Mobile cellular telecommunications infrastructure based multi-user applications

• US 20070123246A1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Celltick Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Celltick Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Wellingstein, Ran, Wellingstein, Yossi, Daniel, Ronen
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast

Abstract

The present invention is directed toward the use of Point-To-MultiPoint (PTMP) display messages over a mobile cellular telecommunications infrastructure for supporting a number of multi-user applications including multi-user interactive applications in the case of interactive display messages. Exemplary applications include a consumer survey, a multi-player game, a Content on Demand application, and the staggered broadcast of the same interactive display message over different geographical areas served by different Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs).

Claims

1. For use in a mobile cellular telecommunications network having a plurality of individually addressable Base Transceiver Station (BTS) providing bi-directional signal coverage to a plurality of subscribers who each have a personal cellular telecommunications device and who are within a plurality of predefined geographical area, a method for executing a multi-user interactive application, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting a Point-to-MultiPoint (PTMP) interactive display message at a plurality of BTS for display on the personal cellular telecommunications devices of each subscriber located within the respective geographical areas of the plurality of BTS;

(b) receiving non-voice call response messages from subscribers'"'"' personal cellular telecommunications devices in response to the interactive display message; and

(c) transmitting a PTMP feedback message at the plurality of BTS of step (a) for displaying interactive application related information on the personal cellular telecommunications devices of the subscribers located within their respective geographical areas.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the multi-user interactive application includes at least one question and answer procedure in which a subscriber is required to select an answer to a question from a plurality of answers.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the multi-user interactive application is a consumer survey application, and the interactive application related information in respect of a question includes at least the most popular answer to the question.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the interactive application related information in respect of a question includes a breakdown of the number of subscribers who selected each answer to the question.

5. The method according to claim 3 wherein the multi-user interactive application is a multi-player game application in which a question has a single correct answer, and the interactive application related information in respect of a question includes at least the number of subscribers who answered the question correctly.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the interactive application related information in respect of a question also includes the total number of subscribers who answered the question.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein a subscriber can request additional information whereupon one or two incorrect answers are scored out.

8. A computer program embodied on a medium that can be read by a computer so that the computer programmed in this way is capable of or adapted to carrying out a method in accordance with claim 1.

9. A program storage device readable by a computer and tangibly embodying a program of instructions for carrying out a method in accordance with claim 1.

10. A mobile cellular telecommunications network for carrying out a method in accordance with claim 1.

11. For use in a mobile cellular telecommunications network having at least one individually addressable Base Transceiver Station (BTS) each capable of transmitting at least Point-To-MultiPoint (PTMP) messages to a plurality of subscribers within a predefined geographical area, a method for broadcasting a PTMP display message comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting a PTMP display message at at least one BTS for display on the personal cellular telecommunications devices of each subscriber located within their respective geographical areas; and

(b) subsequently and iteratively repeating step (a) at at least another BTS an integer number of times i where i=1, 2, 3, . . . n, thereby staggering the broadcast of the PTMP display message.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein a PTMP display message is a PTMP interactive display message.

13. A computer program loadable into a computer so that the computer programmed in this way is capable of or adapted to carrying out a method in accordance with claim 12.

14. A program storage device readable by a computer and tangibly embodying a program of instructions for carrying out a method in accordance with either one of claim 12.

15. A mobile cellular telecommunications network for carrying out a method in accordance with claim 12.