Method and device for incorporating advertising into videotelephone communications

Patent 6587138 Issued on July 1, 2003. Estimated Expiration Date:

January 22, 2021. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventor: Sawyer

Inventors

Assignee

Robert Bosch GmbH

Application

No. 744442 filed on 01/22/2001

US Classes:

348/14.12, Transmission control (e.g., resolution or quality)348/14.01, TWO-WAY VIDEO AND VOICE COMMUNICATION (E.G., VIDEOPHONE)379/93.12, Sales, ordering, or banking system379/93.25, Having remote database (e.g., videotex system)379/201.01SPECIAL SERVICES

Examiners

Primary: Chan, Wing F.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Striker; Michael J.

International Class

H04N 007/14

Foreign Application Priority Data

1999-05-28 DE

Abstract

In the inventive video telephony method a server of a selected service provider controls transmission of regular video information and voice information between terminals of a caller and a called subscriber during a video telephone call. The server issues a request to the caller to carry out an interactive action during a predetermined time period measured by a timer. If and only if the caller performs the interactive action during the predetermined time period as measured by the timer, additional video information is transmitted to the terminal of the caller from the server and displayed. A fee of the caller may optionally be reduced or increased depending on whether or not the interactive action is performed during the predetermined time period.