Communicating radio presets between a portable media player and an accessory

• US 8,165,546 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ingrassia, Michael, Lee, Jeffery T., Schorsch, Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): Cox, Cassandra
• Application Number:
  US12/435,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20100285763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/185.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/08 among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/41 for identifying broadcast space, i.e. broadcast channels, broadcast stations or broadcast areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

Radio station presets lists can be communicated between a portable media device and an accessory. A radio station presets list can include a listing of radio stations associated with a particular location. The portable media device can determine a current location, select a presets list for the current location (or create a new presets list for the location), and communicate the presets list to the accessory. The portable media device can, periodically or upon request from the accessory, update its location and send a new presets list, if available, to the accessory. After the portable media device and the accessory are disconnected, the accessory can resume using its own presets list.

Claims

1. A portable media device comprising:

a first radio tuner;

an accessory interface configured to communicate with an accessory having a second radio tuner;

a storage medium configured to store a plurality of radio station presets lists, each of the plurality of radio station presets lists being associated with a location; and

a processor coupled to the first radio tuner, the accessory interface, and the storage medium, the processor being configured to determine a current location, to select a list of radio station presets, from the plurality of radio station presets lists, based at least in part on the current location, and to communicate the selected list of radio station presets to the accessory via the accessory interface.

2. The portable media device of claim 1 wherein the accessory interface is configured to communicate with the accessory using a set of commands, the set of commands including:

a first command receivable by the portable media device from the accessory, the first command requesting a list of radio presets associated with the current location; and

a second command sendable by the portable media device to the accessory, the second command including the list of radio presets associated with the current location.

3. The portable media device of claim 2 wherein the set of commands further includes:

a third command sendable by the portable media device, the third command requesting preset capabilities from the accessory; and

a fourth command receivable by the portable media device, the fourth command including the preset capabilities.

4. The portable media device of claim 1 wherein the processor determines the current location using an internal a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver.

5. The portable media device of claim 1 wherein the processor determines the current location based on analysis of a plurality of radio signals detected by the first radio tuner.

6. The portable media device of claim 1 wherein the processor determines the current location by comparing a fingerprint created from scanning a RF spectrum at the current location to a plurality of fingerprints included in a database, wherein each of the plurality of fingerprints is associated with a location.

7. The portable media device of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of lists of radio station presets includes information about one or more radio stations, and

wherein the one or more radio stations are ranked based one or more criteria, the one or more criteria include signal strength, user preference, user listening history, or information about other media assets stored in the portable media device.

8. A method for use in a portable media device communicably coupled to an accessory, the method comprising:

requesting radio station presets capabilities information from the accessory;

receiving radio station presets capabilities information from the accessory;

prioritizing listing of radio stations within the radio stations presets list, the prioritizing based at least in part on the radio station presets capabilities information; and

sending the radio station presets list to the accessory.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the radio station presets capabilities information includes information about a maximum number of presets that the accessory can accept.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the listing of radio stations in the radio station presets list equals the maximum number of presets that the accessory can accept.

11. A computer-readable medium containing program instructions that, when executed by a processor within a portable media device, cause the processor to execute a method of communicating a radio station presets list to an accessory, the method comprising:

determining a current location;

selecting a radio station presets list associated with the current location, the radio station presets list being selected from among a plurality of radio station presets lists stored on the portable media device, wherein each radio station presets list is associated with a location;

providing the selected radio station presets list to the accessory;

notifying the accessory that the selected radio station presets list is available; and

receiving a request from the accessory to send the selected radio station presets list.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein determining a current location includes:

scanning, using a radio tuner, a radio frequency spectrum at the current location to receive a plurality of radio signals; and

analyzing the plurality of radio signals to determine the current location.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein selecting a radio station presets list includes:

analyzing location data associated with each of the plurality of radio station presets lists; and

selecting a radio station presets list whose location data matches the current location.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the portable media device communicates with the accessory using a set of commands, the set of commands including:

a first command sendable to the accessory, the first command notifying the accessory of availability of the radio station presets list;

a second command receivable from the accessory, the second command requesting the radio station presets list; and

a third command sendable to the accessory, the third command including the requested radio station presets list.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 further comprising:

determining a new location;

selecting a new radio station presets list associated with the new location, in the event that the new location is different from the current location; and

providing the new radio station presets list to the accessory.

16. An accessory comprising:

a first radio tuner;

a storage medium configured to store a first radio station presets list;

a device interface configured to communicate with a portable media device having a second radio tuner;

a controller coupled to the first radio tuner and the device interface, the controller being configured to receive a second radio station presets list from the portable media device, the second radio station presets list being associated with a current location.

17. The accessory of claim 16 wherein the device interface is configured to communicate with the portable media device using a set of commands, the set of commands including:

a first command receivable by the accessory, the first command requesting presets capability of the accessory;

a second command sendable by the accessory, the second command including the presets capability;

a third command receivable by the accessory, the third command notifying availability of the radio station presets list;

a fourth command sendable by the accessory, the fourth command requesting the radio station presets list; and

a fifth command receivable by the accessory, the fifth command including the radio station presets list.

18. The accessory of claim 16 further comprising a user input device coupled to the device interface, the user input device configured to provide user input, to the device interface, the user input requesting a new radio station presets list from the portable media device.

19. The accessory of claim 16 further including a user interface, the user interface configured to select the first radio station presets list if the portable media device is not connected to the accessory and to select the second radio station presets list if the portable media device is connected to the accessory.

20. A method for use in an accessory communicably coupled to a portable media device, the method comprising:

receiving a request from the portable media device to communicate radio station presets capabilities information;

sending the radio station presets capabilities information to the portable media device;

requesting a radio station presets list from the portable media device, the radio station presets list being associated with a current location; and

receiving the radio station presets list from the portable media device, the radio station presets list based at least in part on the radio station presets capabilities information.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the presets capabilities include information about a maximum number of presets that the accessory can accept.

22. A computer-readable medium containing program instructions that, when executed by a controller within an accessory having a first radio station presets list, cause the controller to execute a method of communicating radio station presets information with a portable media device, the method comprising:

requesting a second radio station presets list from the portable media device, the second radio station presets list being associated with a first location;

receiving the second radio station presets list from the portable media device; and

associating a plurality of accessory controls with radio stations included in the second radio station presets list.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 further including prior to requesting the second radio station presets list:

receiving notification from the portable media device indicating availability of the second radio presets list.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 further including:

instructing the portable media device to update location; and

receiving a new radio station presets list from the portable media device in the event that the updated location is different from the first location.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 further including:

modifying the second radio station presets list to generate a third radio station presets list; and

communicating the third radio station presets list to the portable media device.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 further including:

reverting to the first radio station presets list when the portable media device is disconnected from the accessory.