Programmable radio subscription system for receiving selectively defined information

• US 5,819,160 A
• Filed: 09/18/1996
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Foladare, Mark, Goldman, Shelley, Sturm, Walter, Silverman, David Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US08/715,971
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.3, 455/45, 455/46, 455/507, 455/517, 455/524, 455/525, 455/67.1, 455/150.1, 455/151.1, 455/152.1, 455/186.1, 455/186.2, 348/6, 348/7
• US Class Current: 455/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/72 of terrestrial networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 the transmission system being the Internet

Abstract

The radio subscription system of the present invention enables a subscriber to remotely define and identify one or more playlists, each specifying information content selected by the subscriber from a subscription content database, for later transmission to the subscriber'"'"'s radio. The radio subscription system also permits the subscriber to use the local subscriber radio to remotely request transmission of a particular playlist to the subscriber'"'"'s radio for storage and playback. The subscriber may then use the local subscriber radio to play back the particular playlist.

Claims

1. A programmable radio subscription system having a predetermined audio data content set, for use with a wireless communication network by a subscriber, comprising:

configuration means operable to define and configure at least one playlist identifying audio data content selected by the subscriber from the predetermined audio data content set, each said playlist having a predefined unique identifier code, said configuration means further comprising means operable to define, within said at least one playlist, a selection criteria for automatically selecting audio data from the predetermined audio data content set;

first memory means, connected to said configuration means, for storing said at least one playlist;

second memory means for storing audio data content selectable by the subscriber for identification in said at least one playlist;

first selection means, connected to said first memory means via the wireless communication network, and operable for remotely selecting a particular playlist stored in said first memory means from said at least one playlist in accordance with the predefined unique identifier code of said particular playlist;

retrieving means, connected to said first selection means, and operable for remotely retrieving said selected particular playlist from said first memory means, and for retrieving from said second memory means the audio data content identified in said particular playlist and automatically selected at least in part in accordance with said selection criteria in response to a subscriber request to play the audio data content identified in said particular playlist; and

audio output means for playing the retrieved selected audio data content identified in said selected particular playlist to the subscriber.

2. The programmable radio subscription system of claim 1 further comprising third memory means, connected to said retrieving means, for storing the selected audio data content identified in said particular playlist retrieved by said retrieving means, wherein said audio output means is operable for selectively playing at least a portion of the selected audio data content identified in said particular playlist stored in said third memory means.

3. The programmable radio subscription system of claim 1, wherein said configuration means further comprise means for selecting at least one playlist identifying audio data content automatically selected by the radio subscription system.

4. The programmable radio subscription system of claim 1 wherein the audio data content is at least one of;

music, audio literature, and news.

5. The programmable radio subscription system of claim 1 further comprising audio data compression means, connected to said retrieving means, for compressing the selected audio data content identified in said particular playlist, during the retrieval, and for decompressing the selected audio data content identified in said particular playlist prior to playback by said audio output means.

6. A programmable radio subscription system, having a predetermined audio data content set, for use by a subscriber, comprising:

a wireless communication network;

configuration means operable to define and configure at least one playlist identifying audio data content selected by the subscriber from the predetermined audio data content set, each said playlist having a predefined unique identifier code, said configuration means further comprising means operable to define, within said at least one playlist, a selection criteria for automatically selecting audio data from the predetermined audio data content set;

first memory means, connected to said configuration means, for storing said at least one playlist;

second memory means for storing audio data content selectable by the subscriber for identification in said at least one playlist;

first selection means, connected to said first memory means via the wireless communication network, and operable for remotely selecting a particular playlist stored in said first memory means from said at least one playlist in accordance with the predetermined unique identifier code of said particular playlist;

retrieving means, connected to said first selection means, and operable for remotely retrieving said selected particular playlist from said first memory means and for retrieving from said second memory means the audio data content identified in said particular playlist and automatically selected at least in part in accordance with said selection criteria in response to a subscriber request to play the audio data content identified in said particular playlist; and

audio output means for playing the retrieved selected audio data content identified in said selected particular playlist to the subscriber.