Receiver storage system for audio program

• US 7,369,824 B1
• Filed: 06/03/2005
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dr. Hark C. Chan
• Original Assignee: Dr. Hark C. Chan
• Inventors: Chan, Hark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milford; Marceau
• Application Number:
  US11/145,136
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 455/86, 455/156.1, 455/150.1, 455/186.1, 455/166.1, 455/161.1, 455/66.1, 455/344, 370/395.64, 725/114, 725/87
• US Class Current: 455/150.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/34 using an out-of-band subcarrier signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/18 Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information

Abstract

A receiver contains a demodulator system that can deliver a stream of digital data comprising at least a first and a second set of audio data. In a first time interval, a memory is used to store either the first or the second set of audio data. In a subsequent time interval, the demodulator system delivers another stream of digital data. A user can select either the stored audio data or the another stream of digital data. The selected data is converted to analog audio signals.

Claims

1. A method for a receiver to generate analog audio signal from radio frequency signal, the method comprising:

during a first time interval;

demodulating the radio frequency signal to obtain a first stream of digital data, the first stream of digital data comprising at least a first set of compressed digital audio data, a first index data associated with the first set of compressed digital audio data, a second set of compressed digital audio data and a second index data associated with the second set of compressed digital audio data; and

storing the first and the second set of compressed digital audio data and the first and the second index data in at least a portion of a random access memory; and

during a subsequent time interval,

demodulating the radio frequency signal to obtain a second stream of digital data, the second stream of digital data comprising at least a third set of compressed digital audio data;

generating a first analog audio signal based on the third set of compressed digital audio data;

after receiving a command by a user, providing a first user-perceivable output that is associated with the first digital index data and a second user-perceivable output that is associated with the second digital index data, the first and the second user-perceivable outputs assisting the user to select one of the first and the second sets of compressed digital audio data for listening;

if the user selects the first user-perceivable output, retrieving the first set of compressed digital audio data from the portion of the random access memory and generating a second analog audio signal based on the retrieved first set of compressed digital audio data; and

if the user selects the second user-perceivable output, retrieving the second set of compressed digital audio data from the portion of the random access memory and generating a third analog audio signal based on the retrieved second set of compressed digital audio data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and the second index data are compressed digital audio data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver has an input device allowing the user to turn off or turn on at least a portion of the receiver, and wherein prior to the first time interval the user uses the input device to turn off the portion of the receiver and prior to the subsequent time interval the user uses the input device to turn on the portion of the receiver.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one subset of the first set of compressed digital audio data has an error, the method further comprising:

during an intermediate time interval between the first and the subsequent time intervals;

demodulating the radio frequency signal to obtain a third stream of digital data, the third stream of digital data comprising at least a fourth set of compressed digital audio data, the fourth set of compressed digital audio data being substantially same as the first set of compressed digital audio data; and

storing in the random access memory a portion of the fourth set of compressed digital audio data that is associated with the one subset.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of compressed digital audio data is stored in a first portion of the random access memory and the second set of compressed digital audio data is stored in a second portion of the random access memory, the method further comprising:

during the first time interval, generating a first pointer to the first portion of the random access memory and a second pointer to the second portion of the random access memory; and

during the subsequent time interval, using the first pointer to retrieve the first set of compressed digital audio data and using the second pointer to retrieve the second set of compressed digital audio data.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first index data comprises a first name associated with the first set of compressed digital audio data and the second index data comprises a second name associated with the second set of compressed digital audio data, and wherein the first analog audio signal is generated without providing an associated user-perceivable name.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein at least one of the first and the second sets of compressed digital audio data compressed human voice data.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver comprises an antenna, the method further comprising receiving the radio frequency signal by the antenna.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising demodulating the radio frequency signal to obtain an instruction for instructing the receiver to perform a task.

10. the method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and the second sets of compressed digital audio data comprises compressed human voice data.

11. A method for a receiver to generate analog audio signal from radio frequency signal, the receiver having a component for demodulating the radio frequency signal and extracting digital data from the radio frequency signal, comprising:

generating by the component a first set of compressed digital audio data and a first digital index data associated with the first set of compressed digital audio data;

storing the first set of compressed digital audio data and the first digital index data in a first portion of a random access memory;

generating by the component a second set of compressed digital audio data and a second digital index data associated with the second set of compressed digital audio data;

storing the second set of compressed digital audio data and the second digital index data in a second portion of the random access memory; and

generating the analog audio signal subsequent to the storing the first and the second sets of compressed digital audio data and the first and the second digital index data, comprising;

generating by the component a third set of compressed digital audio data, decompressing the third set of compressed digital audio data and generating a first analog audio signal based on the decompressed third set of compressed digital audio data;

after receiving a command by a user, providing a first user-perceivable signal that is associated with the first digital index data and a second user-perceivable signal that is associated with the second digital index data, the first and the second user-perceivable signals assisting the user to select one of the first and the second sets of compressed digital audio data for listening;

if the user selects the first user-perceivable signal, retrieving the first set of compressed digital audio data from the first portion of the random access memory, decompressing the retrieved first set of compressed digital audio data, and generating a second analog audio signal based on the decompressed first set of compressed digital audio data; and

if the user selects the second user-perceivable signal, retrieving the second set of compressed digital audio data from the second portion of the random access memory, decompressing the retrieved second set of compressed digital audio data, and generating a third analog audio signal based on the decompressed second set of compressed digital audio data.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the receiver has an input device allowing the user to turn off or turn on at least a portion of the receiver, and wherein the random access memory continues to store the first and the second sets of compressed digital audio data and the first and the second index data after the portion of the receiver is turned off.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first digital index data comprises a first name associated with the first set of compressed digital audio data and the second digital index data comprises a second name associated with the second set of compressed digital audio data.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the first analog audio signal is generated without providing an associated user-perceivable name.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of the first and the second sets of compressed digital audio data comprises compressed human voice data.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the receiver has an input device allowing the user to turn off or turn on at least a portion of the receiver, and wherein the random access memory continues to store the first and the second sets of compressed digital audio data and the first and second index data after the portion of the receiver is turned off.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the receiver comprises an antenna, the method further comprising receiving the radio frequency signal by the antenna.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising generating by the component an instruction from the radio frequency signal for instructing the receiver to perform a task.

19. The method fo claim 11 wherein at least one of the first and the second sets of compressed digital audio data comprises compressed human voice data.