Associated information providing method, associated information providing apparatus, associated information providing program, content providing system, content providing apparatus, content providing method, content providing program, content request apparatus, content request method, content request program, and content accumulating apparatus

An associated information providing apparatus for providing associated information linked with a video to an audience, comprising:

• transmitting means for transmitting select information for selecting said video viewed by said audience and audience identification information for identifying said audience;
• retrieving means for retrieving locational information on a network of associated information associated with contents of said viewed video on the basis of said transmitted select information;
• and
• transmitting means for transmitting said retrieved locational information to said audience on the basis of said audience identification information.

A content providing system for providing content linked with a broadcast program to an audience, comprising:

• program viewing means for viewing said broadcast program;
• select information transmitting means for transmitting select information about contents of said broadcast program viewed by said audience through said program viewing method and audience identification information for identifying said audience;
• content storage means for storing content associated with the contents of said broadcast program into a predetermined location on a network;
• a first database for storing locational information on said network of said content storage means;
• a second database for storing a relationship between said locational information about said content on said network stored in said first database and said broadcast program;
• a third database for storing said audience identification information and address information for transmitting data to said audience;
• and
• locational information transmitting means for searching said first database and said second database on the basis of said select information transmitted by said select information transmitting means,
• retrieving, as a result of the searching, locational information on said network of said content associated with the contents of said broadcast program,
• searching said third database on the basis of said audience identification information,
• retrieving, as a result of the searching, said address information, and
• transmitting, to said audience, locational information on said network of said content associated with the contents of said broadcast program retrieved as the result of the searching of said first database and said second database for an address indicated by said retrieved address information.

A content providing apparatus for providing content linked with a broadcast program, comprising:

• a first database for storing locational information on a network of content associated with contents of said broadcast program;
• a second database for storing a relationship between said locational information about said content on said network stored in said first database and said broadcast program;
• a third database for storing said audience identification information and address information for transmitting data to said audience identification information and said audience;
• communication means for executing communication with said audience;
• and
• transmitting means for searching said first database and said second database on the basis of select information transmitted by said audience through said communication means, retrieving, as a result of the searching, said locational information on said network of said content associated with said contents of said broadcast program, searching said third database on the basis of said audience identification information transmitted with said select information through said communication means, retrieving said address information as a result of the searching, and transmitting, to said audience through said communication means, said locational information on said network retrieved as the results of the searching of said first database and said second database for an address indicated by said retrieved address information.

A content providing method for providing content linked with a broadcast program to an audience, comprising the steps of:

• executing communication with a user;
• and
• searching a first database storing locational information on a network of content on said content linked with contents of said content broadcast on the basis of select information for said contents of said broadcast content to be selected by said user transmitted in said communication step and a second database for storing a relationship between said locational information on said network stored in said first database and said broadcast content, retrieving, as a result of the searching, said locational information on said network of said content on said network linked with said contents of said broadcast content, searching a third database for storing user identification information for identifying said user on the basis of said user identification information transmitted with said select information in said communication step and address information for transmitting data to said user, retrieving said address information as a result of the searching of said third database, and transmitting, through said communication step, said locational information retrieved as the results of the searching of said first database and said second database to an address indicated by said address information retrieved as a result of the searching of said third database.

A content providing program for causing a computer to execute a content providing method for providing content linked with a broadcast program to an audience, comprising the steps of:

• executing communication with a user;
• and
• searching a first database storing locational information on a network of content on said content linked with contents of said content broadcast on the basis of select information for said contents of said broadcast content to be selected by said user transmitted in said communication step and a second database for storing a relationship between said locational information on said network stored in said first database and said broadcast content, retrieving, as a result of the searching, said locational information on said network of said content on said network linked with said contents of said broadcast content, searching a third database for storing user identification information for identifying said user on the basis of said user identification information transmitted with said select information in said communication step and address information for transmitting data to said user, retrieving said address information as a result of the searching of said third database, and transmitting, through said communication step, said locational information retrieved as the results of the searching of said first database and said second database to an address indicated by said address information retrieved as a result of the searching of said third database.

A content request apparatus for requesting content linked with a broadcast program being viewed, comprising:

• broadcast program viewing means for receiving said broadcast program and viewing said received broadcast program;
• communication means for executing communication with the outside;
• and
• transmitting means for retrieving locational information on a network of content on said network associated with contents of content broadcast in said broadcast program on the basis of a select information transmitted by a user and transmitting, through said communication means, said select information for said broadcast program viewed through said broadcast program viewing means and user identification information for identifying said user transmitted from said user to a content providing source adapted to transmit said retrieved locational information with said select information to said user on the basis of said user identification information.

A content request method for requesting content linked with a broadcast program being viewed, comprising the steps of:

• receiving said broadcast program and viewing said received broadcast program;
• executing communication with the outside;
• and
• retrieving locational information on a network of content on said network associated with contents of content broadcast in said broadcast program on the basis of a select information transmitted by a user and transmitting, through said communication means, said select information for said broadcast program viewed through said broadcast program viewing step and user identification information for identifying said user transmitted from said user to a content providing source adapted to transmit said retrieved locational information with said select information to said user on the basis of said user identification information.

A content request program for causing a computer apparatus to execute a content request method for requesting content linked with a broadcast program being viewed, comprising the steps of:

• receiving said broadcast program and viewing said received broadcast program;
• executing communication with the outside;
• and
• retrieving locational information on a network of content on said network associated with contents of content broadcast in said broadcast program on the basis of a select information transmitted by a user and transmitting, through said communication means, said select information for said broadcast program viewed through said broadcast program viewing step and user identification information for identifying said user transmitted from said user to a content providing source adapted to transmit said retrieved locational information with said select information to said user on the basis of said user identification information.

A content providing system for providing content linked with a broadcast program to an audience, comprising:

• content providing means for providing content by a broadcast program to said audience through a broadcasting network;
• information requesting means for requesting, from said audience through a network corresponding to said broadcasting network, information corresponding to said content being viewed on said broadcasting network;
• locational information notifying means for notifying, on the basis of said request, said audience of locational information on the Internet on which said information corresponding to said content exists;
• and
• information retrieving means for retrieving, by said audience on the basis of said locational information, said information corresponding to said content on a network other than said broadcasting network.

A content providing method for providing content linked with a broadcast program, comprising the steps of:

• providing content by a broadcast program to said audience through a broadcasting network;
• requesting, from said audience through a network corresponding to said broadcasting network, information corresponding to said content being viewed on said broadcasting network;
• notifying, on the basis of said request, said audience of locational information on the Internet on which said information corresponding to said content exists;
• and
• retrieving, by said audience on the basis of said locational information, said information corresponding to said content on a network other than said broadcasting network.

A content providing program for causing a computer device to execute a content providing method for providing content linked with a broadcast program, comprising the steps of:

• providing content by a broadcast program to said audience through a broadcasting network;
• requesting, from said audience through a network corresponding to said broadcasting network, information corresponding to said content being viewed on said broadcasting network;
• notifying, on the basis of said request, said audience of locational information on the Internet on which said information corresponding to said content exists;
• and
• retrieving, by said audience on the basis of said locational information, said information corresponding to said content on a network other than said broadcasting network.