GB2360859A

GB2360859A - Distributing a work over a data connection

Info

Publication number: GB2360859A
Application number: GB0007904A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Ernest Hookham-Miller
Original assignee: HOOKHAM MILLER PETER ERNEST
Current assignee: HOOKHAM MILLER PETER ERNEST
Priority date: 2000-03-31
Filing date: 2000-03-31
Publication date: 2001-10-03
Also published as: GB0007904D0

Abstract

A method and a system for distributing a work from a remote storage unit (1) to a user terminal (10) via a communication network is disclosed. In the method at least one portion of the work is transmitted to the user terminal via a wireless data transmission interface (8) between the communication network (6) and the user terminal (10). The user terminal receives said at least one portion of the work and monitors for an event. Upon occurrence of the event, the user terminal generates and transmits a response to the storage unit. Based on the response, information that associates with the work is processed so as to obtain a further portion of the work. The further portion is then transmitted from the storage unit to the user terminal.

Description

2360859 Distributing a work over a data connection The present invention

relates to distribution of works to a user terminal, and in particular, but not exclusively, to delivery of works from a storage unit to a remote user terminal by means of a telecommunications system.

Different types of works are known. The work may consist of a creation such as a book, manuscript or other textual presentation, play, movie, video or another type of artistic creation. In other words, the work may be any creation that may be read, viewed or listened by human beings. A work may also be stored and distributed in an electronic form. For example, a work may be stored in a database. The work can be retrieved from the database and downloaded to a user terminal so that the user of the terminal may then read, listen or view or otherwise access i. e. experience the work. A feature of a work such as a book or manuscript or a voice representation thereof that is stored e.g. in a tape recorder or similar portable means is that the user may in principle access or use the work anywhere.

A book or other textual presentation may also be in a form of so-called audio book. That is, a read out of the text may have been recorded or produced by a voice synthesiser, and stored in a tape, database or other storage so that anyone who wishes to listen to a reproduction of the text later on may do so. It is also possible to have audio/text books, that is books in which a part of the story is in the text format and another J30 part of the story.is in voice format or which otherwise include also sound effects (e.g. songs or various sounds).

2 It is possible to download a work that is in a text or voice format to a remote computer from a central database and thereafter to access the work by the remote computer. The communication media between the database and the remote computer may be provided by, for example, a data network such as the Internet or a local area network (LAN).

The works, such as books or plays, may include various socalled turning points, in which the story may take different directions. The work may also contain other events to which the readers, listeners or viewers thereof may wish to give some response or from which the users may wish to receive further information. Interactivity may make the work in general more interesting. However, in order to be able to provide any level of interactivity, the user needs to be provided with appropriate means to be able to communicate towards the remote database. The conventional distribution systems may not be able to provide as feasible, real-time, easy to use, flexible and affordable interactivity to the users as they might wish to have.

Use of public switched telecommunication networks (PSTN) has been suggested for the provision of interactivity. In accordance with an earlier proposal the user may contact the provider of the work through a personal computer PC connected to a data network (such as the Internet) via the PSTN. A problem with the prior art interactivity is that the viewer needs to have a telephone subscription and the PC with necessary software. Although the Internet may be used f, or the communication, not everyone has a home PC that is connected to the Internet. In addition, the use of the PC may restrict the possibility of the user to move around while experiencing the work. The user needs also often to pay for the connection... The 3 user is typically charged for the connection time, although flat rate or even 'freephone' arrangements are also known. A percentage of people may also find the PCs and Internet subscriptions too expensive and/or difficult to install and 5 use.

It is an aim of the embodiments of the present invention to address one or several of the above problems.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method in a system that is capable of distributing a work from a remote storage unit to a user terminal via a communication network, the method comprising: transmitting at least one portion of the work to the user terminal via a wireless data transmission interface between the communication network and the user terminal; receiving the at least one portion of the work in the user terminal; upon occurrence of an event in the work, generating a response to the event by the user terminal and transmitting the response from the user terminal; receiving the response in the storage unit; based on the response, processing information that associates with the work for obtaining a further portion of the work to be transmitted from the storage unit to the user terminal; and transmitting the further portion of the work to the user terminal.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a syst.em for communicating a work from a storage unit to a user terminal, the system comprising: a communication network that is adapted to transport packet data; a transceiver station of the communication network for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from the user terminal via a wireless packet data transmission interface 4 between the transceiver station and the user terminal, the user terminal being adapted to receive signals from and transmit signal to the transceiver station; a controller for retrieving a first set of information that associates with the work from the storage unit to be transported to the user terminal; a processor of the user terminal for processing packet data received via the wireless data transmission interface; and means for representing the work to the user of the user terminal based on the received packet data, wherein said processor is adapted to detect a predefined event in the work and to generate a response to the event to be transmitted to the controller, and the controller is adapted to generate a further portion of the work to be transmitted to the user terminal based on the response and information of the work that is stored in the storage unit.

In more specific embodiments of the invention method the work may comprise an electronic book, an audio book, a play or a manuscript. The work may comprise at least one audio portion and at least one text portion. The user terminal may be used to select whether the portion to be transmitted from the storage unit is in audio or text format. The event may consist of a decision point, the decision point associating with a turning point of the story of the work after which different outcomes of the story are possible. The user of the user terminal may selectively influence the outcome of the story by means of the response. The further portion may comprise additional information that associates with the work. The response may comprise an audio message, the audio message being interpreted.by the storage unit. Transmission of audio messages may be based on the voice over internet protocol (VoIP). The response may comprise control instructions that are input by pressing one or several keying means of the user terminal. Several user terminals may interact simultaneously with the work. Information regarding the viewer may be stored in a database.

The embodiments of the invention may provide an easy, instant and/or affordable interaction with the work by means of a portable user terminal. The portable terminals enable the user to move around and/or to experience the work whenever they have time or otherwise would like to do so. The mobile users who have accessed the work by the terminal may influence the progress of the story of the work and/or receive further information that associates the with work. The user may find the user terminal simple to operate.

For better understanding of the present invention and the way some embodiments thereof may be implemented, reference will now be made by way of an example to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of one embodiment of the present invention.

Reference is made firstly to Figure 1 which shows an embodiment of an interactive work distribution system. The system is shown to include a central management unit 1. The management unit 1 may be a data server or similar data processing unit. The management unit may comprise processor or central processing unit (CPU) 2 and a database 3 or similar storage for information. The general structure and operational principles of a data processing device, CPU and data storage means thereof are known to the skilled person, and will not be described in more detail herein. It is sufficient to note that 6 the data processing unit 1 is capable of storing and processing data. The unit 1 is also capable of communicating data with a data network 5 through a gateway 4.

The central data processing or management unit 1 may be operated and run by an independent service provider. The management unit 1 may also be controlled by, for example, a publishing company, a production company, book shop or any other organisation or individual who is allowed to distribute the works that are stored in the database 3 thereof. Although not shown, the unit 1. may comprise auxiliary devices such as a display, a keyboard, a disc drive, a mouse and so on for providing the operator thereof with a possibility to input and/or output data and/or to otherwise interact with the unit.

The storage and management unit 1 is shown to be connected to an Internet protocol (IP) data network 5. The data network 5 is shown to be connected to a telecommunications network 6 via a gateway 7. It should be appreciated that the data network 5 is not necessary in all embodiments of the invention, and that the possible data network may be based on other data communication protocols than said IP protocol. According to a possibility, the unit 1 may be connected directly (or via appropriate gateway) to the telecommunication network 6.

The telecommunications network 6 includes various elements, such as one or more base stations 9 and appropriate network controllers (not shown for clarity reasons) and one or more gateways enabling the network 6 to communicate with other networks. The telecommunications network 6 may comprise any network that is capable of providing wireless packet switched services, such as a General Packet Radio Service GPRS network, EDGE (enhanced data rate for GSM evolution) Mobile Data 7 Network or an appropriate third generation telecommunication system such as a CDMA (code division multiple access) or TDMA (time division multiple access) based 3rd generation telecommunication systems referred to as Universal Mobile Telecommunication System UMTS or IMT 2000. The GPRS network is described in more detail for example in 3GPP technical specification 3G TS 23.060 "General Packet Radio Service (GPRS); Service Description; Stage 2", January 2000. This document is incorporated herein by reference. The packet data part of a UMTS system that is based on a WCDMA (wideband code division multiple access) is described also in more detail in the above referenced 23.060 specification.

Data rates up to 115kbit/s may be transmitted via the wireless interface between a user terminal 1 and the base station 9 in accordance with the present GPRS specifications, although the rate may be even more in the future applications. This enables wireless transmission of information at a speed that may be used in the embodiments. The introduction of GRPS (General

Packet Radio Service) is one of the key steps in the evolution of today's GSM (Global System for Mobile) networks to third generation systems, and the first commercial GPRS services are believed to be launched in the near future. Following the arrival of GPRS, a further step in the bandwidth model is believed to occur with EDGE, with speeds of up to 384kbit/s being possible. The bandwidth potential of the UMTS is in the first phase believed to be up to 2Mbit/s, and even more in the future. The inventor has found that the wireless packet switched services will enable the embodiments of the invention due to their capability of providing wireless high speed data connection that was not facilitated by the conventional circuit switched wireless connections.

A further advantage the packet switched wireless services when compared to the conventional wireless services is that the packet switched service will always be available. The user thereof may pay only for the content used and not the length 5, of time connected. This enables a seamless mobile access to a whole range of new and existing Internet Protocol (IP) based services. The viewers will be able to stay permanently loggedon to the interactive services and to send data to and to receive data from the remote unit 1 of the distribution system with large file attachments in an instant. Since the users may be always connected and always on-line, the interactive services will be easy and quick to access and, with the capability to charge per data bit sent and received, customers will be able to pay only for the usage of the data transmission resources. e.g. per a data packet transmitted.

The telecommunications network serves a user terminal 10 that the user may see or listen to. The data that may be transmitted to and from the user terminal may take, for example, the form of voice data, video data, text data and control instructions data. A feature of the user terminal is that it is a portable i.e. a mobile terminal. The user may operate the terminal 10 by means of the selection buttons 12 or keypad mounted on the housing of the terminal 10. The user terminal may be provided with voice output means, such as with a speaker 14 or external headset (not shown) and/or voice input means such as a microphone 15 or external microphone (not shown). A graphics display 11 may also be provided. The display 11 may be adapted to show text, still images or video images that are based on data received via the wireless interface 8 between the user terminal 10 and the base station 9 of the telecommunications system 6. Display 11 may also comprise so-called touch screen function. Although not 9 explicitly shown, the user terminal may typically comprise a power source. such as a battery.. Other internal components may also be provided. e.g. for providing data processing and/or storage facilities as may be required by a particular implementation. The terminal 10 may also be provided with an external antenna 13, although an internal antenna is also a possibility. Any external devises may have a wireless (e.g. short range radio link or infrared link) or a wired connection with the terminal 10. It should be appreciated that the Figure 1 device 10 is only an example, and that the terminal 10 may be of any shape and include any additional features not mentioned herein.

The user terminal 10 may contain a GPRS transceiver module 16 and an appropriate data processing unit 17, such as a Symbian EPOC microprocessor. The EPOC platform may be used because it supports Wireless Application Technology (WAP: Wireless Application Protocol) and may be used with a Voice Over IP (VoIP) client.

Sound messages may be output by one or more of the speakers 14 of the terminal. The sound message may be based on the signal fed by the VoIP conversion. The microphone 15 of the user terminal 10 allows the user to sent voice messages to the remote unit 1. The input may again be encoded using VoIP and transmitted back to the control system 1, where a speech recognition software in the processor 2 may interpret what was said. The control system may then generate an appropriate response, as will be explained below.

With reference to Figure 2, the following is an example of the operation of the system described above. When the user of the user terminal 10 wishes to access a book that is stored in the database 3 of the remote control unit 1, he may transmit a request over the wireless interface between the terminal 10 and the base station 9 of the packet switched telecommunication network 6. The request will be routed through the gateway 7 to the IP network 5 and further to the unit 1 via the gateway 4. The request may define a specific book or other work that the user may wish to access. The request may also be a more general request to, for example, obtain a list of works that are available for the user. The list may be based on, for example, a user profile,-information on books that are currently stored in the database, information of the ten most popular books and so on.

After the book has been selected, the processor 2 of the management unit 1 retrieves a first portion of the book from the database 3 and forwards it to the data network 5 to be downloaded into the terminal 10. After the downloading, the user may read or listen to the portion of the book. The story of the book may include one or several so- called turn-ing points or decision points, in which the user may choose how the story will progress from the turning point. That is, at certain points of the story, decisions may be made by the reader as to the next step, and the story may change with several different outcomes. The user may also decide to switch from one format to another, e.g. from text to voice or vice versa.

The decision is transmitted to the management unit 1 over the wireless connection 8 between the terminal 10 and the mobile network 6 and the data connection between the mobile network 6 and the data management unit 1. The management unit 1 will then retrieve a corresponding next section of the story from the database 3 and forward the selected section to the 11 terminal 10 so that the user thereof may continue reading or listening to the story.

The sections of the book may be downloaded to the user terminal 10 by using wireless application protocols (WAP) or any other similar technique allowing transmission of packet data from the package switched mobile network 6 to user terminal. In the GPRS and/or UMTS networks the packet data transmitted from the remote unit 1 may be transmitted as such between the base station 9 and the mobile terminal 10.

In addition to the next step of the story, additional material or information may also be created and transmitted to the terminal. The additional information may include, for example, background information of the characters of the story, maps of the locations of the story, news flashes that relate to the moment of time of the story, or any other information that may associate with the story and that the users may find interesting.

When a decision point is detected by the user terminal apparatus, the user may be instructed as to which options are possible for him. The user may then press an appropriate button or give voice control commands to choose the next step or the additional information he may wish to receive.

Information of the individual users may be registered in remote management unit 1. The information may be collected, for example, when the user terminal is purchased. The information may include the identity of the owner of the terminal and/or the users of the terminal (e.g. all members of a family). One or more of the following criteria may also be used as part of the personalisation process: first name; last 12 name; date of birth; sex; reading habits; favourite books, films, plays, songs; colour of eyes; colour of hair and so on. The information can also be submitted e.g. by postcard, Internet, (e.g. through Hyper Text Mark-up Language HTML pages), telephone or personal visit to the provider of the interactive services. The information may be stored in the database 3 and the user terminal is personalised to each user based on the stored information. The data may be used when predefined events are triggered by the work at the mobile terminal.

The users may be billed e.g. in their telephone bill or the service provider may sent them a separate bill. The bill may also be based on a flat rate subscription, e.g. such that the subscription includes a predefined amount of books a month. The bill may cover whatever content in the form of data is downloaded by the individual users from the database 3.

It should be appreciated that while the above embodiments of the present invention have been described in relation to a user terminal and works such as books, plays, videos, movies, manuscripts, and similar creations, embodiments of the present invention are applicable to any other suitable type of interaction between a work that is stored in a remote database and accessed by a mobile user terminal. For example, the works may include various works that relate to games, such as leisure games or gambling. A leisure game may contain one or several decision points and thus require interaction by the user so that the following steps of the game may be downloaded into his terminal. The user may download a portion of gambling work that associates e.g. with a sporting event, and while the event progresses, the user may gamble for the outcome of the event, even in real-time. The games may also be played 13 interactively against other users. The work may also comprise a scientific or any other type o.f research or e.g. historical reference material. In addition, the users may also interact with the story of the work e.g. such that they may create their own versions of the next steps of the work. Several users may also vote for an appropriate outcome of the story, either based on prewritten version of the story or based on the suggestions of the other users.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described in the context of a GPRS and UMTS systems providing packet switched services for mobile users. This invention is also applicable to any other wireless techniques capable of providing wireless packet data transmission between a mobile terminal and an element of the communications system.

It is also noted herein that while the above describes some exemplifying embodiments of the invention, there are several variations and motivations which may be made to the disclosed solution without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

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Claims

1. A method in a system that is capable of distributing a work from a remote storage unit to a user terminal via a communication network, the method comprising: transmitting at least one portion of the work to the user terminal via a wireless data transmission interface between the communication network and the user terminal; receiving the at least one portion of the work in the user terminal; upon occurrence of an event in the work, generating a response to the event by the user terminal and transmitting the response from the user terminal; receiving the response in the storage unit; based on the response, processing information that associates with the work for obtaining a further portion of the work to be transmitted from the storage unit to the user terminal; and transmitting the further portion of the work to the user.

terminal.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the work comprises an electronic book.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the work comprises an audio book.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the work comprises a play or a manuscript.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the work comprises at least one audio portion and at least one text portion.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the user of the user terminal may selects whether the portion to be transmitted from the storage unit is in audio or text format. 5

7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the event consist of a decision point, the decision point associating with a turning point of the story of the work after which different outcomes of the story are possible.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the user of the user terminal may selectively influence the outcome of the story by means of the response.

9. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the portions of the works are transmitted over wireless data transmission interface in data packets.

10. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the further portion comprises additional information that associates with the work.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the user of the user terminal may select in the response what additional information, if any, is to be transmitted from the storage unit.

12. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the response comprises an audio message, and the audio message is interpreted by the storage unit.

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13. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the transmission of audio messages is based on the voice over internet protocol (VoIP).

14. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the response comprises control instructions that are input by pressing one or several keying means of the user terminal.

15. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein several user terminals may interact with the work.

16. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein packet data is transmitted to and from the user terminal by means of at least one of the following networks: a General Packet Radio Service network; Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution Network; a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System network; IMT 2000 network.

17. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein information regarding the viewer is stored in a database.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the viewer may modify the information stored in the database.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein the packet data message is routed to the controlled based on information in the database.

20. A method as claimed in claim 17 to 19, wherein the packed data message is tailored based on information in the database.

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21. A system for communicating a work from a storage unit to a user terminal, the system comprising: a communication network that is adapted to transport packet data; 5 a transceiver station of the communication network for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from the user terminal via a wireless packet data transmission interface between the transceiver station and the user terminal, the user terminal being adapted to receive signals from and transmit signal to the transceiver station; a controller for retrieving a first set of information that associates with the work from the storage unit to be transported to the user terminal; a processor of the user terminal for processing packet data received via the wireless data transmission interface; and means for representing the work to the user of the user terminal based on the received packet data, wherein said processor is adapted to detect a predefined event in the work and to generate a response to the event to be transmitted to the controller, and the controller is adapted to generate a further portion of the work to be transmitted to the user terminal based on the response and information of the work that is stored in the storage unit.

22. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the work comprises one or more of the following: an electronic book; an audio book; a manuscript; an audio play.

23. A system as claimed in claim 21 or 22, wherein the work comprises at least one audio portion and at least one text portion, and wherein the user of the user terminal is enabled 18 to select whether the portion to be transmitted from the storage unit is in an audio format or in a text format.

24. A system as claimed in any of claims 21 to 23, wherein the event is a decision point, the decision point associating with a turning point of the story of the work after which different outcomes of the story are possible.

25. A system as claimed in claim 24, wherein the user of the user terminal is enabled to selectively influence the outcome of the story by means of the response generated by the user terminal.

26. A system as claimed in any or claims 21 to 25, wherein the further portion comprises additional information that associates with the work.

27. A system as claimed in any of claims 21 to 26, wherein the controller of the storage unit is adapted to interpret a response that comprises an audio message.

28. A system as claimed in any of claims 21 to 27, wherein the user terminal comprises input means for receiving control instructions from the user thereof.

29. A system as claimed in any or claims 21 to 28, wherein the communication network comprises one of the following: a General Packet Radio Service network; Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution Network; a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System network; IMT 2000 network.