INTERACTIVE OPTICAL CARDS AND OTHER HAND-HELD DEVICES WITH INCREASED CONNECTIVITY

• US 20080034387A1
• Filed: 04/10/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koplar Interactive Systems International, LLC
• Original Assignee: Koplar Interactive Systems International, LLC
• Inventors: Ciardullo, Daniel, Koplar, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,552,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4183 providing its own processing capabilities, e.g. external module for video decoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4185 for payment
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4784 receiving rewards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A system for deriving benefits from the reception and processing of composite video signals by a hand-held device, such as a smart card. Video signals are modulated with auxiliary data creating composite video signals. The composite video signals are then transmitted to and received by a hand-held device. The auxiliary data is then detected in the modulated video signal by circuitry of the hand-held device. The user receives benefits resulting from the reception of the auxiliary data.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

optically receiving on a hand-held device a modulated video signal, the modulated video signal including auxiliary data modulated in an active portion of the modulated video signal;

detecting on the hand-held device the auxiliary data contained within the modulated video signal; and

sequentially illuminating a series of light-emitting devices on the hand-held device in response to detection of the auxiliary data to provide a representation of a value available for redemption by use of the hand-held device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the auxiliary data through a computer interface on the hand-held device to a party for redemption.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the party is at least one of a store location, a vendor location, a redemption center, an Internet website, or a point of sale.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a redemption request for the value; and

providing notification regarding the redemption request over a network to a party.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a reset instruction from the party; and

resetting the hand-held device in response to receipt of the reset instruction.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

storing an indicia of a previous award reception on the hand-held device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary data is modulated in the luminance of the modulated video signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the hand-held device is an interface card.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the series of light-emitting devices includes light-admitting diodes (LEDs).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the series of light-emitting devices are each of a different color.

11. An interface card comprising:

a computer interface to transferring information to and receiving information from a computing device;

a photodetector to optically receive a modulated video signal directly from a display device, the modulated video signal comprising a video signal modulated to contain auxiliary data;

a visual display; and

a processor coupled to the computer interface, the photodetector, and the visual display and configured to;

send the received video signal through the computer interface to the computing device,

receive the auxiliary data contained with the received video signal from the computing device, and

present a value on the visual display in response to receiving the auxiliary data.

12. The interface card of claim 11, wherein the computer interface includes an interface selected from a group of interfaces consisting of a PCMCIA interface, an Ethernet interface, a Token Ring interface, infrared (IR) interface, a radio frequency (RF) interface, a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a parallel port, a serial port, IEEE 1394 FireWire (“

FireWire”

), S/PDIF, AES/EBU, a fiber optical interface, and Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) interface.

13. The interface card of claim 11, wherein the computing device is selected from a group of devices consisting of a computing system, a Portable Digital Assistant (PDA), a palm top PC, a cell phone, and a hand-held net-connected device.

14. The interface card of claim 11, wherein the visual display includes a LCD.

15. The interface card of claim 11, wherein the visual display includes a series of light-emitting devices.

16. The interface card of claim 11, further comprising:

a keypad coupled to the processor and capable of receiving from the user a selection of the value.

17. The interface card of claim 11, further comprising:

a button coupled to the processor, the button to initialize receipt of the modulated video signal through the photodetector directly from the display device.

18. The interface card of claim 11, further comprising:

an enclosure to house the computer interface, the photodetector, the visual display, and the processor, the enclosure comprising an aperture through which the photodetector protrudes.

19. The interface card of claim 11, wherein the value includes at least one of a discount, a prize, a coupon, or an item.

20. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

optically receive on a hand-held device a modulated video signal, the modulated video signal including auxiliary data modulated in an active portion of the modulated video signal;

detect on the hand-held device the auxiliary data contained within the modulated video signal; and

sequentially illuminate a series of light-emitting devices on the hand-held device in response to detection of the auxiliary data to provide a representation of a value available for redemption by use of the hand-held device.