The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 29, 2002
Filed:
May. 12, 1999
Leon P. Stoel, Sioux Falls, SD (US);
David M. Bankers, Sioux Falls, SD (US);
Christopher Alan Cinco, Sioux Falls, SD (US);
LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation, Sioux Falls, SD (US);
Abstract
An information/entertainment system having a number of interactive input and output devices is provided. Each interactive input device is electrically connected to a selected output device using a host that communicates with a router apparatus. The router apparatus includes a plurality of emulation assemblies. Each emulation assembly is configured to communicate input information to a particular interactive output device. Input information from a particular interactive input device is received and properly handled by a pre-configured emulation assembly which is electrically connected to the interactive output device associated with that particular interactive input device. This emulation assembly formats the information/data that it receives so that it is acceptable to the interactive output device to which it is connected. The host obtains input information using a slot/subslot arrangement associated with interactive interrogations or polling. The slots/subslots enable the system to obtain inputs at different transmission rates from different interactive input devices.