Wireless transfer system

• US 20060088022A1
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hogyoku, Itaru
• Application Number:
  US11/257,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20060088022A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/349
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

According to the invention, a wireless transfer system including a wireless transfer transmitter that converts a source signal fed thereto into a radiowave and transmits the radiowave and a wireless transfer receiver that receives the radiowave transmitted from the wireless transfer transmitter and converts the radiowave back into the original source signal to produce an external output signal further has a timer circuit, a memory, and a control circuit that creates, by using the timer circuit, information relating to a wireless connection duration between the wireless transfer transmitter and the wireless transfer receiver and stores the created information in the memory. This configuration alleviates limitations on where to enjoy chargeable contents and permits collection of viewing fees through a simple procedure.

Claims

1. A wireless transfer system including

a wireless transfer transmitter that converts a source signal fed thereto into a radiowave and transmits the radiowave, and

a wireless transfer receiver that receives the radiowave transmitted from the wireless transfer transmitter and converts the radiowave back into the original source signal to produce an external output signal,

the wireless transfer system comprising

a time counting portion,

a storage portion, and

a control portion that creates, by using the time counting portion, information relating to a wireless connection duration between the wireless transfer transmitter and the wireless transfer receiver and stores the created information in the storage portion.

2. The wireless transfer system of claim 1, further comprising

a broadcast receiver that produces the source signal from a broadcast signal fed thereto and outputs the source signal to the wireless transfer transmitter,

wherein the broadcast receiver and the wireless transfer transmitter are housed in one housing.

3. The wireless transfer system of claim 1, further comprising

an external interface for delivering to an external device the information relating to the wireless connection duration between the wireless transfer transmitter and the wireless transfer receiver as stored in the storage portion.

4. The wireless transfer system of claim 2, further comprising

an external interface for delivering to an external device the information relating to the wireless connection duration between the wireless transfer transmitter and the wireless transfer receiver as stored in the storage portion.

5. A fee billing system comprising

a wireless transfer system, and

a fee biller,

wherein the wireless transfer system includes

a wireless transfer transmitter that converts a source signal fed thereto into a radiowave and transmits the radiowave, and

a wireless transfer receiver that receives the radiowave transmitted from the wireless transfer transmitter and converts the radiowave back into the original source signal to produce an external output signal,

wherein the wireless transfer system comprises

a time counting portion,

a storage portion,

a control portion that creates, by using the time counting portion, information relating to a wireless connection duration between the wireless transfer transmitter and the wireless transfer receiver and stores the created information in the storage portion,

and an external interface for delivering to an external device the information relating to the wireless connection duration between the wireless transfer transmitter and the wireless transfer receiver as stored in the storage portion, and

wherein the fee biller calculates an amount of money to be billed according to the information from the external interface provided in the wireless transfer system.

6. The fee billing system of claim 5,

wherein the wireless transfer system further comprises a broadcast receiver that produces the source signal from a broadcast signal fed thereto and outputs the source signal to the wireless transfer transmitter, and

wherein the broadcast receiver and the wireless transfer transmitter are housed in one housing.

7. A wireless transfer system including

a wireless transfer transmitter that converts a source signal fed thereto into a radiowave and transmits the radiowave, and

a wireless transfer receiver that receives the radiowave transmitted from the wireless transfer transmitter and converts the radiowave back into the original source signal to produce an external output signal,

the wireless transfer system comprising

a time counting portion,

an external interface for receiving information relating to a permitted viewing period from outside, and

a control portion that controls, by using the time counting portion and according to the information relating to the permitted viewing period, whether or not to permit wireless connection between the wireless transfer transmitter and the wireless transfer receiver.

8. A wireless transfer system including

a wireless transfer transmitter that converts a source signal fed thereto into a radiowave and transmits the radiowave, and

a wireless transfer receiver that receives the radiowave transmitted from the wireless transfer transmitter and converts the radiowave back into the original source signal to produce an external output signal,

the wireless transfer system comprising

a broadcast receiver that produces the source signal from a broadcast signal fed thereto and outputs the source signal to the wireless transfer transmitter,

a time counting portion,

an external interface for receiving information relating to a permitted viewing period from outside, and

a control portion that controls, by using the time counting portion and according to the information relating to the permitted viewing period, whether or not to permit the broadcast receiver to receive a broadcast,

wherein the broadcast receiver and the wireless transfer transmitter are housed in one housing.

9. A viewing control system comprising

a wireless transfer system, and

an information transmitter,

wherein the wireless transfer system includes

a wireless transfer transmitter that converts a source signal fed thereto into a radiowave and transmits the radiowave, and

a wireless transfer receiver that receives the radiowave transmitted from the wireless transfer transmitter and converts the radiowave back into the original source signal to produce an external output signal,

wherein the wireless transfer system comprises

a time counting portion,

an external interface for receiving information relating to a permitted viewing period from outside, and

a control portion that controls, by using the time counting portion and according to the information relating to the permitted viewing period, whether or not to permit wireless connection between the wireless transfer transmitter and the wireless transfer receiver, and

wherein the information transmitter sends the information relating to the permitted viewing period to the external interface provided in the wireless transfer system.

10. A viewing control system comprising

a wireless transfer system, and

an information transmitter,

wherein the wireless transfer system includes

a wireless transfer transmitter that converts a source signal fed thereto into a radiowave and transmits the radiowave, and

a wireless transfer receiver that receives the radiowave transmitted from the wireless transfer transmitter and converts the radiowave back into the original source signal to produce an external output signal,.

wherein the wireless transfer system comprises

a broadcast receiver that produces the source signal from a broadcast signal fed thereto and outputs the source signal to the wireless transfer transmitter,

a time counting portion,

an external interface for receiving information relating to a permitted viewing period from outside, and

a control portion that controls, by using the time counting portion and according to the information relating to the permitted viewing period, whether or not to permit the broadcast receiver to receive a broadcast,

wherein the broadcast receiver and the wireless transfer transmitter are housed in one housing, and

wherein the information transmitter sends the information relating to the permitted viewing period to the external interface provided in the wireless transfer system.

11. A wireless transfer system including

a wireless transfer transmitter that converts a source signal fed thereto into a radiowave and transmits the radiowave, and

a wireless transfer receiver that receives the radiowave transmitted from the wireless transfer transmitter and converts the radiowave back into the original source signal to produce an external output signal,

the wireless transfer system comprising

a time counting portion,

an external interface for receiving electronic money data from outside, and

a control portion that converts the electronic money data into information relating to a permitted viewing period and controls, by using the time counting portion and according to the information relating to the permitted viewing period, whether or not to permit wireless connection between the wireless transfer transmitter and the wireless transfer receiver.

12. A wireless transfer system including

a wireless transfer transmitter that converts a source signal fed thereto into a radiowave and transmits the radiowave, and

a wireless transfer receiver that receives the radiowave transmitted from the wireless transfer transmitter and converts the radiowave back into the original source signal to produce an external output signal,

the wireless transfer system comprising

a broadcast receiver that produces the source signal from a broadcast signal fed thereto and outputs the source signal to the wireless transfer transmitter,

a time counting portion,

an external interface for receiving electronic money data from outside, and

a control portion that converts the electronic money data into information relating to a permitted viewing period and controls, by using the time counting portion and according to the information relating to the permitted viewing period, whether or not to permit the broadcast receiver to receive a broadcast,

wherein the broadcast receiver and the wireless transfer transmitter are housed in one housing.

13. A viewing control system comprising

a wireless transfer system, and

an information transmitter,

wherein the wireless transfer system includes

a wireless transfer transmitter that converts a source signal fed thereto into a radiowave and transmits the radiowave, and

a wireless transfer receiver that receives the radiowave transmitted from the wireless transfer transmitter and converts the radiowave back into the original source signal to produce an external output signal,

wherein the wireless transfer system comprises

a time counting portion,

an external interface for receiving electronic money data from outside, and

a control portion that converts the electronic money data into information relating to a permitted viewing period and controls, by using the time counting portion and according to the information relating to the permitted viewing period, whether or not to permit wireless connection between the wireless transfer transmitter and the wireless transfer receiver, and

wherein the information transmitter sends the electronic money data to the external interface provided in the wireless transfer system.

14. A viewing control system comprising

a wireless transfer system, and

an information transmitter,

wherein the wireless transfer system includes

a wireless transfer transmitter that converts a source signal fed thereto into a radiowave and transmits the radiowave, and

a wireless transfer receiver that receives the radiowave transmitted from the wireless transfer transmitter and converts the radiowave back into the original source signal to produce an external output signal,

wherein the wireless transfer system comprises

a broadcast receiver that produces the source signal from a broadcast signal fed thereto and outputs the source signal to the wireless transfer transmitter,

a time counting portion,

an external interface for receiving electronic money data from outside, and

a control portion that converts the electronic money data into information relating to a permitted viewing period and controls, by using the time counting portion and according to the information relating to the permitted viewing period, whether or not to permit the broadcast receiver to receive a broadcast,

wherein the broadcast receiver and the wireless transfer transmitter are housed in one housing, and

wherein the information transmitter sends the electronic money data to the external interface provided in the wireless transfer system.