WO2007072474A2

WO2007072474A2 - Method, system and playable medium for conveying content from a server to an end-unit

Info

Publication number: WO2007072474A2
Application number: PCT/IL2006/001436
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roni Raviv; Liran Ganor; Ronny Elkayam
Original assignee: Spiral Solutions Ltd.
Priority date: 2005-12-19
Filing date: 2006-12-13
Publication date: 2007-06-28
Also published as: WO2007072474A3; IL172677A0

Abstract

A method for providing listener feedback to a content server, or for requesting download of content from a content server. The method comprises: playing an audio program via a loudspeaker so as to emit an encoded tone; and, using said encoded tone to provide feedback to the content server indicating that the program reached a subscriber associated with a telephone. Alternatively, the encoded tone identifies the content requested and optionally identifies the identity of the end-user device. Additionally disclosed are a system for using the method, a medium bearing playable program material, and a computer program for same.

Description

METHOD, SYSTEM AND PLAYABLE MEDIUM FOR CONVEYING CONTENT FROM A SERVER TO AN END-UNIT

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to devices such as mobile and landline telephones and to servers which serve content to those devices such as ring tones, games; data; voice data; sound clips etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to download software such as telephone ring tones, games and the like to mobile telephones from a server in telephone communication therewith. One way to do this is by means of a specialized telephone smartcard such as the Ki-Bi® card described in US 2006/00116167 published Jun. 1, 2006 and entitled "Selectable Functionality Communication System and Methodologies" whose contents are incorporated herein by reference.

A user can request content using the Ki-Bi card, by dialing a telephone to call an

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) server and at the appropriate moment can press a button on the card so as to convey an encoded tone acoustically via the telephone to the IVR server. That tone is captured by the IVR server and then is decoded to identify a request for content and a unique card identification for further entitlement verification.

It would clearly represent an improvement over such an approach if the content could be requested without requiring a Ki-Bi card or a similar telephone card.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a first objective of the present invention to provide a method and system for conveying content from a server to an end-unit such as a mobile or other telephone without requiring a Ki-Bi card or a similar user-interface card intermediary.

Another objective of the invention is to use a program that is broadcast to obtain feedback from a viewer or listener via an encoded tone that is vocalized by the program and conveyed to a content server via a mobile or other telephone associated with the viewer or listener.

These objectives are realized in accordance with a first aspect of the invention by a method for providing listener feedback to a content server, the method comprising: (a) playing an audio program via a loudspeaker so as to emit an encoded tone; and (a) using said encoded tone to provide feedback to the content server indicating that the program reached a subscriber associated with said telephone. The program may be an audio-video program and the prompt may be either audio or video or both. The program may be a public broadcast or may be provided on a suitable medium for private playing by the user. Likewise, the program may be a recording containing an encoded tone, and may be pre-recorded and conveyed to the telephone subscriber; or it may even be recorded by the telephone subscriber for conveying to a third party. Suitable media for conveying programs are DVDs, CD- ROMs and indeed any other medium that is capable of being read by a suitable player, which can be a dedicated unit or a suitably programmed computer.

According to one an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the encoded tone is used together with a caller ID number identifying the telephone to generate a request to upload content from the content server to the telephone. In such an embodiment, the encoded tone is conveyed via the telephone to the content server and identifies content that is then uploaded by the content server to a device associated with the telephone. The device may be associated with the telephone by virtue of its belonging to the same identifiable subscriber or to someone designated by the telephone subscriber. A special case is where the content is uploaded to the subscriber's telephone. Within the context of the present invention and the appended claims, the term

"content server" is intended to refer to any server that stores content or is operatively coupled to such a server. The content server can also be a set of servers, and is typically constituted by an IVR server, which responds to the telephone and is coupled to an application server, which decodes the tone and sends various content servers a request to push the content to a particular telephone. The content itself may be program content that is conveyed to a subscriber, such as a TV or radio program, and that has been suitably edited to emit an encoded tone that may uniquely identify the program or may identify content that is stored in the content server and which the subscriber wishes to download.

Likewise, within the context of the present invention and the appended claims, the term "device" may include any communication device having a communication circuit able to convey an acoustic tone to a remote server and a memory for storing content received therefrom or from an agent operating in association therewith. Such devices include blackberry, PDAs, and so on.

The current invention thus avoids the need for a card intermediary and uses similar sound which is emitted from speakers of various entertainment and communication speakers in audio devices such as TV, radio, PC, any music player; voice and video communicators, even from another mobile telephone or telephone speaker and the like. This allows authentication of two paired telephones where a first mobile telephone, for example, emits an encoded tone and a second mobile transmits it to a server, which is thereby assured that both telephones are "in the loop". One possible use for such authentication might be to provide more secure telephone communication between a customer and a service provider, such as a bank. The bank dials a first one of the telephones so as to reach the customer. The first telephone emits an encoded tone sent by the bank, which is then conveyed via the second telephone to an authentication server, which checks that the tone has been transmitted by a telephone registered in the name of the customer. The source of the sound can be via broadcast, CD, DVD and any medium which can replay the recorded encoded tone.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a system for providing listener feedback to a content server, the system comprising: an audio unit adapted to play an audio program via a loudspeaker to emit an encoded tone; and a processor coupled to the audio unit and being adapted to use said encoded tone to provide feedback to the content server indicating that the program reached a subscriber associated with said telephone.

The processor may be adapted to use the encoded tone together with a caller ID number identifying the telephone to generate a request to a content server to upload content to the telephone. The an audio unit may also be constituted by an audio- video unit in which case a visible prompt can be given instead or in addition to the audible prompt.

According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a medium bearing playable program material that is adapted when played to emit an encoded tone via a loudspeaker uniquely identifying content to be downloaded by the telephone or a device associated therewith from a content server with which the medium is associated.

According to still another aspect of the invention there is provided a medium bearing playable program material that is adapted when played to emit an encoded tone via a loudspeaker so as to provide feedback to a content server with which the medium is associated indicating that the program reached the listener.

The medium can be, for example, a DVD, CD-ROM, magnetic tape or any other playable medium such as disk-on-key and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, some embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. Ia is a flow diagram showing the principal operations carried out by a method according to a first embodiment of the invention for providing listener feedback to a content server; Fig. Ib is a flow diagram showing the principal operations carried out by a method according to a second embodiment of the invention for uploading content from a content server to the telephone;

Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the functionality of a system for providing listener feedback to a content server; Fig. 3 is a flow diagram showing the principal operations carried out by a method according to the invention for allowing a content server to authenticate pairing of a first and second telephones; and

Fig. 4 is a flow diagram showing the principal operations carried out by a method according to the invention when program content is conveyed via e-mail. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Fig. Ia is a flow diagram showing the principal operations carried out by method according to a first embodiment of the invention for providing listener feedback to a content server. The method comprises: (a) playing an audio program via a loudspeaker so as to: i) provide said listener with a telephone contact number of a content server; ii) prompt a listener to bring said telephone within pickup range of the loudspeaker; and iii) emit an encoded tone uniquely identifying said program;

(b) using said encoded tone to provide feedback to the content server indicating that the program reached a subscriber associated with said telephone. Fig. Ib shows a variation of such a method where the encoded tone is used together with a caller ID number identifying the telephone to generate a request to upload content from the content server to a telephone.

A modification of the method requires playing an audio-video program via a loudspeaker in which case the prompt may be visible as well as or instead of audible.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the functionality of a system 10 for providing listener feedback to a content server. The system 10 comprises an audio unit 11 adapted to play an audio program via a loudspeaker 12 to prompt a listener to bring a telephone

13, which may be mobile telephone, within pickup range of the loudspeaker 12, to provide the listener with a telephone contact number of a content server 14 and to emit an encoded tone 15 uniquely identifying the program. The encoded tone may be conveyed by the telephone 13 to the content server 14 via a telephone network 16 to provide feedback to the content server 14 indicating that the program reached a subscriber associated with the telephone.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a processor 17 is adapted to use the encoded tone together with a caller ID number identifying the telephone 13 to generate a request to the content server 14 to upload content to the telephone 13 or to another device 18 that is associated with the telephone 13 or with a registered subscriber thereof. In the system 10 the audio program may be broadcast live by TV or radio and/or embedded within an audio medium 20 such as a CD-ROM, a DVD, or conveyed over the Internet by means of a web page. The audio unit 11 may be operatively coupled to a computer 21 and the processor 17 may be part of the computer 21. Ih such case, the method according to the invention may be carried out, at least in part, by a program stored in a memory 22 of the computer and run by the processor 17. The device 17 and the computer 21 may be coupled to the content server 14 via the Internet 23 or any other suitable IP network.

The invention also contemplates within its scope a medium 20 bearing playable program material that is adapted when played to: i) provide the listener with a telephone contact number of a content server; ii) prompt a listener to bring a telephone within pickup range of the loudspeaker; and iii) emit an encoded tone uniquely identifying content to be conveyed to the user from the content server. The encoded tone emitted by the program material may alternatively be used to provide feedback to the content server indicating that the program reached the listener. The medium may be a DVD, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, disk-on-key, smart card memory, Media Player such as MP3, MMS etc. that may be played either by means of a dedicated audio or audio-video player or by a computer having a suitable player and speaker.

The audio unit 11 may be a suitably programmed computer, along with its associated equipment such as sound-card and speaker (loudspeaker). Likewise, the invention contemplates a computer program being readable by a computer for executing the method of the invention. The invention further contemplates a machine-readable memory tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for executing the method of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a flow diagram showing the principal operations carried out by a method according to the invention for allowing a content server to authenticate pairing of first and second telephones. An encoded tone is conveyed by the content server to the first telephone, so that when a user of the first telephone answers a call from the content server the encoded tone is played via the first telephone. The user brings a second, paired telephone within pickup range of the first telephone so as to convey the encoded tone together with a caller ID number identifying the second telephone to an authentication server, which may be the content server or any other server associated therewith.

Since the authentication server is in partnership with the content server, it knows for certain that the encoded tone was sent to the first telephone. Therefore, if the authentication server receives the encoded tone and is able to identify that it was sent by the second telephone, whose caller ID is known, this proves that the owner was in possession of both the first and second telephones. This may be used to authenticate the owner and to provide secure communication.

Fig. 4 is a flow diagram showing the principal operations carried out by a method according to the invention when program content is conveyed via e-mail. A computer readable program file is attached to an e-mail and conveyed to a user's computer, that is equipped with a sound card and possibly also a video card and functions as an audio device or an audio-video device as described above. The User opens the e-mail attachment in the normal way, typically by double clicking on an icon with the left mouse button thus causing the program to be played via the computer. The program may inform the user of a telephone contact number of a content server. However, this may not be required since the user may know this already; or it may be embedded in the e-mail rather than the attached program file.

The program may prompt the user to bring a telephone within pickup range of the computer loudspeaker. However, this also may not be required since the user may well be aware of the need to do so and the very act of opening the attachment may serve to prompt the user to bring a telephone within pickup range of the computer loudspeaker. The program emits an encoded tone that may uniquely identify the program or the content server or content to be downloaded. The encoded tone may be conveyed to the content server via a telephone or even via the computer itself and used together with a caller ID number identifying the telephone or an ID of the computer to generate a request to upload content from the content server to the telephone or to the computer or to any other associated device. Having described in general terms different embodiments of the invention, there will now be described some examples of the use of the invention to provide feedback and/or to download content from a content server to an identified storage device. Example 1:

A DVD is distributed and when played back on a DVD player attached to a TV or computer causes the display of a specific image that is accompanied by a vocal prompt to dial the IVR number and then place a mobile telephone mouthpiece near the loudspeaker of the TV or computer referred to herein as the "DVD-speaker". An encoded tone is vocalized and transferred acoustically to an IVR server (constituting a content server) where it is decoded. The encoded tone represents a unique request for content, which together with the caller ID number identifying the mobile telephone are used to generate a request from a content server to upload the content to the mobile telephone.

In one possible embodiment, the DVD may contain a video clip of a famous singer and at the end of the clip or at any point thereof, an announcer may suggest to the viewer to buy the latest ringtone of the singer and then will provide the number to call. The number may be displayed or vocalized or both. After some delay the viewer is asked to place the mobile telephone near the DVD-speaker and the encoded tone is played by the DVD and vocalized by the DVD-speaker. Once the sound is transmitted, content is uploaded using any known delivery mechanism such as those described in US2006/00116167 including WAP push, SMS push or any other suitable content delivery mechanism.

Example 2:

In this example, a catalog or other page is displayed on a PC which plays a DVD, CD or displays information from a WEB page, and once an image on a catalog page or in any other form is selected (e.g. clicked) it will then start a sequence which prompts the viewer to call the service number of the IVR server and to place the telephone near the PC speaker. An encoded signal is then played and content uploaded in a similar manner to that described in Example 1.

Example 3:

During a live broadcast viewed over a TV or PC or by radio a viewer or listener is prompted to place a mobile telephone near the loudspeaker of the TV, PC or radio. The mobile telephone is activated and conveys an encoded tone emitted by the live broadcast and thus associated with the broadcast event to a content server. The content server receives the encoded tone, which allows it to infer that the broadcast reached the viewer or listener. This technique may be used to provide immediate real time feedback to content providers. For example, it may be used to provide more accurate real time assessment of program ratings or to provide an indication regarding penetration of advertisements. In order to encourage users to provide the requested feedback incentives may be offered. For example, by offering a coupon to those viewers or listeners who actually respond and convey the encoded tone from the program, people are encouraged both to watch or listen to the program and to provide the requested feedback.

Other possibilities:

^■ TV in live broadcast/cable

^■ DVD player attach to TV or PC

^■ CD player attached to PC

^■ CD player attach to a sound system ^■ PC online

^■ PC offline

^■ Mobile telephone plays an encoded tone into another mobile telephone microphone which is in communication (directly or indirectly) with the IVR server. The mobile telephone can be used merely to convey an audio program including the encoded tone; or it may generate the encoded tone.

■ Using E-mail as a medium: sending an E-mail with a specific audio code tone embedded and then if the user plays it to a mobile telephone in communication with the server, a specific action is taken.

■ If the telephone is a land line type, the program may include dialing tones so as to dial the content server automatically, thus obviating the need for the user to do so.

It is to be understood that the above-described scenarios are exemplary and modifications are contemplated with the scope of the attached claims. Thus, while in some embodiments of the invention, the program prompts the listener to bring a telephone within pickup range of the audio-unit's loudspeaker, as mentioned above, this may not always be necessary. For example, the user may have been prior informed via other channels; or in the case of an e-mail the information may be included in the e-mail rather than in the attached program file. Similarly, while in some embodiments of the invention, the program provides the listener with a telephone contact number of a content server this may not always be required. For example, the listener may have been prior informed; or the program may be associated with a web page which effects communication directly with the content server in a manner that is transparent to the end user.

It will also be understood that whether data is "downloaded" or "uploaded" is really a question of perspective. It is normally said that data is uploaded by the content server to the end-unit; and that it is downloaded from the content server by the end-unit. The process normally is that the content server sends a link and/or SMS to the phone and then at the phone user's discretion he may select to "go to" that link and download the content to the phone.

Finally, while some embodiments describe downloading of content to a mobile telephone, it is to be understood that this is merely by way of example. The principles of the invention allow content to be conveyed to any suitable device having memory and being uniquely identifiable.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method for providing listener feedback to a content server, the method comprising:

(a) playing an audio program via a loudspeaker so as to emit an encoded tone; and

(b) using said encoded tone to provide feedback to the content server indicating that the program reached a subscriber associated with a telephone.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including prompting the listener to bring said telephone within pickup range of the loudspeaker.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein prompting the listener to bring said telephone within pickup range of the loudspeaker includes generating an audible prompt.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein prompting the listener to bring said telephone within pickup range of the loudspeaker includes displaying a video or textual prompt.

5. The method according to claim 1, further including using said encoded tone together with a caller ID number identifying the telephone to generate a request to upload content from the content server to a device associated with the telephone.

6. The method according to claim 1, further including providing the listener with a telephone contact number of the content server.

7. The method according to claim 1, including using the encoded tone to uniquely identify the program.

8. The method according to claim 1, including using the encoded tone to uniquely identify a source of the program.

9. The method according to claim 1, including using the encoded tone to uniquely identify an end-user device.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the end-user device is used to play the program.

11. The method according to claim 1, including conveying a dialing tone via the program so as to allow automatic dialing to the content server via a landline telephone.

5 12. A system for providing listener feedback to a content server, the system comprising: an audio unit adapted to play an audio program via a loudspeaker to emit an encoded tone; and a processor coupled to the audio unit and being adapted to use said encoded tone 10 to provide feedback to the content server indicating that the program reached a subscriber associated with a telephone.

13. The system according to claim 12, further including prompting the listener to bring said telephone within pickup range of the loudspeaker.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the audio unit is adapted to 15 generate an audible prompt in order to prompt the listener to bring said telephone within pickup range of the loudspeaker.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the audio unit is an audio- video unit that is adapted to display a visible prompt in order to prompt the listener to bring said telephone within pickup range of the loudspeaker.

20 16. The system according to claim 12, wherein the processor is adapted to use said encoded tone together with a caller ID number identifying the telephone to generate a request to a content server to upload content to the telephone.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein the audio program is embedded within an audio medium.

25 18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the audio medium is selected from: a CD-ROM, a DVD, a Disk-on-Key, and a Media Player.

19. The system according to claim 19, wherein the Media Player is MP3- compatible or MMS-compatible.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein the audio medium is a TV or radio program.

5 21. The system according to claim 17, wherein the audio medium is a web page.

22. The system according to claim 12, wherein the audio unit is operatively coupled to a computer.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the audio program is embedded in a file attached to an e-mail conveyed by the computer.

10 24. The system according to claim 12, wherein the telephone is a mobile telephone.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the audio unit is a telephone.

26. A method for using the system according to claim 25, to allow the content server to authenticate pairing of a first telephone and a second telephone, the method comprising:

15 (a) emitting an encoded tone via the first telephone; and

(b) conveying the encoded tone via the second telephone together with a caller ID number identifying the second telephone to the content server.

27. The method according to claim 26, including conveying a dialing tone via the program so as to allow automatic dialing to the content server via a landline telephone.

20 28. A medium bearing playable program material that is adapted when played to emit an encoded tone via a loudspeaker uniquely identifying content to be downloaded to the telephone or a device associated therewith from a content server with which the medium is associated.

29. The medium according to claim 28, being further adapted to prompt the 25 listener to bring said telephone within pickup range of the loudspeaker.

30. The medium according to claim 28, being further adapted to provide the listener with a telephone contact number of the content server.

31. The medium according to claim 28, wherein the medium is selected from one of the following group: a DVD, CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, and a disk-on-key.

5 32. The medium according to claim 28, wherein the playable program material contains data that is audibly emitted as a dialing tone that allows automatic dialing to the content server via a landline telephone

33. A medium bearing playable program material that is adapted when played to emit an encoded tone via a loudspeaker so as to provide feedback to a content server

10 with which the medium is associated indicating that the program reached the listener.

34. The medium according to claim 28, being further adapted to prompt the listener to bring said telephone within pickup range of the loudspeaker.

35. The medium according to claim 28, being further adapted to provide the listener with a telephone contact number of the content server.

15 36. The medium according to claim 33, wherein the medium is selected from one of the following group: a DVD, CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, and a disk-on-key.

37. The medium according to claim 33, wherein the playable program material contains data that is vocalized as a dialing tone that allows automatic dialing to the content server via a landline telephone

20 38. A computer program comprising computer program code means for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 or 26, when said program is run on a computer.

39. A computer program as claimed in claim 38 embodied on a computer readable medium.

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