Methods of operating radio communications devices including predefined streaming times and addresses and related devices

• US 20060058026A1
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Forbes, Stephen K., Ang, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,526,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/908 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling

Abstract

Methods of operating radio communications devices may include accepting user input at the radio communications device of a streaming time to initiate media streaming, and accepting user input at the radio communications device of a network address of a streaming server to provide media streaming content. At the streaming time, initiating media streaming from the streaming server identified by the network address may be initiated over a radio link. Related devices are also discussed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a radio communications device, the method comprising:

accepting user input at the radio communications device of a streaming time to initiate media streaming in the future;

accepting user input at the radio communications device of a network address of a streaming server to provide media streaming content; and

at the streaming time, initiating media streaming from the streaming server identified by the network address over a radio link.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

before accepting user input of the streaming time and before accepting user input of the network address, accepting user input at the radio communications device selecting a calendar function from a plurality of personal organizer functions; and

after accepting user input selecting the calendar function, accepting user input at the radio communications device of a streaming date to initiate media streaming;

wherein accepting user input of the streaming time comprises accepting user input of the streaming time after accepting user input selecting the calendar function, and wherein initiating media streaming comprises initiating media streaming on the streaming date at the streaming time.

3. A method according to claim 2 further comprising:

providing a calendar display for the streaming date including information regarding scheduled media streaming at the streaming time.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

before accepting user input of the streaming time and before accepting user input of the network address, providing a menu of a plurality of personal organizer functions including a calendar function;

after providing the menu of the plurality of organizer functions, accepting user input at the radio communications device selecting the calendar function from the plurality of personal organizer functions;

responsive to accepting user input selecting the calendar function, providing a menu of a plurality of calendar functions including an appointment function;

after providing the menu of the plurality of calendar functions, accepting user input at the radio communications device selecting the appointment function; and

after accepting user input selecting the appointment function, accepting user input at the radio communications device of a streaming date to initiate media streaming;

wherein accepting user input of the streaming time comprises accepting user input of the streaming time after accepting user input selecting the calendar function, and wherein initiating media streaming comprises initiating media streaming on the streaming date at the streaming time.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

before accepting user input of the streaming time and before accepting user input of the network address, accepting user input at the radio communications device selecting an alarm function from a plurality of personal organizer functions;

wherein accepting user input of the streaming time comprises accepting user input of the streaming time after accepting user input selecting the alarm function, and wherein initiating media streaming comprises initiating media streaming at the streaming time.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein initiating media streaming comprises,

providing an alarm at the streaming time,

accepting user input at the radio communications device to allow initiating media streaming, and

responsive to accepting user input to allow initiating media streaming, transmitting a streaming request to the streaming server identified by the network address wherein the streaming request is transmitted over a radio link.

7. A method according to claim 5 wherein initiating media streaming comprises transmitting a streaming request to the streaming server identified by the network address at the streaming time without user intervention.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein initiating media streaming comprises,

notifying the user of scheduled media streaming,

accepting user input at the radio communications device to allow initiating media streaming, and

responsive to accepting user input to allow initiating media streaming, transmitting a streaming request to the streaming server identified by the network address wherein the streaming request is transmitted over a radio link.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein initiating media streaming comprises transmitting a streaming request to the streaming server identified by the network address at the streaming time without user intervention.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the radio communications device is turned off between accepting user input of the network address of the streaming server and the streaming time, and wherein initiating media streaming comprises turning the radio communications device on without user intervention.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein initiating media streaming comprises transmitting a streaming request to the streaming server identified by the network address, and after transmitting the streaming request, receiving the media streaming content from the streaming server identified by the streaming request.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein transmitting the streaming request comprises transmitting the streaming request according to a Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), and wherein receiving the media streaming content comprises receiving the media streaming content according to a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP).

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein receiving the media streaming content further comprises processing the media streaming content and providing the processed media streaming content as output from a user interface at the radio communications device.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the media streaming content is processed using a media player.

15. A method according to claim 1 wherein the network address comprises a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address.

16. A method according to claim 1 wherein the radio communications device includes an internet browser and wherein accepting user input of the network address comprises accepting user selection of the network address from a list of browser bookmarks from the browser.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the list of browser bookmarks comprises a filtered list of browser bookmarks for streaming servers.

18. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

establishing a radiotelephone communication between the radio communications device and another communications device.

19. A method according to claim 1 wherein accepting user input of a streaming time includes accepting user input of a streaming time, a streaming date, and a frequency of streaming recurrence, and wherein initiating media streaming comprises initiating media streaming at the streaming time on the streaming date and on subsequent dates determined by the frequency of streaming recurrence.

20. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

after initiating media streaming, determining if sound is being generated at a speaker of the radio communications devices responsive to the media streaming; and

if sound is not being generated at the speaker responsive to the media streaming, generating a backup tone at the speaker.

21. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

after initiating media streaming, determining if media streaming content is being received from the streaming server; and

if media streaming content is not being received responsive to initiating media streaming, generating a backup tone at the speaker.

22. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

broadcasting audio content using a speaker of the radio communications device responsive to the media steaming.

23. A radio communications device comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit and receive radio communications;

a user interface configured to accept user input and provide user output; and

a controller coupled to the transceiver and the user interface, the controller being configured to accept a streaming time to initiate media streaming in the future wherein the streaming time is accepted as user input through the user interface, to accept user input of a network address of a streaming server to provide media streaming content wherein the network address is accepted as user input through the user interface, and to initiate media streaming from the streaming server identified by the network address at the streaming time over a radio link through the transceiver.

24. A radio communications device according to claim 23 wherein the controller is further configured to accept selection of a calendar function from a plurality of personal organizer functions before accepting the streaming time and before accepting the network address wherein selection of the calendar function is accepted as user input through the user interface, to accept a streaming date to initiate media streaming after selection of the calendar function wherein the streaming date is accepted as user input through the user interface, to accept the streaming time after accepting selection of the calendar function, and to initiate media streaming on the streaming date at the streaming time.

25. A radio communications device according to claim 23 wherein the controller is further configured to provide a menu of a plurality of personal organizer functions including a calendar function before accepting the streaming time and before accepting the network address, to accept selection of the calendar function from the plurality of personal organizer functions after providing the menu of the plurality of organizer functions, to provide a menu of a plurality of calendar functions including an appointment function responsive to accepting user input selecting the calendar function, to accept selection of the appointment function after providing the menu of the plurality of calendar functions, and to accept a streaming date to initiate media streaming after accepting selection of the appointment function, wherein the streaming time is accepted after selection of the calendar function, and wherein media streaming is initiated on the streaming date at the streaming time.

26. A radio communications device according to claim 23 wherein the controller is further configured to accept selection of an alarm function from a plurality of personal organizer functions before accepting the streaming time and before accepting the network address, to accept the streaming time after selection of the alarm function.

27. A radio communications device according to claim 26 wherein the controller is further configured to provide an alarm at the streaming time, to accept user allowance to initiate media streaming, and to transmit a streaming request to the streaming server identified by the network address responsive to accepting user allowance to initiate media streaming wherein the streaming request is transmitted through the transceiver over a radio link.

28. A radio communications device according to claim 26 wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a streaming request through the transceiver to the streaming server identified by the network address at the streaming time without user intervention.

29. A radio communications device according to claim 23 wherein the controller is further configured to provide notification of scheduled media streaming through the user interface, to accept allowance to initiate media streaming though the user interface, and to transmit a streaming request through the transceiver to the streaming server identified by the network address responsive to accepting allowance to initiate media streaming,

30. A radio communications device according to claim 23 wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a streaming request to the streaming server identified by the network address at the streaming time without user intervention.

31. A radio communications device according to claim 23 wherein the radio communications device is turned off between accepting the network address of the streaming server and the streaming time, wherein the controller is further configured to turn the radio communications device on at the streaming time without user intervention.

32. A radio communications device according to claim 23 the controller is further configured to transmit a streaming request through the transceiver to the streaming server identified by the network address, and to receive media streaming content from the streaming server identified by the streaming request after. transmitting the streaming request.

33. A radio communications device according to claim 32 wherein the controller is configured to transmit the streaming request through the transceiver according to a Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), and to receive the media streaming content through the transceiver according to a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP).

34. A radio communications device according to claim 32 wherein the controller is further configured to process the media streaming content and to provide the processed media streaming content as output through the user interface.

35. A radio communications device according to claim 34 wherein the, controller is configured to process the media stream using a media player.

36. A radio communications device according to claim 23 wherein the network address comprises a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address.

37. A radio communications device according to claim 36 further comprising:

an internet browser, wherein accepting user input of the network address comprises accepting user selection of the network address from a list of browser bookmarks from the browser.

38. A radio communications device according to claim 37 wherein the list of browser bookmarks comprises a filtered list of browser bookmarks for streaming servers.

39. A radio communications device according to claim 23 wherein the controller is further configured to establish a radiotelephone communication with another communications device through the transceiver.

40. A radio communications device according to claim 23 wherein the controller is further configured to determine if sound is being generated at a speaker of the radio communications devices responsive to the media streaming after initiating media streaming, and to generate a backup tone at the speaker if sound is not being generated at the speaker responsive to the media streaming.

41. A radio communications device according to claim 23 wherein the controller is further configured to determine if media streaming content is being received from the streaming server after initiating media streaming, and to generate a backup tone at the speaker if media streaming content is not being received responsive to initiating media streaming.

42. A radio communications device according to claim 23 further comprising:

a speaker coupled to the controller wherein the controller is further configured to broadcast audio content through the speaker responsive to the media steaming.