# US 8,543,099 B2 · Wireless communication system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,543,099 B2 - Document ID: US8543099B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/418,449 - Filed: 2012-03-13 - Published: 2012-07-05 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2005-01-21 - Assignees: Turning Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Kevin G. Adkins - Inventors: Kevin G. Adkins - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8543099B2 ## CPC - H04B 1/3833: {Hand-held transceivers} - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract A wireless communication system is disclosed herein. The wireless communication system may include transmitter units and a receiver. In one embodiment, each transmitter has an address and logic programmed to perform the steps of receiving a user selection and, responsive to the receiving, repeatedly transmitting a wireless selection signal until a wireless acknowledgment signal is received. The wireless selection signal may include the address and the user selection. The receiver may include means to receive a wireless selection signal and logic programmed to transmit a wireless acknowledgment signal in response to the receipt of each wireless selection signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An audience response system comprising: a base unit; a plurality of handheld devices that are like in kind and perform a same function, each handheld device including: a handheld device transceiver, a user interface, a unique address that distinguishes the handheld device from others of the plurality of handheld devices, and handheld device logic configured to: receive a user selection from the user interface, and instruct the handheld device transceiver to transmit a wireless selection signal encoding the unique address and the user selection, without receiving a wireless signal from the base unit to initiate transmission, wherein the base unit includes: a base unit transceiver configured to receive the wireless selection signal, and base unit logic configured to: place the base unit in a non-transmission mode and retain the base unit in the non-transmission mode until the wireless selection signal is received by the base unit transceiver, decode the wireless selection signal into the unique address and the user selection, generate a wireless acknowledgment signal, and instruct the base unit transceiver to transmit the wireless acknowledgment signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The audience response system of claim 1, wherein the handheld device transceiver is configured to transmit the wireless selection signal on a first band of frequencies. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The audience response system of claim 2, wherein the base unit transceiver is configured to transmit the wireless acknowledgment signal on the first band of frequencies. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The audience response system of claim 2, wherein the base unit transceiver is configured to transmit the wireless acknowledgment signal on a second band of frequencies, different from the first band of frequencies. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The audience response system of claim 1, wherein the unique address is selected from the group consisting of: a device identifier, an electronic identification number, an e-mail address, a name, and an account number. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The audience response system of claim 1, wherein the handheld device logic is further configured to instruct the handheld device transceiver to repeatedly transmit the wireless selection signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The audience response system of claim 1, wherein the handheld device logic is further configured to instruct the handheld device transceiver to repeatedly transmit a wireless selection signal according to a transmission interval. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The audience response system of claim 1, wherein the wireless acknowledgment signal includes the unique address. ### Claim 9 A handheld device configured to communicate with a base unit in an audience response system having a plurality of handheld devices that are like in kind and perform a same function, the handheld device comprising: a transceiver; a user interface; a unique address that distinguishes the handheld device from others of the plurality of handheld devices; logic configured to: generate a wireless response signal encoding a user response entered into the user interface, and the unique address, instruct the transceiver to repeatedly transmit the wireless response signal according to a transmission interval, without receiving a signal from the base unit, and cease the repeated transmission of the wireless response signal upon occurrence of a termination event. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The handheld device of claim 9, wherein the termination event is a receipt by the transceiver of a wireless acknowledgment signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The handheld device of claim 10, wherein the wireless acknowledgment signal includes the unique address. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The handheld device of claim 9, wherein the termination event is an expiration of a predetermined length of time. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The handheld device of claim 9, further comprising a battery configured to provide no more than 25 mA DC current. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The handheld device of claim 9, wherein the handheld device is configured to draw a DC current of less than 15 mA when transmitting the wireless response signal. ### Claim 15 A base unit configured to communicate with a plurality of handheld devices in an audience response system, the base unit comprising: a transceiver; and logic configured to: place the transceiver in a non-transmission mode and retain the transceiver in the non-transmission mode, and after wireless receipt of a response signal by the transceiver from one of the plurality of handheld devices in the audience response system: decode the response signal into address data that identifies one of the plurality of handheld devices and response data that identifies a user response, generate an acknowledgment signal including acknowledgment data, place the transceiver in a transmission mode, instruct the transceiver to transmit the acknowledgment signal, and place the transceiver in the non-transmission mode and retain the transceiver in the non-transmission mode. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The base unit of claim 15, wherein the transceiver receives the response signal on a first channel, and transmits the acknowledgment signal on the first channel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The base unit of claim 15, wherein the base unit is configured to draw a total DC current of less than 500 mA. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The base unit of claim 15, wherein the transceiver is configured to draw a DC current of less than 25 mA when transmitting the acknowledgment signal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The base unit of claim 15, further comprising an interface for a computer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The base unit of claim 15, wherein the acknowledgment signal includes an indication that the response data was accepted.