MXPA02004695A - Apparatus and method for retrieving and utilizing software and d ata received through a digital receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

A system retrieves and or utilizes software and or data which is received through a digital receiver. A digital broadcast signal con training programming material and data is received by the digital receiver. The received data is stored on a memory which is separate from the digital receiver. The memory can be a portable memory device such as a smart card. The data can include coupons and or account information or other identifying information.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RECOVERING AND USING SOFTWARE AND DATA RECEIVED THROUGH A DIGITAL RECEIVER TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus that allows a user to download, retrieve, use, and / or store software and data received through a digital receiver.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART The ATSC digital broadcast standard for digital television allows the transmission of 19 Mbits / second in a radio frequency channel having a bandwidth of 6 MHZ. Although this allocated bandwidth is adequate for a single analog NTSC television channel, the ATSC bit rate allows the same channel to support the concurrent transmission of many standard definition television (SDTV) programs (ie, programs that can be displayed visually with a resolution comparable to that of the NTSC analog program). Alternatively, the bandwidth allocated to the ATSC bit rate allows one channel to support the transmission of a single high definition television program (HDTV) at a time. On the other hand, the ATSC digital broadcast standard allows data to be transmitted on the channel together with digital programming. Therefore, the data packets can be multiplexed on the channel with video and audio program packages. Many receivers, such as digital televisions, digital VCRs, and computers equipped with digital television tuners and demodulator cards, can receive digital programming. Because the data can be transmitted together with one or more programs in a digital radio frequency channel, it is possible to transmit the content of the program that includes data. That program content, for example, can be a commercial with a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with a website that contains additional information about the product or service being advertised, or it can include a coupon for the advertised product, or application software adapted to access the embedded URL, or to manipulate other data transmitted with it. Because the content of the program that includes the Internet or website address is broadcast on a digital radio frequency channel, it can also be received through digital receivers other than computers, such as digital televisions. However, typical digital TVs are not enabled for the Web. Therefore, the user of that digital television does not have access to the additional information linked to the Internet address or website, or any software transmitted with the program received. On the other hand, if the digital TV is not enabled for the Web, the user does not have the capacity to transmit data that responds to the received data. The present invention is directed to a device that allows remote access to data, such as an Internet address, embedded in a program, which allows the recovery of software and other data transmitted in a digital broadcast signal, and received by a receiver. digital, which allows the use of the software in association with the data transmitted with it, and / or which allows the transmission of data in response to the received data.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, a data recovery system retrieves data from a digital broadcast signal. The digital broadcast signal includes at least one television packet, and at least one packet of data containing the data. A digital receiver is adapted to receive the digital broadcast signal with the at least one television packet, and the at least one packet of data. The data recovery system includes a memory that stores the data from when 'least one data packet, and the memory is separated from the digital receiver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other aspects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a block diagram of a data recovery system, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 is a block diagram of a personal digital assistant linked to a personal computer, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. Figure 3 is a block diagram of a data recovery system, in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention. Figure 4 is a flow diagram indicating an operation sequence, according to the third embodiment of the invention. Figure 5 is a block diagram of a data exchange system, in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention. Figure 6 is a flow chart indicating an operation sequence, in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the invention. Although the invention is susceptible to different modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrative modalities thereof have been shown in the drawings, and will be described later in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the invention to the specific forms described, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. , as defined by the appended claims.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Modes As shown in Figure 1, a data recovery system 10 includes a digital receiver 12, and a personal digital assistant (PDA) 14. The digital receiver 12 is presumed to be a digital television. However, as noted below, the digital receiver 12 may be other types of digital equipment. Assuming that the digital receiver 12 is a digital television, the digital receiver 12 includes a tuner 16 for tuning to one of a plurality of radiofrequency channels. The output of the tuner 16 is demodulated by means of a digital demodulator VSB 18, for the purpose of recovering the digital baseband signal including programming packages of digital television (DTV) multiplexed with data packets. The portion of the digital baseband signal comprising the DTV programming packets is supplied by means of the digital VSB demodulator 18, to a set of video / audio processors 20, such that the video portion of the digital signal The baseband is decoded, processed, and suitably supplied to a visual display screen [not shown], and in such a manner that the audio portion of the baseband digital signal is decoded, processed, and properly supplied to the speakers [not shown]. The tuner 16, the digital VSB demodulator 18, and the video / audio processors 20 are controlled by means of a television controller 22 as is conventionally done. The digital VSB demodulator 18, as controlled by the television controller 22, supplies the portion of the digital baseband signal, comprising the data packets, to a memory 24 for storage. For the purpose of separating the video packets, audio packets, and data packets, the television controller 22 can read the codes of the packets transmitted with the video, audio, and data packets in the digital signal received by the receiver. 12. The data packets transmitted in the digital VSB signal, and stored in the memory 24, may or may not be related to the DTV programming transmitted by the digital signal. medium of the DTV programming packages, and that is being displayed visually by the digital television 12. For example, in one embodiment, the DTV programming includes a television commercial to advertise a product [not shown], and the data packets transmitted therewith include Internet data containing, for example, a URL for a Web site sponsored by the product manufacturer. In another embodiment, the data transmitted with the television commercial also includes either data to generate a coupon for the product advertised in the commercial, or application software, such as that of an Internet service provider that enables access to the product. Internet and in this way, finally, access to the specific website of the manufacturer of the product, or both. Preferably, but not necessarily, the television commercial instructs the user to download the data for the purpose of retrieving the website URL, or the television commercial tells the user to generate the coupon, and / or the commercial TV tells the user to download the application software associated with it. In yet another mode, the transmitted data may include a list of goods offered by a manufacturer. The list can be linked to an electronic catalog. The data may also include application software in the form of a search engine that enables the user to search the electronic catalog for a particular article or articles. To enable access to the stored data, the digital television 12 includes an IR transceiver 26 which communicates with an IR transceiver 28 placed in the digital personal assistant 14. The personal digital assistant 14 also includes an input device, such as a keypad. buttons 30, which includes a set of buttons that are used to enter, for example, a download command. Afterwards, the download command is routed to a processor 32, which also resides inside the PDA 14. In response to the download command, the processor 32 causes the IR transceiver 28 to transmit a command signal to the transceiver 26 in the digital television 12. The television controller 22 that resides inside the digital television 12 responds to the command signal unloading received by the transceiver 26, by means of causing the data stored in the memory 24 to be transmitted in a data signal by means of from the transceiver 26 to the transceiver 28 of the PDA 14. When the data signal is received in the digital personal assistant 14, the processor 32 of the PDA 14 causes the transceiver 28 to transfer the data in the data signal to a memory 34, coupled to the transceiver 28. Preferably, after the transceiver 28 has received the signal from data, and the data transmitted therein has been stored in the memory 34, the processor 32 causes a sound generating circuit 36 to generate a tone or sound that notifies the user that the data has been successfully recovered from the digital television 12 Alternatively, the digital personal assistant 14 may generate any other notification signal to warn the user that the data has been stored, which includes, for example, causing a light emitting diode (LED) to flash (not shown), which remain on or change from a flashing state that indicates that the data transfer is taking place, to an uninterrupted state that indicates that the data transfer is complete. An indication may be included in the content of the program, and it may be displayed visually by means of the digital receiver 12, either visually or audibly to the user, for the purpose of notifying the user that the content of the Internet is available for retrieval by the user. digital personal assistant 14. When the indication is present, the user operates the keypad 30, as described above, for the purpose of recovering data and software content, if data recovery is desired. Alternatively, you do not need to give any indication, in such a way that the user operates the digital personal assistant 14 in the hope of that data and software may be available for recovery. In this case, the notification signal provided by the digital personal assistant 14 tells you if the data and the software have been recovered. As a further alternative, when the television controller 22 detects the data and the software, and these are stored in the memory 24, the television controller 22 may be configured to provide an indication to the user, that indication may be an indication on the screen , an audible indication, or a signal transmitted by the transceiver 26 to the PDA 14, for the purpose of initiating a local indication by the digital personal assistant 14. Referring also to Figure 2, to enable the transfer of the data stored in the memory 34 to a microprocessor-based device, such as, for example, a personal computer 40, the digital personal assistant 14 further includes a data port 38 by means of which the data is transferred to a data port 42, associated with the personal computer 40. The data ports 38 and 42 can be both serial data ports, such as the RS-232 data ports, which are interconnected connected by a cable 44. Alternatively, the data ports 38 and 42 may be rather wireless transceivers, capable of infrared radiofrequency, or transmission / reception of ultrasonic signal data and / or Similar . In a modality in which the data includes Internet data containing a URL website address and software that enables navigation in the network, the personal computer 40 can immediately launch the software program of navigation in the network, and also cause The personal computer searches for the Web site address URL provided in the data port 42. In another embodiment in which the data includes Internet data containing a URL Web site address, the personal computer 40 preferably includes a program of software [not shown] that enables the navigation in the network, and that can also be programmed in such a way that the supply of the data stored in the digital personal assistant 14 to the data port 42 causes the computer to launch the software program of browsing on the network, and also causes the personal computer to search for the URL Web site address provided in the data port 42. In u In an additional modality, with the URL data of the website, additional data codes may also be included that designate the website URL address as having been downloaded from a digital VSB broadcast signal and / or that identify the user. By reading these additional codes, the website provider can Determine which users who access the website have actually seen the television commercial. In this way, the present invention offers advertisers a mechanism to indicate the viewer's navigation, and possibly the success of a given television commercial. Additionally, these codes could be used to enable the user to download a coupon from the website that would otherwise not be accessible. If the data stored in the digital personal assistant 14 contains coupon generating data instead of Internet data, then the data, after having been transferred to the personal computer 40, can be used by the personal computer 40 to print the coupon [no it shows]. Alternatively, the coupon that is provided in the digital signal can be an electronic coupon that can be rescued by bringing the digital personal assistant 14 to a merchant who has the ability to download the data from the digital personal assistant 14. The information of the Coupon can also be downloaded to a device that stores data on a smart card [not shown] that is scanned for rescue by a merchant. In still another modality, instead of generating a coupon, the data downloaded from the digital personal assistant 14 can be used by the personal computer 40 to generate an advertisement that lists, for example, the merchants who have existence the advertised product, the location of those merchants, and the sales information for the advertised product. The data transmitted by means of the digital VSB broadcast signal may include a variety of information that may be of varying degrees of interest to the user. For example, the data may include both an electronic coupon and a website URL. However, the user may only be interested in obtaining the electronic coupon. To enable the electronic coupon download exclusively, the processor 32 of the PDA 14 is programmed to be able to analyze the data received by the transceiver 28, for the purpose of identifying the desired portions of the data, for subsequent storage in the memory 34. On the other hand, the keyboard 30 of the PDA 14 preferably includes buttons that allow the user to specify which portions of the data signal are desired. Alternatively, the processor 32 may be programmed simply to store all the data received in the memory 34, and in response to a command entered by the user, the processor 32 may cause all the data to be transmitted to the personal computer 40, which it can be programmed to be able to identify the data selected by the user. For example, after the link from PDA 14 to the computer personnel 40, with cable 44, personal computer 40 can be programmed to launch a data guidance program [not shown] that causes a display of the different data sets stored in memory 34 of the PDA to be visually displayed. Or, the television controller 22 can be programmed (see Figure 1) to be able to analyze the data transmitted in the digital VSB broadcast signal, and it can also be programmed to respond to a request from the digital personal assistant 14 through a specific set of data, by transmitting only the specific set of data requested to the PDA 14. The digital personal assistant 14, in addition to having the data transfer and storage capabilities described herein, may also include features that enable , for example, the organization and storage of a daily calendar, and / or the storage and retrieval of data such as' telephone numbers and / or addresses. The digital personal assistant 14 may additionally include other features such as, for example, reception / processing of telephone signals, for the purpose of facilitating the retrieval of telephone messages and / or to notify the user of an incoming telephone call, as performed by a Conventional telephone location system. Of course, the Personal digital assistant 14 may additionally include a visual display and other conventional components necessary to support these features. In yet another embodiment shown in Figure 3, the data recovery system 10 also includes a data writer 50, through which the electronic coupon, the URL data, or other data received can be downloaded from the assistant personal digital 14, personal computer 40, or directly from digital television 12. Data writer 50 can be any of a number of commercially available units, capable of writing data to a portable memory device 52. As used in the present, "portable memory device" is defined as any form of smart card, including a credit card or debit card having a magnetic tape 54 thereon and / or an embedded microprocessor 56 and associated memory 58. In accordance with the above, the data writer 50. is capable of writing information to the magnetic tape 54 and / or the memory 58. The smart card 52, which contains the downloaded coupon or for example, it can then be taken to, and read electronically through, a merchant to redeem the coupon. The data writer 50 may be placed inside the data recovery system 10, in many convenient locations that include, but are not limited to, on the digital television 12, the personal digital assistant 14, the personal computer 40, an external module 60 connected to the digital television, or a remote control unit 62 for the digital television. Figure 4 shows a typical sequence of steps conducted in connection with that data recovery system 10. As shown therein, the digital receiver 12 receives the digital broadcast signal, as indicated by step 64. Then they are separated the data contained within the digital broadcast signal of the television programming signal, as indicated by step 66, and as described above more fully. In step 68, the processor of the digital receiver monitors the received data to determine whether a coupon, URL, or other data of interest that can be downloaded is available in the received data. If these data are available, the user is instructed, as by means of a visual screen display, to download the data (step 70). If the user wishes to download the data (step 72), the system 10 verifies that the smart card 52 is present in the data writer 50 (step 74). If the user does not wish to download the data, the system 10 returns to normal operation (step 76). Verification step 74 will be affirmative (step 78) in the case that a smart card 52 of the type having the magnetic tape 54 and / or the processor is being used. embedded 56 and the memory 58, and is temporarily loaded within the data writer 50. If the smart card 52 is not present (step 80), the system 10 instructs the user to insert the smart card 52 into the data writer 50 (step 82). When the smart card 52 is placed in the data writer 50, the data can be downloaded as indicated by step 84. Alternatively, the data can be sent to the data writer 50 for automatic download, without that indication, with the hope that the card 52 is present. Once the smart card 52 is present. The system 10 can further identify the type of card 52 present (step 86). This could result in the determination of whether the card 52 is a credit card, debit card, preferred card, or the like. For example, if this is a preferred card, the downloaded coupon can be duplicated or otherwise increased in value, or a mileage number can be credited by frequency to the account. After that identification, the data is downloaded in step 84. The smart card 52, which contains the downloaded data, can then be taken to a merchant or other provider of goods and services, for redemption of the coupon, or to a personal computer, kiosk, or similar, for access to the designated URL (step 88). In other modalities, not only can recover data from digital broadcast, but upstream data can be transmitted, such as in response to data received downstream. As shown in Figure 5, a data exchange system 90 is provided where the information can be transmitted by the user, such as in response to the data received by the digital receiver 12. For example, the numbers of financial accounts and other identification information can be read from the smart card 52 for transmission to a source 92 of the digital broadcast signal, or to a related website 94, to purchase goods or services related to the data received by the digital receiver 12. With the In order to introduce such data upstream into the data exchange system 90, a data reader / writer 96 is provided. The data reader / writer 96 can be any of many of the commercially available units that have the write capabilities to those referred to above, as well as the ability to read data from the portable memory device 52. For example, after viewing a A television ad or a website that offers a product for sale, a user can scan a credit card through the reader / writer 96 to pay for the product. In addition to the data reader / writer 96, the data exchange system 90 may include a code reader of bars, such as an infrared reader 98. That mode can be used in the situation where a user is in possession of a bar code 100, another form of portable memory device, which is known to be the designation for the product of interest. For example, the bar code can be provided in a printed advertisement for the product, a catalog of the company, a package already in possession, or the like. Once the bar code reader 98 is used to scan the bar code 100, the system 90 scans the data received by the digital television, looking to compare bar codes related to a product, price, and source and / or similar. If the data is not received, system 90 can conduct a search of the Internet to identify the product, the price, and the source. If the product is identified, a suitable visual display screen can be provided that illustrates the product, the price and the source. The data reader / writer 96 can then be used to purchase the product as indicated above. If the product is not immediately identified, the system 90 may continue to monitor the data received during a set period of time, for example, two days, to find a match and inform the user when it is received. The barcode reader 98 can be placed in many convenient locations including, but not limited to, the digital receiver 12, the personal digital assistant 14, the personal computer 40, the external module 60, or the remote control unit 62. Alternatively or additionally, the bar code reader 98 may be provided in the same structure with the data reader / writer 96. Once the data is read into the data exchange system 90, the data is transmitted by means of the transmitter 102 associated with the digital television 12, to the source 92 of the digital broadcast, and / or a website 94 associated with the goods or services, for the purchase of the goods.

Figure 6 illustrates a possible sequence of steps carried out by the data exchange system 90. Beginning with step 104, the digital television 12 receives the digital broadcast signal, and the data contained therein is separated from the television programming , as indicated by step 106. While the data is being received, a user can scan a bar code within system 90, as indicated by step 108. System 90 searches the received data to identify the product associated with the bar code, as indicated by step 110. If barcode 100 is identified in the received data (step 112), the system can instruct the user to purchase the product. identified, as indicated by step 114. If bar code 100 is not referenced in the received data (step 116), system 90 may conduct a search of the Internet to identify bar code 100 (step 118) . If found (step 120), the system instructs the user to purchase the product, as indicated by step 114. If it is not immediately found (step 122), the system 90 may continue searching for a number of days, possibly by order of the user, as indicated by step 124. If the bar code 1200 is identified in the continuous search (step 126), the user is instructed to buy the product (114). If not (step 128), the search may be aborted as indicated by step 130. As indicated above, many paths may lead to instructing the user to purchase the product identified by bar code 100. If the user you want to buy (step 132), the system 90 determines whether the smart card 52 is present as indicated by step 134. If the user does not wish to buy, the system 90 returns to normal operation as indicated by step 136. If the card is not present (step 138), the user is instructed to insert the card 52, as indicated by step 140. If the card 52 is present (step 142), the system 90 identifies the type of card, as is indicated by step 144, and as explained above. Later they load the data from the smart card 52 to the system 90, as shown by step 148. Such data may include financial account information, personal identification, and the like. The loaded data (step 150) is then transmitted to the source of the digital broadcast signal 92, and / or a website, to purchase the product. In addition, additional information such as the mailing address, amount, and the like may be transmitted after being entered through the PDA 14 or the personal computer 40. Certain modifications of the present invention have been described above. Those who practice in the art of the present invention will come up with other modifications. For example, in accordance with the above description, the IR transceivers 26 and 28 enable communication between the digital television 12 and the personal digital assistant 14. However, the IR transceivers 26 and 28 may be any other type of transceiver. wireless link such as a radiofrequency or ultrasonic link. Alternatively, the IR transceiver 26 and 28 can be replaced rather with a set of serial data ports that are coupled by a data transmission cable. Furthermore, it was previously suggested that the digital receiver 12 can be a receiver that can be tuned such as a digital television. Alternatively, the digital receiver 12 can be any receiver capable of receiving digital data. For example, the digital receiver 12 may be a radio, a VCR, or a game. On the other hand, as described above, the data is stored in the memory 24 for instantaneous or subsequent recovery by the personal digital assistant 14. Rather, however, the data need not be stored in the memory 24, in which case the digital personal assistant 14 must retrieve the data from the digital receiver 12 when the digital receiver 12 receives these, or not at all. Still further, the present invention has been described above, at least in part, in relation to downloading data transmitted in a digital rudimentary sideband (VSB) broadcast signal. However, it should be noted that the present invention can also be applied to the downloading of data transmitted in other types of digital broadcast signals such as COFDM signals, QAM signals, QPSK signals, and / or the like. In accordance with the foregoing, the description of the present invention will be considered as illustrative only, and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention. The details may vary substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention, and exclusive use is reserved for all modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (48)

1. A data recovery system for recovering data from a digital broadcast signal, wherein the digital broadcast signal includes at least one television packet, and at least one data packet containing the data, wherein a digital receiver is adapted to receive the digital broadcast signal with the at least one television packet, and the at least one data packet, the data recovery system BEING CHARACTERIZED because: a memory stores the data from the at least one data packet, in where the memory is separated from the digital receiver.

2. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the digital receiver is a television.

The data recovery system of claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a data writer that writes the data to the memory, wherein the data writer is provided in a television remote control unit.

4. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the memory is a smart card.

5. The data recovery system of claim 4, wherein the smart card includes a microprocessor.

6. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the data includes an electronic coupon.

The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the data includes website location information.

8. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the data is software.

9. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the memory is a portable memory.

The data recovery system of claim 1, characterized in that it also includes a communication port adapted to transfer the data from the digital receiver to the memory.

The data recovery system of claim 10, wherein the communication port is provided on a television.

The data recovery system of claim 10, wherein the communication port is provided in an external structure to a television.

13. The data recovery system of the Claim 12, wherein the structure includes a television remote control unit.

The data recovery system of claim 10, characterized in that it also includes a personal digital assistant adapted to interact with the communication port.

The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the digital broadcast signal also includes software, and wherein the software is adapted to use the data.

The data recovery system of claim 15, wherein the software is adapted to visually display the data in an output device of a computer.

17. The data recovery system of claim 15, wherein the software is adapted to search the data.

The data recovery system of claim 15, wherein the data includes a website address, and wherein the software is adapted to locate and access the website address.

19. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the memory is part of a personal digital assistant.

20. The data recovery system of the Claim 19, wherein the data is software, and wherein the personal digital assistant is configured to run the software.

21. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the memory is part of a personal computer.

22. The data recovery system of claim 21, wherein the data is software, and wherein the personal computer is configured to run the software.

23. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the digital receiver is a television, and wherein the memory is part of a personal digital assistant.

24. The document recovery system of claim 1, wherein the data is data downstream, and wherein the data recovery system also includes a digital transmitter adapted to transmit data upstream, in response to the data downstream.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the upstream data includes identification information.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the identification information is product identification information.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the identification information is identification information of the source.

The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the digital receiver comprises: a tuner that is adapted to tune to the digital broadcast signal; a demodulator coupled to the tuner, and adapted to demodulate the digital broadcast signal; a controller configured to acquire the data; and a transceiver coupled to the controller, wherein the controller causes the data to be supplied to the transceiver for transmission to the memory.

29. The data recovery system of claim 28, wherein the transceiver comprises a first transceiver, and wherein the data recovery system further comprises: a second transceiver - which receives the data transmitted by the first transceiver; a processor that causes the data received by the second transceiver to be stored in the memory, wherein the processor is adapted to generate a data request signal for transmission by the second transceiver to the first transceiver; and an input device coupled to the processor that accepts input by a user, where the input causes the processor to generate the data request signal.

30. The data recovery system of claim 29, wherein the first transceiver receives the data request signal from the second transceiver, and transfers the data request signal to the controller, and wherein the controller responds to the signal. of data request by means of causing the data to be transmitted to the second transceiver.

The data recovery system of claim 29, characterized in that it also comprises a sound generating circuit coupled to the processor, wherein the processor causes the sound generating circuit to generate a tone indicating when the data has been stored.

32. The data recovery system of claim 29, wherein the processor comprises a data communication port that transfers the data from the memory to a personal computer.

33. The data recovery system of claim 29, wherein the first and second transceivers are infrared signal transceivers.

34. The data recovery system of claim 29, wherein the first and second transceivers are signal transceivers of radiofrequency

35. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the data includes a website URL.

36. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the data comprises information related to a product advertised in a television commercial received by the digital receiver.

37. The data recovery system of claim 36, wherein the data includes a URL to locate a Web site, and wherein the Web site includes additional information related to the product.

38. The data recovery system of claim 37, wherein the data includes a list of merchants that sell the product.

39. The data recovery system of claim 37, wherein the data includes information on prices for the product.

40. The data recovery system of claim 37, wherein the data includes a coupon for the product.

41. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the memory is part of a personal digital assistant, and wherein the personal digital assistant further comprises: an input device and an output device; a memory; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to read the data in the input device, wherein the data in the input device is acquired from the digital receiver, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the data to be stored in the memory, and to cause the data to be transferred from the memory to the output device.

42. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the memory includes a bar code.

43. The data recovery system of claim 1, characterized in that it also includes a magnetic tape reader.

44. The data recovery system of claim 1, characterized in that it also includes an infrared reader.

45. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the data includes the identification of financial account information.

46. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the data is downstream data and relates to goods and / or services, wherein the data recovery system also comprises a reader. of data that loads the data upstream of the memory to the digital receiver, and where the data upstream has to do with the purchase of the goods and / or services.

47. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the data is downstream data and relates to goods and / or services, wherein the data recovery system also comprises a transmitter that loads the data transmissions. upstream, and where the data upstream have to do with the purchase of goods and / or services.

48. The data recovery system of claim 1, wherein the data is downstream data and relates to goods and / or services, wherein the data recovery system also comprises a bar code reader, wherein The barcode reader loads the data upstream from a bar code to the digital receiver, and where the data upstream has to do with the purchase of goods and / or services.