System and method for synchronizing interaction of a communication network with a broadcasting network

• US 20030177504A1
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Pyskir, Bohdan Myron, Paulo, Daniel Leonard, Piette, Matthew Richard
• Application Number:
  US10/101,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20030177504A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/118
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• 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: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/23 for mobile advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

This invention is a system and method for synchronizing interaction of a communication network (206) with a broadcasting network (208). The system (300) comprises a transmission synchronization engine (302), a wireless gateway (118), a program listing source (308, 310, 312), and a program content source (324). The wireless gateway (118) is capable of wireless communication with a mobile station (102) of the communication network (206) and provides location information about the mobile station (102) to the transmission synchronization engine (302). The program listing source (308, 310, 312) is capable of providing a current program listing for broadcast by the broadcasting network (208) based on the location information of the mobile station (102) to the transmission synchronization engine (302). The program content source (324) is capable of providing enhanced program content for one or more programs of the current program listing to the transmission synchronization engine (302). The transmission synchronization engine (302) creates a list of programs from the current program listing having enhanced program content available from the program content source (324), and provides the list to the mobile station (102).

Claims

1. A transmission synchronization engine for synchronizing interaction of a communication network with a broadcasting network comprising:

a location engine for receiving location information of a mobile station;

a program listing engine for retrieving a current program listing based on the location information of the mobile station;

a program content engine for retrieving enhanced program content for at least one program of the current program listing; and

a processor for creating a list of programs from the current program listing corresponding to enhanced program content and providing the list of programs to the mobile station.

2. The transmission synchronization engine of claim 1, wherein the program listing engine retrieves the current program listing based on a present time period as well as the location information of the mobile station.

3. The transmission synchronization engine of claim 1, further comprising a transcoding engine for transcoding the enhanced program content intended for the mobile station based on the configuration of the mobile station, and transcoding control signals received from the mobile station based on control input requirements of the broadcasting network.

4. The transmission synchronization engine of claim 1, further comprising a transaction engine for recording interactions between the mobile station and the broadcasting network throughout an interactive session.

5. The transmission synchronization engine of claim 1, further comprising an ad engine for providing at least one advertisement with the list of programs to the mobile station.

6. A network system for synchronizing interaction of a communication network with a broadcasting network comprising:

a transmission synchronization engine;

a wireless gateway of the communication network connected to the transmission synchronization engine, the wireless gateway being capable of wireless communication with a mobile station of the communication network and providing location information of the mobile station to the transmission synchronization engine;

a program listing source connected to the transmission synchronization engine, the program listing source being capable of providing to the transmission synchronization engine a current program listing for broadcast by the broadcasting network based on the location information of the mobile station; and

a program content source of the broadcasting network connected to the transmission synchronization engine, the program content source being capable of providing enhanced program content for at least one program of the current program listing to the transmission synchronization engine,

wherein the transmission synchronization engine creates a list of programs from the current program listing having enhanced program content available from the program content source and provides the list to the mobile station.

7. The network system of claim 6, wherein the program listing source provides the current program listing based on a present time period as well as the location information of the mobile station.

8. The network system of claim 6, wherein the transmission synchronization engine transcodes the enhanced program content intended for the mobile station based on the configuration of the mobile station, and transcodes control signals received from the mobile station based on control input requirements of the broadcasting network.

9. The network system of claim 6, wherein the transmission synchronization engine records interactions between the mobile station and the broadcasting network throughout an interactive session.

10. The network system of claim 6, wherein the transmission synchronization engine provides at least one advertisement with the list of programs to the mobile station.

11. A method of a transmission synchronization engine for synchronizing interaction of a communication network with a broadcasting network comprising the steps of:

permitting access to the transmission synchronization engine by a mobile station of the communication network via a wireless gateway of the communication network;

receiving location information of the mobile station from the wireless gateway;

retrieving a current program listing from a program listing source for broadcast by the broadcasting network based on the location information of the mobile station;

retrieving enhanced program content for at least one program of the current program listing from a program content source of the broadcasting network;

creating a list of programs from the current program listing having enhanced program content available from the program content source; and

providing the list of programs to the mobile station via the wireless gateway.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of creating the list of programs from the current program listing includes the step of determining whether the enhanced program content corresponding to the at least one program is available from the program content source.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of receiving a response from the mobile station via the wireless gateway, wherein the response identifies a particular enhanced program of the list of programs.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

identifying the particular enhanced program content that corresponds to the particular enhanced program; and

providing at least a portion of the particular enhanced program content to the mobile station.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of determining a configuration of the mobile station.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of determining the configuration of the mobile station includes the step of retrieving the configuration from a database of the transmission synchronization engine.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of determining the configuration of the mobile station includes the step of retrieving the configuration from the mobile station.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the configuration includes a browser type used by the mobile station.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

initiating an interactive session between the mobile station and the broadcasting network; and

recording interactions between the mobile station and the broadcasting network throughout the interactive session.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

transcoding the enhanced program content intended for the mobile station based on the configuration of the mobile station; and

transcoding control signals received from the mobile station based on control input requirements of the broadcasting network.