Digital radio broadcast receiver, broadcasting methods and methods for tagging content of interest

• US 20090061763A1
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iBiquity Digital Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: iBiquity Digital Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Nungester, Gregory, Burke, Rodney Bernard, O'Brien, Thomas Joseph, Dillon, Robert Michael, Chalmers, Harvey, D'Angelo, Joseph F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,351,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.50
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/71 Wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/93 which locates resources of other pieces of information, e.g. URL [Uniform Resource Locator]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/18 in band on channel [IBOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 the transmission system being the Internet

Abstract

A method for specifying content of interest using a digital radio broadcast receiver is described. A digital radio broadcast signal includes first audio content and first program data, wherein the first program data includes information identifying a first item, and includes second audio content and second program data, wherein the second program data includes information identifying a second item. A user command entered at a user interface during reception of audio content is registered, indicating a user'"'"'s interest in either the first or second audio content. It is determined whether there is an ambiguity in the content of interest. If there is an ambiguity, a first data structure is stored for the first audio content, and a second data structure is stored for the second audio content. The first data structure includes the information identifying the first item, and the second data structure includes the information identifying the second item.

Claims

1. A method for specifying content of interest using a digital radio broadcast receiver, the method comprising:

receiving a digital radio broadcast signal, the digital radio broadcast signal comprising

first audio content and first program data, the first program data comprising information identifying a first item associated with the first audio content, and

second audio content and second program data, the second program data comprising information identifying a second item associated with the second audio content;

registering a user command entered at a user interface of the receiver during reception of either the first audio content or the second audio content, the user command indicating a user'"'"'s interest in either the first audio content or the second audio content, respectively;

determining whether there is an ambiguity associated with the user'"'"'s interest in either the first audio content or the second audio content; and

if there is an ambiguity, storing a first data structure corresponding to the first audio content and a second data structure corresponding to the second audio content, the first data structure comprising the information identifying the first item and the second data structure comprising the information identifying the second item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether there is an ambiguity comprises determining whether the user command was entered at the user interface within a predetermined time period from a change between the first program data and second program data.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising storing one data structure based on the user command if the user command was not entered at the user interface within the predetermined time period, the one data structure comprising information identifying the first item if the user command was entered during reception of the first program data or identifying the second item if the user command was entered during reception of the second program data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating an indicator that the first program data are sufficient to generate the first data structure.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising generating a message or file for each of the first data structure and second data structure appropriately structured for a merchant or recipient device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data structure and the second data structure each comprise a plurality of fields including a field for designating ambiguous data associated with the user command and a field for designating whether the data in the data structure corresponds to that at the time the user command was entered.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first program data comprises a Unique File Identifier (UFID) frame that includes data identifying the first item and another item of interest and a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address for obtaining information about the first item and the another item of interest.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first program data comprises a Unique File Identifier (UFID) frame, wherein the UFID frame includes multiple ID codes identifying different formats in which the first item is available, and wherein the UFID frame includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address for obtaining information about the first item.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first program data comprises multiple Unique File Identifier (UFID) frames, each of which includes information identifying the first item and a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address for obtaining information about the first item of interest, such that information can be obtained about the first item from multiple sources.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first program data comprises one or more Unique File Identifier (UFID) frames including information identifying the first item and another item of interest and including one or more Uniform Resource Locator (URL) addresses for obtaining information about the first item and the another item.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined time period is 10 seconds.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first program data comprises one or more type codes selected from the group consisting of “

APC”

indicating that the first program data include one or more audio product codes, “

MPC”

indicating that the first program data include one or more merchandise product codes, and “

SPC”

indicating that the first program data include one or more codes for subscription services.

13. A digital radio broadcast receiver, comprising:

a processing system;

a memory coupled to the processing system; and

a user interface for receiving user commands entered thereto;

wherein the processing system is configured to;

process a digital radio broadcast signal received by the receiver, the digital radio broadcast signal comprising

first audio content and first program data, the first program data comprising information identifying a first item associated with the first audio content, and

second audio content and second program data, the second program data comprising information identifying a second item associated with the second audio content,

register a user command entered at a user interface of the receiver during reception of either the first audio content or the second audio content, the user command indicating a user'"'"'s interest in either the first audio content or the second audio content, respectively;

determine whether there is an ambiguity associated with the user'"'"'s interest in either the first audio content or the second audio content; and

if there is an ambiguity, store a first data structure corresponding to the first audio content and a second data structure corresponding to the second audio content, the first data structure comprising the information identifying the first item and the second data structure comprising the information identifying the second item.

14. The digital radio broadcast receiver of claim 13, wherein the processing system is configured to determine whether there is an ambiguity by determining whether the user command was entered at the user interface within a predetermined time period from a change between the first program data and second program data.

15. The digital radio broadcast receiver of claim 13, wherein the processing system is configured to store one data structure based on the user command if the user command was not entered at the user interface within the predetermined time period, the one data structure comprising information identifying the first item if the user command was entered during reception of the first program data or identifying the second item if the user command was entered during reception of the second program data.

16. The digital radio broadcast receiver of claim 13, further comprising an indicator, wherein the processing system is configured to activate an indicator that the first program data are sufficient to generate the first data structure.

17. The digital radio broadcast receiver of claim 13, wherein the processing system is configured to generate a message or file for each of the first data structure and second data structure appropriately structured for a merchant or recipient device.

18. The digital radio broadcast receiver of claim 13, wherein the first data structure and the second data structure each comprise a plurality of fields including a field for designating ambiguous data associated with the user command and a field for designating whether the data in the data structure corresponds to that at the time the user command was entered.

19. The digital radio broadcast receiver of claim 13, wherein the first program data comprises a Unique File Identifier (UFID) frame that includes data identifying the first item and another item of interest and a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address for obtaining information about the first item and the another item of interest.

20. The digital radio broadcast receiver of claim 13, wherein the first program data comprises a Unique File Identifier (UFID) frame, wherein the UFID frame includes multiple ID codes identifying different formats in which the first item is available, and wherein the UFID frame includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address for obtaining information about the first item.

21. The digital radio broadcast receiver of claim 13, wherein the first program data comprises multiple Unique File Identifier (UFID) frames, each of which includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address for obtaining information about the first item of interest, such that information can be obtained about the first item from multiple sources.

22. The digital radio broadcast receiver of claim 13, wherein the first program data comprises one or more Unique File Identifier (UFID) frames including information identifying the first item and another item of interest, and including one or more Uniform Resource Locator (URL) addresses for obtaining information about the first item and the another item.

23. The digital radio broadcast receiver of claim 14, wherein the predetermined time period is 10 seconds.

24. The digital radio broadcast receiver of claim 13, wherein the first program data comprises one or more type codes selected from the group consisting of “

APC”

indicating that the first program data include one or more audio product codes, “

MPC”

indicating that the first program data include one or more merchandise product codes, and “

SPC”

indicating that the first program data include one or more codes for subscription services.

25. A method of broadcasting digital radio broadcast data formatted to facilitate specifying content of interest using a digital radio broadcast receiver, the method comprising:

arranging first audio content and second audio content for broadcast via a digital radio broadcast signal;

structuring first program data associated with the first audio content and second program data associated with the second audio content,

the first program data comprising a first Unique File Identifier (UFID) frame comprising a first type code specifying a type of a first item associated with the first audio content, a first ID code identifying the first item, and a first Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address for obtaining information about the first item,

the second program data comprising a second Unique File Identifier (UFID) frame comprising a second type code specifying a type of a second item associated with the second audio content, a second ID code identifying the second item, and a second Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address for obtaining information about the second item;

generating a digital radio broadcast signal comprising the first and second audio content and the first and second program data; and

transmitting the digital radio broadcast signal.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first UFID frame comprises a type code and an ID code for another item of interest.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the first UFID frame comprises multiple ID codes identifying multiple different formats in which the first item is available.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the first program data comprises multiple UFID frames, each of which includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address for obtaining information about the first item of interest, such that information can be obtained about the first item from multiple sources.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the first program data comprises another UFID frame, the another UFID frame including a type code and an ID code for another item of interest and including a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address for obtaining information about the another item of interest.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the first program data comprises one or more type codes selected from the group consisting of “

APC”

indicating that the first program data include one or more audio product codes, “

MPC”

indicating that the first program data include one or more merchandise product codes, and “

SPC”

indicating that the first program data include one or more codes for subscription services.

31. A digital radio broadcast system for generating broadcast data formatted to facilitate specifying content of interest using a digital radio broadcast receiver, comprising:

a processing system; and

a memory coupled to the processing system,

wherein the processing system is configure to;

arrange first audio content and second audio content for broadcast via a digital radio broadcast signal;

structure first program data associated with the first audio content and second program data associated with the second audio content,

the first program data comprising a first Unique File Identifier (UFID) frame comprising a first type code specifying a type of a first item associated with the first audio content, a first ID code identifying the first item, and a first Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address for obtaining information about the first item,

the second program data comprising a second Unique File Identifier (UFID) frame comprising a second type code specifying a type of a second item associated with the second audio content, a second ID code identifying the second item, and a second Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address for obtaining information about the second item;

generate a digital radio broadcast signal comprising the first and second audio content and the first and second program data for transmission via digital radio broadcast.

32. The digital radio broadcast system of claim 31, wherein the first UFID frame comprises a type code and an ID code for another item of interest.

33. The digital radio broadcast system of claim 31, wherein the first UFID frame comprises multiple ID codes identifying multiple different formats in which the first item is available.

34. The digital radio broadcast system of claim 31, wherein the first program data comprises multiple UFID frames, each of which includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address for obtaining information about the first item of interest, such that information can be obtained about the first item from multiple sources.

35. The digital radio broadcast system of claim 31, wherein the first program data comprises another UFID frame, the another UFID frame including a type code and an ID code for another item of interest and including a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address for obtaining information about the another item of interest.

36. The digital radio broadcast system of claim 31, wherein the first program data comprises one or more type codes selected from the group consisting of “

APC”

indicating that the first program data include one or more audio product codes, “

MPC”

indicating that the first program data include one or more merchandise product codes, and “

SPC”

indicating that the first program data include one or more codes for subscription services.