US2006288374A1PendingUtilityA1

Communication system and method

40
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jul 18, 1997Filed: Jul 11, 2006Published: Dec 21, 2006
Est. expiryJul 18, 2017(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Gavin FerrisPeter Charles Florence
H04N 21/41265H04H 60/63H04N 7/163H04N 21/4722H04N 21/42204H04N 21/47815H04H 60/27H04H 60/48H04N 21/812H04N 21/25891H04H 20/33H04N 21/6582H04N 21/43637H04N 21/47H04N 21/472H04N 21/42209H04N 21/6131H04N 7/17318H04N 7/173H04H 60/58
40
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A remote control device for consumer broadcast receivers, particularly television and radio receivers, is disclosed. In addition to the remote control features normally found on such a device, the device also contains a display on which advertisements, product and service offers, and other information (collectively, “display data”) may be shown to the user. The device receives such display data via a radio link from one of a plurality of central processing stations. The user of the device may interact with such display data (for example, to purchase an advertised good), and the device may send back details of such interactions to a central processing station, which in turn may initiate a transaction with the appropriate sponsoring party.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A communications apparatus comprising means for determining whether a broadcast receiver is receiving a particular channel, the apparatus further comprising receiving means for receiving a signal, means for displaying information in response to a signal received by the receiving means, means responsive to a user input to provide an outgoing signal and transmitting means for transmitting the outgoing signal, wherein at least one of the receiving means and the transmitting means is for communicating by radio with a remote station responsive to outgoing signals from a plurality of communications apparatus.  
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the remote station is distinct from a primary station providing signals to a broadcast receiver.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one of the receiving means and transmitting means for communicating with a remote station comprises a means for communicating with a station in a cell of a multi-cell communication system.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the multi-cell communication system comprises a paging system.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the means for transmitting the outgoing signal is arranged to transmit the outgoing signal as soon as a user input is complete.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein the means for receiving a signal is arranged to receive a signal from a broadcast receiver.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as claimed in any one of the  claims 1  to  6 , wherein the means for displaying information is arranged to display information immediately in response to a signal received by the receiving means.  
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  6 , further comprising means for storing a signal received by the receiving means.  
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising time comparison means for controlling display of information in response to a stored signal at a predetermined time.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as claimed in any one of the  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the apparatus is portable.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is a remote control.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the receiving means and the means for displaying information is responsive to alter the information displayed in response to a channel selected using the remote control.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as claimed in any one of the  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the means for determining whether a broadcast receiver is receiving a particular channel comprises means for receiving a signal from the broadcast receiver, and means for comparing this signal with a signal received from the receiving means.  
     
     
         14 . An apparatus as claimed in any one of the  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the means for determining whether a broadcast receiver is receiving a particular channel comprises means for receiving a signal from a remote control.  
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as claimed in any one of the  claims 1  to  14 , wherein the means for displaying information is further responsive to the user input.  
     
     
         16 . An apparatus as claimed in any one of the  claims 1  to  15 , wherein the transmitting means is arranged to transmit an encoded authorisation signal.  
     
     
         17 . An apparatus as claimed in  claims 1  to  16 , further comprising security means responsive to a predetermined user input for preventing the transmission of at least part of an outbound signal if the predetermined user input is not correctly provided.  
     
     
         18 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the at least part of an outbound signal is the encoded authorisation signal.  
     
     
         19 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 14  or  claim 15 , wherein the security means is responsive to a plurality of different predetermined user inputs.  
     
     
         20 . A transmitter apparatus comprising means for storing information concerning transmission from a primary broadcaster, means for transmitting the information and means for synchronising the transmission of information to at least one transmission from the primary broadcaster, wherein the means for transmitting information transmits distinct from the primary broadcast chain.  
     
     
         21 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the means for storing the information includes means for storing timing data associated with the information and the means for synchronising the transmission of information is responsive to the stored timing data.  
     
     
         22 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the means for sychronising the transmission of information controls the means for transmitting the information to transmit the information before an intended time for display, and to transmit cueing information.  
     
     
         23 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising means for receiving a signal from the primary broadcaster, wherein the means for synchronising the transmission of information is responsive to at least one portion of the signal from the primary broadcaster.  
     
     
         24 . An apparatus as claimed in any one of the  claims 20  to  23 , wherein the means for transmitting information comprises a multi-cell communications system.  
     
     
         25 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the multi-cell communications system comprises a cellular paging system.  
     
     
         26 . A communication system comprising: 
 transmitter apparatus comprising means for storing information concerning transmission from a primary broadcaster, means for transmitting the information and means for synchronising the transmission of information to at least one transmission from the primary broadcaster, wherein the means for transmitting information transmits distinct from the primary broadcast chain;    apparatus comprising receiving means for receiving a signal from the transmitter apparatus, means for displaying information in response to a signal received by the receiving means, means responsive to a user input to provide an outgoing signal and transmitting means for transmitting the outgoing signal; and    receiving apparatus for receiving the outgoing signal.    
     
     
         27 . A communications system as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the receiving apparatus further comprises means for storing the received outgoing signal for subsequent processing.  
     
     
         28 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the receiving apparatus comprises a station in a cell of a multi-cell communication system.  
     
     
         29 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the multi-cell communication system comprises a paging system.  
     
     
         30 . An apparatus as claimed in any one of the  claims 27  to  29 , wherein the means for displaying information is arranged to display information immediately in response to a signal received by the receiving means.  
     
     
         31 . A method of communication comprising: 
 storing information concerning transmission from a primary broadcaster, transmitting the information and synchronising the transmission of information to at least one transmission from the primary broadcaster, wherein the information is transmitted distinct from the primary broadcast chain;    receiving a signal from the transmitter apparatus, displaying information in response to a signal received by the receiving means, providing an outgoing signal in response to a user input and transmitting the outgoing signal; and    receiving the outgoing signal.    
     
     
         32 . A method as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein the transmission distinct from the primary broadcast chain is via a cellular paging system.

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