Mobile communication system

Abstract

A mobile communications system includes a plurality of mobile communications devices. A direct link communicates information between a communications network and a selected one of the plurality of mobile communications devices. A broadcast link simultaneously broadcasts information from the communications network intended to be receivable by the plurality of mobile communications devices.

1 . A mobile communications system, comprising: 
 a plurality of mobile communications devices;    a direct link, for communicating information between a communications network and a selected one of the plurality of mobile communications devices; and    a broadcast link, for simultaneously broadcasting information from the communications network intended to be receivable by the plurality of mobile communications devices.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the direct link comprises a plurality of transmitting and receiving antennas coupled to the communications network, for transmitting information to, and receiving information from the selected mobile communications device.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the direct link comprises a telephone network and the plurality of transmitting and receiving antennas are cellular phone antennas.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the broadcast link comprises a broadcast transmitting antenna providing a signal over a relatively wide geographical area, intended to be receivable by the plurality of mobile communications devices.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the broadcast link further comprises a television broadcast system and the broadcast transmitting antenna is a television broadcast antenna.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the television broadcast antenna is a terrestrial television broadcast antenna.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the broadcast link further comprises: 
 a satellite ground station transmitting antenna, coupled to the communications network, for transmitting information from the communications network intended to be received by the plurality of mobile communications devices; and    a direct television satellite system satellite, comprising a receiving antenna for receiving the information transmitted by the satellite ground station, and the television broadcast transmitting antenna for broadcasting the received information over a relatively wide geographical area, intended to be receivable by the plurality of mobile communications devices.    
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein: 
 each of the plurality of mobile communications devices comprises a direct link antenna and a broadcast receiving antenna;    the direct link comprises a transmitting and receiving antenna, coupled to the communications network, for transmitting information to, and receiving information from, the direct link antenna of the selected mobile communications device; and    the broadcast link comprises a broadcast transmitting antenna, coupled to the communications network, for transmitting information to the broadcast receiving antenna of the mobile communications device.    
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the communications network comprises the internet and includes a plurality of computer data servers for storing information;    the selected mobile communications device comprises circuitry to provide a request for information to the computer data servers via the direct link;    the computer data servers retrieve the requested information and supply the retrieved information to the communications network in response to the request from the selected mobile communications device;    if the retrieved information is expected to be requested simultaneously by the plurality of mobile communications devices, the communications network routes the information via the broadcast link to the plurality of mobile communications devices and routes data via the direct link to the selected communications device specifying that the broadcast link contains the requested information, otherwise the communications network routes the requested information via the direct link to the selected mobile communications device; and    the selected mobile communications device further comprises circuitry to receive the requested information from the broadcast link in response to data received via the direct link that the broadcast link contains the requested information, and to receive the information from the direct link otherwise.    
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein: 
 the broadcast link comprises a plurality of channels, the requested data is broadcast on a selected one of the plurality of channels, and the data routed to the selected mobile communications device specifying that the broadcast link contains the requested information further contains data representing the channel carrying the requested information; and    the mobile communications device is responsive to the channel representative data to receive the requested information from the selected channel.    
   
   
       11 . A method for communicating information comprising the steps of: 
 sending information intended for a single mobile communications device via a direct link; and    sending information intended for a plurality of mobile communications devices via a broadcast link.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of sending information via the direct link comprises the step of sending the information via a telephone network.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the step of sending the information via the telephone network comprises the step of sending the information via a cellular telephone network.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of sending information via the broadcast link comprises the step of sending the information via a television broadcast system.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein step of sending the information via the television broadcast link comprises the step of sending the information on a selected one of a plurality of channels in the television broadcast system.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a request for information via the direct link;    determining if the requested information can be broadcast;    if the requested information can be broadcast, sending the requested information via the broadcast link, otherwise sending the requested information via the direct link;    wherein if the information is sent via the broadcast link, sending data to at least one of the plurality of the mobile communications devices via the direct link specifying that the requested information is being supplied via the broadcast link, and specifying the selected channel.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the step of sending the information via the television broadcast system comprises the step of sending the information via a terrestrial television broadcast system.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the step of sending the information via the television broadcast system comprises the step of sending the information via a direct television satellite system.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a request for information via the direct link;    determining if the requested information can be broadcast;    if the requested can be broadcast, sending the requested information via the broadcast link, otherwise sending the requested information via the direct link.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the steps of: 
 if the information is sent via the broadcast link, sending data to at least one of the mobile communications devices via the direct link specifying that the requested information is being supplied via the broadcast link.    
   
   
       21 - 42 . (canceled)