Two-Way PDA, Laptop and Cell Phone Audience Response System

• US 20090187935A1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: VisionTree Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VisionTree Software, Inc.
• Inventors: PELLINAT, Martin, HAWKINS, Adam, DA COSTA, Alan
• Application Number:
  US12/415,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20090187935A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A two-way PDA, cell phone and laptop audience participation system providing the ability for real-time audience participation in questions and surveys and for real-time generation and display of results. A plurality of two-way wireless communication devices such as PDAs, cellphones or laptops are provided for use by participants at an event. At least one two-way wireless communication device, such as a wireless tablet, is provided for use by a presenter. Communications are between the presenter and participants are managed by a central server, wireless access points and routers.

Claims

1. An audience participation system comprising:

a plurality of participant two-way communication devices;

at least one presenter two-way communication device; and

a central server and wireless LAN managing communications between the, participant and presenter devices, wherein the system provides real-time audience participation and real-time generation and display of results.

2. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the participant devices are selected from a group consisting of PDAs, laptops and cellphones.

3. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the participant devices comprise means for presenting surveys and questions, obtaining survey results and answers to the questions, and sending the survey results and answers to the presenter device; and

the presenter device comprises means for displaying the survey results and answers in real time.

4. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the participant devices comprise means for submitting real-time questions to the presenter device; and

the presenter device comprises means for answering the questions in real time, and means for collecting identification information of the participants and providing answers later.

5. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the participant and presenter devices comprise a dynamic event schedule.

6. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the participant and presenter devices comprise links to documents and media accessible in real time.

7. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising means for tracking attendance at the event.

8. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the participant and presenter devices comprise a silent auction feature allowing the participants and presenters to bid on items in real time.

9. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the participant devices comprise an e-commerce application.

10. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the participant devices comprise:

a profile mode of operation, wherein participants login with identification information; and

an anonymous mode of operation, wherein participants participate anonymously.

11. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the presenter device comprises:

a reviewer mode of operation, wherein questions and comments from the participant devices are reviewed before being sent to the presenter device; and

a speaker mode of operation, wherein questions and comments are received and displayed by the presenter device.

12. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising means for allowing remote use of the system by participants and presenters not present.

13. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising a messaging system for sending messages to participant and presenter devices.

14. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising a pre-event website for posting agenda topics and meeting materials.

15. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising a post-event website for posting event results and information.

16. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising a backup server having synchronized data flow with the central server, wherein the backup and central servers are connected to an uninterruptible power supply.

17. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the central and backup servers are each connected to a RAID 1 array and an external storage device to ensure redundancy and constant mirror images of both data and application functions and processes.

18. An audience participation system as claimed in claim 16, and further comprising primary and secondary wireless routers that are connected to an uninterruptible power supply.

19. An audience participation system comprising:

a plurality of participant two-way communication devices selected from a group consisting of PDAs, laptops and cellphones, the participant devices comprising;

means for displaying surveys and questions, collecting survey results and answers to the questions from participants, and communicating the survey results and answers; and

means for collecting questions from participants and communicating the collected questions;

at least one presenter two-way communication device comprising;

means for receiving the survey results and answers from the participant devices, and aggregating and displaying the results and answers in real time; and

means for receiving the questions from the participant devices and displaying the questions in real time; and

a central server and wireless LAN managing communications between the participant and presenter devices.

20. A method for facilitating participation in an event having a plurality of participants and a presenter comprising:

providing participant two-way communication devices that are custom-configured for the event;

providing a presenter two-way communication device that is custom-configured for the event;

sending questions and surveys to the participant devices;

obtaining and sending survey results and answers to the questions from the participant devices to the presenter device in real time;

obtaining and sending questions from the participant devices to the presenter device;

aggregating and displaying the answers and survey results in real time with the presenter device; and

displaying the questions from the participant devices in real time with the presenter device.