Abstract: A digital contents rental system enables images which are desired by customers to be rented in a short period of time. A user takes a recording medium to the store of the rental agent and sets it to a download apparatus. Subsequently, when a content number or the like is specified by using a keyboard of the download apparatus, the specified contents are downloaded to the recording medium, and a rental fee is calculated and displayed. The user pays the displayed fee, and carries the recording medium back to his home. When the user sets the recording medium to the adaptor and presses the start button, the contents which were downloaded to the recording medium are displayed on a display device.

Abstract: A addressable CATV end-user payment collection management system, which includes a cable TV broadcasting system, the cable TV broadcasting system having a plurality of demodulators, which demodulate signals from different channels, a video signal main cable for signal output, a mixer, which mixes the signals received from the demodulators into an end-user receivable video signal, and then sends the mixed video signal to the end users through the video signal main cable, a payment collection computer data bank for storing and processing data of the end-users, and producing a control signal to a cable modem subject to the payment data of the end-users, a cable modem connected between the cable TV broadcasting system and the payment collection computer data bank for sending the control signal from the payment collection computer data bank to the mixer of the cable TV broadcasting system for mixing with the video signal for synchronous output; and a plurality of signal distributors respectively connected to the v

Abstract: A cable television broadcasting system has a set top box having a function of selecting a charging system among a plurality of charging systems depending on the viewing type for a chargeable program. If the viewer allows an advertisement program to be displayed during display of the chargeable program, the fee is lowered. If the viewer clicks the icon for the advertisement program to display the advertisement program, if the viewer makes an access to the advertisement data through the internet, and if the viewer buys a commodity through the internet, then the fee is stepwise lowered. The sponsors of the advertisements pay sponsor fees depending on the access frequency by the viewers.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking and processing transactions for such purposes as creating billing record and detecting possible fraudulent activities. The system and method relates to processing transactions associated with viewing movies, e.g. a video content distributed digitally on a digital video disc (DVD) in an scrambled format, where the video content is only viewable in conjunction with the use of a specially designed and enabled player. This method of distributing and billing movie content provides an alternative to current methods such as viewing via video tapes, open format DVDs, pay-per-view, or cable service. The system and method permits a user to establish, via a single authorization, multiple access to a service during a period of time, where each event of access is not individually billed. The system and method does not create a billable charge for a user authorization if the user does not actually access the service.

Abstract: Certain providers, notably of television programs, subsidize the receivers and want to avoid that these apparatuses can also be used for the services offered by other providers. On the other hand, manufacturers of these apparatuses prefer selling multipurpose apparatuses and users do not want to have several similar apparatuses, which, moreover, is cumbersome. To obtain a compromise between these contradictory requirements, it is proposed to permit reception by the apparatus of services offered by a provider other than the provider who has subsidized the apparatus, when the subscription taken out by said provider has reached a certain period or length of service.