System and method for managing media

• US 8,554,191 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Affinity Labs of Texas, LLC
• Inventors: White, Russell W., Imes, Kevin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US13/658,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20130045731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/02 with automatic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 : for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 : for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 : file transfer between terminals download of applications H04M1/72406; transfer of messages, e.g. SMS, e-mail or MMS H04M1/7243
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 : using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 : Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

An automobile with a communication interface configured to help communicatively couple a sound system with a wireless telephone such that the wireless telephone can stream selected media content like music or video to the communication module using an asynchronous channel of a localized wireless network. The communication interface may also allow operation of the wireless telephone in a hands free mode to facilitate use of the wireless telephone in the automobile in a way that does not require a user to hold the wireless telephone.

Claims

1. An automobile entertainment system comprising:

an automobile sound system that includes a display;

a memory;

a processor operable to execute instructions saved in the memory;

a collection of instructions saved in the memory and operable when executed to present a user interface on the display that comprises a collection of selectable icons configured to allow a user to select at least one of a plurality of media options by selecting an associated one of the selectable icons, wherein at least one of the selectable icons is associated with media content available via a wireless telephone;

a communication interface configured to communicatively couple the automobile sound system to allow the wireless telephone having an application loaded thereon, the application configured to allow the wireless telephone to select and receive a streaming media representing music from the Internet; and

an additional collection of instructions saved in the memory and operable when executed to communicate with the wireless telephone such that a collection of information representing the streaming media and received via a wide area wireless communication module of the wireless telephone can be communicated from the wireless telephone to the automobile sound system via an asynchronous channel of a localized wireless network.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an automobile and a Bluetooth compliant communication module that at least partially implements the communication interface.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising an in-band-on-channel radio receiver, further wherein a signal receivable by the in-band-on-channel radio receiver represents one of the plurality of media options.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a housing portion of an automobile head unit that at least partially defines an enclosure within which the processor and the memory are secured.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the automobile head unit is a component of the automobile sound system that includes the display.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface on the display includes an icon associated with a use of the wireless telephone and the collection of information comprises at least a portion of a telephone call.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface on the display includes an icon representing an Internet based personalized radio service and the collection of information comprises at least a portion of a streaming media associated with the personalized radio service.

8. An automobile sound system comprising:

a wireless communication module that is configured;

(1) to pair with a wireless telephone and (2) to receive a streaming media signal that is communicated by the wireless telephone across an asynchronous channel of a localized wireless network;

a display;

a memory;

a processor operable to execute instructions saved in the memory;

a collection of instructions saved in the memory and operable when executed to present a user interface on the display that includes a plurality of selectable icons associated with media options, wherein at least one of the plurality of selectable icons is associated with media content available via the wireless telephone; and

an additional collection of instructions operable when executed to communicate with the wireless telephone such that information received by the wireless telephone via a wide area wireless communication signal can be communicated from the wireless telephone to the automobile sound system.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

an automobile;

an automobile entertainment system component secured within the automobile, wherein the automobile entertainment system component comprises the display.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a housing component of the automobile entertainment system component that at least partially defines an enclosure within which the processor and the memory are secured.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising an in-band-on-channel radio receiver, further wherein an included one of the plurality of media options is a media receivable by the in-band-on-channel radio receiver.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein an included one of the plurality of media options is a streaming media available via an Internet based personalized radio service.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising an other collection of instructions operable when executed to communicate a log in credential to the Internet based personalized radio service.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

an automobile;

an automobile entertainment system component secured within the automobile, wherein the automobile entertainment system component comprises the display;

a speaker assembly operable to output sound representing the information received by the wireless telephone via a wide area wireless communication signal, wherein the sound is a telephone call; and

an in-band-on-channel radio receiver.

15. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

an automobile entertainment system component that comprises the display;

an in-band-on-channel radio receiver; and

the wireless communication module comprises a memory storing instructions operable when executed to facilitate hand free operation of the wireless telephone.

16. An entertainment system comprising:

an automobile;

a communication module fixed within the automobile and configured to facilitate communication with a wireless telephone that is operable to communicate media content information to the automobile such that a selectable icon associated with a media available from the wireless telephone can be presented on a display within the automobile, wherein the communication module comprises a transceiver and a storage medium storing instructions;

a portion of the instructions operable when executed to facilitate communication with the wireless telephone such that a streaming media can be communicated from the wireless telephone to the communication module via an asynchronous channel of a localized wireless network; and

a hands free portion of the instructions operable when executed to facilitate use of the wireless telephone in the automobile without requiring a user to hold the wireless telephone.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the communication module is configured to operate in a manner that is compliant with a Bluetooth protocol.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a housing component of the communication module, wherein the housing component at least partially defines an enclosure, further wherein the storage medium and the transceiver are located within the enclosure.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising a portion of the instructions operable when executed to pause an outputting of music from a speaker of the automobile after recognition of an incoming telephone call to the wireless telephone.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising the display and a location on the communication module that facilitates a communication bus connection between the communication module and the display.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the communication module is configured to operate in a manner that is compliant with a Bluetooth protocol, wherein the communication of the streaming media facilitates listening to a piece of content selected from a group consisting of a played version of a music file saved at the wireless telephone and an Internet-based radio offering streamed to the wireless telephone.