Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a communication method and to a system involving conventional components such as transmitters and receivers in the implementation of such method.

Background of the Invention

Various communication platforms and protocols are available between computers as well as manually operated handsets. Communication in the form of transmission of sound waves is also an indispensable practice of everyday life. Such communication, either between users or user controlled computers necessitates user intervention to a substantial extent. In other words, a user is involved in the communication himself/herself by dialing a certain number to initiate a GSM communication protocol or by requesting information from a particular Internet Protocol address.

Modern technology makes use of wired or wireless devices to enable distinguished communication protocols. Considering communications involving sound wave emissions, those are all active communications in the sense that a given user is necessarily an active part in the communication process either directly or indirectly. An indirect involvement might occur for instance by programming a scheduled cloud-based synchronization to back up local sound files. A passive communication in the sense the communication system and method of the present invention provides does not involve active user intervention in the conventional manner; that is, electronic devices may initiate communication without a given user being involved at the first place but participates in the process only to react to the outcome of the communication after it has actually taken place. The present invention focuses on a communication technique between separate hardware components in a non-audible frequency range where sound signals are only meaningful to a human after being transformed into a format he/she can make sense of the signal. To this end, the present invention's method and system attempts to bring a piece of information to the attention of a user even when he/she is not actively seeking that information at that moment although the information was previously defined as of interest to that user. In this sense, a user is involved in a passive communication at that moment as he/she cannot control the moment when the communication will take place. This is in principle similar to an automated sound communication unexpectedly received by a user with the difference that the user may get involved in the communication in various ways according to the invention.

The system and method of the invention does not require modification of the existing infrastructure and in this sense provides a very cost-effective solution which is immediately adaptable to the existing infrastructure.

The present invention provides a user with location specific notifications whose location sensitivity is independent of GPS satellites, which are prone to poor performance due to various factors, for instance environmental effects such as multipath reflections. This is especially advantageous in that the concept behind the invention enables location specific communication in areas where no GPS signal is available at all, which was not possible until today.

Further, the specific embodiment of the invention is suitable for functioning in areas where no GPS signal, GSM or data network is available. A TV broadcasting transmitter may also be utilized to produce a communication signal according to the communication concept of the invention. The present invention may also prove to be useful in monitoring TV watching rates and enabling user-specific CRM approaches.

Objects of the Invention Primary object of the present invention is to provide a communication system and method involving a passive communication where a given user does not need to interrupt his/her social life.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a user with location specific notifications in response to which a user might initiate a specific action.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a user with location specific notifications whose location sensitivity is independent of GPS satellites, which are prone to poor performance due to various factors, for instance environmental effects such as multipath reflections.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a user with advertisements on a selective basis such that only specific information is conveyed to a given user and in a manner to be unobtrusive at the exact time such information is being conveyed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a passive communication requiring no user intervention in between a voice source such as a TV set and a mobile device such as a personal data assistant, smartphone etc. Summary of the Invention

The present invention proposes a communication system and method by means of which different information items including advertorial information items are selectively presented to a given user in an unobtrusive manner such that the information is emitted in the form of ultrasonic sound waves not audible to the user. To this end, the information being conveyed is emitted in the form of sound patterns of ultrasonic frequencies, said sound patterns being associated with specific information tags. A user's handset or any mobile or wired device in the proximity of an ultrasonic sound wave generator, upon receiving said ultrasonic pattern, which is comprised of a sequence of predefined ultrasonic frequency values over time, defines said patterns and communicates said pattern to a server over the Internet and receives in return a user-readable information previously associated with said pattern. An extensive list of configuration data is stored on said server in the form of a plurality of ultrasonic patterns and user recognizable information.

The present invention also provides a second mode of operation according to which a user can directly generate ultrasonic patterns by submitting user recognizable information to be associated with a new pattern on said server and again another user receiving said ultrasonic pattern in the vicinity of said first user will retrieve corresponding user recognizable information from said server.

To this end, it is possible to establish communication between an ultrasonic sound wave generator and a plurality of nearby users selectively or between a user generating ultrasonic patterns and a plurality of other users nearby. Brief Description of the Figures

The figures whose brief explanation are herewith provided are solely intended for providing a better understanding of the present invention and is as such not intended to define the scope of protection or the context in which said scope is interpreted in the absence of the description.

Fig. 1 demonstrates a flow diagram of an operational mode of the communication method according to the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring now to the figures outlined above, the present invention proposes a communication system and method by means of which different information items including advertorial information items are selectively presented to a given user in an unobtrusive manner such that the information is emitted in the form of ultrasonic sound waves not audible to the user. This is especially advantageous in providing location-based advertorial information where conventional location-based systems fail due to sensitivity issues. Apparently, location sensitivity defined by GPS satellites is prone to poor performance due to environmental factors, and cannot be relied upon in cases where a location sensitivity of only a couple of meters is needed. This can be the case for instance when two neighbouring shops on a street emit ultrasonic patterns side by side for providing further information about their products displayed on the shop windows. This would be problematic with GPS-based location systems as it would not be possible to provide information to a user in a selective manner. For instance a user can prefer receiving advertorial information in association with a certain fashion brand and at the same time prefer not receiving any advertisement from another brand, these two competing brands having side by side shops. Accordingly, the information being conveyed is emitted in the form of sound patterns of ultrasonic frequencies, said sound patterns being associated with specific information tags according to the present invention. A user's handset or any mobile or wired device in the proximity of an ultrasonic sound wave generator, upon receiving said ultrasonic pattern, which is comprised of a sequence of predefined ultrasonic frequency values over time, defines said patterns and communicates said pattern to a server over the Internet and receives in return a user-readable information previously associated with said pattern. An extensive list of configuration data is stored on said server in the form of a plurality of ultrasonic patterns and user recognizable information.

As a more specific example, a user might be interested in receiving advertorial information from a plurality of commercial entities but from two separate outdoor sportswear brands out of many others. These two brands might be competitors and can emit their ultrasonic sound wave patterns continuously throughout the day on a big street in a shopping district of a city. Such advertorial information could include for instance instant promotions or new products not immediately visible on the shop windows. This user having interest in the products of these two brands will subsequently receive advertorial information as he/she walks past the two shops.

Ultrasonic sound wave patterns might be recognizable by specific software installed on the smartphone of the user. Any handset device suitable for receiving sound waves, i.e. having a conventional microphone can recognize an ultrasonic sound wave pattern with the help of the software analyzing existence of a specific ultrasonic pattern identifier tag, also in the form of a specific ultrasound pattern. As another specific example, a user might be interested in sport car models and watching an international sport car race on the TV. While listening to the audible voice of the announcer on the TV, his mobile phone with the specific ultrasonic recognition software can receive ultrasonic sound wave patterns embedded to the audible voice of the announcer. Thereupon the software will connect to the Internet to retrieve user recognizable information in relation to the specific ultrasonic pattern receive. This information might reveal that a local sport car seller offers a special discount for a certain sport car model. This communication might also occur in a reverse manner, i.e. a software running on a smart TV may collect meaningful information in the vicinity. To that end, it is also possible that a smart TV set acts as a receiver in addition to be used as a receiver.

The extent of use the specific communication method proposed by the invention eliminates problems associated with existing communication methods where connectivity is an issue. For instance if Internet connectivity poses a problem, it is not possible at all to retrieve information. However relevant information, i.e. ultrasonic patterns and associated user recognizable information might be downloaded to local data storage medium over the Wi- Fi network and only submitted to the user when relevant, that is when he or she actually receives that specific ultrasonic sound wave pattern.

The fact that communication at radio frequencies requires no additional hardware and is utterly available is the critically advantageous aspect of the present invention. The present invention also provides a second mode of operation according to which a user can directly generate ultrasonic patterns by submitting user recognizable information to be associated with a new pattern on said server and again another user receiving said ultrasonic pattern in the vicinity of said first user will retrieve corresponding user recognizable information from said server. This is especially advantageous in that a revolutionary way of selective mass communication is achieved. As a specific example, a service user sitting and reading a book in a public place might urgently need his contact lens solution and he realizes to his surprise that he has not the solution in his bag. He might consider the option to ask other people around him with whom he is not familiar, if anyone has a lens solution with him/her in a non-obtrusive way. This is especially preferable instead of disturbing a plurality of people. The service might also be of use for people having interest in meeting new people. An ultrasonic sound wave pattern might be associated with any sort and any amount of information; for instance a service user might like to send his/her picture to people in the vicinity for starting a real conversation.

To this end, according to the present invention, it is possible to establish communication between an ultrasonic sound wave generator and a plurality of nearby users selectively or between a user generating ultrasonic patterns and a plurality of other users nearby.

In a nutshell, the concept behind the invention entails acquiring configuration files from network by a client, i.e. ultrasonic pattern identifications including starting and ending patterns. Ultrasonic pattern identifications in respect of specific electronic devices are obtained online. On the other hand ultrasonic pattern identifications such as starting and ending patterns can be stored offline. Then clients seek predefined ultrasonic patterns in the ambient sound. Ambient sound is accordingly continuously analyzed through Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm. In case clients catch predefined starting patterns according to the configuration files, ambient sound is recorded until an ending pattern is received. Recorded ambient sound is then sent to the network server and in case it is meaningfully deciphered by the server, the deciphered content is sent back to the client.