System and method for tuning radio service

• US 20040157572A1
• Filed: 02/10/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Ramaswamy, Kumar
• Application Number:
  US10/361,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20040157572A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/150.1
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0083 using two or more tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

A wireless device comprises a user interface [208], a transport layer-processing module [206] connected to the user interface, and a cellular receiver [204] connected to the transport layer processing module for receiving a cellular signal comprising a radio channel guide. The wireless device further comprises a radio signal tuner [214] connected to the interface for receiving a radio signal, and an application layer [208] for tuning the radio receiver to a channel of the radio signal according to a user selection from the radio channel guide.

Claims

1. A wireless device comprising:

a first receiver [204] connected to the transport layer processing module for receiving a first signal comprising a channel guide;

a second signal tuner [214] connected to the interface for receiving a second signal comprising a plurality of channels; and

an application layer [208] for tuning the second receiver to a channel of the second signal according to a user selection from the channel guide, wherein the channel guide describes at least one channel of the second signal.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, further comprising a memory coupled to the second signal tunder for storing content of the channel of the second signal according to the user selection.

3. The wireless device of claim 1, further comprising a memory coupled to the application layer for storing the channel guide.

4. A wireless device comprising:

a user interface [208];

a transport layer-processing module [206] connected to the user interface;

a cellular receiver [204] connected to the transport layer processing module for receiving a cellular signal comprising a radio channel guide;

a radio signal tuner [214] connected to the interface for receiving a radio signal; and

an application layer [208] for tuning the radio receiver to a channel of the radio signal according to a user selection from the radio channel guide.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the radio signal tuner is connected to a memory, wherein the memory stores the radio signal.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the user interface is a liquid crystal display.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the user interface controls the application layer.

8. The device of claim 4, wherein the application formats the radio channel guide according to at least one user preference.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein the radio channel guide is a hypertext markup language document.

10. The device of claim 4, wherein the cellular receiver communicates with a server node, wherein the server node services requests for channel guides.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the server node services requests for a fee charged to the user.

12. A method for tuning a wireless device to a desired radio channel comprising the steps of:

requesting a radio channel guide from a cellular based server;

formatting the radio channel guide according to a device specification;

presenting the radio channel guide to a user; and

tuning, automatically, to a radio channel according to a channel selected from the radio channel guide.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of formatting the radio channel guide according to at least one user preference.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of formatting the radio channel guide comprises the step of presenting channels according to a user selected genre.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

authenticating the wireless device upon requesting the radio channel guide; and

charging a fee to a user for servicing a request.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of updating the radio channel guide.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the radio channel guide is updated upon determining one of a channel in location or a change in time.