Methods and apparatuses for programming user-defined information into electronic devices

• US 20030008646A1
• Filed: 08/16/2002
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solocron Media, LLC (Solocron Group, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Twenty Year Innovations Incorporated
• Inventors: Shanahan, Michael E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,257,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/61 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• 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 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

A device for programming user-defined information into an electronic device is provided. The programmer allows a user to program customized information, such as user-selected audio, video, or Internet access information into his or her programmable device. Such electronic devices include wireless telephones, pagers, and personal digital assistants. The programmer allows a user to, among other things, customize the device to suit his or her particular taste.

Claims

1. A system for programming an audio file into a device capable of making person to person telephone calls comprising:

an electronic means for locating the audio file, the audio file being external to the device and the electronic locating means; and

means for enabling a user of the device to program at least a portion of the audio file into the device wherein the audio file is used as an indicia of an incoming communication.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for allowing the user to locate further comprises means for locating the audio file on the Internet.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for allowing the user to locate further comprises means for allowing the user to search a plurality of locations on the Internet that contain audio files.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for allowing the user to locate further comprises means for searching a plurality of audio files and wherein the system further comprises means for allowing the user of the device to select at least one of the audio files to program into the device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for allowing the user to locate further comprises means for locating the audio file on an optical disc drive of a computer.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for modifying the audio file.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for enabling further comprises:

means for determining a format of the audio file;

means for determining an audio file format required by the device; and

means for comparing the format of the audio file with the audio file format required by the device.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising means for converting the audio file to the file format required by the device.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the means for enabling further comprises means for retrieving the audio file from the Internet.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the means for enabling further comprises means for transmitting the audio file across a wireless network.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the device includes a programmable memory means that is a removable, wherein the audio file is programmed into the removable memory means.

14. The method of claim 13 characterized by the use of a wireless phone as the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 13 characterized by the use of a PDA as the electronic device.

12. An apparatus for programming an audio file into a telephone having a telephone memory comprising:

a data input device that allows a user to search a plurality of locations that include audio files; and

means for programming a selected one of the plurality of audio files into the telephone memory wherein the audio file is used as an indication of an incoming telephone call.

13. A method for customizing an electronic device capable of making person to person calls by programming an audio file into the device, the method comprising:

allowing a user to search a plurality of locations that contain audio files;

allowing the user to browse a group of predefined audio files at a selected one of the plurality of locations;

allowing the user to choose an audio file from the predefined group; and

enabling the user of the device to program the modified audio file into the device for use as an indicia of an incoming communication.