Intelligent data broadcasting

• US 20060025068A1
• Filed: 07/27/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Pablo, Wood, Ken, Regan, Tim
• Granted Patent: US 7,580,668 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/16 Arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/33 via the broadcast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/53 of destinations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side

Abstract

Systems and methods for intelligent data broadcasting techniques are disclosed. A data broadcasting system receives profile information representative of information desired by subscribers to the data broadcasting system. Broadcast content in one or more broadcast regions may be adjusted in response to changes in aggregate user preferences in the region.

Claims

1. A method of managing a data broadcast, comprising:

receiving, at a server in a data broadcasting system, information locating at least one subscriber unit of the data broadcasting system in a specific geographic region of the data broadcasting system; and

adjusting a rate of recurrence of broadcast information in the specific region of the data broadcasting system as a function of profile information associated with the at least one subscriber unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, at a server in a data broadcasting system, information locating at least one subscriber unit of the data broadcasting system in a specific geographic region of the data broadcasting system comprises receiving a signal on a communication control channel established between a first data broadcasting unit of the data broadcasting system and the at least one subscriber unit.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving, at a server in a data broadcasting system, information locating at least one subscriber unit of the data broadcasting system in a specific geographic region of the data broadcasting system comprises:

receiving a signal on a communication control channel established between a second data broadcasting unit of the data broadcasting system and the at least one subscriber unit; and

determining location information for the subscriber unit using the signal from the first data broadcasting unit and the second data broadcasting unit.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving, at a server in a data broadcasting system, information locating at least one subscriber unit of the data broadcasting system in a specific geographic region of the data broadcasting system comprises:

receiving a signal on a communication control channel established between a third data broadcasting unit of the data broadcasting system and the at least one subscriber unit; and

determining location information for the subscriber unit using the signal from the first data broadcasting unit, the second data broadcasting unit, and the third data broadcasting unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the rate of recurrence of broadcast information in the specific region of the data broadcasting system as a function of profile information associated with the at least one subscriber unit comprises obtaining profile information associated with the at least one subscriber unit.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein obtaining profile information associated with at least one subscriber unit comprises retrieving profile information from a data store.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the rate of recurrence of broadcast information in the specific region of the data broadcasting system as a function of profile information associated with the at least one subscriber unit comprises increasing the rate of recurrence of broadcast information specified in the profile information associated with the at least one subscriber unit.

8. A method of managing a data broadcast, comprising:

establishing an initial broadcast recurrence rate for each document in a data broadcast region;

monitoring profile information for a plurality of subscriber units in the data broadcast region; and

adjusting the broadcast recurrence rate of broadcast information in the specific region of the data broadcasting system as a function of profile information associated with the plurality of subscriber units.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein monitoring profile information for a plurality of subscriber units in the data broadcast region comprises determining location information that locates a subscriber unit in the data broadcast region.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining location information that locates a subscriber unit in the data broadcasting region comprises comparing location signal information from a subscriber unit received at a first data broadcast region with location signal information from the subscriber unit received at a second data broadcast unit.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein monitoring profile information for a plurality of subscriber units in the data broadcast region comprises monitoring changes to profile information associated with the plurality of subscriber units.

12. A computer program product comprising logic instructions embodied on a computer-readable media which, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to:

activate a receiver to receive, at a server in a data broadcasting system, information locating at least one subscriber unit of the data broadcasting system in a specific geographic region of the data broadcasting system; and

adjust a rate of recurrence of broadcast information in the specific region of the data broadcasting system as a function of profile information associated with the at least one subscriber unit.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising logic instructions which, when executed, configure the processor to obtain profile information associated with the at least one subscriber unit.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising logic instructions which, when executed, configure the processor to retrieve profile information from a data store.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising logic instructions which, when executed, configure the processor to increase the rate of recurrence of broadcast information specified in the profile information associated with the at least one subscriber unit in response to an increase in demand for the broadcast information.

16. A computer program product comprising logic instructions embodied on a computer-readable media which, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to:

establish an initial broadcast recurrence rate for one or more documents in a data broadcast region;

monitor profile information for a plurality of subscriber units in the data broadcast region; and

adjust the broadcast recurrence rate for one or more documents in the data broadcast region as a function of profile information associated with the plurality of subscriber units.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising logic instructions which, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to determine location information that locates a subscriber unit in the data broadcast region.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising logic instructions which, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to compare location signal information from a subscriber unit received at a first data broadcast region with location signal information from the subscriber unit received at a second data broadcast unit.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising logic instructions which, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to monitor changes to profile information associated with the plurality of subscriber units.