Interactive television system

• US 20030192051A1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Index Systems Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Index Systems Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Yuen, Henry C.
• Application Number:
  US10/386,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20030192051A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/64 for providing detail information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/85 which are mobile communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• 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 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system for two-way communication between a television viewer operating a remote control unit to control a television and a television signal or other information provider located at a central site. A set-top box coupled to the television includes an infrared receiver to receive command signals from the remote control unit, a pager transmitter to transmit messages to the television signal or other information provider, and a pager receiver to receive confirmation messages from the television signal or other information provider. Also included is a controller to control reception of command signals from the remote control unit, reception of a television signal, display of the television signal on the television, translation of the command signals into messages to be sent by the pager transmitter, reception of confirmation messages from the pager receiver, and display of received confirmation messages on the television. Alternatively, the infrared receiver, pager transmitter, pager receiver, and controller are integral with the television.

Claims

1. A consumer electronic device coupled to a television for providing a two-way wireless communication link from the television to a remote site comprising:

an interface for receiving a first message from the television and sending a second message to the television;

a transmitter coupled to the interface for transmitting the first message received from the television to the remote site over a wireless communication network; and

a receiver coupled to the interface for receiving the second message from the remote site over the wireless communication network, wherein the second message is sent to the television via the interface.

2. The consumer electronic device of claim 1 further comprising means for displaying the second message on a screen of the television.

3. The consumer electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a user input device for providing the first message to the television.

4. The consumer electronic device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication network is a pager network.

5. The consumer electronic device of claim 4, wherein the paging network is a Personal Communication Services (PCS) network.

6. The consumer electronic device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication network is a wireless telephone network.

7. The consumer electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second message is an advertisement.

8. The consumer electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second message is an electronic mail.

9. The consumer electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first message is an electronic mail.

10. A consumer electronic device plugged to a television for providing a two-way wireless communication link from the television to a remote site comprising:

an interface for receiving a first message from the television and sending a second message to the television;

a transmitter coupled to the interface for transmitting the first message received from the television to the remote site over a first wireless communication network; and

a receiver coupled to the interface for receiving the second message from the remote site over a second wireless communication network, wherein the second message is sent to the television via the interface.

11. The consumer electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first and second wireless communication networks are both pager networks.

12. The consumer electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first and second wireless communication networks are both wireless telephone networks.

13. The consumer electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first and second wireless communication networks are both pager networks.

14. The consumer electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first wireless communication network is a wireless pager network and the second wireless communication network is a simulcast system.

15. The consumer electronic device of claim 14, wherein the simulcast system includes four subchannels.

16. The consumer electronic device of claim 15, wherein each subchannel of the four subchannels is modulated with four-level frequency shift keying.

17. The consumer electronic device of claim 10, wherein the second message is an advertisement.

18. The consumer electronic device of claim 10, wherein the second message is an electronic mail.

19. The consumer electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first message is an electronic mail.

20. A portable two-way pager device plugged to a television for providing a two-way wireless communication link from the television to a remote site comprising:

an interface for receiving a first message from the television and sending a second message to the television;

a pager transmitter coupled to the interface for transmitting the first message received from the television to the remote site over a pager network;

a pager receiver coupled to the interface for receiving the second message from the remote site over the pager network, wherein the second message is sent to the television via the interface; and

a television screen for displaying the first message.