Distributed media on-demand information service

• US 6,490,432 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2000
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Command Audio Corporation
• Inventors: Wegener, Albert W., Schoellerman, John, Bogue, Donald F., Linden, Thomas M., Loewenthal, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gary, Erika A.
• Application Number:
  US09/668,045
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/3.03, 455/3.04, 455/3.05, 455/3.06, 455/418, 455/151.2, 455/517, 380/237
• US Class Current: 455/3.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

Audio and/or video content is remotely stored. A portion of the remotely stored content is transferred to and stored in a mobile on-demand audio and/or video content output device. In addition, a link is transferred to and stored in the mobile output device. The link is associated with the content portion stored in the output device and points to another portion of the remotely stored content that is related to the content portion locally stored on the mobile device. In response to a user command entered on the mobile device, the related portion of the remotely stored content is accessed using a two-way wireless communications system and is transferred from the database to the mobile device for output.

Claims

1. A method of outputting content to a user, comprising the acts of:

using a first receiver to receive first information from a wireless signal, wherein the first receiver is a mobile device configured to receive and store information content for subsequent output to a first user upon demand by the first user, wherein the first information comprises first information content stored in one or more databases remote from the first receiver, and wherein the first information comprises a link associated with the first information content and pointing to second information content stored in the one or more databases;

storing the first information in a memory of the receiver;

outputting from the memory to the first user the first information content, and during the outputting of the first information content displaying to the first user an indication that the link is stored in the memory;

receiving at the first receiver a command by the first user to access the remotely stored second information content and deliver the remotely stored second information content from the one or more databases to a second receiver, wherein the second receiver is a device configured to receive and store information content for subsequent output to the first user or to a second user upon demand by the first or the second user, respectively; and

using the link stored in the memory to access and deliver the remotely stored second information content to the second receiver.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the remotely stored second information content comprises video content.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the remotely stored second information content comprises audio content.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second receiver is a personal computer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the remotely stored second information content is associated with a purchase request for a good or service.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying an indication comprises outputting a visual indication.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying an indication comprises outputting an audio indication.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the command to access is a manually input command.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the command to access is a verbal command.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein using the link to access the remotely stored second information content comprises using a two-way wireless communications link.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering the remotely stored second information content comprises capturing the remotely stored second information content from a wireless broadcast signal.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering the remotely stored second information content comprises using a wireline communications link.

13. A method of providing content to a user, comprising the acts of:

broadcasting first information to a first receiver, wherein the first information comprises first information content stored in one or more databases remote from the first receiver, wherein the first information comprises a link associated with the first information content and pointing to second information content stored in the one or more databases, wherein the first receiver is a mobile device configured to receive and store information content for subsequent output to a first user upon demand by the first user, wherein during output of the first information content to the first user the first receiver displays to the first user an indication that the link is stored in the first receiver, and wherein the receiver is configured to receive a command by the first user to access the remotely stored second information content and deliver the remotely stored second information content from the one or more databases to a second receiver;

receiving from the first receiver a request by the first user to access the stored second information content and to deliver the accessed second information content to the second receiver, wherein the second receiver is a device configured to receive and store information content for subsequent output to the first user or to a second user upon demand by the first or the second user, respectively; and

delivering, in response to the request, the second information content to the second receiver.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the remotely stored second information content comprises video content.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the remotely stored second information content comprises audio content.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the second receiver is a personal computer.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the second information content is associated with a purchase request for a good or service.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein displaying an indication comprises outputting a visual indication.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein displaying an indication comprises outputting an audio indication.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the command to access is a manually input command.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein the command to access is a verbal command.

22. The method of claim 13 wherein delivering the second information content comprises capturing the second information content from a wireless broadcast signal.

23. The method of claim 13 wherein delivering the second information content comprises using a wireline communications link.

24. The method of claim 13 wherein the first information content further comprises a second link associated with the first information content and pointing to third information content stored in the one or more databases, wherein the second information content is associated with a first demographic category, and wherein the third information content is associated with a second demographic category.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second information content comprises advertising targeted at the first demographic category, and wherein the third information content comprises advertising targeted at the second demographic category.

26. The method of claim 13, wherein the second information content comprises advertising.