Media interactivity method and architecture

• US 20020100039A1
• Filed: 01/19/2001
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Upstream Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Upstream Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Iatropoulos, Nicholas, Vratskides, Alexios
• Application Number:
  US09/766,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20020100039A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/30 by a single channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A mechanism for enabling interactive communications between mass media operators and mass media audiences is described. The mechanism associates an interactive prompt with a communication over a communications medium so that the prompt is received by a member of a mass media audience member and receives a response from the mass media audience member in response to the interactive prompt from a communications device.

Claims

1. A method of enabling interactive communications between mass media operators and mass media audiences comprising:

associating an interactive prompt with a communication of a mass communications medium, so that the interactive prompt is received by an audience member; and

receiving a response from the audience member in response to the interactive prompt from a communications device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications medium comprises a television broadcast network and the communication comprises a television program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mass communications medium comprises a radio broadcast network and the communication is a radio program.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mass communications medium comprises a print medium and the communication is an issue of a printed publication.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein communications device operates according to a wireless communications medium protocol.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the communications device is a mobile telephone and the wireless communications medium protocol is Wireless Access Protocol.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications medium protocol is Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein associating comprises:

providing the prompt for insertion in the television program prior to a transmission of the television program over a television broadcast transmission medium to a television receiver.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing comprises providing the prompt to a character generator for insertion in the television program as text.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein providing further comprises providing the prompt for insertion in the television program as audio.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving further comprises:

providing a Web site to receive the response.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein associating further comprises:

receiving data concerning the interactive prompt, the data including time scheduling of the interactive prompt within the broadcast.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein providing further comprises:

providing the Web site to receive the response based on the time scheduling of the interactive prompt within the broadcast.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the television broadcast transmission medium is cable.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the television broadcast transmission medium is satellite.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the television broadcast transmission medium is terrestrial.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the television broadcast transmission medium is aerial.

18. The method of claim 3, wherein associating comprises:

providing the prompt for insertion in the radio program prior to a transmission of the radio program over a radio broadcast transmission medium to a radio receiver.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the radio broadcast transmission medium is aerial.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the radio broadcast transmission medium is a digital transmission medium.

21. The method of claim 4, wherein associating comprises:

providing the prompt for insertion in the printed publication prior to a delivery of the printed publication over a printed communication medium to the audience member.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the print communication medium is a paper publication.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the print communication medium is a digital medium.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the print communication medium is a billboard advertisement located in a public place.

25. The method of claim 5, wherein the communications device is a mobile telephone and the wireless communications medium protocol is Short Message Service.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications device is a handheld computing device.

30. The server system of claim 29, further comprising:

a database coupled to the server;

wherein the server adds an entry for the interactive prompt in the database and stores the responses received from viewers in the database entry; and

wherein the server communicates the responses to the client computer for viewing by a user of the client computer.

27. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for enabling interactive communications between mass media operators and mass media audiences, comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

associate an interactive prompt with a communication of a mass communications medium by an operator of the mass communications medium so that the prompt is received by a member of an audience of the communication; and

enable the audience member to provide a response to the interactive prompt using a communications device that operates according to an Internet communications protocol.

28. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for enabling communications between mass media operators and mass media audiences, comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

generate a prompt for inclusion in a broadcast of a program;

associate timing parameters with the prompt to schedule an occurrence of the prompt within the program;

associate the prompt and the program with a Web site; and

use the timing parameters to control the associated Web site to receive responses to the prompt from members of an audience of the program.

29. A server system comprising:

a server configured to exchange communications with a client computer, the communication exchanges of a type that enables the client to associate timing parameters and attributes with an interactive prompt played during a program, and associate the interactive prompt with a Web site supported on the server so that the Web site is prepared to receive responses to the prompt from viewers.