Transaction management system in a multicast or broadcast wireless communication network

Abstract

The reverse path transaction management system enables the subscriber to receive a multicast on their wireless subscriber device via the forward path of a multicast channel or via a unidirectional broadcast channel concurrently with a plurality of other subscribers on the same multicast channel or broadcast channel. The subscribers can simultaneously initiate a transaction to purchase goods and/or services via the reverse path associated with the shared multicast channel or via a separate cellular communication connection associated with the broadcast channel. Typically, goods and/or services are offered to the subscriber as part of the multicast extant on the shared forward channel.

1 . A reverse path transaction management system for providing transaction services to subscribers who are equipped with wireless subscriber devices via a wireless communication network that routes content from a selected program source concurrently to a plurality of wireless subscriber devices via a multicast on a single communication channel, which single communication channel includes at least a forward path from said network to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices, said reverse path transaction management system comprising:
 wireless subscriber device identification means for registering at least one of said plurality of wireless subscriber devices that are concurrently served by said single communication channel using a unique address for said wireless subscriber device;   transaction initiation means, responsive to one of said at least one wireless subscriber device transmitting a transaction initiation signal to said network on a reverse path from said one wireless subscriber device to said network concurrently with receipt of said content multicast on said single communication channel, for identifying said one wireless subscriber device using said unique address for said wireless subscriber device as well as tag information retrieved from said multicast that identifies one of goods and services for purchase displayed in said content multicast; and   transaction processing means for exchanging data with said one wireless subscriber device via said reverse path using said unique address for said wireless subscriber device to implement a transaction while said wireless subscriber device is concurrently receiving said multicast content via said single communication channel.   
     
     
         2 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 1  wherein said wireless subscriber device identification means comprises:
 unique identification means for assigning each of said at least one wireless subscriber device a unique address for use on said reverse path.   
     
     
         3 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 1  wherein said transaction initiation means comprises:
 subscriber identification means operable concurrently with delivery of said information on said forward path to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices for uniquely identifying said one subscriber device transmitting a transaction initiation signal on said reverse path.   
     
     
         4 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 3  wherein said transaction initiation means further comprises:
 subscriber profile means, responsive to said subscriber identification means, for retrieving a service profile of said one subscriber device.   
     
     
         5 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 3  wherein said service profile of said one subscriber device includes at least one of: subscriber wireless service account information, subscriber credit card information, and subscriber service authorization data. 
     
     
         6 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 1  wherein said transaction processing means comprises:
 transaction tag means for excerpting advertisement identification data from said content multicast transmitted via said single communication channel for identifying a one of a product or service that is the subject of said transaction.   
     
     
         7 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 1  wherein said transaction processing means comprises:
 information exchange means for exchanging messages exclusively with said one wireless subscriber device for completion of said transaction, including data relating to at least one of:   verification of the transaction, authorization to complete the transaction, a further definition of the goods or services desired, payment instructions, and delivery instructions.   
     
     
         8 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 1  wherein said transaction processing means exchanges data via said forward and reverse paths exclusively with said one wireless subscriber device to implement a transaction. 
     
     
         9 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 1  wherein said transaction initiation means is responsive to a plurality of said wireless subscriber devices transmitting a transaction initiation signal on said reverse path, for identifying each of said plurality of wireless subscriber devices. 
     
     
         10 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 1  wherein said transaction processing means exchanges data via said forward and reverse paths via a plurality of communication sessions, each of which is exclusive to a corresponding one of said plurality of wireless subscriber devices to implement a transaction. 
     
     
         11 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 1  wherein said wireless subscriber device identification means comprises:
 unique identification means for assigning each of said plurality of wireless subscriber devices transmitting a transaction initiation signal on said reverse path a unique address for use on said reverse path.   
     
     
         12 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 1  wherein said transaction initiation means comprises:
 subscriber identification means, operable concurrently with delivery of said information on said forward path to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices, for uniquely identifying each of said plurality of wireless subscriber devices transmitting a transaction initiation signal on said reverse path.   
     
     
         13 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 12  wherein said transaction initiation means further comprises:
 subscriber profile means, responsive to said subscriber identification means, for retrieving a service profile of each of said plurality of wireless subscriber devices transmitting a transaction initiation signal on said reverse path.   
     
     
         14 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 12  wherein said service profile includes at least one of: subscriber wireless service account information, subscriber credit card information, and subscriber service authorization data. 
     
     
         15 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 1  wherein said transaction processing means comprises:
 transaction tag means for excerpting advertisement identification data from said information transmitted via said forward channel for identifying a one of a product or service that is the subject of said transaction.   
     
     
         16 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 1  wherein said transaction processing means comprises:
 information exchange means for exchanging messages exclusively with said one wireless subscriber device for completion of said transaction, including data relating to at least one of: verification of the transaction, authorization to complete the transaction, a further definition of the goods or services desired, payment instructions, and delivery instructions.   
     
     
         17 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 1  wherein said wireless communication network comprises:
 multicast wireless communication network means for concurrently propagating information from a multi-media content source to a plurality of wireless subscriber devices via a forward path of a multicast channel shared by said plurality of wireless subscriber devices and for receiving information from said plurality of wireless subscriber devices over a reverse path of said multicast channel.   
     
     
         18 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 17  wherein said transaction processing means exchanges data via said forward and reverse paths of said multicast channel with said one wireless subscriber device to implement a transaction. 
     
     
         19 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 1  wherein said wireless communication network comprises:
 broadcast wireless network means for concurrently propagating multi-media content from a multi-media content source to a plurality of wireless subscriber devices via a forward path of a unidirectional broadcast channel shared by said plurality of wireless subscriber devices; and   multicast wireless communication network means for receiving information from said plurality of wireless subscriber devices over a reverse path of a multicast channel of said multicast wireless communication network means concurrently with the delivery of said multi-media content to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices.   
     
     
         20 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 19  wherein said transaction processing means exchanges data via said forward and reverse paths of said multicast channel with said one wireless subscriber device to implement a transaction. 
     
     
         21 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 1  wherein said wireless communication network comprises:
 broadcast wireless network means for concurrently propagating multi-media content from a multi-media content source to a plurality of wireless subscriber devices via a forward path of a unidirectional broadcast channel shared by said plurality of wireless subscriber devices; and   cellular communication network means for receiving information from said plurality of wireless subscriber devices over a channel of said cellular communication network means concurrently with the delivery of said multi-media content to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices.   
     
     
         22 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 21  wherein said transaction processing means exchanges data via said forward and reverse paths of said channel of said cellular communication network with said one wireless subscriber device to implement a transaction. 
     
     
         23 . A reverse path transaction management method for providing transaction services to subscribers who are equipped with wireless subscriber devices via a wireless communication network that routes content from a selected program source concurrently to a plurality of wireless subscriber devices via a multicast on a single communication channel, which single communication channel includes at least a forward path from said network to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices, said reverse path transaction management system comprising:
 registering at least one of said plurality of wireless subscriber devices that are concurrently served by said single communication channel using a unique address for said wireless subscriber device;   identifying, in response to one of said at least one wireless subscriber device transmitting a transaction initiation signal on a reverse path, from said one wireless subscriber device to said network concurrently with receipt of said content multicast on said single communication channel, said one wireless subscriber device using said unique address for said wireless subscriber device as well as tag information retrieved from said multicast that identifies one of goods and services for purchase displayed in said content multicast; and   exchanging data via said reverse path using said unique address for said wireless subscriber device to implement a transaction while said wireless subscriber device is concurrently receiving said multicast content via said single communication channel.   
     
     
         24 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 23  wherein said step of identifying comprises:
 assigning each of said at least one wireless subscriber device a unique address for use on said reverse path.   
     
     
         25 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 23  wherein said step of exchanging comprises:
 uniquely identifying, concurrently with delivery of said information on said forward path to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices, said one subscriber device transmitting a transaction initiation signal on said reverse path.   
     
     
         26 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 25  wherein said step of exchanging further comprises:
 retrieving, in response to said subscriber identification means, a service profile of said one subscriber device.   
     
     
         27 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 25  wherein said service profile of said one subscriber device includes at least one of: subscriber wireless service account information, subscriber credit card information, and subscriber service authorization data. 
     
     
         28 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 23  wherein said step of exchanging comprises:
 excerpting advertisement identification data from said content multicast transmitted via said single communication channel for identifying a one of a product or service that is the subject of said transaction.   
     
     
         29 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 23  wherein said step of exchanging comprises:
 exchanging messages exclusively with said one wireless subscriber device for completion of said transaction, including data relating to at least one of: verification of the transaction, authorization to complete the transaction, a further definition of the goods or services desired, payment instructions, and delivery instructions.   
     
     
         30 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 23  wherein said step of exchanging exchanges data via said forward and reverse paths exclusively with said one wireless subscriber device to implement a transaction. 
     
     
         31 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 23  wherein said step of identifying is responsive to a plurality of said wireless subscriber devices transmitting a transaction initiation signal on said reverse path for identifying each of said plurality of wireless subscriber devices. 
     
     
         32 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 23  wherein said step of exchanging exchanges data via said forward and reverse paths via a plurality of communication sessions, each of which is exclusive to a corresponding one of said plurality of wireless subscriber devices to implement a transaction. 
     
     
         33 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 23  wherein said step of identifying comprises:
 assigning each of said plurality of wireless subscriber devices, transmitting a transaction initiation signal on said reverse path, a unique address for use on said reverse path.   
     
     
         34 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 23  wherein said step of exchanging comprises:
 uniquely identifying, concurrently with delivery of said information on said forward path to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices, each of said plurality of wireless subscriber devices transmitting a transaction initiation signal on said reverse path.   
     
     
         35 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 34  wherein said step of exchanging further comprises:
 retrieving, in response to said subscriber identification means, a service profile of each of said plurality of wireless subscriber devices transmitting a transaction initiation signal on said reverse path.   
     
     
         36 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 34  wherein said service profile includes at least one of: subscriber wireless service account information, subscriber credit card information, and subscriber service authorization data. 
     
     
         37 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 23  wherein said step of exchanging comprises:
 excerpting advertisement identification data from said information transmitted via said forward channel for identifying a one of a product or service that is the subject of said transaction.   
     
     
         38 . The reverse path transaction management method of  claim 23  wherein said step of exchanging comprises:
 exchanging messages exclusively with said one wireless subscriber device for completion of said transaction, including data relating to at least one of: verification of the transaction, authorization to complete the transaction, a further definition of the goods or services desired, payment instructions, and delivery instructions.   
     
     
         39 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 23  wherein said step of exchanging comprises:
 concurrently propagating information from a multi-media content source to a plurality of wireless subscriber devices via a forward path of a multicast channel shared by said plurality of wireless subscriber devices, and for receiving information from said plurality of wireless subscriber devices over a reverse path of said multicast channel.   
     
     
         40 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 23  wherein said step of exchanging exchanges data via said forward and reverse paths of said multicast channel with said one wireless subscriber device to implement a transaction. 
     
     
         41 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 23  wherein said routing of information by said wireless communication network comprises:
 concurrently propagating multi-media content from a multi-media content source via a broadcast wireless network to a plurality of wireless subscriber devices via a forward path of a unidirectional broadcast channel shared by said plurality of wireless subscriber devices; and   receiving information from said plurality of wireless subscriber devices over a reverse path of a multicast channel of a multicast wireless communication network concurrently with the delivery of said multi-media content to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices.   
     
     
         42 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 41  wherein said step of exchanging exchanges data via said forward and reverse paths of said multicast channel with said one wireless subscriber device to implement a transaction. 
     
     
         43 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 23  wherein said routing of information by said wireless communication network comprises:
 concurrently propagating multi-media content from a multi-media content source via a broadcast wireless network to a plurality of wireless subscriber devices via a forward path of a unidirectional broadcast channel shared by said plurality of wireless subscriber devices; and   receiving information from said plurality of wireless subscriber devices over a channel of a cellular communication network concurrently with the delivery of said multi-media content to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices.   
     
     
         44 . The reverse path transaction management system of  claim 43  wherein said step of exchanging exchanges data via said forward and reverse paths of said channel of said cellular communication network with said one wireless subscriber device to implement a transaction.