LOCATION-BASED AUDIO SERVICE

• US 20120028566A1
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Vorbau, W. Alex, Ankolekar, Anupriya, Brzozowski, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/52 of users

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a location-based audio service. According to one embodiment, a request for a desired audio stream having an inactive segment is received from a user operating a mobile device. Furthermore, geographic data may be monitored while the audio stream is being rendered on the mobile device. The location-based audio service is configured to determine relevant location-based information based on the geographic data, and then transmit the relevant information to the mobile device during the inactive segment of the desired audio stream.

Claims

1. A method for providing information to a user operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving a request for services from the user via the mobile device, wherein the services include a desired audio stream having at least one inactive segment;

transmitting the desired audio stream to the mobile device in response to receiving the request;

monitoring geographic data from the mobile device while the audio stream is being rendered on the mobile device;

determining relevant location-based information based on the geographic data from the mobile device; and

transmitting the relevant location-based information to the mobile device for playback during the at least one inactive segment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, in a database, subscriber information and preferences associated with the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of determining relevant location-based information is further based on the stored subscriber information and preferences of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the relevant location-based information includes news, entertainment, or information from a social networking website associated with the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired audio stream includes one of a podcast audio or streaming digital music.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired audio stream includes a plurality of inactive segments.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting the relevant location-based information to the mobile device for playback at each inactive segment of the plurality of inactive segments of the desired audio stream.

8. A method for providing information to a user operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving a request for services from the user via the mobile device, wherein the services include at least one desired audio stream;

transmitting the desired audio stream to the mobile device in response to said request;

monitoring geographic data from the mobile device while the audio stream is being rendered on the mobile device;

determining relevant location-based information based on the geographic data from the mobile device; and

sending, during playback of the desired audio stream, an audible notification to the user alerting the user to an availability of the relevant location-based information.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing subscriber information and preferences associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of determining relevant location-based information is based on the stored subscriber information and preferences of the user.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the audio stream includes at least one inactive segment.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting the relevant location-based information to the mobile device for playback during the at least one inactive segment of the desired audio stream.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the relevant location-based information is only transmitted to the mobile device upon receipt of an indication of manual activation by the user responsive to the audible notification.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a request for relevant location-based information from the user as a result of user interaction with the mobile device; and

transmitting the relevant location-based information to the mobile device for playback in response to the request from the user.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

interrupting playback of the desired audio stream upon receiving request for location-based information;

transmitting relevant location-based information to the mobile device for playback in response to the request from the user; and

automatically resuming playback of the desired audio stream upon completion of the playback of the relevant location-based information on the mobile device.

16. A method for providing information to a user operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving a request for services from the user via the mobile device, wherein the request for services includes travel information;

determining a stream of relevant content based on the travel information received from the user; and

transmitting the stream of relevant content to the mobile device for playback.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the travel information includes a current geographic location of the mobile device and destination data input by the user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining a stream of relevant comprises:

calculating a travel path based on the current geographic location of the mobile device and destination data input by the user; and

determining relevant location-based information based on the calculated travel path.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

storing subscriber information and preferences associated with the user, and

wherein the step of determining relevant a stream of relevant content is further based on the stored subscriber information and preferences of the user.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the relevant content includes an audio stream, news, entertainment, or information from a social networking website associated with the user.