Receiver for audio player

• US 8,583,177 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2009
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vinci Brands LLC
• Original Assignee: Griffin Technology
• Inventors: Griffin, Paul P. Jr., Guy, Benjamin T., Reynolds, David M., Gilbert, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Addy, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAPA, MICHAEL Y
• Application Number:
  US12/428,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20090290519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 455/557, 455/426.1, 4555561-556, 455/414.1, 455/456.1, 455/3.06, 455/418, 455/420, 379/428.04, 379/441, 379/447
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/086 Portable receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60

Abstract

An accessory for use with an existing portable electronic device has a housing that removably couples to a housing of the existing portable electronic device such that the accessory and portable electronic device function and can be portably carried as a single unit. A tunable FM radio receiver in the housing receives an FM broadcast signal and produces a broadcast audio output. A connector on the housing electrically connects the broadcast audio output to a corresponding connector on the device. Application software residing on the device utilizes an internet connection of the device to download digital content related to the broadcast audio output and display the digital content on a display of the device.

Claims

1. An accessory for use with an existing portable electronic device that does not have an FM radio receiver, said accessory comprising:

a unitary housing that removably couples to a housing of the portable electronic device such that the accessory and portable electronic device function and can be portably carried as a single unit;

a tunable FM radio receiver in said unitary housing that receives an FM broadcast signal and produces a broadcast audio output;

a connector on said unitary housing that electrically connects said broadcast audio output of said tunable FM radio receiver to a corresponding connector on said portable electronic device when said unitary housing is coupled to said housing of said portable electronic device;

application software residing on said portable electronic device that utilizes an internet connection of said portable electronic device to contact a web interface that identifies said broadcast audio output of said accessory housing and automatically downloads digital content related to said broadcast audio output produced by said tunable FM radio receiver in said unitary housing and display said digital content on a display of said portable electronic device while said portable electronic device simultaneously produces an audio output based upon said broadcast audio output;

a data input on said unitary housing that receives data from said portable electronic device such that said tunable FM receiver can be tuned to a selected broadcast frequency using controls on said portable electronic device; and

wherein said application software further allows a user to select a desired song and said web interface generates and sends a text message to said portable electronic device indicating when said desired song will be played on an FM station available to said tunable FM radio receiver in said unitary housing coupled to said portable electronic device; and

wherein said application software prompts a listener to purchase a song corresponding to said broadcast audio output of said tunable FM radio receiver with a display of said portable electronic device and downloads a purchased song through said internet connection; and

wherein said application software determines a location of said portable electronic device and downloads a list of available stations from a web server through said internet connection for display on a display of said Portable electronic device; and

wherein said application software uses a memory of said portable electronic device to save said broadcast audio output of said tunable FM radio receiver such that audio corresponding to said broadcast audio output can be paused.

2. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said application software displays song data and album art downloaded from a web server through said internet connection that corresponds to said broadcast audio output of said tunable FM radio receiver on a display of said portable electronic device.

3. An accessory for use with an existing portable electronic device that does not have a radio receiver, said accessory comprising:

an accessory housing that removably couples to a device housing of the existing portable electronic device such that the accessory and portable electronic device function and can be portably carried as a single unit;

a tunable radio receiver in said accessory housing that receives a broadcast signal and produces an audio output;

a connector on said accessory housing that electrically connects said audio output of said tunable radio receiver to a corresponding connector on said portable electronic device when said accessory housing is coupled to said device housing of said portable electronic device; and

application software residing on said portable electronic device that identifies said audio output of said accessory housing and utilizes an internet connection of said portable electronic device to automatically download digital content related to said audio output of said accessory housing and displays said digital content on a display of said portable electronic device while said portable electronic device produces an audio output based upon said audio output;

wherein said application software further allows a user to select a desired song and said accessory generates and sends a message to said portable electronic device indicating when said desired song will be available on said tunable radio receiver in said accessory housing coupled to said device housing; and

wherein said application software determines a location of said Portable electronic device and downloads a list of available stations from a web server through said internet connection for display on is display of said portable electronic device; and

wherein said application software prompts a listener to purchase a song corresponding to said audio output with a display of said portable electronic device and downloads a purchased song through said internet connection; and

wherein said application software uses a memory of said portable electronic device to save said audio output such that audio corresponding to said audio output can be paused; and

wherein said connector further comprises a data input that receives data from said portable electronic device such that said tunable radio receiver can be tuned using controls on said portable electronic device.

4. The accessory of claim 3 wherein said application software displays song data and album art downloaded from a web server through said internet connection that corresponds to said audio output on a display of said portable electronic device.

5. The accessory of claim 3 wherein said tunable radio receiver in said device housing communicates with said portable electronic device through the use of encoded audio tones transferred through audio inputs and outputs.

6. A method of providing FM broadcast radio to an existing portable electronic device that does not have an FM radio receiver, said method comprising the steps of:

removably coupling an accessory in a unitary housing to a housing of the existing portable electronic device such that the accessory and the portable electronic device function and can be carried as a single unit;

receiving an FM broadcast signal with a tunable FM radio receiver in said accessory and producing an audio output signal;

transferring said audio output signal from said accessory to said portable electronic device;

using an internet connection of said portable electronic device to identify said audio output signal received from said accessory and automatically download digital content related to said audio output signal of said accessory;

displaying said digital content on a display of said portable electronic device while contemporaneously producing an audio output based upon said audio output signal with said portable electronic device;

allowing a user to select a desired song and generating and sending a message to said portable electronic device indicating when said desired song will be available on said tunable FM radio receiver in said accessory coupled to said portable electronic device;

downloading application software that configures said portable electronic device to communicate with said accessory from a web server through said internet connection;

prompting a listener to purchase an audio track corresponding to the audio output signal with a display of said portable electronic device and downloading a purchased audio track through said internet connection;

determining a location of said portable electronic device and downloading a list of available stations from a web server through said internet connection; and

using a memory of said portable electronic device to save said audio output signal such that audio corresponding to said audio output signal can be paused.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising displaying song data and album art downloaded from a web server through said internet connection corresponding to said audio output signal on a display of said portable electronic device.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of using audio tones to transmit encoded data between said accessory and said portable electronic device.