Portable music player and transmitter

• US 8,666,524 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2004
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catch Media, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Catch Media, Inc.
• Inventors: Ben-Yaacov, Yaacov, Ben-Yaacov, Boaz
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): SELLERS, DANIEL R
• Application Number:
  US10/829,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,604 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 455/3.06, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/73, 455/74, 455/74.1, 455/99, 455/95, 455/121, 455/123, 455/115.1, 455/115.2, 455/115.3, 455/115.4
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/634 Query by example, e.g. query by humming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/006 with video camera or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/02 with automatic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/025 Portable cases
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/34 using an out-of-band subcarrier signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/13 radio data system/radio broadcast data system [RDS/RBDS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/372 Programme
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter

Abstract

A hand-held music player for use in conjunction with radios, including a casing, a receiver socket on the casing through which digital audio data is received, a digital-to-analog audio converter housed within the casing, a first transfer socket on the casing through which a song is transferred to a radio transmitter, a second transfer socket on the casing through which meta-data for the song is transferred to the radio transmitter, and a dial on the casing for selecting a song for playback. A method and a computer-readable storage medium are also described.

Claims

1. A system for use in conjunction with radios, comprising:

a handheld music player, comprising;

a casing;

a first transfer socket on said casing, through which a song is transferred to a radio transmitter;

a second transfer socket on said casing, through which meta-data for the song is transferred to the radio transmitter; and

circuitry for determining a designated radio broadcast frequency in response to a control command received from the radio transmitter; and

a radio transmitter, external to said music player, comprising;

circuitry for transmitting the song and the meta-data for the song to a radio at the designated radio broadcast frequency; and

circuitry for issuing a control command to said music player, instructing said music player to determine the designated broadcast frequency.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said circuitry for determining determines the designated frequency by searching for a free radio frequency.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said circuitry for determining comprises a frequency selector, for selecting the designated radio broadcast frequency.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said circuitry for determining comprises a tuner for scanning radio frequencies.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the meta-data is transferred to the radio transmitter through said second transfer socket as radio data system (RDS) data.

6. A method for transmitting audio to a radio, comprising:

transferring a song, and meta-data for the song, by a hand-held music player, to a radio transmitter;

issuing a control command, by the radio transmitter, to the music player, instructing the music player to determine a designated broadcast frequency;

receiving, by the music player, the control command from the radio transmitter;

determining, by the music player, the designated radio broadcast frequency in response to said receiving; and

transmitting the song and the meta-data for the song, by the radio transmitter to the radio at the designated radio broadcast frequency.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said determining comprises scanning, by the music player, radio frequencies.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said determining comprises searching, by the music player, for a free radio frequency.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said transferring meta-data for the song comprises transferring, by the music player, the meta-data as radio data system (RDS) data.