Television and radio information pager

• US 6,081,693 A
• Filed: 02/07/1997
• Issued: 06/27/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wicks, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gantt, Alan T.
• Application Number:
  US08/795,128
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/420, 455/31.2, 455/31.3, 455/421, 375/222, 340/825.44, 340/825.69, 340/825.25, 340/311.1, 348/12, 348/13.7
• US Class Current: 340/7.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/67 Common-wave systems, i.e. using separate transmitters operating on substantially the same frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/025 with acknowledge back capability

Abstract

A pager and two-way paging system may be provided which allow the pager user to send a request for television and/or radio programming information. The system compiles television and/or radio programming information which will be of interest to the user, based on a profile of the user'"'"'s interests filed with the service provider. In a one-way paging system, the service provider makes periodic transmissions of timely programming information of interest to the pager user. In a two-way paging system, the service provider transmits the compiled information when a request is received from the user. The user may also select a program from the information transmitted and instruct the service provider to purchase the program, if pay-per-view, of have the program recorded by the user'"'"'s VCR.

Claims

1. A system for providing and using television or radio programming information comprising:

means for remotely receiving a wireless transmission of television or radio programming information, said means having a display means for displaying said information thereon; and

an information transmission system comprising;

at least one signal transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting signals containing said information to said means for receiving;

means for storing television or radio programming information;

means for extracting programming information from said means for storing and transmitting said information using said signal transmitting means.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

means for storing an interest profile that describes what programming information or what type of programming information a user of said means for receiving desires to receive; and

means for sorting said programming information to compile information which matches said interest profile.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for receiving further comprises:

means for inputting television program selection information based on said received programming information; and

means for transmitting said television program selection information.

4. A system for providing and using television or radio programming information comprising:

at least one radio signal transmitting base station for transmitting radio signals containing said information to a pager for receiving and displaying said information;

a database of said television or radio programming information;

a processor connected to said database and to said at least one base station for extracting programming information from said database and transmitting said information to said pager.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

a profile database connected to said processor of said paging system containing an interest profile that describes what programming information or what type of programming information a user of said pager desires to receive;

wherein said processor sorts said information in said database of programming information to compile information which matches said interest profile, and transmits said compiled information to said pager.

6. A system as claimed in claim 4, further comprising said pager wherein said pager comprises:

a user input device for inputting television program selection information based on said television programming information; and

a transmitter for transmitting said television program selection information to said paging system.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said television program selection information comprises a selected pay-per-view program; and

said paging system comprises means for purchasing said selected pay-per-view program for a pager user.

8. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said television program selection information comprises a selected program to be recorded; and

said paging system comprises means for arranging for said selected program to be recorded for a pager user.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said means for arranging for said selected program to be recorded for a pager user comprises a phone modem, accessible by said paging system, through which a video recorder belonging to said pager user may be programmed.

10. A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said means for arranging for said selected program to be recorded for a pager user comprises a radio modem, accessible by said paging system, through which a video recorder belonging to said pager user may be programmed.