System and method of wirelessly triggering portable devices

• US 7,881,713 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2007
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Green, Reynold Duane, Nguyen, Phu Van, Wiedefeld, William George, Hale, Gregory Brooks, McLaughlin, Harold Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh; Sonny
• Application Number:
  US11/679,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20070274685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422.1, 455/41.2, 455/424, 455/425, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/39, 455/414.2
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/487 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/489 using time information
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/125 the stations being mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 specially adapted for disabled users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/58 including a multilanguage function
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

The present invention provides for a system and method of wirelessly triggering portable devices to provide a user with audio and/or visual information related to a show or attraction, for example, or for the purposes of captioning, language translation, assistive listening, and descriptive audio. As a person moves about a venue, a portable device receives signals from transmitters at venue locations. Transmissions may be via infrared or radio signals. The receiving device decodes each signal as a venue location, event time, or device trigger. The receiving device processes the signal and its memory to start a presentation on the device. The portable device memory contains audio, text, graphics, and/or visual content; device playback may contain one or many of these stored contents. The stored content may be synchronized with the user'"'"'s location, time of travel, time of day, time of a show, or an event in a show. Stored content may be in one or many languages. Presentation of stored content on the portable device may also be altered by user preference, stored logic constraints, automatic learning of user behavior, or user interaction with other devices.

Claims

1. A method of providing additional audio/video information during a movie to viewers in a theater, comprising:

providing a viewer of a movie with a portable device, the portable device being pre-programmed with data representing audio/video information related to the movie presentation;

wirelessly transmitting at least one time code during the movie, the time code being a time from a start of the presentation;

receiving the at least one time code at the device;

processing the at least one time code in the device to determine an offset into a presentation data file as to where to start playback of audio/video information; and

displaying the audio/video information on the device in synchronization with the movie.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information related to the movie comprises show time.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the information related to the movie comprises text.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the information related to the movie comprises audio.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the audio is in a foreign language.

6. A method of providing additional audio and/or visual information during a theatrical presentation to viewers in a theater, comprising:

providing a viewer of a presentation with a portable device, the portable device being pre-programmed with data representing audio and/or visual information related to the theatrical presentation;

wirelessly transmitting at least one time code during the theatrical presentation, the time code being a time from a part of the presentation;

receiving the at least one time code at the device;

processing the at least one time code in the device to determine an offset into a presentation data file as to where to start playback of audio and/or visual information; and

presenting the audio and/or visual information on the device in synchronization with the presentation.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the information related to the movie comprises show times.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising storing audio information in the presentation data file, wherein the act of presenting the audio and/or visual information comprises presenting the audio information.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the audio is in a foreign language.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising storing textual information in the presentation data file, wherein the act of presenting the audio and/or visual information comprises presenting the textual information.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the textual information is in a foreign language.