Interactive video/telephone transmission system

• US 4,071,697 A
• Filed: 10/18/1976
• Issued: 01/31/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Atari Incorporated (Infogrames Entertainment SA)
• Original Assignee: Atari Incorporated (Infogrames Entertainment SA)
• Inventors: Keenan, Joseph F., Bushnell, Nolan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stellar, George G.
• Application Number:
  US05/724,013
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 358/85, 179/2 R, 179/2 A, 179/2 CA, 179/2 DP, 179/2 TV
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/002 Special television systems not provided for by H04N7/007 - H04N7/18 still pictures via a television channel H04N1/00098

Abstract

An interactive purchasing system employs a station transmitting signals adapted to be received by a plurality of television receivers at a number of viewing stations via a given television channel. In one application, the signals represent information relating to associated merchandise in various stores. A viewer uses keyboard controls to scan the "pages" of advertising on a video display and to indicate a selected purchase. A telephone coupling arrangement provided at each viewing station is adapted to cooperate with a telephone in placing a call via the telephone selectively to one of a plurality of stores. Means are further provided at each viewing station for selecting merchandise to be purchased including means serving to operate a conventional telephone at the viewing station to call the particular stores related to the selected merchandise and to register a request to purchase the selected merchandise.

Claims

1. An interactive purchasing system comprising a transmitting station providing a general transmission of signals adapted to be received by a plurality of television receivers at viewing stations via a given channel thereof, said signals representing information relating to associated merchandise, telephone coupling means at said viewing stations adapted to cooperate with a telephone in information transfer relation with respect to a selected one of a plurality of stores, means at each viewing station for indicating the selection of merchandise to be purchased, and means operable in response to indicating said selection serving to a request to purchase the selected merchandise, the last named means serving via said telephone to place a call to a store relating to the selected merchandise.

2. An interactive transmission system comprising a transmitting station providing a general transmission of signals adapted to be received via a given channel of television receivers disposed at viewing stations, telephone coupling means at said viewing stations adapted to cooperate with a telephone in placing a call via said telephone to a plurality of called stations, said signals including a plurality of information items each being respectively associated with a given one of the plurality of called stations, and means for indicating the selection of an information item and in response thereto registering via said telephone a report related to the selected information item at a called station associated with said information item.

3. An interactive transmission system comprising a transmitting station serving to transmit to a plurality of viewing stations a general transmission of signals containing groups of data therein adapted to be received via a geiven television receiver channel, said viewing station including telephone coupling means adapted to cooperate with a telephone in calling a plurality of called stations, means for indicating the selection of one of said groups of data for transmitting information related thereto to a called station associated therewith, and means responsive to the last named means for generating telephone dialing signals to be fed to said coupling means for transmitting information related to said selection to a called station.

4. An interactive purchasing system according to claim 3, in which said viewing stations comprise means for receiving a continuous transmission of signals containing said groups of data therein adapted to be coupled to a television receiver, means for selectively acquiring and storing a portion of said data, means operative in response to selection of one of said portions of data for generating telephone calling signals associated with said one portion of said data to be applied to said coupling means for calling a station associated with said selected portion of said data.

5. A viewing terminal comprising means for receiving a continuous general transmission of signals containing groups of data therein adapted to be coupled to a television receiver, means for selectively acquiring and recording a portion of said data, telephone coupling means adapted to receive portions of a telephone for transmitting information representative of said portion of said data via said telephone, means coupled to the second named means for generating telephone calling signals associated with each said portion of said data, and means for applying said calling signals to said telephone via said coupling means to call a station related to said selected portion of said data.

6. In an interactive transmission system having a transmitting station providing a general transmission of groups of data adapted to be received by a plurality of receiving stations via a given channel thereof, the viewing stations including means for selecting and calling the telephone of a station associated with each selected group of data and providing a report thereto, the called station comprising telephone means for receiving such calls, means responsive to receipt of such calls for providing an audible synthesized acknowledgment thereof, and means responsive to receipt of such calls for printing an acknowledgment thereof.