Real-time wireless audience response system
First Claim
1. A system for real-time collection of data from a plurality of respondents comprising:
- a) a central portion having a central processor and a radio base station;
b) a remote portion having a plurality of wireless radio response units each having a display, the response units being in wireless communication with the radio base station for transmitting response data from individual respondents to the central processor wherein the central processor transmits a series of asynchronous message packets, each message packet containing a display update instruction and a message address corresponding to a unit address of the wireless radio response units, reception of the packet by the corresponding radio response unit causing the corresponding unit, in turn, to alter the display of the corresponding unit in accordance with the display update instruction and to transmit the response data from the individual respondent to the central processor, which when received by the central processor causes the central processor to i) check the validity of the data and send an invalidity message to response units which transmit invalid data, ii) accumulate valid individual response data and iii) provide a real-time display of accumulated response data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for collecting data from a plurality of respondents having a central portion with a central processor and a base station and a remote portion with a plurality of wireless response units for respondents to be prompted to enter response data to a visually perceptible display which may be shown live, on a television monitor or may be taped. The display may include multiple choice questions. The central processor accumulates the response data via radio, optical or acoustic communication links with the remote units, each of which has a unique address. The central processor displays the accumulated response data in real time and may overlay the processed response data and originate display shown to the respondents.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A system for real-time collection of data from a plurality of respondents comprising:
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a) a central portion having a central processor and a radio base station; b) a remote portion having a plurality of wireless radio response units each having a display, the response units being in wireless communication with the radio base station for transmitting response data from individual respondents to the central processor wherein the central processor transmits a series of asynchronous message packets, each message packet containing a display update instruction and a message address corresponding to a unit address of the wireless radio response units, reception of the packet by the corresponding radio response unit causing the corresponding unit, in turn, to alter the display of the corresponding unit in accordance with the display update instruction and to transmit the response data from the individual respondent to the central processor, which when received by the central processor causes the central processor to i) check the validity of the data and send an invalidity message to response units which transmit invalid data, ii) accumulate valid individual response data and iii) provide a real-time display of accumulated response data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of collecting data from a plurality of respondents comprising the steps of:
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a) displaying a sequence of visually perceptible images to a plurality of respondents, with each respondent having a wireless remote response unit having a display; b) transmitting a plurality of asynchronous message packets, each message packet containing a display update instruction and a message address corresponding to one of the plurality of unit addresses of the wireless radio response units; c) promoting the plurality of respondents to enter response data into their respective response units by displaying a prompt on the display of their remote response unit in response to the display update instruction received; d) transmitting the response data from each of the remote response units to a central base station as each unit receives a message packet containing the message address corresponding to the unit; e) checking the validity of the response data at the central processor of the base station and then transmitting an invalidity message to remote response units that transmit invalid response data; f) accumulating response data in a central processor associated with the base station; and g) displaying the accumulated response data in real time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A system for real-time collection of data from a plurality of respondents comprising:
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a) a central portion having central processor means for receiving and accumulating response data; and b) a remote portion having a plurality of wireless response units, each having a display and each transmitting response data to the central processor means as each unit receives a message packet containing a display update instruction for controlling the display of the unit and a message address corresponding to a unit address of that unit; wherein a plurality of individual respondents enter response data into respective individual wireless response units which data is collected and analyzed by the central processor means in real time, and wherein the central processor also checks the validity of the response data and sends an invalidity message to response units which transmit invalid response data. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification