Automotive storage and playback device and method for using the same

• US 20020164973A1
• Filed: 10/19/2001
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Edwards, Bruce, Janik, Craig M., Kalayjian, Nick
• Granted Patent: US 7,200,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/403
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

An automotive storage and playback device and method for using the same are described. The automotive storage and playback device is capable of being detachably coupled to an automobile. The device includes a wireless transceiver to receive compressed digital content automatically from a computer system via a wireless local area network based on user defined preferences input into the computer system. The wireless transceiver is communicably coupled to the wireless local area network when the wireless transceiver is a predetermined distance from a wireless local area network access point. The device also includes a decoder and converter to decompress and convert the digital content. The decompressed and converted digital content is sent to be played on an output device in the automobile.

Claims

1. An automotive storage and playback device for detachably coupling to an automobile comprising:

a wireless transceiver to receive compressed digital content automatically from a computer system via a wireless local area network based on user defined preferences input into the computer system, the wireless transceiver communicably coupled to the wireless local area network when the wireless transceiver is a predetermined distance from a wireless local area network access point; and

a decoder and converter to decompress and convert the digital content to be sent to and played on an output device in the automobile.

2. The automotive storage and playback device of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceiver receives the digital content automatically when the wireless transceiver is located a predetermined distance from the wireless local area network access point.

3. The automotive storage and playback device of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceiver receives the digital content periodically at times designated according to the user defined preferences input into the computer system.

4. The automotive storage and playback device of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceiver receives the digital content is received at the automotive storage and playback device in response to a user action.

5. The automotive storage and playback device of claim 1 further comprising a storage and datalink unit coupled with the wireless transceiver, the storage and datalink to receive the digital content from the wireless transceiver and convert the digital content into at least one of binary data and instructions.

6. The automotive storage and playback device of claim 5 further comprising a head unit coupled to the storage and data link unit via at least one cable.

7. The automotive storage and playback device of claim 6 wherein the head unit comprises:

a stereo sound processor;

an audio mixer coupled with the stereo sound processor;

a pre-amplifier coupled with the audio mixer;

an amplifier coupled with the pre-amplifier;

a tuner coupled to an antennae attached to the automobile; and

a user interface.

8. The automotive storage and playback device of claim 7 wherein the head unit further comprises:

a compact disc drive coupled with the stereo sound processor; and

an audiocassette drive coupled with the stereo sound processor.

9. The automotive storage and playback device of claim 1 wherein the digital content includes at least one of a music file, a text file, an image file, a video file, and an interactive multimedia file.

10. The automotive storage and playback device of claim 5 wherein the storage and datalink unit includes a battery.

11. The automotive storage and playback device of claim 5 wherein the storage and datalink unit includes a temperature-based control system.

12. The automotive storage and playback device of claim 5 wherein the storage and datalink unit includes a vibration dampening system.

13. The automotive storage and playback device of claim 12 wherein the vibration dampening system includes two elastomeric suspension caps.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the computer system sends the digital content automatically when the automotive storage and playback device is located a predetermined distance from the wireless local area network access point.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the computer system sends the digital content periodically at times designated according to the user defined preferences input into the computer system.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the computer system sends the digital content in response to a user action.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the computer system comprises:

a system control application to manage and control the transfer of the digital content; and

a user interface.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the automotive storage and playback device receives the digital content automatically when the automotive storage and playback device is located a predetermined distance from the wireless local area network access point.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the automotive storage and playback device receives the digital content periodically at times designated according to the user defined preferences input into the computer system.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the automotive storage and playback device receives the digital content in response to a user action.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein the computer system comprises:

a system control application to manage and control the transfer of the digital content; and

a user interface.

24. The system of claim 19 further comprising a storage and datalink unit coupled with the wireless transceiver to receive the digital content from the wireless transceiver and convert the digital content into at least one of binary data and instructions.

25. The system of claim 24 further comprising a head unit coupled to the storage and data link unit via at least one cable.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the head unit comprises:

a stereo sound processor;

an audio mixer coupled with the stereo sound processor;

a pre-amplifier coupled with the audio mixer;

an amplifier coupled with the pre-amplifier;

a tuner coupled to an antennae attached to the automobile; and

a user interface.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the head unit further comprises:

a compact disc drive coupled with the stereo sound processor; and

an audiocassette drive coupled with the stereo sound processor.

28. The system of claim 19 wherein the digital content includes at least one of a music file, a text file, an image file, a video file, and an interactive multimedia file.

29. The system of claim 19 wherein the wide area network is Internet.

30. The system of claim 24 wherein the storage and datalink unit includes a battery.

31. The system of claim 24 wherein the storage and datalink unit includes a temperature-based control system.

32. The system of claim 24 wherein the storage and datalink unit includes a vibration dampening system.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the vibration dampening system includes two elastomeric suspension caps.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein receiving digital content includes receiving the digital content automatically when the automotive storage and playback device is within the predetermined distance from the wireless local area network access point.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein receiving digital content includes receiving the digital content periodically at times designated according to the user defined preferences input into the computer system.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein receiving digital content includes receiving the digital content in response to a user action.

38. The method of claim 34 further comprising decompressing and converting the digital content into at least one of binary data and instructions.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising transferring the converted content to an output device in the automobile.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising playing the converted content on the output device.

41. The method of claim 34 wherein the digital content includes at least one of a music file, a text file, an image file, a video file, and an interactive multimedia file.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a computer system communicably coupled to the wireless local area network, the computer system automatically obtaining, storing, and sending digital content via a wireless local area network access point to an automotive storage and playback device when the automotive storage and playback device is within a predetermined distance from the wireless local area network access point, the computer system obtaining the digital content from a wide area network based on user defined preferences input into the computer system.

19. A system for transferring digital content to an automobile comprising:

an automotive storage and playback device for detachably coupling to the automobile, the automotive storage and playback device including a wireless transceiver to automatically receive compressed digital content via a wireless local area network, the automotive storage and playback device coupled to an output device in the automobile that is capable of playing the digital content; and

a computer system communicably coupled to the wireless local area network, the computer system automatically obtaining, storing, and sending the digital content via a wireless local area network access point to the automotive storage and playback device when the automotive storage and playback device is within a predetermined distance from the wireless local area network access point, the computer system obtaining the digital content from a wide area network based on user defined preferences input into the computer system.

34. A method of transferring digital content to an automotive storage and playback device capable of being detachably coupled to an automobile comprising:

communicably coupling the automotive storage and playback device to a local area network when the automotive storage and playback device is within a predetermined distance from a wireless local area network access point; and

receiving digital content from a remote computer system via the wireless local area network access point based on user defined preferences input in the computer system.