Automated system for remote product or service selection

• US 20050044254A1
• Filed: 12/11/2003
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hornsey Research Limited
• Original Assignee: C-Burn Systems Limited
• Inventors: Smith, Adam James
• Granted Patent: US 7,577,717 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability

Abstract

A system for playing audio and/or video tracks in a public place in response to requests made by people, in which a jukebox is situated in the public place, the jukebox providing a plurality of audio and/or video tracks from which a selection of tracks to be played in the public place can be made by people in the public place, the jukebox being adapted to register requests for tracks to be played and to store requests whilst other requested tracks are played, characterized in that the jukebox registers a request in response to information transmitted by a person using a mobile communications device which is adapted to transmit text, data or speech over a wireless communications network, the transmitted information being processed automatically to provide data instructions which register the request.

Claims

1. A system for playing audio and/or video tracks in a public place in response to requests made by people, in which a jukebox is situated in the public place, the jukebox providing a plurality of audio and/or video tracks from which a selection of tracks to be played in the public place can be made by people in the public place, the jukebox being adapted to register requests for tracks to be played and to store requests whilst other requested tracks are played, characterised in that the jukebox registers a request in response to information transmitted by a person using a mobile communications device which is adapted to transmit text, data or speech over a wireless communications network, the transmitted information being processed automatically to provide data instructions which register the request.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless communications network is a mobile telephone network.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the information transmitted is in the form of a text message comprising an identification code for a track.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the text message is scanned automatically to identify the identification code for a track and the identified code is automatically authenticated.

5. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the information transmitted further comprises an associated message.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5 including at least one display unit for displaying to people in the public place a message which is associated with a requested track.

7. A system as claimed in claim 5 including a filter for offensive language.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein when a request is received, a confirmation message is provided for the person making the request.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the confirmation message is displayed on a display unit for people in the public place.

10. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted over the wireless communications network.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted as a text message over a mobile telephone network.

12. An automated jukebox for playing a requested audio and/or video track in a public place, the jukebox comprising a receiving device for receiving information concerning a request for a track to be played in the public place, a processing device for processing the received information, a storage device for storing requests whilst other requested tracks are played, and a playback device for playing requested tracks in the public place, characterised in that the receiving device is adapted to receive information that has been transmitted from a mobile communications device over a wireless communications network, and the processing device is adapted to automatically process the data to obtain instructions which register the request.

13. A jukebox as claimed in claim 12, wherein the wireless communications network is a mobile telephone network.

14. A jukebox as claimed in claim 13, wherein the information transmitted is in the form of a text message comprising an identification code for a track.

15. A jukebox as claimed in claim 14, wherein the text message is scanned automatically to identify the identification code for a track and the identified code is automatically authenticated.

16. A jukebox as claimed in claim 14, wherein the information transmitted further comprises an associated message.

17. A jukebox as claimed in claim 16 including at least one display unit for displaying to people in the public place a message which is associated with a requested track.

18. A jukebox as claimed in claim 16 including a filter for offensive language.

19. A jukebox as claimed in claim 12 wherein when a request is received, a confirmation message is provided for the person making the request.

20. A jukebox as claimed in claim 19 wherein the confirmation message is displayed on a display unit for people in the public place.

21. A jukebox as claimed in claim 19 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted over the wireless communications network.

22. A jukebox as claimed in claim 21 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted as a text message over a mobile telephone network.

23. A system for supplying a product or service to a user from a provider, selected from a range of products or services available from the provider, each product or service having an associated alphanumeric code, wherein the user has a portable communications device adapted for voice and text message communication over a public mobile telephone network, the provider has data processing means which is connected to the public mobile telephone network so as to receive text messages addressed to a provider'"'"'s telephone number on the network, the user operates the portable communications device to transmit over the network to the provider'"'"'s telephone number a text message containing the alphanumeric code of a selected product or service, the user'"'"'s text message is received by the data processing means together with the telephone number of the user'"'"'s portable communications device, the received text message is analysed by the data processing means to determine the code of the product or service selected by the user, supply of the product or service associated with the code is initiated automatically by the data processing means, and the data processing means automatically transmits a confirmatory text message to the user'"'"'s portable communications device over the network.

24. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the product or service is an audio and/or video track to be played to the user in a public place by a jukebox.