SYSTEM & METHOD FOR TELEPHONE CONFERENCE BASED COMMUNICATION, ENTERTAINMENT AND ADVERTISING PLATFORM WITH ACCOUNTING FUNCTIONALITY
First Claim
1. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of:
- sending a message inviting a recipient of a media presentation to enter a chat room;
receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient;
providing the recipient a menu of chat rooms of selectable events;
limiting the number of recipients that can be switched into a chat room for a selected event as active recipients; and
setting up a second chat room for a selected event when the number of recipients in the chat room reaches a defined limit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention enables people from the at-home viewing or listening audience of any television or radio broadcast to talk with each other to discuss the program'"'"'s content on the telephone at any time before, during or after a show. In addition to discussion forums based on broadcast and print media content, the system provides premium priced telephone access to people with specific expertise, e.g., sports stars, politicians and a host of other specialists. Income is earned on a per-minute or flat-rate basis and billed to the caller primarily via credit card or their phone bill. Revenue can be derived from the sale of advertisement, e.g., mentions of the sponsor over the telephone during the initial greeting and within conferences, as well as from the licensing of the service to media networks as a value added service.
21 Citations
57 Claims
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1. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of:
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sending a message inviting a recipient of a media presentation to enter a chat room; receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient; providing the recipient a menu of chat rooms of selectable events; limiting the number of recipients that can be switched into a chat room for a selected event as active recipients; and setting up a second chat room for a selected event when the number of recipients in the chat room reaches a defined limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of;
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sending a message inviting a recipient of a program being transmitted via RF signals to enter a chat room; receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient; providing the recipient a menu of chat rooms with different topics; switching the recipient to a chat room of the selected topic; charging a sponsor a fee for sponsoring the chat room service. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of;
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sending a message inviting a recipient of a program being transmitted via RF signals to enter a chat room; receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient; providing the recipient a menu of chat rooms with different topics; switching the recipient to a chat room with the selected topic; identifying the point of view of a recipient about an issue within the topic prior to switching the recipient into a chat room for the selected topic where the subject matter being discussed relates to a debatable issue. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of;
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sending a message inviting a recipient to enter a chat room with an expert on a particular topic; receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient; providing a chat room with said expert; and switching the recipient to said chat room with said expert. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of;
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sending a message inviting a recipient to enter a chat room; receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient; determining if the response is from a recipient know to the service; providing the recipient a menu of chat rooms of selectable events; limiting the number of recipients that can be switched into a chat room for a selected event as active recipients; setting up a second chat room for a selected event when the number of recipients in the chat room reaches a defined limit; and switching a recipient to a chat room of the event selected which has not reached the defined limit. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of;
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sending a message inviting a recipient to enter a chat room; receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient; determining if the response is from a recipient known to the service; providing the registered recipient a menu of chat rooms of selectable events; inviting a recipient to become a registered recipient; limiting the number of recipients that can be switched into a chat room for a selected event as active recipients to those recipients who are registered recipients; setting up a second chat room for a selected event when the number of recipients in the chat room reaches a defined limit; and switching a recipient to a chat room of the event selected which has not reached the defined limit; and charging a fee for the chat room service of the event selected to a sponsor. - View Dependent Claims (40, 43)
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- 41. The method of claim 41 wherein said message is sent at least once to a recipient.
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44. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of;
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sending a message inviting a recipient to enter a chat room; receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient; determining if the response is a registered recipient; providing the registered recipient a menu of chat rooms of selectable issues; limiting the number of recipients that can be switched into a chat room for a selected issue as active recipients; setting up a second chat room for a selected event when the number of recipients in the chat room reaches a defined limit; identifying the point of view of a recipient about an issue prior to switching the recipient into a chat room of the event selected where the subject matter being discussed may be controversial; switching the recipient to a chat room of the event selected which has not reached the defined limit; and
charging a fee for the chat room of the event selected to a sponsor. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of;
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sending a message inviting a recipient to enter a chat room with an expert person; receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient; determining if the recipient is known to the service; limiting the number of recipients that can be switched into the chat room; setting up a second chat room when the number of recipients in the chat room reaches a defined limit; identifying the point of view of a recipient on an issue being discussed in the chat room prior to switching the recipient into the chat room where the subject matter being discussed relates to an issue which may be controversial; switching a recipient to a chat room which has not reached the defined limit; and charging at least a fee the chat room for the event selected to a sponsor. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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Specification