External conditions audio playback system and method

• US 7,982,629 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2008
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dean A. Craine
• Original Assignee: Dean A. Craine
• Inventors: Crowe, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US12/069,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 340/692, 340/425.5, 307/10.1, 342/357.1, 342/357.13, 701/1, 701/36
• US Class Current: 340/692
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/351 Environmental parameters, e.g. temperature, ambient light, atmospheric pressure, humidity, used as input for musical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/131 Library retrieval, i.e. searching a database or selecting a specific musical piece, segment, pattern, rule or parameter set
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/381 Road, i.e. sounds which are part of a road, street or urban traffic soundscape, e.g. automobiles, bikes, trucks, traffic, vehicle horns, collisions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/55 for traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/71 using meteorological information

Abstract

A method and system that controls the playback of different audio or video files in a motor vehicle mounted electronic device that includes a plurality of different audio or video files and an audio file player software program. The electronic device is connected to at least one external sensor that measures one of the following: the motor vehicle'"'"'s current location, the time of day, and/or the weather or temperature. The software program is designed to automatically play the audio file when the external condition occurs. When the driver is driving and listening to the electronic device, the audio or video files are automatically played based on the occurrence of the linked external conditions.

Claims

1. An external condition controlled audio playback device, comprising:

a. a motor vehicle;

b. an audio or video file playback electronic device located inside said motor vehicle, said electronic device includes a plurality of audio files to be individually played by said electronic device in said motor vehicle and means for hearing said audio files in said motor vehicle;

c. means for detecting or monitoring the occurrence of at least two external conditions while said motor vehicle is driven from the following group of conditions;

the location of said motor vehicle, the time of day, the weather condition, and the traffic condition; and

,

d. a software program used to control the playback of said audio files from said electronic device, said software program also used to selectively tag said audio files to at least one of said external conditions detected or monitored by said means for detecting or monitoring at least two external conditions, said software program automatically plays said audio files the said external associated with said audio file is detected or occurs.

2. The playback device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said audio files are placed in one or more playlist and selectively tagged to one said external condition from said group of conditions so that when said external condition occurs or is detected, said audio files in said playlist associated with said external condition are automatically played.

3. The playback device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said software program includes a first menu page that presents a plurality of said audio files that can be played back by said electronic device and enables individual audio files to be selectively and individually tagged to a specific external condition.

4. The playback device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said software program includes an External Condition menu page that enables the user to list different external conditions capable of being tagged to said audio files.

5. A method of automatically playing back audio files or recordings from a playback device located in a motor vehicle based on different external conditions that may be detected or occur while driving in a motor vehicle, said method comprises the following steps:

a. selecting a motor vehicle;

b. selecting an audio playback electronic device located inside said motor vehicle, said audio playback electronic device includes a file storage device used to store a plurality of audio files, said audio playback electronic device includes an audio file playback program that controls the playback of audio files in said audio playback electronic device, said audio file playback program also enables audio files to be selectively tagged to the detection or occurrence of a external condition from the following group of external conditions;

the location of said motor vehicle, the time of day, the weather condition, and the traffic condition;

c. associating at least one audio file with at least one of said external condition from said group of external conditions; and

,

d. driving said motor vehicle so that when at least one of said external condition occurs or is detected while driving, said audio file associated with said external condition is automatically played back by said audio playback electronic device.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein step b includes the sub-step of first arranging said audio files in a playlist and then tagging said playlist to an external condition from said group of external conditions, so that when said external condition occurs or is detected, said audio files in said playlist tagged to said external condition are played back by said audio playback electronic device.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein step b includes the sub-step of arranging said external conditions in a list presenting all of the external conditions that can be monitored or detected and selectively tagged to an audio file.