AUDIENCE RESPONSE DEVICE, METHOD, AND SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A wireless response system for communicating user selections from an audience comprising:
- a base unit adapted to receive the user selections; and
a plurality of remote response units adapted to wirelessly communicate the user selections to said base unit, wherein at least one of said remote response units includes;
(a) a connector adapted to couple to a port of an electronic device having a display screen, an operating system, and an input device;
(b) a program adapted to be loaded onto the electronic device through said port and to run on the operating system of the electronic device, said program adapted to allow a user to input a user selection into the electronic device via said input device and to transfer said user selection to said at least one remote response unit; and
(c) a wireless transceiver for communicating wirelessly with said base unit, said at least one remote response unit adapted to transmit the user selection to said base unit through said transceiver.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An audience response unit may be coupled to a host electronic device, such as a computer, whereby the audience response unit enables information, such as user selections, to be entered via the host electronic device and transmitted by the audience response unit to a base station. The audience response unit can thereby utilize the user-input features and/or the display features of the host electronic device, which may provide greater flexibility of data entry, as well as ease of inputting the information. The use of a host electronic device may also allow reduced sizes and more simplified constructions of the audience response unit to be achieved. The response unit may be incorporated into a Universal Serial Bus (USB) dongle, or other device. The unit effectively turns the host electronic device into a virtual keyboard/audience participation device. Multiple of such units may be incorporated into a system.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A wireless response system for communicating user selections from an audience comprising:
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a base unit adapted to receive the user selections; and a plurality of remote response units adapted to wirelessly communicate the user selections to said base unit, wherein at least one of said remote response units includes; (a) a connector adapted to couple to a port of an electronic device having a display screen, an operating system, and an input device; (b) a program adapted to be loaded onto the electronic device through said port and to run on the operating system of the electronic device, said program adapted to allow a user to input a user selection into the electronic device via said input device and to transfer said user selection to said at least one remote response unit; and (c) a wireless transceiver for communicating wirelessly with said base unit, said at least one remote response unit adapted to transmit the user selection to said base unit through said transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. For a wireless response system for processing user selections transmitted to a base station from an audience member, a remote response unit comprising:
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a connector adapted to couple to a port of an electronic device having a display screen, an operating system, and an input device; a program adapted to be loaded onto said electronic device through said port and to run on the operating system of the electronic device, said program adapted to allow the audience member to input a user selection into the electronic device via said input device and to transfer said user selection to said remote response unit; and a wireless transceiver for communicating wirelessly with said base unit, said remote response unit adapted to transmit the user selection to said base unit through said transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for communicating user selections from an audience to a base unit comprising:
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providing a remote response unit adapted to wirelessly communicate user selections to said base unit; coupling said remote response unit to a port of an electronic device having a display screen, an operating system, and an input device; loading a program from said remote response unit onto said electronic device through said port; inputting a user selection into the electronic device via said input device; transferring said user selection to said remote response unit; and wirelessly transmitting said user selection from said remote response unit to said base unit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A wireless response system for communicating user selections from an audience comprising:
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a base unit adapted to receive the user selections; a plurality of remote response units adapted to wirelessly communicate the user selections to said base unit, wherein at least one of said remote response units includes; (a) a connector adapted to couple to a port of an electronic device having a display screen, an operating system, and an input device; and (b) a wireless transceiver for communicating wirelessly with said base unit, said at least one remote response unit adapted to transmit the user selection to said base unit through said transceiver; and a program adapted to be executed on the electronic device, said program adapted to generate an image of a keypad on the display screen of the electronic device, wherein said image of said keypad includes a button and said program is further adapted to allow a user to enter the user selection by graphically manipulating the button on the image of the keypad. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification