Broadcast response method and system

• US 7,917,130 B1
• Filed: 03/22/2004
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: StratosAudio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: StratosAudio, Inc.
• Inventors: Christensen, Kelly M., Kushner, Lewis A., Mock, Thomas D., Bowman, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost; Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESIR, PIERRE LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US10/806,084
• Time in Patent Office: 2,563 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/3.06, 455/414.4, 455/405, 379/92.01, 379/92.02, 379/92.03, 379/112.01, 729/9, 729/11, 729/16, 729/60, 729/61
• US Class Current: 455/414.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/13 radio data system/radio broadcast data system [RDS/RBDS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/76 Arrangements characterised by transmission systems other than for broadcast, e.g. the Internet for broadcast H04H20/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1868 Measures taken after transmission, e.g. acknowledgments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• 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: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

A system and method for broadcast response generally employing RDS, DARC, or similar technology is provided, including a method for responding to a broadcast comprising extracting an event identifier from a broadcast signal; detecting a response by a user to the broadcast signal; polling a communications device to determine a user identifier; and communicating the event identifier and the user identifier when the user response is detected.

Claims

1. A method for responding to a broadcast segment, the method comprising:

receiving a broadcast using a communications device, wherein the broadcast comprises at least one broadcast segment;

extracting, using the communications device, at least a unique event identifier corresponding to a specific instance of the broadcast segment and at least one user option associated with the broadcast segment, wherein the unique event identifier comprises a code that distinguishes at least;

a broadcaster identifier;

a product, item, or service identifier; and

a date and time of the broadcast segment, the unique event identifier being provided by a data manager, wherein the data manager is separate from the communications device;

storing, using the communications device, the unique event identifier and the at least one user option associated with the broadcast segment in a memory of the communications device for a period of time after the broadcast of the broadcast segment, the communications device configured to allow a user to select the at least one user option after the broadcast of the broadcast segment;

detecting, using the communications device, a selection by the user of the at least one user option in response to the broadcast segment;

extracting from the communications device a user identifier;

creating, using the communications device, a data packet comprising at least the unique event identifier and the user identifier; and

communicating the data packet to the data manager for responding to the data packet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection corresponds to the user tuning to a broadcast frequency.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data packet further comprises a time corresponding to a time of the broadcast segment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data packet further comprises a time corresponding to a time of the user response.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifier corresponds to a network address.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifier corresponds to a telephone number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifier corresponds to an electronic serial number.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifier corresponds to a vehicle identification number.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications device is wireless.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the extracting of the unique event identifier occurs over a wireless network.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the communicated unique event identifier to identify an event in a database.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the response is performed by the communications device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein extracting comprises polling the communications device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications device is a consumer device equipped with a broadcast transceiver.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing at least the unique event identifier and the at least one user option in the communications device for future retrieval.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifier is a reference number associated with the communications device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifier is generated by a server.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifier is generated by the user.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique event identifier can be contained within at least one block of an open data application group.

20. A method for tracking and compiling user responses using a unique event identifier specific to each broadcast segment in a broadcast, the method comprising:

providing a unique event identifier corresponding to a specific instance of each broadcast segment and at least one user option associated with the broadcast segment;

broadcasting the unique event identifier and the at least one user option associated with the broadcast segment over a data stream;

receiving via the data stream, using a communications device, the broadcast segment, the unique event identifier, and the at least one user option associated with the broadcast segment;

storing, using the communications device, the unique event identifier and the at least one user option associated with the broadcast segment in a memory of the communications device for a period of time following the broadcast of the broadcast segment, the communications device configured to allow a user to select the at least one user option after the broadcast of the broadcast segment;

detecting a selection by the user of the at least one user option in response to the broadcast segment;

transmitting, using the communications device, at least one data packet in response to the broadcast segment;

receiving the at least one data packet from the communications device in response to the broadcast segment;

extracting the unique event identifier from the at least one data packet, wherein an identity of a broadcaster of the broadcast segment can be determined by comparing the unique event identifier with a lookup table;

compiling a summary of user responses based on the unique event identifier extracted from the at least one data packet; and

generating a report for a third party based on the summary of user responses.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one data packet is received without user initiation.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one data packet is tracked according to user, and the user is rewarded for the receipt of the at least one data packet.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one data packet is forwarded by a first user to a second user, and the first user is rewarded for the receipt of the at least one data packet.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one data packet includes a user identifier.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the communications device is a consumer device equipped with a broadcast transceiver.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the communications device is a cell phone.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the communications device is a digital media player.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the communications device is a radio.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the extracting further comprises extracting a user identifier from the at least one data packet.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the user identifier is a reference number associated with the communications device.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the unique event identifier can be contained within at least one block of an open data application group.

32. A method for configuring a communications device to respond to reception of a broadcast comprising at least a broadcast segment, the broadcast segment associated with a unique event identifier specific to the broadcast segment, the method comprising:

configuring the communications device to extract at least the unique event identifier corresponding to the broadcast segment and at least one user option associated with the broadcast segment, the unique event identifier being provided by a data manager that is separate from the communications device;

configuring the communications device to store the unique event identifier and the at least one user option associated with the broadcast segment in a memory of the communications device for a period of time after the broadcast of the broadcast segment, the communications device further configured to allow a user to select the at least one user option after the broadcast of the broadcast segment;

configuring the communications device to detect a selection by the user of the at least one user option in response to the broadcast segment;

configuring the communications device to extract from the communications device a user identifier;

configuring the communications device to create a data packet comprising at least the unique event identifier and the user identifier; and

configuring the communications device to communicate the data packet to a server in response to detection of the selection by the user, wherein the server is configured to process the data packet.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the communications device is a consumer device equipped with a broadcast transceiver.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the consumer device is a cell phone.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the consumer device is a digital media player.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the consumer device is a radio.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the unique event identifier can be contained within at least one block of an open data application group.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein the user identifier corresponds to an electronic serial number.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein the user identifier is generated by a server.

40. The method of claim 32, wherein the user identifier is generated by the user.

41. A method for tracking and compiling user responses to a broadcast segment, the method comprising:

determining at least one identifier and at least one user option associated with the broadcast segment corresponding to a specific instance of the broadcast segment, wherein broadcasting a broadcast comprises at least one broadcast segment;

receiving at least one data packet sent by a user device in response to the broadcast segment, wherein the user device stored the at least one identifier for a period of time during the broadcast and at least for some time subsequent to the broadcast of the broadcast segment, the user device further configured to allow a user to select at least one user option during the period of time, further wherein the user device automatically generates the at least one data packet, and further wherein an identity of a broadcaster of the broadcast segment can be determined using at least a portion of the at least one data packet;

extracting the at least one identifier from the at least one data packet, wherein the at least one data packet further comprises at least a destination location for the response;

compiling a summary of user responses based at least in part on the at least one identifier that was extracted; and

generating a report based at least in part on the summary of user responses.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein extracting comprises polling the user device.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the user device is a consumer device equipped with a broadcast transceiver.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the user device is a radio.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein the report comprises user demographic information.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the user demographic information comprises user age information.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the user demographic information comprises user location information.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the user demographic information comprises user gender information.

49. The method of claim 41, wherein the at least one identifier can be contained within at least one block of an open data application group.

50. A method for tracking and compiling user responses to a broadcast segment, the method comprising:

determining a unique event identifier corresponding to a specific instance of the broadcast segment;

receiving at least one data packet sent by a user device in response to the broadcast segment, wherein the user device stored the unique event identifier for a period of time subsequent to the broadcast of the broadcast segment, the user device further configured to allow a user to select the unique event identifier subsequent to the broadcast of the broadcast segment and, further wherein an identity of a broadcaster of the broadcast segment can be determined using at least a portion of the data packet;

extracting the unique event identifier from the at least one data packet, wherein the data packet enables the determination of at least a destination location for the response;

compiling a summary of user responses based at least in part on the extracted unique event identifier; and

generating a report based at least in part on the summary of user responses, wherein the user report at least in part comprises demographic information.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the determining further comprises determining at least one user option associated with the broadcast segment.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the user demographic information comprises user age information.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein the user demographic information comprises user location information.

54. The method of claim 50, wherein the user demographic information comprises user gender information.

56. The method of claim 50, wherein the unique event identifier can be contained within at least one block of an open data application group.

55. A method for broadcasting a unique event identifier corresponding to a specific instance of a broadcast segment, comprising:

determining the unique event identifier that corresponds to the specific instance of the broadcast segment, wherein broadcasting a broadcast comprises at least the broadcast segment;

preparing at least one element of data identifying the broadcast segment;

formatting at least the unique event identifier into a data packet for transmission in a data stream;

storing at least the unique event identifier, wherein reference to the unique event identifier provides access to the at least one element of data identifying the broadcast segment;

transmitting the broadcast segment in a main broadcast signal;

transmitting at least the data packet in the data stream, wherein an identity of a broadcaster of the broadcast segment can be determined using at least a portion of the data packet, wherein a user device receiving the transmission of the data packet can extract and store the unique event identifier for a period of time during and subsequent to the transmitting of the broadcast segment, the user device further configured to allow a user to select the unique event identifier during the period of time; and

generating a report based at least in part on the unique event identifier.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the unique event identifier can be contained within at least one block of an open data application group.