Musical event information pager and paging system

• US 6,624,746 B1
• Filed: 02/19/1997
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sciammarella, Eduardo, Wicks, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US08/802,578
• Time in Patent Office: 2,407 Days
• Field of Search: 340/311.1, 340/905, 340/990, 340/825.44, 340/7.29, 340/7.1, 340/7.2
• US Class Current: 340/311.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/041 Encoding the ringing signal, i.e. providing distinctive or selective ringing capability

Abstract

A pager and paging system are adapted to provide music enthusiasts with information regarding musical events which is otherwise generally available. A subscriber of the musical information service provides the service provider with an interest profile detailing the subscriber'"'"'s musical interests. The service provider compiles information regarding musical events, compares the compiled information to the profile, and transmits information matching the profile to the subscriber'"'"'s pager. In a two-way paging system, the information may not be transmitted until a request is sent to the system. The system may also determine the pager'"'"'s general location and provide information relevant to that locale.

Claims

1. A method of using a pager and paging system to provide musical event information toga pager user comprising:

compiling a musical event database of musical event information for transmission to said pager;

compiling a subscriber profile database comprising at least one profile for at least one subscriber, wherein said at least one profile comprises at least information regarding a type of musical event preferred by said at least one subscriber;

matching musical events listed in said musical event database with a subscriber profile from said subscriber profile database; and

transmitting radio signals carrying musical event information which matches a subscriber profile to that subscriber'"'"'s pager with said paging system,

wherein said compiling a musical event information database comprises having subscribers contact a service provider who is compiling said musical even information database with musical event information for inclusion in said musical event database.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

generating a signal representing a request for musical event information with said pager; and

transmitting said signal to said paging system with said pager.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

receiving said transmitted signal from said pager with said paging system;

identifying said signal as a request for musical event information; and

identifying said pager transmitting said signal.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a subscriber profile corresponding to said pager identified as transmitting said signal requesting information; and

performing said matching with respect to the subscriber profile corresponding to said pager identified as transmitting said signal requesting information.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising rewarding subscribers who volunteer musical event information to said service provider.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compiling a musical event information database comprises receiving contacts from musical event promoters with information about musical events.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said receiving contacts from musical event promoters comprises receiving contacts from musical event promoters with unpublished information about musical events.

8. A method of using a pager and paging system to provide musical event information to a pager user comprising:

compiling a musical event database of musical event information for transmission to said pager;

compiling a subscriber profile database comprising at least one profile for at least one subscriber, wherein said at least one profile comprises at least information regarding a type of musical event preferred by said at least one subscriber;

matching musical events listed in said musical event database with a subscriber profile from said subscriber profile database; and

transmitting radio signals carrying musical event information which matches a subscriber profile to that subscriber'"'"'s pager with said paging system, and further comprising;

receiving a pager transmission with said paging system from a subscriber'"'"'s pager;

identifying a base station of said paging system which is best receiving said pager transmission from a subscriber'"'"'s pager;

identifying said subscriber'"'"'s pager from which said pager transmission is sent and identifying a corresponding subscriber profile;

performing said matching with respect to said corresponding subscriber profile; and

screening the musical event information matching said corresponding subscriber profile for musical event information relevant to a location of said base station which is best receiving said pager transmission.

9. A paging system for disseminating musical event information comprising:

a musical event database of musical event information for transmission to subscriber'"'"'s pagers;

a subscriber profile database comprising at least one profile for at least one subscriber, wherein said at least one profile comprises at least information regarding a type of musical event preferred by said at least one subscriber;

a processor for matching musical events listed in said musical event database with a subscriber profile from said subscriber profile database; and

at least one transmitter for transmitting radio signals carrying musical event information which matches a subscriber profile to that subscriber'"'"'s pager, and

further comprising at least one receiver for receiving a signal from a subscriber'"'"'s pager,

wherein said processor further;

identifies a base station of said paging system which is best receiving said pager transmission from a subscriber'"'"'s pager;

identifies said subscriber'"'"'s pager from which said pager transmission is sent and identifies a corresponding subscriber profile;

performs said matching with respect to said corresponding subscriber profile; and

screens the musical event information matching said corresponding subscriber profile for musical event information relevant to a location of said base station which is best receiving said pager transmission.

10. A paging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said signal represents a request for musical event information, and said processor:

receives from said at least one receiver said transmitted signal from said pager;

identifies said signal as a request for musical event information; and

identifies said pager transmitting said signal.

11. A paging system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said processor further:

identifies a subscriber profile corresponding to said pager identified as transmitting said signal requesting information; and

performs said matching with respect to the subscriber profile corresponding to said pager identified as transmitting said signal requesting information.