System and method for interactive broadcasting

• US 7,826,789 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2007
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nord, Lars B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dean, Raymond S
• Application Number:
  US11/620,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20080166963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• Field of Search: 455 301- 306, 725 62- 85, 709230-231
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast

Abstract

A method of interactive broadcasting may include transmitting a broadcast with a broadcast transceiver associated with a broadcast transmitting electronic device. The broadcast is intended for reception by one or more broadcast receiving electronic devices. A message may be received from one of the broadcast receiving electronic devices and the message may be added to the broadcast.

Claims

1. A method of interactive broadcasting, comprising:

transmitting an FM broadcast with a broadcast transceiver associated with a broadcast transmitting electronic device, the broadcast for reception by one or more broadcast receiving electronic devices that have compatible receivers and that are within a transmission range of the broadcast transceiver, wherein the broadcast includes audio-based subject matter and connection data for at least one of establishing a communications interface with the broadcast transmitting electronic device or addressing a message to the broadcast transmitting electronic device;

receiving a message from one of the broadcast receiving electronic devices, wherein said message is a text message, that is tuned to the broadcast;

displaying the message to a user of the broadcast transmitting electronic device for review; and

determining if the user elects to include the message as part of the broadcast and, if so, adding the message to the broadcast for receipt by the broadcast receiving electronic devices that are tuned to the broadcast, the adding of the message establishing interactive commentary among users of the broadcast receiving electronic devices and the user of the broadcast transmitting electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is pushed to the broadcast transmitting electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is addressed to the broadcast transmitting electronic device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising sending a reply message that is addressed to the broadcast receiving electronic device that is the source of the message.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the message is delivered via a network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is delivered via a local interface established directly between the broadcast transmitting electronic device and the broadcast receiving electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the FM broadcast is in accordance with radio data system (RDS).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast transmitting electronic device is a mobile telephone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast receiving electronic device from which the message is received is a mobile telephone.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding a message that is generated by a user of the broadcast transmitting electronic device to the broadcast.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a message from another one of the broadcast receiving electronic devices and blocking the broadcast of the message and future messages from the another one of the broadcast receiving electronic devices.

12. A method of participating in an interactive broadcast using an electronic device, comprising:

tuning to and receiving an FM broadcast signal transmitted by a broadcast transmitting electronic device, the broadcast signal including audio-based subject matter and connection data for at least one of establishing a communications interface with the broadcast transmitting electronic device or addressing a message to the broadcast transmitting electronic device;

decoding the audio-based subject matter and outputting a corresponding audio signal to a user of the electronic device;

detecting in the broadcast signal a message originating from another electronic device that is tuned to the broadcast signal and that was added to the broadcast signal by the broadcasting electronic device, extracting the message, and displaying the message to the user of the electronic device;

detecting if the user of the electronic device elects to send a message to the broadcasting electronic device and, if so, determining a device address for the broadcast transmitting electronic device from the broadcast signal and sending an addressed message to the broadcast transmitting electronic device for addition to the broadcast; and

continuing to receive the broadcast signal including the sent message, wherein said sent message is a text message, if a user elects to include said sent message as part of the broadcast, the receipt and displaying of messages from the broadcast signal establishing interactive commentary among users of the electronic devices that are tuned to the broadcast signal and a user of the broadcasting electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sent message is sent over a local interface established directly with the broadcast transmitting electronic device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic device is a mobile telephone.

15. An interactive broadcasting system, comprising:

a broadcast transceiver for transmitting an FM broadcast for reception by one or more broadcast receiving electronic devices that have compatible receivers and that are within a transmission range of the broadcast transceiver, wherein the broadcast includes audio-based subject matter and connection data for at least one of establishing a communications interface with the broadcast transmitting electronic device or addressing a message to the broadcast transmitting electronic device;

a local wireless interface adapter for receiving a message, wherein said message is a text message, from one of the broadcast receiving electronic devices that is tuned to the broadcast;

a display; and

a control circuit configured to;

drive the display to display the message to a user of the interactive broadcasting system; and

determine if the user elects to include the message as part of the broadcast and, if so, add the message to the broadcast for receipt by the broadcast receiving electronic devices that are tuned to the broadcast, the adding of the message establishing interactive commentary among users of the broadcast receiving electronic devices and the user of the broadcast transmitting electronic device.

16. The interactive broadcasting system of claim 15, wherein the FM broadcast is in accordance with radio data system (RDS).

17. The interactive broadcasting system of claim 15, wherein the local wireless interface adapter is one of a Bluetooth interface or a network interface.

18. The interactive broadcasting system of claim 15, further comprising a radio circuit for establishing a call via a communications network.