ENHANCED RADIO SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20090023406A1
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3D Radio, LLC
• Original Assignee: 3D Radio, LLC
• Inventors: Ellis, Caron S., Ellis, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,965,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/140
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/20 for coupling gramophone pick-up, recorder output, or microphone to receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/34 using an out-of-band subcarrier signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/40 characterised in that additional data relating to the broadcast data are available via a different channel than the broadcast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/18 Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/16 on playing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/17 on recording information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/47 for recognising genres
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 : the transmission system being the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/85 : which are mobile communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 : Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6083 : by interfacing with the vehicle audio system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 : with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 : for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 : with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00

Abstract

An enhanced radio system is disclosed that provides for the capture and playback of one or more radio stations. The user may tune to a station, or scan through stations, rewind to hear what was missed (even while the system is turned off), and fast-forward through undesired content. The system allows a user to rate content, and to be notified when that content is being played on any station. The system may recognize content as it is broadcast and may jump to desirable content, save a copy of desirable content, or skip over undesirable content. The system may make radio station recommendations. The system may support multiple sets of configuration information to allow its use by multiple listeners and in multiple locations. The system allows the user to respond easily to radio content, download and upload audio content, and send radio content to another user. The system may allow a user to download information about content that the user wishes to record a copy of. The system may include security features to prevent the unauthorized downloading, uploading, and saving of copies of the radio content. The system may provide other radio related and radio content related information. The system may provide a karaoke mode. The system may also allow the user to integrate a telephone with the radio. The system may report usage information to a collection facility.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured for radio programming that processes multiple radio signals simultaneously, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a radio receiver module having at least two radio receivers, each receiver configured for continuously receiving a separate unrelated radio program signal;

(b) a storage module configured to simultaneously store in a buffer at least an audio portion of every radio signal received by the two radio receivers while the apparatus is turned on and while the apparatus is turned off for later output by selection of a user wherein the storage module is configured to be connected to a power source to receive power while the apparatus is turned on and also while the apparatus is turned off; and

(c) a control module having a programmable selection scheme to control functions including received radio signals, stored radio signals and portions thereof, and an output of the stored radio signals and portions thereof;

wherein the control module is configured to allow the user to select a stored radio signal from the buffer in the storage module for the output while the apparatus is turned on, said stored radio signal having been received and stored while said apparatus was turned off.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the allowing the user to select a stored radio signal from the buffer for output comprises a single user input command to immediately select the oldest radio signal stored in the buffer for output.

3. An apparatus configured for radio programming that processes multiple radio signals simultaneously, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a radio receiver module having at least two radio receivers, each receiver configured for continuously receiving a separate unrelated radio program signal;

(b) a storage module configured to simultaneously store in a buffer at least an audio portion of every radio signal received by the two radio receivers for later output by selection of a user;

(c) a control module having a programmable selection scheme to control functions including received radio signals, stored radio signals and portions thereof, and an output of the stored radio signals and portions thereof; and

(d) a communication module configured to receive audio content;

wherein a user can select a stored radio signal from the buffer in the storage module for the output and wherein the storage module is configured to store in a separate buffer audio content received by the communication module for later output by selection of the user.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, additionally configured to allow the user to select the radio content from the separate buffer for the output as it is received.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, additionally configured to prevent unauthorized copying of the received content.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the communication module comprises a telephone modem, a wireless modem, a cable modem, a DSL modem, a wireless transceiver, computer networking equipment, an Ethernet hub, a router, an Ethernet transceiver, a wireless Ethernet transceiver, a portable memory device, a flash memory card, a smart card, or a PDA.

7. An apparatus configured for radio programming that processes multiple radio signals simultaneously, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a radio receiver module having at least two radio receivers, each receiver configured for continuously receiving a separate unrelated radio program signal;

(b) a storage module configured to simultaneously store in a buffer at least an audio portion of every radio signal received by the two radio receivers for later output by selection of a user;

(c) a control module having a programmable selection scheme to control functions including received radio signals, stored radio signals and portions thereof, and an output of the stored radio signals and portions thereof, and

(d) a communication module configured to send radio content;

wherein the user can select a stored radio signal from the buffer in the storage module for output using the communication module.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, additionally configured to allow the user to select the stored radio signal from the buffer in the storage module for output to the communication module as it is stored in the buffer.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, additionally configured to prevent unauthorized output of the stored radio signal to the communication module.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the communication module comprises a telephone modem, a wireless modem, a cable modem, a DSL modem, a wireless transceiver, computer networking equipment, an Ethernet hub, a router, an Ethernet transceiver, a wireless Ethernet transceiver, a portable memory device, a flash memory card, a smart card, or a PDA.

11. An apparatus configured for radio programming that processes radio signals, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a radio receiver module having at least one radio receiver capable of continuously receiving a radio program signal;

(b) a storage module configured to store in a buffer at least an audio portion of the radio signal received by the radio receiver for later output by selection of a user;

(c) a communication module configured to receive information representative of an item of audio content wherein the information representative of the item comprises an item signature;

(d) a processing module configured to recognize an item of audio content based on the received information representative of the item; and

wherein the storage module is additionally configured to automatically save a copy of the item of audio content when it is recognized based on the received information.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, additionally configured to prevent the automatic saving of the item of audio content when said saving is unauthorized.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the communication module comprises a telephone modem, a wireless modem, a cable modem, a DSL modem, a wireless transceiver, computer networking equipment, an Ethernet hub, a router, an Ethernet transceiver, a wireless Ethernet transceiver, a portable memory device, a flash memory card, a smart card, or a PDA.

14. An apparatus configured for radio programming that processes radio signals, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a radio receiver module having at least two radio receivers, each receiver configured for continuously receiving a separate unrelated radio program signal;

(b) a storage module configured to simultaneously store in a buffer at least an audio portion of every radio signal received by the two radio receivers for later output by selection of a user;

(c) a processing module configured to recognize an item of audio content based on information representative of the item wherein the information representative of the item comprises an item signature; and

(d) a control module having a programmable selection scheme to control functions including received radio signals, stored radio signals and portions thereof, and an output of the stored radio signals and portions thereof;

wherein the processing module is additionally configured to take an action when an item of audio content is recognized based on a setting configured by the user.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, additionally configured to allow the user to save the setting.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the action comprises notifying the user when the item of audio content is recognized.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the action comprises the control module controlling the output of the stored radio signals such that the recognized content is output in an audio form to the user by selecting the stored radio signal from the one of the at least two radio receivers on which the content was recognized.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the action comprises the control module controlling the output of the stored radio signals such that the recognized content is not output in an audio form to the user by selecting the stored radio signal from a different one of the at least two radio receivers.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the action comprises the control module controlling the output of the stored radio signals such that the recognized content is not output in an audio form to the user by skipping over the portion of the stored radio signal corresponding to the recognized content.

20. An apparatus configured for radio programming that process radio signals, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a radio receiver module having at least two radio receivers, each receiver configured for continuously receiving a separate unrelated radio program signal;

(b) a storage module configured to simultaneously store in a buffer at least an audio portion of every radio signal received by the two radio receivers for later output by selection of a user;

(c) a control module having a programmable selection scheme to control functions including received radio signals, stored radio signals and portions thereof, and an output of the stored radio signals and portions thereof;

(d) a memory used for storing a user setting of one or more favorite radio stations, wherein the control module uses the user setting of the one or more favorite radio stations to control the received radio signals; and

wherein content of a radio station defined by the user as a favorite station is automatically accessed.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a communication module that is configured to send and receive user setting of one or more favorite stations.

22. Two individual apparatuses of claim 21 wherein each apparatus further comprises a communication module that is configured to send and receive user setting of one or more favorite stations.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the communication module comprises a telephone modem, a wireless modem, a cable modem, a DSL modem, a wireless transceiver, computer networking equipment, an Ethernet hub, a router, an Ethernet transceiver, a wireless Ethernet transceiver, a portable memory device, a flash memory card, a smart card, or a PDA.

24. An apparatus configured for radio programming that processes multiple radio signals simultaneously, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a radio receiver module having at least two radio receivers, each receiver configured for continuously receiving a separate unrelated radio program signal and the two radio receivers configured to receive radio signals from different types of radio sources;

(b) a storage module configured to simultaneously store in a buffer at least an audio portion of every radio signal received by the two radio receivers for later output by selection of a user; and

(c) a control module having a programmable selection scheme to control functions including received radio signals, stored radio signals and portions thereof, and an output of the stored radio signals and portions thereof;

wherein the user can select a stored radio signal from the buffer in the storage module for the output.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the different types of radio sources are selected from AM, FM, digital, satellite, and Internet.

26. An apparatus configured for radio programming that processes radio signals and provides telephone communications, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a radio receiver module having at least one radio receiver configured for continuously receiving a radio program signal;

(b) a storage module configured to store in a buffer at least an audio portion of the radio signal received by the radio receiver for later output by selection of a user;

(c) a control module having a programmable selection scheme to control functions including received radio signals, stored radio signals and portions thereof, and an output of the stored radio signals and portions thereof;

(d) a telephone configured to support voice communication with another telephone; and

(e) a user interface comprising a microphone and a speaker, the user interface providing voice input and output for the voice communication using the telephone and the output for the stored radio signals;

wherein the output of the radio signals is automatically paused while a telephone call is in progress.

27. An apparatus configured for radio programming that processes multiple radio signals simultaneously, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a radio receiver module having at least two radio receivers, each receiver configured for continuously receiving a separate unrelated radio program signal;

(b) a storage module configured to simultaneously store in a buffer at least an audio portion of every radio signal received by the two radio receivers for later output by selection of a user;

(c) a control module having a programmable selection scheme to control functions including received radio signals, stored radio signals and portions thereof, and an output of the stored radio signals and portions thereof;

(d) a user input device configured to allow a user to specify a preference for an item of radio content;

(e) memory for storing the user preference;

wherein the control module is configured to automatically output radio signals retrieved from different buffers associated with different receivers within the radio receiver module based on the stored user preferences associated with content identified to be similar to that stored in the different buffers associated with the different receivers.

28. An apparatus configured for radio programming that processes radio signals, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a radio receiver module having at least one radio receiver configured for continuously receiving a radio program signal;

(b) a storage module configured to store in a buffer at least an audio portion of the radio signal received by the radio receiver for later output by selection of a user;

(c) a control module having a programmable selection scheme to control functions including received radio signals, stored radio signals and portions thereof, and an output of the stored radio signals and portions thereof;

(d) a user interface configured to allow a user to enter a command to the apparatus;

wherein a particular user command received by the user interface causes the control module to identify a current song and perform an action related to the current song.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the action related to the current song comprises storing a copy of the current song.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the action related to the current song comprises making a purchase.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a communication device connected to a personal computer, the personal computer configured to purchase an audio file and to download the audio file to the apparatus using the communication device.

32. An apparatus configured for radio programming that processes radio signals, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a radio receiver module having at least one radio receiver configured for continuously receiving a radio program signal;

(b) a storage module configured to store in a buffer at least an audio portion of the radio signal received by the radio receiver for later output by selection of a user;

(c) a control module having a programmable selection scheme to control functions including received radio signals, stored radio signals and portions thereof, and an output of the stored radio signals and portions thereof;

(d) a user interface configured to allow a user to enter a traffic command to the apparatus to listen to current traffic;

wherein the traffic user command received by the user interface causes the control module to identify a traffic report and to play the report from the storage module.