Transmitter controlled communication links

• US 8,041,347 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Responsive Innovations LLC (Echo 360, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Responsive Innovations LLC (Echo 360, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adkins, Kevin G.
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US11/336,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20060166685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,097 Days
• Field of Search: 455/571, 455/572, 455/573, 455/575.1, 455/90.3, 455/92, 455/95, 455/103, 455/73, 429/99, 434/322, 434/332, 434/350, 434/362
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/08 by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1685 the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1887 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A wireless communication system is disclosed herein. The wireless communication system may include transmitter units and a receiver. In one embodiment, each transmitter has an address and logic programmed to perform the steps of receiving a user selection and, responsive to the receiving, repeatedly transmitting a wireless selection signal until a wireless acknowledgment signal is received. The wireless selection signal may include the address and the user selection. The receiver may include means to receive a wireless selection signal and logic programmed to transmit a wireless acknowledgment signal in response to the receipt of each wireless selection signal.

Claims

1. An audience response system comprising:

a plurality of transmitter units; and

a receiver unit, wherein

each transmitter unit includes a unique address and logic programmed to perform steps of receiving a user selection via a button push and, responsive to the button push, without receiving a signal from the receiver unit to initiate transmission, repeatedly transmitting a wireless selection signal until a wireless acknowledgment signal is received, the wireless selection signal including the unique address and the user selection, and wherein

the receiver unit includes a receiver for receiving a wireless selection signal and logic programmed to transmit a wireless acknowledgment signal in response to the receipt of each wireless selection signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic of each transmitter unit is further programmed to generate a transmission interval, wherein the wireless selection signal is repeatedly transmitted according to the transmission interval.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the logic of each transmitter unit is further programmed to generate a new transmission interval upon receipt of a user selection.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the transmission interval is a random number.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each transmitter unit includes a keypad.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic of the receiver unit is further programmed to store each user selection.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic of the receiver unit is further programmed to transmit each user selection to an external processor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic of the receiver unit is further programmed to make no transmission until a signal is received from a transmitter unit.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless signal is a radio frequency signal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver unit includes a display.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein each transmitter unit includes an output interface.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the output interface includes at least one LED.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the output interface includes a liquid crystal display.

15. A method for wirelessly communicating data from a plurality of transmitter units to a receiver, the method comprising steps of:

receiving a user input at one of the plurality of transmitter units;

formatting a radio frequency signal comprising the user input and a unique identifier;

asynchronously repeatedly wirelessly transmitting the radio frequency signal;

wirelessly receiving an acknowledgment radio frequency signal comprising the unique identifier; and

terminating the step of asynchronously repeatedly wirelessly transmitting.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the terminating occurs upon receiving the acknowledgment radio frequency signal.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of terminating occurs after a predetermined interval.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising a step of generating a transmission interval.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of asynchronously repeatedly wirelessly transmitting the radio frequency signal is performed according to the generated transmission interval.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising a step of transmitting the user input and unique identifier to a processor after receipt of the radio frequency signal.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the radio frequency signal and the acknowledgment radio frequency signal have the same frequency.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the radio frequency signal and the acknowledgment radio frequency signal have different frequencies.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of asynchronously repeatedly wirelessly transmitting comprises:

waiting for the acknowledgment radio frequency signal; and

in the absence of the acknowledgment radio frequency signal, wirelessly re-transmitting the radio frequency signal.

24. A method for wirelessly receiving data from a plurality of transmitters, the method comprising:

initiating a start up sequence;

entering a non-transmission mode upon completion of the start up sequence;

remaining in the non-transmission mode until a selection signal is wirelessly received;

upon receiving the selection signal, parsing the selection signal into address data and selection data;

generating an acknowledgment signal including acknowledgment data and the address data; and

wirelessly transmitting the acknowledgment signal.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising repeating the steps of:

entering a non-transmission mode;

remaining in the non-transmission mode until a selection signal is wirelessly

received;

upon receiving the selection signal, parsing the selection signal into address data and selection data;

generating an acknowledgment signal including acknowledgment data and the address data; and

wirelessly transmitting the acknowledgment signal.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising storing the selection data.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising displaying the selection data.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising transmitting the selection data to an external processor.