Inventors:
Nolan K. Bushnell - Los Gatos CA
Joseph F. Keenan - San Jose CA
Assignee:
Atari, Inc. - Sunnyvale CA
International Classification:
H04M 1100
Abstract:
An interactive purchasing system employs a station transmitting signals adapted to be received by a plurality of television receivers at a number of viewing stations via a given television channel. In one application, the signals represent information relating to associated merchandise in various stores. A viewer uses keyboard controls to scan the "pages" of advertising on a video display and to indicate a selected purchase. A telephone coupling arrangement provided at each viewing station is adapted to cooperate with a telephone in placing a call via the telephone selectively to one of a plurality of stores. Means are further provided at each viewing station for selecting merchandise to be purchased including means serving to operate a conventional telephone at the viewing station to call the particular stores related to the selected merchandise and to register a request to purchase the selected merchandise.