Remote programming of radio preset stations over a network

• US 20030083028A1
• Filed: 11/01/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Salton Incorporated (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Salton Incorporated (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Williamson, Charles G.
• Application Number:
  US10/001,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083028A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/186.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages

Abstract

The invention may be broadly conceptualized as an approach in which the configuration of a radio (108) occurs by a user entering data into a graphical interface (110), the data is stored in a user profile (112) at a server (106) and also downloaded to the radio (108).

Claims

1. A system to remotely configure a radio, comprising:

a graphical interface on a first network device that displays an association page that establishes an association list between a first set of configuration data with a second set of configuration data in a user profile in a remote database; and

a radio having a digital controller that is able to communicate with the remote database to retrieve and apply the user profile to facilitate operation of the radio.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a location identifier identifies radio stations that are included in the first set of configuration data.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an alarm configuration page displayed in the graphical interface that establishes an alarm time list with an associated alarm type in the user profile.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface is a web browser.

2. The system of claim 2, wherein a plurality of preset button identifiers is the first set of configuration data;

and

a plurality of radio stations is the second set of configuration data.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a preset button in a plurality of buttons located at the radio being associated with a radio station in response to receipt of the association list at the radio.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein an alarm clock in the radio is sets in response to receipt of the alarm list and the associated alarm type from the user profile.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein receipt of a time synchronization message at the radio results in the alarm clock being set.

10. A method for remotely configuring a radio, comprising:

displaying on a graphical interface on a first network an association page that establishes an association list between a first set of configuration data with a second set of configuration data in a user profile in remote database; and

retrieving the user profile by a digital controller in the radio that is able to communicate with the remote database to facilitate the operation of the radio.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

entering a location identifier at the graphical interface;

sending the location identifier to the remote database;

identifying the second set of configuration; and

receiving at least the second set of configuration data the first computing device.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating a time synchronization message at the second computing device;

sending the time synchronization message to the radio; and

setting a clock in the radio in response to reception of the time synchronization message.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying an alarm configuration page in the graphical user interface;

creating an alarm association between an alarm action and a time of day;

storing the alarm association in the user profile located in the remote database; and

;

communicating the alarm association to the radio.

14. The method in claim 10, wherein establishing further includes:

assigning a first present button identifier form a plurality of preset button that comprise the first set configuration data to a radio station from a plurality of radio stations that comprise the second set of configuration data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein communicating further includes:

configuring a first preset button in a plurality of preset buttons in the radio to select the radio station upon the selection of the first preset radio button.

16. A data structure in a user profile located in a database, comprising:

a user profile identifier;

a plurality of preset button identifiers linked to the user profile identifier; and

an association between each of the plurality of preset button identifiers and one of a plurality of radio stations.

17. The data structure of claim 16, further comprising:

a plurality of alarm times linked to the user profile identifier; and

an alarm type linked to each of the plurality of alarm times.

18. The data structure of claim 17, wherein the alarm type is either a radio station or a buzz.

19. A system for remotely configuring a radio, comprising:

means for displaying on a graphical interface on a first network an association page that establishes an association list between a first set of configuration data with a second set of configuration data in a user profile in remote database; and

means for retrieving the user profile by a digital controller in the radio that is able to communicate with the remote database to facilitate the operation of the radio.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for entering a location identifier at the graphical interface;

means for sending the location identifier to the remote database;

means for identifying the second set of configuration; and

means for receiving at least the second set of configuration data the first computing device.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for generating a time synchronization message at the second computing device;

means for sending the time synchronization message to the radio; and

means for setting a clock in the radio in response to reception of the time synchronization message.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for displaying an alarm configuration page in the graphical user interface;

means for creating an alarm association between an alarm action and a time of day;

means for storing the alarm association in the user profile located in the remote database; and

means for communicating the alarm association to the radio.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the step establishing further includes:

means for assigning a first preset button identifier form a plurality of preset button that comprise the first set of configuration data to a radio station from a plurality of radio stations that comprise the second set of configuration data.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for communicating further includes:

means for configuring a first preset button in a plurality of preset buttons in the radio to select the radio station upon the selection of the first preset radio button.