Interactive optical cards and other hand-held devices with increased connectivity
View Patent ↗A system for deriving benefits from the reception and processing of composite video signals by a hand-held device, such as a smart card. Video signals are modulated with auxiliary data creating composite video signals. The composite video signals are then transmitted to and received by a hand-held device. The auxiliary data is then detected in the modulated video signal by circuitry of the hand-held device. The user receives benefits resulting from the reception of the auxiliary data.
1. A method comprising:
optically receiving on a hand-held device a modulated video signal, the modulated video signal including auxiliary data modulated in the modulated video signal in a substantially invisible way;
decoding the modulated video signal on the hand-held device to reproduce the auxiliary data;
comparing the auxiliary data against prestored data on the hand-held device to determine whether a data match was identified;
enabling a prestored promotional opportunity within read only memory of the handheld device when the data match was identified; and
allocating one or more points on the hand-held device based on the enabling of the prestored promotional opportunity.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
modulating a video signal with the auxiliary data to create the modulated video signal.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modulated video signal is received on the hand-held device through a photodetector, the photodetector being associated with the hand-held device.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a notification to a remote computer of the allocating of the one or more points, the remote computer being capable of receiving the notification and associating the one or more points with a user of the hand-held device.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
storing an indicia of a previous award reception on the hand-held device, the indicia received from the remote computer.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a point increase notification from a point source; and
receiving one or more additional points in accordance with the point increase notification.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
presenting an input request for presentation on the hand-held device;
receiving a response to the input request from a user of the hand-held device; and
allocating one or more additional points in accordance with the receiving of the response from the user.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a future action prediction from a user associated with the hand-held device, the future action prediction being based on an event presented through the modulated video signal;
wherein the allocating of the one or more points is in accordance with the enabling of the prestored promotional opportunity and the future action prediction.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
altering a running point total in accordance with the allocating of the one or more points.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a reset instruction; and
resetting the hand-held device in accordance with the receiving of the reset instruction.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modulated video signal is associated with at least one of a television show, a movie, or combinations thereof.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more points are allocated to an application running on the hand-held device, the application being capable of using the one or more points.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the points are bonus points.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary data is modulated within an active portion of the video signal in the substantially invisible way.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary data is modulated in luminance of the modulated video signal.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hand-held device is an interface card.
17. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when implemented by one or more processors perform the following operations:
optically receive on a hand-held device a modulated video signal, the modulated video signal including auxiliary data modulated in the modulated video signal in a substantially invisible way;
decode the modulated video signal on the hand-held device to reproduce the auxiliary data;
compare the auxiliary data against prestored data on the hand-held device to determine whether a data match was identified;
enable a prestored promotional opportunity within read only memory of the handheld device when the data match was identified; and
allocate one or more points on the hand-held device based on the enabling of the prestored promotional opportunity.
18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17 further comprising instructions, which when implemented by one or more processors perform the following operations:
modulate a video signal with the auxiliary data to create the modulated video signal.