Internet radio receiver with linear tuning interface

• US 6,920,479 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2001
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DigiMedia Tech, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: iM Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Scott, Bolas, Mark T., McDowall, Ian E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US09/859,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20020073171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/231
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/77 using carrier waves
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system for supplying streaming media or other media sources to clients, which provides for selection of internet based audio contest providers based on arbitrarily assigned numbers that function as proxies for the URL or IP address of the audio content providers.

Claims

1. A method for selectively connecting to an audio source in a device capable of receiving audio content from a plurality of audio content netcasters and from AM/FM radio sources and outputting said audio content received, each audio content netcaster having a URL, the device capable of connecting to the audio content netcaster with the URL, the device capable of tuning to the AM/FM sources, said method comprising the steps of:

providing each audio content netcaster with an arbitrary station number;

storing the arbitrary station number and URL of said plurality of audio content netcasters;

selecting an audio source;

if the selected audio source is one of the plurality of audio content netcasters, then further selecting a desired arbitrary station number, and if the desired arbitrary station number is associated with any of the plurality of audio content netcasters then recalling the URL associated with the selected arbitrary station number and connecting to the audio content netcaster with the URL associated with selected arbitrary station number, and if the selected arbitrary station number is not associated with any of the plurality of audio content netcasters, then outputting an audio clip;

if the selected audio source is any of the AM/FM sources, then tuning to the AM/FM sources; and

wherein the arbitrary station numbers fall within a range of numbers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the range of numbers does not overlap with the range of numbers allocated to designating AM/FM radio stations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the range of numbers allocated to designating the plurality of audio content netcasters is 109.0 to 529.9.

4. A system for delivering audio content over the internet to an internet radio, wherein a plurality of audio content providers are capable of providing audio content to an internet radio which is connected to the internet, wherein each audio content provider is characterized by a unique internet identifiers, said system comprising;

a server for managing connections between a plurality of internet radios to audio content providers;

a database of unique internet identifiers and arbitrarily selected numbers, wherein the arbitrarily selected numbers are assigned to correspond to the unique internet identifiers;

wherein the server, in response to input from an internet radio indicating input of one of the arbitrarily selected numbers, redirects the internet radio to the unique internet identifier of the corresponding audio content provider;

wherein the arbitrarily selected numbers are chosen from the range of 108.0 through 529.9.