Abstract: A server (20) includes: a next obtaining time determining section (23) for determining a next obtaining time which is a time to next obtain update information including information specifying content which has been updated; and an update information generating section (22) for generating the update information which further includes the next obtaining time thus determined, and transmitting the update information thus generated to an electronic book terminal (10) in response to a request from the electronic book terminal (10). The electronic book terminal (10) includes: an update information obtaining section (12) for obtaining the update information from the server (20); and a next obtaining time setting section (13) for setting a time at which the update information obtaining section (12) next obtains the update information.

Abstract: A sidebar providing server (2) according to the present invention includes a request message analysis section (70), a control script generation section (80), and a display data generation section (63). The request message analysis section (70) receives service setting data transmitted from a digital television (1). The control script generation section (80) generates a control script for causing the digital television (1) to display an object indicating a brief description of the service, that is associated with setting information utilized to acquire information related to the service, which setting information is included in the service setting data thus received. The display data generation section (63) generates display data which includes the object and the control script thus generated, and transmits the display data thus generated to the digital television (1).

Abstract: A sidebar providing server (2) of the present invention includes: a service data cache processing section (66) that stores service setting data transmitted from a digital television (1) in a service setting data storage section (95); a request message analysis section (70) that receives display information indicating, for each service, whether or not to display an object showing a brief description of the service on the digital television (1); a service setting data updating section (68) that updates, at the time when the display information is received, service setting data, so that (i) the object indicated to be displayed is displayed and (ii) the object indicated not to be displayed is not displayed; and a display data generation section (63) that transmits, to the digital television (1), the display data (7) generated based on the service setting data in response to a request from the digital television (1).

Abstract: A virtual character sending method for sending, from a server computer to a client computer, a virtual character whose figure is changed based on services having been provided from the server computer to the client computer. The method includes the step of updating the virtual character to be sent to the user based on points accumulated according to the services provided, the step of sending data representing the updated virtual character to the user, and the step of providing a service requested from the user and adding up the points corresponding to the service provided.