Wireless communication system
A wireless communication system is disclosed herein. The wireless communication system may include transmitter units and a receiver. In one embodiment, each transmitter has an address and logic programmed to perform the steps of receiving a user selection and, responsive to the receiving, repeatedly transmitting a wireless selection signal until a wireless acknowledgment signal is received. The wireless selection signal may include the address and the user selection. The receiver may include means to receive a wireless selection signal and logic programmed to transmit a wireless acknowledgment signal in response to the receipt of each wireless selection signal.
1. An audience response system comprising:
a base unit;
a plurality of handheld devices that are like in kind and perform a same function, each handheld device including:
a handheld device transceiver,
a user interface,
a unique address that distinguishes the handheld device from others of the plurality of handheld devices, and
handheld device logic configured to:
receive a user selection from the user interface, and
instruct the handheld device transceiver to transmit a wireless selection signal encoding the unique address and the user selection, without receiving a wireless signal from the base unit to initiate transmission,
wherein the base unit includes:
a base unit transceiver configured to receive the wireless selection signal, and
base unit logic configured to:
place the base unit in a non-transmission mode and retain the base unit in the non-transmission mode until the wireless selection signal is received by the base unit transceiver,
decode the wireless selection signal into the unique address and the user selection,
generate a wireless acknowledgment signal, and
instruct the base unit transceiver to transmit the wireless acknowledgment signal.
2. The audience response system of claim 1 , wherein the handheld device transceiver is configured to transmit the wireless selection signal on a first band of frequencies.
3. The audience response system of claim 2 , wherein the base unit transceiver is configured to transmit the wireless acknowledgment signal on the first band of frequencies.
4. The audience response system of claim 2 , wherein the base unit transceiver is configured to transmit the wireless acknowledgment signal on a second band of frequencies, different from the first band of frequencies.
5. The audience response system of claim 1 , wherein the unique address is selected from the group consisting of: a device identifier, an electronic identification number, an e-mail address, a name, and an account number.
6. The audience response system of claim 1 , wherein the handheld device logic is further configured to instruct the handheld device transceiver to repeatedly transmit the wireless selection signal.
7. The audience response system of claim 1 , wherein the handheld device logic is further configured to instruct the handheld device transceiver to repeatedly transmit a wireless selection signal according to a transmission interval.
8. The audience response system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless acknowledgment signal includes the unique address.
9. A handheld device configured to communicate with a base unit in an audience response system having a plurality of handheld devices that are like in kind and perform a same function, the handheld device comprising:
a transceiver;
a user interface;
a unique address that distinguishes the handheld device from others of the plurality of handheld devices;
logic configured to:
generate a wireless response signal encoding a user response entered into the user interface, and the unique address,
instruct the transceiver to repeatedly transmit the wireless response signal according to a transmission interval, without receiving a signal from the base unit, and
cease the repeated transmission of the wireless response signal upon occurrence of a termination event.
10. The handheld device of claim 9 , wherein the termination event is a receipt by the transceiver of a wireless acknowledgment signal.
11. The handheld device of claim 10 , wherein the wireless acknowledgment signal includes the unique address.
12. The handheld device of claim 9 , wherein the termination event is an expiration of a predetermined length of time.
13. The handheld device of claim 9 , further comprising a battery configured to provide no more than 25 mA DC current.
14. The handheld device of claim 9 , wherein the handheld device is configured to draw a DC current of less than 15 mA when transmitting the wireless response signal.
15. A base unit configured to communicate with a plurality of handheld devices in an audience response system, the base unit comprising:
a transceiver; and
logic configured to:
place the transceiver in a non-transmission mode and retain the transceiver in the non-transmission mode, and
after wireless receipt of a response signal by the transceiver from one of the plurality of handheld devices in the audience response system:
decode the response signal into address data that identifies one of the plurality of handheld devices and response data that identifies a user response,
generate an acknowledgment signal including acknowledgment data,
place the transceiver in a transmission mode,
instruct the transceiver to transmit the acknowledgment signal, and
place the transceiver in the non-transmission mode and retain the transceiver in the non-transmission mode.
16. The base unit of claim 15 , wherein the transceiver receives the response signal on a first channel, and transmits the acknowledgment signal on the first channel.
17. The base unit of claim 15 , wherein the base unit is configured to draw a total DC current of less than 500 mA.
18. The base unit of claim 15 , wherein the transceiver is configured to draw a DC current of less than 25 mA when transmitting the acknowledgment signal.
19. The base unit of claim 15 , further comprising an interface for a computer.
20. The base unit of claim 15 , wherein the acknowledgment signal includes an indication that the response data was accepted.