Real time voting regarding radio content

• US 7,831,461 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Lee, Richard M., Peterson, Michael J., Syed, Faizan
• Primary Examiner(s): DIXON, THOMAS A
• Application Number:
  US11/931,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20090112689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10, 725/16
• US Class Current: 705/7.32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• 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 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting

Abstract

A method for remotely participating in a listener survey includes receiving survey questions on an infotainment system, where the survey questions are at least partly displayed on a display portion of the infotainment system; transmitting to the survey provider a user input response to at least one of the survey questions; and receiving tabulated survey results of the survey, the results being at least partly displayed on the display portion of the infotainment system. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program and a system including a mechanism for practicing the above method are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for remotely participating in a listener survey, the method comprising:

via a wireless network or a satellite, receiving survey questions on an infotainment system from a survey provider, the survey questions being at least partly displayed on a display portion of the infotainment system, wherein a subject matter of the survey questions relates to content of a program being concurrently broadcast to the infotainment system;

via one of the infotainment system, an audio component, or a telematics unit, transmitting to the survey provider a user input response to at least one of the survey questions, the transmitting being accomplished during the broadcast of the program;

via the wireless network or the satellite and during the broadcast of the program, receiving tabulated results of the survey, the results being at least partly displayed on the display portion of the infotainment system; and

via computer equipment operatively associated with the survey provider, adjusting the content of the program based on the tabulated results of the survey, the adjusting being accomplished during the broadcast of the program.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the listener survey is broadcast to the infotainment system via a wireless broadcast or a satellite broadcast.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising inputting the user input response by activating designated controls at an indicated place on the display portion of the infotainment system, by verbally communicating answers through a microphone operatively connected to the infotainment system, or by telephoning a designated telephone number.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the tabulated results of the survey include the user input response and at least one other user input response transmitted from an other infotainment system.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein a subject matter of the survey is related to a topic selected from music, sports, news, human interest, weather, ethnic interest, religious interest and combinations thereof.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the infotainment system is installed in a vehicle selected from a car, a truck, a motorcycle, a recreational vehicle, a boat, and an airplane.

7. A computer readable medium storing a computer program, comprising:

computer readable code for receiving survey questions on an infotainment system from a survey provider, the survey questions being at least partly displayed on a display portion of the information/entertainment system, wherein a subject matter of the survey questions relate to content of a program being then-currently broadcast to the infotainment/entertainment system;

computer readable code for transmitting to the survey provider user input responses to the survey questions during the broadcast of the program;

computer readable code for receiving tabulated results of the survey during the broadcast of the program, the results being displayed at least partly on the display portion of the infotainment system; and

computer readable code for adjusting, during the broadcast, the content of the program based on the tabulated results of the survey.

8. The computer-readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the listener survey is broadcast to the infotainment system by a wireless broadcast, a satellite broadcast or a combination thereof.

9. The computer-readable medium according to claim 7 wherein the user input responses to the survey questions are communicated by activating designated controls at an indicated place on the display portion of the infotainment system, by verbally communicating answers through a microphone connected to the infotainment system, or by telephoning a designated telephone number.

10. The computer-readable medium according to claim 7 wherein the tabulated results of the survey include the user input responses and at least one other user input response transmitted from an other infotainment system.

11. The computer-readable medium according to claim 7 wherein a subject matter of the survey is related to a topic selected from music, sports, news, human interest, weather, ethnic interest, religious interest and combinations thereof.

12. The computer-readable medium according to claim 7 wherein the infotainment system is installed in a vehicle selected from a car, a truck, a motorcycle, a recreational vehicle, a boat, and an airplane.

13. A system for remotely participating in a listener survey, the system comprising:

means for receiving survey questions on an infotainment system, the survey questions being at least partly displayed on a display portion of the infotainment system;

wherein a subject matter of the survey questions relate to content of a program being then-currently broadcast to the infotainment system;

means for transmitting to the survey provider a user input response to at least one of the survey questions during the broadcast of the program;

means for receiving tabulated results of the survey during the broadcast of the program, the results being at least partly displayed on the display portion of the infotainment system; and

means for adjusting the content of the program based on the tabulated results of the survey during the broadcast of the program.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein the listener survey is broadcast to the infotainment system by a wireless broadcast, a satellite broadcast, or combinations thereof.

15. The system according to claim 13 wherein the user input response is communicated by activating designated controls at an indicated place on the display portion of the infotainment system, by verbally communicating answers through a microphone operatively connected to the infotainment system, or by telephoning a designated telephone number.

16. The system according to claim 13 wherein the tabulated results of the survey include the user input response and at least one other user input response transmitted by an other infotainment system.

17. The system according to claim 13 wherein a subject matter of the survey is related to a topic selected from music, sports, news, human interest, weather, ethnic interest, religious interest and combinations thereof.

18. The system according to claim 13 wherein the infotainment system is installed in a vehicle selected from a car, a truck, a motorcycle, a recreational vehicle, a boat, and an airplane.