Communication system and method

• US 20080134255A1
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Florence, Peter Charles, Ferris, Gavin Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,645,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/33 by plural channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/48 for recognising items expressed in broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A remote control device for consumer broadcast receivers, particularly television and radio receivers, is disclosed. In addition to the remote control features normally found on such a device, the device also contains a display on which advertisements, product and service offers, and other information (collectively, “display data”) may be shown to the user. The device receives such display data via a radio link from one of a plurality of central processing stations. The user of the device may interact with such display data (for example, to purchase an advertised good), and the device may send back details of such interactions to a central processing station, which in turn may initiate a transaction with the appropriate sponsoring party.

Claims

1-35. -35. (canceled)

36. A remote control apparatus for controlling a broadcast program receiver appliance, comprising:

a portable device including (i) a receiver for receipt of wireless incoming data transmissions from a host device via a communications network, the data transmission between the portable device and the host device via the communications network being independent from the transmission of the broadcast program and including first program cue data corresponding to a given broadcast program, (ii) software for recording second program cue data corresponding to a broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver, (iii) a transmitter for sending wireless outgoing data transmissions to the host device via the communications network, and (iv) a display for visual presentation of at least a portion of the incoming data received by the portable device from the host device via the communications network, said portion of incoming data being displayed on the portable device in response to the matching of the first and second program cue data, such that the visual presentation on the display of the portable device has content related to the content of the broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver.

37. The remote control apparatus of claim 36 wherein the second program cue data corresponds to a broadcast program currently accessed at the broadcast program receiver and the visual presentation on the display of the hand held device has content related to the content of the currently accessed broadcast program.

38. The remote control apparatus of claim 36 wherein the first and second program cue data includes channel identification data.