Radio station preference translational mapping

• US 7,519,341 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Galli, Doreen L., Doudnikoff, Gregory Michael, Miller, Steven Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc M
• Application Number:
  US12/098,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20080188193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 455/179.1, 455/185.1, 455/186.1, 455/3.03, 455/3.04, 455/432.2, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 455/185.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services
• 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: H03J 2200/20 Radio receiver with possibility to choose a station with a certain program style

Abstract

A user'"'"'s media preferences can be obtained and stored for later use in setting up a currently-available media device. The media device inputs are programmed based on the media device'"'"'s capabilities and the available media sources for the particular geographic area in which the user is currently located. Media device inputs may be set by the media device itself or by a computer attached to the media device, either directly or via a network. Device data, including information such as the number of media device inputs to be programmed, and whether or not the media device inputs can be toggled between several stations, is obtained. Station data, including available media sources, is obtained for the current geographic area. A user profile, including information such as input preference settings and genre preferences, is also obtained. The media device inputs are then programmed based on the user profile, the station data for the geographic area, and the media device capabilities.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

a nonvolatile storage device accessible by the processors; and

a media device input tool for setting media device inputs, the media device input tool being effective to;

acquire a geographic location of a media device having the media device inputs;

obtain station data corresponding to the acquired geographic location;

receive media device data corresponding to the media device, wherein the media device data includes a number of media device inputs to be programmed;

retrieve a user profile corresponding to a user of the media device, wherein the retrieved user profile includes an input preference setting of a single station per media device input and a single genre preference; and

program the media device inputs based on the obtained station data and the retrieved user profile, wherein the programming comprises using the obtained station data to set each of the media device inputs to a media station of the single genre preference, and wherein the media device inputs are set in order of popularity.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the obtained station data includes a list of radio stations available in the geographic location, and wherein the obtained station data includes genre and popularity information for each radio station.

3. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

a nonvolatile storage device accessible by the processors; and

a media device input tool for setting media device inputs, the media device input tool being effective to;

acquire a geographic location of a media device having the media device inputs;

obtain station data corresponding to the acquired geographic location;

receive media device data corresponding to the media device, wherein the media device data includes a number of media device inputs to be programmed;

retrieve a user profile corresponding to a user of the media device, wherein the retrieved user profile includes an input preference setting of a single station per device input and more than one genre preference; and

program the media device inputs based on the obtained station data and the retrieved user profile, wherein the programming is effective to;

a) read a first genre preference from the retrieved user profile;

b) obtain a most popular media station of the first genre preference from the obtained station data;

c) set a first media device input to the most popular media station of the first genre; and

d) repeat steps a, b, and c for each of the media device inputs.

4. The information handling system of claim 3 wherein the obtained station data includes a list of radio stations available in the geographic location, and wherein the obtained station data includes genre and popularity information for each radio station.

5. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

a nonvolatile storage device accessible by the processors; and

a media device input tool for setting media device inputs, the media device input tool being effective to;

acquire a geographic location of a media device having the media device inputs;

obtain station data corresponding to the acquired geographic location;

receive media device data corresponding to the media device, wherein the media device data includes a number of media device inputs to be programmed;

retrieve a user profile corresponding to a user of the media device, wherein the retrieved user profile includes an input preference setting of multiple stations per media device input;

determine, based on the received media device data, that the media device inputs are toggle-enabled; and

in response to the determining;

read a first genre preference from the retrieved user profile;

obtain a first list of media stations of the first genre preference; and

set a first media device input to toggle through the first list of obtained media stations.

6. The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the obtained station data includes a list of radio stations available in the geographic location, and wherein the obtained station data includes genre and popularity information for each radio station.

7. The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the media device input tool is further effective to:

read a second genre preference from the retrieved user profile;

obtain a second list of media stations of the second genre preference; and

set a second media device input to toggle through the second list of obtained media stations.

8. The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the obtained first list of media stations is in order of popularity.

9. A computer program product stored on a computer operable media, the computer operable media containing instructions for execution by a computer, which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to implement a method for setting media device inputs, the method comprising:

acquiring a geographic location of a media device having the media device inputs;

obtaining station data corresponding to the acquired geographic location;

receiving media device data corresponding to the media device, wherein the media device data includes a number of media device inputs to be programmed;

retrieving a user profile corresponding to a user of the media device, wherein the retrieved user profile includes an input preference setting of a single station per media device input and a single genre preference; and

programming the media device inputs based on the obtained station data and the retrieved user profile, wherein the programming comprises using the obtained station data to set each of the media device inputs to a media station of the single genre preference, and wherein the media device inputs are set in order of popularity.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the obtained station data includes a list of radio stations available in the geographic location, and wherein the obtained station data includes genre and popularity information for each radio station.

11. A computer program product stored on a computer operable media, the computer operable media containing instructions for execution by a computer, which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to implement a method for setting media device inputs, the method comprising:

acquiring a geographic location of a media device having the media device inputs;

obtaining station data corresponding to the acquired geographic location;

receiving media device data corresponding to the media device, wherein the media device data includes a number of media device inputs to be programmed;

retrieving a user profile corresponding to a user of the media device, wherein the retrieved user profile includes an input preference setting of a single station per device input and more than one genre preference; and

programming the media device inputs based on the obtained station data and the retrieved user profile, wherein the programming comprises;

a) reading a first genre preference from the retrieved user profile;

b) obtaining a most popular media station of the first genre preference from the obtained station data;

c) setting a first media device input to the most popular media station of the first genre; and

d) repeating steps a, b, and c for each of the media device inputs.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the obtained station data includes a list of radio stations available in the geographic location, and wherein the obtained station data includes genre and popularity information for each radio station.

13. A computer program product stored on a computer operable media, the computer operable media containing instructions for execution by a computer, which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to implement a method for setting media device inputs, the method comprising:

acquiring a geographic location of a media device having the media device inputs;

obtaining station data corresponding to the acquired geographic location;

receiving media device data corresponding to the media device, wherein the media device data includes a number of media device inputs to be programmed;

retrieving a user profile corresponding to a user of the media device, wherein the retrieved user profile includes an input preference setting of multiple stations per media device input;

determining, based on the received media device data, that the media device inputs are toggle-enabled; and

in response to the determining;

reading a first genre preference from the retrieved user profile;

obtaining a first list of media stations of the first genre preference; and

setting a first media device input to toggle through the first list of obtained media stations.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the obtained station data includes a list of radio stations available in the geographic location, and wherein the obtained station data includes genre and popularity information for each radio station.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the method further comprises:

reading a second genre preference from the retrieved user profile;

obtaining a second list of media stations of the second genre preference; and

setting a second media device input to toggle through the second list of obtained media stations.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the obtained first list of media stations is in order of popularity.