Patents

U.S. Patent 6,192,340 ("Radio")
Issued: Feb. 20, 2001
Title: Integration of music from a personal library with real-time information

Abstract:
An apparatus capable of, and a method of, playing audio, the apparatus comprising communicating, processing, and playing means for, and the method comprising the steps of: communicating a user's information preferences to an information provider; receiving, from the information provider, informational items that are responsive to the user's information references; interleaving and sequencing, for the user, a playing of the received informational items with a playing of a plurality of musical items included in an audio library of the user; and playing, for the user and responsive to the interleaving and sequencing, the received informational items within a playing of the plurality of musical items; and wherein the playing comprises a voice synthesizing of an at least one of informational item; wherein the playing is responsive to a schedule preferences of the user; wherein a verified apparent listening of a playing of an informational item is associated with a credit; and/or wherein a user's reception of a communication unrelated to the informational items is integrated within a playing of musical items.


Claims:

• 1. An apparatus capable of playing audio, the apparatus comprising:

  • communicating means for communicating a user's information preferences to a remote information provider, and for receiving informational items that are responsive to said user's information preferences;
  • processing means for alternating and sequencing, for said user, a playing of the received informational items with a playing of a plurality of musical items included in an audio library of said user; and
  • playing means for playing, for said user and responsive to said alternating and sequencing, said received informational items within a playing of said plurality of musical items.
    
    
• 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a playing of at least one informational item comprises a voice synthesizing of data obtained from an internet-based information provider.
  
  
• 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a playing of an at least one informational item is responsive to a schedule preferences of said user; and wherein a playing of musical items is responsive to a tracking of a multiple playing of a musical item.
  
  
• 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a verified apparent listening of a playing of an at least one informational item is associated with a credit given to said user.
  
  
• 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a communication for said user and unrelated to the received informational items is received and integrated within a playing of musical items.
  
  
• 6. An apparatus capable of playing audio, the apparatus comprising:
  
  
  • communication means for receiving a plurality of informational items from a remote information provider;
  • processing means for selecting informational items from said plurality of informational items responsive to a user's information preferences, and for alternating and sequencing, for said user, a playing of the selected informational items with a playing of a plurality of musical items included in an audio library of said user; and
  • playing means for playing, for said user and responsive to said alternating and sequencing, said selected informational items within a playing of said plurality of musical items.

• 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a playing of at least one informational item comprises a voice synthesizing of data obtained from an internet-based information provider.
  
  
• 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a playing of an at least one informational item is responsive to a schedule preferences of said user; and wherein a playing of at least one informational item is activated by a play control corresponding to a preestablished information preference.
  
  
• 9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a verified apparent listening of a playing of an at least one informational item is associated with a credit given to said user.
  
  
• 10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a communication for said user and unrelated to the received informational items is received and integrated within a playing of musical items.
  
  
• 11. A method of playing audio, the method comprising the steps of:
  
  
  • communicating a user's information preferences to a remote information provider;
  • receiving, from said information provider, informational items that are responsive to said user's information preferences;
  • alternating and sequencing, for said user, a playing of the received informational items with a playing of a plurality of musical items included in an audio library of said user; and
  • playing, for said user and responsive to said alternating and sequencing, said received informational items within a playing of said plurality of musical items.

• 12. The method of claim 11, wherein a playing of at least one informational item comprises a voice synthesizing of data obtained from an internet-based information provider.
  
  
• 13. The method of claim 11, wherein a playing of an at least one informational item is responsive to a schedule preferences of said user; and wherein a playing of musical items is responsive to a tracking of a multiple playing of a musical item.
  
  
• 14. The method of claim 11, wherein a verified apparent listening of a playing of an at least one informational item is associated with a credit given to said user.
  
  
• 15. The method of claim 11, wherein a communication for said user and unrelated to the received informational items is received and integrated within a playing of musical items.
  
  
• 16. A method of playing audio, the method comprising the steps of:
  
  
  • communicating, by means of a first apparatus, a user's information preferences to a remote information provider;
  • receiving, from said information provider and by means of said first apparatus, informational items that are responsive to said information preferences;
  • alternating and sequencing, for said user, at least some of the received informational items with a plurality of musical items included in an audio library of said user;
  • downloading from said first apparatus to a second apparatus the alternated and sequenced informational and musical items; and
  • playing, by means of said second apparatus, the downloaded alternated and sequenced informational and musical items.

• 17. The method of claim 16, wherein a playing of at least one informational item comprises a voice synthesizing of data obtained from an internet-based information provider.
  
  
• 18. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of said downloaded informational items is at least a portion of a previously broadcasted program.
  
  
• 19. The method of claim 16, wherein a verified apparent listening of a playing of an at least one informational item is associated with a debit.
  
  
• 20. The method of claim 16, wherein a communication for said user and unrelated to the received informational items is received and integrated within said playing.