Data-providing system, transmission server, data terminal, apparatus, authoring apparatus and data-providing method

Abstract

A data-providing system comprising a first data-transmitting section (control unit 1), a control section (control unit 3), and a second data-transmitting section (control unit 3). The first data-transmitting section transmits a continuous stream of content data that consists of multimedia content groups, each composed of program data and auxiliary data items. The control section processes data items obtained by dividing each program data, attribute data of the auxiliary data items and user profile data, thereby to automatically assemble new data. The second data-transmitting section changes the order in which to transmit the auxiliary data items inserted in a program, in accordance with the new data assembled by the control section.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application
CM-insertion charge=100 yen for each CM, to be paid to the charge-settling section 50
Charge for inserting CM 456=400 pints, which the user receives from the advertiser 456

It is not stipulated that charge-settling be made every time a transaction is performed. Rather, the data concerning charge-settling is collected at the charge-settling section 50, which settle all charges.

A2: BY-side Program Equivalent Conditions

The BY-side program equivalent conditions are applied to determine which function must pay charges to which func tion, for any program transmitted during the prescribed period. These conditions are as follows:

The charge-settling section 50 must pay a basic charge of 300 yen to the program-providing section 10.

The charge-settling section 50 must pay 10 yen to the transmission server section 40 and 10 yen to the authoring section 30, when a CM is inserted into the program.

FIG. 2 shows the relation that the program price for user has with the BY-side program equivalent conditions.

A3: Program Code

The program code is the code given to each program for specifying the program.

A4: Cue Mark

A cue mark is a special signal contained in the time-code data or program, indicating the position at which a CM should be inserted in the program.

In the transmission server section 40, the assembly function 40G performs real-time assembling of CMs, referring to the cue mark When the cue mark is found, the section 40 stops transmitting the program. Then, the section 40 transmits the CMs in the CM set shown in the CM-transmission list, in the order described in the CM-transmission list. Immediately after the CMs terminate, the section 40 starts transmitting the program again. As long as cue marks follow one after another, the section 40 continuously transmits CMs in the prescribed order, without transmitting the program again.

Time codes (4096, 9098, 10110 and 12959) may designate the cue positions for the data of program 1234 identified by program code 1234, as is shown in FIG. 3 or as set forth below:

Cue No. 1: 4096

Cue No. 2: 9098

Cue No. 3: 10110

Cue No. 4: 12959.

In this case, the data of program 1234 is divided into pieces 1 to 5, and cue marks are interposed among these data pieces 1 to 5. The cue marks indicate the positions A to D at which CMs will be inserted in the program.

Assume that a CM library has been prepared, which is composed of CMs 22 to 28 as illustrated in FIG. 4, and that a CM set 401 to be inserted into program code 1234 is composed of CM 22, CM 23 and CM 24 as shown at A in FIG. 5. Then, a CM-transmission list shown at B in FIG. 5 is prepared. In accordance with the CM-transmission list, CM 24, CM 22 and CM 23 are inserted in the program 1234, respectively at the CM-inserting positions A, B and D, as is illustrated at C in FIG. 5. CMs 22, 23 and 24 can thereby be transmitted.

Assume that a CM set 501 to be inserted into program code 1234 is composed of CM 25, CM 26, CM27 and CM 28 as shown at A in FIG. 6. Then, a CM-transmission list shown at B in FIG. 6 is prepared. In accordance with this CM-transmission list, CM 25, CM 26, CM 27 and CM 28 are inserted in the program 1234, respectively at the CM-inserting positions A, B, C and D, as is illustrated at C in FIG. 6. CMs 25 to 28 can thereby be transmitted.

A CM set to be inserted into a program may be null. In this case, the data of the program 1234 (i.e., pieces 1 to 5) can be transmitted in the order shown in FIG. 7.

To use the CM set 401 for not only the program 1234, but also the programs 4456 and 5377, the programs in which CM sets are to be inserted have such codes as are illustrated in FIG. 8. It is natural that different CM-transmission lists be prepared, each for one program.

In the data-providing system 100, each CM is composed of CM content data and accompanying data (B1), which will be described later.

In the system 100, each cue marks is no more than a CM-inserting trigger. Which CM should be inserted at which position in a program is determined from the CM set and the CM-transmission list. The CM group to be inserted in the program can be easily replaced by another CM group. Alternatively, the ID numbers of CMs may be allocated to the cue mark positions, and signals may be stored, each signal neglecting or adopting one cue mark. This simplifies the process of transmitting CMs, somewhat.

B1: BY-side CM Equivalent Conditions

The BY-side CM equivalent conditions are applied to determine which supplier pays which supplier for the CMs transmitted during the prescribed period.

These conditions are as follows:

When the CM set including the CM in question is transmitted, the CM sponsor section 20 pays 10 yen to the authoring section 30 only once, no matter how many CMs the CM sponsor section 20 has transmitted. However, the CM sponsor section 20 must pay 20 yen to the charge-settling section 50 every time it transmits a CM.

In the data-providing system 100, a CM set is composed of data C1 that is defined as follows:

C1: Name of a CM set and the CM group contained in the CM set (methods of designating means for accessing entities).

In the data-providing system 100, a CM-transmission list is composed of the following data items D1 to D3. Two or more pairs are provided, each pair consists of one or more CM sets and a CM-transmission list. A pair consisting of one CM set and a CM-transmission list will be described.

D1: Name of the CM set

D2: Order in which to transmit the CM groups included in the CM set (the CM groups may be transmitted repeatedly)

To broadcast the same CM repeatedly in a program, the data identifying the CM appears several times in the CM-transmission list.

D3: CM advantages/disadvantages

The CM advantages/disadvantages are conditions applied when the user receives a CM group during the prescribed period. The conditions are as follows:

When a CM set is selected, the incentive points of the CM sponsors are added, and +300 points are added to the account of the terminal (user) controlled by a charge-settling system. The cash-back of the CM advantages and disadvantages is −200 yen. In the data-providing system 100, each CM set is paired with a group of program codes, each designating one program to be inserted in the CM, in order to insert the CM set into various programs.

The CM set, <CM 34, CM 56, CM 22>, may be used for program 23, program 134 and program 344. If so, the program code group is <23, 134, 344>.

CM sets of the same program code group are not always described in the same CM-transmission list. This is because CM sets may be transmitted in an order different from the order they are arranged in the program code group.

The advantages and disadvantages determined in the data-providing system 100 are those, which the user may have when he receives a program or a combination of program and CMs. They are determined from the program prices for users and the CM advantages and disadvantages.

Assume that a CM set 445 is inserted in the program 1234 as shown in FIG. 9. The program 1234 has the prices for users (A1), and the CM set 445 has the CM advantages/disadvantages (D3). The advantages and disadvantages the user has when he receives the combination of the program 1234 and the CM set 445 are calculated as follows:

• (1) If no CMs are received (if no CMs are inserted in the program), the user pays 1000 yen and receives 20 points.
• (2) If CMs are received (if any CM set is inserted in the program), the user pay 600 yen (800-200), and receives 300 points.

FIG. 10 illustrates the relation the CM advantage/disadvantage of each CM set has with the BY-side CM equivalent conditions of the CM set.

The costs of a supplier are calculated in the data-providing system 100, as will be described below.

In the system 100, the transmission server section 30 determines: (i) which program has been transmitted; (ii) which CM has been transmitted and how many times; (iii) in what condition the program has been transmitted: and (iv) in what condition the CM has been transmitted.

On the basis of the facts there are determined the BY-side program equivalent conditions of the program and the BY-side CM equivalent conditions of the CM. From these conditions it is determined how equivalents should be paid.

For example, the charge is settled as follows when a program having the BY-side program equivalent conditions (A2) is transmitted, together with a CM having the BY-side CM equivalent conditions (B1).

The charge-settling section 50 pays 100 yen to the program-providing section 10.

The charge-settling section 50 pays 10 yen to the program-providing section 10.

The charge-settling section 50 pays 10 yen to the transmission server section 40.

The CM sponsor section 20 pays 10 yen to the authoring section 30.

The CM sponsor section 20 pays 20 yen to the charge-settling section 50.

What the user needs to pay has not been specified. If a program having the BY-side program equivalent conditions (A2) is transmitted alone, the charge-settling is carried out as will be described below.

The charge-settling section 50 pays 100 yen to the program-providing section 10.

What the user needs to pay has not been specified. FIG. 11 explains how the data supplier's costs are calculated from the BY-side program equivalent conditions of the program 1234 and the BY-side CM equivalent conditions of the CM 22, CM 24 and CM 27.

In the data-providing system 100, a CM menu is used to select a CM or CMs to be inserted into a program after the user has selected the program from the program menu. The user can select any CM from the many shown in the CM menu. The CM menu is displayed, in most cases along with the advantages and disadvantages the user may have when he selects a CM or CMs.

In the data-processing system 100, a control process is effected when a program is selected and a program-transmitting mode is selected from the four alternative modes. The four program-transmitting modes are: (1) transmitting the program along with CM set 401; (2) transmitting the program together with CM set 501; and (3) to transmitting the program along with no CMs.

In the program-transmitting mode (1), the CM set 401 is inserted in the program. Therefore, the control process is carried as follows. First, the pointer in the CM-transmission list for the CM set 401 is advanced every time a cue is detected in the program, thereby detecting the number of each CM. Then, the presence of a CM is detected from the data of the CM set 401, which is paired with the program. The name of any CM transmitted is described in a transmission record (for future inspection). These steps of the control process are repeated until the program terminates.

Steps S1 to S12 are performed in the data-providing system 100, as will be explained with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 12.

In the first Step S1, the data-depositing function 10B of the program-providing section 10 transmits programs and accompanying data to the authoring section 30 (Step S1a). The accompanying data includes the program prices for user, the BY-side program equivalent conditions, the possible cue positions designated, and the like. In the authoring section 30, the first registering/storing/transmitting function 30D receives and stores the programs, program prices for user, BY-side program equivalent conditions and possible cue positions designated, all transmitted from the program-providing section 10 (Step S1b). The cue-mark inserting function 30B inserts cue marks into the programs (S1c), each mark being a signal indicating where in a program a CM can be inserted.

In the next Step S2, the data-transmitting function 20B of the CM sponsor section 20 transmits a CM group and the equivalent conditions of the CMs to the authoring section 30 (Step S2a). Further, the data-transmitting function 20B advises the authoring section 30 of the program codes to be inserted and the CM advantages/disadvantages, which have been proposed (Step S2). In the authoring section 30, the second registering/storing/transmitting function 30E receives and stores the CM group, CM equivalent conditions, program codes to be inserted and CM advantages/disadvantages, all supplied from the CM sponsor section 20 (Step S2b). In the authoring section 30, the CM-group designating function 30C composes a group of CM sets, a CM-transmission list, list of CM sets, and a group of program codes to be inserted (Step S2c).

In Step S3, the registering/storing/transmitting functions 30D, 30E and 30F transmit all data and accompanying data to the transmission server section 40 (Step S3a). In the transmission server section 40, the archive function 40B records the data and the accompanying data (Step S3b).

In Step S4, the terminal-code storing/transmitting function 60B of the terminal section 60 reads a terminal code form a terminal and transmits the same to the transmission server section 40 (Step S4a). In the transmission server section 40, the process-managing function 40C receives the terminal code from the terminal section 60 in order to control each terminal (Step S4b). The menu-transmitting function 40E of the transmission server section 40 transmits a program menu to the terminal section 60 (Step S4c). In the terminal section 60, the program displaying/selecting/transmitting function 60C receives and displays the program menu transmitted from the transmission server section 40 and selects a program (Step S4d). Further, the CM-menu displaying function 60D of the terminal section 60 requests for results and a CM-variation menu for the program selected (S4e). The transmission server section 40 transmits the program menu, along with the advantage/disadvantage data, to the terminal section 60 (S4f). In the terminal section 60, the advantage/disadvantage displaying function 60E displays the advantage/disadvantage data transmitted from the terminal section 60 and various section buttons (Step S4g). The CM-menu selecting/transmitting function 60F of the terminal section 60 selects a CM menu and transmits the same to the transmission server section 40 (Step S4h). The terminal section 60 performs a process of controlling each terminal code that corresponds to the CM menu selected (Step S4i).

In the next Step S5, the archive function 40B of the transmission server section 40 transmits the programs recorded in the archive, one after another, to the terminal section 60 in the control process (Step S5a). Then, it is determined whether a CM cue has been inserted or not (Step S5b). If a CM cue has been inserted, the archive function 40B transmits a CM clip recorded, to the terminal section 60 in the control process (Step S5c). The transmission-record storing function 40J records the data showing which CM has been actually transmitted (Step S5d). It is then determined whether the program has terminated or not (Step S5e). If the program has not terminated yet, the archive function 40B transmits the remaining programs recorded, to the terminal function 60 in the control process (Step S5a).

In Step S6, the reproducing function 60G of the terminal function 60 receives and reproduces the data of each program and the auxiliary data items (Step S6a).

In Step S7, the advantage/disadvantage determining function 40D of the transmission server section 40 determines advantages and disadvantages from the program prices for user and the CM advantage/disadvantage (Step S7a). The result transmitting function 40H transmits the CM advantage/disadvantage finally determined and the terminal code, to the charge-settling section 50 and terminal function 60 (Step S7b). Thus, in the charge-settling section 50, the terminal settlement function 50B and settlement-data management DB function 50D receive the advantages and disadvantages finally determined for the terminal code, and control the same in the settlement-data management DB of the terminal (Step S7c). The terminal-settlement function 50F of the charge-settling section 50 periodically tabulates the advantages and disadvantages for each terminal and transmits a statement to the terminal, thereby settling charges (Step S7d).

In Step S8, the advantage/disadvantage displaying function 60E of the terminal section 60 receives and displays the advantages and disadvantages finally determined and sequentially transmitted from the transmission server section 40 (Step S8a).

In the next Step S9, the charge-settling function 60I of the terminal section 60 receives the periodical statement from the charge-settling section 50 and performs charge-settling (Step S9a).

In Step S10, the charge-calculating function 40I of the transmission server section 40 calculates the equivalents to be transferred between the players, from the BY-side program equivalent conditions and the BY-side equivalent conditions for each CM included in the CM set (Step S10a). The function 40I then transmits the equivalents calculated to the charge-settling section 50 (Step S10b).

In Step S11, the player-charge calculating function 50C of the charge-settling section 50 receives the equivalents supplied from the transmission server section 40, which are to be transferred between the players, controls the equivalents in the DB of each player to manage the equivalents in the settlement-data management DB function 50E (Step S11a). Further, in the charge-settling section 50, the player-charge calculating function 50G periodically tabulates the charges each player must pay and transmits a statement to each player, thus accomplishing charge-settling (Step S11b).

Further, in Step S12, the charges are settled in the charge-settling section 50 in accordance with the periodical statements of the players (Step S12a). The charge-settling function 10D of the program-providing section 10 settles charges in accordance with the statements for the players, transmitted from the charge-settling section 50 (Step S12b). The charge-settling function 20C of the CM sponsor section 20 settles charges in accordance with the statements for the players, transmitted from the charge-settling section 50 (Step S12c). Next, the charge-settling function 30G of the authoring section 30 settles charges in accordance with the statements for the players, transmitted from the charge-settling section 50 (Step S12d). Then, the charge-settling function 40 K of the transmission server section 40 settles charges in accordance with the statement for the players, transmitted from the charge-settling section 50 (Step S12e).

FIG. 13 illustrates the basic structure of the data-providing system 100. As shown in FIG. 13, the system 100 comprises three control units 1 to 3. The control unit 1 effects a streaming transmission of data, or content data that is a combination of the multimedia contents (i.e., program data, or data 1) and auxiliary data items (i.e., data 2 and data 3). The control unit 3 automatically organizes a new program by processing the program data items generated by dividing a program, the attributes of auxiliary data items (data 4, data 5, data 6, data 7), and the profile of a user apparatus. The control unit 2 changes the order in which the auxiliary data items to be inserted in the program data will be transmitted.

Data items 1 to 6 may be all transmitted to a terminal (i.e., a data recording/reproducing apparatus), or only “necessary” data items may be transmitted to the terminal. Alternatively, data items 1 to 6 may be processed while being held in a server. Moreover, necessary data (i.e., content clip=program data+auxiliary data items) may be transmitted to a terminal in the form of a package medium, compressed data, a data stream, or a transmission multi-text. In addition, a necessary additional content clip may be transmitted, as data recorded in a package medium, or by means of streaming transmission. The control units 1 to 3 may be implemented in a terminal or a server. Furthermore, the profile of the user apparatus can be located in a terminal or a server, whichever desired.

The data-providing system 100 enables the user to select any one of CM sets available, thereby obtaining a combination of a part of packaged program data and some of auxiliary data items, by virtue of the characteristics of on-demand broadcasting.

For example, timer-calendar data may be applied to the profile of the user apparatus, thereby to replace CMs that no longer need to broadcast, with new ones. The data about the area where the user lives may be applied to the profile, in order to replace the national-version CMs with local-version CMs. Moreover, the data of the user's income may be applied to the profile, thereby broadcast more or less CMs for expensive goods. Further, the timer-calendar data may be applied to the profile, to broadcast programs about cherry-blossom viewing tours at any place where the cherry-blossom front has reached. Alternatively, the areas to which the user plans to take a trip may be applied to the profile, thereby to replace CMs with the CMs for sightseeing in those areas.

In addition, CMs can be selected in accordance with the attributes of the user profile. For example, the type of advertisement and the charge for viewing advertisement can be changed in accordance with the sex and age of the user.

Still further, the annual income of the user may be applied to the profile of the user apparatus. In this case, the guide program for teaching how to prepare annual income report may be revised if the user gets a profit by selling real estate or receives a retirement bonus.

The business title of the user may be applied to the profile, to transmit a program to the user apparatus, which has been so edited in part that the user may understand it better than otherwise.

The information about the stock or bond that the user has bought may be applied to the profile of the user apparatus. If so, the user can receive a stock-market report centering on the very stock he or she has bought.

The information about the user's favorite baseball team may be applied to the profile, so that the user may enjoy a sport program centering on that baseball team.

The children's birthdays may be applied to the profile of the user apparatus, so that an educational program edited may be revised for the children and then broadcast. Further, the user's tastes for music may be applied to the profile, thereby to transmit a BGM program full of the user's favorite music to the user apparatus.

Moreover, the operating schedule of the airline the user often uses may be automatically analyzed and the results of analysis may be applied to the profile of the user apparatus. In this case, the user can enjoy a program in which the flight timetable of that airline is scroll-displayed.

With the data-providing system 100 it is possible to automatically update and analyze the profile of the user, whereby programs can be revised for the user.

Claims

1. A data-providing system comprising:

circuitry that executes computer-readable instructions to

a first data-transmitting unit configured to transmit a continuous stream of content data that includes multimedia content groups having program data and auxiliary data items including pricing, equivalent conditions and available cue positions in a time-code of the program data;

a control unit configured to assemble new data in accordance with the pricing, equivalent conditions, available cue positions, user profile data, and data items obtained by dividing the program data;

a second data-transmitting unit configured to select the select, from a plurality of auxiliary data items, a set of auxiliary data items to be inserted interleaved into the program data in accordance with the new data and in a predetermined order, the set of auxiliary data items including fewer data items than available cue positions such that no auxiliary data item is inserted into at least one available cue position, and configured to transmit transmits another continuous stream of content data that includes multimedia content groups having the program data and the selected set of auxiliary data items; and

a charge-settling unit configured to tabulate and transmit charge-settlement data, and configured to tabulate and transmit a plurality of payment shares to be paid to content suppliers, the charge-settlement data and payment shares being based on the program data transmitted and the set of auxiliary data items selected.

2. The data-providing system according to claim 1, wherein the set of auxiliary data items includes at least one of advertisement data, answers to questions presented in the program data, special offers and a questionnaire.

3. The data-providing system according to claim 1, wherein multimedia content groups included in the other continuous stream of content data are assembled by interleaving the program data and auxiliary data items from the selected set of auxiliary data items according to a transmission list associating each of the auxiliary data items to one of the available cue positions.

4. The data-providing system according to claim 3, wherein the second data-transmitting unit circuitry that executes the computer-readable instructions, transmits program data during an available cue position not associated to any of the auxiliary data items in the transmission list.

5. A data-providing system comprising:

circuitry that executes computer-readable instructions to

a first data-transmitting unit configured to transmit a continuous stream of content data that includes multimedia content groups having pre-assembled program data and auxiliary data items including pricing, equivalent condition and available cue positions in a time-code of the program data;

a control unit configured to assemble new data in accordance with the pricing, equivalent conditions, available cue positions, and data items obtained by dividing the program data;

a second data-transmitting unit configured to select the select, from a plurality of sets of auxiliary data items, a set of auxiliary data items to be inserted interleaved into the program data in accordance with the new data, the set of auxiliary data items including fewer data items than available cue positions such that no auxiliary data item is inserted into at least one available cue position, and configured to transmit another continuous stream of data; and

a charge-settling unit configured to tabulate and transmit charge-settlement data, and configured to tabulate and transmit a plurality of payment shares to be paid to content suppliers, the charge-settlement data and payment shares being based on the program data transmitted and the set of auxiliary data items selected.

6. The data-providing system according to claim 5, wherein the set of auxiliary data items includes at least one of advertisement data, answers to questions presented in the program data, special offers and a questionnaire.

7. A transmission server, comprising:

circuitry that executes computer-readable instructions to

a processing unit configured to assemble new data by processing attribute data of the auxiliary data items received with program data, user profile data, and data items obtained by dividing the program data, the attribute data including pricing, equivalent conditions and available cue positions in a time-code of the program data;

a selection unit configured to select, from a plurality of sets of auxiliary data items, a group set of auxiliary data items to be inserted interleaved into the program data in a predetermined order, the set of auxiliary data items including fewer data items than available cue positions such that no auxiliary data item is inserted into at least one available cue position, in accordance with the new data;

a transmitter configured to transmit a stream of the group set of auxiliary data items; and

a charge-calculating unit configured to calculate a plurality of payment shares to be transferred among a plurality of content providers, the payment shares being based on the set of auxiliary data items selected and the program data transmitted.

8. The transmission server according to claim 7, wherein in response to a request made by a terminal unit, advantages and disadvantages are determined from a user price of a program and the advantages and disadvantages of the set of auxiliary data items inserted in the program, and the advantages and disadvantages are transmitted to the terminal unit, said advantages and disadvantages corresponding to a service charge billed when the program is transmitted together with the set of auxiliary data items selected.

9. The data-providing system according to claim 7, wherein the set of auxiliary data includes at least one of advertisement data, answers to questions presented in the program data, special offers and a questionnaire.

10. A data terminal apparatus, comprising:

circuitry that executes computer-readable instructions to

a receiving unit configured to receive a stream of on-demand programs transmitted from a transmission server;

a selection unit configured to select a set of auxiliary data items to be inserted interleaved into a program in a predetermined order, the set of auxiliary data items including fewer data items than available cue positions such that no auxiliary data item is inserted into at least one available cue position, the set auxiliary data items being selected from a plurality of sets of auxiliary data items based on attributes of the auxiliary data items thereof, user profile data, and data items obtained by dividing received program data, the attributes including pricing, equivalent conditions and available cue positions in a time-code of the program, the attributes being received with the program data;

a transmitting unit configured to transmit a signal representing the selected set of auxiliary data items and a terminal code of the a terminal section; and

a charge-settling unit configured to display a received charge-settlement statement, and configured to perform charge-settling in accordance with the received charge-settlement statement, the charge-settlement statement corresponding to program data transmitted and the set of auxiliary data items selected.

11. The data terminal apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising: a requesting unit configured to request wherein the circuitry that executes the computer-readable instructions, requests, from the transmission server, the advantages and disadvantages of a set of auxiliary data items that are selectable upon a selection of a program, and configured to display displays the advantages and disadvantages transmitted from the transmission server.

12. The data-providing system according to claim 10, wherein the set of auxiliary data includes at least one of advertisement data, answers to questions presented in the program data, special offers and a questionnaire.

13. An authoring apparatus, comprising:

circuitry that executes computer-readable instructions to

a first registration unit configured to register, store and transmit program prices for viewing programs on a terminal apparatus, the program prices being viewable on a display connected to the terminal apparatus;

a second registration unit configured to register, store and transmit supplier-side equivalent conditions;

a position designating unit configured to designate time-code positions at which to insert auxiliary data items into a program,

a data designating unit configured to designate a set of auxiliary data items to be inserted interleaved into a program in a predetermined order and in accordance with the supplier-side equivalent conditions, the set of auxiliary data items including fewer data items than available cue positions such that no auxiliary data item is inserted into at least one available cue position, the set of auxiliary data items being from auxiliary data libraries including a plurality of auxiliary data items; and

a transmission list generating unit configured to generate a transmission list including an order in which to transmit the auxiliary data items from the set of auxiliary data items are to be interleaved into a program, the transmission list being prepared for a the program.

14. The authoring apparatus according to claim 13, wherein groups the set of auxiliary data items to be inserted into a program are designated from the plurality of auxiliary data libraries.

15. The authoring apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising: a third registering unit configured to register, store and transmit wherein the circuitry that executes the computer-readable instructions, registers, stores and transmits advantages and disadvantages to transmitting a series set of auxiliary data items designated in at least one auxiliary data transmission list.

16. The authoring apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising: a third registering unit configured to register, store and transmit wherein the circuitry that executes the computer-readable instructions, registers, stores and transmits payment shares to be paid among suppliers when the set of auxiliary data items in the auxiliary data transmission list are transmitted and the supplier-side equivalent conditions are met.

17. The data-providing system authoring apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the set of auxiliary data items includes at least one of advertisement data, answers to questions presented in the program data, special offers and a questionnaire.

18. A data-providing method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a continuous stream of content data that includes multimedia content groups having program data and auxiliary data items including pricing, equivalent condition and available cue positions in a time-code of the program data;

assembling new data by processing the pricing, equivalent conditions, available cue positions, user profile data, and data items obtained by dividing each program data;

selecting, from a plurality of sets of auxiliary data items, a group set of auxiliary data items to be inserted interleaved into the program data in a predetermined order and in accordance with the new data, the set of auxiliary data items including fewer data items than available cue positions such that no auxiliary data item is inserted into at least one available cue position;

transmitting another continuous stream of content data that include multimedia content groups having program data and the selected set of auxiliary data items interleaved therein;

tabulating and transmitting charge-settlement data in accordance with the program data transmitted and the selected set of auxiliary data items; and

tabulating and transmitting a plurality of payment shares to be paid to content suppliers in accordance with the program data transmitted and the selected set of auxiliary data items.

19. The data-providing system method according to claim 18, wherein the set of auxiliary data items includes at least one of advertisement data, answers to questions presented in the program data, special offers and a questionnaire.

20. The data-providing system according to claim 2, wherein the advertisement data included in the set of auxiliary data items is selected based on time-calendar data.