DIGITAL RADIO TAGGING USING AN RF TUNER ACCESSORY

• US 20150162938A1
• Filed: 02/18/2015
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Yew, Jason J., Haughay, Allen P., Watsh, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,742,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/006 using switches for selecting the desired band H04B1/0057 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/64 for providing detail information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

An accessory having an RF tuner for digital radio, such as HD radio, can be in communication with a media player such as a portable media device (“PMD”). The user can be given the ability to command the accessory to provide raw digital data, the ability to scan only for stations having digital audio content (or for all available stations), the ability to provide station lists of stations having digital audio content (or all available stations), and the ability to request and store metadata beyond that for stations actually being listened to provide enhanced search capabilities. Enhanced metadata and searching can provide the listener the ability to refine station choices without having to listen at length to any particular station, and further can facilitate tagging broadcast tracks for subsequent access and/or purchase.

Claims

1. A method for use in an accessory having a radio receiver, the method comprising:

in response to a command at an input interface to tune to a given frequency, tuning to the given frequency;

determining the number of digital radio program services at the given frequency; and

providing at an output interface information representative of the number of digital radio program services at the given frequency.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the command at the input interface is provided by a media player; and

the media player, upon receiving the information representative of the number of digital radio program services at the given frequency, commands the accessory to provide information regarding each of the digital radio program services.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the media player, upon receiving information regarding a given digital radio program service, displays that information without waiting until it has information about all the digital radio program services at the given frequency.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the media player, upon receiving information regarding a given digital radio program service, displays that information only after it has information about all the digital radio program services at the given frequency.

5. A method for use in an accessory having a radio receiver, the method comprising:

receiving a mode command specifying that the accessory should operate in either a first mode in which only radio stations providing digital audio content are of interest or a second mode in which all radio stations are of interest;

receiving a command to search for a receivable radio signal;

in the event that the mode command specified that the accessory should operate in the first mode, searching only for a radio signal that includes digital audio content; and

in the event that the mode command specified that the accessory should operate in the second mode, searching for any receivable radio signal.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the mode command is incorporated into the command to search.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the mode command is sent as a separate command before the command to search is sent.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein there is a mode where the accessory returns analog stations having RDS information.

9. An audio accessory comprising:

a radio receiver;

a controller coupled to the radio receiver to control the radio receiver;

an input interface coupled to the controller, the input interface receiving a command to tune to a given frequency, the command causing the controller to tune the radio receiver to the given frequency, the controller determining the number of digital radio program services at the given frequency;

an output interface coupled to the controller, the controller providing at the output interface information representative of the number of digital radio program services at the given frequency, the output interface being configured to deliver the information to a media player.

10. The accessory as in claim 9 wherein the media player provides the command.

11. The accessory as in claim 10 further comprising an analog audio output interface coupled to the radio receiver to provide a sound output from the accessory.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program instructions which when executed cause an accessory to perform a method for use in the accessory having a radio receiver, the method comprising:

in response to a command at an input interface to tune to a given frequency, tuning to the given frequency;

determining the number of digital radio program services at the given frequency; and

providing at an output interface information representative of the number of digital radio program services at the given frequency.

13. The medium of claim 12 wherein:

the command at the input interface is provided by a media player; and

the media player, upon receiving the information representative of the number of digital radio program services at the given frequency, commands the accessory to provide information regarding each of the digital radio program services.

14. The medium of claim 13 wherein the media player, upon receiving information regarding a given digital radio program service, displays that information without waiting until it has information about all the digital radio program services at the given frequency.

15. The medium of claim 13 wherein the media player, upon receiving information regarding a given digital radio program service, displays that information only after it has information about all the digital radio program services at the given frequency.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program instructions which when executed cause an accessory to perform a method for use in the accessory having a radio receiver, the method comprising:

receiving a mode command specifying that the accessory should operate in either a first mode in which only radio stations providing digital audio content are of interest or a second mode in which all radio stations are of interest;

receiving a command to search for a receivable radio signal;

in the event that the mode command specified that the accessory should operate in the first mode, searching only for a radio signal that includes digital audio content; and

in the event that the mode command specified that the accessory should operate in the second mode, searching for any receivable radio signal.

17. The medium of claim 16 wherein the mode command is incorporated into the command to search.

18. The medium of claim 16 wherein the mode command is sent as a separate command before the command to search is sent.

19. The medium of claim 16 wherein there is a mode where the accessory returns analog stations having RDS information.