Initiating a wireless connection to a broadcast program

• US 20030114145A1
• Filed: 12/17/2001
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Boda, Peter Pal, Saarinen, Petteri J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,062,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A method and system for users to select and participate in call-in broadcast programs are disclosed. A user speaks a station name into a mobile device, providing an indication that the request is for a broadcast channel, to tune the mobile device to that channel. The user initiates a request to contact a show by inputting an indication that the user would like to contact the show. The mobile device sends the request to a call server, which looks up the show'"'"'s contact information based on the current channel being received by the mobile device, and forwards the request to a show representative. The show representative screens calls and provide automated responses. When the show'"'"'s representative accepts a request to contact the show, the call server initiates a connection between the mobile device and a telephone or other device associated with the show. Once the connection has been established, the call server withdraws from the connection, allowing the user to communicate with the show representative.

Claims

1. A call server, comprising:

a processor;

memory for storing data comprising;

a database that correlates information identifying a plurality of broadcast programs to information for contacting each of the plurality of broadcast programs; and

computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the call server to perform a method for establishing a wireless telephony connection, comprising steps of;

(i) receiving from a mobile device a first request to establish a connection, said first request comprising a current condition of a dynamic variable;

(ii) querying the database based on the dynamic variable to retrieve information for contacting a broadcast program corresponding to the dynamic variable; and

(iii) sending a second connection request to a device associated with the broadcast program.

2. The call server of claim 1, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the call server to perform steps of:

(iv) receiving a connection response; and

(v) when the connection response accepts the request, establishing a connection between the mobile device and the device associated with the broadcast program.

3. The call server of claim 2, wherein the contact information comprises a telephone number and, in step (v), the connection is a telephony connection.

4. The call server of claim 2, wherein the access information comprises a URL and, in step (v) the connection is a data network connection.

5. The call server of claim 1, wherein the dynamic variable represents a current broadcast channel to which the mobile device is tuned.

6. The call server of claim 1, wherein, in step (iv), the connection response comprises a delay time, and wherein the computer readable instructions further comprise the step of waiting for the delay time before performing step (v).

7. The call server of claim 1, wherein step (i) comprises receiving a text message.

8. The call server of claim 7, wherein step (i) comprises receiving an SMS message.

9. A method for establishing a wireless connection, comprising steps of:

(i) a mobile device receiving user input to establish the connection;

(ii) the mobile device sending to a call server a request to contact a second party, wherein the request comprises a current condition of a dynamic variable;

(iii) the mobile device receiving connection information from the call server; and

(iv) the mobile device joining a connection to the second party established by the call server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, in step (ii), the dynamic variable identifies a current broadcast being received by the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein, in step (iv), the connection comprises a telephony connection.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein, in step (ii), the current broadcast comprises an advertisement.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein, in step (ii), the current broadcast comprises a call-in program.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein step (i) comprises receiving a verbal command.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein step (ii) comprises sending a text message.

34. The method of claim 15, wherein step (ii) comprises sending an SMS message.

16. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor;

memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the mobile device to perform steps of;

(i) receiving user input to initiate a connection with a device associated with a broadcast program;

(ii) sending a request comprising a current value of a dynamic variable representing the broadcast program; and

(iii) when the request is accepted, establishing the connection with the device associated with the broadcast program.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein in step (ii) the dynamic variable represents a presently tuned broadcast station.

18. The mobile device of claim 16, further comprising the step of, when the request is rejected, receiving a rejection message.

19. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein in step (iii) the connection comprises a voice connection.

20. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein in step (i) the broadcast program comprises an advertisement.

21. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein in step (i) the broadcast program comprises a call-in program.

22. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein step (i) comprises receiving a verbal command from a user of the mobile device.

23. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein step (ii) comprises sending a text message.

35. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein step (ii) comprises sending an SMS message.

24. A computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a device to perform steps of:

(i) receiving user input to initiate a connection with a device associated with a broadcast program;

(ii) sending a request comprising a current value of a dynamic variable representing the broadcast program; and

(iii) when the request is accepted, establishing the connection with a device associated with the broadcast program.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein in step (ii) the dynamic variable represents a presently tuned broadcast station.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the computer readable instructions further comprise the step of, when the request is rejected, receiving a rejection message.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein in step (iii) the connection comprises a voice connection.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein in step (i) the broadcast program comprises an advertisement.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein in step (i) the broadcast program comprises a call-in program.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein step (i) comprises receiving a verbal command from a user of the mobile device.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein step (ii) comprises sending a text message.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein step (ii) comprises sending an SMS message.

33. In a mobile terminal, a method of establishing a voice connection between a user of the mobile terminal and a device associated with a broadcast radio program, comprising the steps of:

(i) receiving and demodulating a broadcast signal at the mobile terminal;

(ii) in response to a user-activated command, transmitting a request to establish a voice connection with the device associated with the broadcast radio program, wherein the request includes information that identifies the broadcast radio program;

(iii) receiving from a call server that communicates with the device associated with the broadcast radio program an indication as to whether the request to establish the voice connection has been accepted; and

(iv) in response to step (iii), establishing a voice connection with the device associated with the broadcast radio program.