System and method for managing an on-board entertainment system

• US 7,685,158 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2004
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Diedrich, Nathaniel W., Pilgrim, Michael, Goeppner, Andrew T., Vilkinofsky, John, Miller, Ross C., Dutter, Jason A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleurantin; Jean B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, THU NGUYET T
• Application Number:
  US10/867,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20060004788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,107 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 707/6, 707/10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1787 Details of non-transparently synchronising file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/64 Browsing; Visualisation therefor generation of a list or set of audio data G06F16/638
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/916 Audio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A system and method for managing an on board entertainment system is disclosed. The system and method can wirelessly receive music files from a computer and store those music files on an on board unit associated with a motor vehicle. The system and method can also include provisions to associate music information with a received music file and can include provisions to manage the music collection on board a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for creating a local database including music file tags comprising the steps of:

receiving a first music file having a corresponding first tag;

storing selected portions of the first tag;

receiving a second music file having a corresponding second tag;

storing selected portions of the second tag;

analyzing the portions of the first tag and the portions of the second tag to determine if a pattern exists;

retrieving substantially all available music tag information related to the pattern from a remote comprehensive music tagging database, the music tag information consisting essentially of a plurality of music file tags unassociated with any music files;

storing the substantially all available music tag information locally to establish a local music tagging database, wherein the local music tagging database is configured to associate a stored music tag with an untagged music file;

receiving a third music file;

searching the local music tagging database for a third tag, wherein the third tag is suitable for the third music file;

retrieving the third tag from the local music tagging database; and

associating the third tag with the third music file.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of preparing a request for the substantially all available music tag information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining if the pattern exists comprises a comparison of first artist information associated with the first tag and second artist information associated with the second tag.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pattern is determined to exist if two or more tags include the same artist.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein a request for every available tag including the artist is prepared.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining if the pattern exists comprises a comparison of first genre information associated with the first tag and second genre information associated with the second tag.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pattern is determined to exist if two or more tags include the same genre.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein a request for every available tag including the genre is prepared.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of contacting the remote comprehensive music tagging database.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of contacting the remote comprehensive music tagging database includes a step of attempting to access a first wireless network.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first wireless network is a wireless broadband access network.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of contacting the remote comprehensive music tagging database includes a step of attempting to access a second wireless network if the first wireless network is not available.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the second wireless network is a wireless cellular telephone network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the local music tagging database is stored in an on-board unit (OBU) associated with a motor vehicle and the remote comprehensive music tagging database is stored in a computer remote from the motor vehicle, wherein the local music tagging database may be synchronized with the remote comprehensive music tagging database.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein synchronizing the local music tagging database with the remote comprehensive music tagging database comprises the steps of:

determining if a current time is substantially similar to a predetermined synch time;

determining if access to a wireless network is available from the OBU;

conducting a synching operation if access to the wireless network is available to the OBU associated with the motor vehicle; and

wherein the synching operation updates information associated with the OBU.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the local music tagging database is stored in a storage device connected to an OBU connected to a motor vehicle, further comprising the steps of:

synching the local music tagging database with the remote comprehensive music tagging database by determining if a current time is substantially similar to a predetermined synch time, determining if access to a wireless network is available from an OBU associated with the motor vehicle, and conducting a synching operation if access to the wireless network is available to the OBU associated with the motor vehicle, wherein the synching operation updates information associated with the motor vehicle;

receiving a music file in the OBU;

searching the local music tagging database with the OBU for a tag corresponding to the music file; and

attempting to contact the remote comprehensive music tagging database with the OBU to request the tag corresponding to the music file if the corresponding tag is not found on the second database.

16. An on-board unit (OBU) associated with a motor vehicle comprising:

a central unit located in a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle;

the central unit being connectable to a communications network;

the central unit capable of receiving a user input;

wherein the OBU receives a first music file having a corresponding first tag and stores a selected portion of the first tag;

wherein the OBU receives a second music file having a corresponding second tag and stores a selected portion of the second tag;

wherein the OBU analyzes the portion of the first tag and the portion of the second tag to determine if a pattern exists; and

wherein the OBU retrieves substantially all available music tag information related to the pattern from a remote comprehensive music tagging database, the substantially all available music tag information consisting essentially of a plurality of music file tags unassociated with any music files, and stores the substantially all available music tag information locally in a local music tagging database;

wherein the local music tagging database is configured to associate a new music tag with an untagged music file.

17. The OBU according to claim 16, wherein the OBU receives an additional untagged music file and searches the local music tagging database for an additional tag corresponding to the additional music file;

and

wherein the OBU attempts to contact the remote comprehensive music tagging database to request the additional tag if the additional tag is not found in the local music tagging database.

18. The OBU according to claim 17, wherein the additional music file is received through a wireless network antenna port.

19. An on-board unit (OBU) associated with a motor vehicle comprising:

a display disposed in a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle;

a storage device linked to the display;

wherein the OBU receives a first music file having a corresponding first tag and stores a selected portion of the first tag in the storage device;

wherein the OBU receives a second music file having a corresponding second tag and stores a selected portion of the second tag in the storage device;

wherein the OBU analyzes the portion of the first tag and the portion of the second tag to determine if a pattern exists; and

wherein the OBU retrieves substantially all available music tag information from a remote comprehensive music tagging database, the substantially all available music tag information consisting essentially of a plurality of music file tags unassociated with any music files, and stores the substantially all available music tag information locally in a local music tagging database;

wherein the local music tagging database is configured to associate a new music tag with an untagged music file.

20. The OBU according to claim 19, wherein, when an additional untagged music file is received by the OBU, the OBU searches the local music tagging database for an additional tag corresponding to the additional untagged music file;

wherein the OBU attempts to contact the remote comprehensive music tagging database if the additional tag is not found on the local music tagging database; and

wherein, if contact is made with the remote comprehensive music tagging database, the OBU retrieves the additional tag from the remote comprehensive music tagging database and stores the additional tag.

21. The OBU according to claim 20, wherein the OBU stores a request for the additional tag if contact is not made with the remote comprehensive music tagging database.

23. A method for creating a local database including music file tags comprising the steps of:

receiving a first music file having a corresponding first tag;

storing selected portions of the first tag;

receiving a second music file having a corresponding second tag;

storing selected portions of the second tag;

analyzing the portions of the first tag and the portions of the second tag to determine if a pattern exists;

requesting all available music tags related to the pattern from a remote comprehensive music tagging database, wherein the music tags are unassociated with any music files;

receiving the all available music tags related to the pattern from the remote comprehensive music tagging database;

storing the all available music tags related to the pattern locally to establish a local music tagging database, wherein the local music tagging database is configured to associate a stored music tag with an untagged music file;

receiving a third music file, the third music file being untagged;

searching the local music tagging database for a third tag, wherein the third tag is suitable for the third music file;

retrieving a third tag from the local music tagging database; and

associating the third tag with the third music file.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the local music tagging database is stored in a storage device connected to an OBU connected to a motor vehicle, and where the OBU requests all available music tags related to the pattern from a remote comprehensive music tagging database when the OBU is in communication with a broadband access network.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the broadband access network is accessed when the motor vehicle is parked in a garage.