Method and Apparatus for Controlling Broadcast Receivers

• US 20120015618A1
• Filed: 11/04/2008
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Joeressen, Olaf, Heikkinen, Jani
• Application Number:
  US13/127,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20120015618A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is described comprising a control interface, a detection unit configured to detect that an external broadcast receiver is coupled on the control interface, a control unit configured to select one of the external broadcast receiver and another broadcast receiver, and a user interface application configured to control the selected broadcast receiver.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a control interface;

a detection unit configured to detect that an external broadcast receiver is coupled on the control interface;

a control unit configured to select one of the external broadcast receiver and another broadcast receiver; and

a user interface application configured to control the selected broadcast receiver.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control interface comprises a wireless interface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control interface comprises a wired interface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises the another broadcast receiver.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, comprising:

another control interface, and wherein the detection unit is further configured to detect that another external broadcast receiver is coupled on the another control interface.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the another broadcast receiver is another external broadcast receiver,

and wherein the apparatus comprises another control interface,

and wherein the detection unit is further configured to detect that the another external broadcast receiver is coupled on the another control interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the another control interface comprises a wired interface.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store common settings of the external broadcast receiver and the another broadcast receiver,

a processor configured to apply the common settings to the selected broadcast receiver upon activation of the user interface application.

23. The method claim 9, comprising:

storing common settings of the external broadcast receiver and the another broadcast receiver.

3. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

13. A method comprising:

detecting that an external broadcast receiver is coupled on a control interface of an apparatus;

selecting one of the external broadcast receiver and another broadcast receiver;

detecting activation of a user interface application; and

controlling the selected broadcast receiver by the user interface application.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the control interface comprises a wireless interface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless interface comprises a Bluetooth™

interface.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the control interface comprises a wired interface with a universal serial bus interface.

19. The method of claim 13, comprising:

detecting that another external broadcast receiver is coupled on another control interface.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the another broadcast receiver is another external broadcast receiver, further comprising:

detecting that the another external broadcast receiver is coupled on another control interface.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the another control interface comprises a wired interface wherein the wired interface comprises a universal serial bus interface.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the common settings are applied to the selected broadcast receiver upon activation of the user interface application.

17-18. -18. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

25. A computer program comprising instructions to perform:

detecting that an external broadcast receiver is coupled on a control interface;

selecting one of the external broadcast receiver and another broadcast receiver;

detecting activation of a user interface application; and

controlling the selected broadcast receiver by the user interface application.

26. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, wherein the computer program code comprises the computer program of claim 25.

27. An apparatus comprising:

a control interface;

a detection means configured to detect that an external broadcast receiving means is coupled on the control interface;

a control means configured to select one of the external broadcast receiving means and another broadcast receiving means; and

a user interface application configured to control the selected broadcast receiving means.