Identifying events

• US 20070060112A1
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John Reimer
• Original Assignee: John Reimer
• Inventors: Reimer, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/487 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/489 using time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/08 Learning methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/912 Applications of a database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/913 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/918 Location
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Events may be identified by storing information in response to activating an event stamp function. As a result of activating the event function, the information collected may immediately be compared to event information in a database. Alternatively, the information collected may later be compared to event information in a database. One or more candidates for the event of interest may be automatically or manually retrieved, and the user may decide whether a candidate event of the one or more candidates correspond to the event of interest. Alternatively, a purchase of an item related to the event may be automatically made in response to activating the event stamp.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method comprising:

receiving event identifying information;

in response to receiving the event identifying information,

returning event information about an event corresponding to the event identifying information, and

returning event information about one or more other events having at least some of the event identifying information.

2. The machine-implemented method of claim 1, wherein

the event identifying information includes at least a first time associated with the event;

the event information about the event corresponding to the event identifying information includes information about a first event associated with the first time; and

the one or more other events include at least a second event that is juxtaposed to the first event.

3. The machine-implemented method of claim 1, wherein

the event identifying information includes at least a first time associated with the event;

the event information about the event corresponding to the event identifying information includes information about a first event associated with the first time; and

the one or more other events include at least

a second event that is of a second time that is earlier than the first time, and

a third event that is of a third time that is later than the first time.

4. A machine-implemented method comprising:

receiving event identifying information;

returning event information in response to the receiving; and

crediting a sponsor of the event with a monetary compensation based at least in part on the event identifying information.

5. The machine-implemented method of claim 4, wherein

the event identifying information includes at least a radio station identifier;

the event information is associated with a sound segment; and

the sponsor is the radio station that played the sound segment and that is associated with the radio station identifier.

6. A system comprising:

a network appliance for returning search results;

a button on the network appliance, which when pressed initializes a collection of multiple event identifying pieces of information, upon which the search results are based.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the multiple event identifying pieces of information includes at least a time at which an event occurred.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the multiple event identifying pieces of information includes at least a location associated with an event.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the multiple event identifying pieces of information include at least

a time of day associated with the event,

a date associated the event, and

a location associated with the event.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein contents included in the multiple event identifying pieces of information are determined at least in part by a standard agreed upon by multiple independent organizations.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the system further includes a database that stores information naming and identifying events.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the multiple pieces of event identifying information includes at least information associated with a song being broadcasted.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the multiple pieces of event identifying information includes at least information associated with a vehicle of transportation passing a certain location.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the multiple pieces of event identifying information includes at least information associated with an advertisement being displayed.

15. The system of claim 6, further comprising one or more buttons communicatively coupled to the network appliance that affect a mode of operation associated with the event stamp.

16. The system of claim 6, further comprising a tuner included within the network appliance communicatively coupled to the event stamp, wherein information about a broadcast source is determined based on the tuner.

17. The system of claim 6, wherein the network appliance automatically launches a search in response to the event stamp button being pressed.

18. The system of claim 6, wherein the device is a keychain wherein the event stamp function is capable of recording event identifying information that includes at least

a time of day,

a date,

a location, and

a radio station identifier;

the keychain further comprising;

circuitry capable of locating a radio station, based on sounds being emitted from a listening device, in response to activating the event stamp function.

19. The system of claim 6, wherein

the system is capable of identifying at least two different types of events,

the network appliance is capable of receiving a broadcast, and the network appliance includes at least

a tuner for tuning to a broadcast source of interest,

an event stamp function that is activated by pressing the event stamp button, the event stamp function causes event stamp information to be collected, the event stamp information includes at least

a time associated with an event, and

global positioning coordinates identifying a location associated with the event,

a memory for storing the event stamp information collected as a result of initiating the event stamp function, an algorithm for causing a processor to initialize a search in response to activating the event stamp function,

the processor,

an output, including at least a speaker and a display, for outputting the broadcast for observation by a user,

a receiver for receiving global positioning system coordinates, and

a communications link for communicatively coupling the receiving device for transferring the event stamp information;

the event stamp button on the network appliance includes at least cylindrical component that rotates, wherein rotating the cylindrical component cause a scrolling through information displayed via the display,

the network appliance is one of one or more network appliances, and

the system further comprises;

one or more broadcast sources for producing a broadcast;

a network;

a website host communicatively coupled with the network, wherein the website host is configured for displaying a website via which a user may identify an event of interest and purchase a product associated with the event;

a database storing event information, the database communicatively coupled with the website host via which the website host and the database communicate regarding event information therein facilitating displaying the event information on the website; and

a vendor website host communicatively coupled to the network via which the product is purchased based on interactions between the user and the website.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the one or more receiving devices is a mobile phone.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the database and the website host communicate via the network.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the database includes at least one or more machine readable media that store at least

one or more playlists of radio stations,

one or more locations of the radio stations,

one or more identifiers of the radio stations, and

one or more broadcast frequencies of radio stations,

wherein the one or more playlists, one or more locations, one or more identifiers, and one or more broadcast frequencies are correlated with one another.