Telephone-based interactive broadcast or cable radio or television methods and apparatus

An interactive broadcast or cable radio or television system includes methods for transmitting a telephone number to a receiving apparatus with receiver antenna and telephone-autodialer, to receive and autodial transmitted telephone number, transmitted code identification of an interactive, response-activated or emergency alert response speech synthesizer and transducer to reproduce predetermined dat representative activated by responding with at least one response option such as at least one response mode to activate a voice message addressed to the receiver or to purchase or order at least one product, service or program element, to request information concerning at least one product, service or program element or to make voice contact with an agent or marketing representative for at least one associated product, service or program element and further to purchase or order, request information concerning or make voice contact with an agent or marketing representative for at least one product, service or program element displayed in product/service or program element listings scrolled as text.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
This invention relates to the field of telephone communications and speech 
synthesis used for interactive broadcast or cable radio or television 
communications and in particular consumer interaction with radio or 
television program material. 
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND ART 
Interactive electronic marketing systems in prior art have focused and been 
designed for use by television viewers and broadcast radio listeners 
viewing a display screen or at least without exploiting speech synthesis 
techniques. See Gomersall, U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,108; Wiedemer, U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,907,273; Von Kohorn, U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,592; Bushnell, U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,071,697; Morales-Garza, U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,267; Morales-Garza, et 
al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,591,906 and 4,755,871; Broughton, U.S. Pat. No. 
4,807,031; Russell, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,322; Wheeless, U.S. Pat. No. 
5,023,934; Matthews, U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,601; Mankovitz, U.S. Pat. No. 
5,134,719; Grosjean, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,612; Alwadish, U.S. Pat. 
No. 5,063,610. 
Bushnell, U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,697 uses a speech synthesizer in an 
interactive video/telephone transmission system in a very limited manner, 
related solely to confirming purchases. Coats, U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,800 
discloses another speech synthesis technique used in interactive 
communications. 
One problem with prior art electronic interactive marketing systems is that 
they rely on visual means and do not extensively use speech synthesizer 
voice delivery (as the instant invention does), thereby requiring 
extensive viewing to interact. By extensively using speech synthesis 
capabilities the instant invention provides for the first time practical 
and convenient means for consumers to interact without substantial visual 
display with program material heard or viewed via respective broadcast or 
cable radio or television tuner means. Further, consumers may be connected 
to a processing computer by wireless communications means, especially 
those driving automobiles listening to the car radio, to safely interact 
with program material in a wide variety of ways and in a multi-tiered 
interactive manner. Moreover, by extensively using said speech synthesis 
capabilities this invention frees television viewers and radio listeners 
at fixed locations from having to extensively view a display screen. In 
this invention the apparatus user need only glance at a display (LED or 
LCD) to see whether a telephone response option is available to be made. 
The instant invention, in one embodiment disclosed herein, effectively 
encourages said apparatus user to respond to interact with program 
material through speech synthesizer voice delivered messages, information 
or prompts. No prior art accomplishes this. Morales-Garza, U.S. Pat. No. 
5,101,267 and Morales-Garza, et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,591,906 and 
4,755,871, while providing means for a pushbutton affirmative response to 
surveys conducted or questions asked over the television broadcast media, 
has no provision to encourage responses and actually improve response 
rates through speech synthesizer voice delivered prompts. 
Likewise, Alwadish, U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,610, while providing broadcast 
radio listeners means to request coupons at the push of a button, has no 
provision to improve response rates and the number of listeners requesting 
coupons through speech synthesizer voice delivered prompts such as "press 
button for product! coupons". The instant invention further improves 
response rates by prompting during order entry or information request 
specification (see described below) when an unavailable specification is 
entered. 
The instant invention enables merchants marketing a product or service over 
broadcast or cable radio or television to use a speech synthesizer to 
voice deliver (via stored or transmitted map information and locator data 
generated by the receiving apparatus) to consumers, particularly those 
driving automobiles, directions to a store selling said marketed product 
or service. Gomersall, U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,108 in view of Wiedemer, U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,907,273 discloses an interactive marketing system using a 
locator code for visual not voice delivery of location information, 
thereby lacking provision for mobile, i.e. car, broadcast radio listeners 
to benefit from such locator functionality. 
Further, this invention enables consumers to text scroll subject category 
listings of a plurality of products, services or program elements and 
activate autodial of telephone numbers a pre-programmed voice message 
announcing in predetermined manner the product/service or program element 
scroll mode. Hashimoto, U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,771 and Toru Baji, et al, U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,029,014 both provide program listings that are visually 
displayed without voice delivery as in the instant invention. 
In addition, said prior art does not provide a means for pre-selecting 
interactive applications when a program listing of interest is scrolled. 
The instant invention, however, provides the capability of pre-selecting 
ordering and information specifications concerning program listings of 
interest when said listings are scrolled. 
The instant invention's pre-selecting functionality thereby enables 
consumers who will not be listening to or watching a respective broadcast 
or cable radio or television tuner when a particular program element of 
interest is scheduled to air or be transmitted to still be able to 
interact, e.g. order or inquire about a product or service marketed in 
such program element. In addition, this program listing functionality is 
intended to simply inform consumers of the station or facility and time 
scheduled for airing or transmission of a program element so that such 
consumers can then tune in that station or facility at the scheduled time 
to interact as disclosed herein. 
For all electronic orders and voice contact communications and electronic 
information request communications disclosed herein a data receive-tuner 
(radio or television) is interfaced to a telephone communications device. 
This invention provides at least one consumer or respondent with the 
built-in authentication and security system already used by such 
communications device, thereby eliminating the need for said data 
receive-tuner to have a separate authentication and security system. The 
existing authentication, security or encryption system used by a broadcast 
cable radio or television system interfaced to such data-receive tuner may 
alternatively be used to authenticate apparatus users. 
Further, the instant invention uses the same speech synthesizer-based 
system used for interactive electronic marketing to provide an emergency 
alert system (EAS) message warning system. This EAS message warning system 
is designed in accordance with the Federal Communications Commission's EAS 
rules and regulations articulated in 47 CFR Part 11. The instant invention 
entails a two-step warning system: the first step is designed to visually 
alert at least one consumer that data representative of an EAS message has 
been received and is being stored in the data-receive tuner, which visual 
alert is activated by predetermined data received by said data-receive 
tuner; the second step is audibly reproducing said stored data 
representative of said EAS message, which audible reproduction is 
activated by said responding as disclosed herein. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
A design object of the instant invention is to use the same speech 
synthesizer-based technology for both interactive and EAS communications. 
Related objects of the instant invention are to 1) visually alert at least 
one consumer that an EAS message has been received and is being stored by 
a data-receive tuner and, upon consumer activation audibly reproduce said 
message and 2) provide source data addressing and receiver location 
sensing means so that only data-receive tuners in geographic areas 
affected by the emergency event referenced in an EAS message store said 
EAS message. 
Another object of the present invention is to deploy speech synthesis to 
provide a means of improving the rate of consumer response to a given 
interactive program element. A related object of the present invention is 
to encode data codes controlling speech synthesizer voice delivery in such 
a way that said voice delivery is coordinated at predetermined appropriate 
sounding times either immediately before, during or immediately after the 
broadcast or transmission of said program element. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide consumers with means 
for electronically purchasing, ordering or requesting information 
concerning one or a plurality of products, services or program elements. A 
further related object of the instant invention is to provide a practical, 
convenient and safe means for broadcast radio listeners who are driving 
automobiles or otherwise engaged in some mobile activity to conveniently, 
practically and safely interact with broadcast program audio. 
Yet a further object of the instant invention is to provide an unique 
program listing functionality that displays a plurality of products, 
services or program elements by one or a plurality of respective 
pre-assigned subject categories as text to be scrolled wherein upon 
selecting a subject category listing user activates telephone autodial 
concerning at least one listed product, service or program element. A 
related object of the present invention is to enable consumers to 
pre-select listed program elements--before scheduled airing or 
transmission--as well as optionally respective ordering and information 
specifications as said listings are scrolled or, alternatively, to tune in 
a specified station or facility at a specified time to interact with a 
listed program element as said program element is airing or transmitted. 
Another object of the instant invention is to integrate a data-receive 
tuner (radio or television) with a telephone communications device to 
enhance the value of such telephone communications device. A related 
object is to use the authentication and security system of said telephone 
communications device, or the security or encryption system used in a 
respective broadcastor cable radio or television system interfaced to said 
data-receive tuner, for authentication and user security with respect to 
the electronic ordering, information request and voice contact response 
options disclosed herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED AND OTHER EMBODIMENTS 
I. System Overview 
Several methods and an apparatus for interactive or emergency alert 
broadcast or cable radio or television are disclosed herein. Said methods 
entail encoding via data encoding device 4/5 for transmission via 
predetermined broadcast or cable radio or television data transmission 
means at least one source data set of predetermined format including one 
or plurality of portions each with a pre-assigned purpose wherein said at 
least one source data set includes a telephone number and a response mode 
coda 39/44 identifying one or plurality of predetermined response modes 
such as responses or response options available to be made, in one 
preferred embodiment with respect to one or plurality of broadcast or 
cable radio or television program elements such as musical recordings, 
videos, songs, shows or other program material intended to entertain, live 
or recorded speech intended to inform or short announcements or commercial 
advertisements, political advertising, public service announcements, 
emergency test or alert (emergency alert system or EAS) messages or other 
messages ("program elements") or one or plurality of respective products 
or services associated with or marketed in said one or plurality of 
program elements. Further, said at least one source data set may include 
data representative of a message, prompt or information to be voice 
delivered. 
i. SOURCE DATA TRANSMISSION MEANS 
Broadcast or cable radio or television station or facility transmits said 
at least one source data set via said predetermined broadcast or cable 
radio or television data transmission means at respective one or plurality 
of predetermined times to respective broadcast or cable radio or 
television tuner 13. Said predetermined broadcast or cable radio or 
television data transmission means may encompass any such data 
transmission means. 
For television, said data transmission means may encompass conventional 
horizontal blanking interval (HBI), vertical blanking interval (VBI) or 
subcarrier (SCA) data transmission means. See L. Martinez, U.S. Pat. No. 
5,321,514 disclosing said television data transmission means, which is 
incorporated herein by reference. For cable television, said data 
transmission means may be in-band or out-of-band data transmission as 
disclosed in F. H. Auld, Jr., et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,396, which is 
incorporated herein by reference. Further, a CATV system billing computer 
(as disclosed in R. J. Beyers, II, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,923, which 
is incorporated herein by reference) may be used to bill RDPU users 
ordering said one or plurality of products, services or program elements. 
Said one or plurality of products, services or program elements may include 
videos for "video on demand" as disclosed in G. C. Bradley, et al, U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,172,413, which is incorporated herein by reference. Further, 
videos on demand may be selected from a plurality of listings of videos 
available on demand via the product/service/program element listing/text 
scroll method disclosed below. The authentication or security system used 
in such electronic ordering, other electronic ordering or information 
request may be the same authentication, security or encryption system used 
by the cable television system such as disclosed in G. C. Bradley, et al, 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,413, which is incorporated herein by reference 
For radio, said data transmission means may encompass conventional radio 
broadcast data service (RBDS aka radio data system or RDS) or FM 
subcarrier (SCA) data transmission means. See "Info Radio", Steve Gibbs, 
Car Audio and Electronics, August 1995, p. 97 for description of RBDS, 
which is incorporated herein by reference. Said RBDS or RDS broadcast 
radio data transmission means provides a convenient means for avoiding 
delay in interactivity when said at least one consumer changes the 
frequency to which tuner 13 is tuned, e.g. said delay caused by having to 
await reception of said at least one source data set to interact at a 
frequency tuned to: said RBDS or RDS system addresses this problem by its 
Enhanced Other Network (EON) Programme Identification standard wherein 
data concerning currently airing program material of other broadcast radio 
stations in a given geographic area is identified and encoded in each 
broadcast radio station's RBDS Programme Identification data set. See 
Wiedemann, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,602 for disclosure of this RBDS or 
RDS feature, which is incorporated herein by reference. Alternatively, any 
such delay in interactivity may be minimized by sending several of said at 
least one source data sets during the airing or transmission of associated 
program material. 
Said at least one source data set may be embedded in program audio, such as 
via PSK or FSK modulation, enabling AM as well as FM broadcast radio 
stations to actively participate and transmit said at least one source 
data set as disclosed herein. DAB data transmission, satellite or 
terrestrial based, may be used with DAB tuners 13. See DIGITAL RADIO 
BASICS, Skipp Pizzi, Telephony Div. Intertec Publishing Corp., 1992 for 
description of DAB, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
While any means for respective broadcast or cable radio or television data 
transmission may be used with the methods and apparatus claimed herein, 
one preferred method of transmitting data via said respective broadcast or 
cable radio or television data transmission means is transmitting said at 
least one source data set as AFSK data transmitted in the main audio 
channel of the transmitting broadcast or cable radio or television station 
or facility (said term "facility" includes frequency or channel). Said 
AFSK data transmission method is preferred because 
A) said AFSK data transmission method can be used equally by broadcast and 
cable radio and television stations or facilities, e.g. via AFSK 
transmitter at data encoding device 4/5 and AFSK receiver built into 
conventional broadcast or cable radio or television tuner 13, thereby cost 
effectively enabling construction of substantially the same RDPU for 
broadcast and cable radio and television RDPUs and 
B) said AFSK data transmission method is mandated by the Federal 
Communications Commission in 47 CFR Part 11 to be implemented by broadcast 
and cable radio and television stations and facilities to comply with the 
Commission's new rules and regulations implementing an "Emergency Alert 
System" or EAS to replace the "Emergency Broadcast System" or EBS. See 
generally 47 CFR Part 11 for discussion of said new rules and regulations, 
which is incorporated herein by reference; also see EAS functionality 
disclosed below. While consumer tuners are not required to be equipped 
with said AFSK receivers to receive AFSK transmissions, broadcast and 
cable radio and television stations and facilities are required to 
transmit data via said AFSK transmitter, thus this invention provides 
means for receiving said AFSK transmitted data. 
ii. RESPONSE MODE CODE 
In one preferred embodiment said one or plurality of predetermined response 
options identified in response mode code 39/44 include or includes one or 
plurality of the following response options: 
A) to purchase or order said one or plurality of products, services or 
program elements identified in product/service identification code 35/42, 
B) to request information concerning said one or plurality of products, 
services or program elements identified in product/service identification 
code 35/42 or 
C) to make voice contact with a predetermined representative or marketing 
or other agent for one or plurality of predetermined products, services or 
program elements. 
Response mode code 39/44 may further include one or plurality of 
predetermined specifications available to be entered according to said 
respective order or information request response option selected such as 
for order--quantity, color, price, menu items or reservation time and for 
information request--coupons, certain information such as price, location 
or menu items, audio information such as song samples or graphic display. 
iii. LPC ENCODED VOICE SIGNALS 
In one embodiment said respective broadcast or cable radio or television 
data transmission means is a digital transmission link to digital tuner 
13, e.g. DARS/DAB, HDTV or DBS tuner 13 and said at least one source data 
set includes linear predictive coding (LPC) encoded voice signals to be 
audibly reproduced via speech synthesizer 28. In LPC, speech is broken 
down into its important parameters, e.g. pitch, spectrum, energy and 
voicing and these parameters are then transmitted to a receiver which 
utilizes these parameters to synthesize an intelligible replica of input 
speech. See Fette, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,339 for discussion of LPC 
encoded voice signals, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
Comper 1/3 may be a vocoder to encode LPC generate voice signals 
representative of predetermined information, a predetermined message or 
prompt or other audible reproduction to be audibly reproduced via speech 
synthesizer 28. Alternatively, data encoding device 4/5 may be a 
text-to-LPC conversion system (such as that disclosed in Fette, U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,872,202, which is incorporated herein by reference) to LPC encode 
text for transmission as LPC encoded voice signals via said respective 
broadcast or cable radio or television data transmission means. 
In addition, said LPC parameters may be broken down into dependent and 
independent LPC data or cepstral coefficients or linguistic content and 
accoustical LPC parameters. See Hermansky, U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,008 and M. 
I. Savic, U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,521, which are incorporated herein by 
reference. In one embodiment disclosed herein only dependent data or 
accoustical parameters are transmitted in said at least one source data 
set or stored in RDPU memory with corresponding respective independent 
cepstral coefficients or linguistic content LPC parameters stored in 
non-volatile RAM 17 or ROM 18 or transmitted to be mixed with said data or 
voice signals encoded in said at least one source data set to audibly 
reproduce predetermined information or a predetermined message or prompt, 
in one voice or for example in the pitch of a musical artist who is 
singing a musical composition contained in program material or in the 
pitch of a predetermined product/service spokesperson for an advertised 
product or service. 
Transmitting LPC encoded voice signals via conventional AM/FM broadcast 
radio data transmission means may result in slow speed voice transmission. 
To compensate for such lack of real time voice transmission with 
conventional AM/FM broadcast data transmission means, said at least one 
source data set containing said LPC encoded voice signals may be 
transmitted at a predetermined time in advance of the scheduled broadcast 
or transmission time for a program element associated with said at least 
one source data set, either timed to be received by tuner 13 
simultaneously with tuner 13 reception of said associated program element 
or transmitted in advance as program listing data as described below. 
In one embodiment disclosed herein text may be transmitted in said at least 
one source data set such as via conventional text transmission means such 
as RBDS/RDS for broadcast radio or HBI/VBI for broadcast television and 
converted via text-to-speech speech synthesizer 28. See Vasile, et al, 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,523 for disclosure of text-to-speech conversion, which 
is incorporated herein by reference. 
iv. APATUS PROCESSING, STORAGE, DISPLAY AND RESPONSE MEANS 
Microprocessor 16 processes said at least one source data set in a 
predetermined manner. RAM 17 stores one or plurality of predetermined 
portions of said at least one source data set for a predetermined period 
of time. 
In one embodiment herein RAM 17 stores one or plurality of LPC encoded 
voice messages or prompts in LPC speech synthesizer 28 RAM 17/ROM 18 such 
as that disclosed in W. L. Davis, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,642, which is 
incorporated herein by reference. While said prior art involves a paging 
system, analogous principles may be applied in the instant invention to 
store LPC encoded voice signals encoded in said at least one source data 
set, in particular said LPC signalling and individually addressed receiver 
voice massaging system, dual port memory means and storage address 
location system disclosed in said prior art. Further, the following steps 
and means disclosed in said prior art U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,642 may be 
utilized in the instant invention: 
said at least one source data set may comprise variable length digitally 
encoded LPC voice signals including a digitally encoded LPC voice message 
and an end-of-message signal wherein RAM 17 is capable of storing a 
plurality of digitally encoded LPC voice messages and audibly reproducing 
via audible reproduction means including speech synthesizer 28 may further 
include producing voice information corresponding to stored digitally 
encoded LPC voice signals via speech synthesizer 28 capable of producing 
said voice information while RAM 17 simultaneously stores other digitally 
encoded LPC voice signals; 
RAM 17 stores said digitally encoded LPC voice signals in an unused memory 
location or, when an unused memory location is unavailable, over the 
oldest stored digitally encoded LPC voice signals or over digitally 
encoded LPC voice signals that have been read and RAM 17 further 
simultaneously stores the address location of stored digitally encoded LPC 
voice signals in a predetermined memory location; 
detecting or decoding device 14/15 further includes means for generating a 
first control signal when said at least one signalling signal included in 
said at least one source data set is detected and means for generating a 
second control signal when said end-of-message signal is decoded, RAM 17 
further includes first and second memory ports wherein said first memory 
port is coupled to respective broadcast or cable radio or television tuner 
13 for receiving said variable length digitally encoded LPC voice signals 
to be stored in RAM 17 together with beginning storage location 
information in response to said first control signal, RAM 17 further 
stores ending storage location information in response to said second 
control signal and speech synthesizer 28 is coupled to said second memory 
port for producing voice information corresponding to said stored variable 
length digitally encoded LPC voice signals; 
detecting or decoding device 14/15 further may comprise address decoder 
means coupled to address code memory ROM 18, said address code memory ROM 
18 for storing predetermined address information and said address decoder 
means for decoding address information included in said at least one 
signalling signal contained in said at least one source data set and 
comparing said address information with said predetermined address 
information stored in said address code memory ROM 18 to detect a match 
indicating to process said one or plurality of portions of said at least 
one source data set; 
RAM 17 further includes an area for storing the beginning storage location 
information and ending storage location information corresponding to said 
stored variable length digitally encoded LPC voice signals, RAM 17 further 
stores the beginning storage location information corresponding to said 
stored variable length digitally encoded LPC voice signals in a 
predetermined memory location and speech synthesizer 28 reads said 
beginning storage location information for retrieving said stored variable 
length digitally encoded LPC voice signals for processing; 
RAM 17 stores a control word representative of the predetermined status of 
stored digitally encoded LPC voice signals, said predetermined status 
comprising the order said digitally encoded LPC voice signals were 
received, whether said digitally encoded LPC voice signals have been read 
or predetermined message priority corresponding to said stored digitally 
encoded LPC voice signals; 
speech synthesizer 28 produces analog voice signals or voice information 
corresponding to stored digitally encoded LPC voice signals and outputs 
said voice information via audio system 30 coupled to the output of speech 
synthesizer 28 to generate audible information and audio system 30 is 
responsive to detecting or decoding device 14/15 for generating a 
distinctive audible alerting signal indicating a predetermined voice 
message has been received. 
Display means may display one or plurality of predetermined response 
options. Said display means may include LED display means comprising one 
or plurality of LED lights 19, 20 or 21 illuminating said one or plurality 
of predetermined response options identified by response mode code 39/44 
as available to be made via said response means. Alternatively, said 
display means may include LCD or display screen means for displaying said 
one or plurality of predetermined responses or response options identified 
in response mode code 39/44. 
Said response means includes one or plurality of 
A) one or plurality of pushbuttons 22, 23 or 24 or key pads (not shown) 
activated directly or remotely via remote control means (not shown) 
coupled to said response means or 
B) voice recognition unit (VRU) or voice activated response means (not 
shown). See Kimura, U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,090 for disclosure of VRU or 
voice-operated remote control system, which is incorporated herein by 
reference. Said remote control means, especially useful with television 
tuner 13 RDPUs, is of a conventional type such as that disclosed in L. F. 
Yazolino, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,370. 
Said VRU response means may be integrated with speech synthesizer 28 to 
provide an integrated conventional voice input/output system sharing an 
LPC-based voice coding design. Under this embodiment, LPC encoded voice 
signals are sent in said at least one source data set by said respective 
broadcast or cable radio or television data transmission means. This 
allows said VRU response means to obtain VRU features directly from said 
encoded speech without having to extract LPC parameters from received 
analog voice signals. In addition, speech synthesizer 28 and said VRU may 
share the same vocabulary storage means, e.g. RAM 17 or ROM 18. 
Said VRU may further contain automatic speech recognition means, the 
ability to identify individuals based on predetermined characteristics in 
their voices--which can then be used as a means of user authentication and 
security. A DSP chip 16 may be programmed for real time processing for 
both VRU and speech synthesis applications. See Voice Communications 
Between Humans and Machines, David B. Roe and Jay G. Wilpon, National 
Academy Press (1994), which is incorporated herein by reference. In one 
embodiment disclosed herein tuner 13 may further share said DSP chip 16 
for predetermined tuner DSP (e.g. car/home stereo/television) 
functionality. 
v. APATUS MUTE OR ATTENUATION AND SPEECH SYNTHESIZER MEANS 
One or plurality of A) audibly reproducing via speech synthesizer 28 or B) 
responding via said response means activates mute or attenuation means 
(not shown) coupled to said respective broadcast or cable radio or 
television tuner 13 to mute or attenuate said respective broadcast or 
cable radio or television tuner 13 for one or plurality of the following 
respective durations A) said audible reproduction via speech synthesizer 
28 or B) said responding via said response means, demuting or 
de-attenuating via demute or de-attenuation means (not shown) coupled to 
said respective broadcast or cable radio or television tuner 13 
immediately at or after the completion of said respective A) audible 
reproduction via speech synthesizer 28 or B) responding via said response 
means. 
Speech synthesizer 28 audibly reproduces predetermined data stored or 
pre-programmed in speech synthesizer 28, RAM 17 or ROM 18 or transmitted 
in said at least one source data set at one or plurality of 
A) at least one time activated by said one or plurality of portions of said 
at least one source data set or 
B) at least one time activated by at least one respondent responding via 
said response means with said one or plurality of predetermined response 
options. 
a. VOICE CONTACT MESSAGE 
In one embodiment disclosed herein said response mode code 39/44 identifies 
a predetermined voice contact response option as available to be made by 
said at least one consumer and response telephone number 38 is used in 
making said voice contact. Further, said display means LED 24 or LCD 
display means (not shown) displays said voice contact response option as 
an available response option. Said response means includes predetermined 
wire or wireless telephone communications device 30 for making said voice 
contact and said responding via said response means 
inputs said response telephone number 38 to automatic dial means (not 
shown) coupled to predetermined telephone communications device 30 to be 
automatically dialed via a predetermined telephone communications network 
33 coupled to predetermined voice communications device 30 and activates 
said audible reproduction via speech synthesizer 28 wherein said audible 
reproduction may comprise a predetermined message concerning the call 
status of said telephone call such as party or number called, carrier, 
dialing, ringing, busy or redialing. 
In one embodiment disclosed herein speech synthesizer 28 may be of a type 
containing DTMF conversion means to convert response telephone number 38 
into DTMF dialing signals to dial said response telephone number 38 via 
said automatic dial means. Such a speech synthesizer 28 may be the 
TSP5OC0x/1x Family Speech Synthesizer manufactured by Texas Instruments. 
b. PURCHASE/ORDER AND INFORMATION REQUEST AUDIBLE REPRODUCTION 
In another embodiment disclosed herein response mode code 39/44 further 
identifies a predetermined A) purchase or order or B) information request 
response option as available to be made by said at least one consumer to 
respectively purchase/order or request information concerning said one or 
plurality of products, services or broadcast or cable radio or television 
program elements. In this embodiment said display means displays response 
mode code 39/44 identifying said A) purchase or order or B) information 
request response option as available to be made. Further, responding via 
said response means activates said audible reproduction via speech 
synthesizer 28 wherein said audible reproduction further comprises a 
predetermined message concerning said A) purchase or order of or B) 
information request concerning said one or plurality of products, services 
or program elements. 
In another embodiment response mode code 39/44 further identifies a 
predetermined information request response option as available to be made 
by said at least one consumer to request predetermined information 
concerning said one or plurality of products, services or broadcast or 
cable radio or television program elements. Said display means displays 
response mode code 39/44 identifying said information request response 
option as available to be made. Further, said responding via said response 
means activates said audible reproduction via speech synthesizer 28 
wherein said audible reproduction further comprises said predetermined 
information. 
In another embodiment response mode code 39/44 further identifies a 
predetermined purchase or order response option as available to be made by 
said at least one consumer to purchase or order said one or plurality of 
products, services or broadcast or cable radio or television program 
elements. In this embodiment said display means displays said response 
mode code 39/44 identifying said purchase or order response option as 
available to be made and said responding via said response means activates 
said audible reproduction via speech synthesizer 28 wherein said audible 
reproduction may further comprise at least one predetermined prompt 
prompting in a predetermined manner said at least one respondent to 
further respond to enter via said response means one or a plurality of 
desired purchase or order specifications such as quality, size, price, 
color, menu items or reservation time desired. 
In yet another embodiment response mode code 39/44 further identifies a 
predetermined information request response option as available to be made 
by said at least one consumer to request information concerning said one 
or plurality of products, services or broadcast or cable radio or 
television program elements. Further, said display means displays said 
response mode code 39/44 identifying said predetermined information 
request response option as available to be made and said responding via 
said response means activates said audible reproduction via speech 
synthesizer 28 wherein said audible reproduction may further comprise at 
least one predetermined prompt prompting in a predetermined manner said at 
least one respondent to further respond to enter via said response means 
one or a plurality of types of information desired such as coupons, 
graphic display, predetermined text or audio information or menu items. 
In another embodiment disclosed herein said audible reproduction via speech 
synthesizer 28 further comprises at least one predetermined prompt for 
said at least one consumer to respond via said response means wherein said 
response means includes one or plurality of the following means to respond 
to said at least one predetermined prompt: 
A) affirmative response pushbutton 22 means to respond to said at least one 
predetermined prompt; 
B) key pad means (not shown) to respond to said at least one predetermined 
prompt or 
C) voice recognition unit or voice activated response means (not shown) to 
respond to said at least one predetermined prompt. 
When said responding via said response means is with at least one response 
option that is unavailable to be made, said responding via said response 
means may activate said audible reproduction via speech synthesizer 28 
wherein said audible reproduction comprises a message alerting said at 
least one respondent that said at least one response option made is 
unavailable to be made. In such embodiment said at least one response 
option made via said response means may be either a response option that 
is unavailable to be made pursuant to said response mode code 39/44 or a 
response to said prompt that is unavailable to be made such as said order 
entry or information request specifications entered via said response 
means that are unavailable. Said response mode code 39/44 may include data 
indicating all available responses to prompts such as all of said 
available order entry or information request specifications that are 
available to be made via said response means. 
In another embodiment said one or plurality of response options available 
to be made include or includes A) purchasing or ordering or B) requesting 
information with respect to said one or plurality of products, services or 
broadcast or cable radio or television program elements. Said at least one 
source data set further includes a product/service identification code 
35/42 identifying said one or plurality of products, services or program 
elements and at least one electronic response address corresponding to 
computer 32 intended to receive said A) purchase or order or B) 
information request response option via predetermined communications 
device 30 coupled to microprocessor 16. 
Further, in said embodiment, data generating means coupled to 
microprocessor 16 generates a response data set wherein said response data 
set includes 
A) said product/service identification code 47 identifying said one or 
plurality of products, services or program elements to which said at least 
one consumer is responding, 
B) a response mode code 53 identifying the purchase/order or information 
request response made, 
C) any respective specification details entered via said response means 
comprising one or plurality of predetermined specifications desired such 
as for orders--quantity, color, price, menu items or reservation time 
desired and for information request--coupons, certain information such as 
price, location or menu items, audio information such as song samples or 
graphic display and 
D) an identification code 52 or data identifying said at least one 
consumer. 
Said data generating means may further generate said response data set 
containing a broadcast or cable radio or television station or facility 
identification code 49 identifying at least one predetermined broadcast or 
cable radio or television station or facility transmitting said at least 
one source data set via said predetermined broadcast or cable radio or 
television data transmission means. Microprocessor 16 then inputs said 
response data set to predetermined communications device 30 to be 
transmitted via predetermined wire or wireless communications link 31 to 
said electronic response address to computer 32 for predetermined 
processing. 
vi. RESPONSE COMMUNICATIONS MEANS 
In one embodiment disclosed herein said response means includes telephone 
communications device 30 such as voice communications device 30 for voice 
contact response means or data communications device 30 for purchase/order 
or information request response means. In said embodiment telephone 
communications device 30 may comprise wire communications link 31 such as 
landline telephone or cellular radio communications link 31. 
In one preferred embodiment data receive-tuner 13 (radio or television) is 
built into telephone communications device 30--to enhance the value of 
telephone communications device 30 to consumers. Further, for the 
electronic ordering, information request and voice contact applications 
disclosed herein, the existing authentication and security system used by 
said telephone communications device 30 may be used for said electronic 
marketing applications. 
For example, data receive-tuner 13 may be built into a broadband cellular 
radio telephone providing full, three response option interactive 
functionality--electronic ordering, information request and voice contact 
as disclosed herein. With said data-receive tuner 13 integrated into 
telephone communications device 30 said at least one consumer authorized 
to use said RDPU may use the same authentication or security system to 
authenticate users and provide system security as used by said telephone 
communications device 30, such as, for cellular radio communications link 
31, the user validation system disclosed in H. E. Simpson, et al, U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,404,580 and/or authentication system disclosed in M. B. 
Flanders, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,294, which are both incorporated 
herein by reference. 
Further, in said integrated data-receive tuner 13/telephone communications 
device 30, said RDPU may share any and all RDPU means including power 
source means, processing means, RAM 17/ROM 18 memory means, display means 
(LED 22, 23 or 24 or LCD), response means (pushbutton 22, 23 or 24, key 
pad or VRU), DTMF signaling system for said response means, automatic 
dialing means, speech synthesizer 28, memory scroll means, 
mute/attenuation means or other means in said telephone device 30. In said 
example of said integrated data-receive tuner 13/cellular radio telephone 
communications device 30, said shared design may be as disclosed in J. L. 
Kowalski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,503, which is incorporated herein by 
reference. 
While the modulation system utilized in telephone communications device 30 
may be any suitable modulation/transmission system, one such system may be 
Asynchronous Time Division Multiplexing (ATDM aka statistical 
multiplexing). ATDM uses data transmission frames to send data in 
predetermined time slots. One advantage of ATDM is that empty frames, such 
as an order response data set without order entry specifications, may be 
removed from the response data stream FIG. 4. Code 52 may be a time slot 
the RDPU is pre-assigned to transmit in. 
vii. EAS RESPONSE OPTION AUDIBLE REPRODUCTION 
In another embodiment response mode code 39/44 identifies an EAS message 
response mode to activate a visual alert for consumer activation of 
reproduction of a predetermined emergency alert system or EAS message. 
Pursuant to 47 CFR Part 11.31, said EAS message may be any of the 
following "events" for one or plurality of respective affected geographic 
areas: 
emergency action notification/termination; national information center; 
tornado watch/warning; severe thunderstorm watch/warning; severe/special 
weather statement; flash flood watch/warning/statement; flood 
watch/warning/statement; winter storm watch/warning; blizzard warning; 
high wind watch/warning; hurricane watch/warning/statement; tsunami 
watch/warning; evacuation immediate; civil emergency message. 
In said EAS response mode embodiment, said at least one source data set 
further includes data representative of said predetermined EAS message. 
Further, RAM 17 stores said data representative of said predetermined EAS 
message. Said display means displays said EAS message response mode such 
as via a flashing red LED. 
Said data representative of said EAS message may be data such as an AFSK 
tone burst activating a stored EAS message, preferably stored as LPC 
encoded voice signals to obtain the most natural sounding voice. 
Alternatively, said data representative of said EAS message may be LPC 
encoded voice signals representative of said predetermined EAS message 
transmitted in said at least one source data set. Further, in this 
embodiment, push button activation means said response mode code activates 
audible reproduction via speech synthesizer 28 wherein said audible 
reproduction comprises said predetermined EAS message. 
In this and other embodiments said at least one signalling signal further 
includes a portion identifying an individual RDPU or geographic address 
information for the receiver address of respective broadcast or cable 
radio or television tuner 13 intended to receive and process said at least 
one source data set. Decoding or detecting device 14/15 detects said 
address information. Further, tuner 13 may be coupled to location sensing 
means such as GPS or LORAN C receiver means, cell location identifier 
means or zip code identifier means (not shown). Under said EAS response 
mode embodiment, said receiver address information and location sensing 
means enable only RDPUs located in geographic areas affected by a given 
emergency EAS event referenced in said predetermined EAS message to detect 
and store said data representative of said predetermined EAS message. As 
discussed further below said location sensing means has additional utility 
with respect to non-EAS response modes. 
viii. PRODUCT/SERVICE/PROGRAM ELEMENT LISTING: TEXT SCROLL 
In one embodiment data encoding device 4/5 encodes or a plurality of said 
source data sets and in a predetermined header portion of each of said one 
or plurality of source data sets said data encoding device 4/5 encodes 
predetermined data identifying plurality of predetermined subject 
categories pre-assigned to categorize each of said one or plurality of 
source data sets. Said subject categories may include such items as 
appliances, automotive, computer, grocery, restaurants, etc. categorizing 
one or a plurality of products or services advertised in said one or 
plurality of program elements or conventional "yellow page" listings of 
products and services. Said at least one source data set further may 
include specific product/service or program element listing text data 
representative of predetermined product, service or program element 
listing information. In addition, said at least one signalling signal may 
identify a response mode for scrolling said product, service or program 
element listing data and display means 21 may display said response mode 
for scrolling said product, service or program element listing data 
wherein responsive to said displaying in said predetermined manner said 
response mode for scrolling said product, service or program element 
listing data, said at least one consumer may respond via predetermined 
response means 24 coupled to microprocessor 16, said responding activating 
audibly reproducing via speech synthesizer 28 of data pre-stored in memory 
announcing in predetermined manner said product, service or program 
element listing scroll mode. 
In said embodiment RAM 17 stores program element numbers with said one or 
plurality of source data sets in RAM 17 partitioned plurality of memory 
blocks of defined size and identified a plurality of respective type codes 
resident in said partitioned RAM 17 with uniquely addressed a plurality of 
respective address locations corresponding to each of said plurality of 
pre-assigned subject categories. Further, said partitioned RAM 17 routes 
said program element telephone numbers one or plurality of portions of 
each of said one or plurality of source data sets according to said 
respective pre-assigned subject categories to be stored in said respective 
plurality of address locations in said partitioned RAM 17 for a 
predetermined period of time. 
In addition, said display means displays a text scroll response option 
wherein said display means includes LCD or display screen means for 
scrolling via text scroll means (not shown) coupled to microprocessor 16 
said one or plurality of portions of each of said respective one or 
plurality of source data sets stored in said plurality of respective 
address locations in said partitioned RAM 17. Said scrolling further 
includes 
scrolling via said text scroll means in one or plurality of predetermined 
directions text of said respective predetermined subject categories 
displayed via said display means, 
selecting a subject category of said scrolled respective predetermined 
subject categories, 
scrolling via said text scroll means program listing text data listed under 
said selected subject category and selecting a scrolled program listing. 
II. Detailed Description 
This detailed description is specific to broadcast radio data transmission 
means and tuner 13 for simplicity of discussion. It is understood that the 
principles disclosed herein apply equally to broadcast and cable radio and 
television data transmission means and tuner 13. 
i. Data Encoding Device; Source Data Set 
Referring to FIG. 1 computer 1/3 generates said at least one source data 
set FIG. 2 comprised of a short signalling/synchronizing code 34 which 
alerts the RDPU that information transmission is about to commence, 
product/service identification code 35 that uniquely describes or 
identifies said one or plurality of products, services or program elements 
(such as a Universal Product Code or equivalent identification code), 
distribution center identification code 36, code 37 identifying that 
broadcast radio station over which said program element or said at least 
one source data set is broadcast, response telephone number 38, response 
mode code 39 and checksum code 40 used for data error detection. 
For unattributed radio stations which are not identified in said broadcast 
data codes, computer 1/3 generates data code set FIG. 3, which is a short 
data stream comprised of a short signaling/synchronizing code 41 which 
alerts the receiving RDPU that information transmission is about to 
commence, product/service identification code 42, distribution center 
identification code 43, response mode code 44 and checksum code 45 used 
for data error detection. 
When a particular program element is broadcast via a broadcast radio 
station, computer 3 outputs said received at least one source data set. 
For broadcast radio station's capable of direct data transmission, e.g. FM 
stations with conventional Subsidiary Communications Authorization (SCA) 
subcarrier capability, said at least one source data set is output 
directly through data encoding device 4 to the radio station's data 
communications subcarrier channel. For radio stations incapable of direct 
data transmission, such as an AM broadcast radio station, or otherwise not 
using said subcarrier method, data code set FIG. 2/3 is converted to audio 
frequency format by encoding device 5 and mixed with program audio signals 
through mixer 6. Said direct, e.g. SCA, and indirect, e.g. embedded, data 
is then input to radio transmitter 7, which is connected to a transmitting 
antenna, but may under certain circumstances be connected to tuner 13 by a 
wired distribution system, i.e. cable television or fiber optic. 
In one embodiment herein computer 1 may generate and transmit said at least 
one source data set via public or private communications link 2, which may 
be the public switched telephone network (PSTN), integrated services 
digital network (ISDN) or similar wire or wireless facility to computer 3 
located at a broadcast station, where said at least one source data set is 
stored and transmitted at appropriate times in conjunction with the 
station's transmissions to the general public. 
For embedded broadcast data prepared at a third party's location such as an 
advertising agency or production house data code set FIG. 2/3 is routed 
through audio encoding device 8 and mixed with the audio frequency signal 
of a predetermined program element. Embedded data code set FIG. 2/3 is 
then fed to audio recorder 9 and onto storage medium 10, or, 
alternatively, sent through audio transmission means 11 (such as a radio 
network program distribution system) to radio station mixer 6 or computer 
3 to be respectively mixed in the program audio or stored as described 
above. Storage medium 10 is sent to radio station for later playback to 
listeners via playback device 12. Data code set FIG. 2/3 may be broadcast 
multiple times via transmitter 7 in order to facilitate error detection 
and correction at the receiving RDPU. 
ii. Reception and Processing 
The methods embodied herein are tied to and dependent upon said RDPU. Said 
RDPU is located at a fixed or mobile receiving location. Said RDPU may be 
built into broadcast radio consumer tuner 13, telephone communications 
device 30 (wired or cellular) or it may be a separate module either 
connected to telephone communications device 30 or with built-in 
transceiver capability. 
As disclosed above, said RDPU may--for broadcast or cable television 
functionality--be built-into or interfaced to a broadcast or cable 
television tuner 13. Further, as with said radio tuner 13 RDPU, said 
television tuner 13 RDPU may interface to telephone communications device 
30. In one embodiment disclosed herein telephone communications device 30 
may attach and detach to said tuner 13 RDPU to provide telephone 
communications link 31 when required. Said tuner 13 RDPU may be 
manufactured separately from telephone communications device 30. In 
another embodiment disclosed herein said RDPU may attach and detach to 
broadcast or cable radio or television tuner 13, providing one RDPU for 
each of the broadcast and cable radio and television functionalities 
embodied herein. 
Referring to FIG. 1, in the preferred embodiment the broadcast radio 
station's broadcast signal is intercepted by conventional broadcast radio 
receiving antenna (tuner) 13 and demodulated by said tuner 13. Under 
another embodiment within the scope of this invention data code set FIG. 
2/3 encoded in radio station broadcast subcarrier is intercepted using 
conventional SCA receiving techniques well known to those skilled in the 
art, by receiver tuner 13 pre-programmed to receive the predetermined SCA 
kHz carrier said data code set FIG. 2/3 is encoded in. See e.g., 
Martinson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,881; Gaskill, U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,835. 
The audio signal detected by tuner 13 is input to data decoding or 
dectecting device 14 and subcarrier data output from tuner 13 is input to 
interface circuit 15. The outputs of these components are then fed to 
microprocessor 16, which stores the received data in RAM 17. When a mobile 
RDPU unit receiving broadcast data as disclosed herein is temporarily out 
of a radio cell coverage area wherein said communications link 31 is a 
cellular radio communications link 31, RAM 17 stores said received data 
for a predetermined period of time or until said mobile RDPU unit comes 
within said cell coverage area to transmit response data. The program of 
instructions which controls the actions of microprocessor 16 is stored in 
read-only memory (ROM) 18, preferably electrically erasible programmable 
ROM (EEPROM). Non-volatile memory storage is preferably used. 
iii. Display and Response means 
Pertinent LED lights 19, 20 and 21, located respectively next to pushbutton 
22, pushbutton 23 and pushbutton 24, may illuminate to display the one or 
plurality of predetermined responses or response options identified by 
response mode code 39/44. Immediately upon depression or activation of 
pushbutton 22, 23 or 24 microprocessor 16 may input stored or received 
speech synthesis data such as LPC encoded voice signals representative of 
a predetermined message or prompt to speech synthesizer 28, which converts 
said data into an intelligible audio frequency signal (if said received 
data is received as text, conventional text-to-speech conversion may be 
performed) that connects, via port 29, to a loudspeaker, communications 
device 30 transducer or the audio section of tuner 13. Speech synthesizer 
28 may be programmed to voice deliver a verbal alert within a 
predetermined period of time after said at least one consumer depresses or 
activates pushbutton 22, 23 or 24 for a response option that is 
unavailable to be made, alerting said RDPU user of such unavailability. 
When pushbuttons 22, 23 or 24 is depressed, microprocessor 16 may generate 
and store in RAM 17 response data stream FIG. 4 and may also send data 
stream FIG. 4 to communications device 30, which then connects the RDPU 
via wire or wireless communications link 31 to computer 32 for 
predetermined processing. If a connection cannot be established 
immediately, said RDPU may automatically repeat said attempts to make 
connection until a predetermined time limit is reached or connection is 
achieved, when said response data stream FIG. 4 is retrieved from RAM 17 
and transmitted via communications link 31 to said computer 32 for said 
predetermined processing. 
Data stream FIG. 4 is comprised of a short signalling/synchronizing code 46 
which alerts computer 32 to receive data, product/service identification 
code 47 that uniquely describes the one or plurality of products, services 
or program elements identified by product/service identification code 
35/42 being responded to by said at least one consumer, distribution 
center identification code 48, code 49 identifying the radio station over 
which the associated program element is broadcast, the date and time code 
50 identifying the date and time that said RDPU received data code set 
FIG. 2/3, a code 51 representing the receiving location, responding RDPU 
identification code 52, response mode code 53 identifying the response 
made and a checksum code 54 used for data error detection. Said data 
stream FIG. 4 may be transmitted several times in order to facilitate 
error detection and correction at computer 32. 
Said wireless communications link 31 may include RDPU transceiver means 
(not shown) and one or a plurality of fixed transceiver sites (not shown) 
connected via communications link 31 to computer 32. Said referenced 
wireless or radio frequency transmission structure is well known in the 
art and needs no further description. See, e.g. Clagett, U.S. Pat. No. 
5,105,197, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
iv. Location Sensing and TTL Interface Circuitry Tuner 13 may be coupled to 
location sensing device (not shown) such as zip code location identifier 
for fixed RDPU units and for mobile RDPU units GPS or LORAN C receiver or 
cellular radio location means. Said location sensing device may be used 
for any locator purpose. One such purpose may be for microprocessor 16 to 
compare the location of one of said mobile RDPU units with the location of 
a retail outlet for a radio advertiser, said retail location information 
pre-stored in RAM 17 or ROM 18 such as from a map stored in optical disk 
as disclosed in LaRue, U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,560 (which is incorporated 
herein by reference). Speech synthesizer 28 may voice deliver directions 
to said retail location from the location of said mobile RDPU unit. 
Alternatively, said RDPU unit location identification may be incorporated 
into an output set locator code 51 and transmitted in a response data set 
FIG. 4 via telephone communications link 31 to computer 32 for 
predetermined processing. 
Said RDPU may have interface circuitry 27 means for external input via 
input port 26 of data which uniquely describes the location of said RDPU 
from data output derived from conventional external location sensing 
device such as a LORAN C or GPS receiver or means for receiving cell 
location identity codes for cellular radio or microcell RF systems (as 
used herein said term "cellular radio" includes any cellular or 
microcellular RF systems) in which said RDPU is located at a given point 
in time, storing location data code 51 in RAM 17 and incorporating said 
code 51 into an output data set FIG. 4. Location data code 51 may be used 
by computer 32 to ascertain the location of said RDPU and provide the user 
of said RDPU with voice delivered, text or graphic display directions to a 
predetermined location of interest such as a retail outlet for an 
advertising merchant. 
Further said RDPU may have interface circuitry 15 means between said RDPU 
and an interfaced digital radio receiver/tuner 13 capable of having its 
tuning frequency controlled by an electrical signal, to sense via 
conventional digital TTL (transistor logic) circuitry (not shown) the 
radio frequency or channel to which receiver/tuner 13 is tuned at a given 
point in time. Said RDPU may further have means to incorporate data 
identifying said frequency or channel tuned to into an output data set 
FIG. 4 for transmission via communications link 31 as described above with 
respect to location data code 51. 
Date and time code 50 may used by computer 32 as back up means of 
determining the specific program element to which said at least one 
consumer is responding. Computer 32 compares the date/time indicated by 
said code 50 with the program log of the radio station identified in said 
output data set containing said TTL-derived frequency or channel data. 
Said radio station program log data, previously transmitted from the radio 
station to computer 32 by conventional means, lists the times and dates of 
airing of all radio station program elements. 
V. Program Listing Text Scroll 
As disclosed above, RAM 17 may be partitioned into blocks of defined size, 
which blocks are identified by type codes resident in said partitioned 
memory. Broadcast data code set FIG. 2/3 intended for predetermined type 
codes--such as program listing data falling under a subject category type 
code--includes address information in predetermined data packet header 
sections corresponding to said respective memory type codes. When said RAM 
17 receives and decodes said address information it routes said codes to 
be stored in the respective memory unit corresponding to the address 
indicated in said category code, to be retrieved later by microprocessor 
16 and input to display means such as LCD display means to be text 
scrolled in a predetermined order such as alphabetically by category and 
FIFO by specific program element, product or service listing. 
Predetermined program listing codes may transmitted via a predetermined 
subcarrier kHz channel at a predetermined time, preferably every quarter 
hour of time, with said RDPU preprogrammed to receive said subcarrier 
transmissions at or about said predetermined transmission time and decode 
said received subcarrier data in the same decoding manner as described 
above. Further, radio station subcarriers may be used to transmit a 
plurality of FIG. 2/3 code sets identifying a plurality of program 
elements scheduled to broadcast on at least one broadcast radio station in 
at least one given market area during a predetermined time period, 
preferably quarter hour program listing intervals. Said respective subject 
category and program element or product/service listings are stored in 
said address locations in said partitioned RAM 17 for a predetermined 
period of time, after which said respective listings are automatically 
deleted. 
Using pushbutton 22 and 23 response means said stored program element or 
product/service listings may be scrolled by pushbutton 22 up and 
pushbutton 23 down. Said pushbutton 22 may be depressed or activated 
remotely via conventional remote control means (not shown) coupled to 
microprocessor 16 within a predetermined period of time after a desired 
subject category is displayed, activating LCD display in a predetermined 
order of one or plurality of program elements, products or services listed 
under said selected subject category. Within a predetermined time period 
after said LCD display commences displaying a desired program element, 
product or service listed under said selected subject category pushbutton 
22 may be depressed or activated again to stop said scrolling at said 
desired program element, product or service listing. With a program 
element--said LCD display may display in a predetermined order respective 
one or plurality of broadcast radio stations scheduled to broadcast said 
program element and the date(s)/time(s) scheduled for broadcast and 
response option(s) including autodail of telephone number for further 
interaction with said identified program element such as purchase/order, 
information request or voice contact. In other words, the RDPU user may 
have the option of waiting for said scheduled broadcast/transmission 
date/time to conduct one or plurality of said response options or to 
immediately select said one or plurality of response options via 
respective pushbuttons 22, 23 or 24 on demand. Said scroll mode is 
activated/deactivated via scroll switch (not shown) coupled to 
microprocessor 16. 
Clearly, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are 
possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood 
that, within the scope and spirit of the claims made herein, the invention 
may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein, the 
invention may be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from 
such scope and spirit and, further, the utility described herein is by way 
of example, with the understanding that there exists other utility and 
functionality of the methods and apparatus embodied herein. What is 
claimed is all modifications coming within the scope and spirit of the 
following claims: