Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02450594 2006-06-19
MULTIMEDIA BROADCASTING, BROADCAST SERVICES FOR
CELL PHONE AND OTHER USERS AND MODIFIED SIM CARD AND RELATED MEANS FOR
ENABLING SUCH BROADCAST RECEPTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Thus, the present invention relates to the electronic distribution of large
data files such as television
programs, newspapers, computer games, other multimedia communications, text
files and so on, to
receiver-equipped audiences, and in particular to audiences located in
approximately identifiable
geographic areas. The invention also relates to the electronic distribution of
files and content to mobile
users especially when they are away from their home or office.
The following description of background art may include insights, discoveries,
understandings or
disclosures, or associations together of disclosures, that were not known to
the relevant art prior to the
present invention but which were provided by the invention. Some such
contributions of the invention
may be specifically pointed out below, whereas other such contributions of the
invention will be
apparent from their context.
The use of electronic communication is increasing dramatically. Many homes in
the United States have
perhaps tens of devices capable of receiving or displaying electronic
communications or audibilizing
such communications. Such homes may have multiple television receivers,
multiple computers
connected or connectable with the Internet, as well as multiple telephone
units, radio telephone units and
multiple radios. Nevertheless, there is constant need to develop improved
means for communicating
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information such as news, entertainment and personal items to audiences. There
is a particular need to
provide better means of communicating such content of interest to mobile users
who may be traveling or
located away from their home or office where their primary receiving equipment
is located.
Various proposal have been made for distribution of multimedia data via the
Internet. For example,
Leighton et al. USP 6,108,703 ("Leighton") discloses a system of management of
content delivery on the
Internet using multiple servers to provide a fault tolerant infrastructure
(column 2, lines 26-31).
Also, Krebs USP 5,557,320 ("Krebs") discloses a video distribution system
intended to solve
congestion problems in transmitting video across heterogenous networks
comprising telephone, wireless,
satellite, etc. ( column 1, lines 5-7) by employing a managing network
provider. The managing network
provider schedules each video request and sets up control points to each
receiver that operate on a per
transmission basis (claim 1). However these systems are dependent upon the
user having access to the
Internet for which most people require the inconvenience of land lines. There
presently exists no
efficient method for wireless access to the Internet which is suitable for
distribution of large files, such
as multimedia, to a large number of users.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves the problem of distributing large data files such
as television programs,
newspapers, computer games, other multimedia communications, text files and so
on to an audience in a
more advantageous and in most cases a more convenient manner than has
heretofore been possible. The
invention furthermore solves the problem of distributing such files and
content to mobile users
especially when they are away from their home or office.
Our prior international application, which was not available to the public on
June 22, 2001 when UK
application number 0115346.9 from which the present application claims
priority discloses an invention
which for the first time utilized cellular phone systems for mass distribution
of bulk digitized
information content, especially multimedia content such as newspapers,
television, music, Internet
content and so on, by broadcasting the information simultaneously to multiple
cell phone users, each of
whom receives the content simultaneously with other users. The invention of
our prior international
applicatin provided a teaching of as to how the benefits of the information
world could be conveniently
made available to mobile users and others.
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Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a computerized cell phone capable of
telephone communication on a cellular phone system, the cellular phone system
having a
transmitter-receiver providing broadcast transmissions of large data files,
each broadcast
transmission being simultaneously receivable by multiple enabled cell phone
users in
range of the transmitter receiver, the cell phone comprising a removable
electronic
accessory device provided with a machine-readable electronic key and having
the ability
to receive the broadcast transmission from the cellular phone system, wherein
the cell
phone is capable of receiving large data files and wherein the electronic key
enables
reception of the broadcast transmission without initialization with the
cellular phone
system.
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a removable electronic accessory
device for
a computerized radiotelephone receiver capable of telephone communication on a
cellular radiotelephone system and of receiving cellular phone broadcast
transmissions,
the accessory device being encoded with a machine-readable electronic key,
optionally a
telephone number, wherein the electronic accessory device comprises a SIM
card, the
SIM card can enable a SIM card-compatible cell phone to receive broadcasts via
at least
one broadcast-specific phone number and is retrofittable to provide broadcast
reception
capability to a SIM card-compatible cell phone lacking broadcast reception
capability
and wherein the electronic key enables reception of broadcast transmission of
large data
files by the radiotelephone system without initialization.
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a method of broadcasting, the method
comprising: a) employing a terrestrial or satellite cell phone transmitter to
transmit large
data files from a cellular phone system to a population of cell-phone-equipped
users
wherein each said user cell phone has: i) a removable electronic accessory
device
provided with a machine-readable electronic key enabling reception of the
broadcast
communication; and ii) the ability to receive the broadcast communication from
the
cellular phone system without initializing with the cell phone system; b)
distributing the
electronic key to the users prior to broadcasting the large data files and by
one or more
broadcasts from an individual said terrestrial or satellite transmitter being
simultaneously
receivable by any one of the cell-phone equipped users within signal range.
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Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a receiver-enabled computer
comprising a
cell phone capable of telephone communication on a cellular phone system, the
cellular
phone system having a transmitter-receiver providing broadcast transmissions
of large
data files, each broadcast transmission being simultaneously receivable by
multiple
enabled cell phone users in range of the transmitter receiver, the cell phone
having the
ability to receive broadcast transmissions from the cellular phone system and
communicate the received transmissions to the computer and comprising a
removable
electronic accessory device provided with a machine-readable electronic key
and,
wherein the cell phone is capable of receiving large data files and wherein
the electronic
key enables reception of the broadcast transmission without initialization
with the
cellular phone system.
Other embodiments provide a computerized radiotelephone receiver capable of
telephone communication on a cellular radiotelephone system and having the
ability
to receive a broadcast communication from the radiotelephone system without
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initializing with the radiotelephone system wherein the radiotelephone
comprises a removable electronic
accessory device encoded with a machine-readable electronic key, optionally a
telephone number,
enabling reception of the broadcast communication. In preferred embodiments,
the radiotelephone
receiver comprises a cell phone and the electronic accessory device comprises
a subscriber identification
module or "SIM" card.
An extra line for receiving the broadcasts can be provided by use of a twin or
multi-line SIM card where
the lines for receiving the broadcast do not need to initialize wit the
service provider.
By encoding or otherwise storing an electronic key and any other information
required to access a
cellular broadcast on a SIM card or other removable accessory device, the
present invention provides a
new, convenient way to enable cell phone users and others to obtain the
benefits of broadcast reception
without having to buy new equipment or modify their existing equipment. Many
cell phone users
already have SIM card units especially for GSM ("Global System for Mobile
Communications") service,
a worldwide advanced digital wireless technology. They can receive the
benefits of cellular radio
frequency broadcasts provided pursuant to the present invention simply by
inserting a SIM card encoded
with a phone number or other key
The radio telephone receiver can also be a cellular-wireless-enabled computer,
for example a foldable or
laptop computer or a desktop computer equipped with the ability to receive
cellular telephony
broadcasts, for example by being provided with a cell phone docking port into
which the user can insert
their cell phone.
Other embodiments provide multiple broadcast access numbers on a single SIM
card enabling multiple broadcasts, or channels to be received simultaneously.
For example one channel
can be received and store while another is viewed. Alternatively, a single
television transmission or
other "bulky" content can be transmitted and received over two or more
channels to increase the overall
data rate and thereby avoid or reduce flicker.
Other embodiments provide a removable electronic accessory device encoded with
a
machine-readable electronic key, optionally a telephone number, enabling
reception of the broadcast
communication for a computerized radiotelephone receiver capable of telephone
communication on a
cellular radiotelephone system and having the ability to receive a broadcast
communication from the
radiotelephone system. Preferably, the radiotelephone receiver comprises a
cell phone and the electronic
accessory device comprises a SIM card.
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The SIM card can be of the type which is received into a slot in the back of
the cell phone, or elsewhere,
and which has a laminar configuration with a beveled corner to orient the card
in the cell phone.
Also, the SIM card can enable conventional SIM card-compatible cell phones to
receive broadcasts via
at least one broadcast-specific phone number and be retrofittable to provide
broadcast reception
capability to SIM card-compatible cell phones that lack broadcast reception
capability.
Other embodiments provide a method of broadcasting a communication, optionally
a
program or a channel providing continuous content, the method comprising
transmitting the
communication from cellular radiotelephone system to a population of users of
computerized
radiotelephone receivers having the ability to receive the broadcast
communication from the
radiotelephone system without initializing with the radiotelephone system
wherein each radiotelephone
comprises a removable electronic accessory device encoded with a machine-
readable electronic key,
optionally a telephone number, enabling reception of the broadcast
communication, the method further
comprising distributing the electronic key to the users prior to broadcasting
the communication.
One or more broadcasts can be made from a terrestrial or satellite
transmitter, and, if desired via a
cellular network of transmitters to be simultaneously received by any suitably
equipped devices within
signal range. Optionally, multiple channels can be broadcast simultaneously to
individual receivers
within range of a transmitting transceiver.
Preferably, the broadcast is made to and received by users who have previously
received an electronic
key to authorize reception of a particular broadcast or broadcast channel or
channels.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
Some embodiments of the invention, and of making and using the invention, as
well as the best mode
contemplated of carrying out the invention, if not described above, are
described in detail below, by way
of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like
reference characters designate
the same or similar elements throughout the several views, and in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic view of a cellular phone broadcast system for
broadcasting multimedia
and other content to be received by a number of wireless-enabled multimedia
player
devices, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a front elevational view of a cell phone useful in the practice of
the broadcast system
illustrated in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a schematic view, to a larger scale, of a SIM card useful in the
cell phone shown in
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Figure 2 to enable reception of broadcast transmissions, pursuant to the
invention; and
Figure 4 is a schematic view illustrating the components of a cell phone
apparatus useful in the
practice of the broadcast system illustrated in Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to Figures 1-3, the broadcast system illustrated comprises a number
of suitable receiving
devices, such as a computerized or computer-enabled mobile or cell phone 1 in
two-way communication
with a service provider employing a cellular transmitter-receiverl0
transceiving from a mast 12.
Multiple information channels such as are referenced 3-7, some or all of which
may include multi-media
content, are broadcast to a community of users who may be equipped with a
variety of different
hardware receivers for one or more of channels 3-7.
In addition to cell phones 1, preferred embodiments of which are described in
more detail hereinbelow
suitable hardware receivers may include other computerized radiotelephone
receiver for example
cellular-wireless-enabled computers, such as foldable or laptop computer 8 and
desktop computer 9.
Each computer 8 or 9 comprises a radio frequency receiver tunable to an
appropriate broadcast
frequency and adapted to receive one or more broadcasts according to the
technical and business
requirements of the service provider. For example, the receiving devices may
be provided with a
software, or more preferably a firmware product interface capable of
recognizing and enabling reception
of the broadcast without initializing and preferably without requiring
handshaking. Receiving devices 1,
8, 9 are preferably computing-enabled devices having a memory and control
software, provided
pursuant to he invention, to control the memory and the reception of
broadcasts. The control software
can store or alternatively not store an incoming broadcast according to
choices made by the computer
user, e.g. from a menu of incoming multi media data.
The broadcasts from a given terrestrial or satellite transmitter 10 can be
simultaneously received by any
suitably equipped devices 1, 8 or 9 within signal range which range will be
determined, as is known in
the field of cellular telephony, for example, by geography, local topography,
weather and other
environmental conditions as well as device sensitivity.
As illustrated, in addition to broadcasting a given channel 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 to
the receiving community of
users, multiple channels may be broadcast at the same time to individual
receivers within range of
transceiver 10.
Preferably, the broadcast is made to and received by users who have previously
received suitable means
to authorize reception of a particular broadcast or broadcast channel or
channels. The enabling means is
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preferably supplied by the service provider, or possibly by a content
provider, or an agent of either and
may comprise an electronic personal broadcast key which is unique to an
individual and enables
reception of a specific broadcast channel or channels or content of a specific
channel for a defined
period of time, e.g. the duration of a show or an event, for example from 30
minutes to 6 hours. The
personal broadcast key can be stored in machine-readable form on an electronic
accessory device that is
readable by and mechanically cooperative with the computerized radiotelephone
receiver to be received
therein or otherwise attached thereto.
More preferred, however, is a personal broadcast key which enables the
reception of at least one
specified channel for a defined period of time, for example one three or six
months, one, two or three
years, or a trial period of one week. The personal broadcast key can comprise
a private code and the
specific broadcast to be enabled can comprise a public code, and the private
and public codes can be
used cooperatively by the receiving device to unlock the receiving device to
process the specific
broadcast for viewing, listening and/or storage by the viewer. Preferably, the
personal broadcast key
also includes a personal code which can include a personal identifier or an
identifier indicating the
source, distributional or otherwise of the personal broadcast key. The
personal broadcast key may
optionally additionally include coding keys which enable decoding of an
encrypted broadcast.
Preferably, if the personal broadcast key does not meet the service provider's
requirements as defined in
the specific broadcast signal public key; no viewing, hearing or storage of
the specific broadcast is
possible.
The private, public and personal codes may take any suitable desired form such
as numeric,
alphanumeric, ASCII, graphic, iconic or other machine-readable codes, or
combinations of the foregoing.
Optionally, one or more specific broadcasts may be locked, encrypted or
otherwise rendered
inaccessible, and the personal broadcast key is operative to unlock the
broadcast or to enable the
radiotelephone receiver operating cooperatively with the electronic accessory
device, to unlock the
broadcast.
The personal broadcast key may be supplied to the user in any suitable manner,
including in a suitably
managed software download. from a remote source or server. However, it is
preferred that the personal
broadcast key be encoded in firmware or otherwise stored on a machine-readable
hardware device such
as a cellular phone accessory card, stick or the like, preferably in read-only
mode. Particularly preferred
is that the personal broadcast key be encoded in a modified subscriber
identification module embodied
in a card or chip (a "SIM card" hereinafter), such as SIM card 34, or an
equivalent thereof.
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SIM cards and their use are described in for example United States Patents
Nos. 5,418,837; 6,119,020;
6,195,531 and 6,195,568 the entire disclosures of which patents are hereby
incorporated herein by
reference thereto. Such SIM cards can be utilized in the present invention
when modified to achieve the
purposes of the invention, as is described herein or as will be apparent to
those skilled in the art from
this description.
Referring more particularly to Figures 2 and 3, a portable radiotelephone 20
suitable for use with a
cellular transmission system, ubiquitously available and known as a "cell
phone" and so called
hereinafter, comprises four rows of numeric and function keys 22, an
additional row of function keys 24
and directional selection or cursor keys 26. A preferred cell phone 20 can
process digital signals, is
computer enabled and has a high quality video display 28 capable of playing
television, movie clips or
movies and other action video. A volume-controllable speaker 30 provides sound
and cell phone 20
transceives via an antenna 32.
A modified SIM card 34 is received into a slot in the back of cell phone 20
which cooperates with a
built-in card reader (not shown). The card reader reads data and programming,
if present, from SIM card
34 for utilization by cell phone 20's systems. SIM card 34 has a business card-
like laminar
configuration with a beveled or chamfered corner 36 which orients the card
with its host device, in this
case cell phone 20. Alternatively, SIM card 34 can be configured as a chip set
on a removable card, or a
stick or whatever other configuration of insertable member has been devised
for modifying or
supplementing the functionality of cell phone 20. An external device
communicating via USB, serial or
other communications protocol, infrared, or even radio frequency via the cell
phone's antenna could be
employed, possibly in conjunction with an external reader. However, such an
external SIM card 34 or
equivalent device, would lack convenience.
In one preferred embodiment, SIM card 34 has sufficient functionality to
enable conventional SIM card-
compatible cell phones to receive broadcasts via at least one broadcast-
specific phone number. If
desired, SIM card 34 can enable or prompt a download of software to facilitate
broadcast reception.
Thus, such a SIM card 34 is retrofittable to provide broadcast reception
capability to SIM card-
compatible cell phones that lack it. Such SIM cards of course work
cooperatively with a service or
content provider that provides the broadcast on a cellular radiotelephone
system.
An optically readable code 38, of any suitable length, may be carried on an
outer surface of SIM card 34
to identify the particular card and may for example comprise a serial number
segmented into groups of
characters, each group signifying a different matter, e.g. card serial number,
broadcast product enabled,
duration, card issuer and so on. Code 38 may comprise bar coding with an
alphanumeric transliteration
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may be imprinted, embossed or otherwise displayed on an outer surface of SIM
card 34, if desired..
As illustrated in Figure 1, SIM cards 34 can be distributed by a service or
content provider 39 to users of
devices such as cell phone 1, radio-receiving enabled computers 8 or 9, who
wish to receive one or more
broadcasts, as determined by the SIM card data,. Distribution may be through
any desired retail,
wholesale, mail order or Internet channels and need not be limited to the
traditional electronics
equipment outlets that usually supply cell phones and computers. Outlets such
as newsstands, general
stores and free promotional direct mailings may be employed. Preferably,
service or content provider
39, or their agent codes the respective broadcast transmitted from transmitter
10 to be accessible by an
electronic key embodied in the particular SIM cards distributed intended to be
read by devices 1, 8 and
9. Thus, particular SIM cards 34 may be associated with a particular broadcast
or broadcast service and
may be distinctively marked, packaged and/or promoted for that purpose.
Multiple types of SIM cards 34 can be made available and a user can then
choose the kind of service
they would like to receive by choosing the appropriate SIM card 34. Having
made a selection, the user
puts the SIM card in their cell phone 20. Cell phone 20 is then enabled to
receive the chosen broadcast
sent out by the service provider.
The broadcasts can be simple text messages of known type to send to cell
phones, the difference being
that the messages are broadcast to a receiving community instead of being
transmitted individually. The
content of the broadcasts can also be a one-sided phone call, for example; an
entertainer or news reader
can broadcast to many cell phones simultaneously, chatting to cell phone 20
user, informing them
entertaining them and also advertizing to them.
The data that is broadcast can be more sophisticated if cell phone 20 has the
ability to receive and store
and display broadcasted multimedia data.
For example, cell phones 20 having substantial data storage capability can be
operated with a SIM card
that enables reception of sophisticated broadcast services comprising video,
sound, music, newspapers,
and/or computer games, stories or any other product or item that can be
transmitted in digital form.
Reception of broadcasts, preferably, does not require an initializing exchange
with the service provider.
The requirement to receive the transmission is preferably presence within the
geographical area that is
covered by the broadcast, i.e. presence of the receiving device within range
of the transmission. The
broadcast can be made from many transmitters either simultaneously or possibly
staggered to avoid
interference at adjacent fringes. Every receiver-enabled device, within the
geographic transmission area
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can receive and record the broadcast onto its memory. The user then has the
broadcasted data on their
computing device or cell phone memory.
Referring now to Figure 3, modified SIM card 34 can comprise a processor 40,
one or more programs 42
and suitable memory 44 and will usually also contain at least minimal user
data 46. Pursuant to the
invention, modified SIM card 34 includes a product interface 48 which may be
as simple as a phone
number that provides access to one or more specific broadcasts enabled by SIM
card 34, preferably
without initialization or receipt of a dial tone. Multiple such broadcast
access numbers may be provided
on a single SIM card 34, if desired. Such an access code number may
constitute, or be an element of, the
personal broadcast key described above. If desired, SIM card 34 may include
some or all the features of
the personal broadcast key described above.
In one preferred embodiment, a function key, for example, function key 24A can
be utilized to access the
specific broadcast, or more preferably, where SIM card 34 authorizes extended
use of a specific channel
or channels function key 24A is automatically programmed to provide one-button
access and display of
the specific channel or channels. Such one-button access may optionally be
dependent upon configuring
cell phone 20 to be in a specific mode, e.g. a multimedia play mode, using
other controls.
User data 46 may include user identification and account status and billing
information, if desired. The
account status can be read by cell phone 20 which may make the specific
broadcast or other or all
broadcasts available to the user only if the account status is "OK". to permit
the broadcast.
Alternatively, SIM card 34 may require the user to provide demographic or
other information before
enabling broadcast reception. Such information may be forwarded to a service
provider or other remote
location by cell phone 20, before broadcast reception is enabled.
Alternatively, and more desirably for
user friendliness, the demographic or other information is saved to a file
stored on cell phone 20 and
forwarded to a suitable processing center, or the service provider, at a later
time, in a manner which is
preferably transparent to the user.
User data 46 can also include user preferences for configuration of cell phone
20, for broadcast reception.
and for any other desired purpose, if desired.
Preferably, SIM card 34 is tunable to permit the user to select a desired
broadcast from two or more
broadcasts, for example up to six, twelve or twenty or more broadcasts enabled
by SIM card 34, by
manipulation of cell phone 20's controls. Alternatively, necessary tuning can
be provided by cell phone
20 or SIM card 34 can be pretuned to a single frequency.
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Employing a tunable SIM card 20, cell phone 20 can receive data, for example a
selection menu of
available programming and/or channels or events, from a source such as the
Internet or a cell phone
transmission or any other suitable source means, the user can use the data to
select the broadcast of their
choice.
As suggested above SIM card 34 may have more than one telephone number. One
number can be the
user's personal cell phone number for receiving cell phone calls and the
second and subsequent numbers
or codes can be used for receiving multimedia broadcasts. The multimedia
broadcast-receiving numbers
do not have to initialize with the service provider. The broadcast or
broadcasts can be received by any or
all enabled users within the geographical area. A broadcast phone number or
recognition code can be
associated with a specific broadcast or broadcast channel so that all users
within the transmission range
employ the same phone number or recognition code to receive the broadcast. The
broadcast can be
transmitted to multiple users within the area of the transmission
simultaneously, enabling the users to all
receive the digital multimedia broadcast information transmitted by the cell
phone service provider at the
same time.
Compound numbers can be provided having a parent portion specific to a given
product, for example a
newspaper, and a child portion specific to a subdivision of the parent product
for example the sports
section of the newspaper.
To cover a large area, country, state or region with a particular broadcast
program or channel the service
provider can transmit the service from a multiplicity of transmitters, in
cells, to cover the desired area.
Where such cells employ different frequencies, it is preferred that each
number accesses multiple
geographically contiguous cells across a country, state or region, continent,
etc. However, other
configurations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Optional memory 44 if present on SIM card 34 can be employed to store, or
assist store the multimedia
broadcast. Alternatively, the broadcasted multimedia data can be stored on
memory associated with cell
phone 20, or memory associated with a receiver-enabled computer.
A multi-channel SIM card 34 can be used to enable receiving of more than one
broadcast at a time. The
broadcaster can send out a service that is designed to be simultaneously
received on multiple channels,
and viewed as a single broadcast. This embodiment of the invention is
particularly, but not exclusively
useful for the transmission of large data files such as video and television.
Such files can be stored in
SIM card memory 44 or in memory on cell phone 20, under the control of
suitable software. If desired,
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the broadcast can be viewed as it arrives in real time, simultaneously with
other users receiving the same
broadcast. In this way, cell phone users, can watch television or video on
their cell phone without
having to dial into the service provider. Employing the invention, the user
can watch TV on their cell
phone by switching on their cell phone, in a similar way to switching on a
domestic TV. An improved
television image, with reduction or avoidance of flicker, may be obtained by
receiving the television
broadcast over multiple cellular broadcast channels.
Reception of a multi channel broadcast is effected by SIM card 20 having the
ability to recognize
incoming channels as being of interest to the computer or cell phone user.
Accepting the transmitted
broadcast thus enabling the computer or cell phones software to direct the
incoming broadcasted
multimedia data to the storage file of the computer or cell phone user's
choice.
In another embodiment of the invention SIM card 20 is provided with the
ability to receive more than
one transmission and accept broadcasts and displays and to store or display
and store the multimedia
data, received on more than one channel giving the receiving device the
ability to receive very fast
transmissions of broadcasted multimedia data. Such broadcast transmissions can
be made at higher than
normal agreed data rates by tailoring the broadcasts to be accepted only by
devices enabled by SIM card
by users that have chosen to accept the service by inserting the broadcast-
accepting SIM card into the
user's hardware.
With a conventional cell phone, to make a call, the user turns the unit on and
sends an "off-hook" signal
to the cellular system provider. The cellular system has to receive the off-
hook signal and then return a
dial tone to the subscriber or other user. When the dial tone is received the
user then keys in, or enters a
phone number from storage. The phone number is transmitted to the cellular
system using an appropriate
frequency, for which the cell phone was previously set up or for which it
searches. The cellular system
must receive the phone number and respond before the user is able to send or
receive communications.
Pursuant to the present invention the reception of broadcasts is greatly eased
and such initialization
procedures are avoided.
To this end, in a preferred embodiment SIM card 34 or other suitable means
provides a phone number,
or equivalent, and preferably also provides frequency identification or
frequency selection codes to the
cell phone 20. To receive the broadcast enabled by SIM card 20, the user
merely powers up the unit, and
selects the broadcast channel, for example by "dialing", or speed-dialing the
number associated with the
broadcast, as provided by the SIM card. Of course the number may be
transparent to the user and
forwarded electronically by the cell phone unit, in response to the user's
selection of a suitable menu
entry or label associated with the broadcast. The frequency identification or
selection coding furnished
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with the SIM card enables cell phone 20 to tune into the appropriate
frequency, frequencies or wave
band wJen the particular broadcast is selected or dialed by the user,
whereupon cell phone 20 can
immediately begin to receive and process whatever communication is being
transmitted on that
frequency. If necessary, cell phone 20 can effect decoding or decryption or
otherwise respond to control
codes received in the broadcast or coded into a subcarrier for the broadcast
to process the broadcast in
accordance with the user's preferences. In an alternative mode, a particular
broadcast may be coded or
programmed to ring the user's phone and trigger the phone to automatically
commence receiving the
broadcast transmission.
No response to, or individual handling of the user's "call", by the cellular
system is required, although
such may be employed, if desired, e.g for registration or account setup or the
like. A user can tune in or
tune out the broadcast as though it were a conventional broadcast, without
such actions being known to
the cellular system.
The transmitted broadcast signal can be addressed to a single telephone number
or other code which is
potentially receivable by a community of tens, hundreds or thousands of users.
Alternatively it could be
unaddressed and simply sent on a preassigned frequency. The broadcast
transmission can contain
control codes or information regarding the forthcoming broadcast to configure
the receiving unit the
better to receive the broadcast or to operate the receiving device to provide
fulfil the user's pre-specified
preferences.
Referring now to Figure 4, a cell phone 20 controlled or activated by a first
SIM card 34, SIM 1, can be
adapted to enable a user to conveniently gain the benefits of the present
invention by adding to cell
phone 20 a multi-line adapter such as 2-line adapter 50 which adds one or more
"lines" to cell phone 20.
By using a SIM card converter a cell phone user is enabled to receive incoming
multimedia broadcasts or
other messages on a second or waveband or on additional wavebands. Preferably,
adapter 50 also
requires a SIM card 34, SIM2, for activation. With adapter 50 and both SIM
cards installed, a user of
cell phone 20 can receive a broadcast on one or more lines provided by adapter
50 while a conducting a
voice conversation on the cell phone's original line. The broadcast can either
be stored or played
visually. Optionally, audio switching may be provided in cell phone 20 or
adapter 50 to enable the user
to select which transmission to hear when cell phone 20 is receiving multiple
transmissions. As
described above, if adapter 50 provides multiple additional lines, e.g. from
two to four lines, these
additional lines can cooperatively receive a broadcast at optimal data rates,
unconstrained by voice call
requirements.
SIM card 20 can recognize second or additional transmissions as being for the
cell phone 20 or computer
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user. By fitting cell phone 20 with a multi-channel SIM card enables the phone
to effectively have two
or more telephone numbers that will make the phone ring connecting the cell
phone 20 to the base
station via two or more lines.
Adapter 50 gives cell phone 20 an extra phone line, or lines, that can be used
to receive text, sound
messages and/or multimedia data broadcast service. Preferably, pursuant to the
invention, this capability
is provided with a communications protocol for the additional line or lines
that does not require the
additional line or lines to initialize with the service provider. Optionally,
suitable numbers for the
additional line or lines can be furnished by he service provider. The same
cell phone number or
numbers can be used by each of the population of receiving cell phones and
receiver-enabled computers,
wishing to receive the newly available multimedia broadcasts of information /
entertainment. The
service provider can then broadcast the message to all cell phones that have
the same number
simultaneously, that are within the range of the transmitter.
SIM cards 20 and SIM card converters or adapters 50 can be distributed by
newspaper, magazine,
Internet or cell phone companies or any other organizations as a free
promotional gift or for purchase.
The broadcasts can be, and preferably are, provided with advertising content
to pay for the service so
that the service is free of charge. Alternatively, the service can be paid by
subscription, monthly billing,
or any other suitable method. The broadcast service can be tailored to
different groups such as
demographic groups, user-interest groups, clubs and the like, with the
additional phone number or
numbers corresponding with a particular selected or designed service according
to the user choice and
profile.
One example of a multichannel multimedia broadcast for immediate use, i.e. for
live utilization as it is
received, is a broadcasted phone call for example from a celebrity to their
fans, a fan club or other
group. The call can be a musician introducing a piece of music and then
playing a sample of the music
with an advertizing message promoting purchase of a CD, album or the like. The
phone call can ring at a
pre-notified time or during a time interval so that the user answers the call
and has the experience of
conducting a phone call directly with the celebrity. The call can be
accompanied by a video of the
musician playing on cell phone 20's display screen 28. If desired, the data
can also be recorded to
memory if requested by the user.
A more personalized service can be provided by embedding a message or other
communication in a
broadcast and targeting the message to be received only by a specific user, by
suitably encoding the
message. For example the message may be preceded by a header recognizable by
the targeted user but
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not recognized by other recipients of the broadcast. When a message is
recognized, the targeted user's
cell phone 20 can download the message or messages, and optionally sound, post
or display an alert to
the user "You have mail" or the like. In this way an email service can be
operated distributing
specifically addressed emails to a community of users as embedded passengers
in a broadcast, preferably
a 24-hour broadcast, to a user population, which can be accessed or addressed
via a single broadcast-
related or "generic" phone number. Each user's cell phone 20 need merely
monitor the broadcast for
relevant messages targeted or addressed to a given user to which the
individual cell phone unit responds.
In this way, the cell phone user's email, voicemail, music service or other
personal communication, can
be downloaded and ready to review at any time, without the user having to dial
in to obtain the
messages.
For example, a reader's letter can be E-mailed, or a text message, can be sent
to the broadcaster/ service
provider, and then the E-mail or information contained in it can be broadcast
within the next and
subsequent broadcasts.
Software provided pursuant to the invention for managing reception of
broadcasts can store, sort and
search incoming broadcasts for user-specified subject matter of interest, for
example by key words or
groups of words, and perform other routines and procedures to achieve the
functionality described
herein. The software can recognize incoming broadcasts and then command the
computer or cell phone
20 to store the broadcast to memory if the user has requested the data to be
stored. The software can
search the stored data for items of special interest by words or groups of
words or by any other method
of recognition and then store the chosen data to another memory file. Data for
immediate use can also be
stored by the device if desired by the user. The enabling software for these
and other functions can be
downloaded from the Internet, a CD or any other method.
While the above-described broadcast receiving and processing functionality
provided by the invention
has been described with particular reference to a cell phone, it will be
understood, particularly in light of
the disclosure of our prior international application, that the invention is
also applicable to comparable
receiver-enabled computers employing a radiotelephone module, optionally a
cell phone, to receive
broadcasts. The radiotelephone module can employ a modified SIM card, pursuant
to the invention and
it will be understood that substantial data-processing capability, such as
file storage and playback as well
as online display and audio, can be shifted to the computer which can be a
desktop or laptop or other
such device. Alternatively, an internal, or external wireless receiver card
may be employed.
The broadcast can also be viewed using a cell phone receiver module that is
built into or plugged onto a
television receiver to enable the cellular broadcasts to be played on the
television receiver. The cell
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phone receiver can output to the antenna (or aerial) input of the television
receiver and have pass
through connections permitting a conventional terrestrial, satellite or cable
TV signal to be used. The
cell phone receiver module can be tuneable or use a tuneable SIM card or a
multinumber SIM card as
described herein. The cell phone receiver module can be remote controlled, in
the manner of a VCR,
using a remote control that enables the user to tune the module to receive the
viewer's choice of
program, including broadcast programming that the module receives from a cell
phone service provider.
This embodiment enables a user to switch from viewing a cell-phone television
broadcast on a small cell
phone video display to a much larger standard television monitor. The
television receiver is enabled to
receive the cell phone broadcast.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention may incorporate any or all of
the features, services and
options disclosed in our prior international application, in so far as these
capabilities are appropriate for
a telephony broadcast-enabled receiving device as described herein.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The present invention is particularly suitable for application in the
entertainment and communications
industries providing new methods and electronic devices for transmission and
playing of multimedia and
other content.
While illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described above, it
is, of course, understood
that various modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the
relevant art, or may become
apparent as the art develops. Many such modifications are contemplated as
being within the spirit and
scope of the invention.
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