Lottery method, lottery program and interactive TV server device

A lottery program executed in an interactive TV server device broadcasting a TV program using a first network and receiving information from each interactive TV receiver receiving the program using a second network in order to realize a process, the process comprising:

• sending an invitation to interactive TV receivers receiving a program, in which a lottery is being conducted, using the first network;
• receiving applications indicating intent to participate in the lottery and interactive TV receiver identifiers specifying the interactive TV receivers from the interactive TV receivers using the second network;
• judging whether each received interactive TV receiver identifier is stored in a viewer table that stores interactive TV receiver identifiers in accordance with interactive TV receivers receiving the program, and storing the received interactive TV receiver identifier if the identifier is not stored;
• tracking how much time has elapsed since the invitations had been sent out;
• counting the number of applications received after the invitations have been sent out;
• and
• closing the lottery by storing viewer information about interactive TV receiver identifiers confirmed to be stored or stored in the viewer table in an application information table before the counted elapsed time reaches the prescribed time limit and before the counted number of participants reaches the prescribed maximum, and refusing all applications after this time and refusing all applications after this time.

An interactive TV server device broadcasting a TV program using a first network and receiving information from each interactive TV receiver receiving the program using a second network, comprising:

• a participant invitation notification unit sending an invitation to interactive TV receivers receiving a program, in which a lottery is being conducted, using the first network;
• a participation reception unit receiving applications indicating intent to participate in the lottery and interactive TV receiver identifiers specifying the interactive TV receiver from each interactive TV receiver using the second network;
• a program reception confirmation unit judging whether each received interactive TV receiver identifier is stored in a viewer table that stores interactive TV receiver identifiers in accordance with interactive TV receivers receiving the program, and storing the received interactive TV receiver identifier if the identifier is not stored;
• a clock unit tracking how much time has elapsed since the invitations have been sent out;
• a counter unit counting the number of applications received after the invitations have been sent out;
• and
• a lottery closing unit closing the lottery by storing viewer information about interactive TV receiver identifiers confirmed to be stored or stored in the viewer table by the program reception confirmation unit in an application information table before the elapsed time counted by the clock unit reaches the prescribed time limit and before the number of participants counted by the counter unit reaches the prescribed maximum, and refusing all applications after this time and refusing all applications after this time.

An interactive TV server device broadcasting a TV program using a first network and receiving information from each interactive TV receiver receiving the program using a second network, comprising:

• participant invitation notification means for sending an invitation to interactive TV receivers receiving a program, in which a lottery is being conducted, using the first network;
• participation reception means for receiving applications indicating intent to participate in the lottery and interactive TV receiver identifiers specifying the interactive TV receiver from each interactive TV receiver using the second network;
• program reception confirmation means for judging whether each received interactive TV receiver identifier is stored in a viewer table that stores interactive TV receiver identifiers in accordance with interactive TV receivers receiving the program, and storing the received interactive TV receiver identifier if the identifier is not stored;
• clock means for tracking how much time has elapsed since the invitations have been sent out;
• counter means for counting the number of applications received after the invitations have been sent out;
• and
• lottery closing means for closing the lottery by storing viewer information about interactive TV receiver identifiers confirmed to be stored or stored in the viewer table by the program reception confirmation means in an application information table before the elapsed time counted by the clock means reaches the prescribed time limit and before the number of participants counted by the counter means reaches the prescribed maximum, and refusing all applications after this time and refusing all applications after this time.