Clock with link to the internet

• US 9,042,205 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2008
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Musicqubed Innovations LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Viviana Research LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Janik, Craig M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Eric
• Application Number:
  US12/246,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20090077203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,422 Days
• Field of Search: 713/502, 368/13
• US Class Current: 368/13
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 11/00 Producing optical signals at preselected times
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 13/021 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system and method wherein a personal computer is operable to access content from a networked environment and to stream the content to a device in response to a request from a user. The content accessed via the networked environment may be based on user preferences. The content may also be stored prior to streaming.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a device comprising an alarm clock; and

a computing device configured to;

communicate with the device;

access content from a networked environment; and

stream data and the content to the device in response to a request received from a user at the device, wherein the request is communicated from the device to the computing device, wherein the content comprises audio content,

wherein the device is configured to automatically render the audio content on the device at a specific time in accordance with a user-defined schedule, and wherein the streamed data from the computing device includes information regarding the user-defined schedule.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to download the content from the networked environment via a server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the networked environment is an internet.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the device is identified to allow organizing the content according to user preferences.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the device includes a memory to store the content.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the streamed data from the computing device includes digital schedule content for personal information management, and wherein the digital schedule content includes the information regarding the user-defined schedule.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the device is configured to automatically render the digital schedule content on the device at the specific time in accordance with the user defined schedule.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprising the alarm clock is wirelessly coupled to the computing device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the alarm clock is configured to operate in accordance with the user-defined schedule.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to select a content source on the networked environment based on parameters related to technical specifications of the alarm clock.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to automatically begin streaming the content to the device at a predefined amount of time prior to the specific time at which the device is configured to automatically play the audio content.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the playing the audio content on the device comprises transitioning the device from an inactive state to an alarm state, and wherein the device is configured to return to the inactive state at a predefined interval after the specific time at which the device is configured to automatically play the audio content.

13. A method comprising:

accessing, by a computing device, content from a networked environment based on user preferences, wherein accessing the content comprises streaming the content, and wherein the content comprises audio content;

storing the content by the computing device; and

streaming data and the content from the computing device to a device comprising an alarm clock, wherein the data includes a user-defined schedule such that the device automatically renders the audio content at a specific time in accordance with the user-defined schedule.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising identifying the device to organize the content, wherein the content is stored in the device.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising reformatting the content to allow the device to display the content.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the content is streamed to the device via a computer.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising wirelessly coupling the device to the computer.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the content is streamed from the networked environment via a server.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising terminating a connection to the networked environment after storing the content.

20. An alarm clock comprising:

an interface configured to receive data and content from a server via a network, wherein the data indicates a user-defined schedule, and wherein the content comprises audio content; and

a display configured to automatically render the audio content at a programmed time according to the user-defined schedule, wherein the received content is relevant to a content preference selection.

21. The alarm clock of claim 20, wherein the received content includes schedule content for personal information management.

22. The alarm clock of claim 20, wherein the content is reproduced as part of a wake-up alarm process.

23. The alarm clock of claim 20, wherein the data comprises streaming data.

24. A method comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, a user-defined schedule from a server device;

streaming, by the computing device, media content from the server device in accordance with the user-defined schedule, wherein the content comprises audio content; and

automatically rendering, by the computing device, the audio content at a specific time in accordance with the user-defined schedule.