Multichannel audio distribution system having portable receivers
First Claim
1. A retail store, comprising:
- a room in a building, the room containing a plurality of objects each object containing a recording medium, each recording medium storing a first copy of at least one prerecorded music composition, and each object being identified by a unique object identification code;
a plurality of portable terminals, adapted to being carried in the room by respective consumers from object to object, each portable terminal including;
means for automatically identifying by the object'"'"'s identification code an object specified by the consumer who is operating the portable terminal;
means for transmitting the object'"'"'s identification code on a first wireless channel;
means for receiving a selected portion of a second copy of the at least one prerecorded music composition on a second wireless channel; and
means to present the received selected portion to the consumer carrying the portable terminal; and
a central terminal, including;
means for receiving the identification codes from the plurality of portable terminals through the first wireless channel;
means to identify which portable terminal transmits each identification code;
storage means for storing a plurality of selected portions, each selected portion being a selected portion of a second copy one of the prerecorded music compositions;
means for retrieving the selected portion from the storage means;
means for transmitting the selected portion to the identified portable terminal through the second wireless channel.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multichannel switched communication system having a plurality of communication channels, with a plurality of information records stored in a database relating to a plurality of identified objects; a database server system for selectively accessing information records based on a selection criteria; a common input, receiving the selection criteria associated with an identification of a receiver, the selection criteria including object identification information; and a multichannel distribution system capable of simultaneously transmitting a plurality of information records, for transmitting the selectively accessed information record to the identified receiver. A plurality of mobile receivers each receives a desired broadcast on one of a plurality of channels. A bar code scanner associated with a mobile receiver identifies desired information record for retrieval. An infrared or radio frequency communication system may be provided for transmitting control data from the mobile receiver.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A retail store, comprising:
-
a room in a building, the room containing a plurality of objects each object containing a recording medium, each recording medium storing a first copy of at least one prerecorded music composition, and each object being identified by a unique object identification code;
a plurality of portable terminals, adapted to being carried in the room by respective consumers from object to object, each portable terminal including;
means for automatically identifying by the object'"'"'s identification code an object specified by the consumer who is operating the portable terminal;
means for transmitting the object'"'"'s identification code on a first wireless channel;
means for receiving a selected portion of a second copy of the at least one prerecorded music composition on a second wireless channel; and
means to present the received selected portion to the consumer carrying the portable terminal; and
a central terminal, including;
means for receiving the identification codes from the plurality of portable terminals through the first wireless channel;
means to identify which portable terminal transmits each identification code;
storage means for storing a plurality of selected portions, each selected portion being a selected portion of a second copy one of the prerecorded music compositions;
means for retrieving the selected portion from the storage means;
means for transmitting the selected portion to the identified portable terminal through the second wireless channel.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
the object'"'"'s identification code is on the surface of the object;
the object'"'"'s identification code is a bar code; and
the automatic reading means is a bar code reader with an LED and photodetector;
the first wireless channel is an infrared channel using the same LED as the bar code reader;
the second wireless channel is a radio frequency broadcast channel;
the second wireless channel for each respective portable terminal is a different respective FDMA or TDMA sub-channel;
the information includes audio information and the presentation means of the portable terminals include headphones;
the displayed goods include audio recordings, and the information related to the goods includes selections of the audio recordings;
the central terminal being capable of transmitting different respective audio information in real time to multiple terminals in the same room;
the customer using a portable terminal is identified and the information transmitted to the portable terminal depends on the customer identification.
-
-
9. The retail store of the claim 7, wherein the selected portion depends upon the user characteristic information, and the user characteristic information includes at least one of information relating to a past use of the building by the customer and demographic information about the customer.
-
10. The retail store of the claim 9, wherein the selected portion is limited to a portion of a song, unless personal characteristics of the user warrant a larger selected portion.
-
11. The retail store of the claim 10, wherein the portion of a song is the first 45 seconds of the song.
-
12. The retail store of the claim 11, further comprising an egress alarm adapted to help prevent removal of the terminals through a portal of the building.
-
13. The retail store of the claim 11, wherein each of the terminals includes a simple receiver and an audio transducer and is disposable.
-
14. The retail store of the claim 11, wherein each of the terminals is adapted to be given free of charge to a customer.
-
15. The retail store of the claim 11, wherein each of the terminals is adapted to be loaned to a customer for use by a customer free of charge while the customer remains within the building.
Specification