Importance

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Abstract

A technique for enabling access to supplementary materials related to a program that is broadcast to a plurality of audience members. A programming signal is obtained to be used for performing the program. A supplementary material ID signal is obtained that uniquely identifies particular program-related supplementary material from among a plurality of available program-related supplementary materials, but which does not include sufficient data for printing and/or displaying such particular program-related supplementary material. The programming signal and the supplementary material ID signal are combined into an output signal that is broadcast from a broadcast signal source. At a location of each audience member, the broadcast output signal is received, the programming signal and the supplementary material ID signal are separated from the received broadcast output signal, the program is performed with the separated programming signal on reproduction equipment, the separated supplementary material ID signals received at the location during an interval of time are stored, and a control signal is generated, related to the stored supplementary material ID signals, upon actuation by the audience member at such location. At a location remote from each of the audience members, a database is provided that stores data for printing and/or displaying information related to the plurality of available program-related supplementary materials, the control signal is received and, in response thereto, stored data is retrieved from the database for printing and/or displaying information related to the stored program-related supplementary material respectively corresponding to the supplementary material ID signals, and the retrieved data is transmitted to the location from which the control signal was sent.

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First Claim