Localised audio data delivery

• US 20020016165A1
• Filed: 06/07/2001
• Published: 02/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Davies, Robert J., Rankin, Paul J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,197,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

A communications system comprises at least one beacon device (12, 14) capable of wireless message transmission and at least one portable device (10) capable of receiving such a message transmission. The beacon (12) is arranged to broadcast a series of inquiry messages (60) each in the form of a plurality of predetermined data fields (INQ) arranged according to a first communications protocol, such as Bluetooth. For the delivery of additional data via broadcast, the beacon (12) adds to each inquiry message prior to transmission an additional data field (BCD) carrying audio data, with the portable device (10) receiving the transmitted inquiry messages, reading the audio data from the additional data field, and reproducing the audio to a user.

Claims

1. A method for enabling the user of a portable communications device to receive broadcast audio messages wherein at least one beacon device broadcasts a series of messages each in the form of a plurality of predetermined data fields arranged according to a first communications protocol, wherein the beacon adds to each such message prior to transmission an additional data field carrying broadcast audio message data, and wherein the portable device receives the transmitted messages, extracts the audio broadcast data from said additional data field, and reproduces the audio to the user.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first communications protocol comprises Bluetooth messaging and the broadcast series of messages are inquiry messages for the establishment of two-way communications.

3. An audio data communications system comprising at least one beacon device capable of wireless message transmission and at least one portable device capable of receiving such a message transmission, wherein the beacon is arranged to broadcast a series of messages each in the form of a plurality of predetermined data fields arranged according to a first communications protocol, wherein the beacon is further arranged to add to each such message prior to transmission an additional data field carrying audio data, and wherein the at least one portable device is arranged to receive the transmitted messages, read the audio data from said additional data field and reproduce the same for the user.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the beacon is arranged to include an indication in one of said predetermined data fields, said indication denoting the presence of audio data in said additional data field.

5. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first communications protocol comprises Bluetooth messaging.

6. A mobile communication device for use in the system of claim 3, the device comprising a receiver capable of receiving a short-range wireless message including a plurality of data fields according to said first communications protocol means for determining when said additional data field has been added to said plurality of data fields, means for reading audio data from such an additional data field, and reproduction means for presenting the same to a user.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the receiver is configured to receive messages according to Bluetooth protocols.