Methods and apparatus for programming user-defined information into electronic devices

• US 20050014495A1
• Filed: 08/11/2004
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solocron Media, LLC (Solocron Group, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Twenty Year Innovations Incorporated
• Inventors: Shanahan, Michael E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,319,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/61 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

A device for programming user-defined information into an electronic device is provided. The programmer allows a user to program customized information, such as user-selected audio, video, or Internet access information into his or her programmable device. Such electronic devices include wireless telephones, pagers, and personal digital assistants. The programmer allows a user to, among other things, customize the device to suit his or her particular taste.

Claims

1. A wireless telephone that may be customized by programming an audio file into the wireless telephone for use at a time specified by a user of the wireless telephone, the telephone comprising:

means for connecting to a remote database that includes a plurality of lists of polyphonic audio files;

means for browsing at least one of the lists of polyphonic audio files;

means for selecting at least one of the polyphonic audio files from the browsed list;

means for optionally reviewing the selected polyphonic audio file before downloading the selected polyphonic audio into a memory circuit in the wireless telephone; and

means for downloading the selected polyphonic audio file for use at the time specified by the user of the wireless telephone.

2. The wireless telephone of claim 1, further comprising means for searching the remote database for a certain desired polyphonic audio file using title or description information to aid in locating the desired polyphonic audio file.

3. The wireless telephone of claim 2, wherein the searching further comprises means for searching the Internet or other remote databases for the desired polyphonic audio file.

4. The wireless telephone of claim 1, further comprising means for providing a visual indication on a display screen of the wireless telephone to confirm the selected polyphonic audio file has been successfully downloaded.

5. The wireless telephone of claim 1, wherein the browsing of polyphonic audio files is accomplished at least in part using a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) compliant system.

6. The wireless telephone of claim 1, further comprising means for preventing unauthorized distribution of the selected polyphonic audio file stored in the programmable memory circuit.

7. A wireless telephone that may be customized by programming an audio file into the wireless telephone for use as an indicia of an incoming communication, the telephone comprising:

means for connecting to a remote database that includes a plurality of audio files;

means for selecting at least one of the audio files from the database;

means for downloading and storing the selected audio file for use as an indicia of an incoming communication; and

means for preventing the unauthorized distribution of a selected audio file stored in the wireless telephone.

8. The wireless telephone of claim 7, further comprising means for indicating that a memory capacity of the wireless telephone has been exceeded if the size of the audio file to be downloaded is larger than available memory space in the wireless telephone.

9. The wireless telephone of claim 7, wherein the selected audio file is a polyphonic audio file.

10. A telephone that may be customized by searching for and selecting an audio file from a remote computer and programming the selected audio file into the telephone for use at a time specified by the user, the telephone comprising:

a communications link capable of connecting to a database in the remote computer that includes a plurality of polyphonic audio files;

a display screen and a browsing application program that allows a user of the telephone to browse the polyphonic audio files and select at least one polyphonic audio file therefrom;

processing circuitry configured to supervise receipt of a selected polyphonic audio file from the communications link;

a programmable memory circuit for allowing the user to optionally store the selected polyphonic audio file for use at a time the specified by the user; and

an enhanced performance speaker capable of providing a substantially full range of audio sounds from the selected polyphonic audio file when the selected polyphonic audio file is played.

11. A system for providing a polyphonic audio file to a wireless telephone for use as an indicia of an incoming communication, the system comprising:

a remote computer with access to a database of polyphonic audio files suitable for downloading to the wireless telephone wherein the remote computer is configured to;

provide a list of polyphonic audio files in the database to a user of the wireless telephone when the user requests the list of polyphonic audio files;

allow the user of the wireless telephone to browse the list of polyphonic audio files;

allow the user of the wireless telephone to select a desired polyphonic audio file from the list of polyphonic audio files; and

allow the user of the wireless telephone to optionally download a selected polyphonic audio file into the wireless telephone for future use as an indicia of an incoming communication;

wherein the system is configured to confirm the selected polyphonic audio file has been properly received by the wireless telephone.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the remote computer is further configured to allow the user of the wireless telephone to search the database of polyphonic audio files for a certain polyphonic audio file using title or description information.

13. The system of claim 11, further configured to allow the user of the wireless telephone to review the selected polyphonic audio file before downloading the selected polyphonic audio file into a programmable memory in the wireless telephone.

14. The system of claim 13, further configured to provide the user of the wireless telephone with the option of downloading the selected polyphonic audio file into a programmable memory in the wireless telephone after reviewing the selected polyphonic audio file.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the remote computer is further configured to provide a plurality of lists of polyphonic audio files for browsing by the user of the wireless telephone.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the database is configured to include polyphonic audio files selected from the group comprising MP3, MPEG, or WAV files.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the database is configured to include polyphonic MIDI audio files.

19. The system of claim 11, configured to provide copyright protection for the database of polyphonic audio files to help prevent unauthorized distribution of polyphonic audio files downloaded by the user of the wireless telephone.

20. The system of claim 11, further configured to coordinate downloading of the selected polyphonic audio file such that the user of the wireless telephone is informed when the wireless telephone has insufficient available memory capacity to successfully download the selected polyphonic audio file.

15. The system of claim 15, further configured to provide the user of the wireless telephone with the option of editing the selected polyphonic audio file before programming the selected polyphonic audio file into the programmable memory in the wireless telephone.

21. A method for providing a polyphonic audio file to a wireless telephone for use as an indicia of an incoming communication, the method comprising:

providing a database of polyphonic audio files suitable for downloading to the wireless telephone;

providing a list of polyphonic audio files in the database to a user of the wireless telephone when the user requests the list of polyphonic audio files;

allowing the user of the wireless telephone to browse the list of polyphonic audio files;

allowing the user of the wireless telephone to select a desired polyphonic audio file from the list of polyphonic audio files;

allowing the user of the wireless telephone to optionally download a selected polyphonic audio file into the wireless telephone for future use as an indicia of an incoming communication; and

confirming the selected polyphonic audio file has been properly received.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising allowing the user of the wireless telephone to search the database of polyphonic audio files for a certain polyphonic audio file using title or description information.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising allowing the user of the wireless telephone to review the selected polyphonic audio file before downloading the selected polyphonic audio file into a programmable memory in the wireless telephone.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing the user of the wireless telephone to with the option of downloading the selected polyphonic audio file into a programmable memory in the wireless telephone after reviewing the selected polyphonic audio file.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising providing the user of the wireless telephone with the option of editing the selected polyphonic audio file before programming the selected polyphonic audio file into the programmable memory in the wireless telephone.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a plurality of lists of polyphonic audio files for browsing by the user of the wireless telephone.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing polyphonic audio files in the database including those selected from the group comprising MP3, MPEG, or WAV files.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing polyphonic audio files in the database including polyphonic MIDI audio files.

29. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing copyright protection for the database of polyphonic audio files to help prevent unauthorized distribution of polyphonic audio files downloaded by the user of the wireless telephone.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising coordinating downloading of the selected polyphonic audio file such that the user of the wireless telephone is informed when the wireless telephone has insufficient available memory capacity to successfully download the selected polyphonic audio file.

31. An Internet site that allows a user of a wireless telephone to browse and select a polyphonic audio file that may be downloaded into a wireless telephone for use as an indicia of an incoming communication, the Internet site comprising:

a database of polyphonic audio files suitable for downloading to the wireless telephone wherein the Internet site is configured to;

provide a list of polyphonic audio files in the database to the user of the wireless telephone when the user of the wireless telephone requests the list of polyphonic audio files;

allow the user of the wireless telephone to browse the list of polyphonic audio files;

allow the user of the wireless telephone to select a desired polyphonic audio file from the list of polyphonic audio files; and

allow the user of the wireless telephone to optionally download a selected polyphonic audio file into the wireless telephone for future use as an indicia of an incoming communication.

32. The Internet site of claim 31, configured to operate in conjunction with a distribution computer to confirm the selected polyphonic audio file has been properly received by the wireless telephone.

33. The Internet site of claim 31, further configured to allow the user of the wireless telephone to search the database of polyphonic audio files for a certain polyphonic audio file using title or description information.

34. The Internet site of claim 31, further configured to operate in conjunction with a distribution computer to allow the user of the wireless telephone to review the selected polyphonic audio file before downloading the selected polyphonic audio file into a programmable memory in the wireless telephone.

35. The Internet site of claim 34, further configured to operate in conjunction with a distribution computer to provide the user of the wireless telephone with the option of downloading the selected polyphonic audio file into a programmable memory in the wireless telephone after reviewing the selected polyphonic audio file.

36. The Internet site of claim 31, further configured to provide a plurality of lists of polyphonic audio files for browsing by the user of the wireless telephone.

37. The Internet site of claim 31, wherein the database is configured to include polyphonic audio files selected from the group comprising MP3, MPEG, or WAV files.

38. The Internet site of claim 31, wherein the database is configured to include polyphonic MIDI audio files.

39. The Internet site of claim 31, configured to operate in conjunction with a distribution computer to provide copyright protection for the database of polyphonic audio files to help prevent unauthorized distribution of polyphonic audio files downloaded by the user of the wireless telephone.

40. The Internet site of claim 31, configured to operate in conjunction with a distribution computer to coordinate downloading of the selected polyphonic audio file such that the user of the wireless telephone is informed when the wireless telephone has insufficient available memory capacity to successfully download the selected polyphonic audio file.