Method and apparatus for portable digital entertainment system

• US 6,516,466 B1
• Filed: 05/02/1996
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sovereign Management Limited (Hollydale Limited)
• Original Assignee: Vincent C. Jackson
• Inventors: Jackson, Vincent C.
• Primary Examiner(s): FAILE, ANDREW I
• Application Number:
  US08/641,956
• Time in Patent Office: 2,469 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6, 348/7, 348/10, 348/12, 455/3.1, 455/3.2, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/412, 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/3.03, 455/3.04, 455/3.05, 455/3.06, 725/62, 725/63, 725/105, 725/135, 725/136, 725/87, 725/91
• US Class Current: 725/62
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6112 involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6162 involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

An improved method and apparatus for portable digital entertainment system which melds direct microwave communications with digital technology to provide a system for “on demand” distribution of digital data, such as songs or video games. The apparatus includes a microwave cellular tower capable of transmitting and receiving a plurality of digital transmissions, a storage unit of user selectable songs and games coupled to the microwave cellular tower through a selection processor for managing the exchange of song and game selections between the storage unit and the microwave cellular tower, and a plurality of user portable digital cellular devices exchanging digitally encoded transmissions with the microwave cellular tower in response to a user'"'"'s song or game selection request. The portable digital cellular devices include a liquid crystal display window which allows a user to select a desired song to be heard or game to be played. This selection by the user causes the portable digital cellular device, which includes a built in microwave cellular transmitter/receiver to transmit a signal to a microwave digital cellular tower. This microwave digital cellular tower is coupled to a mass storage unit comprised of solid state memory chips which contains hundreds, perhaps thousands of musical or game selections. The microwave digital cellular tower also includes a computer or central processing unit to control the retrieval of the desired musical or game selection from the mass storage unit. When the Data Storage Communications Tower receives a selection request from a portable digital cellular device, the computer bills a customer'"'"'s account, retrieves the selection from the mass storage unit and directs the selection to the microwave digital cellular tower for transmission to the user'"'"'s portable digital cellular device.

Claims

1. A dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission, comprising:

a microwave cellular tower capable of transmitting and receiving a plurality of digital music and video games transmissions,

a storage unit of user selectable music and video games connected to said microwave cellular tower,

a selection processor for managing exchange of user selectable music and video games between said storage unit and said microwave cellular tower, and

a plurality of dedicated user portable digital cellular devices exchanging digital music and video games transmissions with said microwave cellular tower in response to user selection of said user selectable music and video games.

2. A dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 1 wherein:

said storage unit includes solid state memory recording chips.

3. A dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 2 wherein:

said solid state memory recording chips are programmable read only memory storage devices.

4. A dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 2 wherein:

said solid state memory recording chips are random access memory storage devices.

5. A dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 2 wherein:

said selection processor includes a central processing unit and a multiplicity of data bus and control bus lines connected to said solid state memory recording chips.

6. A dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 5 wherein:

said central processing unit controls data flow through said multiplicity of data bus and control bus lines in response to user initiated selection input signals transmitted to said microwave cellular tower by said user portable digital cellular devices.

7. A dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 1 wherein said dedicated user portable digital cellular devices include:

a microwave cellular transmitter and receiver capable of transmitting and receiving digital cellular transmissions,

a storage unit integral with said microwave cellular transmitter including solid state memory chips for storing user selectable music and video games received from said microwave cellular transmitter,

an operations processor integral with said microwave cellular transmitter and said storage unit for managing exchange of user selectable music and video games between said storage unit and said microwave cellular transmitter, and

a display window controlled by said operations processor for display of the currently selected user selectable music and video games.

8. A dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 7 wherein:

said solid state memory recording chips are programmable read only memory storage devices.

9. A dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 7 wherein:

said solid state memory recording chips are random access memory storage devices.

10. A dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 7 wherein:

said operations processor includes a central processing unit and a multiplicity of data bus and control bus lines connected to said solid state memory recording chips.

11. A dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 10 wherein:

said central processing unit controls data flow through said multiplicity of data bus and control bus lines in response to user initiated selection input signals.

12. A dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 11 wherein:

said user initiated selection input signals include voice recognition.

13. A dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 7 wherein said dedicated user portable digital cellular device further includes:

a means for processing said user selectable music and video games.

14. A method of operating a dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission including a microwave cellular tower capable of transmitting and receiving a plurality of digital transmissions with a storage unit of user selectable music and video games connected to said microwave cellular tower, a selection processor for managing exchange of user selectable music and video games between said storage unit and said microwave cellular tower, and a plurality of dedicated user portable digital cellular devices exchanging digital music and video games transmissions with said microwave cellular tower in response to user selection of said user selectable music and video games, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a digital signal by microwave transmission from a dedicated user portable digital cellular device to a microwave cellular tower in response to a user request,

receiving said digital signal by microwave transmission from said dedicated user portable digital cellular device to said microwave cellular tower,

processing said digital signal by a selection processor for managing the exchange of user selectable music and video games between a storage unit and said microwave cellular tower,

retrieving a user selected music or video game from said storage unit in response to instructions from said selection processor, and

transmitting said user selected music or video game from said microwave cellular tower to said dedicated user portable digital cellular device.

15. A method of operating a dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 14 wherein:

said user request is voice activated.

16. A method of operating a dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 14 wherein:

said dedicated user portable digital cellular device is a portable cellular stereo.

17. A method of operating a dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 14 wherein:

said dedicated user portable digital cellular device is a portable cellular gaming unit.

18. A method of operating a dedicated cellular system for distribution of digital music and video games by microwave transmission according to claim 14 wherein:

said dedicated user portable digital cellular device is a home or automotive cellular gaming unit.