Intelligent radio
First Claim
1. A radio for receiving, with substantially equal convenience, broadcasts from both local radio stations and from the world wide web, comprising:
- a visual display for providing information to a user;
tuner circuitry for receiving radio frequency signals from radio broadcast stations;
one or more audio amplifiers;
one or more loudspeakers operably connected to said audio amplifiers;
a modem for transmitting and receiving digital data over a communications network;
a data storage device; and
a software program stored on said data storage device, said software program configured to use said modem to connect to an Internet service provider to receive digitized audio broadcasts from said Internet service provider, said program further configured to provide a select broadcast display to allow the user to selectably connect a program broadcast to the input of said one or more audio amplifiers either from a local AM or FM radio station or from the world wide Web SO that to the user, reception of a broadcast from the world wide Web is no more complicated than listening to a local FM or AM radio station.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An intelligent radio apparatus that is adapted to receive Web radio broadcasts is disclosed. The Web Radio provides a user interface that is less like a computer program and more like a conventional radio, thus making the device easy to use. Rather than the complicated user interface found on Personal computers, the intelligent radio provides familiar radio-type user controls such as switches, a tuning knob, joysticks, cursor controls, voice activated controls, etc. The radio-type user controls allow the user to select a Web radio station and control other aspects of the operation of the intelligent radio in a manner that is more like a conventional radio and less like a computer program. The intelligent radio is configured to run the software needed to access the Internet and thus relieves the user of complicated software installation tasks such as installing and configuring an operating system and installing and configuring Internet access software. The intelligent radio also provides Internet telephony, voicemail, and voice-email capabilities.
116 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A radio for receiving, with substantially equal convenience, broadcasts from both local radio stations and from the world wide web, comprising:
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a visual display for providing information to a user;
tuner circuitry for receiving radio frequency signals from radio broadcast stations;
one or more audio amplifiers;
one or more loudspeakers operably connected to said audio amplifiers;
a modem for transmitting and receiving digital data over a communications network;
a data storage device; and
a software program stored on said data storage device, said software program configured to use said modem to connect to an Internet service provider to receive digitized audio broadcasts from said Internet service provider, said program further configured to provide a select broadcast display to allow the user to selectably connect a program broadcast to the input of said one or more audio amplifiers either from a local AM or FM radio station or from the world wide Web SO that to the user, reception of a broadcast from the world wide Web is no more complicated than listening to a local FM or AM radio station.
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2. A method for providing, with substantially equal convenience, access to audio broadcasts over the world wide Web and access to broadcasts from local radio stations, comprising the steps of:
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using a modem for transmitting and receiving digital data over a communications network to an Internet service provider;
using a radio tuner to receive audio broadcasts from local radio stations; and
providing a stored software program for allowing selection of a Web broadcast with substantially the same controls and convenience as selecting a local radio broadcast. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4)
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5. A self-contained intelligent radio for receiving audio broadcasts over the world wide Web, comprising:
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a visual display for providing information to a user;
a modem for transmitting and receiving digital data over a communications network;
a data storage device;
one or more loudspeakers; and
a software program stored on said data storage device, said software program configured to use said modem to connect to an Internet service provider, receive digitized audio broadcasts from said Internet service provider, and play said audio broadcasts on said speakers, said software further configured to provide;
a menu display that allows the user to select a command;
a select language display that allows the user to specify a desired language;
a program material display to allow the user to select a type of program material; and
a select broadcast display to allow the user to select a program broadcast.
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6. A self-contained intelligent radio for receiving audio broadcasts over the world wide Web, comprising:
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a visual display for providing information to a user;
a network interface for transmitting and receiving digital data over a communications network;
a data storage device; and
a software program stored on said data storage device, said software program configured to use said network interface to connect to an Internet service provider, and receive digitized audio broadcasts from said Internet service provider. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 49)
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35. An intelligent radio apparatus comprising:
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a processor operatively coupled to a computer network; and
software loaded into a memory operatively coupled to said processor, software configured to;
provide a list of streaming audio programs for an intelligent radio;
provide access to said streaming audio programs; and
provide information formatted for a display in said intelligent radio.
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- 44. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein said added functionality comprises voice command recognition.
Specification