemplary embodiment - is that the radio broadcast is sent as a piece of music or as a journal article, which is so interesting for the user that he wishes to have his own recording of this part of the broadcast. Here, the invention offers the advantage that the files downloaded from the broadcaster or provider contain a complete recording, even if, for example, the user's decision to download and the corresponding order is made only after the transmission of the program in question has started, and also that the overall quality is consistently high Recording is secured.

In accordance with what has been said above, the user is offered, for example, to download a corresponding file via the display ANZ during the streaming transmission of the music piece or the journal article. This is again done using offer information 2, which e.g. Scope and data type of the file and, if necessary, further information such as contains price information. If the user decides now that he wants to download the article just played, he issues the relevant order command 3 em; As explained above, the desired download process is initiated by means of an order message 4 at the receiving point AEM, which in this case serves as a so-called download server; if necessary, a payment transaction 5.6 is carried out before the download. The transfer 7 of the requested file now takes the place of the acknowledgment message as described above.

In this special case, the product information in the offer information 2 can be kept very short or even completely absent, since the contribution in question is transmitted at the same time in the streaming transmission 1. If desired, further information on the contribution such as e.g. Artist (s) or speaker, date of production etc.

The download 7 of the desired piece of music or journal article takes place in accordance with the inventive concept independently of those sent by means of the streaming method Media data 1 instead. Downloading can take place, for example, during the streaming transmission, usually even without impairing the transmission. If required, provision can also be made to download the ordered files at a later time, which is specified by the user or specified by the sender. The latter option can be particularly useful if the provider or sender first has to provide the requested data.

The downloaded file is stored, for example, in the memory of the terminal device MOG and can at a later point in time via a known type of cable or infrared interface (not shown in the figures), e.g. transmitted to a user's computer. In order to conserve the memory space of the SPR memory, the transfer to the computer could also take place simultaneously with the downloading process, the memory being used only as an intermediate buffer memory.

Various scenarios are conceivable for downloading media content. In the simplest case, individual titles can be selected by the user during a current program; these are transmitted immediately, whereby, as already mentioned, the entire title is transmitted (not just the part of the title remaining from the time the command was entered). The orders for selected individual titles can also first be collected and then transferred in the form of a package after confirmation of the complete bundle egg. In a further scenario, the user specifies the start and end times, and the intermediate section of the transmission is saved by the transmitter m as a file which is then downloaded by the user. In a continuation of this idea, periodic parts of the program, for example a specific program broadcast daily at a specific time, or content-specific articles can be ordered. t-υ y-> o <SI o Cπ

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Claims

claims

1. A method for requesting a service offered by a provider via a packet-oriented data network (IPN) through a terminal (MOG) connected to the data network, characterized in that the terminal a) in connection with a data stream (1) which is via the data network from a transmitting station (RST) of m a real-time transmission to the terminal (MOG) is transmitted, a transmitted offer information (2) relating to at ^¬ least one service offered by the provider is received,) b from the Angebotsmformation (2) supply- Data for the creation of an order message are derived and stored and c) an order message (4) is created for at least part of the service (s) offered on the basis of a command (3) entered at the terminal using the offer-related data and user-specific data and is sent via the data network to a predeterminable receiving point (AEM).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the or an offered service exists m the transmission of predetermined user data and after sending the order message (4) d) by the end station requested by the order message and sent by the receiving station user data (8) be received.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that m step c) the

Order message is sent to a receiving point (AEM) whose data network-related address was previously determined on the basis of address information derived from the offer-related data.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that m step c) the order message is sent to the sending point (RST).

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that as a packet-oriented data network (IPN) em based on the TCP / IP protocol data network, e.g. the Internet that is used.

6. Communication terminal device (MOG) with access to a packet-oriented data network (IPN), characterized by

- A transmitting / receiving device (MEE) for receiving a data stream (1) transmitted via the data network (IPN) in a real-time transmission, and offer information (2) relating to at least one of one transmitted to the data stream (1) Service offered by the provider, as well as for sending order messages (4) via the data network to a predefinable receiving point (AEM),

- A memory (SPR) for offer-related data, which can be used for creating an order message, as well as for user-specific data and

- A control device (PRZ), which is set up to derive offer-related data from the offer information (2) for the creation of an order message and to forward it to the memory (SPR), and on the basis of a specific command (3) given to it using the offer-related Data and the user-specific data to create an order message (4) for at least part of the service (s) offered and to forward this to the transceiver device (MEE).

7. Communication terminal device according to claim 6, characterized by an emitting element (OBT), by the actuation of which the creation and / or the sending of an order message can be triggered.

8. Communication terminal device according to claim 7, characterized in that the input element (OBT) has at least two distinguishable states, between which it can be switched by means of specific commands from the control device (PRZ), the control device (PRZ) being set up to receive received offer information (2 , 2 ') to check for commands relating to the activation of these states and to switch the input element between its states as a function thereof.