Audience response system and method with frequency agile transmission protocol

A frequency agile wireless response system, comprising:

• a base unit and a plurality of handheld response units, each communicating with said base unit over a wireless communication link using a frequency agile communication protocol;
• said base unit sending base signals to said response units over said at least one wireless communication link;
• said response units sending response unit signals to said base unit over said at least one wireless communication link;
• wherein said base signals include a master transmission and said base signals are adapted to include an extension transmission;
• wherein a response unit sends a response unit acknowledge to the base unit in response to receipt of a valid extension transmission;
• wherein said base unit repeats a particular extension transmission unless a corresponding response unit acknowledge is received by said base unit;
• and
• wherein said base unit sends a base unit acknowledge upon receipt of a response unit acknowledge.

A method of retrieving user response data from a plurality of users, comprising:

• providing a base unit and a plurality of handheld response units, each communicating with said base unit over a wireless communication link using a frequency agile communication protocol;
• sending base signals with said base unit to said response units over said wireless communication link;
• sending response signals with said response units to said base unit over said wireless communication link;
• and
• wherein said sending base signals includes sending a master transmission and at least occasionally including an extension transmission, the master transmission including information establishing a time mark for said response units and information enabling said response units to receive any extension transmission associated with that base signal.

A method of retrieving user response data from a plurality of users, comprising:

• providing a base unit and a plurality of handheld response units, each communicating with said base unit over a wireless communication link using a frequency agile communication protocol;
• said base unit sending base signals to said response units over said at least one wireless communication link;
• sending response unit signals with said response units to said base unit over said at least one wireless communication link;
• wherein said sending base signals includes sending a master transmission and at least occasionally including an extension transmission;
• wherein said sending response unit signals includes sending a response unit acknowledge to the base unit in response to receipt of a valid extension transmission;
• wherein said sending base signals includes repeating a particular extension transmission unless a corresponding response unit acknowledge is received by said base unit;
• and
• wherein said sending base signals includes sending a base unit acknowledge upon receipt of a response unit acknowledge.