Apparatus and method of automatically accessing on-line services in response to broadcast of on-line addresses

Abstract

A mMethods and apparatus issystems are provided for connecting adirecting computers to communicate with a data service using electronic addresses in sync with ancorresponding to audio/or video broadcastprogramming content. In one embodiment, Ssimultaneously with the broadcasting of audio/or video programming, an address transmitter transmits an address, such as a URL, identifying an on-linea data service, such as a web site, which contains information about the audio or video programming. ThisThe address is received by a computer and used to automatically access the on-linedata service. Preferably, the process is repeated with different addresses corresponding with different programming. It is also preferred that the addresses be sent via a paging system.Optionally, the computer may be directed to display content of the data service.

1. A method for connecting a computer with one or more on-line services providing information corresponding to audio or video programming being broadcasted comprising:
 a) providing a computer located at a first location and an on-line service located at a second location remote to said first location,    b) broadcasting from a programming transmitter audio or video programming to one or more audio or video receivers,    c) receiving an address identifying said on-line service at an address transmitter from said programming transmitter or from a central office,    d) transmitting said address identifying said on-line service from said address transmitter at a third location remote from said first and second locations, said on-line service providing information corresponding with the audio or video programming being broadcast from said programming transmitter at the time said address is transmitted,    e) coordinating said step of transmitting to occur simultaneously with said step of broadcasting, independent of user interaction with said on-line service,    f) receiving said transmitted address at said computer, and    g) automatically accessing said on-line service by said computer using said address identifying said on-line service.    
     
     
       2. The method of claim  1    17  wherein said address is a Universal Resource Locator and said on-line  data service is a website. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein said on-line  data service further comprises an Internet Service Provider providing access to said website. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2  wherein said on-line  data service at said address sends information to said at least one of said plurality of computers. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  wherein said step of automatically accessing said on-line service  transmitting said address comprises sending said address via telephone lines to connect with said on-line  data service. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  wherein said step of accessing  directing comprises connecting said at least one of said plurality of computers to said on-line  data service via a modem connected to said  at least one of said plurality of computers. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein said address identifies a portion of the information contained in said on-line service, and wherein said step of connecting said computer to said on-line service occurs before said step of receiving. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim  1    17  further comprising determining the amount  number of times said at least one of said plurality of computers accesses said on-line  data service. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim  1    17  wherein said transmission of said addresses  occurs via electromagnetic waves. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  wherein said address transmitter is a paging system. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9  wherein said address transmitter further transmits television or radio signals  audio or video programming. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim  1    17  wherein said address transmitter is included in an audio or video playback device. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1  wherein said address transmitter is a website and said step of transmitting comprises sending said address to said computer via the Internet. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of receiving said address occurs in relative synchronicity and in real-time with the step of broadcasting said audio or video programming. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14  wherein said step of receiving said address occurs simultaneously with said step of broadcasting said audio or video programming. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of receiving said address includes receiving a predetermined schedule of programming of said audio or video programming. 
     
     
       17. A method of  for automatically directing computers located at a plurality of different first locations  to communicate with an on-line  a data service providing information corresponding to audio or video programming being broadcasted, said on-line service being located at a second location remote from said first locations,  comprising:
 a) receiving an address identifying said on-line  data service at an address transmitter from a programming transmitter or from a central office ,  
 b) transmitting said address from said address transmitter at a third location independent of said on-line service  to said  a plurality of said  computers, said third location being remote from said first and second locations and said address identifying said on-line service,  whereby said transmitted address is received substantially simultaneously at said plurality of computers, 
 c) broadcasting from said  a programming transmitter audio or video information corresponding with said on-line  data service, wherein the address identifying said data service is separate from the audio or video information being broadcast, 
 d) coordinating said step of  transmitting to occur substantially simultaneously with said step of  broadcasting, independent of user interaction with said on-line  data service, and  
 e) simultaneously receiving said transmitted address at said plurality of computers, and f)  automatically directing at least one of said plurality of computers to accessing  said on-line  data service by at least some of said plurality of computers  using said address identifying said on-line  data service, said at least one of said plurality of computers being operable to retrieve and display the information provided by the data service specified by the transmitted address.  
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17  wherein said step of transmitting includes transmitting said address by modulating an electromagnetic wave which has a carrier frequency associated with a television or radio  signal. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18  wherein said audio or video information is broadcast at said same  carrier frequency. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 17  wherein said steps of  transmitting includes transmitting said address by modulating an electromagnetic wave which has a first carrier frequency, and further comprising the step of transmitting audio and/or video information  wherein said broadcasting is at a second carrier frequency different than said first carrier frequency. 
     
     
       21. The method of claims  18  or  20  wherein said audio or video information is provided to said computer before said step of accessing. 
     
     
       22. The method of claims  18  or  20  wherein said audio or video information is provided to said computer during said step of accessing. 
     
     
       23. The method of claims  18  or  20  wherein said audio or video information is provided to said computer after said step of accessing. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 17  wherein said step of receiving  at least one of said plurality of computers receives said address occurs  in relative synchronicity and in real-time with the step of  said broadcasting said audio or video programming . 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24  wherein said step of receiving said address occurs simultaneously with said step of broadcasting said audio or video programming. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 17  wherein said step of receiving includes receiving  at least one of said plurality of computers receives a predetermined schedule of programming of said audio or video programming. 
     
     
       27. A method of automatically directing computers located at a plurality of different first locations to communicate with an on-line service providing information corresponding to audio or video programming being broadcasted, said on-line service being located at a second location remote from said first locations, comprising:
 a) receiving an address identifying said on-line service at an address transmitter from a programming transmitter or from a central office,    b) transmitting said address from said address transmitter at a third location to said plurality of said computers, said third location being remote from said first and second locations and said address identifying the on-line location of said on-line service,    c) simultaneously receiving said transmitted address at said plurality of computers,    d) broadcasting from said programming transmitter audio or video information corresponding with said on-line service,    c) coordinating said step of transmitting to occur simultaneously with said step of broadcasting, independent of user interaction with said on-line service,    f) at least one of said computers using said address to automatically access said on-line service, and    g) sending response information from said computer to said on-line service after said computer accesses said on-line service.    
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 27  further comprising modifying said audio or video information in response to said response information. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim  27    17  further comprising repeating said steps of  transmitting and receiving by  using different addresses identifying different on-line  data services, and storing a plurality of said different addresses in said at least one of said plurality of computers before said step of accessing . 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 27  wherein said step of receiving said address occurs in relative synchronicity and in real-time with the step of broadcasting of said audio or video programming. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 30  wherein said step of receiving said address occurs simultaneously with said step of broadcasting said audio or video programming. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 27  wherein said step of receiving includes receiving a predetermined schedule of programming of said audio or video programming. 
     
     
       33. A method of directing a computer at a first location to automatically communicate with a first on-line service identified by a first address and with a plurality of subsequent on-line services identified by subsequent addresses, said first and subsequent addresses providing information corresponding to audio or video programming being broadcasted, each on-line service being located at a location remote from said first location, said method comprising:
 a) receiving said first and subsequent addresses identifying said on-line services at an address transmitter from a programming transmitter or from a central office,    b) transmitting said first address from said address transmitter located remotely from said computer and said on-line services,    c) broadcasting from said programming transmitter first audio or video programming corresponding with said first on-line service,    d) coordinating with step of transmitting said first address to one or more audio or video receivers to occur simultaneously with said step of broadcasting first audio or video programming, independent of user interaction with said on-line service,    e) receiving said first address at said computer,    f) transmitting said subsequent addresses from said address transmitter,    g) broadcasting from said programming transmitter second audio or video programming corresponding with said plurality of subsequent on-line services,    h) coordinating said step of transmitting said subsequent addresses to occur simultaneously with said step of broadcasting second audio or video programming,    i) receiving said subsequent addresses at said computer, and    j) said computer automatically accessing said first on-line service by using said first address and automatically and continually accessing said plurality of on-line services by using said subsequent addresses.    
     
     
       34. A method of  for directing a computer to automatically access information related to audio or video programming simultaneously with the audio or video programming being  broadcast from one or more programming transmitters comprising:
 a) receiving an address identifying said on-line  a data service at an address transmitter from said programming transmitters or from a central office ,  
 b) transmitting said address identifying said on-line location of said on-line  data service from a paging system  the address transmitter, whereby said address is received at said computer, wherein the address identifying said data service is separate from the audio or video programming being broadcast,  
 c) coordinating said step of  transmitting to occur substantially simultaneously with the broadcasting of the audio or video programming, and  
 d) receiving said address at said computer,  directing said computer to automatically accessing  information related to said audio or video programming from said on-line  data service by said computer  using said address, said computer being operable to retrieve and display the information from said data service specified by the address, and  
 e) receiving information related to said radio or television programming at said computer .  
 
     
     
       35. A system for automatically connecting a computer with multiple on-line  data services providing information corresponding to audio or video programming being broadcasted  transmitted comprising:
 a) an audio or video programming broadcaster  transmitter,  
 b) an address transmitter for receiving an  addresses identifying said on-line  data services from a programming transmitter of from a central office  and for transmitting on-line locations  said addresses of said on-line  data services, wherein the addresses identifying said data services are separate from the audio or video programming being transmitted, 
 c) a computer connectable to multiple on-line  data services, wherein said computer is operable to retrieve and display information provided by the data services specified by the addresses, and  
 d) a receiver connectable to said computer for receiving transmissions of different addresses from said address transmitter via a communications channel identifying said on-line locations  addresses of said on-line  data services, said address transmitter sending said addresses substantially simultaneously with the audio or video programming being broadcast by said broadcaster  transmitted and said on-line  data services containing information corresponding with said programming.  
 
     
     
       36. The system as claimed in  claim 35  wherein said address transmitter comprises a paging system. 
     
     
       37. The system as claimed in  claim 35  wherein said address transmitter comprises a web site. 
     
     
       38. The system as claimed in  claim 37  wherein said communications channel is the Internet. 
     
     
       39. A method for automatically directing a plurality of computers located at a plurality of different first locations to communicate with a web site and display content of the web site, said web site being located at a second location remote from said first locations, comprising:
   receiving an Internet address identifying the web site at an address transmitter located at a third location remote from said first and second locations;        transmitting the Internet address from the address transmitter to said plurality of computers, whereby said Internet address is received at said plurality of computers substantially simultaneously;        broadcasting audio or video information corresponding to said web site substantially simultaneously with the transmitting, independent of user interaction with the web site, wherein the Internet address identifying the web site is separate from the audio or video information being broadcasted;        automatically directing at least one of said plurality of computers to communicate with said web site using said Internet address identifying said web site, said at least one of said plurality of computers operable to retrieve the content of said web site; and        causing the display of content from said web site on a display operably connected to said at least one of said plurality of computers.     
     
     
       40. A system for receiving video programming content and an address identifying a data service, wherein the address identifying the data service is received at an address transmitter, and wherein the data service provides information associated with the video programming content, comprising:
   a television receiver, operable to receive the video programming content which is broadcast;        a display connected to the television receiver, the display operable to display the video programming content;        a computer operable to receive the address identifying the data service from the address transmitter which transmits the address, wherein the transmitting of the address is coordinated to occur substantially simultaneously with the broadcasting of the video programming content, independent of user interaction with the data service, wherein the address is separate from the video programming content, wherein the computer automatically connects to the data service associated with the video programming content using the address identifying the data service, the computer being operable to retrieve and cause the display of information provided by the data service specified by the address.     
     
     
       41. A method for receiving video programming content and an address identifying a data service associated with the video programming content, and for connecting to the data service, wherein the address identifying the data service is received at an address transmitter, the method comprising:
   receiving the video programming content, which is broadcast, at a television receiver;        displaying the video programming content on a television display;        receiving the address, which is transmitted from the address transmitter, at a computer, wherein the address is separate from the video programming content, wherein the transmitting of the address is coordinated to occur substantially simultaneously with the broadcasting of the video programming content, independent of user interaction with the data service;        automatically connecting to the data service associated with the video programming content using the address identifying the data service; and        retrieving information provided by the data service at the computer, the computer being operable to cause the display of the information provided by the data service specified by the address.     
     
     
       42. The system of  claim 35  wherein the data service comprises an on- line service.   
     
     
       43. The method of  claim 17  wherein the data service comprises an on- line service.   
     
     
       44. The method of  claim 34  wherein said address transmitter comprises a paging system. 
     
     
       45. The method of  claim 34  wherein the data service comprises an on- line service.   
     
     
       46. The method of  claim 34 , wherein said address is a Universal Resource Locator and said data service is a website. 
     
     
       47. The method of  claim 46 , wherein said data service further comprises an Internet Service Provider providing access to said website. 
     
     
       48. The system of  claim 35 , wherein said computer is automatically directed to access information related to said audio or video programming from said data service using said addresses. 
     
     
       49. The system of  claim 35 , wherein said address is a Universal Resource Locator and said data service is a website. 
     
     
       50. The system of  claim 49 , wherein said data service further comprises an Internet Service Provider providing access to said website. 
     
     
       51. The system of  claim 35 , wherein said audio or video programming transmitter is a broadcaster. 
     
     
       52. A system for receiving video programming content and an address identifying a data service, wherein the address identifying the data service is received at an address transmitter, and wherein the data service provides information associated with the video programming content, comprising:
   a receiver, operable to receive the video programming content which is broadcast;        the receiver also being operable to cause a display of the video programming content;        a computer operable to receive the address identifying the data service from the address transmitter which transmits the address, wherein the transmitting of the address is coordinated to occur substantially simultaneously with the broadcasting of the video programming content, independent of user interaction with the data service, wherein the address is separate from the video programming content, wherein the computer automatically connects to the data service associated with the video programming content using the address identifying the data service; and wherein the computer is operable to retrieve and cause a display of the information provided by the data service specified by the address.     
     
     
       53. A method for receiving video programming content and an address identifying a data service associated with the video programming content, and for connecting to the data service, wherein the address identifying the data service is received at an address transmitter, the method comprising:
   receiving the video programming content, which is broadcast, at a receiver;        causing a display of the video programming content on a display;        receiving the address, which is transmitted from the address transmitter, at a computer, wherein the address is separate from the video programming content, wherein the transmitting of the address is coordinated to occur substantially simultaneously with the broadcasting of the video programming content, independent of user interaction with the data service;        automatically connecting to the data service associated with the video programming content using the address identifying the data service; and        retrieving information provided by the data service at the computer, wherein the computer is operable to cause a display of the information provided by the data service.     
     
     
       54. The method of  claim 17 , wherein said address identifying said data service is embedded in a broadcast signal separate from said audio or video programming in said broadcast signal. 
     
     
       55. The method of  claim 54 , wherein said address identifying said data service is embedded in a vertical blanking interval. 
     
     
       56. The method of  claim 34 , wherein said address identifying said data service is embedded in a broadcast signal separate from said audio or video programming in said broadcast signal. 
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 56 , wherein said address identifying said data service is embedded in a vertical blanking interval. 
     
     
       58. The system of  claim 35 , wherein said addresses identifying said data services are embedded in broadcast signals separate from said audio or video programming in said broadcast signals. 
     
     
       59. The system of  claim 58 , wherein said addresses identifying said data services are embedded in a vertical blanking interval. 
     
     
       60. The method of  claim 39 , wherein said Internet address is embedded in a broadcast signal separate from said audio or video information in said broadcast signal. 
     
     
       61. The method of  claim 60 , wherein said address identifying said data service is embedded in a vertical blanking interval. 
     
     
       62. The system of  claim 40 , wherein said address identifying said data service is embedded in a broadcast signal separate from said video programming content in said broadcast signal. 
     
     
       63. The system of  claim 62 , wherein said address identifying said data service is embedded in a vertical blanking interval. 
     
     
       64. The method of  claim 41 , wherein said address identifying said data service is embedded in a broadcast signal separate from said video programming content in said broadcast signal. 
     
     
       65. The method of  claim 64 , wherein said address identifying said data service is embedded in a vertical blanking interval. 
     
     
       66. The method of  claim 52 , wherein said address identifying said data service is embedded in a broadcast signal separate from said video programming content in said broadcast signal. 
     
     
       67. The method of  claim 66 , wherein said address identifying said data service is embedded in a vertical blanking interval. 
     
     
       68. The method of  claim 53 , wherein said address identifying said data service is embedded in a broadcast signal separate from said video programming content in said broadcast signal. 
     
     
       69. The method of  claim 68 , wherein said address identifying said data service is embedded in a vertical blanking interval.