Media selection triggered through broadcast data

• US 20080086756A1
• Filed: 10/05/2006
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kemp, Holly H., Kagle, Jonathan C.
• Application Number:
  US11/544,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20080086756A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/108
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/814 comprising emergency warnings arrangements specially adapted for emergency or urgency in broadcast systems H04H20/59; arrangements for providing alarms, notifications, alerts to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing

Abstract

An electronic device is configured to perform different actions (e.g. playing media content) for an alarm in response to a received broadcast signal. The broadcast data received by the device is used to determine what action to perform when the alarm is triggered. The action to be performed may change based on the received broadcast data. For example, different media content may be selected in response to the received broadcast data. The action may also relate to modifying the playback of the media content in response to the broadcast data. The device may also be configured to quantize values into ranges for selection of the appropriate media as well as modify playback of the media in response to the broadcast data.

Claims

1. A method for performing an action in response to a triggered alarm on an electronic device, comprising:

receiving broadcast data;

wherein the same broadcast data is broadcast to many electronic devices at the same time;

processing the broadcast data;

wherein processing the broadcast data comprises determining whether the broadcast data has changed enough to perform an action when the alarm is triggered;

determining when the alarm is triggered; and

executing the action when the alarm is triggered.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the action comprises playing a media content selection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the broadcast data has changed enough to perform the action comprises determining when a value associated with a most recently received broadcast data is outside of a value range that is associated with the action.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the broadcast data has changed enough to perform the action comprises updating the action to perform within an alert reference table that includes a reference to the alarm and a reference to the action.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the broadcast data has changed enough to perform the action comprises accessing a response table to determine when the action should be performed.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein accessing the response table to determine when the action should be performed comprises determining a value associated with the broadcast data and indexing the value in the response table to select the action.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein executing the action when the alarm is triggered comprises adjusting a playback of the media content.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein adjusting the playback of the media content comprises adjusting a speed of the playback.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the broadcast data is received from an FM broadcast.

10. An apparatus for performing an action in response to a triggered alarm, comprising:

a data store that is configured to store media content;

a communication connection configured to receive broadcast data including channel content that is broadcast to a plurality of electronic devices at the same time and select a portion of the channel content based on a configuration of the electronic device to store in the data store;

a media playback device that is configured to play a media selection from the media content in response to the triggered alarm; and

an electronic system that is arranged to interact with the media playback device, the data store, the communication connection, wherein the electronic system is configured to;

updating the media selection in response to the received broadcast data;

determining when the alarm is triggered; and

instructing the media playback device to play the media selection when the alarm is triggered.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the electronic system is further configured to access a response table and compare a portion of the channel content to a value within the response table to determine whether to update the media selection.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein updating the media selection comprises updating the media selection within an alert reference table that includes a reference to the alarm and a reference to the media selection.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein instructing the media playback device to play the media selection when the alarm is triggered comprises adjusting a playback speed of the media selection.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the broadcast data is from an FM broadcast.

15. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing an action in response to a triggered alarm, comprising:

receiving broadcast data;

wherein the same broadcast data is broadcast to many electronic devices at the same time;

updating the action in response to changed content within the received broadcast;

determining when the alarm is triggered; and

executing the action when the alarm is triggered.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein executing the action comprises playing a media selection that corresponds to the action.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein updating the action in response to changed content within the received broadcast, comprises determining when a value contained within the broadcast data is outside of a value range that is currently associated with the action and when the value is outside of the value range updating the media selection.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein updating the action comprises accessing an alert reference table and updating a reference to the action within the alert reference table.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein playing the media selection comprises adjusting a playback speed of the media content.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the broadcast data is received from an FM broadcast.