Patent Application
20080250343
The present invention relates generally to information processing systems and more particularly to a system and methodology for processing received digital audio and/or video signals.
In the rapidly changing world of telecommunications and electronics in general, the concepts of radio that exist today are not much different from those in existence in the early part of the twentieth century. Despite the advent of physical media which enable a user to carry the music to which the user wishes to listen, the concept of radio still exists in a format offering users very few user options. Although a user may choose a station or several stations which may be preferred by the user, there are no current options which enable users to listen to preferred music selections, for example, at the user's convenience rather than on the timetables provided by the local broadcasters.
Moreover, it is oftentimes frustrating for a user to switch among radio stations in an effort to find a music selection preferred by the user. Many times, when a user finally does find a music selection or song that the user prefers, the song may be ending and the user may have to initiate the station scanning process all over again. This is not only frustrating to the user but also distracting and even dangerous when the user is operating a motor vehicle at the same time.
Thus, there is a need for an improved digital processing system which provides a greater degree of control by users of radio and other broadcast signal content.
A method and system are provided in which a user is enabled to create a preferred playlist of the user's favorite songs or types of video presentations. An input device allows the user to add or delete items or key words of a song title or video presentation to or from the favorites list. In an exemplary video application, a user is enabled to indicate by using a digital video recorder, a specific type of broadcast such as “Sports” or “Basketball”. In an exemplary radio application, the user is enabled to list songs, or key words of the title if the user is unsure of the exact title, on the preferred playlist. Video signals or songs playing on several channels or stations are monitored and when a listed video type or song having the input key words from the user's favorites list begins to play on a station, the song and the full song title which is acquired from the received broadcast data, are automatically saved to memory for subsequent retrieval and playing by the user. In one example, the user is also enabled to add video types or songs to the favorites list by pressing a single “ADD” button at any time while a type of video or a favorite song is currently being played. The song then being played together with the title of the song or video presentation are then saved to memory for subsequent retrieval and playing. The user is also enabled to delete video types and/or songs from the favorites list by entering an edit mode to present the favorites list on a display associated with the television or radio, highlighting or otherwise indicating a video type or song which the user wishes to delete and pressing a delete button. The ADD and DELETE functions may also be implemented through the use of an embedded voice processing system in which case the user need only speak an appropriate command such as “Add”, “Delete” or “Change Station”.
A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment is considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:
Relatively recent developments in Radio Data System (RDS) and Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS) technologies have resulted in widespread implementation of improved digital processing systems for radio transmission systems. With RDS, identification information concerning a song currently being played on a radio for example, is available from the broadcast information for other uses. For example, the name or title of the song, the artist, the album and other related information may be decoded from a received radio transmission and made available for additional processing. Although the present disclosure is made with regard to an RDS radio system, it is understood that the principles contained herein also have application to video signal processing methodologies, and may be used in connection with digital video receivers and recorders as well, in processing various types and titles of digital video signal streams.
It is noted that circuits and devices which are shown in block form in the drawings are generally known to those skilled in the art, and are not specified to any greater extent than that considered necessary as illustrated, for the understanding and appreciation of the underlying concepts of the present invention and in order not to obfuscate or distract from the teachings of the present invention.
With reference to
The station digitized data streams are applied to processing circuitry 103 which includes one or more CPUs 107, a memory unit 109, storage 111, a network interface 113 and voice processing circuitry 115. The memory unit 109 is used for selectively storing favorite songs and listings. The voice processing circuitry 115 enables synthesized voiced announcements to be made and also enables direct user input through voiced commands. Voiced inputs as well as push-button inputs and software menu-enabled user inputs are processed through a user input or interface unit 117. All of the functional blocks within the processing circuitry 103 are connected together by a common system bus. The system is designed to enable a user, inter alia, to input the name or title of a favorite song using a voiced input to the voice processing module 115. The voiced-in title will then be inserted into a favorites listing such that the system will subsequently search for the input title from song header information transmitted from the tuned radio stations. The user may also input song titles, or key words of a song title, for the system to use in searching incoming data streams to determine when a favorite song or title is being played on one of the radio stations.
Outputs from the processing circuitry 103 are provided to a display module 119, and also as played station audio output to a speaker system 121 of an audio player. The display device 119 may comprise, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) which is viewable by a user in a motor vehicle. Outputs from the processing circuitry are also provided to an audio alert system 123, which, in response to signals provided from the processing circuitry 103, is enabled to alert a user to various conditions by sounding alarms and/or synthesized voice announcements. Other alarms including visual alarms (i.e. flashing or blinking text) are also enabled to effect and modify visual presentations or screens on the display module 119.
As shown in
In
In another display area section 312, there is shown a Favorites List 311 which displays an assigned reference number 313 for each favorite song of the user together with the corresponding song title 315 and singer 317. There is also a column to indicate whether or not a particular song on the favorites list has already been recorded 320. Those songs that have been recorded may be selected, highlighted and played from memory by the user by hitting a Play button 323. Songs on the favorites list which have been identified and input to the favorites list by the user (for example by a menu-driven user input or voiced input) cannot be played from memory until the receiver has recorded the playing of that song from a tuned station. However, a user may have an unrecorded favorite played by actuating the Add button 319 when a song which the user wished to record is currently being played on the radio station as is hereinafter explained in connection with
In another section 322, a user is enabled to select songs from the Favorites List 311, e.g. Song B, for playing and/or deletion. A user is enabled to move from song to song on the Favorites List 311 by manipulating the Select Button 321 which will highlight 318 the particular song selection on the display screen. The user is then enabled to either play a selected recorded song by actuating the Play Button 323 or delete the selected recorded song by actuating a Delete Button 325. The various buttons are shown in differing shapes in order to facilitate the selection of the correct button by a user driving a motor vehicle without requiring the user to look at the button itself. In another exemplary implementation, the various buttons are positioned on the side of the steering wheel for easy access.
The “Add Current Song” feature enables a user, for example a driver of a motor vehicle, to hit only one button, i.e. the “Add Current Song” (ADD) Button 319, in order to have a song currently being received by the receiver 101 on any of the tuned stations, to be marked and entered on the “Favorites List” 311 and optionally recorded from the FIFO memory 201 to non-volatile (NV) memory and/or storage for later retrieval and playing at the user's convenience. When a user hears a song on the station currently being listened to and the user wishes to record the current song, all the user has to do is hit the ADD button 319. If a favorite song is being played on another station, then an alert signal, i.e. blinking or steady light 309 will be activated to show that a favorite 305 is playing and on which station 307. An audio alert signal may also be concurrently sounded in order to get the user's attention. The user may then manually switch to the indicated station at which time the alert signals will be turned off. Light 309 and/or indicator 307 may also serve a dual function as a push button switch in order to facilitate switching stations and insure that the correct station is switched to without requiring the user to manually search for the correct station as displayed 307. The unit may also be programmed to automatically switch stations when a favorite is playing on another station. The processing may also include a check on the currently playing song before switching so that the player will not switch to a new station if a favorite is already playing on the current station. The “ADD”, “DELETE” and other functions may also be implemented through the use of an embedded voice processing system in which case the user need only speak an appropriate command such as, but not limited to, “Add”, or “Delete” or “Change Station”.
As shown in the flow chart of
Next, when a match occurs 513 between a song or key words on the favorites list and a song playing on one of the tuned radio stations, the currently playing status is announced 515 to a user by an alert signal. If the user chooses to have the favorite song played 517 on the audio player, then the radio channel is switched 519 to the station which is playing the favorite song and the favorite song is played. When the favorite song has completed playing 521, the processing continues from the memory check block 501.
In another example, the user is enabled to actuate a “record only” button (not shown) so that when the playing of a favorite song is detected on another station, the system records the favorite song from the other station “in the background” but does not change the station that is currently being listened to by the user. Further enhancements include the ability to set degrees of preferences for favorite songs such that one song or a group of preferred songs will be displayed in one color and/or more prominently, while other less preferred songs would be displayed less prominently and/or in a different color. In this example, when preferred songs are played on another station, the system automatically switches stations but when less preferred songs are detected as being played, only a visual and/or audio indication or alert is given and the user has the option to manually switch to the new station at that time.
The processing herein disclosed may be implemented in many forms and combinations of hardware and software. The following illustrates an exemplary high level source code listing which may be used, for example, to alert a driver when a favorite song is playing.
In an exemplary video application, a user in a home environment is enabled to indicate by using a digital video recorder and menu driven inputs, a specific type of broadcast such as “Sports” or “Basketball”, and a processing methodology as described above would alert the user when a preferred type of video broadcast is being played on a channel other than the channel currently being watched by the user. Similar processing methodologies including the recording function, are applied to enable the user to add, switch to or record a channel where a preferred type of video presentation is being presented.
The method and apparatus of the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment as disclosed herein. The disclosed methodology may be implemented in a wide range of sequences, menus and screen designs to accomplish the desired results as herein illustrated. Although an embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described in detail herein, along with certain variants thereof, many other varied embodiments that incorporate the teachings of the invention may be easily constructed by those skilled in the art, and even included or integrated into a processor or CPU or other larger system integrated circuit or chip. The disclosed methodology may also be implemented solely or partially in program code stored on a CD, disk or diskette (portable or fixed), or other memory device, from which it may be loaded into memory and executed to achieve the beneficial results as described herein. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Subject matter disclosed and not claimed herein is disclosed and claimed in related co-pending application, Attorney Docket AUS920040652US1, which is assigned to the assignee of the present application and included herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10044569 | Jan 2002 | US |
| Child | 12157250 | US |
