Method and apparatus for scheduling presentation of digital content on a personal communication device
First Claim
1. An electronic data input apparatus for capturing a response to digital content generated by a personal communication device, the electronic data input apparatus comprising:
- an input element configured for electrical coupling to the personal communication device; and
a means for generating an electrical signal corresponding to the response and for transferring the signal to the personal communication device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus wherein a software scheduling agent resides on a communication network and/or client device, such as location-aware wireless communication appliances, television set top boxes, or other end user client devices is disclosed. The software scheduling agent is part of a probabilistic modeling system in which the scheduler operates to perform constrained random variation with selection. Digital content is generated, organized, and stored on the communication network and/or the client devices. An electronic digital content wrapper, which holds information in the form of data and metadata related to the digital content is associated with each item of digital content. Contextual profiles for each user and each item of digital content are established by the users and the network and maintained by a service provider on the communication network. The software scheduling agent compares the contextual digital content profile for each item of digital content to the contextual user profile for each user to determine which digital content should be offered for presentation to each user. The comparison and determination of which items of digital content should be offered for presentation to which users is performed by a process of constrained random variation. After the software scheduling agent determines which items of digital content would most likely be relevant or interesting to the user, the digital content is transmitted, either in whole or in part, at predetermined times over the communication network to the appropriate client devices. The digital content is then stored, either in whole or in part, in cache memory on the client device until an appropriate time when the digital content is digitally packaged and presented to particular users over those user'"'"'s client devices.
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Citations
92 Claims
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1. An electronic data input apparatus for capturing a response to digital content generated by a personal communication device, the electronic data input apparatus comprising:
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an input element configured for electrical coupling to the personal communication device; and
a means for generating an electrical signal corresponding to the response and for transferring the signal to the personal communication device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An electronic data input system for entering data into a personal communication device having a microprocessor and a display for displaying digital content, the electronic data input system comprising:
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an input element operably associated with the personal communication device and being electrically coupled to the microprocessor; and
means for presenting an analog range of responses to the digital content;
means for selectively capturing a response to the digital content from the analog range of responses. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An electronic data input system for entering data into a personal communication device having a microprocessor and a display for displaying digital content, the electronic data input system comprising:
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an input element operably associated with the personal communication device and being electrically coupled to the microprocessor;
software for operating the input element, the software being programmed to generate the digital content and selectively capture data from the input element in response to the digital content; and
an active scaling element displayed by the microprocessor on the display, the active scaling element representing an analog range of responses to the digital content;
whereby the data is captured from the analog range of responses by activation of the input element. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. An analog responder for entering a response into a wireless communication appliance having a display and a microprocessor, the analog responder comprising:
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an input element disposed within the wireless communication appliance and being electrically coupled to the microprocessor;
software programmed into the microprocessor for operating the analog responder and displaying digital content on the display;
an active scaling element displayed by the microprocessor on the display, the active scaling element representing an analog range of responses to the digital content; and
a plurality of scaling messages operably associated with the active scaling element;
whereby the response is selected from the analog range of responses by activation of the analog responder. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A data entry system for entering data into an existing personal communication device having a display, a microprocessor, and a microprocessor input/output port, the electronic data input system comprising:
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a modular housing;
an input element operably associated with the modular housing;
a housing input/output port configured to electronically mate with the microprocessor input/output port, whereby the input element is electrically coupled to the microprocessor; and
whereby the data is entered into the microprocessor by activation of the input element. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. A communication network, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of portable wireless communication devices issued to network subscribers located in a plurality of differing geographic locations;
(b) a plurality of wireless communication towers providing wireless communication coverage of said differing geographic locations;
(c) a wireless geographic positioning system facilitating a determination of an actual geographic position for each of said plurality of portable wireless communication devices;
(d) each of said portable wireless communication devices including;
(1) a relatively small housing;
(2) a wireless communication receiver, carried within said relatively small housing, for receiving wireless communication signals from said plurality of communication towers;
(3) a wireless communication transmitter, carried within said relatively small housing, for transmitting communication signals from said plurality of wireless communication towers;
(4) a wireless geographic positioning subsystem, carried within said relatively small housing, for interacting with said wireless geographic positioning system and determining the geographic position of each particular portable wireless communication device;
(5) a processor and associated memory, carried within said relatively small housing, for storing program instructions and data in memory and for executing program instructions;
(e) a network control system, including;
(1) a transmission system for communicating wireless transmissions from said plurality of communication towers;
(2) a reception system for receiving wireless transmissions from said plurality of communication towers;
(3) a communication traffic management system for managing bi-directional communication through the transmission and reception of wireless signals;
(4) a location management system for maintaining location information for said plurality of network subscribers;
(f) wherein said processor of said portable wireless communication device determines a current actual geographic position through use of said wireless geographic positioning subsystem;
(g) wherein a personalized location database of user-specific locations is maintained in said memory of each of said plurality of portable wireless communication devices, which associates a plurality of generalized location identifiers to a plurality of corresponding actual geographic positions;
(h) wherein said processor executes program instructions to examine said personalized location database in order to identify a generalized location identifier associated with said geographic position;
(i) wherein said portable wireless communication device communicates location information to said network control system predominately in terms of said generalized location identifier; and
(j) wherein said network control system maintains location information for said plurality of portable wireless communication devices predominately in terms of said generalized location identifiers. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74)
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75. A communication network, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of portable wireless communication devices issued to network subscribers located in a plurality of differing geographic locations;
(b) a plurality of wireless communication towers providing wireless communication coverage of said differing geographic locations;
(c) a plurality of global positioning satellites transmitting global positioning signals (GPS) to said differing geographic locations, which collectively determine a GPS position in terms of latitude and longitude for each of said portable wireless communication devices;
(d) each of said portable wireless communication devices including;
(1) a relatively small housing;
(2) a wireless communication receiver, carried within said relatively small housing, for receiving wireless communication signals from said plurality of communication towers;
(3) a wireless communication transmitter, carried within said relatively small housing, for transmitting communication signals from said plurality of wireless communication towers;
(4) a global positioning receiver, carried within said relatively small housing, for receiving GPS signals from said plurality of global positioning satellites;
(5) a processor and associated memory, carried within said relatively small housing, for storing program instructions and data in memory and for executing program instructions;
(e) a network control system, including;
(1) a transmission system for communicating wireless transmissions from said plurality of communication towers;
(2) a reception system for receiving wireless transmissions from said plurality of communication towers;
(3) a communication traffic management system for managing bi-directional communication through the transmission and reception of wireless signals;
(4) a location management system for maintaining location information for said plurality of network subscribers; and
(f) wherein said processor of said portable wireless communication device utilizes said GPS signals received from said plurality of global positioning satellites to determine a current GPS position in terms of at least latitude and longitude;
(g) wherein a personalized location database of user-specific locations is maintained in said memory of each of said plurality of portable wireless communication devices, which associates a plurality of generalized location identifiers to a plurality of corresponding GPS positions;
(h) wherein said processor executes program instructions to examine said personalized location database in order to identify a generalized location identifier associated with said GPS position;
(i) wherein said portable wireless communication device communicates location information to said network control system predominately in terms of said generalized location identifier; and
(j) wherein said network control system maintains location information for said plurality of portable wireless communication devices predominately in terms of said generalized location identifiers. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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82. A communication network, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of portable wireless communication devices issued to network subscribers located in a plurality of differing geographic locations;
(b) a plurality of wireless communication towers providing wireless communication coverage of said differing geographic locations;
(c) a plurality of global positioning satellites transmitting global positioning signals (GPS) to said differing geographic locations, which collectively determine a GPS position in terms of at least latitude and longitude for each of said portable wireless communication devices;
(d) each of said portable wireless communication devices including;
(1) a relatively small housing;
(2) a wireless communication receiver, carried within said relatively small housing, for receiving wireless communication signals from said plurality of communication towers in the form of digital packets;
(3) a wireless communication transmitter, carried within said relatively small housing, for transmitting communication signals from said plurality of wireless communication towers in the form of digital packets;
(4) a display for displaying at least textual material, including two-way communications conducted over said plurality of wireless communication towers utilizing said digital packets;
(5) a global positioning receiver, carried within said relatively small housing, for receiving GPS signals from said plurality of global positioning satellites;
(6) a processor and associated memory, carried within said relatively small housing, for storing program instructions and data in memory and for executing program instructions;
(7) a user input system carried by said relatively small housing for inputting user commands and data into said processor;
(e) a network control system, including;
(1) a transmission system for communicating digital packets to said plurality of communication towers for wireless transmission;
(2) a reception system for receiving wireless transmissions of digital packets from said plurality of communication towers;
(3) a session management system for managing communication exchanges, each of which are composed of exchanges of digital packets through the transmission and reception of wireless signals;
(4) a location management system for maintaining location information for said plurality of network subscribers; and
(f) wherein said processor of said portable wireless communication device utilizes said GPS signals received from said plurality of global positioning satellites to determine a current GPS position in terms of latitude and longitude;
(g) wherein a personalized location database of generalized location identifiers is maintained in said memory of each of said plurality of portable wireless communication devices, and which associates a plurality of generalized location identifiers to a plurality of corresponding GPS positions;
(h) wherein said processor executes program instructions to examine said personalized location database in order to identify a particular generalized location identifier associated with said GPS position;
(i) wherein said portable wireless communication device communicates location information to said network control system predominately in terms of said generalized location identifier; and
(j) wherein said network control system maintains location information for said plurality of portable wireless communication devices predominately in terms of said generalized location identifiers. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
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89. A communication network, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of portable wireless communication devices issued to relatively mobile network subscribers located in a plurality of differing geographic locations;
(b) a plurality of wireless communication towers providing coverage of said differing geographic locations;
(c) a plurality of global positioning satellites transmitting global positioning signals (GPS) to said differing geographic locations, which collectively determine a GPS position for each of said portable wireless communication devices;
(d) each of said portable wireless communication devices including;
(1) a relatively small housing;
(2) a wireless communication receiver, carried within said relatively small housing, for receiving wireless communication signals from said plurality of communication towers in the form of digital packets;
(3) a wireless communication transmitter, carried within said relatively small housing, for transmitting communication signals from said plurality of wireless communication towers in the form of digital packets;
(4) a display for displaying at least textual material including two-way communications conducted over said plurality of wireless communication towers;
(5) a global positioning receiver, carried within said relatively small housing, for receiving GPS signals from said plurality of global positioning satellites;
(6) a processor and associated memory, carried within said relatively small housing, for storing program instructions and data in memory and for executing program instructions;
(7) a user input system carried by said relatively small housing for inputting user commands and data into said processor;
(e) a network control system, including;
(1) a transmission system for communicating digital packets to said plurality of communication towers;
(2) a reception system for receiving digital packets from said plurality of communication towers;
(3) a communication traffic management system for managing communication exchanges, each of which are composed of exchanges of digital packets;
(4) a location management system for maintaining location information for said plurality of network subscribers; and
(5) a subscriber preference modeling system which develops at least one user profile for each of said plurality of network subscribers which is based upon at least in part upon location information which is maintained by said network control system;
(f) wherein said network control system communicates messages in the form of digital packages to said plurality of network subscribers utilizing said preference modeling system in order to deliver location appropriate messages to each particular network subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (90, 91)
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92. A communication network, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of communication devices issued to network subscribers located in a plurality of differing geographic locations;
(b) each of said communication devices including;
(1) a relatively small housing;
(2) a communication receiver, carried within said relatively small housing;
(3) a communication transmitter, carried within said relatively small housing;
(4) a display, visible from the exterior of said relatively small housing, for displaying at least textual material including two-way communications;
(5) a processor and associated memory, carried within said relatively small housing, for storing program instructions and data in memory and for executing program instructions;
(6) a user input system carried by said relatively small housing for inputting user commands and data into said processor;
(e) a network control system, including;
(1) a transmission system;
(2) a reception system;
(3) a session management system for managing communication exchanges;
(4) a preference modeling system which develops at least one profile for each of said plurality of network subscribers which is based upon at least in part upon;
(a) location information relevant for each network subscriber which is maintained by said network control system;
(b) time information which is relevant for each network subscriber which is maintained by said network control system;
(c) know preferences which are relevant for each network subscriber which are derived through interaction with each network subscriber;
(f) wherein said network control system automatically communicates a stream of messages to said plurality of network subscribers utilizing said preference modeling system in order to deliver contextually appropriate messages to each particular network subscriber, each message being generally appropriate for the current location of the particular network subscriber, for the current time, and for known preferences of the particular network subscriber.
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Specification