METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DEVICE NOTIFICATION

• US 20100089996A1
• Filed: 10/12/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advocado, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Koplar Interactive Systems International, LLC
• Inventors: Koplar, Edward J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,646,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• 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 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Methods and system for encoded information processing are described. In one embodiment, an encoded pattern may be optically detected from source media. The encoded pattern may be associated with programming content of a content source. The encoded pattern may be decoded to reproduce encoded data. The programming content may be identified based on reproduction of the encoded data. A scheduled start time of the programming content may be obtained. When a current device time is within a notification time qualification of the scheduled start time, a programming content start alert may be generated. An interactive opportunity notification associated with the programming content may be provided based on generation of the programming content start alert. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

optically detecting an encoded pattern from source media on a mobile electronic device, the encoded pattern being associated with programming content of a content source;

decoding the encoded pattern on the mobile electronic device to reproduce encoded data;

identifying the programming content on the mobile electronic device based on reproduction of the encoded data;

obtaining a scheduled start time of the programming content on the mobile electronic device;

when a current device time of the mobile electronic device is within a notification time qualification of the scheduled start time, generating a programming content start alert on the mobile electronic device; and

providing an interactive opportunity notification associated with the programming content on the mobile electronic device based on the generating of the programming content start alert.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the schedule start time comprises:

identifying the scheduled start time of the programming content based on the decoding of the encoded pattern.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a geographic location of the mobile electronic device,

wherein the identifying of the scheduled start time is based on a determination of the current geographic location and the decoding of the bar code.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining of the geographic location comprises:

obtaining global positioning system (GPS) data on the mobile electronic device; and

identifying the geographic location of the mobile electronic device based on the GPS data.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining of the geographic location comprises:

identifying a time zone setting on the mobile electronic device; and

identifying the geographic location of the mobile electronic device based on the time zone setting.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the content source based on the reproduction of the encoded data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the start time comprises:

receiving the scheduled start time of the programming content from the content source of the programming content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the interactive opportunity notification comprises:

illuminating a lighting component on the mobile electronic device based on the generating of the programming content start alert.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the interactive opportunity notification comprises:

reproducing a sound on the mobile electronic device based on the generating of the programming content start alert.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the interactive opportunity notification comprises:

causing a vibration component with the mobile electronic device to activate based on the generating of the programming content start alert.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded pattern is a bar code.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the source media includes at least one of printed matter, a display device, or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded pattern is visible to an ordinary viewer of the source media.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded pattern is subliminally encoded within the source media.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing a plurality of user interactions on the mobile electronic device during presentation of the programming content; and

enabling a promotional opportunity based on the processing of at least some of the plurality of user interactions.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the programming content is radio programming content.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the programming content is television programming content.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the current device time is within a start time qualification of the schedule start time, decoding gaming data from the encoded pattern on the mobile electronic device based on a determination that the scheduled start time has occurred;

synchronizing the gaming data with a gaming application operating on the mobile electronic device;

presenting device content on the mobile electronic device based on the synchronizing of the gaming data with the gaming application;

processing a plurality of gaming instructions from a user during presentation of the programming content and the presenting of the device content; and

enabling a promotional opportunity based on the processing of at least some of the plurality of gaming instructions.

19. A method comprising:

receiving identification data associated with programming content and a content source of the programming content;

obtaining a scheduled start time of the programming content on the mobile electronic device based on the identification data;

when a current device time is within a time qualification of the scheduled start time, generating a programming content start alert on the mobile electronic device; and

providing an interactive opportunity notification on the mobile electronic device based on the generating of the programming content start alert.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

changing a channel on a signal source based on the schedule start time.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining a current channel of the signal source,

wherein the interactive opportunity notification includes a channel change notification.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the receiving of the identification comprises:

receiving identification of the programming content and the content source of the programming content through short message service (SMS).

23. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the following operations:

optically detect an encoded pattern from source media on a mobile electronic device, the encoded pattern being associated with programming content of a content source;

decode the encoded pattern on the mobile electronic device to reproduce encoded data;

identify the programming content on the mobile electronic device based on reproduction of the encoded data;

obtain a scheduled start time of the programming content on the mobile electronic device;

when a current device time of the mobile electronic device is within a notification time qualification of the scheduled start time, generate a programming content start alert on the mobile electronic device; and

provide an interactive opportunity notification associated with the programming content on the mobile electronic device based on generating the programming content start alert.

24. A system comprising:

a processor and a memory coupled to the processor;

an optical detection module deployed in the memory and executed by the processor to optically detect an encoded pattern from source media, the encoded pattern being associated with programming content of a content source;

an encoded pattern decoder module deployed in the memory and executed by the processor to decode the encoded pattern optically detected by the optical detection module to reproduce encoded data;

a programming content identification module deployed in the memory and executed by the processor to identify the programming content on the mobile electronic device based on reproduction of the encoded data by the encoded pattern decoder module;

a start time module deployed in the memory and executed by the processor to obtain a scheduled start time of the programming content identified by the programming content identification module;

an alert generation module deployed in the memory and executed by the processor to generate a programming content start alert when a current device time of the mobile electronic device is within a notification time qualification of the scheduled start time; and

a notification provider module deployed in the memory and executed by the processor to provide an interactive opportunity notification associated with the programming content based on generation of the programming content start alert by the alert generation module.