WO2000045511A1 - Apparatus, systems and methods for providing on-demand radio - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides On-Demand Radio ('ODR') features to provide ODR radio listeners with personalized news, entertainment, advertising and other information in an audible form ('On-Demand Radio' or 'ODR'). The ODR radio unit (1300) communicates with, among other things, a Global Positioning System ('GPS') navigational system (1340), an automobile computer system (1360), and a cellular telephone (1350). The cellular telephone/GPS integrated ODR system deduces the location of the ODR system and plays advertisements, traffic conditions and other information according to the position of the ODR unit. Radio stations are identified for selection or are otherwise categorized according to the type of content provided and a user interface provides the user with a selection mechanism for selecting a particular radio program or category of radio content.

Description

APPARATUS' SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR

PROVIDING ON-DEMAND RADIO

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to radios, and more particularly, to providing the radio listener with individualized information.

BACKGROUND

Prior to the invention of On-Demand Radio ("ODR"), radio listening was a non- interactive, passive, relatively unpersonalizable activity, both from the standpoint of the listener and the broadcaster. International Application Number PCT US99/02034, International Publication Number WO 99/39466, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, as if fully stated here, for all purposes, disclosed the invention of On-Demand Radio and numerous features provided thereby for the personalization of both radio listening and radio content broadcasting.

From the listener's perspective, once a listener tunes a typical non-ODR radio to a particular radio station, be it AM or FM, the typical listener does not frequently change stations. Rather, the typical non-ODR radio listener receives whatever music, news, chatter, talk shows, interviews or other audible communication that is broadcast by the radio station to which the listener's radio is tuned. Furthermore, the typical non-ODR radio listener receives such audible communication in whatever order the non-ODR radio station to which the listener's non-ODR radio is tuned chooses to broadcast the audio signals.

The typical non-ODR radio listener is frequently content to choose a single station, for instance, for its genre of music, and to stay tuned to that same radio station for an extended period of time, for instance for the duration of the listener's commute to work. Some non-ODR radio require the listener to rotate a tuning dial in order to locate the next available receivable radio frequency, over which a local station broadcasts. More advanced non-ODR radios provide a "seek" tuner which finds the next available receivable station.

Many non-ODR radios, especially non-ODR car radios, provide "Memory" buttons so that the listener can program a particular key to tune a particular station. The Memory buttons provide a similar capability to the pre-remote television channel dial. That is, the non-ODR radio listener can program a limited number of Memory buttons, typically six, so that each button corresponds to a particular radio frequency over which the listener' s top six local non-ODR radio stations are broadcast. Typical non-ODR radios provide the listener with the ability to select either AM frequencies or FM frequencies. The selection can be made on some non-ODR radios with a single two-position button; other non-ODR radios provide two buttons ~ one for AM, and another for FM. Some non-ODR radios provide the capability to select two different non-ODR radio stations for the same memory button — one for AM; another for FM.

Most non-ODR radios provide a window of typically small size, to display the radio frequency to which the non-ODR radio is currently tuned. Many non-ODR radios, when turned off, display the current time.

Even with Memory button capability, the non-ODR radio listener often stays tuned to a single station for an extended duration of time. For instance, the non-ODR-radio-listening automobile driver, concerned about avoiding the day's worst traffic snarls, might be content to tune to the listener's most favored traffic and news station for the entire duration of the listener's commute. The commuter-listener's main goal, in this case, is to gain the insight necessary to navigate through the obstacle course of traffic jams, detours and other delays in store for the listener's commute that day. In this example, the traffic-concerned listener is not especially interested in the news and/or chatter that fills the station's broadcast between one traffic report and the next. Even though the commuter-listener is not especially interested in the news broadcasts, the commuter-listener resists changing the channel to a favorite music station during the news broadcasts because the commuter-listener does not know exactly when the traffic station might broadcast the most up-to-date information concerning the commuter-listener's particular traffic route.

Similarly, non-ODR radio broadcasters have not had a way to customize radio program content to suit the needs of individuals. Rather, each non-ODR radio broadcaster programs a set schedule of radio content for broadcast to all radio listeners. A non-ODR radio broadcaster chooses program content according to the broadcaster's understanding or best guess as to the preferences of a broadly defined category of people likely to listen to the genre of program content offered by that broadcaster. For example, most non-ODR radio stations offer programming according to a particular category of content, such as Rock, Country, Classical, News, or the like. Advertising is broadcast by a particular non-ODR radio station according to a format that the broadcaster believe best matches the broadcaster's understanding of the needs and preferences of the station's general audience.

As previously mentioned, International Application Number PCT/US99/02034, International Publication Number WO 99/39466, the disclosure of which is incoφorated herein by reference, as if fully stated here, for all purposes, disclosed the invention of On-Demand Radio and numerous features provided thereby for the personalization of both radio listening and radio content broadcasting. Nevertheless, further ways are needed for the ODR radio listener to be able to further customize programming content for the listener' s individual radio listening and for the broadcaster to further target its broadcast of information, radio content and advertising to ODR radio listeners.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This application claims priority of U.S. Patent Application No. 09/240,131 ("APPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING ON-DEMAND RADIO"), the disclosure of which is incoφorated herein by reference, as if fully stated here, for all puφoses. The present invention provides additional On-Demand Radio ("ODR") features to provide

ODR radio listeners with personalized news, entertainment, advertising and other information in an audible form ("On-Demand Radio" or "ODR"). The ODR radio unit communicates with, among other things, a Global Positioning System ("GPS") navigational system, an automobile computer system, and a cellular telephone. The cellular telephone/GPS integrated ODR system deduces the location of the ODR system and plays advertisements, traffic conditions and other information according to the position of the ODR unit. Radio stations are identified for selection or are otherwise categorized according to the type of content provided and a user interface provides the user with a selection mechanism for selecting a particular radio program or category of radio content. Many different types of embodiments or models of ODR radio units are possible, including but not limited to: vehicle/automobile, Walkman, kitchen counter, table, shower, part of clock-radio-alarm, etc. The preceding list of different types of ODR models is exemplary and is not a limitation of the invention.

The present invention discloses apparatus, methods and systems such that radio content is downloaded and/or broadcasted to the user, according to personalized user information, stored in the memory of the user/listener's individual ODR radio unit device, and converted into audible signals for the user.

References in this application to "memory" storage include, but are not limited to: random access memory, magnetic storage devices and optical storage devices. The user can navigate through the stored information using only a few contextually-sensitive keys, or in an alternative embodiment, through spoken commands.

Downloading/broadcasting of the information can be accomplished in a variety of ways, including but not limited to: radio broadcast, subcarrier broadcast, satellite transmission, downloading from the Internet, and/or downloading from an information service through a computer and/or computer network. Information transfer to the ODR can be accomplished in a variety of ways, including but not limited to: through a radio receiver in the ODR; through infra-red communication devices, computer communications using, e.g., a modem, and/or through a memory medium such as, but not limited to, a flash memory card, hard disk, and the like.

An ODR broadcast delivery service is provided (the "Broadcast System"). The function of the Broadcast System is to provide information to the individual listener's ODR radio unit in which the individual listener is interested.

A mechanism is provided by which the individual radio listener identifies the radio listener's individual radio unit, personal interests, personal preferences and individualized settings and options ("Control Set-up Specifications").

Certain or all aspects of the listener's Control Set-up Specifications are used by the Broadcast System to narrowcast information to the listener's individual radio unit ("On-Demand Narro wcasting") . As an alternative to and/or in combination with, On-Demand Narro wcasting, the

Broadcast System transmits certain or all aspects of the listener's Control Set-up Specifications which are received by, and installed in, the listener's individual radio unit ("In-radio Set-up Specifications ' also referred to as "In-unit Profile")). In an alternative embodiment, the user communicates to the ODR unit the user's In-unit Profile information. According to the present invention, the listener's In-radio Set-up Specifications (also referred to as "In-unit Profile") can be used by the listener's individual radio unit to automatically select information delivered by the Broadcast System according to the individual listener's specified interests ("On-Demand Reception").

Apparatus, methods and systems are provided for downloading data from a host computer, several host computers, or one or more web sites to an ODR radio unit device with memory (such as random access memory) sufficient to hold said data. In accordance with

Control Set-up Specifications and/or In-radio Set-up Specifications, the data is transmitted to, selected by, and/or stored in the memory of the listener's individual ODR unit.

Apparatus, methods and systems are provided for downloading data from a host computer, several host computers, or one or more web sites to an ODR radio unit device with memory (such as random access memory) sufficient to hold said data, and said data used by the ODR radio unit to record radio shows broadcasted by regular AM and/or FM radio stations.

The listener's individual ODR radio unit provides methods, systems and apparatus ("User Interface") by which the listener can request for listening, specific information stored in, or received by, the listener's individual radio unit.

When the listener requests information stored in the memory of the listener's individual radio unit, the specified information is retrieved ("On-Demand Delivery"). If audible data has been stored in a compressed form, the audible data is decompressed. If digital data, with non- audible attributes has been stored, the data is converted into audible information through the use of a speech synthesizer. The resulting audible data is then delivered through the ODR radio's auditory speaker mechanism for the listener's individual reception.

According to one aspect of the invention, some or all of the information to be stored in the ODR unit is delivered in digital form. The digital form of the information is converted and stored in memory as an audio signal that will then be available to be recalled from the memory and output to the radio sound system in audio form. Alternatively, the digital form of the information is stored in memory, and at the time that the information is to be delivered in audible form, a lookup table is used to convert the digital information to audio signal form for delivery through the radio sound system. This aspect of the invention can be performed in combination with other forms of delivery and storage. This aspect of the invention saves memory and transmission requirements for regularly used words such as alphabetic, numerical, and common phrases, and names, such as those used in stock reports and traffic reports. The stored digital information will be used to look up the stored audio signal, and the corresponding stored audio segments of information will then be delivered to the user through the user's radio sound system.

In one embodiment of the invention, the digital information is also delivered to the user by displaying the digital information on, for instance, the LCD display of the user's radio device.

It is not a limitation of this invention that any or all of the data transmitted to, and/or received by, and/or stored in the radio unit can be converted to audible data. In an alternative embodiment of this invention, the display window of the radio can be used to display, in textual and/or graphic form, information to the user. In the embodiments of the present invention, that are integrated with palm computers, laptop computers and like devices, the present invention is capable of delivering programming and/or related information, such as, for example, advertising coupons, in the display feature of the mentioned-device. The present invention therefore, provides the ability to deliver the information to the user in audible, textual/graphical, and/or both forms of communication.

According to the present invention, many different types of information can be made available from which the listener/user can select ("On-Demand Content").

The following glossary of terms will be helpful in understanding the following description.

Glossary of Terms

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. la is a schematic diagram depicting one embodiment of an overview of the Broadcast System;

FIG. lb is a schematic diagram depicting an alternative embodiment of an overview of the Broadcast System;

FIG. 2 is a graphical representation of one embodiment of the user Control Setup Specifications access and completion;

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram representing the information potentially maintained for each user/radio unit;

FIGS. 4 through 17 are graphical representations of one embodiment of an Internet website Control Set-up Specifications interface;

FIG. 4 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a login screen;

FIG. 5 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a metropolitan area designation screen;

FIG. 6 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a Traffic screen for a typical metropolitan area;

FIG. 7 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a custom commute route screen;

FIG. 8 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a Stock selection screen that provides the user with the option of identifying major stock exchanges;

FIG. 9 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a General News screen;

FIG. 10 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a Business News screen;

FIG. 11 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a Sports News screen;

FIG. 12 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a Sports Score screen; FIG. 13 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of an Entertainment News screen;

FIG. 14 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a Science News screen; FIG. 15 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a Health News screen; FIG. 16 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a Travel News screen;

FIG. 17 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a Technology News screen; FIG. 18a is a flow diagram of one embodiment of the way in which narrowcasting is accomplished;

FIG. 18b is a flow diagram depicting one embodiment of the way in which In-Radio Profiles are established so that narrowcasting can be accomplished;

FIG. 18c is a flow diagram of one embodiment of the way in which narrowcasting is accomplished using In-Unit Profile information;

FIG. 18d is a block diagram of one embodiment of ODR Unit logic using In-Unit Profile information to store information matching the In-Unit Profile; FIG. 18e is a flow diagram of an alternative embodiment of the way in which the user establishes an In-Unit Profile;

FIG. 19a is a graphical representation of one embodiment of an On-Demand Radio unit apparatus;

FIG. 19b is a block diagram representing one embodiment of On-Demand Unit components;

FIG. 20 is logic flow diagram depicting an exemplary logic flow of an exemplary embodiment of an ODR/GPS integrated device to deliver location centric advertising;

FIG. 21a is a block diagram of one embodiment of an ODR unit depicting communications with multiple devices; FIG. 21b is a block diagram of one embodiment of an ODR unit integrated with a GPS unit;

FIG. 21c is a block diagram of one embodiment of an ODR unit capable of communicating with multiple devices;

FIG. 22 is a graphical representation of one embodiment of an ODR unit cradle for communications with a computer; and

FIG.23 is a graphical representation of one embodiment of the Radio Program Guide web page.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A. The Broadcast System

According to the present invention, a broadcast delivery service is created (the "Broadcast System"). The function of the Broadcast System is to provide information to the individual listener's radio unit in which the individual listener is interested. That is, a radio Broadcast System is provided, together with radio receivers that will allow listeners to selectively listen to news stories and other information of the listener's choice. Information will be made available with progressive levels of detail. FIG. la is a schematic diagram depicting one embodiment of an overview of the news collection and Broadcast System. In one embodiment, individual radio and/or television stations and/or other news gathering services such as newspapers and/or news services (10) will be used to collect news data (20). Each participating news gathering service prepares basic news stories (30) and formats the news story in accordance with Broadcast System requirements (40). In one embodiment, the news gathering service edits each story (50) to add intelligence in the form of key words about the content of story. Content coding will be done in accordance with Broadcast System specifications. In one embodiment, each story will be constructed to consist of a summary (optional), a brief version of the story (optional), a detailed version of the story, certain keywords (e.g., sports, basketball, Lakers, Knicks) and other details such as version number (a story may evolve during the day and a second version may need to be sent) and time. In one embodiment, at each of the news gathering services mentioned above, a data inserter (60) will be installed to insert the data prepared by that news gathering service. In one embodiment, the data inserter is a PC based machine.

Each inserter receives news stories in the form of data files either by modem download (e.g. from a national center or from news services such as AP, Reuters, etc.), or by local input from the station staff.

In an alternative embodiment, a National Operational Center ("NOC") is established. FIG. lb is a schematic diagram depicting an alternative embodiment of an overview of the Broadcast System in which an NOC is used to receive, prepare and transmit ODR information. In this embodiment, NOC is staffed with engineers, editors and announcers. For output, NOC will be linked by dedicated telephone line, satellite link or other communication to an FM station in each target city. An inserter will be provided to each FM station. Local news inputs to NOC can be provided in a variety of ways (10-30), including but not limited to: a) Dedicated telephone lines to local news radio stations; and/or b) telephone, electronic, satellite, and/or Internet links to local newspapers and/or to other news services, including news sources for world news, national news, business news, traffic, stocks, sports. Formatting and editing (40-50) will be performed at the NOC for final insertion (60) and broadcasting.

Stories are stored in the memory of the inserter and queued for broadcast. The queuing is dynamic and may change. Important late breaking stories and time-urgent information such as traffic may be moved up the queue at the control of the news editor of the station. In one embodiment, the editor (such as the NOC editor, or a local news editor) will attach special coding to certain emergency information such as information regarding tornados, hurricanes, high-speed freeway chases, etc. The ODR unit will receive and recognize the specially coded messages and will deliver an "Alert" to the user. Alerts regarding such emergency information are referred to as Standard Alerts. Alerts will be capable of interrupting

ODR programming, and/or regular radio, e.g., AM and/or FM. Alerts can also be customized. For example, the user can request an Alert if a certain stock's price falls below a certain point or rises above a certain point. As another example, the user can receive traffic condition Alerts for the user's custom traffic route. Customized Alerts will carry the special interrupting code and will cause delivery immediately upon receipt. Standard Alerts and Customized Alerts are described more fully below.

Data may be broadcasted with existing technologies, such as FM Subsidiary Communications Authorization ("SCA") subcarrier, Radio Data System ("RDS"), Data Radio Channel ("DARC"), etc. Such technologies do not interfere with the station conducting its regular broadcast business. Currently, SCA and RDS are capable of about 600-2400 bits-per- second (bps) data rates. For the preferred embodiment, a subcarrier using the FM subcarrier Information Service (FMSS) format will transmit unformatted, uncorrected data at a rate of approximately 16 kbps. Depending upon the signal condition and amount of error correction needed, the actual usable rate will be approximately 8 kbps to 10 kbps. Alternatively, a full FM or AM station may be devoted to data broadcast, provided FCC approval is obtained. Any other means of wireless communication can be used, including but not limited to: digital radio broadcast, digital television broadcast, and/or the vertical blanking interval of analog television broadcasts (VBI). In an alternative embodiment, or in combination with the above embodiment, news stories are received in audible form and are stored as voice files in the inserter. The stories are "formatted" using voice commands by the news editor; key words are added verbally. Similarly, news stories received in text can be read by the news gathering service or Broadcast System editors and stored as voice files in the inserter. In one embodiment, new stories are broadcast by the Broadcast System in voice throughout the day. According to this aspect of the invention, the Broadcast System acts like a typical radio station, i.e., a normal radio tuned to this station will have access to all stories transmitted. Each news story is broadcast with a header that precedes, or is attached to the story in the broadcast signal. The header can be heard as a short audio "blip." The audio "blip" is actually the data header that contains intelligence about the particular news story. For instance, the header will contain several bytes of information indicating, for instance, the category, sub- category, version number, etc. for the particular news story, For example, the header may contain coding that indicates that the following story is a story about "Sports-basketball-Lakers." Alternatively, information in the header may be sent by SCA subcarrier or RDS instead of an audible "blip". In another alternative embodiment, voice files are transmitted in compressed voice data form. In one embodiment, some portion, up to and including all, of the information that is broadcast by the Broadcast System is encrypted prior to transmission. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a specially constructed radio receiver will be built into the individual listener's radio unit (an On-Demand Radio ("ODR") radio unit), for instance, the listener' s car radio or Walkman-type radio. The built-in receiver provides a memory and voice reproduction and/or synthesis circuitry.

In another embodiment, a standalone ODR unit is built to accompany the listener's radio unit. The standalone unit provides a receiver, memory, microprocessor, and voice reproduction circuitry and/or voice synthesis circuitry. The standalone unit can be in the form of including, but not limited to: a) an integrated audio-cassette unit where the electronics are built inside an audio-cassette casing with a face panel attached to the casing; b) a standalone unit with audio- cassette tape player adapter or, c) standalone radio frequency rebroadcast interface. In the case of an integrated audio-cassette unit or a standalone unit with audio-cassette tape player interface, the audio-cassette unit or audio-cassette adapter would be plugged into the audio-cassette player of the individual listener's radio unit in order for the information to be played in an audible form.

A standalone integrated audio-cassette unit could provide accessible hardware to the user in the form of specialized buttons on the face of the unit. In a Radio frequency rebroadcast interface embodiment, the user would tune, for instance, the FM radio to receive a particular FM frequency, as required by the rebroadcast interface; the FM rebroadcast interface will then rebroadcast the information to the radio unit. The rebroadcast can occur automatically and continuously, or can be initiated by the user for instance, by pressing a particular button on the standalone unit and/or on the radio unit. The above described embodiments of a standalone unit interface are exemplary only, and are not in any way a limitation of the present invention.

As is described in more detail below and as depicted in FIG.21 a, both the ODR radio unit embodiment and the ODR standalone ( 1300) unit embodiment can communicate with many types of devices, including, but not limited to: different models of radios (1310), cassette players (1320), C/D players (1330), a cellular telephone (1350), a Global Positioning System ("GPS") navigational system (1340), automobile computer system (1360), an automobile PC (1370), palm computer (1383), hand-held computer (1380), laptop computer (1381) and/or desktop computer (1382). FIG. 21b is a block diagram of one embodiment of an ODR unit capable of communicating with multiple devices. The embodiment depicted in FIG. 21c represents an automobile network embodiment. FIG. 21b is a block diagram of one embodiment of an ODR unit integrated with a GPS unit (330).

In one embodiment of the ODR unit, as graphically depicted in FIG. 22, a cradle (1420) is provided that can be connected to a computer (1380-1383). The ODR unit can be placed in and connected to, the cradle. When connected to the cradle, the ODR unit can receive and/or transmit information to the computer and/or a computer network (1400) such as the Internet. In one embodiment, music in digital format, such as MP3 (Motion Picture Expert Group ("MPEG") 1 layer 3) format, can be downloaded from a computer and/or a computer network such as the Internet to the ODR unit when the ODR unit is connected to the cradle. B. Control Setup Specifications

According to the present invention, one or more mechanisms are provided by which the individual radio listener identifies the radio listener's individual radio unit, personal interests, personal preferences and individualized settings and options ("Control Set-up Specifications").

According to the present invention, many types of information available for On-Demand Radio delivery are categorized into different areas of interest. These categories are made available to the user. In the preferred embodiment, the categories are available to the user through an information network, such as the Internet, and specifically through a particular web site and/or through a number of web sites to which the user can access at any time.

Due to the vast amount of information available in broadcast information, the user is asked to define a personal profile and/or set of preferences, referred to herein as Control Set-up

Specifications.

In one embodiment, the user's Control Setup Specifications are used by the central Broadcast System to identify information for that particular user's radio unit such that only the preferred information is downloaded from the central Broadcast System information center to the user.

In an alternative embodiment, the user' s Control Setup Specifications are broadcast to the user's individual unit where the information is received and installed. In one embodiment, the Broadcast System broadcasts the user's Control Setup Specifications each time the user updates the user's Control Setup Specifications. In another embodiment, the user enters Control Setup Specifications in a palm computer, laptop computer, or other similar device, and then transmits the Control Setup Specification information to the ODR unit. Transmission of Control Setup Specification information to the ODR unit can be done in various ways, including but not limited to using an infra-red device with an infra-red transceiver in the ODR. In another embodiment, the user enters Control Setup Specifications directly into the ODR unit using existing dials and/or buttons on the faceplate of the ODR unit.

In the preferred embodiment, the types of information that is available for On-Demand Radio delivery are identified in a web site which can be browsed by the user. FIGS. 4 through 17 are graphical representations of one embodiment of an Internet web site user Customizer for On-Demand Radio ("ODR"). The Internet web site user Customizer embodiment depicted in

FIGS. 4 through 17 provides a typical Control Set-up Specifications interface.

The types of information, referred to here as "topics," identified in a typical web site embodiment of a Customizer include, but are not limited to: news, sport scores, financial results, weather, and other special interests. Topics are divided into categories, referred to here as

"subtopics," in several levels, as appropriate for the particular category. For example, the Sports topic can be further divided into subtopics of golf, tennis, football, etc. The football subtopic can then be further subdivided into college and professional. In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG.2, the user/listener (100) accesses the information topics (140) through an Internet web site using, for instance, a desktop terminal or portable computer 120. The user/listener is then asked to complete one or more online screens (110) requesting information about the user, the user's unit, and the user's interests and preferences.

The types of personal information collected includes, but is not limited to: radio unit Identification Number ("ID"), name (may be optional), address (may be optional), zip code, specific stocks of interest, commute route, commute time, sports categories, sports teams, product categories and the order of priority in which the user would prefer to hear information concerning the above-described types of information.

The types of preference information collected includes, but is not limited to a survey of interest levels, including but not limited to levels such as no interest, low interest, moderate interest, high interest, for such topics including, but not limited to general news topics such as world news, U.S. news, local news, and business news topics such as industry news, money and investing, world trade, managing people, etc. 1) Web-based Customizer In one embodiment, the Customizer is a web-based program which produces a Filter.DAT data file which is described further in a following section of this application. The Filter.DAT file becomes the user's Control Set-up Specifications. One embodiment of the Customizer is described below. a. Default Filter.DAT In one embodiment, the Customizer does not automatically generate a default Filter.DAT.

If a listener does not complete all necessary operations to the end, no file is generated. When it comes time to make or modify the default version of Filter.DAT, a person uses the Customizer to create a version of Filter.DAT, which is then used as a default. b. Set-up Screens The user is asked to supply certain first time set-up information that the Customizer needs to open an account, i.e., account name, password, product serial number, and personal demographics information. c. Logging In

An opening screen asks the listener for an account name. The system will check for the content for format of the input. FIG. 4 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a login screen. Next the listener is asked to identify his/her geographical location. FIG. 5 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a metropolitan area designation screen. The following list of regions is exemplary and is by no way a limiting feature of this invention.

San Francisco Bay Area

Los Angeles Area

In one embodiment, in order for a listener to access the web page, the listener must have the serial number of this radio. On the sign-on screen, the web page asks for the serial number. If this is the first time the radio is registered, the web page asks the listener to create a sign-on name and a password. From then on, each time the listener accesses the web site, he will be asked both the sign-on name and the password.

The web page also asks the listener for an e-mail address. In the future, if the listener forgets his password, he can request the web page to email the password to the designated email address.

Each ODR unit has a unique serial number. Furthermore, the serial number is made-up in a way such that there will be one or more checksum digits. All serial numbers, when combined with one or more checksum digits, add up to a unique number. This prevents a vandal from entering random numbers and manipulating other people's configurations.

Below are descriptions of functions that can be customized in a typical embodiment of the invention. d. Enabling or Disabling Automatic Start

The web page presents the option to choose between "Enable Auto Start" and "Disable Auto Start". Selecting "Enable Auto Start" allows the radio to automatically begin playing On- Demand Radio when it is turned on, even if the radio has been left in the AM or FM setting. Selecting "Disable Auto Start" does not allow the radio to automatically begin playing On- Demand Radio when it is turned on. e. Including and Excluding Topics

A listener can customize whether he wants to have a certain topic included in his play list. On the web page, all the possible topics are listed. The listener simply clicks on the topics that he is interested in and un-click the topics that he is not. In one embodiment, traffic and top news are standard topics and cannot be removed. If customization is not done, the default play list, in a typical embodiment, includes all of the following topics in the specified sequence. Default Play List

Traffic Update

Stocks

Top Stories

General News

Sports News Entertainment News

Sport scores

Advertisements Radio

In an alternative embodiment, the Customizer will allow the user to select from multiple pre-set default patterns of interests and preferences. If the user selects one of the pre-set default patterns, that pattern becomes the user's profile. In a typical embodiment, the pre-set default patterns control the selections for the Play List as well as any and/or all other user-customizable sets of information. As an example, the user could select a "Business Person's Profile." The Business Person's Profile would reflect selections in the Play List and the other user- customizable sets of information that are of interest to a typical business person. Other patterns available include but are not limited to: Student, Housewife, Engineer, Salesperson, Sports Fan, etc.

The following list of topics and the associated descriptions is exemplary and is by no way a limiting feature of this invention. Below, some of the topic areas, namely Traffic, Advertisements and Radio, identified in the following table is described in greater detail.

f. Selecting the Sequence of Topics

Once a listener has selected the topics of interest, the listener is asked to define the sequence in which the topics are to be played if there is no listener intervention. In a typical web site embodiment, a list of the selected topics is displayed. For each topic, the listener can click on the up or down arrow, which moves the topic forward and backward in the play sequence. A typical default play sequence is displayed in the table below:

In one embodiment, each topic is displayed with a small input box next to it; the listener enters a number into each box to represent the order in which the topic is played. In another embodiment, the user is given the opportunity to click and drag topics to the play order. g. Traffic

The Customizer allows the listener to define a customized traffic report.

In a typical web site embodiment, the web site presents a number of cosmopolitan areas, such as Los Angeles or the San Francisco Bay Area, for the listener to choose from. FIG. 6 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a Traffic screen for a typical metropolitan area, which in depicted example is the Los Angeles area.

A typical web site embodiment also presents an option to define custom commute routes and/or often-traveled routes. The web site shows a map of the major highways and boulevards and the locations of the speed sensors. In one embodiment, the listener clicks on the "Define New Route" button and then drags a pointer through the highway and streets that he frequents. In another embodiment, the listener clicks on the segments of the freeways on which the listener commutes. In another embodiment, the listener is asked to provide a beginning-of-commute address and an end-of-commute address. The listener then identifies whether he travels on the route one-way or both ways by clicking on the appropriate box. Once a route is defined, On- Demand Radio will report traffic speed and congestion on specified directions of the route. Along the route there may be stretches of highways or streets where traffic sensors are not present. In one embodiment, on the website ' s customization map, the sensors are clearly marked, so he can see where the sensors are missing along his route. When new sensors are installed after the listener has defined his route, they are automatically included in the group used for reporting.

The following list of locations for the San Francisco Bay Area is exemplary and is by no way a limiting feature of this invention.

Northbound Hwy 101 (a] Hwy 880

Southbound Hwy 101 Hwy 880 Northbound Hwy lθT Great America Parkway

Southbound Hwy 101 @ Great America Parkway^"

Northbound Hwy 880 @ Brokaw Road

SouthboundHwy 880 @ Brokaw Road Northbound Hwy 680 @ Capitol Ave.

Southbound Hwy 680 @ Capitol Ave. Eastbound Hwy 237 @ Calaveras BlvdT

Westbound Hwy 237 @ Calaveras Blvd.

1.) Customized Traffic Routes

In an embodiment that provides for user definition of customized traffic routes, the listener defines the listener's custom routes on the Customizer web site. FIG. 7 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a custom commute route screen. A listener tells the Customizer what freeways the listener travels regularly. The listener defines the beginning and end locations of the commute on each freeway. The listener further defines the time block in which he will be traveling on this route. The listener also defines what days of the week he travels on this route. In a typical embodiment, the resulting data is written to Filter.dat which is a control file described more fully below.

In one embodiment, the ODR unit is integrated with a cellular telephone and/or a GPS system. In such an embodiment, the approximate location of the user can be deduced in the case of a cellular telephone, and can be identified with some specificity in the case of a GPS system. In the case of an ODR/GPS unit, the system knows the direction in which the user is traveling. In such a cell-phone/GPS integrated ODR system embodiment, the ODR system learns the user's routes. The user can optionally setup custom commute routes as described above and the ODR system will play traffic conditions for routes defined by the user as a custom commute route. In addition, the cell-phone/GPS integrated ODR system will play traffic conditions for routes over which the ODR system deduces that the user is traveling. Still further, the cell-phone/GPS integrated ODR system has an electronic calendar/clock and recognizes minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, etc. Using its electronic calendar/clock, the cell-phone/GPS integrated ODR system learns the routes that a user repeatedly travels and the time of day and calendar schedule when the user travels the particular routs. Once the GPS/ODR detects a regular pattern, it can notify the user of traffic congestion on the route, at a specific time and/or during a certain range

46- of time, such as during the listener's typical commute time. These notifications are available under the Traffic topic. In one embodiment, the user is given the option of requesting that such traffic notifications be delivered as a Traffic Alert that interrupts normal AM/FM radio programming and interrupts ODR programming. In one embodiment, when congestion messages are delivered to the user, a detour is also provided. In one embodiment, traffic congestion messages and detours are broadcast by the Broadcast System and delivered in voice form. In a GPS/ODR unit embodiment, detours are also delivered in graphical form and are displayed on the GPS system monitor, such as in map form.

Traffic congestion information is sent in Broadcast data. The data records include but are not limited to: the freeway name, the direction, and the specific location of the congestion. The microprocessor in the ODR unit is programmed to compare traffic records in the Broadcast data against traffic records in Filter.dat, and against the ODR unit's internal clock to decide if the specific congestion information should be played to the listener. In one embodiment, when there is no congestion on the custom route, no voice files are played. For example, on a particular weekday morning, a few congested areas of freeways on a listener's customized route to work are identified and are broadcast by the Broadcast System. The ODR unit plays voice files to describe the congestion on the customized route depending upon the listener's customized route setup. For instance:

"There is congestion on your way to work - Northbound Highway 101 is stopped at Lawrence Expressway; Westbound Highway 380 is stopped at El Camino Real."

On a Sunday morning, a few congested areas of freeways on a customized route to church are identified and broadcast by the Broadcast System. The ODR unit plays voice files to describe the congestion on the customized route. For instance:

"There is congestion on your way to church - Eastbound Highway 237 is stopped at Great America Parkway."

2.) Customizer Options to Setup Custom Traffic Routes

In a typical embodiment of the invention, the Customizer gathers the following information concerning custom traffic routes: Name of custom route: The listener picks a name for the custom commute route from a selection of names. The following list is an example.

To Work To School

To Home To Church To Weekly Recreational Event To Weekend Activities

Custom Route 1 Custom Route 2

Time: The listener picks the approximate time of day when the conditions on this custom route should be played. The following list of options is an example.

Morning - 5 to 10 (military time) Afternoon - 15 to 20 Night - 20 to 5

All times - 0 to 24

Day of week: The listener picks the days of week when the condition on this custom route should be played. In one embodiment, the days are written as MTWHFSX where:

M - Monday T - Tuesday W - Wednesday H - Thursday

F - Friday S - Saturday X - Sunday

The Customizer allows the following choices for the listener:

Weekdays - MTWHF

Weekends - SX

Everyday - MTWHFSX Monday - M

Tuesday - T

Wednesday - W

Thursday - H

Friday - F Saturday - S

Sunday - X

48- Highway selection: The listener picks out segments of highways on which the user typically travels from a map by clicking on the segment. In another embodiment, the user enters the freeway ingress and egress (exit numbers) that the user typically uses. Concurrent with the listener's choices, the list of highway segments entered up to that point is displayed in graphics form.

From location: The listener identifies where on a highway the listener's trip starts.

To location: The listener identifies where on a highway the listener's trip ends.

Edit: The listener can use this feature to edit a previously defined custom route. The listener can change all aspects of the route.

h. Advertisements

In one embodiment, the user is given the opportunity to indicate interest in Advertisements that relate to certain subtopics of information and/or products. Below is a sample list of advertising subtopics from which a user could select. For each advertising subtopic, the Interest Level choices described above are available. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the user is given the option of specifying geographical location/boundaries for stores that advertise products and/or service for which the user has indicated some interest. If the user does not specify geographical location restrictions, the system will default to restricting locations within a certain radius of the user's zip code, for instance, 20 miles. In one embodiment, the user is given the option of restricting receipt of Advertisements to particular brand name and/or types stores. The following list of Advertising subtopics is exemplary and is by no way a limiting feature of this invention.

49-

In one embodiment, the user's indication of interest in particular advertisement subtopics is used to target scheduling of Commercials. That is, if the user specifies high interest in Beauty- related advertisements, then the system will receive with priority Beauty-related commercials and/or will prioritize Beauty-related commercials in the timing and/or frequency and/or the amount of detail provided of these commercials.

In one embodiment, the user is given the option of requesting Commercial Alerts. Commercial Alerts are similar in function to Stock Alerts. The user can specify a particular Store, product, or other commercial basis. The user can specify a particular threshold price for which the user wants to be alerted. For example, the user is in the market for a new car of a particular model. The user can specify the model of car for which the user is looking. The user can specify a particular price for the car. The user can request that the user be notified of car dealers that offer the specified model for a price at or less than the threshold price. In an ODR/GPS embodiment providing Commercial Alerts, the ODR/GPS system can provide the user with complete directions to the price breaking dealership.

In one ODR/GPS embodiment, a voice-formatted and/or text-formatted and/or graphical formatted and/or video-formatted TourGuide/ShoppingGuide ("Guide")is provided. In TourGuide mode, the TourGuide/ShoppingGuide provides the user with tour guide informative and/or entertaining narrative of route through which and the locations in which the user is traveling. For instance, a TourGuide/ShoppingGuide function installed in a rental car rented by a tourist in Los Angeles would provide the driver with information about the architectural and historic significance of buildings and sites around the city. The TourGuide would describe the homes of the stars as the driver travels through Beverly Hills. In ShoppingGuide mode, the unit describes the merchandise and sales in the stores as the driver travels through Rodeo Drive and describes the restaurants, ratings, and menus of eating establishments as the user travels through Santa Monica. In one embodiment, the TourGuide/Shopping Guide data is transmitted wirelessly by the Broadcast System, and is received by individual ODR units. In another embodiment, the TourGuide/ShoppingGuide data is provided through some other form of media, including but not limited to CD, CD-ROM, DVD, data card, and/or infra-red transmission. The above description of different modes of operation is not a limitation of the invention. Rather, the user can choose to limit the TourGuide/ShoppingGuide to a single mode or can allow, in the alternative, for the Guide to provide full functionality. q. Radio

According to the present invention, the Radio topic provides a new way for listeners to access their favorite types of music on the radio. The Radio topic provides relational descriptions of subtopics for radio stations with like themes or formats. The Radio Topic is subdivided into subtopics which are available for the listener's selection. For each Radio subtopic, the Interest Level choices described above are available. In another embodiment, the user is able to choose specific music and/or talk formats. When the Control Setup Specification is downloaded into the user's ODR unit, radio stations are available as items in the Radio topic; the stations are grouped according to specific music/station formats. In yet another embodiment, the user is given the option, in the Web Customizer and/or at the ODR unit, to select particular Radio stations for inclusion as Radio subtopics. The user can further customize the Radio topic to include particular stations under particular music and/or talk format groupings. The following list of Radio subtopics is exemplary and is by no way a limiting feature of this invention. In defining Control Set-up Specifications, the listener can prescribe the order in which the Radio subtopics are organized, and therefore the order in which the Radio subtopics will be played under the Radio topic. When the user is in the ODR mode for the user's ODR unit, the user can rearrange the order as is described in the sections below.

The Radio topic works in the following way. Once the listener is using the ODR unit in the ODR or NEWS mode, when the Radio topic programming begins, the ODR unit announces the first sub-topic name, e.g., Country- Western and then begins immediately to play music from the first station to which that sub-topic refers. If the listener likes the Country- Western subtopic, but prefers to listen to another station under that topic, the listener can interrupt the programming and skip to the next available station to which that subtopic refers by pressing a faceplate button, e.g., FORWARD, once. If the listener does not want to continue listening to Country-Western and wants to go to the next sub-topic, e.g., Fifties, the listener presses a faceplate button, e.g., NEXT SECTION, once. i. Radio Program Guide

According to the present invention, the Radio Show topic provides a way for the user to view, choose, and instruct the user's ODR unit to record one or more radio programs broadcasted by regular AM and/or FM radio stations. When a user selects the Radio Program Guide web page, the user is presented with a list of radio programs that are broadcast during specific times of the day or week. In one embodiment, the Radio Program Guide web page displays a list of radio stations; for each radio station, the web page provides a corresponding page listing the programs and schedule of the programs available for that radio station. FIG.23 is a graphical representation of one embodiment of a Radio Program Guide web page for a particular radio station. The user is provided the capability to choose one or more of the listed programs for automatic recording by the user's ODR unit. For each radio show selected for recording, the user is asked to specify whether the user wants the ODR unit to record the program once, or on some regular basis. Once the user completes making recording selections, the website processes the information and delivers the user's selections to the Broadcast System. The Broadcast System prepares the selections and delivers the selections to the user's ODR unit with a header addressed to the particular user's ODR unit. The user's ODR unit recognizes the header and receives and stores the selections in memory in the ODR unit. Further, the ODR unit uses the stored selection information to set up, as appropriate, a recording schedule for the selected shows. At the appointed scheduled time and for the appropriate duration of time, the ODR unit tunes to the appropriate AM or FM frequency, digitizes the voice data of the selected AM or FM radio show, and stores the digitized voice data in memory. The user can then play the recorded show (s) by using ODR unit buttons and or voice commands. The above-described Internet web site is an exemplary embodiment and is not meant in any way to be a limiting feature of this invention. Rather, there are many ways in which the user can specify the requested information, including but not limited to: a) User completion of a telephone survey and questionnaire conducted for the Broadcast System; b) a hardcopy survey and questionnaire that is submitted by mail or facsimile to the Broadcast System center. FIG. 18e is a flow diagram of an alternative embodiment of the way in which the user establishes an In-Unit Profile. In FIG. 18e, the user installs setup software in the users personal computer (701), a palm computer, handheld computer, laptop computer, auto PC or like device is used to set-up the user's Control Setup Specifications. Unlike the above Internet and survey 1 embodiments, the palm computer, handheld computer, laptop computer, auto PC or like device embodiment is used to set-up the user specifications (702) and transmit them directly to the ODR unit (703); the computer device communicates In-Unit Profile information to the ODR device through, e.g., an infrared transceiver (FIG. 19a, (1240)) in the ODR device. A number of other

5 ways to communicate the information from the personal computer to the ODR unit can be used and the description of an infrared transceiver as the receiving component is exemplary and is not in any way meant as a limitation of the invention. The ODR unit receives the In-Unit Profile (704) and stores the information (704) in memory (210).

In one embodiment, an interface device is provided for transferring data from the computer to

^{1 υ} an audio cassette compatible device and/or to some other media device, including but not limited to: CD, CD-ROM, DVD, data card or like device. In this embodiment, the user would carry the interface device to the user's car cassette or like device (as described above) player for outputting the information.

The ODR device can also be integrated with a cellular phone such that the combination of the

15 ODR device and the cellular phone is a standalone device. The entire ODR system can also be integrated into the car's sound system, cellular phone system, a GPS navigational system, automobile computer, and/or any combination of these devices.

In a system that includes integrated ODR and cellular phone elements, paging and e-mail _j„ capabilities are provided. The cellular phone element provides the capability to establish a backlink to a centralized network, such as, but not limited to, the Internet is provided. The user can access e-mail and pager messages. In one embodiment, e-mail and pager messages are delivered by the Broadcast system to the ODR unit. The ODR unit selects the e-mail and pager messages addressed to it. Alternatively, both directions of communication can be carried out _j_. using the cellular phone component. In one embodiment, e-mail and pager messages are delivered to the user in voice format. In one embodiment, the user can respond to e-mail and pager messages using voice commands to the ODR unit interface.

In one embodiment of the invention, the user maintains the user's calendar, scheduling appointments, and address book on a computer that communicates with a computer network such

30 as the Internet. In another embodiment, the user keeps the user's scheduling appointments and address book on one or more websites. The user requests the Internet to transmit the user's calendar, scheduling appointments, and address book to the Broadcast System, which in turn addresses (using a header) the calendar, scheduling appointments, and address book to the user' s ODR unit. The ODR unit downloads the calendar, scheduling appointments, and address book

35 addressed to it and stores the information in memory. The ODR unit can perform a broad range of Personal Secretary functions. For instance, the ODR unit delivers reminders of scheduled appointments and special events, such as, e.g., birthdays, anniversaries, etc. to the user according to a reminder schedule set up as part of the user' s Control Setup Specifications. For instance, the 1 user can ask to be reminded of certain schedules on the day the scheduled event is to occur, two days prior to the scheduled event, etc. Reminders are delivered in different ways, according to the user's choice, including but not limited to: under a Reminder Topic; as Reminder Alerts.

In an ODR/GPS integrated embodiment with Personal Secretary functionality, the user can request that the ODR/GPS system to find the address of a person and provide directions to that person's location. For instance, the user can request the ODR/GPS system to "find Bob Smith;" the user has previously entered the name of Bob Smith as an individual in the user's address book. The user can make the request, e.g., verbally. The ODR unit looks up the name, Bob Smith in the ODR address book. The ODR unit interface provides Bob's address to the GPS

10 element of the System. The GPS element of the system then charts a route to Bob's address for the user.

In a system that includes integrated ODR and cellular phone elements, a backlink to a centralized network, such as, but not limited to, the Internet is provided. Any data collected by the ODR system can then be transmitted to the centralized network ("backlink"), e.g., to a web ⁵ site. Data collected by the ODR system includes, but is not limited to: Usage of the ODR system by the user; usage of the radio unit by the user, including but not limited to what music and/or radio stations the user listens to.; data collected from the GPS system including, but not limited to, what restaurants the user goes to, what businesses the user frequents, and other information that can be derived from data collected concerning where the user has been; and/or an automobile ^ computer system, including, but not limited to, what kind of car the user drives; statistics about the car and the car's usage, etc.

In an alternative embodiment, one or more of the above-described elements, including, but not limited to: A radio, an ODR unit, a GPS navigational system, an automobile computer, a cellular telephone, an automobile PC, a handheld computer, laptop computer, palm computer, and similar

25 devices remain as standalone units but communicate with the other elements of the system by means of wireless communications. In another embodiment of the invention, wired communications, such as an automobile network, ties communications of one or more of these various system elements. In a networked environment, the ODR is capable of using data provided by other elements of the network, as well as providing data and exerting control over

30 the other elements of the network. In one embodiment, a user's profile as well as a database of businesses, including but not limited to restaurants, hotels, service stations, stores, etc., is downloaded from the ODR to the GPS, along with coded instructions directing the actions of the GPS with regarding the business location data.

-_<- In one ODR/GPS embodiment, LocationCentric Advertising is broadcast by the Broadcast

System. The ODR/GPS unit recognizes the user's destination address selected using the ODR/GPS interface. From the destination address, the ODR/GPS unit deduces the type of location to which the user is traveling. If the user is traveling to, for example, a mall, then the ODR/GPS unit will deliver LocationCentric Advertising for stores located in that particular mall. LocationCentric Advertising can further be stored in the GPS location database.

LocationCentric Advertising can be delivered to the user in a number of ways. One way in which the user receives LocationCentric Advertising is by choosing the Quick Access Button that controls the Advertising topic. One subtopic under the Advertising topic is "Sales at Destination." Skipping to the Sales at Destination subtopic, the user can receive information about sales for stores located at the user's chosen destination.

Another way in which LocationCentric Advertising is delivered is for the user to skip to a

10 subtopic under the Advertising topic that pertains to the particular store or mall to which the user is traveling. Under this approach, the user would have preset the particular store and/or mall as an advertisement selection in setting up the users Control Setup Specifications.

Another way in which LocationCentric Advertising is delivered, as depicted in FIG. 20, is that

, _. the commercials delivered during ODR programming are customized according to the user's location. As depicted in FIG. 20, data transmitted over the radio frequency received by the ODR is extracted by the ODR 800. The ODR determines whether the extracted data is an advertisement 801. If the extracted data is not an advertisement, the ODR processes the extracted data according to the type of data and according to the user's profile information 802. If the . extracted data is an advertisement, then the ODR uses the GPS interface 803 to determine the global positioning of the integrated ODR GPS unit 804. Each advertisement, and each data segment of each advertisement, contains global positioning information. Using a GPS Area location database 805, the ODR unit compares the advertisement data global positioning information to the global position of the ODR unit to determine whether or not the ODR receiver

~r is in the vicinity or area relevant to the area to which the advertisement pertains 806. Some advertisements contain a universal area indicator meaning that the advertisement should be delivered to all listeners regardless of the listener' s/ODR's global positioning. If the listener/ODR unit is not in the area covered by the advertisement, the ODR processes the extracted data accordingly 802. If, on the other hand, the listener/ODR unit is in the area

- . covered by the advertisement, then the ODR unit prepares the advertisement for delivery to the user/listener 807. Advertisements can contain audibly deliverable information, graphically deliverable information, textually deliverable information, or any combination. The ODR unit prepares the advertisement for delivery to the user/listener depending upon the delivery type(s) and delivers the advertisement through the appropriate circuitry of the ODR 807. In this way,

- - ODR programming can reflect advertisements for stores that are, for instance, located at the next exit of the freeway on which the user/listener is traveling.

In the preferred embodiment, the user/listener initially sets up the user/listener's profile by selecting the categories of information provided by the Internet web site that the listener/user is interested in receiving. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram representing the information potentially maintained for each user/radio unit.

User-specified options will include, among other things, allowing the user/listener to specify whether the data is to be downloaded at that instant, to set-up a schedule by which to have the information downloaded at another time, e.g. 5:00 am every morning and 4:00 pm every afternoon, or to download the information by user request.

In one embodiment, the ODR unit updates the In-unit Profile with information collected by, and or deduced by, the ODR unit. The ODR unit collects information concerning the user. For instance, the ODR unit collects information concerning the user's usage of the ODR unit. The ODR unit collects information concerning the programs, types of music, types of stories, etc. to which the user listens. In an ODR/GPS embodiment, the ODR unit collects information about the routes that the user travels, the businesses at which the user stops, the speed at which the user travels, and any and all other information that the ODR unit can collect and/or deduce from the GPS element. Similarly, the ODR unit can collect and deduce many types of information from embodiments in which the ODR communicates with other intelligent devices, including but not limited to: an automobile PC, an automobile computer, and a cellular telephone.

C. On-Demand Narrowcasting

According to the present invention, certain or all aspects of the user's Control Set-up Specifications can be used by the Broadcast System to narrowcast information to the listener's individual radio unit ("On-Demand Narrowcasting"). In one embodiment, the Broadcast System constructs a header that contains information that targets one or more radio units. Targeting is accomplished, by, for instance, specifying, one or more unit identification ("ID") numbers. In the header, unit ID numbers can be specified individually, and/or by one or more ranges. Other types of user Control Set-up Specification information can be specified in the header to target a particular broadcast. For instance, in one embodiment, the unit type can be specified in the header; information can then be narrowcast by unit type; unit type would be information that could be collected from the user and/or inferrable from the unit ID. As another example, a particular zip code can be inserted in the header so that a particular set of information is transmitted to all units for which user's have specified that zip code.

Furthermore, any information contained in, or which can be inferred from the user's Control Set-up Specification information can be specified in a header for purposes of targeted narrowcasting. For instance, the user-specified Interest Level choice can be used to determine whether or not to send the user a brief version or detailed version of a particular story. As an example, the Broadcast System would build a header for a detailed version of a story concerning

IBM with appropriate codes for high interest/business news listeners; a header for a brief version of the same story would contain coding to indicate a lower level of interest for business news. If a particular user specified high interest for business news, then the user's ODR would find a match with the header for the detailed IBM-related story. If a particular user specified a lower level of interest for business news, then the user's ODR would find a match with the header for the brief version of the IBM-related story.

In an alternative embodiment, the Broadcast System indicates that a particular detailed version of a story about IBM is a detailed business story. The receiver at the ODR unit will examine the user's preferences. If the user has indicated a high interest in business stories, then the ODR unit will receive the detailed story.

As another example of the way in which the user-specified Control Set-up Information is used, information concerning the user-specified custom commute route, as described in more detail

10 below, can be used to target advertising information. As an example, the user specifies a commute route that ends at a particular address or area of a large metropolitan area ("end-of- commute location"). The Broadcast System can use that information to target narrowcast advertisements for, e.g., restaurants, shops, retailers, services, etc. that serve the vicinity of the user's end-of-commute location. To accomplish the targeting narrowcast in this particular

15 example, the Broadcast System builds a header that contains one or more of the following: a) ID's for radio units that belong to users that have identified an end-of-commute in a particular area (areas can be defined according to, e.g., local mapping standards such as the Thomas Guides); b) an end-of-commute area ID; and/or c) the end-of-commute address designated by the user.

20

In one embodiment, the On-Demand Radio ("ODR") standalone device is integrated with a GPS navigational system and/or cellular telephone. In another embodiment, the ODR radio unit is integrated with a GPS navigational system and/or cellular telephone. In any GPS-integrated and or cellular telephone-integrated embodiment of this invention, the GPS navigational system

~_. and/or cellular telephone will provide the system with the approximate location of the device. In the case of a cellular telephone, approximate location of the cellular telephone can be found by identifying the cellular telephone broadcast tower. Narrowcasting, based on the real-time location of the unit can then be accomplished. For instance, as the commuter travels on a particular interstate freeway, a particular restaurant located at the commuter's next exit off-ramp

~_π can target its advertisement to the approaching commuter. The restaurant's advertisement can be narrowcast by constructing a header that contains information concerning the particular restaurant's location.

One embodiment of the present invention provides that the radio unit contains more than one tuner. One advantage of using multiple tuners is that the total bandwidth is increased. In one 35 multiple-tuner embodiment, there is a master broadcast frequency in which broadcasts in other frequencies are synchronized and/or linked. In the case of a radio unit with multiple tuners, the restaurant's location-tied header and associated advertisement is periodically broadcast on a continuous basis on a particular frequency. Such advertisements could be broadcast on, for 1 instance, a carousel of advertisements that are broadcast, and then rebroadcast according to the carousel schedule. When the commuter approaches the location, the radio unit interrupts current programming and announces the restaurant's advertisement before continuing current programming. If the user has been listening to a regular radio broadcast, the targeted advertising

5 can be played as an overlay of the regular radio broadcast, for example, when the regular radio station is broadcasting/playing commercials, in which case, the regular broadcast will resume at the point where the interruption ceases. In another embodiment, the advertisement causes an interruption in the regular radio broadcast, and the unit continues to receive the information of the regular radio broadcast and uses buffer space and/or memory in which to store the interrupted

10 broadcast. When the targeted advertising is completed, the unit returns to play the information that was stored in the buffer and/or memory. Various methods can be used to synchronize the interrupted and further real-time radio broadcasts. Similarly, if the user is listening to On- Demand Radio programming, the ODR programming can be interrupted to announce the targeted advertiser's commercial; alternatively, an advertisement can be scheduled to be delivered to the

15 user as part of the ODR programming.

In one embodiment of the invention, the ODR system collects information from the GPS system, including such information as the restaurants, hotels, businesses, retail stores and other locations to which the user drives. The ODR/GPS collected data is then used to create a very detailed profile of information concerning the user. Advertisements can be targeted to elements " of user profiles. For instance, if the user drives to a particular address that is a particular retail outlet for a well known chain of department stores, the ODR/GPS system records that information. Headers for advertisements for that department store chain will contain a code for users who frequently drive to retail outlet locations of that department store chain. The ODR device will see the header and will find a match between the header code for users who frequent

25 the store locations and the user information collected by the ODR/GPS device. Accordingly, the

ODR device will select the advertisement related to that header.

Other factors can be considered in targeting advertising in accordance with the above-described approach to narrowcasting. For instance, time of day, day of the week, season of the year, etc. can be used to target advertising. 30

In one embodiment, the ODR unit is integrated with the automobile' s on-board computer. The

ODR unit is capable of sensing, interpreting and storing information contained in, or which can be inferred from, the on-board computer and the data that is collected by that computer. In one embodiment, the ODR unit is integrated with both the automobile's on-board computer and a ._■ GPS navigational system and/or cellular phone. In the ODR-computer-GPS/cell phone embodiment, advertising can be targeted considering factors gathered from each of the system's components. For example, the odometer reading of the car combined with the current location of the car can be used to announce the location of a nearby fast lube advertiser. In one embodiment, the system is capable of determining the priority between multiple nearby fast lube advertisers. Approaches to determining priority include but are not limited to: a) announcing the location of the highest paying advertiser fast lube shop; b) announcing the location of the nearest fast lube shop; or c) announcing the location of the lowest charging fast lube shop.

In one ODR-GPS integrated embodiment of the invention, the ODR receiver is used to receive GPS database updates and/or corrections. For instance, roadblock, construction, route-specific information will be transmitted by the Broadcast System. Similarly, new information concerning hotels, restaurants, retail shopping and other information maintained in the GPS database will be transmitted by the Broadcast System. The ODR-GPS unit will receive the information, and will update the GPS database. Such information updates can be broadcast whenever updates

10 become available and/or on some periodic basis, such as daily, weekly, or monthly. In one embodiment, the updates are broadcast as soon as the information is received and are rebroadcast on a periodic basis. In a multiple tuner embodiment, the ODR-GPS unit continuously receives and applies the updates as they become available.

According to this aspect of the invention, the Control Set-up Specifications can be specifically

15 narrowcast for reception by the particular user's individual radio unit, which is a process referred to herein as "On-Demand Narrowcasting J According to this aspect of the invention, "On- Demand Narrowcasting" means that the information is broadcast over the standard frequency, but is coded so that only a single unit, or a subsection of the total population of radio units, are identified in the header for the information. Accordingly, only a single ODR unit, or a subsection

20 of the total population of ODR units, will select and capture the information because the information contains, or is preceded by, a header containing that particular unit's ID, or the particular unit's ID falls within one of the ranges specified in the header.

FIG. 18a is a graphical representation of one embodiment of the procedure by which On-

~_- Demand Narrowcasting is accomplished. In the depicted embodiment, for each news story, the database of Unit/User Control Set-up Specifications (1000) in the National Operating Center

("NOC") is searched. Comparisons are made (1030) between the keywords (1020) contained as part of the news story format (1010) and interests and/or preferences for each unit user (1080).

Matches (1040) between the keywords for a particular story and the profile of interests for a

-~ particular unit/user cause a header for the story to be constructed (1050) containing the unit ID for the matched unit (1060). The header is then transmitted prior to, or as part of, the news story

(1070). In another embodiment, the database of all Units/User Control Setup Specifications in a particular geographical region is searched for matches between the story and the preferences of the listeners. A popularity index of the story is generated based on the analysis of the

- _. database. The popularity index of several stories are then compared to identify the more popular stories; the more popular stories are then broadcast.

In an alternative embodiment, "narrowcasting" is accomplished by broadcasting everything for analysis by each ODR unit. FIG. 18b is a flow diagram depicting one embodiment of the way 1 in which In-Radio Profiles are established so that "narrowcasting" can be accomplished. In FIG.

18b, the user inputs personal information and information concerning the user's interests and preferences (100-130), using for example, user-interface setup screens on a website. The user's information is stored in memory along with the information for other users (1000), e.g., at the

5 Broadcast System's NOC. The NOC Broadcast System then builds one or more records containing each user's information (200). Each user's record contains the unit ID to which the user information is targeted. The collection of one or more records for the same ODR Unit ID is called a Profile. The Broadcast System then transmits the user's information (202). The individual ODR unit receives all transmitted Profile information, but only extracts the

10 information containing the ODR unit ID for storage in the memory of the ODR unit (204). Once the Profile has been stored in the memory of the ODR unit, it is referred to as an In-Unit Profile.

FIG. 18c is a flow diagram of one embodiment of the way in which "narrowcasting" is accomplished using In-Unit Profile information. The ODR unit receives all ODR header information transmitted to it as Broadcast Signal (250). If the header is for a standard Alert, the

¹⁵ ODR unit receives the Alert and prepares the Alert for delivery to the user (252-253). If the header is not for a standard Alert, then the ODR unit analyzes the header information by comparing the header to the information in the In-Unit Profile (255). When the ODR unit identifies that a header is consistent with the In-Unit Profile (256), the unit extracts the related information (story, advertisement, commercial, update, alert, etc.) and stores (256) the

²^ information in the memory (210) of the ODR unit for later playback.

FIG. 18d is a block diagram of one embodiment of ODR Unit logic using In-Unit Profile information to store information matching the In-Unit Profile. In FIG. 18d, the Receiver (300) receives the Broadcast Signal ( 1072). The User Profile in memory (210) is used by the ODR unit to determine what information to receive and store in memory (210) for later playback through

25 the Player (310). The Player (310) uses the User Profile in memory (210) to determine what information to play and in what sequence.

On-Demand Narrowcasting a particular user's Control Set-up Specifications is meant as an exemplary embodiment of the invention and is not meant in any way to be a limiting feature of ~ the invention. Rather, other types of information can be specifically targeted by unit ID and/or one or more ranges of unit ID's.

In the preferred embodiment, the Internet, including but not limited to, the online web pages completed by the user specifying the user's Set-up Control Specifications, e-mail, and custom- purpose programs, are used to control the functions of the Preferred Radio device ~ a device 35 which is not directly connected to the Internet.

Applications of this aspect of the invention are not limited to controlling the On-Demand Radio. Rather, this aspect of the invention can be used to control the configuration of many types of devices, including, but not limited to, inexpensive household or mobile appliances. This aspect of the invention is particularly useful for controlling the configuration of devices that tend to be located in diverse locations and that may not be attached to an electrical outlet and/or computer network. The configuration changes in the said device can be controlled to include, but are not limited to: a) a new way of responding to input to the device, b) a new way of sending output from the device, including the use of new, downloaded message, or c) a new way of handling the internal operations of the device. The data sent from the Broadcast System can be in different forms, including but not limited to: 1.) control codes which are keywords telling the receiving unit what to doe; or 2.) actual software machine code. Encryption can be used to prevent the unauthorized change of the device. The manner in which configuration control is accomplished is further explained below.

1. Web Page Customizer

A web page is set-up to contain various configurable conditions of a device not directly connected to the Internet. A person is asked to select various options on the web page. Upon the completion of the input, the web page submits the data to a transmitter, which then sends one or more strings of data over the radio frequency to the said device.

2. E-mail Customizer

A person sends a piece of electronic mail to a specific address. In the mail, either in the header or body, are keywords that are intended to control the function of a device not directly connected to the Internet. In another embodiment, the address to which a user sends e-mail directly or indirectly indicates the function to be performed. The receiver of the e-mail is a computer, which interprets the keywords and then sends out one or more strings of data over the radio frequency to the specified device.

3. Custom Purpose Program ^* A custom-purpose program is set-up on aperson's computer. When run, this program asks the person to define the configuration of a device not directly connected to the Internet. Once the user inputs the data, the program sends keywords to a receiving computer on the Internet, which then sends one or more strings of data over the radio frequency to the said device. In another embodiment, the program sets up the computer such that the user can send the data to the 0 receiving device through, e.g., infra-red communications.

4. Configuration Across Radio Frequency

One or more strings of data are sent across radio frequency with information to configure a particular device — one that is not directly connected to the Internet or a computer network. As r part of the broadcast, an identification is included, which uniquely addresses the said device. The device can be the only device responding to this identification, or as part of a class of devices responding to this identification. Upon detecting an identification match, the said device or devices reconfigures itself (or themselves) according to the instructions in the broadcast. D. In-Unit Profile

According to the present invention, and as an alternative to, or in combination with, On- Demand Narrowcasting, the Broadcast System transmits certain or all aspects of the listener's Control Set-up Specifications which are received by, and installed in, the listener's individual radio unit ("In-radio Setup Specifications").

The user's ODR unit includes a radio frequency receiver, a memory, a microprocessor and storage system. In an embodiment in which the ODR unit is integrated with a radio, the ODR unit includes a radio frequency receiver (300), a memory (210), a microprocessor and storage system (320), and a player (310) as depicted in FIG. 19b. Some portion of the Control Set-up Specifications' user profile is stored in the memory of the user's receiver device system; the information will be used to select from all broadcast information. Selected information is stored in the memory for future retrieval.

E. On-Demand Reception According to the present invention, the listener's In-Unit Profile can be used by the listener's individual radio unit to select information delivered by the Broadcast System according to the individual listener's specified interests ("On-Demand Reception"). In one embodiment, the receiver has the capability to scan the frequencies and/or match key tokens from each broadcast in order to find the frequency in which the Broadcast System broadcast(s). A program broadcast can consist of multiple numbers of files (voice and/or other types of data). Alternatively, a program can be one single file. The data can have markers in certain locations within the file to mark the boundary from one story to another and/or locations for commercials.

In one embodiment, the listener's ODR radio unit continuously receives information delivered by the Broadcast System. In an alternative embodiment, the listener's ODR radio unit receives ODR broadcasts on a periodic schedule, for instance, every five minutes. This schedule of reception is referred to as an "ODR reception period." At the beginning of the example five minute period, the ODR unit looks for headers that match information for which the ODR is looking and which should be selected by the ODR unit. To the extent that one or more headers are encountered that match parameters for the particular ODR unit, the ODR unit will continue to receive the additional information and store the information in the memory of the ODR unit. Once the ODR unit has completely stored all broadcast information for the particular ODR unit, the ODR unit will enter a "sleep" mode until the beginning of the next scheduled ODR reception period. If the ODR unit does not detect any headers that match parameters for the particular

ODR unit, then, without receiving the additional data, the ODR unit enters the sleep mode until the beginning of the next scheduled ODR reception period.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the user specifies the typical amount of time that the user has to listen to the radio. For instance, the user can specify, when setting up the Control 1 Set-up Specifications, that the user's daily one-way commute is typically one hour. According to the invention, the system will customize the arrangement and/or amount of information received and stored according to the amount of time specified by the user as a typical listening session. The system will also determine whether to use a short version or detailed version of a

5 particular story based upon the In-Unit Profile.

As is described further below, there are memory and navigational buttons in one embodiment of the invention by which the user can specify and/or reorganize the priority by which the user wants to listen to the ODR received information. According to the invention, the system will customize the order of and amount of information that the system receives and stores according ¹⁰ to one or more of the following: a) The user-specified amount of time of a typical listening period; and/or b) The user-defined priority of topics as defined by the user defined buttons on the device.

According to the present invention, methods and systems are provided for downloading data from a host computer, several host computers, or one or more web sites to a radio unit device

15 with memory (random access memory) sufficient to hold said data. In accordance with Control Set-up Specifications and/or In-Unit Profile, the data will be transmitted to, selected by, and/or stored in the memory of the listener's individual radio unit. One embodiment of the way in which the In-Unit Profile is used to control the reception of information related to the user's specified interests is described below.

20

In one embodiment, the broadcast is an analog AM broadcast. In this embodiment, the Broadcast System inserts the keywords at a point in time after the beginning of the story. In this embodiment, the receiver is programmed to synchronize story capture. A start of story signal (trigger) is provided at the start of each story. Synchronized story capture will be accomplished

~ _<- in the receiver with the help of the trigger and a memory buffer of sufficient size to provide for the following procedure: the receiver will receive the trigger signal and the news story; the receiver is programmed to begin recording the story into memory; some seconds later, it will receive the keyword coding for the story; if the keyword coding matches the preset preference filters for the particular unit as indicated in the In-Unit Profile, then the unit has identified a "hit"

- and the unit will continue to record the story; otherwise, recording will be abandoned and the unit is reset to wait for the start of the next story.

1. Receiver

In one embodiment, the Receiver is responsible for selectively screening the broadcast for information that the listener wants. In this embodiment, the Receiver uses information from 35 Filter.DAT and selectively picks up data from Broadcast data to save in PlayList.DAT,

PhraseList.DAT, and Commercials.DAT. These three files contain the control data and pointers that determine the content and sequence of the speech played. All of the files mentioned are described further below. In an embodiment in which the ODR unit is integrated with a radio, and where the tuner/receiver is shared between the ODR and the radio, if the user is not using the radio to receive any other station, then the ODR radio will enter an idle mode in which the tuner will be tuned to the ODR data broadcast station to receive data throughout the day.

In a typical embodiment, only news stories with the appropriate keywords will be selectively stored into memory. This way, all the news stories desired by the user will be in memory and ready to play when the user turns on his radio.

In one embodiment where the user has configured the user's ODR unit to record radio shows from regular AM or FM stations at the proper time, the Receiver begins to digitize and store the voice data from the radio frequency specified in the Control Setup Specification. In one embodiment, the ODR unit determines the type of sound compression used from information provided by the Control Setup Specifications. In another embodiment, the type of sound compression used is determined automatically by the ODR unit based on the availability of memory (e.g., random access memory).

2. Filter.DAT

Filter.DAT includes the definitions of the listener's profile, including the listener's interests and preferences. Filter.DAT also includes the listener-defined preference for the order of the topics and subtopics are to be played — which defines the ODR unit's actual play sequence. When a story comes in the broadcast, the Receiver consults Filter.DAT for the proper sequence to play. The following are the definitions of fields for Filter.DAT.

The following is one embodiment ofFilter.DAT. Filter.DAT

[Topιc=Traffic] [Subtopιc=Regιonal update, InterestLevel=3]

[Topιc=Stocks] [Subtopιc=Dow Jones, InterestLevel=3] [Subtopιc=Nasdaq, InterestLevel=3]

[Subtopιc=S&P 500, InterestLevel=3]

[Topιc=Top News, InterestLevel=3]

[Topιc=General News]

[Subtopιc=World News, InterestLevel=2] [Subtopιc=Natιonal News, InterestLevel=2] [Subtopιc=Local

News, InterestLevel=2]

[Topιc=Busιness News] [Subtopιc=Technology, InterestLevel=2] [Subtopιc=Bankιng, InterestLevel=2] [Bio-technology, InterestLevel=2]

[Topιc=Sports News]

[Subtopιc=Football, InterestLevel=2] [Subtopιc=Basketball, InterestLevel=2] [Subtopιc=Basketball,

InterestLevel=2] [Subtopιc=Hockey, InterestLevel=2] [Subtopιc=Golf, InterestLevel=2]

[Topιc=Sports Scores]

[Subtopιc=Professιonal Football, Subtopιc2=San Francisco 49ers, Subtopιc2=Dallas Cowboys,

Subtopιc2=Green Bay Packers]

[Subtopιc=College Football, Subtopιc2=San Jose State Spartans]

[Subtopιc=Professιonal Basketball, Subtopιc2=Chιcago Bulls, Subtopιc2=L A Lakers]

[Subtopιc=College Basketball, Subtopιc2=San Jose State Spartans]

[Subtopιc=Professιonal Hockey, Subtopιc2=San Jose Sharks]

[Subtopιc=Professιonal Golf, Subtopιc2=Tιger Woods]

[Subtopιc=Beach Volleyball, Subtopιc2=Kιraley/Stokelos]

[Subtopιc=Horse Racing, Subtopιc2=Bay Meadows]

[Topιc^*=Entertaιnment]

[Subtopιc=Movιes, Preference=2] [Subtopιc=TV, Preference=2] [Subtopιc=Theater, Preference=2]

[Subtopιc=Books, Preference=2]

Radio show data is delivered/downloaded to the user's ODR unit as part of the Control Setup Specification. Radio show data includes but is not limited to: 1.) recording times; 2.) show duration; 3.) station frequency, and/or 4.) other types of control data, including but not limited to: a.) whether the show is voice of music; b.) the proper sound compression algorithm used to record the show; and c.) user preference level of the show,. In one embodiment, the above- described radio show data is included as part of Filter.DAT.

In an embodiment that provides for custom traffic routes, Filter.dat describes the custom routes. The definition of a custom route in typical embodiment of Filter.dat is as follows:

RouteName This is the name of the custom route. FromTime In one embodiment, this is the time of day to play the conditions on a specific custom route. Time is described in military hours without minutes. The ODR unit compares the From Time with the ODR unit's internal clock to decide if the conditions on the custom route should be played In an embodiment integrated with a cellular telephone and/or a GPS system, the approximate location of the user can be deduced in the case of a cellular telephone, and can be identified with some specificity in the case of a GPS system. In the case of an ODR/GPS unit, the system knows the direction in which the user is traveling. In such a cell-phone/GPS integrated system embodiment, the ODR system will further play traffic conditions for routes defined by the user as a custom commute route. In one such embodiment, the ODR system will play traffic conditions for routes over which the ODR system deduces that the user is traveling.

ToTime This is the time of day to stop playing the conditions on this custom route. Time is described in military hours without minutes. The ODR unit compares this time against the ODR unit's internal clock to decide if the conditions on the custom route should be played.

Days This is the days of the week when the ODR unit needs to track the conditions on this custom route.

The ODR unit checks the ODR unit's internal clock to see if the current day is included in the range. If so, and the time matches, the conditions on the custom route are played.

Highway The highway name. This is a text field even though all freeways are names with number. Direction The direction of traffic:

Northbound

Southbound

Westbound

Eastbound

FromMile The mile marker of the beginning of the segment of freeway. It is defined in reference to a fixed zero point.

ToMile The mile marker of the end of the segment of freeway. It is defined in reference to the same fixed zero point as the From Mile.

SortOrder This field is not used in custom routes. Rather, it is used to play noncustom route traffic data using the new Broadcast.dat traffic records. Freeway names are separated by the forward slash "/". The Customizer writes out a predefined SortOrder for each region. The listener does not get to define the sort order. The traffic record in one embodiment ofFilter.dat is structured as follows:

[Topic=Traffic]

[RouteName=To Work, FromTime=5, ToTime=10, Days=MTWHF, Highway=101, Direction=Northbound, FromMile= 14, ToMile=45, Highway=380, Direction- Westbound, FromMile=0, ToMile=4 Highway=280, Direction=Northbound, FromMile=96, ToMile=103]

[RouteName=To Home, FromTime=15, ToTime=20, Days=MTWHF, Highway=280, Direction=Southbound, FromMile=103, ToMile=96, Highway=380, Direction=Westboound, FromMile=4, ToMile=0, Highway=101, Direction=Southbound, FromMile= 45, ToMile=14]

[RouteName=To Church, FromTime=5, ToTime=10, Days=X, Highway=87, Direction=Southbound, FromMile=12, ToMile=-3]

[Subtopic=SF South Bay, SortOrder=101/880/680/280/237/87/85/l] [Subtopic=SF Peninsula, SortOrder=101/280/80/380/92/84]

3. PhraseList.DAT

PhraseList.DAT contains common phrases used on the radio. For example, the announcement of each topic at the beginning of the topic, or the announcement of the summaries of the topic are phrases.

The following is a file structure of one embodiment ofPhraseList.DAT, and the default file contents in that embodiment when the listener has not customized settings. It is understood in this application that file structures are described in a generic form; the generic form should be understood to include any data type, including but not to: text, digital, audio, compressed digital, compressed audio, binary, hexadecimal, etc.

PhraseList.DAT

[Name=Traffιc] [ID=1] [VoιceFιle=Traffιc WAV]

[Name=Stocks] [ID=2] [VoιceFιle=Traffιc WAV]

[Name=Top News] [ID=3] [VoιceFιle=Top News WAV]

[Name=General News] [ID=4] [VoιceFιle=General News WAV]

[Name=Busιness News] [ID=5] [VoιceFιle=Busιness News WAV]

[Name=Sports News] [ID=6] [VoιceFιle=Sports News WAV]

[Name=Sports Scores] [ID=7] [VoιceFιle=Sports Scores WAV]

[Name=Entertaιnment News] [1D=8] [VoιceFιle=Entertaιnment News WAV]

[Name= Summaries (These are the stories we have prepared for you) ] [ID=9] [VoιceFιle=Summaπes WAV]

[Name=Radιo][ID=10][VoιceFιle=Radιo WAV]

[Name=Comιng up] [ID=10] [VoιceFιle=Comιng up WAV]

F. User Interface

According to the present invention, the listener's individual radio unit provides methods, systems and apparatus by which the listener can request specific information stored in, or receivable by, the listener's individual radio unit ("User Interface").

In one embodiment, the user interface apparatus consists of a Preferred Radio and a small handheld remote control connected to the Preferred Radio, which can be a wired or wireless remote.

In one embodiment, the Preferred Radio is an ODR device that includes, among other things, a CPU programmed to, among other things, interface with the user and to retrieve data, a memory for storing data, voice reproduction circuitry, a voice synthesizer for converting the data into voice, and a cassette interface for outputting the sound of the audible data through the radio unit's speaker through the magnetic heads. To minimize memory usage, the data will be preferably stored in a compressed form.

For car radio units, the remote control will provide for simple functions and a minimal number of keys so that the user can navigate through the stored information.

The dialog between the user and the system will be very similar to a normal computer terminal interface with the distinction that, instead of displaying visual information for response, audible signals will be generated to prompt for input. Listeners input can be through physical commands as through the remote, and/or keys on the radio unit. In an alternative embodiment, listener input is provided through a speech recognition interface built into the radio unit. In one embodiment, the remote control unit is in the steering wheel. On-Demand Radio stations will continuously broadcast stories pertaining to each topic. Typically, in the radio, a set amount of memory is allocated for each topic. Stories broadcast more recently will replace stories from the past, as in a FIFO. 1. Program Cycle

The radio will play each topic according to a pre-established play sequence (the "playback cycle"). When the last topic has been played, the playback cycle begins with the first topic and plays any NEW material that has just come from the broadcast. The radio cycles through this loop until there are no more new materials. In one embodiment, stories that have already been played remain in memory and remain available for future replay.

The listener is able to add or remove topics from the play list by going to the On-Demand Radio Internet web site or by using the Quick Access buttons in the manner more fully described later in this specification.

In one embodiment, at the beginning of each topic, the radio makes a brief announcement of the topic name and story highlights (summaries). After announcing the summaries, each story is played sequentially, unless the listener decides to manually interrupt the automatic sequence. The following table is a visual representation of one embodiment of a default play sequence.

Traffic Update Custom Commute Route 1 Custom Commute Route 2 Highway #1 northbound Highway #1 southbound Highway #2 northbound Highway #2 southbound

Stocks Custom stock 1 Custom stock 2

Top Stories Summaries Story 1 Story 2 Story 3

General News Summaries Story 1 Story 2 Story 3 Sports News

Summaries

Story 1

Story 2

Story 3

Sports scores

Sport 1 , team 1 game summary

Sport 1 , team 2 game summary

Sport 2, team 1 game summary

Sport 2, team 2 game summary

Entertainment News

Summaries

Story 1

Story 2

Radio shows

Show 1

Show 2

Show 3

Advertisements

Store type 1

Store 1

Store 2

Store type 2

Store 1

Store 2

Repeat from beginning

2. Play Sequence a. Automatic Play Sequence

On-Demand Radio is set to automatically play in a way that minimizes user button pushing. The automatic play sequence is listed in the Program Cycle section. b. Sections

With the use of "sections", the invention provides the listener faster access to specific areas of a topic. For example, under the topic Traffic, in the San Francisco Bay Area, there are several regions: North Bay, East Bay, Peninsula, and South Bay. Each region is assigned a section. Within each of these sections, there are stories about the traffic conditions on freeways. A listener is able to navigate from story to story, as well as from section to section. In this case, a listener can skip to a section such as South Bay by pushing the Skip Section button 3 times. Within a section, the listener can skip from freeway to freeway using the Skip Story button. c. Consolidation of Topics

In one embodiment, in order to make it easier for the listener to remember how to navigate through the information, several topics are consolidated into one. For example, all news topics such as top news, business news, local news, sports news, world news, and U.S. news are all grouped under the topic news, and assigned one Quick Access button. Similarly, all magazine-type contents such as Travel, Health & Living, Science, and Technology are all grouped under Magazines, and assigned one Quick Access button. Mapping it this way allows each of the six Quick Access buttons to represent a type of content. With the new grouping, the six Quick Access buttons may look like this:

In one embodiment, there are no navigational buttons used to go from topic to topics. The listener presses the specific Quick Access button to get to that topic. In one embodiment, aNEXT TOPIC button (1220) and a REPEAT TOPIC button (1230) are provided. Pressing the NEXT TOPIC button (1220) causes the ODR unit to begin playing the next logical topic in the play list sequence. Pressing the REPEAT TOPIC button (1230) causes the ODR unit to begin playing the immediately preceding topic in the play list. d. Content Pool Button

The function of the Content Pool, typically button #6 (1155), is slightly different from the way that the other buttons function, but is designed to be equally intuitive. In a typical embodiment of the content pool button, the first push of Quick Access button #6 (1155) reaches the first topic in the Content Pool. For example, consider that there are three topics in the Content Pool : Radio Shows, Spanish Broadcast, and Chinese Broadcast. The first push of button #6 reaches Radio Shows. Press the button 2 more times reaches Chinese News. Within each of these topics, a listener can use the Skip Story and Skip Section to navigate. If the listener finds a section interest, the listener can then push and hold button #6 to program it. Let's say he likes Chinese News Taiwan section. Pressing and holding down button #6 while listening to Chinese News Taiwan Section makes Chinese News the first topic in the Content Pool, and Taiwan section the first section in Chinese News. 3. Alerts

Alerts are information that are played immediately when received, regardless of the mode in which the ODR unit is playing. That is, Alert delivery will interrupt regular AM listening,

FM listening and/or ODR/News listening. There are several types of Alerts, including but not limited to: Weather, Emergency,

Traffic, Sports, and Stock. This list of Alert types is exemplary and is not in any way a limitation of the invention. a. Customized Alerts

Some types of Alerts will only cause an interruption of programming if the user has predefined the particular type of Alert to cause such an immediate interruption. Such customized Alerts may also require additional pre-definition information to activate the Alert and allow the Alert to interrupt programming. For instance, the user can define one or more Stock Alerts. The user will be provided with the opportunity to define the basis for the Alert. That is, the user will be provided the opportunity to identify a particular level of change for a particular stock (high price level, low price level, price change) or for a particular index, e.g., if the DOW Jones index drops more than, e.g., 50 points.

Similarly, the user can define one or more Sports Alerts. In the case of Sports Alerts, the user will be provided with the opportunity to define the type of Alert that the user is interested in receiving. For instance, the Sports Alert can be targeted to a particular game and particular aspects within that game. As an example, the user can request Alerts when the score of a particular football game changes and at the end of each quarter. A Sports Alert can be targeted to a particular team and events for that particular team. As an example, the user can request Alerts whenever a particular team is about to begin a game, whenever the score changes for any game in which that team plays. A Sports Alert can be targeted to a particular player. For example, the user can identify that the user wants to know every time a particular football player makes a score.

The user can define a customized traffic Alert. If the user has defined a customized traffic Alert, then the Alert function will provide the user with traffic alerts that effect the route identified by the user. In a system in which the ODR unit is integrated with a cellular telephone and/or a GPS system, the user can request traffic Alerts for all real-time locations.

The ODR system can deduce the driver's location and in the case of a GPS integrated system, the driver's direction. Such an integrated ODR/GPS and/or ODR/cell phone system can provide traffic Alerts that effect the location and/or the direction being traveled by the user.

The above-described examples of Alerts are exemplary and are not a limitation of the invention b. Standard Alerts

Weather Alerts and other types of Emergency Alerts will interrupt all types of programming regardless of user-defined interests. For instance, the approach of a hurricane, tornado, or severe thunderstorm would be announced to interrupt any type of programming.

Similarly, a high-speed chase on any traffic route in the area would cause an interruption of all types of programming. G. On-Demand Content According to the present invention, many different types of information can be made available from which the listener/user can select ("On-Demand Content"). There are many possible sources from which On-Demand Content can be collected and there are multiple strategies by which On-Demand Content can be prepared for broadcast to the listener/user.

Illustrative Embodiments

The embodiments of the invention described herein are only considered to be preferred and/or illustrative of the inventive concept; the scope of the invention is not to be restricted to such embodiments. Various and numerous other arrangements may be devised by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. For example, alternative topics and categories of information are possible.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A radio apparatus comprising: a receiver to receive a first plurality of transmitted radio signals; a tuner for extracting radio signals from the first plurality of transmitted radio signals according to a user-specified radio frequency; and a microprocessor electronically connected to said receiver, to said tuner and to a global positioning navigation system.

2. The radio apparatus of claim 1 wherein a second plurality of said transmitted radio signals contain at least one global positional area identifier, said radio apparatus further comprising: said microprocessor programmed to identify a global positional location of said receiver; and said microprocessor further programmed to select a subset of the extracted radio signals according to said identified global positional location of said receiver.

3. The radio apparatus of claim 2 further comprising: sound delivery circuitry electronically connected to said microprocessor for delivering in audible form the said subset of selected radio signals.

4. The radio apparatus of claim 3 further comprising: a user interface.

5. The radio apparatus of claim 4 wherein said user interface further comprising: one or more faceplate buttons electronically connected to the microprocessor; said microprocessor further programmed to respond to a change in physical sensing of one or more of said faceplate buttons; and at least one of said response to cause an interruption in the delivery of said audible sounds and to further cause an alternative ordering of delivery of said audible sounds.

6. The radio apparatus of claim 5 wherein a second plurality of said transmitted radio signals contain one or more of a plurality of categories; and wherein said microprocessor further programmed to select a subset of the extracted radio signals according to a user-selected category.

7. The radio apparatus of claim 1 wherein said microprocessor is electronically connected to an automobile computer housed within an automobile .

8. The radio apparatus of claim 7 further comprising: said automobile computer programmed to collect data about operational aspects of the automobile within which the automobile computer is housed; and said microprocessor programmed to extract data collected by the automobile computer.

9. The radio apparatus of claim 8, wherein a second plurality of said transmitted radio signals contain at least one global positional area identifier, said radio apparatus further comprising: said microprocessor further programmed to identify a global positional location of the receiver; said microprocessor further programmed to compare the data collected by the automobile computer and the global positional location of the receiver with the global positional area identifier associated with the global positional identifier for each converted transmitted radio signal; and said microprocessor further programmed to select for delivery through the radio apparatus each extracted radio signal having a global positional area identifier that pertains to an area within which the global positional location of said receiver exists and which corresponds to the data collected by the automobile computer.

10. The radio apparatus ofclaim 8 further comprising: said microprocessor further programmed to compile user profile information about a driver of the automobile; and said microprocessor further programmed to store said user profile information in a memory electronically connected to said microprocessor.

11. The radio apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: said microprocessor programmed to identify each extracted radio signal that contains an update for a global positioning data base; said microprocessor further programmed to select each extracted radio signal containing a data base update; and said microprocessor further programmed to use each data base update to update the global positioning data base.

12. The radio apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: said microprocessor programmed to identify a global positioning location of said receiver on a periodic basis.

13. The radio apparatus of claim 13 further comprising: said microprocessor further programmed to retrieve information from a guide data base for delivery through the radio apparatus, wherein said retrieved information pertains to the location of said receiver.

14. The radio apparatus of claim 12 further comprising: said microprocessor further programmed compile as a route over a time period each successive global positioning location of said receiver; and said microprocessor further programmed to store said route in a memory electronically connected to said microprocessor.

15. The radio apparatus of claim 1 wherein said microprocessor is electronically connected to a cellular telephone.

16. The radio apparatus of claim 15 further comprising: said microprocessor programmed to extract digital information communicated to said cellular telephone; said microprocessor further programmed to convert extracted digital information to audibly deliverable information; and said microprocessor further programmed to deliver said audibly deliverable information through an audio circuit configuration of said radio apparatus.

17. The radio apparatus of claim 15 wherein said microprocessor is electronically connected to a personal computer.

18. The radio apparatus of claim 17 further comprising: said personal computer programmed to receive user input; said personal computer programmed to provide received user input to said microprocessor; said microprocessor further programmed to convert said provided user information to audibly deliverable information; and said microprocessor further programmed to deliver in audible form said audibly deliverable information through an audio circuit configuration of said radio apparatus.

19. The radio apparatus of claim 3 further comprising: a memory for storing a plurality of user-specified selection criteria and for storing radio signals; said microprocessor electronically connected to the memory; said microprocessor is programmed to select user-specified selection criteria from said extracted radio signals; said microprocessor further programmed to select a subset of the extracted radio signals according to said stored user-specified selection instructions; said microprocessor further programmed to store said subset of selected radio signals in the memory; and sound delivery circuitry electronically connected to said microprocessor for delivering in audible form the said subset of selected radio signals in the memory.

20. A computer system programmed for providing personalized radio content, said computer system configured with a computer processing unit electronically connected to a tuner, to a receiver, and to a global positioning device, said computer system programmed to: convert to digital form a first plurality of transmitted radio signals, wherein a second plurality of said transmitted radio signals contain a global positional area identifier.

21. The computer system of claim 20, said computer system further programmed to: identify a global positional location of the receiver; compare the global positional location of the receiver with the global positional area identifier associated with each converted transmitted radio signal; and select each converted radio signal having a global positional area identifier that pertains to an area within which the global positional location of said receiver exists.

22. The computer system of claim 21 said computer system further configured with the computer processing unit electronically connected to an automobile computer housed within an automobile .

23. The computer system of claim 22 wherein said computer system further programmed to: instruct said automobile computer to collect data about operational aspects of the automobile within which the automobile computer is housed; and instruct said computer processing unit to extract data collected by the automobile computer.

24. The computer system of claim 22, said computer system further programmed to instruct said computer processing unit to: compare the data collected by the automobile computer and the global positional location of the receiver with the global positional area identifier associated with the global positional identifier for each converted transmitted radio signal; and select for delivery through the radio apparatus each extracted radio signal having a global positional area identifier that pertains to an area within which the global positional location of said receiver exists and which corresponds to the data collected by the automobile computer.

25. The computer system of claim 24, said computer system further programmed to instruct said computer processing unit to: compile user profile information about a driver of the automobile; and store said user profile information in a memory electronically connected to said microprocessor.

26. The computer system of claim 25, said computer system further programmed to instruct said computer processing unit to: identify each extracted radio signal that contains an update for a global positioning data base; select each extracted radio signal containing a data base update; and use each data base update to update the global positioning data base.

27. The computer system of claim 26, said computer system further programmed to instruct said computer processing unit to: identify a global positioning location of said receiver on a periodic basis.

28. The computer system of claim 27, said computer system further programmed to instruct said computer processing unit to : retrieve information from a guide data base for delivery through the radio apparatus, wherein said retrieved information pertains to the location of said receiver.

29. The computer system of claim 27, said computer system further programmed to instruct said computer processing unit to : compile as a route over a time period each successive global positioning location of said receiver; and store said route in a memory electronically connected to said microprocessor.

30. The computer system of claim 20 wherein said computer processing unit is electronically connected to a cellular telephone.

31. The computer system of claim 30, said computer system further programmed to instruct said computer processing unit to : extract digital information communicated to said cellular telephone; convert extracted digital information to audibly deliverable information; and deliver said audibly deliverable information through an audio circuit configuration of said radio apparatus.

32. The computer system of claim 30, wherein said computer processing unit is electronically connected to a personal computer.

33. The computer system ofclaim 32, said computer system further programmed to: instruct said personal computer programmed to receive user input; instruct said personal computer programmed to provide received user input to said microprocessor; instruct said computer processing unit to convert said provided user information to audibly deliverable information; and instruct said computer processing unit to deliver in audible form said audibly deliverable information through an audio circuit configuration of said radio apparatus.

34. A computer program product for providing personalized radio content, wherein said computer program product is programmed to operate on a computer system configured with a computer processing unit electronically connected to a tuner, to a receiver, and to a global positioning device, said computer program product having instructions for: converting to digital form a first plurality of transmitted radio signals, wherein a second plurality of said transmitted radio signals contain a global positional area identifier.

35. The computer program product ofclaim 34, said computer program product having further instructions for: identifying a global positional location of the receiver; comparing the global positional location of the receiver with the global positional area identifier associated with each converted transmitted radio signal; and selecting each converted radio signal having a global positional area identifier that pertains to an area within which the global positional location of said receiver exists.

36. The computer program product ofclaim 35 wherein said computer program product is programmed to operate on a computer system further configured with the computer processing unit electronically connected to an automobile computer housed within an automobile.

37. The computer program product ofclaim 36, said computer program product having further instructions for: instructing said automobile computer to collect data about operational aspects of the automobile within which the automobile computer is housed; and instructing said computer processing unit to extract data collected by the automobile computer.

38. The computer program product ofclaim 36, said computer program product having further instructions for: comparing the data collected by the automobile computer and the global positional location of the receiver with the global positional area identifier associated with the global positional identifier for each converted transmitted radio signal; and selecting for delivery through the radio apparatus each extracted radio signal having a global positional area identifier that pertains to an area within which the global positional location of said receiver exists and which corresponds to the data collected by the automobile computer.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, said computer program product having further instructions for: compiling user profile information about a driver of the automobile; and storing said user profile information in a memory electronically connected to said microprocessor.

40. The computer program product ofclaim 39, said computer program product having further instructions for: identifying each extracted radio signal that contains an update for a global positioning data base; selecting each extracted radio signal containing a data base update; and using each data base update to update the global positioning data base.

41. The computer program product ofclaim 40, said computer program product having further instructions for: identifying a global positioning location of said receiver on a periodic basis.

42. The computer program product ofclaim 41 , said computer program product having further instructions for: retrieving information from a guide data base for delivery through the radio apparatus, wherein said retrieved information pertains to the location of said receiver.

43. The computer program product ofclaim 41 , said computer program product having further instructions for: compiling as a route over a time period each successive global positioning location of said receiver; and storing said route in a memory electronically connected to said microprocessor.

44. The computer program product ofclaim 34, wherein said computer program product is programmed to operate on a computer system further configured with the computer processing unit electronically connected to a cellular telephone.

45. The computer program product ofclaim 44, said computer program product having further instructions for: extracting digital information communicated to said cellular telephone; converting extracted digital information to audibly deliverable information; and delivering said audibly deliverable information through an audio circuit configuration of said radio apparatus.

46. The computer program product ofclaim 44, wherein said computer program product is programmed to operate on a computer system further configured with the computer processing unit electronically connected to a personal computer.

47. The computer program product ofclaim 46, said computer program product having further instructions for: instructing said personal computer programmed to receive user input; instructing said personal computer programmed to provide received user input to said microprocessor; instructing said computer processing unit to convert said provided user information to audibly deliverable information; and instructing said computer processing unit to deliver in audible form said audibly deliverable information through an audio circuit configuration of said radio apparatus.

48. A radio apparatus for providing radio content according to a user-selected selection identifier, the radio apparatus comprising: a receiver to receive a first plurality of transmitted radio signals; a tuner for extracting radio signals from the first plurality of transmitted radio signals, wherein a second plurality of said transmitted radio signals contain at least one content selection identifier; and a microprocessor electronically connected to said receiver and to said tuner.

49. The radio apparatus of claim 48, said radio apparatus further comprising: said microprocessor further programmed to select a subset of the extracted radio signals according to a user-selected content selection identifier.

50. The radio apparatus of claim 49 further comprising: said microprocessor further programmed to record said selected subset of the extracted radio signals.

51. The radio apparatus of claim 50 further comprising: said microprocessor further programmed to convert said selected subset of the extracted radio signals to audibly deliverable information; and said microprocessor further programmed to deliver in audible form said audibly deliverable information through an audio circuit configuration of said radio apparatus.

52. A computer program product for providing radio content according to a user- selected content selection identifier, said computer program product having instructions for: extracting radio signals from a first plurality of transmitted radio signals, wherein a second plurality of said transmitted radio signals contain at least one content selection identifier.

53. The computer program product ofclaim 52, said computer program product having further instructions for: selecting a subset of the extracted radio signals according to a user-selected selection identifier.

54. The computer program product ofclaim 53, said computer program product having further instructions for: recording said selected subset of the extracted radio signals.

55. The computer program product ofclaim 54, said computer program product having further instructions for: converting said selected subset of the extracted radio signals to audibly deliverable information; and delivering in audible form said audibly deliverable information through an audio circuit configuration of said radio apparatus.

56. A method for providing personalized radio content, wherein said method uses a computer system configured with a computer processing unit electronically connected to a tuner, to a receiver, and to a global positioning device, said method comprising: converting to digital form a first plurality of transmitted radio signals, wherein a second plurality of said transmitted radio signals contain a global positional area identifier.

57. The method of claim 56, said method further comprising: identifying a global positional location of the receiver; comparing the global positional location of the receiver with the global positional area identifier associated with each converted transmitted radio signal; and selecting each converted radio signal having a global positional area identifier that pertains to an area within which the global positional location of said receiver exists.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein said method uses a computer system further configured with the computer processing unit electronically connected to an automobile computer housed within an automobile.

59. The method of claim 58, said method further comprising: instructing said automobile computer to collect data about operational aspects of the automobile within which the automobile computer is housed; and instructing said computer processing unit to extract data collected by the automobile computer.

60. The method ofclaim 58, said method further comprising: comparing the data collected by the automobile computer and the global positional location of the receiver with the global positional area identifier associated with the global positional identifier for each converted transmitted radio signal; and selecting for delivery through the radio apparatus each extracted radio signal having a global positional area identifier that pertains to an area within which the global positional location of said receiver exists and which corresponds to the data collected by the automobile computer.

61. The method of claim 60, said method further comprising: compiling user profile information about a driver of the automobile; and storing said user profile information in a memory electronically connected to said microprocessor.

62. The method of claim 61 , said method further comprising: identifying each extracted radio signal that contains an update for a global positioning data base;

selecting each extracted radio signal containing a data base update; and using each data base update to update the global positioning data base.

63. The method of claim 62, said method further comprising: identifying a global positioning location of said receiver on a periodic basis.

64. The method of claim 63, said method further comprising: retrieving information from a guide data base for delivery through the radio apparatus, wherein said retrieved information pertains to the location of said receiver.

65. The method of claim 63, said method further comprising: compiling as a route over a time period each successive global positioning location of said receiver; and storing said route in a memory electronically connected to said microprocessor.

66. A method for providing personalized radio content, wherein said method uses a computer system configured with a computer processing unit electronically connected to a tuner, to a receiver, and to a global positioning device, said method comprising: The method ofclaim 56, wherein said method uses a computer system further configured with the computer processing unit electronically connected to a cellular telephone.

67. The method of claim 66, said method further comprising: extracting digital information communicated to said cellular telephone; converting extracted digital information to audibly deliverable information; and delivering said audibly deliverable information through an audio circuit configuration of said radio apparatus.

68. The method of claim 66, wherein said method uses a computer system further configured with the computer processing unit electronically connected to a personal computer.

69. The method ofclaim 68, said method further comprising: instructing said personal computer programmed to receive user input; instructing said personal computer programmed to provide received user input to said microprocessor; instructing said computer processing unit to convert said provided user information to audibly deliverable information; and instructing said computer processing unit to deliver in audible form said audibly deliverable information through an audio circuit configuration of said radio apparatus.

70. A method using a computer and a radio apparatus for providing radio content according to a user-selected content selection identifier, said method comprising: extracting radio signals from a first plurality of transmitted radio signals, wherein a second plurality of said transmitted radio signals contain at least one content selection identifier.

71. The method of claim 70, said method further comprising: selecting a subset of the extracted radio signals according to a user-selected selection identifier.

72. The method of claim 53, said method further comprising: recording said selected subset of the extracted radio signals.

73. The method of claim 72, said method further comprising: converting said selected subset of the extracted radio signals to audibly deliverable information; and delivering in audible form said audibly deliverable information through an audio circuit configuration of said radio apparatus.