Automatic assignment and tuning of radio call letters to radio presets

• US 6,539,210 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2000
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: D&M Holdings US Incorporated (DEI Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: OpenGlobe, Inc. (DEI Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Heredia, Rafael, Priddy, Sean S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Application Number:
  US09/689,725
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/3.06, 455/154.1, 455/158.4, 455/158.5, 455/186.1, 455/45, 455/552, 455/553, 455/556, 455/557, 455/8, 348/10, 348/734, 707/10, 707/104, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 455/154.1
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0075 where the receiving frequencies of the stations are stored in a permanent memory, e.g. ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/26 Arrangements for switching distribution systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/82 using signals not modulated onto a carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/44 for identifying broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/47 for recognising genres
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/54 where broadcast information is generated
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/70 using geographical information, e.g. maps, charts or atlases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06

Abstract

Broadcast signals are detected and matched with signal information, such as call letters, genre and geographical location for corresponding signal sources, based on the geographical location of the receiver and the frequency at which the signals are broadcast. The signal information is stored with signal and medium selection data, so that signal sources provided via different communication media, such as broadcast radio and Internet streaming audio, can be accessed, sorted, selected and displayed together. Thus, a user can group for display information about signal sources transmitting a type of music that the user enjoys, via any communication medium that the receiver supports. Also, a currently selected signal source and communication medium can be matched with a different communication medium for the same source, so that if the received signal deteriorates, the receiver can switch to the different communication medium for receipt of the same signal.

Claims

1. A method of identifying signal sources, comprising:

selecting a communication medium from a plurality of communication media, to supply a signal;

storing medium selection data identifying the communication medium;

obtaining the signal from a signal source via the communication medium; and

accessing at least one database from a data source separate from the signal source to obtain signal information about the signal source.

2. A method as recited in claims 1, wherein said selecting selects between at least broadcast signals received from an antenna and packetized signals received via a packet-based network.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the signal information includes at least one of call letters, genre and geographical location of the signal source.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein said storing includes a signal frequency in the signal selection data when the medium selection data indicates that the communication medium uses broadcast signals and includes a network address when the medium selection data indicates that the communication medium uses the packet-based network.

5. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising displaying the signal information for receivable signals from multiple signal sources using any of the communication media.

6. A method as recited in claim 5,

wherein the genre and a source identifier is included in the signal information for at least some of the signal sources, and

wherein said displaying lists the signal information sorted by the genre.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising automatically organizing the signal information for the signal sources that has been stored for display into a plurality of subsets with at least one common characteristic in each subset.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising reporting a selected subset specified by the user to a remote system via the packet-based network.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising receiving information directed to the user based on the signal information in one of the subsets.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said receiving is further based on a geographical location of the user.

11. A method as recited in claim 7,

wherein said storing includes the genre and a source identifier in the signal information for the signal sources and at least one of the subsets is organized based on the genre,

wherein said method further comprises identifying at least one preferred genre selected by the user from a first group of sources included in the at least one of the subsets;

and

wherein said obtaining includes accessing the database to obtain the signal information for a second group of sources having the at least one preferred genre.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the first group of sources provide the broadcast signals received from an antenna and the second group of sources provide the packetized signals received via the packet-based network.

13. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising receiving information directed to the user based on a currently selected source for playback.

14. A method of identifying signal sources, comprising:

selecting a communication medium from a plurality of communication media, including at least broadcast signals received from an antenna and packetized signals received via a packet-based network, to supply a signal;

storing medium selection data identifying the communication medium, including first and second medium selection data for receiving the signal from the signal source via first and second communication media, respectively;

obtaining the signal from a signal source via the communication medium;

accessing at least one database from a data source separate from the signal source to obtain signal information about the signal source;

outputting the signal from the signal source as received via the first communication medium in response to selection by a user; and

automatically switching to the second communication medium for receipt of the signal in response to detection of deterioration of the signal.

15. A method of identifying signal sources, comprising:

obtaining a signal from a signal source via a communication medium that uses broadcast signals;

accessing at least a zip code database of zip codes, latitude and longitude and a station database including broadcast station frequencies and broadcast station locations stored as longitude and latitude, from at least one data source separate from the signal source;

determining a frequency and a receiving location of the signal based on longitude and latitude for the zip code of the receiving location, and

calculating a most likely station broadcasting the signal based on the frequency, the receiving location of the signal, the broadcast station frequencies and the broadcast station locations by multiplying degrees latitude by 104/145 to obtain miles and obtaining degrees longitude corresponding to 100 miles at a latitude of x using the following formula

16. At least one computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, embodying a method comprising:

selecting a communication medium from a plurality of communication media;

obtaining a signal from a signal source via the communication medium;

accessing at least one database from a data source separate from the signal source to obtain signal information about the signal source; and

storing the signal information and signal selection data defining how the signal is obtained via the communication medium and medium selection data identifying the communication medium.

17. At least one computer program as recited in claim 16, wherein said selecting selects between at least broadcast signals received from an antenna and packetized signals received via a packet-based network.

18. At least one computer program as recited in claim 17, wherein the signal information includes call letters, genre and geographical location of the signal source.

19. At least one computer program as recited in claim 18, wherein said storing includes a signal frequency in the signal selection data when the medium selection data indicates that the communication medium uses broadcast signals and includes a network address when the medium selection data indicates that the communication medium uses the packet-based network.

20. At least one computer program as recited in claim 18, wherein said method further comprises displaying the signal information for receivable signals from multiple signal sources using any of the communication media.

21. At least one computer program as recited in claim 20,

wherein said storing includes the genre and a source identifier in the signal information for the signal sources, and

wherein said displaying lists the signal information sorted by the genre.

22. At least one computer program as recited in claim 20,

wherein said method further comprises automatically organizing the signal information for the signal sources that has been stored for display into a plurality of subsets with at least one common characteristic in each subset.

23. At least one computer program as recited in claim 22, wherein said method further comprises reporting a selected subset specified by the user to a remote system via the packet-based network.

24. At least one computer program as recited in claim 23, wherein said method further comprises receiving information directed to the user based on the signal information in one of the subsets.

25. At least one computer program as recited in claim 24,

wherein said receiving is further based on a geographical location of the user.

26. At least one computer program as recited in claim 22, wherein said method further comprises receiving information directed to the user based on a currently selected source for playback.

27. At least one computer program as recited in claim 22,

wherein said storing includes the genre and a source identifier in the signal information for the signal sources and at least one of the subsets is organized based on the genre,

wherein said method further comprises identifying at least one preferred genre selected by the user from a first group of sources included in the at least one of the subsets;

and

wherein said obtaining includes accessing the database to obtain the signal information for a second group of sources having the at least one preferred genre.

28. At least one computer program as recited in claim 27, wherein the first group of sources provide the broadcast signals received from an antenna and the second group of sources provide the packetized signals received via the packet-based network.

29. At least one computer program as recited in claim 17,

wherein said storing includes first and second medium selection data for receiving the signal from the signal source via first and second communication media, and

wherein said method further comprises:

outputting the signal from the signal source as received via the first communication medium in response to selection by a user, and

automatically switching to the second communication medium for receipt of the signal in response to detection of deterioration of the signal.

30. At least one computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, embodying a method comprising:

obtaining a signal from a signal source via a communication medium;

accessing at least one database, including zip codes, latitude and longitude, from a data source separate from the signal source to obtain signal information about the signal source, with broadcast station locations stored as longitude and latitude;

determining a frequency and a receiving location of the signal based on longitude and latitude for the zip code of the receiving location; and

calculating a most likely station broadcasting the signal based on the frequency, the receiving location of the signal, and the broadcast station frequencies and locations, by multiplying degrees latitude by 104/145 to obtain miles and obtaining degrees longitude corresponding to 100 miles at a latitude of x using the following formula

31. An apparatus for identifying signal sources using at least one database provided by a data source, comprising:

a network connection to at least one packet-based network providing packetized signals;

a tuner to receive a signal from a signal source separate from the data source;

a processor, coupled to the at least one database and said tuner, to obtain signal information about the signal source from the at least one database; and

a storage unit to store signal information, a signal frequency of the signal and medium selection data indicating whether the signal is one of a broadcast signal received from the tuner or one of the packetized signals.

32. An apparatus as recited in claim 31, wherein said storage unit further stores call letters, genre and geographical location.

33. An apparatus as recited in claim 31, wherein said storage unit further stores a signal frequency when the medium selection data indicates that the communication medium uses broadcast signals and includes a network address when the medium selection data indicates that the communication medium uses the packet-based network.

34. An apparatus as recited in claim 31, further comprising a display, coupled to said processor, to display the signal information for receivable signals from multiple signal sources using any of the communication media.

35. An apparatus as recited in claim 34,

wherein said storage unit stores genre information and a source identifier for the signal sources, and

wherein said display lists the signal information sorted by the genre.

36. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, further comprising an input port, coupled to said processor, to receive control signals from a user specifying a subset of the signal information stored for display by said storage unit.

37. An apparatus as recited in claim 36, wherein said network connection further outputs the subset specified by the user to a remote system via the packet-based network.

38. An apparatus as recited in claim 36,

wherein said storage unit stores genre information and a source identifier in the signal information for the signal sources, and

wherein said processor identifies at least one preferred genre from a first group of sources selected by the user for inclusion in the subset, based on the genre information, and accesses the at least one database to obtain the signal information for a second group of sources having the at least one preferred genre.

39. An apparatus as recited in claim 38, wherein the first group of sources provide broadcast signals received from said tuner and the second group of sources provide the packetized signals received via the packet-based network.

40. An apparatus as recited in claim 36, wherein said processor selects between at least broadcast signals received from said tuner and packetized signals received via a said network connection.

41. An apparatus for identifying signal sources using at least one database provided by a data source, comprising:

a network connection to at least one packet-based network providing packetized signals;

a tuner to receive a signal from a signal source separate from the data source;

a storage unit to store signal information, a signal frequency of the signal and first and second medium selection data for the signal to be received from the signal source via said tuner and said network connection, respectively; and

a processor, coupled to the at least one database, said tuner and said storage unit, to obtain signal information about the signal source from the at least one database, to automatically switch between said tuner and said network connection to obtain the signal from the second communication medium in response to detection of deterioration of the signal.

42. An apparatus for identifying signal sources using data provided by a data source storing a station database storing broadcast station frequencies and broadcast station locations as longitude and latitude and a database of zip codes, latitude and longitude, said apparatus comprising:

a tuner to receive a signal from a signal source separate from the data source; and

a processor, coupled to the at least one database and said tuner, to obtain signal information about the signal source from the at least one database, to determine a frequency and a receiving location based on the longitude and the latitude for the zip code of the receiving location, to convert latitude to miles by multiplying by 104/145 and to obtain degrees longitude corresponding to 100 miles at a latitude of x using the following formula

43. An apparatus for identifying signal sources, comprising:

means for selecting a communication medium from a plurality of communication media, to supply a signal;

means for storing medium selection data identifying the communication medium;

means for obtaining the signal from a signal source via the communication medium; and

means for accessing at least one database from a data source separate from the signal source to obtain signal information about the signal source.

44. An apparatus for identifying signal sources, comprising:

means for selecting a communication medium from a plurality of communication media, including at least broadcast signals received from an antenna and packetized signals received via a packet-based network, to supply a signal;

means for storing medium selection data identifying the communication medium, including first and second medium selection data for receiving the signal from the signal source via first and second communication media, respectively;

means for obtaining the signal from a signal source via the communication medium;

means for accessing at least one database from a data source separate from the signal source to obtain signal information about the signal source;

means for outputting the signal from the signal source as received via the first communication medium in response to selection by a user; and

means for automatically switching to the second communication medium for receipt of the signal in response to detection of deterioration of the signal.