System and method for mobile commerce
View Patent ↗A system for and method of implementing mobile commerce in a satellite radio broadcasting system. A unique program identifier is associated with each program segment of a broadcast. When a listener hears a program segment of interest, the listener causes the associated program identifier to be captured and thereafter to be transferred to a central location or hub. The transferring operation can be accomplished manually, via a media link or via a wireless network. Upon receipt of the program identifier at the central hub, the program identifier is used to determine information about the listener, obtain additional information regarding the program segment associated with the program identifier for the listener and/or initiate an e-commerce transaction involving the listener and/or other parties including merchandisers and advertisers.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving a broadcast at a radio receiver having an RF tuner module and a separate high power wireless transceiver, the broadcast comprising programs and unique identifiers relating thereto;
automatically storing in the radio receiver a plurality of the unique identifiers that uniquely identify respective programs as they are received with the broadcast and before a user has selected one or more of the programs to be of interest;
receiving user input indicating an interest in a given one of the programs after automated storage of its corresponding program identifier;
in response to said user input, transmitting, from said high power wireless transceiver to at least one location, a message comprising the stored program identifier corresponding to the given one of the programs; and
receiving, in response to said message, information related to said given one of the programs via at least one of said radio receiver and said high power wireless transceiver.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast is a satellite broadcast.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast is a satellite digital audio radio system (SDARS) broadcast.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising including in the message an electronic serial number (ESN) or a mobile identification number (MIN) associated with said high power wireless transceiver.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting a button selection on the radio receiver as said user input.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting said message while said given one of the programs is being broadcast.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting said message at a time subsequent to when said given one of the programs is broadcast.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information is received at a user computer.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information is sent to a prearranged address.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information includes a price of a product or service.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information includes availability information for a product or service.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying the information on said radio receiver.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising establishing a voice connection with a merchandiser or information outlet via said radio receiver and high power wireless transceiver.
14. A radio for use in an interactive communications system, comprising:
a system controller;
a channel decoder and an audio decoder in communication with the system controller for receiving a broadcast comprising segments and unique identifiers relating thereto;
a memory for automatically storing the unique identifiers that identify respective segments as they are being received with the broadcast and before a user has selected one or more of the segments to be of interest;
a high power wireless transceiver in communication with the system controller; and
a user interface in communication with the system controller,
wherein the system controller detects user input indicative of interest in a segment of a broadcast received by the radio via the channel decoder and audio decoder, the user input being detected after automated storage of the program identifier corresponding to the segment, and in response to said user input, the system controller causes the high power wireless transceiver to send a message comprising the stored program identifier corresponding to the segment to which a response is received that includes information related to the segment of the broadcast.
15. The radio of claim 14 , wherein the broadcast is a satellite broadcast.
16. The radio of claim 14 , wherein the message includes an electronic serial number (ESN) or a mobile identification number (MIN) associated with the high power wireless transceiver.
17. The radio of claim 14 , wherein the user interface comprises a button that is operable to provide the user input.
18. The radio of claim 14 , wherein the message is sent while the segment of the broadcast is being broadcast.
19. The radio of claim 14 , wherein the message is sent after the segment of the broadcast is broadcast.
20. The radio of claim 14 , wherein the information related to the segment of the broadcast is output via at least one of displayed on a display of the radio and announced over speakers of the radio.
21. The radio of claim 14 , further comprising an interface for removable memory.
22. A communications system, comprising:
a first communications network that broadcasts content comprising segments and unique identifiers relating thereto;
a plurality of radios that are each adapted to receive the content from the first communications network and automatically store the unique identifiers that identify respective segments as they are being received with the broadcast and before a user has selected one or more of the segments to be of interest; and
a second communications network that is adapted to establish bi-directional communication between a given one of the plurality of radios and a predetermined location,
wherein the radio is configured to generate a message in response to receiving user input at the radio indicating an interest in a selected one of the segments being received with the broadcast, the user input being received after automated storage of the program identifier corresponding to the selected segment, the message comprising the stored program identifier corresponding to the selected segment, and
wherein information related to the selected segment is provided to the radio over the second communications network in response to the message transmitted from the radio over the second communications network.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the first communications network is a satellite broadcasting network.
24. The system of claim 22 , wherein the second communications network is a wireless telecommunications network.
25. The system of claim 22 , wherein the message contains an electronic serial number (ESN) or mobile identification number (MIN).
26. The system of claim 22 , wherein a voice connection is established over the second communications network.
27. The system of claim 22 , wherein the information comprises at least one of a copy of the selected segment, price information for a product or service, and availability information for a product or service.
28. The system of claim 22 , wherein user input received from any of a plurality of the radios is transmitted via the second communications network to a hub and used to perform at least one of advertising to targeted ones of the radios based on their corresponding user inputs, monitoring of the user inputs for determining results from at least one of voting and sweepstakes entries by the user inputs, and determining advertisement fees based on the user inputs related to a corresponding advertisement.
29. The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast comprises plural channels and each of the channels comprises programs and their corresponding program identifiers, and automatically storing comprises automatically storing the program identifiers corresponding to a plurality of the programs on at least one of the channels as they are being received in the broadcast and before a user has selected one or more of the programs to be of interest.
30. The radio of claim 14 , wherein the broadcast comprises plural channels and each of the channels comprises segments and their corresponding program identifiers, and automatically storing comprises automatically storing the program identifiers corresponding to a plurality of the segments on at least one of the channels as they are being received in the broadcast and before a user has selected one or more of the segments to be of interest.
31. The system of claim 22 , wherein the broadcast comprises plural channels and each of the channels comprises segments and their corresponding program identifiers, and automatically storing comprises automatically storing the program identifiers corresponding to a plurality of the segments on at least one of the channels as they are being received in the broadcast and before a user has selected one or more of the segments to be of interest.