Integrated mobile communication and broadcast program reproduction device

• US 20070178828A1
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jain, Mukul, Kumar, Sanjeev, Patel, Labhesh, Khouri, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,706,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.60
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00

Abstract

A method for controlling operation of an integrated mobile communication and broadcast program reproduction device and of operating the device includes monitoring an occurrence of a trigger event at the device; and upon occurrence of the trigger event, recording a broadcast program signal received by the device. An integrated mobile communication and broadcast program reproduction device has a trigger event monitor and a broadcast program recorder for recording a broadcast program when a trigger event occurs. A trigger event may be receipt of an incoming call, the making of an outgoing call, the identification of predetermined content in a received program and the start of a predetermined program. Different trigger events may be prioritized. Recorded material may be reproduced, with broadcast material being received being recorded whilst previously recorded material is reproduced.

Claims

1. A method for controlling operation of a mobile device, the method including:

receiving a broadcast program signal;

monitoring an occurrence of a trigger event at the mobile device; and

upon occurrence of the trigger event, recording the broadcast program signal received by the mobile device, wherein the device operates as an integrated mobile communication and broadcast program reproduction device.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the trigger event is an incoming telephone call.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the trigger event is an outgoing telephone call.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the trigger event is the identification of predetermined content in the received signal.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the trigger event is the provision of a programming start indicator.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which recording of the broadcast program signal occurs after manual intervention by a user of the device.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which recording of the broadcast program signal occurs automatically.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, which includes reproducing the recorded broadcast program.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, which includes continuing to record the broadcast program while reproducing part of the broadcast program previously recorded.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, which includes prompting pausing of reproduction of a broadcast program upon detection of a trigger event.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, which includes alerting a user that recording of a broadcast program has commenced.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, which includes establishing a telephonic connection between the device and a cellular communication network.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, which includes ceasing to monitor the occurrence of a further trigger event once a trigger event has been detected and the broadcast program signal is being recorded.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, which includes prioritizing the trigger events and ceasing to record a first broadcast program being recorded in response to a trigger event if a trigger event of higher priority is detected and then recording the second broadcast program.

15. The method as claimed in claim 4, which includes prompting entering of the predetermined content.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the broadcast program is selected from an analog radio broadcast, a digital radio broadcast, an analog television broadcast, a digital television broadcast, an analog movie broadcast and a digital movie broadcast.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, which comprises tuning in, monitoring, and recording multiple programs simultaneously.

18. The method as claimed in claim 1, which comprises detecting trigger events from envelope information of the broadcast program signal.

19. A machine-readable medium embodying instructions which, when executed by a mobile device, cause the device to receive a broadcast program signal;

monitor an occurrence of a trigger event at the mobile device; and

upon occurrence of the trigger event, record the broadcast program signal received by the mobile device, wherein the device operates as an integrated mobile communication and broadcast program reproduction device.

20. An integrated mobile communication and broadcast program reproduction device which includes:

a connecting means for establishing a telephonic connection between the device and a cellular communication network;

a receiver for receiving a broadcast program signal;

a recording module for recording the broadcast program signal;

a detecting module to monitor an occurrence of a trigger event at the device; and

an activating module which, upon occurrence of the trigger event, activates the recording module.

21. The device as claimed in claim 20, in which the trigger event is an incoming telephone call.

22. The device as claimed in claim 20, in which the trigger event is an outgoing telephone call.

23. The device as claimed in claim 20, in which the trigger event is the identification of predetermined content in the received signal.

24. The device as claimed in claim 20, in which the trigger event is the provision of a programming start indicator.

25. The device as claimed in claim 20, which includes a manual prompting means for prompting manual activation of the recording module by a user of the device.

26. The device as claimed in claim 20, which includes a reproducing means for reproducing the recorded broadcast program.

27. The device as claimed in claim 26, in which the recording module continues to record the broadcast program while the reproducing means reproduces part of the broadcast program previously recorded.

28. The device as claimed in claim 26, which includes a pausing means for pausing reproduction of a broadcast program upon detection of a trigger event.

29. The device as claimed in claim 20, which includes an alerting means for alerting a user that recording of a broadcast program has commenced.

30. The device as claimed in claim 20, in which the detecting module ceases monitoring the occurrence of a further trigger event once a trigger event has been detected and the broadcast program signal is being recorded.

31. The device as claimed in claim 20, in which the detecting module monitors the occurrence of a plurality of trigger events and is programmable to prioritize the trigger events and to cease recording a first broadcast program being recorded in response to a trigger event if a trigger event of higher priority is detected and then recording the second broadcast program.

32. The device as claimed in claim 23, which includes an entering means for entering of the predetermined content.

33. The device as claimed in claim 20, in which the broadcast program is selected from an analog radio broadcast, a digital radio broadcast, an analog television broadcast, a digital television broadcast, an analog movie broadcast and a digital movie broadcast.

34. The device as claimed in claim 20, which is able to tune in, monitor, and record multiple programs simultaneously.

35. The device as claimed in claim 20, in which the detecting module detects trigger events from envelope information of the broadcast program signal.

36. An integrated mobile communication and broadcast program reproduction device which includes:

means for receiving a broadcast program signal;

means for monitoring an occurrence of a trigger event at the device; and

means for recording the broadcast program signal received by the device upon occurrence of the trigger event.