WO1996037965A1

WO1996037965A1 - Record identification technique

Info

Publication number: WO1996037965A1
Application number: PCT/US1996/006588
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dimitri Dimitriadis
Original assignee: Seiko Communications Systems, Inc.
Priority date: 1995-05-23
Filing date: 1996-05-06
Publication date: 1996-11-28
Also published as: AU5736996A

Abstract

A record identification technique includes transmission of a record or audio track in conjunction with identifying or descriptive information in a combined voice and data radio signal. A receiver (14) stores temporarily the identifying or descriptive information. In response to activation of an identify button (460) by the user during a song play, the identifying information is stored in association with a segment of the audio track. The user later activates a review button (462) to listen to stored identifying information in conjunction with the associated stored segment of the audio track of interest. The user thereby more conveniently identifies a given record or audio track both audibly and by use of supporting identifying information.

Description

RECORD IDENTIFICATION TECHNIQUE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to radio signal broadcast apparatus, and particularly to combined audio and data radio signal apparatus.

Records or audio tracks played over conventional radio stations are heard immediately by listeners with receivers tuned to the particular radio station. The radio station operator or disc jockey announces identifying or descriptive information verbally either with respect to each individual audio track or for a sequence of audio tracks. Listeners have opportunity to only hear the identifying or descriptive information. If a user wishes to preserve such information for later reference, i.e., preserve the song title, author, artist, producer or other such information, the listener writes such information at the time made available by the radio station operator.

Unfortunately, not all listeners can write such identifying or descriptive information at the time it is made available. Some listeners are driving automobiles and cannot write the information when announced over the radio signal. Furthermore, some listeners may not realize a need to preserve such information when presented. For example, if the identifying or descriptive announcement precedes record

presentation and the listener discovers at the time of hearing the audio track need for preserving such information, the opportunity to preserve identifying or descriptive

information is lost. The listener has little recourse other than to attempt to memorize the song as it is being played and then later attempt to identify the song based on a recollection of how it sounded.

Some FM radio signal broadcasts include a subcarrier signal. The subcarrier signal can, for example, deliver paging data to a population of paging devices each of

which monitor the subcarrier signal. The paging system thereby uses the existing

FM signal broadcast facility. The FM broadcast facility receives digital paging messages from a paging system through, for example, a high speed modem coupling the FM broadcast facility and a paging system clearing house. The FM broadcast facility includes a subcarrier generator. The subcarrier generator receives the digital paging message information and incorporates this paging

message information into its output as a subcarrier signal. The subcarrier generator applies this output to an exciter, and subsequent FM signal broadcasting devices to provide paging messages in the subcarrier portion of the transmitted FM radio signal.

Car radios can be equipped with paging system circuitry for receiving the FM

subcarrier signals. The subcarrier signals can carry both pages and collateral material such as advertising or name and author of a record or song being played.

For example, the name and author of a given song may appear on a radio display during song presentation. For example, see co-pending U.S. Patent Application

Serial Number 08/365,859, filed 12/29/94, entitled TRANSMITTING AND DISPLAYING ON A RECEIVER INFORMATION DESCRIBING BROADCAST PROGRAMS and assigned in common to the assignee of the present invention. It would be desirable to provide a technique of record identification allowing listeners to preserve identifying and descriptive information relative to a record or audio track in more convenient fashion. The subject matter of the present invention provides such a record identification technique.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method of record or audio track identification in accordance with the present invention includes transmitting, in association with said audio track, identifying information relative to the audio track. At a remote location, the transmitted audio

track and identifying information are received while presenting audibly the audio track at the remote location. A user at the remote location can cause the system to store of a portion of the audio track in association with corresponding identifying information. Subsequently, a review command at the remote location can cause the presentation of the stored portion of the audio track and associated identifying information.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the identifying information includes at least one of author, publisher, performer, and title relative to a given

audio track. Transmitting the audio track in association with the identifying information is by timed relation, e.g., transmitting identifying information at the onset of a given audio track. The identify and review commands are user issued commands, thereby allowing the user to select a given audio track for identification by storing a portion thereof in conjunction with associated identifying information.

A system for audio track identification in accordance with the present invention comprises a radio signal transmission facility broadcasting a combined audio and data transmission wherein the audio transmission includes a sequence of audio tracks and the data portion includes a corresponding sequence of identifying information relative to the sequence of audio tracks. The system further includes at least one remote receiver receiving the combined audio and data transmission. The receiver stores a segment of a user selected audio track in association with the corresponding identifying information in response to a user demand. The user,

listening to a given audio track, selects for identification the audio track by storing a portion of the audio track in conjunction with the associated identifying information. Subsequently, the user demands presentation of stored audio segments and associated identifying information in a review mode.

A record identification device in accordance with the present invention includes a

receiver providing an audio portion and a data portion of a combined audio and data radio signal transmission. A memory storage device stores each new data portion

when received. A first user activated command button causes the receiver to store a segment of an audio portion in association with the content of the memory storage device. A second user activated command button causes the receiver to present an audio portion segment and associated data portion stored previously in response to the first command button. A user, listening to a given audio track on a radio station, activates the first command button to store a portion of the audio track in association with identifying information, and later activates the second command button to review the audio track audibly by speaker as well as visually by textual display with respect to the identifying information.

The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly

claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the

organization and method of operation of the invention, together with further

advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the

following description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a record identification system according to a preferred embodiment

of the present invention including a plurality of radio stations and plurality of remote radio signal receiving devices.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a radio station operating under a preferred form of the present invention to produce a combined voice and data radio signal. FIG. 3 is a control flow diagram for the radio station of FIG. 2 illustrating transmission of audio track identification data in conjunction with an audio signal.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a receiver of FIG. 1 receiving a combined voice data radio signal in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a control flow diagram for the receiver of FIG. 4 showing receipt of a data packet portion of the combined voice and data radio signal.

FIG. 6 is a control flow diagram for the receiver of FIG. 4 showing response to user activation of an audio track identify button.

FIG. 7 is a control flow diagram for the receiver of FIG. 4 showing response to user activation of a review button.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, a record identification system 10 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be illustrated in the context of a

paging system employing combined audio and data radio signals 12 broadcast to a

population of remote receivers 14. In the illustrated embodiment, remote receivers or radios 14 are carried in vehicles 16. Each receiver 14 selectively tunes to one of radio stations 18 to monitor a corresponding combined audio and data radio signal 12. Each receiver 14 presents the audio portion of a signal 12 in conventional fashion, i.e., by application to speakers.

The data portion of each signal 12a carries an audio record, i.e., audio track,

identification. As used herein, the term "audio ID" shall refer to identifying

information with respect to a given audio track, e.g., title, producer, artist, and the like. Users of radios 14 employ the data portion of signals 12 to identify musical pieces found in the audio portion of a signal 12. Generally, each receiver 14 responds to an "identify" command to store a segment of the audio portion of a

currently tuned signal 12. By storing the audio segment in conjunction with the

audio ID, each receiver 14 allows a user to later review stored audio segments and the associated audio ID to identify a particular record or audio track heard on the currently tuned signal 12.

The present invention will be illustrated in the context of a paging system 20

employing a public switch telephone network (PSTN) 22 to deliver paging data 24 to each of radio stations 18. For a more comprehensive description beyond that needed herein of a paging system 20 suitable for use in implementation of the

present invention, U.S. Patent Number 4,713,808 shows a paging system including a paging system clearinghouse and a variety of FM radio stations each providing as a main audio channel an audio signal and as a subcarrier channel a data signal carrying paging data to a population of remote paging devices. It will be understood that the present invention may be implemented in a variety of radio signal transmission systems, however, the present invention will be illustrated by reference to paging system 20 and incorporation in each of receivers 14 appropriate decoding circuitry for accessing and decoding the paging system broadcast protocol.

While a limited number of radio stations 18 and receivers 14 are illustrated in FIG.

1, it will be understood that the present invention may be implemented with any

given number of such radio stations and remote receiving devices.

FIG. 2 illustrates generally one of radio stations 18 as coupled to public switch

telephone network 22 and providing a combined voice and data radio signal 12. In

FIG. 2, a stereo generator 200 receives left and right channels of a main audio

signal 202 from an audio source 204. In stereo generator 200, left and right

channels of signal 202 are combined, subtracted, applied to a pilot generator, and

subjected to other known procedures to derive a stereo multiplexed signal 206.

Exciter 210 receives the sum of stereo multiplexed signal 206 and a subcarrier

signal 208. Excitor 210 output 220 applies to an amplifier 222 driving antenna 224 and making available the combined voice and data radio signal 12 to receivers 14.

A subcarrier generator 214 provides subcarrier signal 208 as a function of paging

data 24, obtained by way of modem 216 coupled to telephone network 22, and an

audio ID signal 218 obtained from audio source 204. Paging data 24 represents the

normal flow of paging data obtained from paging system 20 and injected as a

subcarrier component of radio signal 12.

Audio ID signal 218 represents identifying or descriptive data with respect to a

record or audio track currently under presentation by audio source 204. As may be appreciated, subcarrier generator 214 incorporates the audio ID signal 218 into the paging data 24 to implement the paging system 20 broadcast protocol. In the illustrated embodiment, paging system 20 broadcasts data packets according to a time division multiplexed protocol. Thus, audio ID signal 218 appears in a subcarrier portion of radio signal 12 as a data packet under paging system 20

protocol.

FIG. 3 illustrates in simplified form operation of a radio station 18 with respect to audio track play. In particular, FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a "play audio" routine executed by each radio station 18. In block 300, radio station 18 begins play of a given audio track at audio source 204. Subcarrier generator 214 receives audio

ID signal 218 in block 302 and transmits the audio ID signal 218 in block 304, i.e., places a representation of audio ID signal 218 at an appropriate location as a data

packet in the paging system 20 broadcast protocol. In this manner, radio station 18 begins play of a given audio track in the voice portion of a radio signal 12 while concurrently presenting as a data packet identifying or descriptive information as represented in the audio ID signal 218. Audio source 204 automatically generates audio ID signal 218 by, for example, employing identifying and descriptive data in a

given portion of the recording media, i.e., on a CD audio media. As may be

appreciated, however, providing audio ID signal 218 to subcarrier generator 214 at the onset of a given audio track may be conducted in a variety of ways, e.g., the disc jockey or radio station 218 operator manually enters audio ID signal 218 via keyboard or triggers presentation of an audio ID signal 218 as taken, for example,

from a audio track database. Programming of FIG. 3 loops at decision block 306 until the current audio track completes play. Once complete, processing returns to block 300 where a next audio track is played, and a corresponding audio ID signal 218 read and transmitted in blocks 302 and 304, respectively. In this manner, each radio station 218 plays a series of audio tracks with a corresponding transmission of a series of audio ID data packets for each audio track played.

FIG. 4 illustrates in simplified block diagram a receiver 14 as contemplated under the present invention. In FIG. 4, a receiver 400 receives, via antenna 402, the combined voice and data signal 12 from one of radio stations 18 as established by a tune signal 408 originating from a controller 410. Receiver 400 applies the baseband composite signal 412 to filters 414 and 416 to obtain an audio portion 416 and a data portion 418, respectively. Audio portion 416 applies to an audio block 420 driving a pair of speakers 422 in accordance with a volume, balance, and tone control signal 424 originating from controller 410. In this aspect, receiver 14 operates as a conventional FM radio receiver tunable to a given FM station for presentation of an audio signal at speakers 422. Tuner control block 426 includes conventional FM radio control buttons and knobs in implementation of the tune

signal 408 and volume, balance, and tone signals 424.

Filter 416 applies the data portion 418 to a paging data decoder block 430. Decoder block 430 reacts to paging system 20 protocol to extract therefrom a sequence of data packets. Receiver 14 may be programmed according to paging system 20 operation to activate only during certain targeted time slots. Such time- division multiplexed protocol conserves battery power. As illustrated herein,

however, receiver 14 may monitor constantly a sequence of data packets derived from the data portion 418 of radio signal 12. In any event, paging data decoder block 413 provides data packets 432 to controller 410. Controller 410 evaluates

data packets 432 in implementation of a given paging system addressing scheme, i.e., storing and displaying those data packets 432 addressed specifically to a given

receiver 14, and also in implementation of the present invention storing those data

packets 432 carrying representation of audio ID signal 218 (FIG. 2) identifying and describing a currently playing audio track on the currently tuned radio signal 12.

A display/storage block 440 allows controller 410 to present the content of data packets 432 as appropriate, as well as store data packets 432. Thus, controller 410 interacts with display/storage block 440 by means of a data and command bus 442. A display controls block 444 provides user interface control buttons applied to controller 410 to implement user selected display and storage of data packets 432.

Display/storage block 440 reacts to a sample command, applied via bus 442 in response to user demand, to capture an audio sample 450 for storage in

display/storage block 440. An analog-to-digital convertor 452 receives audio signal

416 and converts it to the audio sample 450. In this manner, controller 410 directs display/storage block 440 to capture a sequence or segment of audio data. FIG. 5 illustrates programming of receiver 14 with respect to obtaining data packets from paging system 20, including data packets bearing representation of the audio

ID signal 218 (FIG. 2). In FIG. 5, processing begins in block 500 where receiver 14 receives a data packet according to paging system 20 protocol. As noted herein

above, programming in FIG. 5 represents collection of a "targeted" data packet according to a time-division multiplexed broadcast protocol, or represents collection of a next data packet when monitoring a sequence of data packets available in data portion 418 (FIG. 4) of radio signal 12.

Processing then advances to decision block 502 where receiver 14 interrogates the content of the received data packet with respect to representation of the audio ID signal 218 therein.

If the received data packet bears representation of audio ID signal 218, then processing advances to block 504 where receiver 14 stores in a temporary variable the audio ID portion of the just-received data packet.

Decision block 503 represents an option to display just-received audio track identifying and descriptive information, i.e., an option to display automatically at the beginning of a song. Receiver 14 can use display/storage block 440 for

presentation of a variety of collateral information such as paging messages and advertising material. The user may or may not want automatic display of identifying and descriptive information for each song played. The user of receiver 14 sets a display mode driving selection at decision block 503. If the user has set receiver 14 to display automatically audio track information, then processing branches through block 505 where receiver 14 sends the audio ID information to display/storage block 440 for presentation to the user. Otherwise processing exits from decision block

503.

If, on the other hand, decision block 502 does not detect representation of the audio

ID signal 218 in the just-received data packet, then processing branches to decision

block 506. At decision block 506, if the data packet bears an address matching that of the particular receiver 14, then processing advances to display and store packet block 508. Otherwise, processing terminates at decision block 506.

Thus, each receiver 14 captures representation of the most recently transmitted audio ID signal 14 found in the data portion 418 of radio signal 12. Because each radio station 18 transmits a data packet bearing representation of the audio ID signal 18 at the onset of a given audio track, the temporary variable referenced in block 504 stores the audio ID for the audio track currently being played on the currently tuned radio signal 12. As may be appreciated, if controller 410 tunes receiver 400 to a different radio signal 12, the temporary variable would be

overwritten with a null value. Alternatively, the representation of audio ID signal 218 may be transmitted multiple times by radio station 18 during play of a given audio

track. For the purpose of the present discussion, however, it will be understood that the representation of audio ID signal 218 is provided once at the onset of a given

audio track play. Returning to FIG. 4, each receiver 14 includes an identify button 460 and a review button 462. The user of receiver 14 presses identify button 460 to capture for later reference and to immediately display identifying and descriptive information relative to a record or audio track currently being played at receiver 14. Later, at the user's convenience, the user activates the review button 462 to hear a segment of the

audio track while concurrently viewing the identifying and descriptive information stored in association therewith.

FIG. 6 illustrates programming for receiver 14 in response to user activation of the identify button 460. In FIG. 6, receiver 14 reacts in block 600 to the identify button 460 by reading from the temporary variable the audio ID representation.

At this time, receiver 14 may be displaying textually a variety of information at display/storage block 440 (FIG. 4), including radio station tuning, volume, balance, tone, paging information, or advertising information. When the user presses the identify button 460 (FIG. 4), however, the user is requesting display of identifying and descriptive information for the song currently being played. Continuing to block

602, receiver 14 displays the audio ID representation at the display/storage block 440 (FIG.4). Receiver 14 then begins capture in block 604 of the audio sample signal 450. Audio sample 450 capture continues, i.e. collection and storage of signal 450 in display/storage block 440, for a given period of time as represented by the loop at decision block 606. For example, decision block 606 may loop for 10 seconds to store a portion of the audio presentation and allow the user to later hear the stored sample. In block 608, receiver 14 pushes the audio ID in association with the segment of audio sample onto a stack data structure. In this manner, receiver 14 collects in response to user activation of the identify button a short segment of the audio portion of the radio signal 12 presentation in conjunction with identifying and descriptive information taken from the audio ID signal 218 representation. While illustrated herein as a stack data structure, it may be appreciated that a

variety of data structure and access mechanisms may be employed to store and retrieve for presentation one or several combined audio ID and sample data items.

To review audio ID information and audio samples stored in receiver 14, the user activates review button 642. FIG. 7 illustrates programming with respect to user activation of review button 462. In FIG. 7, processing begins in block 700 where receiver 14 pops from the stack data structure the audio ID information and audio

sample for presentation to the user. In block 702, controller 410 presents the audio ID portion of the data structure on the display of display/storage block 400. In block 704, receiver 14 provides a play audio signal 470 from display/storage block 440 to a digital-to-analog block 472 which in turn applies an audio signal 474 to audio block 420 for presentation on speakers 422.

Decision block 706 represents opportunity for the user of receiver 14 to pop

additional items from the stack data structure, i.e., review identifying and descriptive

information as well as listen to an audio segment of records or audio tracks previously captured by use of the identify button 460. If the user wishes to review additional items, processing returns to block 700, otherwise processing exits at

decision block 706. Thus, a record identification technique has been shown and described wherein radio stations 18 broadcast in coordination an audio track and descriptive or identifying data relative to the audio track in a combined voice and data radio signal. Receivers collect identifying and descriptive information and, in response to user activation of an identify command, store a portion of the audio segment in association with the identifying and descriptive information. The user may then later, and more conveniently, review the audio segment in conjunction with the

stored descriptive and identifying information to thereby access the identifying and descriptive information in a convenient manner. The system is considered particularly useful for receivers in vehicles where the operator may not have opportunity to write a song title or artist name while driving, but can conveniently obtain such information by simply activating an identify button of the receiver and

then later display the stored identifying and descriptive information for a particular record or audio track of interest. Thus, while a conventional FM radio provides a station tuning display, a radio receiver of the present invention provides audio track identifying and descriptive information in response to user activation of an identify button in response to hearing a particular audio track of interest.

It will be appreciated that the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment that has been described and illustrated, and that variations may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as found in the

appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A method of audio track identification comprising the steps: transmitting, in association said audio track, identifying information relative to

said audio track; receiving, at a remote location, said transmitted audio track and said identifying information; presenting audibly said audio track at said remote location;

receiving at said remote location an identify command and in response thereto storing a portion of said received audio track in association with said received identifying information; and receiving at said remote location a review command and in response thereto presenting said stored portion of said audio track with said associated identifying information.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said identifying information includes representation of at least one of an author, publisher, performer and title relative to said audio track.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said step of transmitting

comprises transmitting in given timed relation said audio track and said identifying

information.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said time relation comprises transmitting said identifying information at the onset of transmitting said audio track.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said presenting of said identifying information comprises textual presentation.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said identify and review commands is a user-issued command, the user being at said remote location.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said remote location is a location for a radio signal receiver and a user thereof.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said audio track and said identifying information are transmitted in a combined voice and data radio signal.

9. A system for audio track identification comprising: a radio signal transmission facility broadcasting a combined audio and data transmission, the audio transmission comprising a sequence of audio tracks, the

data portion comprising a corresponding sequence of identifying information relative

to said sequence of audio tracks; and a remote receiver receiving said combined audio and data transmission, said

receiver storing a segment of a user selected audio track in association with the corresponding identifying information in response to user demand.

10. A system according to claim 9 wherein said receiver presents stored audio segments and associated identifying information in response to user demand.

11. A system according to claim 9 wherein said transmission facility provides said identifying information in a subcarrier signal associated with said audio signal broadcast.

12. A system according to claim 9 wherein said remote receiver stores said audio track and said corresponding identifying information in response to user activation of a command button.

13. A record identification device comprising: a receiver providing an audio portion and a data portion of a combined audio and data radio signal transmission; a memory storage device storing each data portion received; a first user activated command button causing said receiver to store a segment of said audio portion in association with the content of said memory storage device; and

a second user activated command button causing said receiver to present an audio portion segment and associated data portion stored previously in response to said first command button.

14. A device according to claim 13 wherein said receiver is an FM radio signal receiver and said audio portion is taken from a main audio portion of an FM

radio signal transmission and said data portion is taken from a subcarrier of said FM radio signal transmission.

15. A device according to claim 13 wherein said device includes an audio presentation device and a textual display device, said audio presentation device presenting said audio segment and said textual display device presenting said data portion.