Apparatus and method of automatically accessing on-line services in response to broadcast of on-line addresses
First Claim
1. A method for connecting a computer with one or more on-line services providing information corresponding to audio or video programming being broadcasted comprising:
- a) providing a computer located at a first location and an on-line service located at a second location remote to said first location,b) broadcasting from a programming transmitter audio or video programming to one or more audio or video receivers,c) receiving an address identifying said on-line service at an address transmitter from said programming transmitter or from a central office,d) transmitting said address identifying said on-line service from said address transmitter at a third location remote from said first and second locations, said on-line service providing information corresponding with the audio or video programming being broadcast from said programming transmitter at the time said address is transmitted,e) coordinating said step of transmitting to occur simultaneously with said step of broadcasting, independent of user interaction with said on-line service,f) receiving said transmitted address at said computer, andg) automatically accessing said on-line service by said computer using said address identifying said on-line service.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for connecting a computer to electronic addresses in sync with an audio/video broadcast. Simultaneously with the broadcasting of audio/video programming, an address transmitter transmits an address, such as a URL, identifying an on-line service which contains information about the audio or video programming. This address is received by a computer and used to automatically access the on-line service. Preferably, the process is repeated with different addresses corresponding with different programming. It is also preferred that the addresses be sent via a paging system.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for connecting a computer with one or more on-line services providing information corresponding to audio or video programming being broadcasted comprising:
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a) providing a computer located at a first location and an on-line service located at a second location remote to said first location, b) broadcasting from a programming transmitter audio or video programming to one or more audio or video receivers, c) receiving an address identifying said on-line service at an address transmitter from said programming transmitter or from a central office, d) transmitting said address identifying said on-line service from said address transmitter at a third location remote from said first and second locations, said on-line service providing information corresponding with the audio or video programming being broadcast from said programming transmitter at the time said address is transmitted, e) coordinating said step of transmitting to occur simultaneously with said step of broadcasting, independent of user interaction with said on-line service, f) receiving said transmitted address at said computer, and g) automatically accessing said on-line service by said computer using said address identifying said on-line service. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of automatically directing computers located at a plurality of different first locations to communicate with an on-line service providing information corresponding to audio or video programming being broadcasted, said on-line service being located at a second location remote from said first locations, comprising:
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a) receiving an address identifying said on-line service at an address transmitter from a programming transmitter or from a central office, b) transmitting said address from said address transmitter at a third location independent of said on-line service to said plurality of said computers, said third location being remote from said first and second locations and said address identifying said on-line service, c) broadcasting from said programming transmitter audio or video information corresponding with said on-line service, d) coordinating said step of transmitting to occur simultaneously with said step of broadcasting, independent of user interaction with said on-line service, e) simultaneously receiving said transmitted address at said plurality of computers, and f) automatically accessing said on-line service by at least some of said plurality of computers using said address identifying said on-line service. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of automatically directing computers located at a plurality of different first locations to communicate with an on-line service providing information corresponding to audio or video programming being broadcasted, said on-line service being located at a second location remote from said first locations, comprising:
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a) receiving an address identifying said on-line service at an address transmitter from a programming transmitter or from a central office, b) transmitting said address from said address transmitter at a third location to said plurality of said computers, said third location being more remote from said first and second locations and said address identifying the on-line location of said on-line service, c) simultaneously receiving said transmitted address at said plurality of computers, d) broadcasting from said programming transmitter audio or video information corresponding with said on-line service, c) coordinating said step of transmitting to occur simultaneously with said step of broadcasting, independent of user interaction with said on-line service, f) at least one of said computers using said address to automatically access said on-line service, and g) sending response information from said computer to said on-line service after said computer accesses said on-line service. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of directing a computer at a first location to automatically communicate with a first on-line service identified by a first address and with a plurality of subsequent on-line services identified by subsequent addresses, said first and subsequent addresses providing information corresponding to audio or video programming being broadcasted, each on-line service being located at a location remote from said first location, said method comprising:
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a) receiving said first and subsequent addresses identifying said on-line services at an address transmitter from a programming transmitter or from a central office, b) transmitting said first address from said address transmitter located remotely from said computer and said on-line services, c) broadcasting from said programming transmitter first audio or video programming corresponding with said first on-line service, d) coordinating with step of transmitting said first address to one or more audio or video receivers to occur simultaneously with said step of broadcasting first audio or video programming, independent of user interaction with said on-line service, e) receiving said first address at said computer, f) transmitting said subsequent addresses from said address transmitter, g) broadcasting from said programming transmitter second audio or video programming corresponding with said plurality of subsequent on-line services, h) coordinating said step of transmitting said subsequent addresses to occur simultaneously with said step of broadcasting second audio or video programming, i) receiving said subsequent addresses at said computer, and j) said computer automatically accessing said first on-line service by using said first address and automatically and continually accessing said plurality of on-line services by using said subsequent addresses.
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34. A method of directing a computer to automatically access information related to audio or video programming simultaneously with the audio or video programming being broadcast from one or more programming transmitters comprising:
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a) receiving an address identifying said on-line service at an address transmitter from said programming transmitters or from a central office, b) transmitting said address identifying said on-line location of said on-line service from a paging system, c) coordinating said step of transmitting to occur simultaneously with the broadcasting of the audio or video programming, d) receiving said address at said computer, e) automatically accessing said on-line service by said computer using said address, and e) receiving information related to said radio or television programming at said computer.
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35. A system for automatically connecting a computer with multiple on-line services providing information corresponding to audio or video programming being broadcasted comprising:
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a) an audio or video programming broadcaster, b) an address transmitter for receiving an address identifying said on-line services from a programming transmitter of from a central office and for transmitting on-line locations of said on-line services, c) a computer connectable to multiple on-line service, and d) a receiver connectable to said computer for receiving transmissions of different addresses from said address transmitter via a communications channel identifying said on-line locations of said on-line services, said address transmitter sending said addresses simultaneously with the programming being broadcast by said broadcaster and said on-line services contain information corresponding with said programming. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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Specification