Radio receiver and method for receiving and playing signals from multiple broadcast channels

• US 8,260,230 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc. (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Clear Channel Management Services LP (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zigler, Jeffrey D., Lockhart, Kevin R., Wooden, Richard D., Lockhart, Jacqueline J., Myers, Theodore N., Hill, Evan A., Jellison, Tanya R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US12/201,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20090061807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/3.04, 455/3.06, 455/183.2, 4551841-1861, 455/179.1, 455/296, 455/303, 725/48, 725/59, 725/61, 725/68, 725/89, 725/139, 725/151, 725/145
• US Class Current: 455/179.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/22 Arrangements for broadcast of identical information via plural broadcast systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A radio receiver may comprise a receiver adaptable for receiving a plurality of broadcast streams over a plurality of broadcast channels, wherein the receiver will attempt to receive a selected broadcast stream on a selected broadcast channel, and if the selected broadcast stream is not receivable on the selected broadcast channel, the receiver will attempt to receive the selected broadcast stream on an alternative broadcast channel. A computer readable medium may allow a user of a receiver to create a composite stream comprising at least one portion selected from each of at least two of a plurality of broadcast streams. A method of open interface merge replication may involve comparing data between first and second databases, and if a conflict exists, updating one of the first and second databases with at least a portion of data from the other of the first and second databases to resolve the conflict.

Claims

1. A radio receiver comprising:

a receiver adaptable for receiving a plurality of broadcast streams over a plurality of broadcast channels;

a computer processor in communication with said receiver; and

a memory in communication with said processor;

said memory comprising a computer program comprising;

instructions for causing said receiver to attempt to receive a selected broadcast stream on a selected broadcast channel, and if said selected broadcast stream is not receivable on said selected broadcast channel, to attempt to receive said selected broadcast stream on an alternative broadcast channel, and

instructions for causing said receiver to attempt to receive said selected broadcast stream on successive alternative broadcast channels according to at least one rule of priority.

2. The radio receiver of claim 1 wherein said plurality of broadcast channels comprises at least one HD channel and at least one non-HD channel.

3. The radio receiver of claim 1 wherein said plurality of broadcast channels comprises at least one AM channel, at least one FM channel, at least one HD channel, at least one IP channel, at least one ST channel, and at least one CS channel.

4. The radio receiver of claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to allow a user to select a comparable broadcast stream in response to determining that said selected broadcast stream is not receivable on any of the successive alternative broadcast channels.

5. the radio receiver of claim 1, wherein said selected broadcast stream is a preset broadcast stream.

6. the radio receiver of claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to allow a user to establish the at least one rule of priority.

7. The radio receiver comprising:

a receiver adaptable for receiving a plurality of broadcast streams over a plurality of broadcast channels;

a computer processor in communication with said receiver;

a memory in communication with said processor; and

said memory comprising a computer program comprising;

instructions for causing said receiver to attempt to receive a selected broadcast stream on a selected broadcast channel, and if said selected broadcast stream is not receivable on said selected broadcast channel, to attempt to receive said selected broadcast stream on an alternative broadcast channel, wherein said plurality of broadcast channels comprises at least one HD channel and at least one non-HD channel, wherein said computer program comprises at least one rule of priority comprising instructions for executing a first attempt to receive said selected broadcast stream on said at least one HD channel, and if said first attempt fails, then executing a second attempt to receive said selected broadcast stream on said at least one non-HD channel.

8. A method comprising:

attempting to receive, at a radio stream receiver, a selected broadcast stream on a first broadcast channel; and

in response to being unable to receive the selected broadcast stream on the first broadcast channel, attempting to receive the selected broadcast stream on successive alternative broadcast channels according to at least one rule of priority.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising allowing a user to select a comparable broadcast stream if the selected broadcast stream is not receivable on any of the successive alternative broadcast channels.

10. A radio receiver comprising:

a communications interface to receive a plurality of preset broadcast streams over a plurality of broadcast channels;

a computer processor;

a memory in communication with said computer processor;

a user interface in communication with the computer processor, the user interface configured to receive user input creating a targeted playlist comprising at least part of at least one preset broadcast stream; and

a program of instructions to be stored in the memory and executed by the computer processor, the program of instructions comprising;

at least one instruction to attempt to receive the at least one preset broadcast stream on a selected broadcast channel, and

at least one instruction to, in response to being unable to receive the at least one preset broadcast stream on the first broadcast channel, attempt to receive the at least one preset broadcast stream on successive alternative broadcast channels according to at least one rule of priority.

11. The radio receiver of claim 10, wherein the program of instructions further comprises at least one instruction to allow a user to select a comparable broadcast stream if the at least one preset broadcast stream is not receivable on any of the successive alternative broadcast channels.

12. The radio receiver of claim 10, wherein the program of instructions further comprises at least one instruction to allow a user to establish the at least one rule of priority.

13. A radio receiver comprising:

a receiver adaptable for receiving a plurality of broadcast streams over a plurality of broadcast channels, said plurality of broadcast channels comprises at least one HD channel and at least one non-HD channel;

a computer processor in communication with said receiver; and

a memory in communication with said processor;

said memory comprising a computer program comprising;

instructions for causing said receiver to attempt to receive a selected broadcast stream on a selected broadcast channel, and if said selected broadcast stream is not receivable on said selected broadcast channel, to attempt to receive said selected broadcast stream on an alternative broadcast channel, and

at least one rule of priority comprising instructions for executing a first attempt to receive said selected broadcast stream on said at least one HD channel, and if said first attempt fails, then executing a second attempt to receive said selected broadcast stream on said at least one non-HD channel.

14. The radio receiver of claim 13, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions for causing said receiver to attempt to receive said selected broadcast stream on successive alternative broadcast channels according to at least one rule of priority.

15. The radio receiver of claim 14, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to allow a user to select a comparable broadcast stream in response to determining that said selected broadcast stream is not receivable on any of the successive alternative broadcast channels.

16. The radio receiver of claim 14, wherein said selected broadcast stream is a preset broadcast stream.

17. The radio receiver of claim 13, wherein said plurality of broadcast channels comprises at least one AM channel, at least one FM channel, at least one HD channel, at least one IP channel, at least one ST channel, and at least one CS channel.

18. The radio receiver of claim 13, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to allow a user to establish the at least one rule of priority.

19. A method comprising:

enabling a radio receiver to attempt to receive a selected broadcast stream on a selected broadcast channel, said plurality of broadcast channels comprising at least one HD channel and at least one non-HD channel; and

enabling the radio receiver to respond to being unable to receive the selected broadcast stream on the first broadcast channel by attempting to receive the selected broadcast stream on successive alternative broadcast channels according to at least one rule of priority, the at least one rule of priority comprising instructions for executing a first attempt to receive said selected broadcast stream on said at least one HD channel, and if said first attempt fails, then executing a second attempt to receive said selected broadcast stream on said at least one non-HD channel.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the selected broadcast stream is a preset broadcast stream.

21. The method of claim 20, comprising enabling the radio receiver to allow a user to select a comparable broadcast stream if the preset broadcast stream is not receivable on any of the successive alternative broadcast channels.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said plurality of broadcast channels comprises at least one AM channel, at least one FM channel, at least one HD channel, at least one IP channel, at least one ST channel, and at least one CS channel.

23. A method comprising:

enabling a radio receiver to attempt to receive a selected broadcast stream on a selected broadcast channel; and

enabling the radio receiver to respond to being unable to receive the selected broadcast stream on the first broadcast channel by attempting to receive the selected broadcast stream on an alternative broadcast channel; and

enabling the radio receiver to attempt to receive the selected broadcast stream on successive alternative broadcast channels according to at least one rule of priority.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the selected broadcast stream is a preset broadcast stream.

25. The method of claim 23, comprising enabling the radio receiver to allow a user to select a comparable broadcast stream if the selected broadcast stream is not receivable on any of the successive alternative broadcast channels.