(12)
`
`United States Patent
`White et a].
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,324,833 B2
`Jan. 29, 2008
`
`US007324833B2
`
`(54) SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONNECTING
`A PORTABLE AUDIO PLAYER TO AN
`AUTOMOBILE SOUND SYSTEM
`
`(75) Inventors: Russell W. White, Austin, TX (US);
`Kevin R. Imes, Aust1n, TX (US)
`
`(73) Ass1gnee: A?inlty Labs, LLC, Aust1n, TX (US)
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U_S_C_ 154(1)) by 0 days_
`
`(21) Appl. No.2 10/947,755
`
`(22) Filed;
`
`sep_ 23, 2004
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`Us Zoos/0049002 A1
`
`Mar‘ 3’ 2005
`.
`.
`Related U's' Apphcatlon Data
`(63) Continuation of application No. 09/537,812, ?led on
`Mar. 28, 2000, noW Pat. No. 7,187,947.
`
`(51) IIlt- Cl-
`(2006-01)
`H04Q 7/20
`(52) US. Cl. .................. .. 455/556.1; 455/566; 455/557
`(58) Field of Classi?cation Search ................... .. None
`See application ?le for complete Search history,
`_
`References Clted
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(56)
`
`4,807,292 A *
`i
`
`2/l989 Sorscher .................... .. 381/86
`gm de Monel et a1~
`45224918
`
`’
`’
`.. 455/5501
`9/1995 Hanawa et a1.
`5,450,471 A
`5,586,090 A 12/1996 Otte ..................... .. 369/2
`
`saWa ........................ ..
`
`5,587,560 A l2/l996 Crooks et a1. ............ .. 235/379
`5,594,779 A
`1/1997 Goodman
`
`5,694,120 A 12/1997 Indekeu et al.
`5,774,793 A
`6/1998 Cooper et a1. ............ .. 455/418
`5,870,680 A
`2/l999 Guerlin et a1. ............ .. 455/557
`5,900,564 A
`5/l999 Kurakake
`(Continued)
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Us‘ Appl‘ NO‘ 10/947,754, ?led Sep‘ 23, 2004‘
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary ExamineriErika A. Gary
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`An audio system and method are disclosed. A system
`incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may
`include, for example, an electronic device having a display,
`a memory, an audio ?le player, and a housing component at
`least partially de?ning a cavity in Which the memory and the
`audio ?le player are secured. In one embodiment, the
`electronic device may be a portable MP3 player. The system
`may also include a processor or playlist engine that can
`maintain a ?rst playlist and a second playlist. In practice, the
`?rst playlist may include a selection of audio content having
`a corresponding audio ?le saved in the memory of the
`electronic device. In one embodiment, the system may also
`include an automobile having an automobile sound system
`that has a speaker and an in dash sound system Component,
`Which may be removably coupled to the electronic device
`via a cable. The in dash sound system component may have
`a selector, Which may be, for example, a button, that alloWs
`a user to select the ?rst playlist for outputting via the
`speaker. The cable interconnecting the electronic device and
`the in dash Sound System Component may be capable of
`providing poWer to the electronic device in addition to
`commun1cat1vel cou l1n the electron1c dev1ce to the auto
`M d yt p g
`m0 1e Sou“ Sys em‘
`
`~
`
`~
`
`~
`
`~
`
`~
`
`35 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets
`
`l
`
`Receive
`additional data?
`
`I
`Execute playlist
`
`no
`
`Buffer playlisl
`I 3“
`
`m is;
`
`\zleb
`
`30‘
`
`gisdeiros?itg'siis-nation
`
`30;
`
`Customized playlist
`created for user
`
`Signal received
`ed v'c
`“mm c l e
`
`807
`
`Wirelessly
`info
`'
`to selected device
`L
`
`Execure playlisi
`
`m
`
`Execute playlist
`
`W
`
`“3
`
`Obtain informanon
`ussneiaied wilh
`Jlaylisi
`
`Fan-net information
`m for wireless
`'11 u ,- =1"
`
`Userprompted
`for deninan'wn
`devi"
`
`‘04
`
`Playlist data sen!
`"0
`Communication’! —> to uservia wire line
`
`83
`l
`
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`US 7,324,833 B2
`Page 2
`
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`8/1999 Bourgeois er a1- -------- -- 455/349
`5,940,767 A
`9/1999 Liu
`5,953,005 A
`9/1999 Ghisler ------------------ -~ 455/414~l
`5953657 A
`V2000 Bottflm
`6,014,569 A
`2/2000 Farrls 9? a1~
`6,029,064 A
`5/2000 Buchhelm .................... .. 369/2
`6,061,306 A *
`7/2000 Karo eta1~
`6,088,730 A
`6,144,848 A 11/2000 Walsh er a1~
`6,167,253 A 12/2000 Farris et a1.
`6,199,076 B1
`3/2001 Logan eta1~
`6,230,322 B1 *
`5/2001 Saib et a1. .................. .. 725/40
`6,232,539 B1 *
`5/2001 Looney et a1. .............. .. 84/609
`6,236,832 B1
`5/2001 Ito
`6,240,297 B1
`5/2001 Jadoul ...................... .. 455/557
`6,247,130 B1
`6/2001 Fritsch
`6,292,440 Bl* 9/2001 Lee ............................. .. 369/7
`6,314,094 B1
`11/2001 Boys
`6,339,706 B1
`V2002 Tillgren er 91-
`6,396,769 B1
`5/2002 Polany --------------------- -- 367/131
`6,401,085 B1
`6/2002 Gershman eta1~
`6,407,750 B1
`6/2002 Gioscia er 91-
`6,418,138 B1
`7/2002 Cerf eta1~
`6,420,975 Bl* 7/2002 DeLine et a1. ......... .. 340/8154
`6,496,205 B1
`12/2002 White et 211.
`6,496,692 B1
`12/2002 shenehen ................. .. 455/418
`6,509,716 B2
`V2003 Y‘
`6,510,210 B1
`1/2003 Baughan ................... .. 455/418
`6,516,466 B1
`2/2003 Jackson
`
`2/2003 TreyZ et 31.
`6,526,335 B1
`7/2003 TreyZ et a1. ................ .. 705/14
`6,587,835 B1
`6,591,085 Bl* 7/2003 Grady ....................... .. 455/42
`6,671,715 B1
`12/2003 Langseth et a1.
`6,694,200 Bl* 2/2004 Naim ........................ .. 700/94
`6,721,710 B1
`4/2004 Lueck et a1.
`6,741,980 B1
`5/2004 Langseth et a1.
`6,772,212 131*
`8/2004 Lau et a1‘ _________________ __ 709/228
`6,788,528 B2* 9/2004 EIlIlefS et a1. ............. .. 361/683
`6,792,263 Bl* 9/2004 Kite ...................... .. 455/412.1
`6,792,615 B1
`9/2004 Rowe et 31‘
`6,907,112 B1
`6/2005 Guedalia et a1.
`6,915,272 B1
`7/2005 Zilliacus et 31‘
`6,956,833 B1
`10/2005 Yukie et 31‘
`6,975,835 B1
`12/2005 Lake et 211.
`7,065,342 131*
`6/2006 Rolf ______________________ u 4155/4121
`2002/0023028 Al* 2/2002 QuareIldOIl et a1. ......... .. 705/26
`2002/0046084 A1
`4/2002 Steele et 31‘
`2003/0008646 A1
`1/2003 Shanahan ................. .. 455/418
`2004/0078274 A1
`4/2004 AarIliO
`2005/0010633 A1
`1/2005 Shanahan ................. .. 455/418
`2005/0049002 Al* 3/2005 White et a1. ........... .. 455/556.1
`2005/0054379 A1
`3/2005 Cao et a1.
`2005/0096018 Al* 5/2005 White et a1. ........... .. 455/414.1
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Us‘ Appl‘ NO‘ 60/167,179, ?led NOV‘ 23, 1999‘
`U.S.Appl. N0. 09/234 259 ?led Jan. 20 1999.
`’
`’
`’
`* cited by examiner
`
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 29, 2008
`
`Sheet 1 0f 9
`
`US 7,324,833 B2
`
`100
`\
`
`101
`
`Communication
`Digital
`Engine H Engine
`
`Electronic
`Device
`
`103
`
`®
`
`102
`
`FIG. 1
`
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 29, 2008
`
`Sheet 2 0f 9
`
`US 7,324,833 B2
`
`Access Selectable
`Information
`
`201
`
`Present
`Information via
`Network Browser
`
`202
`
`203
`
`2
`04
`
`Select Information
`
`Rece've User Input
`
`Maintain
`Information
`
`Initiate
`Communication of
`Information
`
`i
`
`Store Reference
`
`Communicate
`off-line
`
`FIG. 2
`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 29, 2008
`
`Sheet 3 0f 9
`
`US 7,324,833 B2
`
`300
`
`301 Communication
`Module
`
`Processor
`Module
`
`302
`
`Storage Medium
`
`303
`
`FIG. 3
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 29, 2008
`
`Sheet 5 0f 9
`
`US 7,324,833 B2
`
`FIG. 5B
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 29, 2008
`
`Sheet 6 0f 9
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`US 7,324,833 B2
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`woo
`
`mot/mo
`
`£52
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`mUHO>
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`EwEm
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`w 55%
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 29, 2008
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`Sheet 9 0f 9
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`US 7,324,833 B2
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`a .UFQ
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`US 7,324,833 B2
`
`1
`SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONNECTING
`A PORTABLE AUDIO PLAYER TO AN
`AUTOMOBILE SOUND SYSTEM
`
`RELATED APPLICATIONS
`
`This is a continuation application of US. patent applica
`tion Ser. No. 09/537,812 ?led on Mar. 28, 2000, now US.
`Pat. No. 7,187,947, Issued Mar. 6, 2007, the entirety of
`Which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
`
`FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
`
`The present invention relates to an audio system and
`method.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`The ?rst commercial radio stations in the United States
`began operation around 1920. Today, there may be as many
`as 12,000 radio stations in the United States programming in
`several distinct formats. When broadcasting their respective
`signals, these radio stations often use an analog signal,
`Which may be modulated based on frequency or amplitude.
`Frequency modulated (FM) radio appears to be the dominant
`entertainment medium While amplitude modulated (AM)
`radio seems to be a popular outlet for neWs and information.
`Unfortunately, analog radio may be unable to provide the
`sound quality and consistency that radio listeners desire. As
`such, several broadcasting related companies have begun to
`consider a movement to digital radio. Unlike analog radio
`reception, digital radio reception may be able to provide
`compact disk (CD) quality sound While remaining virtually
`immune to interference. Being immune to interference may
`result in reducing static groWls or “multipath” echoes,
`echoes caused by signal re?ections olf buildings or topo
`graphical features.
`Some countries, like Canada and many European coun
`tries, may choose to have digital radio operate in a single
`digital radio band such as the L-band betWeen 1452-1492
`megahertz (MHZ). This band Would alloW the reception of
`both terrestrially and satellite-originated signals. By com
`parison, FM radio typically operates betWeen 88 and 108
`MHZ While AM radio typically operates betWeen 0.525 and
`1.705 MHZ. Neither of these bands alloWs for easy trans
`mission via satellite.
`Canada proposed using the L-Band for digital radio as
`early as 1992. Several countries throughout the World have
`since agreed to use the L-Band for digital radio With one
`notable exception. It appears the United States has chosen
`not to operate its digital radio Within the L-Band. In the
`United States, the L-Band may already be committed for
`military uses. Apparently, the United States plans to adopt a
`system called in-band on-channel, or IBOC, Which ?ts
`Within the AM and FM frequencies.
`IBOC technology may offer some advantages over
`L-Band transmissions. For example, there may be no need
`for neW spectrum allocations. There may be backWard and
`forWard compatibility With existing AM and FM systems on
`both the transmitter and receiver sides, and there may be a
`loW-investment upgrade to digital systems. Unfortunately, a
`Workable IBOC solution is yet to be seen though technology
`may someday make IBOC digital radio commercially pos
`sible.
`Even if an IBOC solution becomes commercially avail
`able in the United States, IBOC digital radio may suffer from
`several shortcomings. For example, there may global stan
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`dardiZation problems. Though the United States favors
`IBOC, the European and Canadian communities seem to
`favor L-Band making the establishment of a global standard
`dif?cult.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`A more complete understanding of the present embodi
`ments and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring
`to the folloWing description taken in conjunction With the
`accompanying draWings, in Which like reference numbers
`indicate like features, and Wherein:
`FIG. 1 depicts a general system for Wirelessly communi
`cating selective information to an electronic device in accor
`dance With one aspect of the present invention;
`FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a method of Wire
`lessly communicating selected information to an electronic
`device;
`FIG. 3 illustrates an electronic device operable to receive
`selected audio information in accordance With the teachings
`of the present invention;
`FIG. 4 illustrates a graphical user interface (GUI) for
`displaying selectable audio information according to one
`aspect of the present invention;
`FIG. 5A illustrates a portable radio system having a mount
`for an electronic device according to one embodiment of the
`present invention;
`FIG. 5B illustrates an automobile console having a mount
`for coupling an electronic device according to one aspect of
`the present invention;
`FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of a system for com
`municating voice mail messages using email according to
`one embodiment of the present invention;
`FIG. 7 illustrates a How chart for providing voice email
`messages according to one embodiment of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 8 illustrates a How diagram of a method for provid
`ing selected audio information to an electronic device
`according to one embodiment of the present invention; and
`FIG. 9 illustrates an automobile console having a mount
`for an electronic device according to one embodiment of the
`present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The conceptual groundWork for the present invention
`includes Wirelessly communicating selective information to
`an electronic device. According to one aspect, a user may
`interact With the Internet to select information, such as audio
`information, and Wirelessly communicate the selected infor
`mation to an electronic device. The electronic device
`receives the information via a Wireless communications
`netWork and processes the information accordingly. In a
`particulariZed form, a user may select information from an
`Internet Website operable to alloW selectivity of audio infor
`mation such as songs, on-line radio stations, on-line broad
`casts, streaming audio, or other selectable information.
`Upon selecting the audio information, information or data
`associated With the selected audio information is Wirelessly
`communicated to an electronic device. The electronic device
`may then be used to process the selected audio information.
`In this manner, a user may receive selective audio informa
`tion via a Wireless electronic device.
`In one form, the electronic device may be operable to
`communicate With an individual’s automobile audio system.
`A user may select audio information utiliZing a personal
`computer With access to a Website operable to display
`
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`

`US 7,324,833 B2
`
`3
`selectable audio Information. The selected audio informa
`tion may then be Wirelessly communicated to the electronic
`device associated With an automobile’ s audio system. There
`fore, upon receiving the selected audio information, a user
`may access and play the received audio information utilizing
`the electronic device in association With the automobile’s
`audio system.
`The present invention is not limited to communicating
`only audio information. One skilled in the art can appreciate
`that other types of information, such as video, textual, etc.
`may be communicated utiliZing the systems and methods
`disclosed herein Without departing from the spirit and scope
`of the present invention. Additionally, it Will be understood
`that information may be formatted in a plurality of Ways at
`different phases of communication Without loosing the
`underlying content of the selected information. For example,
`an audio ?le may be formatted, segmented, compressed,
`modi?ed, etc. for the purpose of providing or communicat
`ing the audio invention. Therefore, the term “audio infor
`mation” or “information” is used in a general sense to relate
`to audio information in all phases of communication.
`FIG. 1 depicts a general system for Wirelessly communi
`cating selective information to an electronic device in accor
`dance With one aspect of the present invention. The system,
`illustrated generally at 100, includes a digital engine 101
`coupled to a communications engine 102. Communications
`engine 102 is remotely coupled to an electronic device 103.
`Digital engine 101 may be directly or indirectly coupled to
`storage device 105 operable to store information. Digital
`engine 101 maintains information or data associated With
`selected information in a digital format. The information
`may be stored Within storage device 105 or other storage
`devices operable to maintain data or information associated
`With the selected information.
`Communications engine 102 is communicatively coupled
`to digital engine 101 and operable to Wirelessly communi
`cate the selected information to electronic device 103.
`During operation, audio information may be selected by a
`user utiliZing a personal computer or other devices operable
`to communicate With an information netWork. Digital engine
`101 is operable to maintain information associated With the
`selected audio Information, For example, the information
`could be several songs or titles con?gured as an audio ?le
`and formatted in a digital format such as an MP3 ?le, Wave
`?le, etc. The maintained information may also be a reference
`to a netWork location When an audio ?le may be stored, a
`netWork location Where a netWork broadcast of audio infor
`mation may be located, etc. or other netWork locations
`having information associated Wit the selected audio infor
`mation. Therefore, digital engine 101 may maintain a plu
`rality of different types of information or data associated
`With the selected audio information.
`System 100, utiliZing communication engine 102, may
`Wirelessly communicate data or information associated With
`the selected audio information to electronic device 103
`thereby providing Wireless communication of selected infor
`mation to an electronic device 103 operable to receive
`Wireless communications. In one embodiment digital engine
`101 may be used in association With an Internet Website
`con?gured to provide access to selectable information. The
`Internet Website operably associated With digital engine 101
`alloWs a user to select information to be Wirelessly commu
`nicated to electronic device 103 utiliZing a netWork envi
`ronment. The Internet Website may include several different
`types of information related to audio information.
`FIG. 4, described in greater detail beloW, illustrates one
`embodiment of providing an Internet Website for displaying
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`selectable audio information. For example, the Internet
`Website may include music and/or artist search engines,
`playlists, top 10 charts, artists by genre, and other informa
`tion associated With audio information. A user may select
`information associated With the audio information and digi
`tal engine 101 can maintain the information or data associ
`ated With the selected information in a digital format.
`Communications engine 102 coupled to digital engine 101
`may Wirelessly communicate data associated With the
`selected audio information to electronic device 103. There
`fore, a user may access and select audio information via an
`Internet Website and Wirelessly communicate the data to an
`electronic device. As such, system 100 advantageously
`alloWs for Wireless communication of selected audio infor
`mation to electronic devices that may be remotely located
`from a conventional terrestrial communication netWork.
`Electronic device 105 may be con?gured in a plurality of
`Ways for receiving Wireless communication of selected
`audio information. In one embodiment, electronic device
`105 may be operable as a component con?gured to receive
`a cellular signal comprising the selected information com
`municated by the communication engine. For example, a
`device having a cellular modem may be operable to receive
`the information at speci?ed intervals. Upon receiving the
`information the electronic device may process the received
`information. Electronic devices are described in more detail
`beloW and may include a netWork radio, a modular device,
`an audio system, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a
`cellular phone, or other electronic devices operable to
`receive information Wirelessly communicated by communi
`cation engine 102.
`Communications engine 102 may be operable to Wire
`lessly communicate selected information to electronic
`device 103 in a plurality of Ways. The present invention
`advantageously alloWs for several different embodiments of
`Wirelessly communicating selected audio information to
`electronic device 103 and is not limited to any speci?c
`con?guration described beloW. Several different types or
`combinations of Wireless communication may be realiZed by
`the present invention. Communications engine 102 may be
`operable to Wirelessly communicate the selected informa
`tion from an information netWork, such as the Internet, to an
`electronic device operable to receive Wireless communica
`tions. In one embodiment, communications engine 102 may
`comprise a conduit to interface information With a Wireless
`communication netWork. The conduit may con?gure the
`information located Within the information netWork into a
`format operable to be transmitted via Wireless communica
`tion.
`For example, a Wireless device may be operable to receive
`packets of information having a speci?c siZe and in a
`speci?c format. In such an embodiment, communications
`engine 102 could format the information into a desirable
`format for Wirelessly communicating the information to
`electronic device 103. Several types of Wireless communi
`cation may be used by communications engine 102 to
`communicate the selected information to an electronic
`device. Communications netWorks such as GSM, Digital
`Satellite communication, SB, Radio bands, DRC, Super
`DRC or other systems or types of transmission such as
`TDMA, CDMA, spread spectrum, etc. or frequencies such
`as betWeen about 1.7 GHZ and 2.0 GHZ may be realiZed by
`the present invention for communicating information or data
`representing the selected audio information to electronic
`device 103.
`In one embodiment, the selective information may be
`communicated using a digital broadcast signal. Digital
`
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`US 7,324,833 B2
`
`5
`broadcast includes providing information via a signal such
`as AM, FM, and the like. Digital information may be
`included or encoded as a sub-carrier Within the broadcast
`signal and received by electronic device 103. A digital
`sub-carrier may include a selective bandWidth of frequencies
`for a speci?c radio station (i.e., 6 MHZ for FM). The
`selective information may be Wirelessly communicated to
`electronic device 103 utiliZing a communication engine 102
`operable to communicate the selective information via a
`digital FM signal. In this manner, selective information may
`be communicated Within digital FM sub-carriers to an
`electronic device operable to receive the information. For
`example, a user may subscribe to communicate the infor
`mation via an FM sub-carrier and receive the selective data
`through Wireless communication via a speci?ed FM sub
`carrier.
`In one embodiment, the selected information may be
`formatted and transmitted to achieve a desirable transmis
`sion rate. For example, conventional systems may transmit
`information at a speed of 10 kilobits per second. Therefore,
`for 1 megabyte of information to be communicated to an
`electronic device, a transmission time of approximately 800
`seconds may be required. The present invention may alloW
`for a relative increase in transmission speed by removing the
`requirement that information be communicated asynchro
`nously to an electronic device. For example, conventional
`Wireless communication utiliZes a speci?ed frequency to
`communicate information in tWo directions (i.e., cellular
`phones). As such, information is communicated across a
`channel in an asynchronous manner to provide a continuous
`audio signal to the recipient.
`The present invention advantageously alloWs for signals
`to be transmitted to an electronic device in a less than
`asynchronous manner. For example, if a user selected a song
`to be Wirelessly communicated to an electronic device,
`system 100 could communicate the information in a less
`than asynchronous manner alloWing the selected informa
`tion to be transmitted ef?ciently thereby decreasing the
`overall doWnload time for the selected audio information. In
`one embodiment, the selected information may be com
`pressed and transmitted across the same frequency but at
`different phases thereby alloWing plural signals having dif
`ferent phases to be Wirelessly communicated to an electronic
`device. Therefore, the electronic device may be operable to
`receive multiple phased signals and process the selective
`information accordingly.
`In one embodiment, the information may be Wirelessly
`communicated at a relatively sloW transmission rate. For
`example, a user may schedule When the selected audio
`information may be used by electronic device 103. The user
`may select several different audio tracks or songs to be
`transmitted to an electronic device associated With the user’ s
`vehicle such that the user can listen to the user selected audio
`information during the drive home at the end of a Workday.
`Therefore, it may be desirable to utiliZe a sloWer transfer
`speed due to the extended amount of time available prior to
`actual use of the selected audio information. In this manner,
`communications netWorks having less or sloWer transfer
`rates may be used to Wirelessly communicate the selected
`audio information to the electronic device.
`In another embodiment, high-speed Wireless communica
`tion netWorks may be used to communicate the selected
`audio information. For example, a user may Want to listen to
`an Internet broadcast of an Internet radio station. Therefore,
`high-speed communication may be required to Wirelessly
`communicate or stream the selected audio information to an
`electronic device. In another embodiment, a hybrid of Wire
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`less communication rates may be deployed depending on the
`requirements of the selected audio information and/or the
`electronic device. For example, the selected audio informa
`tion may ?rst be transmitted to the electronic device via
`high-speed communication until enough information has
`been Wirelessly communicated and buffered into a memory
`device operably associated With the electronic device. Upon
`communication of a certain percentage of the selected audio
`information, sloWer communication speeds may then be
`used to communicate additional selected audio information.
`Therefore, system 100 may be con?gured in a plurality of
`Ways to communicate selected information to electronic
`device 103. Digital engine 101 may be used to maintain data
`or information associated With the selected information and
`communication engine 102, communicatively coupled to
`digital engine 101, may Wirelessly communicate selected
`information to electronic device 103.
`FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a method of Wire
`lessly communicating selected information to an electronic
`device. The method may be used in association With the
`system illustrated in FIG. 1 or other systems operable to
`utiliZe the method of FIG. 2.
`The method begins generally at step 200. At step 201,
`selectable audio information may be accessed utiliZing a
`netWork communications device. For example, selectable
`audio information may be displayed at an Internet Website
`accessible by a personal computer. In another embodiment,
`the selectable information may be accessed utiliZing a
`Wireless communications device such as, a cellular phone, a
`PDA device, or other devices operable to provide access to
`the selectable audio information.
`Upon accessing the selectable information, the method
`proceeds to step 202 Where a user can identify or select
`audio information to be Wirelessly communicated to an
`electronic device. For example, a user may select an entire
`album to be Wirelessly communicated to a PDA device.
`Upon the user selecting the audio information, the method
`proceeds to step 203 Where the method maintains informa
`tion associated With the selected information. In one
`embodiment, the information may be an audio ?le, such as
`a Wave ?le, and MP3 ?le, etc. representative of the selected
`audio information. In another embodiment, a netWork loca
`tion that comprises a ?le representing the selected informa
`tion may be maintained. Another example may include a
`netWork location of a netWork broadcast of audio informa
`tion. Therefore, the method at step 203 may maintain several
`different types of information associated With the selected
`audio information.
`Upon maintaining information or data associated With the
`selected information, the method proceeds to step 204 Where
`the method Wirelessly communicates information associated
`With the selected information to an electronic device. For
`example, if an audio ?le associated With the selected audio
`information Was maintained, the method Would communi
`cate the audio ?le to the electronic device. In another
`embodiment, a link or netWork address broadcasting the
`selected audio information may be accessed and, at step 204,
`Wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. In another
`embodiment, a combination of different types of audio
`information may be Wirelessly communicated to an elec
`tronic device. Upon transmitting the selected audio infor
`mation, the method proceeds to step 205 Where the method
`ends.
`Selected audio information may be communicated in a
`plurality of Ways as described above including communi
`cating via a cellular communications netWork to an elec
`tronic device operable to receive cellularly-communicated
`
`SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., v. AFFINITY LABS OF TEXAS, LLC
`IPR2014-01181 EXHIBIT 2015 – 14
`
`

`

`US 7,324,833 B2
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`signals. For example, the information may be selected from
`a Website operable to display selectable information. Upon
`selecting the audio information, a data ?le representing the
`selected audio information may be Wirelessly communicated
`to an electronic device thereby alloWing a user to select
`audio information via the Internet and Wirelessly commu
`nicate the information to an electronic device.
`In some embodiments, the Wireless communication to an
`electronic device may occur in an off-line environment. For
`example, a user may go “on-line” to access a Website and
`select information and then go “off-line” or end the broWsing
`session. The Wireless communication may then occur While
`the user is off-line thereby removing the con?nes of using an
`active or on-line broWsing environment (i.e., Internet radio
`broadcast, streaming audio, etc.) for accessing selected
`information. Therefore, the method of FIG. 2 alloWs for
`information, such as audio information, to be communicated
`from a netWork location such as a Web site, to an electronic
`device “via” Wireless communication. The present invention
`advantageously alloWs users to access and doWnload infor
`mation accessible by a netWork location to an electronic
`device operable to receive Wireless communications thereby
`reducing the need for land lines, terrestrial communication
`netWorks, etc. for communicating selective information.
`In one embodiment, the method of FIG. 2 may be
`deployed in association With an Internet Website operable to
`display selectable links for doWnloading information. The
`information may include audio information such as MP3s,
`streaming audio, streaming, intemet broadcasts, etc. are
`selectable by a user and operable to be Wireles sly commu
`nicated to an electronic device. By providing a user With a
`Website of selectable audio information operable to be
`Wireless communicated to an electronic device, a user may
`customiZe information communicated to an electronic
`device. In one embodiment, a user may communicate infor
`mation to an electronic device that may not be oWned by the
`user. For example the method of FIG. 2 could be modi?ed
`to alloW a user to Wirelessly communicate audio information
`to a plurality of electronic devices that may or may not be
`oWned by the user.
`FIG. 3 illustrates an electronic device operable to receive
`selected audio information in accordance With the teachings
`of the present invention. Electronic