Interactive communications appliance

• US 20050107031A1
• Filed: 09/23/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knowledge Kids Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Knowledge Kids Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Brown, Matthew, Sward, Jen, Wood, Michael C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,818,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

An interactive communications appliance for broadcasting personalized information is disclosed. The interactive communications appliance comprises a transceiver for receiving personalized information transmitted via a wireless link. A memory stores the personalized information and an audio device broadcasts the personalized information to a user.

Claims

1. An interactive communications appliance for broadcasting personalized information, the interactive communications appliance comprising:

(a) a processor;

(b) a transceiver for receiving personalized information transmitted via a wireless link, the transceiver being operatively coupled to the processor;

(c) a memory for the storing personalized information, the memory being operatively coupled to the processor; and

(d) an audio device for broadcasting the personalized information,

wherein the personalized information is received from a server computer via a communication medium.

2. The interactive communications appliance of claim 1 further comprising an alarm.

3. The interactive communications appliance of claim 1 wherein the audio device is a speaker.

4. The interactive communications appliance of claim 1 further comprising an input device, wherein the input device comprises a button.

5. The interactive communications appliance of claim 1 wherein the personalized information comprises at least one of sports information, educational information, weather information, and TV programming information.

6. The interactive communications appliance of claim 1 wherein the memory comprises code for creating a personalized schedule for the user.

7. The interactive communications appliance of claim 1 further comprising a time display.

8. The interactive communications appliance of claim 1 wherein the communication medium comprises the Internet.

9. The interactive communications appliance of claim 1 wherein the transceiver is adapted to transmit information to a second transceiver operatively coupled to a computer.

10. The interactive communications appliance of claim 1 wherein the memory comprises pre-recorded, reusable audio portions.

13. A system for broadcasting personalized information to a user, the system comprising:

the interactive communications appliance of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is a first transceiver;

a second transceiver communicating with the first transceiver via a wireless link;

a client computer operatively coupled to the second transceiver; and

the server computer in communication with the client computer.

15. The system of claim 13 further comprising a user profile database.

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

16-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A method for broadcasting personalized information, the method comprising:

(a) providing a user profile for a user to a server computer;

(b) receiving personalized information based on the user profile at a client computer from the server computer via a communication medium;

(c) transmitting the personalized information from the client computer to an interactive communications appliance via a wireless link for storage,

wherein the personalized information is thereafter broadcasted to the user.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein obtaining personalized information is based on information that is appropriate for the user'"'"'s age.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the communication medium comprises the Internet.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein an alarm sounds prior to broadcasting the personalized information.

39. The method of claim 35 wherein the method further comprises preselecting one or more radio channels on the interactive communications appliance for broadcasting at predetermined times.

40. The method claim 35 wherein the personalized information comprises one or more of sports information, educational information, weather information, TV programming information, and music.

41. The method of claim 35 further comprising creating the user profile.

42. The method of claim 35 wherein the wireless link is a radio frequency link.