Method and apparatus for categorized reception of an audio program

• US 20070198415A1
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Humberto Herrera
• Original Assignee: Humberto Herrera
• Inventors: Herrera, Humberto
• Application Number:
  US11/357,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20070198415A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/16 on playing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/47 for recognising genres
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2647 Arrangements specific to the receiver only equalisation H04L27/01

Abstract

A method and associated apparatus for receiving an audio track by first receiving a program authorization category and a category indicator for an audio track. A received audio track is presented when the audio track category indicator is substantially equivalent to the received program authorization category.

Claims

1. A method for receiving an audio program comprising:

receiving a program authorization category;

receiving a category indicator for an audio track;

receiving an audio track;

determining if the audio track category indicator is substantially equivalent to the program authorization category; and

presenting the audio track to a user when the audio track category indicator is substantially equivalent to the program authorization category.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a program authorization category comprises:

receiving a user key stroke or a touch-screen event from a user; and

determining a program authorization category according to the key stroke or the touch-screen event.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a program authorization category comprises:

receiving a user identifier;

receiving a program authorization category from the user; and

establishing a program authorization category when the user identifier is associated with a user authorized to establish a program authorization category either by password or implicit by the user identifier.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a program authorization category comprises:

receiving a target user identifier from a user;

receiving a program authorization category from the user; and

establishing a program authorization category for the target user identifier according to the received program authorization category.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a program authorization category comprises:

receiving a target user identifier from a user;

receiving a station identifier from the user; and

establishing a station selection authorization for the target user identifier according to the received station identifier.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a program authorization category comprises:

receiving a target user identifier from a user;

receiving a maximum volume level from the user; and

establishing a maximum volume level for the target user identifier according to the received maximum volume level.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a category indicator for an audio track comprises receiving a category indicator for an audio track by means of at least one of a radio data system channel, a digitally modulated subcarrier and a digital broadcast radio data channel.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a category indicator for an audio track comprises:

receiving a digitally modulated carrier;

demodulating the digitally modulated carrier in order to recover a data stream; and

extracting a category indicator for an audio track from the data stream.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an audio track comprises:

receiving a carrier that is modulated in at least one of an amplitude modulated manner and a frequency modulated manner; and

demodulating the carrier in order to recover an analog program.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an audio track comprises:

receiving a plurality of digitally modulated carriers; and

demodulating the digitally modulated carriers in order to recover a data stream; and

extracting an audio program from the data stream.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an audio track comprises:

receiving a station selection command;

receiving an audio track according to the station selection command when a current user is authorized to receive a station identified in the station selection command.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting the audio program comprises:

receiving a volume increase command;

increasing a presentation volume level when such increase would not exceed a maximum volume level for a current user;

presenting the audio track to a user according to the presentation volume level.

13. An audio presentation system comprising:

demodulator capable of receiving a modulated signal that includes an audio program and an audio track category indicator;

authorization unit that generates an enable signal according to the audio track category indicator and also according to a user input; and

presentation unit capable of presenting the audio program to a user according to the enable signal.

14. The audio presentation system of claim 13 wherein the authorization unit further includes a user interface capable of receiving a user input in the form of a user keystroke or in the form of a touch-screen event.

15. The audio presentation system of claim 13 wherein the authorization unit further includes a user interface capable of receiving a user input in the form of a user identifier and further includes a controller that determines if the user identifier corresponds to an authorized user either be receiving a password from the user interface or by comparing the user identifier to a pre-established value.

16. The audio presentation system of claim 13 wherein the authorization unit further includes a user interface capable of receiving a user input in the form of program authorization category and a target user identifier and wherein the authorization unit includes a memory for storing the program authorization category in association with the target user identifier.

17. The audio presentation system of claim 13 wherein the authorization unit further includes a user interface capable of receiving a user input in the form of a content source identifier and a target user identifier and wherein the authorization unit includes a memory for storing the content source identifier in association with the target user identifier.

18. The audio presentation system of claim 13 wherein the authorization unit further includes a user interface capable of receiving a user input in the form of a maximum volume level indicator and a target user identifier and wherein the authorization unit includes a memory for storing the maximum volume level indicator in association with the target user identifier.

19. The audio presentation system of claim 13 wherein the demodulator includes at least one of a radio data system data receiver, a digitally modulates subcarrier receiver and a digital broadcast data receiver.

20. The audio presentation system of claim 13 wherein the demodulator extracts a category indicator for an audio track from a digitally modulated signal.

21. The audio presentation system of claim 13 wherein the demodulator comprises at least one of an amplitude modulated analog program receiver and a frequency modulated analog program receiver.

22. The audio presentation system of claim 13 wherein the demodulator comprises a multi-carrier demodulator capable of receiving a plurality of digitally modulated carriers and a program extractor capable of generating an audio data stream from the plurality of digitally modulated carriers.

23. The audio presentation system of claim 13 wherein the authorization unit includes a memory for storing in association with a current user identifier one or more identifiers for content sources and is further capable of receiving a station selection command and generating a station selection signal for the demodulator according to the station selection command when the station selection command includes a content source identifier stored in the memory in association with a current user.

24. The audio presentation system of claim 13 wherein the authorization unit includes a memory for storing in association with a current user identifier a maximum volume level indicator and also includes a volume level register and wherein the audio presentation unit presents an audio track at a volume level specified by the contents of the volume level register and wherein the authorization unit is further capable of receiving a volume increase command and increases a value stored in the volume level register when such increase does not exceed a maximum volume level indicator stored in the memory in association with a current user.