Method and apparatus for navigating, previewing and selecting broadband channels via a receiving user interface

• US 20040058641A1
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sirius XM Radio Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: XM Satellite Radio Incorporated (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Acker, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,263,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/47 for recognising genres
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter

Abstract

A radio receiver and method of controlling the same are provided for use in a digital digital audio radio services system. An improved user interface takes advantage of ancillary data transmitted with a digital broadcast signal to contemporaneously display song titles, artist names, channels categories, and other information on said radio receiver, and to allow a user to select channels based on the ancillary data.

Claims

1. A radio receiver for receiving a digital broadcast signal comprising:

a receiver unit configured to receive said digital broadcast signal comprising a plurality of channels of audio content and ancillary data related to said plurality of channels, said ancillary data comprising at least a first information element and a second information element;

said receiver unit comprising a processing device, a memory device and a user interface device adapted to allow a user to select from among said plurality of channels;

said user interface comprising a display adapted to operate in a first mode in which said display is arranged into at least two lines, said at least two lines comprising a first line for displaying said first information element in a small font, and a second line for displaying said second information element in a small font;

said display being further adapted to operate in a second mode in which said display is arranged to display said first information element and said second information element in a large font.

2. The radio receiver of claim 1, further comprising a user input operable to cause said display to toggle between said first mode and said second mode.

3. The radio receiver of claim 1, wherein said small font is less than one-half inch in height, and said large font is greater than one-half inch in height.

4. The radio receiver of claim 3, wherein said large font is greater than 1 inch in height.

5. The radio receiver of claim 1, wherein said receiver is adapted to scroll said first information element and said second information element across said display in said second mode.

6. The radio receiver of claim 1, wherein said ancillary data is contemporaneous information descriptive of said audio content.

7. The radio receiver of claim 6, wherein said first information element comprises an artist name and said second information element comprises a song name.

8. A method of selecting one channel from a plurality of channels in a digital broadcast signal comprising the steps of:

receiving a digital broadcast signal comprising a plurality of audio content channels, said channels each having a unique channel number associated therewith;

receiving a first user input corresponding to one or more digits of a desired channel number;

determining, based on said first user input, whether a unique one of said channel numbers is identified by said first user input;

if said first user input identifies a unique one of said channel numbers, tuning to said channel immediately;

if said first user input does not identify a unique one of said channel numbers, tuning to a channel corresponding to the digits included in said first user input if a second user input corresponding to at least one additional digit of said desired channel number is not received within a predetermined time period.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said desired channel number is a three digit number selected from the range:

000 to 999.

10. A radio receiver for receiving a digital broadcast signal comprising:

a receiver unit configured to receive said digital broadcast signal comprising a plurality of channels of audio content having unique channel numbers associated therewith;

said receiver unit comprising a processing device, a memory device and a user interface device adapted to allow a user to select from among said plurality of channels;

said user interface comprising a mode selection device and a plurality of numeric input keys;

said mode selection device operative to select one of a plurality of channel selection modes of said radio receiver;

said plurality of channel selection modes comprising a preset mode, in which said plurality of numeric keys each have a preset channel associated therewith and stored in said memory, and said receiver tunes to the preset channel corresponding to the single numeric key selected by a user;

said plurality of channel selection modes further comprising a direct entry mode, in which said plurality of numeric keys are each operative to select a number corresponding with a digit of a desired channel number, and said receiver tunes to the channel corresponding to the one or more digits selected by said user.

11. A radio receiver for receiving a digital broadcast signal comprising:

a receiver unit configured to receive said digital broadcast signal comprising a plurality of channels of audio content and ancillary data related to contemporaneous content on said plurality of channels of audio content;

said receiver unit comprising a processing device, a memory device and a user interface device adapted to allow a user to select from among said plurality of channels;

said user interface comprising a display adapted to display said ancillary data, and user inputs adapted to select one of said plurality of channels based on said displayed ancillary data.

12. The radio receiver of claim 11, wherein said ancillary data comprises an artist name and a song name related to the content being contemporaneously broadcast on each of said plurality of channels.

13. The radio receiver of claim 12, wherein said ancillary data further comprises a category name associated with each of said plurality of channels.

14. A method of displaying channel information in a satellite digital audio radio service system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a digital broadcast signal comprising a plurality of audio channels and ancillary data related to contemporaneous content on each of said plurality of channels, said ancillary data comprising a category associated with each of said plurality of channels;

in response to a first user input, displaying a list of channels associated with a first category;

in response to a second user input, displaying a list of channels associated with a second category;

in response to a third user input, tuning to one of said channels associated with said second category.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said ancillary data further comprises a song name and an artist name associated with the contemporaneous content on each of said plurality of channels, and said list of channels associated with said second category comprises the song name or the artist name associated with each of said channels in said list.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

where said list of channels associated with said second category is longer than a predetermined number, scrolling said list on a display in response to a user scroll input.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said user scroll input comprises turning a scroll wheel.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of highlighting individual ones of said list of channels based on said user scroll input, and selecting the highlighted channel when a user scroll input has not been received for a predetermined amount of time.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said user scroll input comprises pressing a scroll button.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of highlighting individual ones of said list of channels based on said user scroll input, and selecting the highlighted channel when a select input is received from said user.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said user scroll button is on a remote control device.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein certain of said plurality of channels are associated with at least two of said categories.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

storing a list of preset channels in a memory, and generating said list of channels associated with said second category from said list of preset channels.

24. A method of displaying channels in a satellite digital audio radio service system comprising the steps of:

receiving a digital broadcast signal comprising a plurality of audio content channels, and ancillary data corresponding to contemporaneous information related to each of said plurality of channels;

storing a first list of all available channels and a display parameter associated with each said available channel, said display parameter having a binary value corresponding to “

display”

or “

do not display”

;

setting at least one of said display parameters associated with one of said channels to “

do not display”

;

generating a second list of channels having associated display parameters set to “

display”

; and

displaying said second list of channels.

25. A method of displaying information related to a plurality of audio content channels comprising the steps of:

receiving a digital broadcast signal comprising said plurality of audio content channels, and ancillary data comprising a plurality of contemporaneous information parameters related to each of said plurality of audio channels;

in response to a first user input, displaying a first list, each item in said first list comprising a channel number and a first information parameter corresponding to said channel number;

in response to a second user input, displaying a second list, each item in said second list comprising a channel number and a second information parameter corresponding to said channel number.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said first information parameter is an artist name.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said first information parameter is a song name.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said first information parameter is a channel name.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of selecting a channel from said second list.

30. A method of providing a digital broadcast signal to a radio receiver, the digital broadcast signal comprising a plurality of program channels having channel identifiers, different types of programs being assigned to respective ones of the channels by a system control station, the method comprising the steps of:

storing preset channel data in a memory device at said radio receiver, said radio receiver comprising user input devices having input device identifiers, said radio receiver being programmable to allow a user to assign each of said user input devices to one of said channels and to store as said preset channel data said channel identifiers of the assigned channels and said input device identifiers of the corresponding said user input devices, each of said user input devices upon activation indicating to said radio receiver to tune to the corresponding one of said channels assigned to it;

receiving reassigned channel data from said digital broadcast signal that indicates that said channel identifier of at least one of said channels in said preset channel data has changed; and

automatically modifying said preset channel data in said memory device to substitute said channel identifier in said reassigned channel data for the corresponding one previously stored therein.

31. A method of providing a digital broadcast signal to radio receivers comprising the steps of:

selecting audio programs for broadcast transmission;

generating at a system control station a digital broadcast signal comprising a plurality of program channels having channel identifiers and ancillary data, said audio programs being assigned to respective ones of said channels, said ancillary data providing a user with data at the radio receiver that identifies the corresponding one of said audio programs during playback at said radio receiver;

receiving a request from a user to change at least one of said audio programs assigned to at least one of said channels before its transmission in said digital broadcast signal;

modifying said digital broadcast signal to incorporate another audio program in lieu of said at least one of said audio programs in response to said request; and

modifying said ancillary data corresponding to at least one of said audio programs in response to said request to identify said another audio program during playback at said radio receiver.

32. A radio receiver for receiving a digital broadcast signal comprising:

a receiver unit configured to receive said digital broadcast signal and comprising a processing device, a memory device and a user interface device adapted to allow a user to select from among a plurality of channels of audio content provided by said digital broadcast signal and change receiver unit settings that are stored in said memory device; and

a docking station detachably connected to said receiver unit and configured to playback one of said plurality of channels selected via said receiver unit, said docking station having an electrical connector that is electrically connected to a complementary electrical connector on said receiver unit, said docking station being selected from a group of different types of docking stations, said electrical connector on said docking station being configured to indicate to said receiver unit which of said different types of docking stations said docking station is;

wherein said memory device stores a plurality of receiver unit settings for respective ones of said different types of docking stations, said receiver unit being operable to automatically select said receiver unit settings corresponding to the type of docking station connected to said receiver unit as indicated by said electrical connector thereof.

33. The radio receiver of claim 32, wherein said types of docking stations are selected from the group consisting of boombox, home audio kit, and car audio kit.

34. The radio receiver of claim 32, wherein one of said receiver unit settings relates to a function of input keys on a remote control.

35. The radio receiver of claim 34, wherein said radio receiver is operable to set said function to control audio volume when said docking station is a boombox docking station, and wherein said radio receiver is further operable to set said function to control channel number when said docking station is a home audio kit.

36. The radio receiver of claim 32, wherein one of said receiver unit settings relates to available menu options for changing receiver unit settings.

37. The radio receiver of claim 32, wherein one of said receiver unit settings relates to a line out level.

38. The radio receiver of claim 37, wherein said line out level is selectable by a user when said docking station is a home audio kit or a car audio kit and said line out level is set to a predetermined level when said docking station is a boombox.