Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – With tuning
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-10
2003-09-30
Vo, Nguyen T. (Department: 2681)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
With tuning
C455S150100, C455S503000, C455S154100, C455S414100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06628928
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to interactive radio systems and in particular to interactive radio systems for use with broadcast radio.
II. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,303,393, 5,455,823 and 5,689,245 to Noreen et al. describe various interactive radio systems for use with broadcast radio. In one example, individual mobile interactive radio units are installed in motor vehicles or other locations for use by subscribers of the interactive radio system. Each mobile unit includes a radio broadcast receiver, such as a standard automobile radio, and a two-way wireless communication device, such as a satellite-based wireless telephone. Radio broadcasts received by the mobile unit are listened to by the subscriber, perhaps while driving the vehicle. The subscriber may respond to advertisements, solicitations, promotional segments or the like by entering commands through the mobile unit, which are transmitted by the wireless telephone to a network operations center. As one specific example, if the subscriber wishes to purchase a product advertised during a radio broadcast, the subscriber enters an order or purchase command into the mobile unit and the command is forwarded to the network operations center, which coordinates the purchase of the product on behalf of the subscriber. To this end, the broadcast signal may be encoded with sub-signals which identify the product offered for sale during the segment of the broadcast. The mobile unit extracts the product identification from the broadcast signal and generates a purchase command, which identifies the product being purchased along with the identity of the subscriber associated with the mobile unit. The network operations center maintains a credit card number or other purchase authorization information for the subscriber for completing the purchase. If the broadcast signal is a standard radio broadcast signal not encoded with sub-signals, the mobile unit determines the carrier frequency of the broadcast, the date and time of the broadcast, and the geographical location of the mobile unit and then transmits this information along with the purchase command and identity of the subscriber associated with the mobile unit to the network operations center. In response, the network operations center determines the identity of the broadcaster based upon the carrier frequency and the geographical location of the mobile unit, then accesses databases identifying particular program segments broadcast by the broadcaster at various dates and times. With this information, the network operations center determines the goods or services that the subscriber wishes to purchase and completes the purchase on behalf of the subscriber.
Although summarized with respect to an example involving the purchase of goods or services advertised during radio broadcasts, the interactive radio systems of the Noreen et al. patents provide a wide range of other interactive services as well. In other examples, the subscriber may respond to opinion polls solicited through radio broadcasts, or donate money to charities or political causes solicited through the radio broadcast. Additionally, the mobile interactive radio unit may be provided with a graphic display for providing information identifying particular songs broadcast over the radio or particular products advertised in radio broadcasts. In the example wherein the broadcasts are encoded with sub-signals identifying the particular product being offered for sale, the encoded information may be displayed on the graphic display for viewing by the subscriber while listening to the broadcast.
Thus, interactive radio is enabled using radio broadcasters, such as satellite radio broadcasters or conventional AM/FM or digital land-based radio broadcasters. Hence, the audio content need not be transmitted via cables, telephone lines, or other narrow-casting techniques. Moreover, because broadcast radio is employed, operators of the interactive radio system can reach potentially millions of subscribers, including subscribers at remote locations who may not have access to narrow-cast interactive systems such as cable-based systems. Moreover, those who possess only a conventional radio can receive radio broadcasts as normal. Those who possess one of the mobile interactive radio units and are subscribers to the interactive radio system receive the additional benefits provided by the interactive radio system. Hence, the radio broadcasters can reach both subscribers and non-subscribers to the mobile interactive radio system. Another advantage of the system is that the only signals that need to be transmitted from the mobile units to the network operations center are relatively infrequent subscriber command signals generated, for example, when the subscriber selects a product to purchase. Hence, very little bandwidth is required by the wireless communication system to communicate transmissions from the mobile unit to the network operations center.
Although the systems of the Noreen et al. patents have many advantages over non-broadcast-based interactive radio systems, such as cable-based radio systems or other narrow-cast radio systems, room for further improvement remains. For example, it would be desirable to provide an alternative method for providing text or graphic information to the subscriber which does not require that the text or graphic information be transmitted to the mobile unit and displayed on the mobile unit. By providing a method that does not require that the information be displayed on the mobile unit, the mobile unit thereby need not include a graphic display. By eliminating the need to provide a graphic display in the mobile unit, the mobile unit may be less expensive and perhaps less distracting to the subscriber, which is particularly advantageous if the mobile unit is mounted within a motor vehicle for use by the driver of the vehicle. Also, it would be desirable to provide an interactive radio system which is capable of providing vast amounts of text or graphic information to the subscriber pertaining to selected program segment without requiring that the information be be transmitted to the mobile unit via the two-way wireless communication device. Also, it would be desirable to provide an interactive radio system wherein the subscriber need not make immediate decisions while listening to the radio about whether to purchase goods or services, contribute to charities or the like. Rather, it would be desirable to permit the subscriber to select advertisements, songs, or other program segments of interest and then review information pertaining to those program segments at a later time.
It is to these and other ends that aspects of the present invention are primarily directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, an interactive broadcast system is provided for use with a mobile unit having a broadcast receiver for receiving broadcast transmissions from broadcasters or other broadcast program originators and a wireless transmitter for transmitting wireless signals to the system. The system includes a means for receiving a broadcast attribute signal transmitted from the mobile unit. The broadcast attribute signal identifies at least one attribute of a broadcast transmission selected by a user of the mobile unit. The system also includes means, responsive to receipt of the broadcast attribute signal, for providing information to the user associated with the mobile unit via the Internet. The information provided via the Internet is selected based upon the content of the broadcast transmission selected by the user.
In an exemplary embodiment, the broadcasts are radio broadcasts. The broadcast receiver is a radio, such as an AM/FM automobile radio or a mobile satellite radio. The wireless transmitter is a two-way wireless communication device, such as a satellite wireless communication device or a cellular telephone. The user of the mobile unit is a subscriber of the interactive radio system. The term subscriber, as used herein
Crosby Stephen P.
Noreen Gary Keith
Davis Temica M.
eCARmerce Incorporated
Kukkonen, III Carl A.
Vo Nguyen T.
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