Codeable programmable receiver and point to multipoint messaging system

• US 6,625,464 B1
• Filed: 06/29/1999
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Marshall M. Bandy Jr
• Original Assignee: M Data, Inc. (Printcafe.com)
• Inventors: Bandy, Marshall M., Lowe, Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEAMER, TEMICA M
• Application Number:
  US09/342,411
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 455/426, 455/404, 455/458, 455/500, 455/502, 455/503, 455/518, 455/529, 455/521, 455/132, 455/566, 455/158.5, 455/161.1, 455/205, 340/7.1, 340/7.2, 340/7.21, 340/7.25, 340/7.28, 340/7.29, 340/7.39, 340/7.4, 340/7.41, 340/7.43, 340/7.46, 340/7.47, 340/7.48, 340/7.5, 340/7.51, 340/7.52
• US Class Current: 455/503
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/30 by a single channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/53 Arrangements specially adapted for specific applications, e.g. for traffic information or for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/95 characterised by a specific format, e.g. an encoded audio stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/13 radio data system/radio broadcast data system [RDS/RBDS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/15 on receiving information

Abstract

A point to multipoint messaging system includes utilizing the FM 57 kHz Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS) standard and a novel receiver. A single broadcast source sends messages from multiple senders, in a variety of manners including automatically and semi-automatically, to a plurality of receivers who may select to receive or not to receive particular senders'"'"' messages. The receiver is remotely programmable by the user so that the user may select to receive at least some messages.

Claims

1. A method of communication comprising the steps of:

(a) an information generator formulates information to be delivered to at least two recipients, said information generator conducts the information to a data transmitting device;

(b) the data transmitting device receives the information and conducts the information to a processing station;

(c) the processing station receives the information and conducts the information containing an identification code to an FM radio transmitter;

(d) the FM radio transmitter receives the information and transmits the information and said the identification code in a subcarrier of a transmission;

(e) a user of a user-programmable FM radio receiver having

entered at least one information code directly into the user-programmable FM radio receiver, said user-programmable FM radio receiver configured to process subcarriers of the transmission for transmitted date; and

(f) at least two user-programmable receivers receive and decode the transmission in the subcarrier of the transmission, sort the decoded transmission by comparing the at least one information code which has been programmed by users of the user-programmable receivers and any other programmed information code stored in the user programmable receiver with the identification code of the decoded transmission and only if the at least one programmed information code matches the identification code of the decoded transmission, then decoding a remaining portion of the transmission and utilizing at least a portion of the information provided by the information generator.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the utilization of at least a portion of the decoded transmission comprises displaying said at least a portion of said decoded transmission.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the data transmitting device transmits data in TAP protocol.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the data transmitting device assigns the information code to the information which is conducted along with the information to the processing station.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein a second information code is assigned at the processing station along with the information code to the information prior to conducting the information along with the information code and the second information code to the FM radio transmitter for transmission on the subcarrier.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein a second information code is assigned at the processing station to the information prior to conducting the information along with the information code and the second information code to the FM radio transmitter for transmission on the subcarrier.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the processing station assigns a PI code to the information prior to conducting information to a radio transmitter.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the data transmitting device assigns a CAPCODE to the information.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing station assigns a first information code to the information which is conducted along with the information to the radio transmitter.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the processing station assigns a CAPCODE to the information.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein a signal generator receives information from the processing station and conducts information to the radio transmitter.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the signal generator encodes the information on a subcarrier of a FM band.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-programmable receiver further comprises an LCD display.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-programmable receiver further comprises a keypad.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the data transmitting device also conducts information to a wide area network which is connected to a second data transmitting device;

the second data transmitting device receives the information and conducts the information to a radio transmitter; and

the second radio transmitter receives the information and transmits the information.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein a satellite uplink receives the information and transmits the information to any of a second data transmitting device, a second processing station, or a second radio transmitter.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-programmable receiver searches for an FM signal, decodes RBDS data, filters RBDS groups, formats data and outputs data.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-programmable receiver receives a PI code entered by a user.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein a portion of the decoded transmission triggers an alarm function.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein a portion of the decoded message controls a system function.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the information received by the radio transmitter from the signal generator is formatted as TNPP data in RBDS format on a subcarrier of an FM radio station.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification code of a decoded transmission is compared with at least two information codes directly programmed by the user of the user-programmable receiver.

23. The method of claim 2 wherein the portion of the decoded message displayed by the user-programmable receiver is stored.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the portion of the decoded message utilized is stored.

41. The method of claim 8 wherein a fee is charged to an entity for use of the CAPCODE.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the fee is charged periodically.

25. A system of communication comprising:

(a) an information generator which generates an information message;

(b) a data transmitting device which receives the message from the information generator;

(c) a processing station which receives the message from the data transmitting device;

(d) an FM transmitter which receives the message from the processing station and transmits the message in a transmission on a subcarrier of a frequency modulated radio band;

(e) a user programmable receiver having a display and an FM tuner, said receiver capable of receiving an information code directly input from a user for comparison with transmissions, receiving the transmission from the FM transmitter, decoding the information code of the transmission off the subcarrier of the transmission, filtering the decoded transmission by comparing the information code which has been directly input by user of the user-programmable receiver into the receiver any other programmed information code in the receiver with an identification code of the decoded transmission and if a programmed information code matches the identification code of the decoded message, decoding the information message and displaying at least a portion of the decoded transmission on the display.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the user-programmable receiver further comprises a microprocessor and a 57 Khz demodulator.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the user-programmable receiver further comprises a real time clock, a microprocessor and memory.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the user-programmable receiver further comprises an LCD display and a keypad.

31. The system of claim 25 further comprising the step of storing said at least a portion of the decoded transmission.

32. A system of claim 25 wherein the user programmable receiver further comprises pre-programmed information codes.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the pre-programmed information codes are permanently stored in a portion of said user programmable receiver.

34. The system of claim 25 wherein at least one of the pre-programmed information codes corresponds to an advertisement-type message, said advertisement-type message being periodically displayed on a display.

35. A system of claim 25 wherein the user programmable receiver further comprising a user-interface mechanism whereby the user-interface mechanism may be utilized to obtain messages having pre-programmed information codes.

36. A system of claim 35 wherein at least two messages are displayed at periodic intervals.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the messages contain advertising information.

38. The user-programmable receiver of claim 33 further comprising a second frequency modulator receiver capable of tuning into a local frequency modulated radio station for entertainment purposes.

39. A system of claim 25 wherein the user-programmable receiver further comprises a decryption device decrypts a portion of the transmission.

40. A system of claim 25 wherein information generators are charged a fee for each information message sent to the data transmitting device.

29. A method of point to multipoint communication in a system having a data transmitting device, a processing station, and a user-programmable receiver comprising the steps of:

(a) communicating an information code to at least one user;

(b) the at least one user directly enters an information code in the user-programmable receiver through an input of the user-programmable receiver, said receiver having an FM tuner and a processor adapted to analyze subcarriers of a particular FM broadcast;

(c) an information generator formulates information to be delivered to said at least one user, that information generator conducts the information to the data transmitting device;

(d) the data transmitting device receives information and conducts information to a processing station;

(e) the processing station receives the information and conducts the information containing at least one identification code to an FM radio transmitter;

(f) the FM radio transmitter receives the information and transmits the information containing the code in a subcarrier of a transmission; and

(g) the programmable receiver receives the transmission with the information on the subcarrier, decodes the identification code provided in the subcarrier of the transmission, filters the decoded transmission by comparing the information code entered by the user of the user-programmable receiver and all other programmed information codes with the identification code of the decoded transmission and if any of the programmed information codes match the identification code of decoded transmission, storing at least a portion of decoded transmission containing the information provided by the information generator, but if no match occurs, not storing any of the decoded transmission.

30. A user-programmable receiver comprising:

(a) a display;

(b) a user-interface mechanism capable of directly entering at least one information code;

(c) a receiving portion having an FM tuner; and

(d) a storage memory and a microprocessor;

whereby said receiving portion is capable of receiving a transmission through the FM tuner, and said microprocessor decoding the identification code of the transmission from a subcarrier of an FM band, filtering the decoded transmission by comparing any user-programmed information code and any other programmed information code with the identification code of the decoded transmission;

and if a programmed information code matches the identification code of the decoded transmission, storing at least a portion of the decoded message in the storage memory.