Method and system for scheduling user preference satellite radio station selections in a mobile vehicle

• US 6,950,638 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Grau, Thomas P., Lee, Richard M., Videtich, Matt C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US10/135,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20030203714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 455/186.1, 455/161.2, 455/161.1, 455/161.3, 455/179.1, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420
• US Class Current: 455/186.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving

Abstract

A system and method is directed to scheduling user preference satellite radio station selections in a mobile vehicle. The method provides creating at least one vehicle preference selection schedule utilizing a user interface, transferring the vehicle preference selection schedule into a mobile communication unit, monitoring a satellite radio system broadcast, requesting the vehicle preference selection schedule from the mobile communication unit, and extracting a radio station selection from the broadcast based on the vehicle preference selection schedule. The system further provides a means for creating a vehicle preference selection schedule utilizing a user interface, a means for transferring the vehicle preference selection schedule into a mobile communication unit, a means for monitoring a satellite radio system broadcast, a means for requesting the vehicle preference selection list from the mobile communication unit, and a means for extracting a selection from the broadcast based on the vehicle preference selection schedule.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling user preference satellite radio station selections in a mobile vehicle, the method comprising:

creating an at least one vehicle preference selection schedule utilizing a user interface;

transferring the vehicle preference selection schedule into a mobile communication unit, wherein transferring the vehicle preference selection schedule comprises communicating with a service provider;

monitoring a satellite radio system broadcast;

requesting the vehicle preference selection schedule from the mobile communication unit; and

extracting a radio station selection from the broadcast based on the vehicle preference selection schedule.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein extracting the radio station selection comprises:

comparing user personalized program selection time indices in the vehicle preference selection schedule to a current time index; and

selecting the radio station selection linked to a time index that matches the current time index.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

switching between the vehicle preference selection schedule and a user defined radio station preference setting in response to user input.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein creating the at least one vehicle preference selection schedule utilizing the user interface comprises a user communicating with a provider of the broadcast over an internet connection.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring the vehicle preference selection schedule comprises communicating with the service provider utilizing a wireless communication system.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring the vehicle preference selection schedule comprises communicating with the service provider including the reception of the vehicle preference selection schedule utilizing a satellite broadcast system.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the vehicle preference selection schedule comprises utilizing a wireless connection.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the vehicle preference selection schedule comprises utilizing a physical memory device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is coupled to the mobile vehicle.

7. A system for vehicle preference selection monitoring comprising:

means for creating a vehicle preference selection schedule utilizing a user interface;

means for transferring the vehicle preference selection schedule into a mobile communication unit, wherein the means for transferring the vehicle preference selection schedule comprises means for communicating with a service provider;

means for monitoring a satellite radio system broadcast;

means for requesting the vehicle preference selection schedule from the mobile communication unit; and

means for extracting a selection from the broadcast based on the vehicle preference selection schedule.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein means for extracting the selection comprises:

means for comparing user personalized program selection time indices in the vehicle preference selection schedule to a current time index; and

means for selecting the selection time index that includes the current time index.

9. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

means for switching between the vehicle preference selection schedule and a user defined radio station preference setting in response to user input.

10. A computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising:

computer readable code for creating at least one vehicle preference selection schedule utilizing a user interface;

computer readable code for transferring the vehicle preference selection schedule into a mobile communication unit, wherein the computer readable code for transferring the vehicle preference selection schedule comprises computer readable code for communicating with a service provider;

computer readable code for monitoring a satellite radio system broadcast;

computer readable code for requesting the vehicle preference selection schedule from the mobile communication unit; and

computer readable code for extracting a selection from the broadcast based on the vehicle preference selection schedule.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the computer readable code for extracting the selection comprises:

computer readable code for comparing user personalized program selection time indices in the vehicle preference selection schedule to a current time index; and

computer readable code for selecting the selection time index that includes the current time index.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10 further comprising:

computer readable code for switching between the vehicle preference selection schedule and a user defined radio station preference setting in response to user input.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the computer readable code for creating the at least one vehicle preference selection schedule utilizing the user interface comprises computer readable code for communicating with a provider of the broadcast over an internet connection.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the computer readable code for transferring the vehicle preference selection schedule comprises:

computer readable code for communicating with the service provider utilizing a wireless communication system.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the computer readable code for transferring the vehicle preference selection schedule comprises:

computer readable code for communicating with the service provider that includes computer readable code enabling the reception of the vehicle preference selection schedule utilizing a satellite broadcast system.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the computer readable code for creating the vehicle preference selection schedule comprises computer readable code for utilizing a wireless connection.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the computer readable code for creating the vehicle preference selection schedule comprises computer readable code for utilizing a physical memory device.