Dual port interactive media system

• US 6,457,177 B1
• Filed: 01/11/1999
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digitalconvergence.com Incorporated
• Inventors: Reams, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, KIEU OANH T
• Application Number:
  US09/229,490
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 348/1, 348/12, 348/13, 711/149, 711/107, 711/103, 711/104, 711/150, 711/168, 379/83, 379/88, 379/68, 379/67, 725/106, 725/116, 725/117, 725/118, 725/120, 725/115, 725/20, 725/109-110, 725/122
• US Class Current: 725/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/93 which locates resources of other pieces of information, e.g. URL [Uniform Resource Locator]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

An interactive broadcast or cable television or radio system, consisting of a television or radio tuner data receiver for receiving telephone number or electronic address data, a memory for storing the telephone number or electronic address data, a visual display for indicating the telephone number or electronic address data is stored, a pushbutton or other activation device for activating retrieval from memory of the stored telephone number or electronic address data and output of the retrieved telephone number or electronic address data to an autodialer or other transmission device to be transmitted to an external location, uses a memory having dual port memory functionality in order for simultaneous or substantially simultaneous retrieval of stored telephone number or electronic address data and storing of newly received telephone number or electronic address data.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing a user at a first location to information at a remote location over a communication link from the first location in order to facilitate transfer of remote information to the user, comprising the steps of:

transmitting over a broadcast medium control information from a broadcast source to the first location, which control information is associated with facilitating linking of the user at the first location to information at the remote location via the communication link and which control information comprises information encoded in a broadcast signal transmitted over the broadcast medium having contained therein audio and video information and wherein the step of receiving the transmitted broadcast comprises extracting the video and audio information therefrom and wherein the step of extracting the control information occurs after video and audio are extracted;

receiving the transmitted broadcast with the control information and, in response to receiving the broadcast, extracting the control information from the broadcast; and

in response to the step of extracting, connecting the first location to the remote location in accordance with information contained in the control information in order for the user to obtain the remote information from the remote location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the control information comprises routing information for establishing a connection between the first location and the remote location over the communication link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the control information has associated therewith routing information for establishing a connection over the communication link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the control information comprises information encoded in a broadcast signal transmitted over the broadcast medium in the step of transmitting.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of extracting the transmitted control information comprises decoding the received encoded information to extract therefrom the control information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the control information is in an audio format.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the control information is encoded in an audio format and the step of extracting comprises the step of decoding the encoded information to extract therefrom the control information, wherein the control information is not audio information.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the control information is embedded within the audio portion of the broadcast.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving comprises selecting a:

user response corresponding to the indicator displayed upon receipt of the transmitted control information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the control information is perceptible to the user during the step of transmitting.