Automated consumer response to publicly broadcast information

• US 5,991,737 A
• Filed: 03/11/1996
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Connexus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Connexus Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Humphrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): KALINOWSKI, ALEXANDER G
• Application Number:
  US08/614,965
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/1, 705/12, 705/14, 702/73, 379/101.01, 345/327
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An automated system for enabling consumers to respond to publicly broadcast information includes a content identification processor and an order processor. The content identification processor is configured to identify the content of publicly broadcast information in response to receipt of data specifying the publicly broadcast information. The order processor receives from a consumer an order comprising data specifying information publicly broadcast over a non-interactive medium, communicates the data to the content identification processor, receives an identification of the content of the publicly broadcast information from the content identification processor, and causes action desired by the consumer to be initiated based on the content of the publicly broadcast information. A consumer transmitter device is configured to transmit an order to an order processor at the initiative of a consumer upon receipt by the consumer of publicly broadcast information of interest to the consumer. The consumer transmitter device includes a tuning mechanism and a transmitting and receiving mechanism. The tuning mechanism selects a source of publicly broadcast information, on a waveband of sources of publicly broadcast information, that is being received by the consumer. The transmitting and receiving mechanism transmits to the order processor data specifying the source of the publicly broadcast information selected by the tuning mechanism and receives signals from the order processor in response to receipt by the order processor of the data.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting an order to an order processor of an automated system, which independently identifies a content of a publicly broadcast information by performing a pattern recognition search, at the initiatives of a consumer upon receipt by said consumer of publicly broadcast information of interest to said consumer, comprising:

providing a consumer transmitter unit which interacts with the automated system, the unit comprising a tuning mechanism and a transmitting and receiving mechanism operatively connected to the tuning mechanism;

selecting a source of publicly broadcast information, on a waveband of sources of publicly broadcast information, that is being received by said consumer through the tuning mechanism;

transmitting to said order processor data specifying said source of said publicly broadcast information selected by said tuning mechanism; and

receiving signals from said order processor in response to receipt by said order processor of said data through the consumer transmitter unit.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising determining which publicly broadcast information is being received by said consumer by direct manipulation of said tuning mechanism by said consumer.

3. A method of claim 1, further comprising determining which publicly broadcast information is being received by said consumer through synchronization of said tuning mechanism with a consumer receiver unit that receives said publicly broadcast information.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein said consumer transmitter unit is configured to store frequently used sources of publicly broadcast information for easy retrieval by said consumer.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein said consumer transmitter unit comprises a telephone.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein said consumer transmitter unit comprises a two-way pager.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein said consumer transmitter unit is configured to receive publicly broadcast signals identifying the content of said publicly broadcast information received by said consumer.