Television audience interaction system

• US 20040010797A1
• Filed: 06/19/2003
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Peter S. Vogel
• Original Assignee: Peter S. Vogel
• Inventors: Vogel, Peter S.
• Application Number:
  US10/601,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20040010797A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/07 characterised by processes or methods for the generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 the transmission system being the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A systems for inserting feedback from members of the viewing public into a television program. Viewers submit reactions to programming in realtime in the form of spoken messages, text messages, or graphics which are incorporated into the program being watched or into a separate program broadcast subsequently. The invention has many applications in the entertainment industry, including, for example, making television programs more entertaining and creating an extra revenue source for broadcasters.

Claims

1. An audience interaction method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a first message from a member of the audience of an electronic entertainment program; and

b) inserting a second message based on said first message into said electronic entertainment program.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said electronic entertainment program is a television program.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said electronic entertainment program is a radio program.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said electronic entertainment program is an Internet-delivered multimedia program.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said first message comprises at least an audio message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first message comprises at least a text message.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said first message comprises at least a visual image.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said second message comprises at least an audio message.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said second message comprises at least a text message.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said second message comprises at least a visual image.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said first message is received via telephone.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said first message is received via cellphone SMS.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said first message is received via Internet.

16. The method of claim 1-15 further comprising the step of queuing received messages for use at a later time.

17. The method of claim 1-15 wherein said received messages are presented to a human operator who selects messages to be discarded.

18. The method of claim 1-15 wherein said received messages are filtered by computational means adapted to discard unsuitable messages.

19. The method of claim 1-15 wherein if said messages are received at a rate above a predetermined rate some messages are automatically discarded.

20. The method of claim 1-15 wherein said messages are inserted at the television transmission station.

21. The method of claim 1-15 wherein said messages to be inserted are conveyed to the viewer'"'"'s home via the Internet and are inserted at the viewer'"'"'s home.

22. The method of claim 1-15 wherein said messages to be inserted are conveyed to the viewer'"'"'s home via coding within a television signal and are inserted at the viewer'"'"'s home in visual form.

23. The method of claim 1-15 wherein said messages to be inserted are conveyed to the viewer'"'"'s home via coding within a television signal and are inserted at the viewer'"'"'s home in audible form.

24. The method of claim 1-15 wherein said messages to be inserted are conveyed to the viewer'"'"'s home via a radio broadcast and are inserted into a television program being viewed at the viewer'"'"'s home.

25. The method of claim 1-15 wherein said messages to be inserted are conveyed to the viewer'"'"'s home via a radio broadcast and are reproduced as a separate audio signal.

26. The method of claim 1-15 further comprising the step of generating statistical information from messages received.

27. The method of claim 1-15 further comprising the step of charging for each message received.

28. The method of claim 1-15 further comprising the step of charging for each message received and inserted.

29. The method of claim 1-15 further comprising the step of charging a first amount for each message received and a second amount for each message inserted.

30. The method of claim 1-15 wherein only a subset of messages received are inserted and the probability of a particular message being inserted is proportional to an amount paid by the person submitting said message.

31. The method of claim 1-15 wherein said received messages are presented to a human operator who assigns a rating to each message accepted and higher-rated messages are inserted in priority to lower-rated messages.

14. An audience interaction method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving an audio message from a member of the audience of an electronic entertainment program;

b) converting said audio message into a text message;

c) inserting said text message into said electronic entertainment program.

15. An audience interaction method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a text message from a member of the audience of an electronic entertainment program;

b) converting said text message into a spoken message;

c) inserting said spoken message into said electronic entertainment program.

32. A method of creating a television program comprising the steps of:

a) Receiving at least one message from at least one member of the audience of an electronic entertainment program;

b) Converting the messages into a television program; and

c) Transmitting said television program.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said television program is transmitted by insertion into said electronic entertainment program.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein said television program is transmitted after the conclusion of said electronic entertainment program.