Method and apparatus for wirelessly transmitting high volume content to an electronic device

• US 9,106,414 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2010
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edward W. Laves
• Original Assignee: Edward W. Laves
• Inventors: Laves, Edward W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Masub, Rokib
• Application Number:
  US12/878,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20110060669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,797 Days
• Field of Search: 370/316, 370/318, 701/438, 705/16, 705/26, 705/36, 340/539.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/16 Arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/34 using an out-of-band subcarrier signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/25 Arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/90 Wireless transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying

Abstract

Digital content, particularly high volume digital content, such as newspapers or e-books are transmitted to an electronic device such as a handheld book reader over available bandwidth in a commercial FM radio station, private radio station, television station, or other one-way transmission system. A particular content item may be periodically rebroadcast along with other content on a rotating basis. GPS receivers and location-oriented databases may be used to allow the electronic device to find local broadcast outlets for the digital content when relocated to a new area. When no one-way transmission system is available or when packets of the high volume content are missing, a two-way communication system such as cellular (e.g. 3G or 4G systems), WiFi, WiMax, Bluetooth, etc. may be used to download all or part of the high volume content. Encryption schemes may be used to selectively authorize use of both electronic devices and content.

Claims

1. A method for selectively utilizing a two-way transceiver to augment a primary one-way broadcast receiver for downloading digital content to an electronic device, the method comprising:

automatically locating, by a CPU in the electronic device, a broadcast radio frequency for use by the broadcast receiver to download digital content, wherein automatically locating the broadcast radio frequency comprises;

automatically determining, by the CPU, the broadcast radio frequency by using GPS data to query a look-up table of broadcast radio frequencies;

downloading, using the broadcast receiver, the digital content over the determined broadcast radio frequency, wherein the two-way transceiver is powered off to reduce device battery power consumption;

determining, by the CPU, that some or all of the downloaded digital content was not correctly received by the broadcast receiver;

in response to determining that some or all of the digital content was not correctly received, powering on, by the CPU, the two-way transceiver;

downloading, using the two-way transceiver, the some or all of the digital content to remedy the incorrectly received digital content; and

once the download is remedied, powering off, by the CPU, the two-way transceiver to further reduce device battery power consumption.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that some or all of the digital content was not correctly received comprises at least one of:

determining, by the CPU, that the digital content was not received in an expected time frame, and

determining, by the CPU, that received digital content has missing or damaged elements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that some or all of the digital content was not correctly received comprises:

utilizing, by the CPU, a time of day to determine that the digital content was not received in a designated time period.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that some or all of the digital content was not correctly received, sending a request to a provider of the digital content, via the two-way transceiver, requesting re-transmission of the digital content.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, via the two-way transceiver, a supplementary communications link that allows two-way data communications from the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

using, by the CPU, the supplementary communication link for at least one of a data transfer or web browsing.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delaying, by the CPU, the downloading of the some or all of the remedial digital content until the two-way transceiver is in use for another purpose.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the two-way transceiver is one of:

a Wi-Fi (standard #802.11) transceiver, a Bluetooth (standard #802.15.1) transceiver, a WiMax (standard #802.16) transceiver, a Zigbee (standard #802.15) transceiver, and a cellular telephone data transceiver.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the digital content via the broadcast receiver comprises:

monitoring, by the CPU, the determined broadcast frequency for transmissions of sequential and repeated broadcasts of the digital content; and

automatically download, via the broadcast receiver, the digital content when in range of a broadcaster.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein monitoring the determined broadcast frequency for transmissions comprises:

powering on, by the CPU, the broadcast receiver while a GPS time is within predefined receive period; and

powering off, by the CPU, the broadcast receiver while the GPS time is outside of the predefined receive period.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating, via the two-way transceiver, non-digital content related information, wherein the non-digital content related information includes at least one of electronic device status, electronic device errors, key updates, and usage data.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

uploading, via the two-way transceiver, at least one of advertising viewership data, a text message, an electronic mail, coupon usage data, a web browsing request, and an order for a product or services.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein downloading the digital content by using the broadcast receiver instead of the two-way transceiver comprises:

reducing the monetary cost of downloading the digital content by utilizing, by the CPU, a less expensive channel of communication.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein querying the look-up table of broadcast radio frequencies comprises:

comparing, by the CPU, a current GPS location of the electronic device to GPS values contained within the look-up table; and

when the current GPS location matches a GPS value contained in the look-up table, determining, by the CPU, that a broadcast frequency corresponding to the current GPS value in the look-up table is the broadcast radio frequency for receiving digital data.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

when the current GPS location does not match a GPS value contained in the look-up table, automatically scanning, by the CPU, a plurality of radio channels to determine the broadcast radio frequency for receiving digital content.