Communication system and method

• US 8,645,995 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Ferris, Gavin Robert, Florence, Peter Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Chung, Jason J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marandi, James R
• Application Number:
  US11/982,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20080134255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,286 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/33 by plural channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/48 for recognising items expressed in broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A remote control device for consumer broadcast receivers, particularly television and radio receivers, is disclosed. In addition to the remote control features normally found on such a device, the device also contains a display on which advertisements, product and service offers, and other information (collectively, “display data”) may be shown to the user. The device receives such display data via a radio link from one of a plurality of central processing stations. The user of the device may interact with such display data (for example, to purchase an advertised good), and the device may send back details of such interactions to a central processing station, which in turn may initiate a transaction with the appropriate sponsoring party.

Claims

1. A portable device for controlling a separate broadcast program receiver appliance, comprising:

(i) a communications interface configured to be connected to a two-way wireless computer network;

(ii) software instructions configured for accessing, via the communications interface, first program cue data corresponding to a given broadcast program;

(iii) a receiving module configured for receiving second program cue data from a broadcast signal data, the second program cue data corresponding to a broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver; and

(iv) a display for visual presentation of incoming data received via the communications interface, wherein the incoming data is sent to the display based upon matching of the first and second program cue data, such that the visual presentation on the display of the portable device has content associated with the content of the broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver,

wherein the portable device is configured to control the separate broadcast program receiver appliance that is accessing the broadcast program, and to display content associated with the content of the broadcast program accessed at the separate broadcast program receiver.

2. The portable device of claim 1 wherein the second program cue data corresponds to a broadcast program currently accessed at the broadcast program receiver and the visual presentation on the display of the portable device has content associated with the content of the currently accessed broadcast program.

3. The portable device of claim 1 wherein the first and second program cue data includes channel identification data.

4. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the incoming data is independent of the broadcast program broadcast from the broadcaster to the broadcast program receiver.

5. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the portable device is separate from the broadcast program receiver appliance, and the visual presentation on the display of the portable device includes content that is not included in content displayed on the broadcast program receiver appliance.

6. The portable device of claim 1, further comprising software instructions configured for accessing, via the communications interface, a purchase function associated with the displayed data.

7. The portable device of claim 6, wherein the broadcast program includes music audio, and the purchase function is associated with music being broadcast.

8. The portable device of claim 1, further comprising instructions for storing the incoming data in the portable device, and timing the display of the incoming data to correspond to a particular broadcast content.

9. The portable device of claim 8, wherein the particular broadcast content is a particular song.

10. The portable device of claim 8, wherein the particular broadcast content is a pre-designated portion of a video broadcast.

11. The portable device of claim 8, wherein the particular broadcast content is a pre-designated portion of an audio broadcast.

12. A portable device for controlling a separate broadcast program receiver appliance, comprising:

(i) a communications interface configured to be connected to a two-way wireless computer network

(ii) software instructions configured for accessing, via the communications interface, first program data corresponding to a given broadcast program;

(iii) a receiving module configured for receiving second program data from a broadcast signal data, the second program data corresponding to a broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver; and

(iv) a display for visual presentation of incoming data received via the communications interface, wherein the incoming data is sent to the display based upon matching of the first and second program data, such that the visual presentation on the display of the portable device has content associated with the content of the broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver,

wherein the portable device is configured to control the separate broadcast program receiver appliance that is accessing the broadcast program, and to display content associated with the content of the broadcast program accessed at the separate broadcast program receiver.

13. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the second program data corresponds to a broadcast program currently accessed at the broadcast program receiver and the visual presentation on the display of the portable device has content associated with the content of the currently accessed broadcast program.

14. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the first and second program data includes channel identification data.

15. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the incoming data is independent of the broadcast program broadcast from the broadcaster to the broadcast program receiver.

16. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the portable device is separate from the broadcast program receiver appliance, and the visual presentation on the display of the portable device includes content that is not included in the content of the broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver appliance.

17. The portable device of claim 12, further comprising software instructions configured for accessing, via the communications interface, a purchase function associated with the displayed data.

18. The portable device of claim 17, wherein the broadcast program includes music audio, and the purchase function is associated with music being broadcast.

19. The portable device of claim 12, further comprising instructions for storing the incoming data in the portable device, and timing the display of the incoming data to correspond to a particular broadcast content.

20. The portable device of claim 19, wherein the particular broadcast content is a particular song.

21. The portable device of claim 19, wherein the particular broadcast content is a pre-designated portion of a video broadcast.

22. The portable device of claim 19, wherein the particular broadcast content is a pre-designated portion of an audio broadcast.