(19) 1+1 Canadian
`
`Intellectual Property
`Office
`
`Office de Ia Propri,t,
`lntellectuelle
`du Canada
`
`An Agency of
`Industry Canada
`
`Un organisme
`d'lndustrie Canada
`
`(11) CA 2 347 648
`(40) 01.12.2001
`(43) 01.12.2001
`
`(13) A1
`
`(51) Int. Cl. 7:
`
`H04B 7/15, H04B 7/00,
`H04H 1/00, H04Q 7/22
`
`(72)
`
`(74)
`
`KANDLER, GERSHON (IL).
`
`ROSEN, ARNOLD
`
`(12)
`
`(21) 2 347 648
`
`15.05.2001
`
`22
`(30)
`
`(71)
`
`60/209,019 us 01.06.2000
`
`INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES
`CORPORATION,
`New Orchard Road, ARMONK, XX (US).
`
`FOURNITURE SANS FIL DE CONTENU AUDIO
`(54)
`(54) WIRELESS PROVISION OF AUDIO CONTENT
`
`(57)
`
`in-vehicle prov1s1on of audio
`for
`Apparatus
`to a listener. The
`apparatus
`includes a
`content
`cellular telephone adapted to receive broadcast radio
`content over a wireless network, and an in- vehicle
`to be
`fixedly
`installed
`in a
`audio system adapted
`to receive the broadcast radio
`vehicle, and coupled
`content from the cellular telephone, and to play the
`content in the vehicle.
`
`TOYOTA Ex. 1017
`
`Page 1 of 28
`
`

`
`1+1 Office de Ia Propriete
`
`lntellectuelle
`du Canada
`Un organisme
`d'lndustne Canada
`
`Canadian
`Intellectual Property
`Office
`An agency of
`Industry Canada
`
`CA 2347648 A1 2001/12/01
`(21) 2 34 7 648
`c12l DEMANDE DE BREVET CANADIEN
`CANADIAN PATENT APPLICATION
`C13J A 1
`
`(22) Date de depiiUFiling Date: 2001/05/15
`(41) Mise a Ia disp. pub./Open to Public Insp.: 2001/12/01
`(30) Priorite/Priority: 2000/06/01 (60/209,019) US
`
`(51) Cllnt 7/lntCL 7 H048 7/15, H04Q 7/22, H04H 1/00,
`H04B 7/00
`(71) Demandeur/Applicant:
`INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES
`CORPORATION, US
`(72) lnventeur/lnventor:
`KANDLER, GERSHON, IL
`(74) Agent: ROSEN, ARNOLD
`
`(54) Titre: FOURNITURE SANS FIL DE CONTENU AUDIO
`(54) Title: WIRELESS PROVISION OF AUDIO CONTENT
`
`(57) Abn§ge/Abstract:
`Apparatus for in-vehicle provision of audio content to a listener. The apparatus includes a cellular telephone adapted to receive
`broadcast radio content over a wireless network, and an in-vehicle audio system adapted to be fixedly installed in a vehicle, and
`coupled to receive the broadcast radio content from the cellular telephone, and to play the content in the vehicle.
`
`d •••
`ana a JJttp:!lopk.gc.ca · Ottawa-Hull KlA OC9 · htrp:l!cipo.gc.ca
`C
`
`OPIC · CIPO 191
`
`0 PIC
`
`C I P 0
`
`Page 2 of 28
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`

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`CA 02347648 2001-05-15
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`WIRELESS PROVISION OF AUDIO CONTENT
`
`5
`
`Apparatus for in-vehicle provision of audio content to a listener. The apparatus includes a
`
`cellular telephone adapted to receive broadcast radio content over a wireless network, and an in(cid:173)
`
`vehicle audio system adapted to be fixedly installed in a vehicle, and coupled to receive the
`
`broadcast radio content from the cellular telephone, and to play the content in the vehicle.
`
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`CA 02347648 2001-05-15
`
`WIRELESS PROVISION OF AUDIO CONTENT
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates to the field of provision of audio content, pa~iicularly wireless
`
`provision of audio content via a cellular telephone.
`
`5
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`The majority of cars and other vehicles contain in-vehicle audio systems containing relatively
`
`high quality audio components such as amplifiers and speakers. Such in-vehicle audio systems
`
`typically include radios, and cassette, CD and minidisk players, and the like. However, the range
`
`of audio content available to a listener of in-vehicle audio devices is limited.
`
`10
`
`A listener to a radio is limited temporally to the programming available at that time. If a
`
`listener misses a desired radio program at its normal broadcast time, he is unable to listen to that
`
`program later, at a time convenient for him, unless he recorded it during broadcast, A radio listener
`
`is also limited geographically to the programming broadcast from a within-range radio transmitter.
`
`It is currently not possible for a radio listener to travel abroad and still receive broadcasts from his
`
`15
`
`home country's local radio stations on an in-vehicle radio. There is thus a need for a method for
`
`listening to a radio program via an in-vehicle radio system, while the radio program is not being
`
`currently transmitted on an in-range transmitter, without the listener having to pre-record the
`
`program.
`
`A listener to in-vehicle audio devices, such as a cassette or CD player, is limited to the
`
`20
`
`selection of prerecorded audio content, typically music, that he has available in the appropriate
`
`format.
`
`A large amount of audio content, including both music and spoken content, is available over
`
`the Internet. The majority of in-vehicle audio systems are not Internet-enabled, however.
`
`A large number oflisteners to in-vehicle audio devices also possess cellular phones. New
`
`25
`
`generations of cellular phones are Internet-enabled, allowing audio content to be downloaded from
`
`the Internet. The sound quality from cellular phones is typically poor as they are designed to
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`CA 02347648 2001-05-15
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`minimize size and weight and are intended to be used by a single user, while being held close to the
`
`ear. Cellular phones are not designed tor broadcasting music to a number oflisteners. There is thus
`
`also a need for apparatus and a method for improving the sound quality of audio content downloaded
`
`from a network such as the Internet, through a cellular phone.
`
`5
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention seeks to provide apparatus and methods for receiving audio content,
`
`typically in the form of files, from a network such as the Internet via a cellular phone, and for
`
`playing the downloaded audio content over regular radio or stereo equipment. In one embodiment,
`
`10
`
`the radio or stereo equipment is located within a vehicle. The vehicle stereo provides high quality
`
`sound, not available from the cellular telephone, and may also provide a buffering memory, e.g., a
`
`hard disk, for storing downloaded audio tiles for playback. The cellular phone provides a user
`
`interface and data channel to an application server as an extension to the car radio/stereo.
`
`In a preferred embodiment, the cellular phone is Internet enabled, using a protocol such as
`
`15
`
`W AP (Wireless Access Protocol), to retrieve audio files from the Internet.
`
`In an alternative
`
`embodiment, the cellular phone uses packet-oriented cellular protocols and networks. A typical, but
`
`non-limiting, example of a packet-oriented cellular protocol is GPRS (General Packet Radio
`
`Service), which is a data service currently offered in some GSM networks.
`
`In a preferred embodiment, the cellular phone and the radio or stereo equipment are able to
`
`20
`
`communicate with each other over a short-range wireless channel, using a communication protocol
`
`such as Bluetooth™.
`
`In a preferred embodiment, a user specifies the desired radio stations, or individual radio
`
`programs, typically by presetting a radio to the desired program or station. This information is
`
`transmitted from the radio to the telephone, which then contacts an application server which has an
`
`25
`
`accessible archive of the radio station's programs, and downloads the requested programming,
`
`typically as audio files. The audio content is transferred from the telephone to the radio tor playback
`
`to the user. Thus, the user is able to listen to programming at substantially any desired time and
`
`place, without being bound by the geographical limits and programming schedule of a given radio
`
`station.
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`CA 02347648 2001-05-15
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`There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
`
`apparatus for in-vehicle provision of audio content to a listener. The apparatus includes a cellular
`
`telephone adapted to receive broadcast radio content over a wireless network, and an in-vehicle
`
`audio system, adapted to be fixedly installed in a vehicle, and coupled to receive the broadcast radio
`
`5
`
`content from the cellular telephone, and to play the content in the vehicle.
`
`Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cellular
`
`telephone is adapted to receive the broadcast radio content over the wireless network at a time when
`
`the radio content is not being broadcast over radio channels.
`
`Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cellular
`
`10
`
`telephone is adapted to receive the broadcast radio content over the wireless network at a location
`
`where the radio content cannot be received over radio channels.
`
`Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
`
`broadcast radio content received over the wireless network is user-selected.
`
`Also in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cellular
`
`15
`
`telephone is adapted to receive, from a user, an input including at least one detail regarding the
`
`broadcast radio content to be received, and to transmit the at least one detail to a content provider
`
`over the wireless network.
`
`Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the input
`
`comprises a verbal input.
`
`20
`
`Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cellular
`
`telephone comprises buttons, and the input comprises contacting the buttons.
`
`Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the audio
`
`system is adapted to receive, from a user, an input including at least one detail regarding the
`
`broadcast radio content to be received, and to transmit the at least one detail to the cellular telephone.
`
`25
`
`Also in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the in-vehicle
`
`audio system can function as a radio independent of the cellular phone, and is adapted to receive, as
`
`the input, at least one identification detail of the radio station to which the radio is tuned.
`
`Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one
`
`identification detail is selected from the group consisting of radio station name, radio station ID
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`3
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`CA 02347648 2001-05-15
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`code, radio station broadcast frequency, and radio station URL.
`
`Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cellular
`
`telephone is adapted to transfer the audio content to the in-vehicle audio system via a wireless link
`
`therebetween.
`
`5
`
`Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, the cellular
`
`telephone is adapted to transfer the audio content to the in-vehicle audio system via a wired link
`
`therebetween.
`
`There is also provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present
`
`invention, apparatus for storing user radio station preferences. The apparatus includes a cellular
`
`10
`
`telephone having a memory, and an in-vehicle audio system, adapted to be fixedly installed in a
`
`vehicle and to play broadcast radio content therein, and adapted to receive, from a user, at least one
`
`identification detail regarding a radio station preferred by the user, and to transmit the at least one
`
`detail to the cellular telephone for storage in the memory.
`
`Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cellular
`
`15
`
`telephone is adapted to transmit the at least one detail of the preferred radio station to another in(cid:173)
`
`vehicle audio system.
`
`Still futther in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the other
`
`in-vehicle audio system is adapted to receive the at least one detail from the cellular telephone and,
`
`responsive thereto, to receive and play broadcast radio content from the preferred radio station.
`
`20
`
`Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cellular
`
`telephone is adapted to receive broadcast radio content from the preferred radio station over a
`
`wireless network, and the other in-vehicle audio system is coupled to receive the broadcast radio
`
`content from the cellular telephone, and to play the content in the vehicle.
`
`There is further provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
`
`25
`
`invention, a method for the in-vehicle provision of audio content to a listener. The method
`
`comprises downloading broadcast radio content over a wireless network to a cellular telephone,
`
`transferring the content from the cellular telephone to an in-vehicle audio system, and playing the
`
`content on the in-vehicle audio system to the listener.
`
`Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the step of
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`IL9-2000-003 7
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`4
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`CA 02347648 2001-05-15
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`downloading content over the wireless network is performed at a time when the content is not being
`
`broadcast over radio channels.
`
`Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the step of
`
`downloading content over the wireless network is performed at a location where the content can not
`
`5
`
`be received over radio channels.
`
`Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method
`
`also includes the step of selecting the content to be downloaded.
`
`Also in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the selecting step
`
`includes a user inputting at least one detail regarding the broadcast radio content to be downloaded,
`
`l 0
`
`and transmitting the at least one detail to a content provider over the wireless network.
`
`Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one
`
`detail is input to the cellular telephone.
`
`Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least
`
`one detail is input to the cellular telephone verbally.
`
`15
`
`Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, the cellular
`
`telephone comprises input buttons, and the at least one detail is input to the cellular telephone
`
`through contact with the buttons.
`
`Also in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one
`
`detail is input via the audio system.
`
`20
`
`Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the audio system
`
`functions as a radio independent of the cellular phone, and the at least one detail includes at least one
`
`identification detail of the radio station to which the radio is tuned.
`
`Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least
`
`one detail is stored in a memory in the cellular telephone.
`
`25
`
`Additionally in accordance with a prefe1Ted embodiment of the present invention, the
`
`wireless network is the Internet and the cellular telephone is W AP enabled.
`
`Also in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cellular
`
`telephone communicates with the wireless network using a packet-oriented cellular protocol.
`
`Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wireless
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`CA 02347648 2001-05-15
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`network is a GSM network and the packet-oriented cellular protocol is GPRS.
`
`Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the content
`
`is transferred from the cellular telephone to the audio system via a wireless link therebetween.
`
`Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
`
`5
`
`wireless link uses a Bluetooth communication protocol.
`
`Also in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the content is
`
`transferred from the cellular telephone to the audio system via a wired link therebetween.
`
`There is further provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
`
`invention, a method for stoting a user's radio station preferences. The method includes inputting
`
`10
`
`at least one identification detail regarding a radio station preferred by a user to an in-vehicle audio
`
`system, transmitting the at least one identification detail to a cellular telephone, and storing the at
`
`least one detail in a memory in the cellular telephone.
`
`Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method also
`
`includes transmitting the stored at least one identification detail to another in-vehicle audio system.
`
`15
`
`Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method
`
`also includes identifying the preferred radio station from the at least one detail, and responsive
`
`thereto, receiving and playing broadcast radio content from the preferred radio station.
`
`Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method
`
`also includes transmitting the stored at least one identification detail, over a wireless network, to an
`
`20
`
`audio content provider, identifying the preferred radio station from the at least one detail,
`
`downloading broadcast radio content over the wireless network to the cellular telephone, transferring
`
`the content from the cellular telephone to the in-vehicle audio system, and playing the content on
`
`the in-vehicle audio system to a listener.
`
`Also in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one
`
`25
`
`identification detail is selected from the group consisting of radio station name, radio station ID
`
`code, radio station broadcast frequency, and radio station URL.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following
`
`detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
`
`Fig. lA is a schematic illustration of apparatus for the provision of radio services via a
`
`5
`
`cellular telephone to an in-vehicle audio system, constructed and operative in accordance with a
`
`preferr-ed embodiment of the present invention;
`
`Fig. lB is a schematic illustration of the cellular telephone and in-vehicle audio system of
`
`Fig. lA, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferr-ed embodiment of the present
`
`invention;
`
`10
`
`Fig. 2 is a flowchart detailing a method of downloading and playing desired radio programs
`
`to a user via a cellular telephone, in accordance with a preferr-ed embodiment of the present
`
`invention;
`
`Fig. 3 is a flow chart detailing a method of receiving desired radio channels when the desired
`
`channels are not within broadcast range, in accordance with another preferr-ed embodiment of the
`
`I 5
`
`present invention;
`
`Fig. 4 is a flow chart detailing a method of downloading and playing desired audio content
`
`from the Internet, via a cellular phone, in accordance with another preferr-ed embodiment of the
`
`present invention; and
`
`Fig. 5 is a schematic illustration of a system for the download and playing of audio content
`
`20
`
`from the Internet via a cellular telephone to an in-vehicle stereo, constructed and operative in
`
`accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`
`Reference is now made to Fig. lA, which is a schematic illustration of apparatus for the
`
`25
`
`provision of radio services via a cellular telephone to an in-vehicle stereo, constructed and operative
`
`in accordance with a preferr-ed embodiment of the present invention. As shown, a user 15 possesses
`
`a cellular telephone 20, and is the driver of a car 35 which is equipped with a car audio system 25.
`
`Cellular telephone 20 may be any conventional cellular telephone with data communication
`
`capabilities, such as a WAP-enabled telephone connected to a GSM or UTMS network. Audio
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`------··--··--····-..... ________ _
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`CA 02347648 2001-05-15
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`system 25 may be any conventional car stereo as is known in the art, and typically comprises a radio
`
`receiver, an amplifier and two or more speakers connected thereto.
`
`Reference is now made to Fig. 18 which is a schematic illustration of the cellular telephone
`
`and in-vehicle audio system of Fig. lA, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred
`
`5
`
`embodiment of the present invention. Cellular telephone 20 and car audio system 25 communicate
`
`with each other, typically via transceivers 30, 32, using an internationally accepted wireless
`
`communication protocol such as Bluetoothii, http://wvvw. motoro/a.comlbluetoothlactionlaction.html.
`
`Alternatively, telephone 20 and audio system 25 may communicate via a wired connection.
`
`In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, if the user wishes to listen to audio
`
`10
`
`content that is not immediately available, such as a radio program not being currently broadcast from
`
`an in-range transmitter, or music that the user does not possess in the appropriate prerecorded format,
`
`the user may select to download the desired content using cellular telephone 20. Audio content is
`
`downloaded via a cellular network to which cellular telephone 20 is connected, which in turn
`
`transmits the downloaded audio content to car stereo 25 for playing. Typically, the cellular network
`
`15
`
`is linked to a land network, such as the Internet 40, so that the audio content can be retrieved and
`
`served to the user from different, widely-dispersed geographic locations.
`
`Exemplary uses of preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with
`
`reference to Figures 2-5.
`
`Reference is now made to Fig. 2 which is a flowchart detailing a method of downloading and
`
`20
`
`playing desired radio programs to a user cellular telephone 20, in accordance with a first preferred
`
`embodiment of the present invention. The method is typically used when a desired radio program
`
`cannot be received via the radio receiver, either because the receiver is not in broadcast range, or the
`
`program is not currently being broadcast.
`
`User 15, wishing to listen to a particular radio program which is not currently being
`
`25
`
`broadcast, presets the radio to the station of the desired program (step 1 00), in substantially the same
`
`manner as tuning the radio tor normal radio reception. The user initiates the download of the
`
`program, e.g., by pressing a specific button 50 on radio 25 or button 55 on telephone 20 (step 105),
`
`to signal that the user wishes to listen to a recorded program, rather than the program that is currently
`
`being broadcast by the station. In response to pressing this button, car stereo 25 typically transmits
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`CA 02347648 2001-05-15
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`the radio station ID to telephone 20 (step II 0), which in turn contacts the radio station, typically via
`
`a telephone system base station 38, to check whether the radio station has an accessible program
`
`archive (step 120).
`
`If the radio station does not have an accessible archive, or if the radio station cannot be
`
`5
`
`contacted, telephone 20 typically informs user 15 that no radio programs are available for that station
`
`(step 125). The telephone may ask the user whether he wishes to download a program from a
`
`different radio station (step 130).
`
`If the radio station does have an accessible archive, telephone 20 typically takes the user
`
`through a series of steps to identify the desired program (steps 135-170). Steps 135, 145, I 55, 165
`
`10
`
`are telephone prompts for information from user I 5, and are typically verbal prompts. Alternatively,
`
`the prompts could be displayed on a screen on telephone 20, or radio 25. Steps, 140, 150, I 60 and
`
`170 are user responses, which may be input either by pressing buttons, typically either on cellular
`
`telephone 20 or car stereo 25. It is appreciated however, that user response steps, 140, 150, 160 and
`
`170 could be voice inputs, with voice recognition software to interpret the user's speech. In a
`
`15
`
`preferred embodiment, pressing a voice activation button, such as a button 60 on car stereo 25, at
`
`any stage during the interaction switches to voice input mode rather than button pressing mode.
`
`Once user 15 has specified a desired program to the telephone 20, telephone 20 connects via
`
`Internet 40 (via base station 38 or through a separate wireless data network) to an application server
`
`45. The server typically converts the user's selection of a desired program into a URL, and
`
`20
`
`downloads the program (step 175), typically in a MP3 file or other compressed digital audio format.
`
`The desired program may be downloaded in its entirety via telephone 20, and stored in a
`
`memory (step 180) before being played. The memory may be in telephone 20 or car stereo 25. The
`
`program is then transferred to the car stereo 25 (step 185) for playing. Alternatively, the download
`
`25
`
`may be asynchronous, and once a batch of n minutes has been downloaded, it is transferred to car
`
`stereo 25 for playing, during which time, telephone 20 downloads the following batch.
`
`Reference is now made to Fig. 3 which is a flow chart detailing a method of receiving desired
`
`radio stations when the desired stations are not within broadcast range, in accordance with another
`
`preferred embodiment of the present invention. The method is typically used when a user travels
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`CA 02347648 2001-05-15
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`abroad, and wants to listen to his home country radio stations. It is appreciated that this method
`
`applies to any situation where a desired radio station is not within broadcast range.
`
`User 15 presets the radio to the desired radio stations, typically while in range of their
`
`broadcasts (step 200) and initiates the download of the stations' details, e.g., by pressing button 50
`
`5
`
`on radio 25 or button 55 on telephone 20 (step 205). Such details typically include identification
`
`details, such as name, frequency, alternative frequency and URL, etc. Car stereo 25 typically
`
`transmits the radio stations' identification details to telephone 20 (step 21 0), which in turn contacts
`
`the radio stations, typically via telephone system base station 38 (step 215), to check whether the
`
`radio stations have an accessible program archive or Web site (step 220).
`
`10
`
`If one of the radio stations does not have an accessible archive, or cannot be contacted,
`
`telephone 20 typically informs user 15 that the specific radio station is not available (step 225). The
`
`telephone may ask user 15 whether he wishes to select a different radio station (step 230).
`
`Telephone 20 downloads and stores the URL or IP addresses of as many of the desired radio stations
`
`as it can find (step 235). The information is preferably stored in a memory of the telephone, such
`
`15
`
`as in a subscriber identity module (SIM).
`
`When travelling abroad, user 15 downloads the stored desired radio stations from telephone
`
`20 to car stereo 25 of a rental car (step 240). When user 15 selects a preset station on radio 25, radio
`
`25 requests telephone 20 to download the current program of that station in real-time. If the user is
`
`in a different time-zone in relation to the desired radio station, the user may choose to compensate
`
`20
`
`for the time difference. For example, if there is a two hour time difference between the user's home
`
`time and his cutTent local time, the user may either download the home 8:00AM news broadcast at
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`8:00AM local time or 6:00AM local time. Alternatively, the user may select a program that was
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`broadcast at another, earlier time, using a method such as that described above with reference to Fig.
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`2.
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`25
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`Telephone 20 typically connects via a network such as Internet 40 to an application server,
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`as described above, which typically converts the selected radio station into a URL, and downloads
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`the program (step 250). As described above with reference to Fig. 2, the programming of the desired
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`station may be downloaded synchronously or asynchronously, and may be stored on a memory in
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`either the telephone or the radio (steps 250-255). The downloaded programming is transferred from
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`telephone 20 to car stereo 25 (step 260) for playing on the car stereo (step 265).
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`It is appreciated that the method described above with reference to steps 200-240 of Fig. 3
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`can be used as a method to store, in a user's cellular phone, the user's preferences for preset channels
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`5
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`for a car radio. When the user drives a different car, e.g. a new car or a rental car, the cellular
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`telephone can download details of the user's preferred radio stations to the car radio 20, thus
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`personalizing a user's car stereo. In place of steps 245-260, the car stereo 20 would first check to
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`determine whether the desired radio stations are available via regular radio broadcasts, without first
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`having to download them via the cellular telephone.
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`Reference is now made to Fig. 4 which is a flow chart detailing a method of downloading
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`and playing desired audio content from the Internet, via a cellular phone, in accordance with another
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`preferred embodiment of the present invention. The method is typically used when a user wishes
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`to listen to music, or other audio content, but does not have a prerecorded copy of the music in the
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`appropriate storage format for car-stereo.
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`User 15 initiates the process of downloading music, e.g., by pressing button 50 on radio 25
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`or button 55 on telephone 20 (step 300). Telephone 20 typically takes the user through a series of
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`steps to identify the desired music (steps 305-330). Steps 305, 315 and 325 are telephone prompts
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`for information from user 15, and are typically verbal prompts. Alternatively, the prompts could be
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`displayed on a screen on telephone 20, or radio 25. Steps, 310, 320 and 330 are user responses,
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`20
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`which may be input either by pressing buttons, typically either on cellular telephone 20 or car stereo
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`25. It is appreciated however, that user response steps, 310, 320 and 330 could be voice inputs, with
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`voice recognition software to interpret the user's speech.
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`Once user 15 has specified a desired piece of music to the telephone 20, telephone 20
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`searches for and connects via a network such as the Internet 40 to an application server that has the
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`25
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`requested piece of music available for download. (step 335), and downloads the music (step 340).
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`If there is a fee involved in downloading the music, the fee may be charged to the user's
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`telephone account (step 345).
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`The downloaded music is transferred from telephone 20 to stereo 25 (step 355), where it is
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`played to user 15 (step 360).
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`The desired program may be downloaded in its entirety via telephone 20, and stored in a
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`memory (step 350) before being played. The memory may be in telephone 20 or stereo 25. The
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`program is transferred to stereo 25 (step 355) for playing. Alternatively, the download may be
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`asynchronous, and once a batch ofn minutes has been downloaded, it is transferred to stereo 25 for
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`5
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`playing, during which time telephone 20 downloads the following batch.
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`Reference is now made to Fig. 5 which is a schematic illustration of a system for the
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`download and playing of audio content from the Internet via a cellular telephone 410 to an in-vehicle
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`stereo 420, constructed and operative in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the
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`present invention. The system of Fig. 5 is suitable for the use with the method of Fig. 4. As shown
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`10
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`in Fig. 5, a user 400 verbally requests a specific piece of music. Such a verbal request would
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`typically replace steps 305-330 of Fig. 4.
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`Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with
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`relation to automobiles, the term vehicle as used herein also includes, but is not limited to, land
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`transportation vehicles such as cars, vans, trucks, lorries, buses, jeeps, motorcycles, bulldozers,
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`juggernauts and ambulances, as well as other surface vehicles.
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`It will be appreciated that certain features ofthe invention, which are, for clarity, described
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`in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in the context of a single embodiment.
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`Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a
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`single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination.
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`It will further be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not
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`limited by what has been