In-vehicle audio browser system having a common usability model

• US 7,069,510 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2002
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Anderson, W. Michael, Johnson, Bruce Alan, Sproule, William David, Huff, Polita Mila
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US10/050,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20030137543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 715/716, 715/854, 715/840, 715/841, 715/717, 715/718, 715/727, 715/771, 715/970, 715/738, 715/739, 715/864, 701/36, 701/206, 701207-209, 701/211, 455347-349, 455/345, 455/344, 455/150.1, 455/151.1, 455/152.1, 455/151.4, 455/154.1, 455/158.1, 455/158.2, 455/158.4, 455/179.1, 455/180.1, 455/188.1
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An in-vehicle audio browser includes a first set of buttons that are configured to select a preset item. A second set of buttons move forward and backward through a list of items in the audio browser. A third button selects among multiple bands associated with the audio browser. A fourth button activates a function that varies depending on the selected band. The audio browser supports primary audio control bands that affect the audio outputs when selected and conditional audio control bands that do not affect the audio output unless some action on the band requires audio output.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle audio browser comprising:

a first set of buttons configured to select a preset item;

a second button configured to select between a first list of items and a second list of items associated with the audio browser, wherein the first list comprises a first plurality of bands including primary audio control bands and the second list comprises a second plurality of bands including conditional audio control bands;

a third button configured to cycle through and select a desired band from the list of items selected by the second button;

a fourth button configured to activate a function that varies depending on a selected band; and

a fifth set of buttons including at least one button configured to move through elements within the selected band.

2. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 1, wherein the first plurality of bands includes at least one of a radio band, and a CD player band.

3. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 1, wherein the second plurality of bands includes at least one of:

a digital media band;

a navigation band;

a contact list band; and

a telephone task band.

4. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 1, further comprising a display configured to identify the selected band.

5. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 1, wherein the primary audio control bands affect audio output when selected.

6. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 1, wherein the fourth button is configured to save currently playing audio output.

7. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 1, wherein the fourth button is configured to dial a phone number associated with a current task.

8. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 1, wherein the conditional audio control bands do not affect audio output unless a function requiring audio output is activated with the fourth button.

9. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 1, wherein the audio browser stores various information, and wherein the stored information is synchronized with an external computing device.

10. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one button of the fifth set of buttons is configured to move though elements within the selected band when pressed, and to perform an alternate function when pressed and held.

11. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 10, wherein the alternate function comprises scanning through a cache of a selected element.

12. An in-vehicle audio browser comprising:

a first button configured to select between a set of primary audio control bands and a set of conditional audio control bands;

a second button configured to select a band from the set of bands selected by the first button; and

a third button configured to scan through elements within the band selected by the second button.

13. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 12, wherein the primary audio control bands affect audio output when selected.

14. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 12, wherein the conditional audio control bands do not affect audio output unless some action on the band requires audio output.

15. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 12, further comprising a fourth button configured to activate a function that varies based on the band.

16. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 15, wherein the fourth button is configured to activate a secondary function that varies based on the selected band when the fourth button is pressed and held.

17. An in-vehicle audio browser as recited in claim 12, wherein the third button is further comprised to perform an alternate function when pressed and held, the alternate function being dependant on the band selected by the second button.

18. A user interface for an in-vehicle audio browser, the user interface comprising:

a source button to select between a set of primary audio control bands and a set of conditional audio control bands;

a band button to select a desired band from a selected set of audio control bands; and

at least one scan button to scan though elements within the desired band.

19. A user interface as recited in claim 18, wherein the primary audio control bands affect audio output when selected.

20. A user interface as recited in claim 18, wherein the conditional audio control bands do not affect audio output unless some action of the band requires an audio output.

21. A user interface as recited in claim 18, wherein the primary audio control bands include at least one of a radio band and a CD player band.

22. A user interface as recited in claim 18, wherein the conditional audio control bands include at least one of a navigation band and a contact list band.

23. A user interface as recited in claim 18, wherein the at least one scan button is configured to scan through elements within a band selected using the band button when the at least one scan button is pressed, and further wherein the at least one scan button is configured to perform an alternate function depending on the band selected using the band button when the at least one scan button is pressed and held.

24. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

display a currently selected car radio band, wherein a car radio supports a primary audio control band class and a conditional audio control band class;

change a currently selected band class in response to activation of a first car radio button;

move through a list of items associated with the currently selected band class in response to activation of a second car radio button; and

move through elements in an item in response to activation of a third car radio button.

25. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24, wherein the one or more processors further select a particular element in the item using a set of preset buttons.

26. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24, wherein the primary audio control band class includes at least one of an AM radio band, an FM radio band, and a CD player band.

27. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24, wherein the conditional audio control band class includes at least one of a navigation band and a contact list band.

28. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24, wherein the one or more processors further save currently playing audio content in response to activation of an ACT button on the car radio.

29. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24, wherein the one or more processors further dial a phone number currently displayed on the car radio in response to activation of an ACT buff on the car radio.

30. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 29, wherein the one or more processors further marks a task as completed in response to the ACT button on the car radio being activated and held.

31. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24, wherein the one or more processors further perform an alternate function when the third car radio button is activated and held.

32. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 31, wherein the alternate function includes scanning through a current track.