Smartphone for interactive radio

• US 8,180,277 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jai Kumar, Kothandraman Ramchandran, Sudharshan Srinivasan
• Original Assignee: Jai Kumar, Kothandraman Ramchandran, Sudharshan Srinivasan
• Inventors: Srinivasan, Sudharshan, Kumar, Jai, Ramchandran, Kothandraman
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, HOWARD L
• Application Number:
  US12/387,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20100279629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/3.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/034 Portable transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/08 among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/106 Receiver-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/62 for transportation systems, e.g. in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile device (31) capable of processing radio broadcast signals (36) is described. Broadcast radio signals (36) are received by said mobile device (31) and converted to desired digital audio content format (52) and then combined with output of software applications (54) running at said mobile device (31) to create a combined radio broadcast signal (55) that can be received by a automobile broadcast radio receiver (83). Said radio broadcast signal (55) is transmitted to a automobile broadcast radio receiver (83) to enable a user to interact with audio content using software applications (54) of said mobile device (31). Transmission of combined radio broadcast signal (56) is done on a different radio broadcast frequency with low power signal.

Claims

1. A method of providing an interactive radio system using a mobile device comprising:

a) receiving a first radio broadcast signal by tuning to a corresponding channel in the receiver tuner of said mobile device, wherein said first radio broadcast signal is selected from group consisting of analog radio broadcast signal, and digital radio broadcast signal;

b) extracting audio content from said first radio broadcast signal into said mobile device;

c) converting said audio content associated with said first radio broadcast signal into intermediate digital audio content in intermediate digital audio content format such that said intermediate digital audio content can be combined with digital audio output of software applications executing at said mobile device;

d) executing said software applications to produce said digital audio output;

e) capturing said digital audio output of said software applications;

f) combining said digital audio output and said intermediate digital audio content to produce a first combined signal that can be received by a radio receiver; and

g) transmitting said first combined signal using a transmitter tuner of said mobile device as a second radio broadcast signal, wherein said second radio broadcast signal is selected from group consisting of analog radio broadcast signal, and digital radio broadcast signal.

2. The method to provide an interactive radio system using a mobile device of claim 1, wherein said analog radio broadcast signal is compatible with a standard selected from group consisting of amplitude modulation standard, and frequency modulation standard.

3. The method to provide an interactive radio system using a mobile device of claim 1, wherein said digital radio broadcast signal is compatible with a standard selected from group consisting of high definition radio standard, and digital audio broadcasting standard.

4. The method to provide an interactive radio system using a mobile device of claim 1, wherein said digital audio output from software applications is comprised of audio excerpt selected from group consisting of audio prompt for user input, internet based audio content related to said audio content, audio information from phone applications executed in said mobile device, and location information from embedded global positioning receiver in said mobile device.

5. The method to provide an interactive radio system using a mobile device of claim 1, wherein said mobile device is selected from group consisting of personal digital assistant, mobile phone, smartphone and, portable media player capable of receiving said first radio signal and transmitting said second radio signal to a radio in simultaneously and in real time.

6. The method to provide an interactive radio system using a mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

a) receiving input from a user into said software applications for said interaction with said intermediate digital audio content;

b) capturing digital audio output related to said input from said software applications, further referred to as user related digital audio output;

c) combining said user related digital audio output with said first combined signal to produce a second combined signal that can be received by a radio receiver; and

d) transmitting said second combined signal to said radio receiver to enable a user to listen and interact with said second combined signal comprising said intermediate digital audio content, said digital audio output of said software applications and said user related digital audio output.

7. A mobile device providing an interactive radio system comprising:

a) a receiver tuner for receiving a first radio broadcast signal as input wherein said radio broadcast signal is selected from group consisting of analog radio broadcast signal, and digital radio broadcast signal;

b) a decoder module to decode audio content from said first radio broadcast signal into said mobile device;

c) conversion module for converting said audio content associated with said first radio broadcast signal into a intermediate digital audio content in intermediate digital audio content format such that said intermediate digital audio content can be combined with digital audio output of software applications running at said mobile device;

d) combining module for combining said digital audio output of said software applications and said intermediate digital audio content to produce a first combined signal;

e) a encoder module to encode said first combined signal into a second radio broadcast signal from said mobile device; and

f) a transmitter tuner to transmit said first combined signal using said transmitter tuner of said mobile device, wherein said second radio broadcast signal is selected from group consisting of analog radio broadcast signal, and digital radio broadcast signal.

8. The mobile device providing an interactive radio system of claim 7, wherein said analog radio broadcast signal is compatible with a standard selected from group consisting of amplitude modulation, standard and frequency modulation standard.

9. The mobile device providing an interactive radio system of claim 7, wherein said digital radio broadcast signal is compatible with a standard selected from group consisting of high definition radio standard, and digital audio broadcasting standard.

10. The mobile device providing an interactive radio system of claim 7, wherein said mobile device is selected from group consisting of personal digital assistant, mobile phone, smartphone and portable media player capable of receiving said radio signals and transmitting radio signals simultaneously and in real time.

11. The mobile device providing an interactive radio system of claim 7, further comprising:

a) a user input receiving module to receive input from a user into said software applications for interaction with said intermediate digital audio content;

b) a output capturing module to capture digital audio output related to said input from said software applications further referred to as user related digital audio output.

12. A silicon chip comprising:

a) a receiver tuner for receiving a first radio broadcast signal as input wherein said radio broadcast signal is selected from group consisting of analog radio broadcast signal, and digital radio broadcast signal;

b) a audio input module to receive audio input from external components wherein said audio input is passed in using a signal selected from group consisting of analog audio input signal and digital audio input signal;

c) a audio combining module to combine said audio input signal and audio content in said first radio broadcast signal to generate a combined radio signal that can be transmitted using said transmitter in said second broadcast radio signal; and

d) a transmitter tuner to simultaneously transmit a second radio broadcast signal using said transmitter tuner of said mobile device, wherein said second radio broadcast signal is selected from group consisting of analog radio broadcast signal, and digital radio broadcast signal.

13. The silicon chip of claim 12, wherein said analog radio broadcast signal is compatible with a standard selected from group consisting of amplitude modulation standard, and frequency modulation standard.

14. The silicon chip of claim 12, wherein said digital radio broadcast signal is compatible with a standard selected from group consisting of high definition radio standard, and digital audio broadcasting standard.