Two-way interactive television system incorporating pager transmitter and receiver for conducting messaging with information provider
First Claim
1. An apparatus for providing a communications path from a viewer of a television controlled by a remote control unit to an information provider located at a central site comprising:
- means for receiving a command signal from the remote control unit operated by the television viewer and for translating the command signal into a message; and
a pager transmitter coupled to the receiving and translating means to transmit the message to the information provider over a wireless link.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for two-way communication between a television viewer operating a remote control unit to control a television and a television signal or other information provider located at a central site. A set-top box coupled to the television includes an infrared receiver to receive command signals from the remote control unit, a pager transmitter to transmit messages to the television signal or other information provider, and a pager receiver to receive confirmation messages from the television signal or other information provider. Also included is a controller to control reception of command signals from the remote control unit, reception of a television signal, display of the television signal on the television, translation of the command signals into messages to be sent by the pager transmitter, reception of confirmation messages from the pager receiver, and display of received confirmation messages on the television. Alternatively, the infrared receiver, pager transmitter, pager receiver, and controller are integral with the television.
211 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for providing a communications path from a viewer of a television controlled by a remote control unit to an information provider located at a central site comprising:
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means for receiving a command signal from the remote control unit operated by the television viewer and for translating the command signal into a message; and a pager transmitter coupled to the receiving and translating means to transmit the message to the information provider over a wireless link. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An apparatus for controlling a television and for providing two-way communication between a television viewer operating a remote control unit and an information provider located at a central site comprising:
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a pager transmitter to transmit a first message to the information provider over a first wireless link; a pager receiver to receive a second message from the information provider over a second wireless link; and means coupled to the pager transmitter and the pager receiver for receiving a command signal from the remote control unit operated by the television viewer, for translating the command signal into the first message, and for displaying the second message on the television.
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4. A television controlled by a remote control unit and including a communications path from a viewer of the television to an information provider located at a central site comprising:
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means for receiving a command signal from the remote control unit operated by the television viewer and for translating the command signal into a message; and a pager transmitter coupled to the receiving and translating means to transmit the message to the information provider over a wireless link. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A system for two-way communication between a television viewer operating a remote control unit to control a television and a television signal provider located at a central site comprising:
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an infrared receiver to receive a command signal from the remote control unit; a pager transmitter to transmit a first message to the television signal provider over a first wireless link; a pager receiver to receive a second message from the television signal provider over a second wireless link; and means coupled to the infrared receiver, the pager transmitter and the pager receiver for controlling reception of the command signal, reception of a television signal, display of the television signal on the television, translation of the command signal into the first message, transmission of the first message, and reception of the second message. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a system having a set-top box for controlling a television, the set-top box having a pager transmitter and a pager receiver and accepting command signals from a remote control unit operated by a television viewer, a method of communicating between the television viewer and an information provider located at a central site comprising the steps of:
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displaying a prompt on the television to the television viewer requesting a viewer selection; accepting the viewer selection from the television viewer by the remote control unit; transmitting a command signal corresponding to the viewer selection from the remote control unit to the set-top box; translating the command signal into a first message; and transmitting the first message by the pager transmitter to the information provider over a first wireless link. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification