Wireless entertainment system

• US 8,407,745 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2011
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Linda Mensch
• Original Assignee: Linda Mensch
• Inventors: Mensch, Linda
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B
• Application Number:
  US13/038,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20110154381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 725/1, 725/62, 725/86, 725/121, 725/123, 725/133, 725/141, 725/153
• US Class Current: 725/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

An entertainment delivery system including a delivery station configured for receiving an order for entertainment content from a telephone, the telephone being configured to receive entertainment content over a wireless network, the telephone also having a display device adapted to display said entertainment content, an entertainment database coupled to the delivery station, wherein the delivery station is configured for retrieving the entertainment content from the entertainment database when the order is received, the entertainment content including video content for display, and a billing database coupled to the delivery station, wherein the delivery station is configured for sending a billing record corresponding to a user account associated with the telephone to the billing database when the order is received.

Claims

1. An entertainment delivery system comprising:

a delivery station configured for receiving an order for entertainment content from a telephone, said telephone being configured to receive entertainment content over a wireless network, said telephone also having a display device adapted to display said entertainment content;

an entertainment database coupled to said delivery station, wherein said delivery station is configured for retrieving said entertainment content from said entertainment database when said order is received, said entertainment content including video content for display; and

a billing database coupled to said delivery station, wherein said delivery station is configured for sending a billing record corresponding to a user account associated with said telephone to said billing database when said order is received.

2. The entertainment delivery system of claim 1, wherein the said order includes data identifying said user account, and wherein said delivery system is configured for automatically identifying said account by using said data.

3. The entertainment delivery system of claim 1, wherein ordering entertainment is accomplished through an Internet.

4. The entertainment delivery system of claim 1 wherein said telephone includes a memory, and wherein when said telephone receives said entertainment content, said entertainment content is stored in said memory for viewing at a later time.

5. The entertainment delivery system of claim 1 wherein said delivery station is configured for retrieving at least one billing record from said billing database and forwarding said billing records to said user account, such that a charge for said entertainment content is added to said mobile communication device user account.

6. The entertainment delivery system of claim 5, wherein the said order includes data identifying said user account, and wherein said delivery system is configured for automatically identifying said account by using said data.

7. The entertainment delivery system of claim 5, wherein said entertainment content includes a restriction such that it can only be played a specified number of times.

8. The entertainment delivery system of claim 1, wherein a type of entertainment content is determined automatically from pre-programmed entries from said mobile communication device.

9. The entertainment delivery system of claim 1, wherein the entertainment is a motion picture, a television show, a video game, an educational, cultural or political event, sports programming, news, financial news, weather, or music.

10. An entertainment delivery system for receiving orders for entertainment content from a mobile telephone, delivering the content to a mobile telephone for display on a wirelessly connected display device, and billing a user account associated with the mobile telephone, comprising:

a delivery station configured for receiving an order for entertainment content from the mobile telephone, the entertainment content including data identifying the user account associated with the mobile telephone, wherein said delivery station is further configured to forward billing records to the mobile telephone user account, such that a charge for the entertainment content is added to the mobile telephone user account; and

an entertainment database coupled to said delivery station, and which includes entertainment content, wherein said delivery station is further configured to retrieve the ordered entertainment content from the entertainment database and deliver the entertainment content to the mobile telephone such that the mobile telephone can relay the content to the display device.

11. The entertainment delivery system of claim 10, wherein said delivery station and said entertainment database are coupled over a wireless network.

12. The entertainment delivery system of claim 10, wherein ordering entertainment is accomplished through an Internet.

13. The entertainment delivery system of claim 10, wherein said entertainment content includes a restriction such that it can only be played a specified number of times.

14. The entertainment delivery system of claim 10, wherein a type of entertainment content is determined automatically from pre-programmed entries from said mobile telephone.

15. The entertainment delivery system of claim 10, wherein the entertainment is a motion picture, a television show, a video game, an educational, cultural or political event, sports programming, news, financial news, weather, or music.

16. A method for providing entertainment, comprising:

receiving an order of entertainment content from a mobile telephone;

billing an account associated with said mobile telephone; and

delivering said entertainment through a wireless network to a memory in a first receiver, said first receiver being configured to relay said entertainment content to a display device over a wireless network.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said order contains data identifying a user associated with said mobile telephone, the method further comprising the step of identifying said account associated with said mobile telephone using said data.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the mobile telephone is a cellular telephone.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the display device includes a memory, and wherein when said display devices received said entertainment content, said entertainment content is stored in said memory for viewing at a later time.