Providing alternative programming on a radio in response to user input
View Patent ↗A method of and apparatus for allowing a user using a communications device to interact with first media material that is broadcast on a first broadcast channel by a first broadcast media source and second media material that is broadcast on a second broadcast channel by a second broadcast media source, the first media material and the second media material include a first media item and a second media item, respectively, the first media item and the second media item are associated with a first representation of the first media item and a representation of the second media item, respectively, that are received and presented by a broadcast reception device while the broadcast reception device is tuned to a third broadcast channel. The method includes maintaining in a temporary storage an item identifier, the item identifier identifies one of a first media item-related information and a second media item-related information. Additionally, when the broadcast reception device is tuned to the third broadcast channel and presents the first representation of the first media item, the method includes providing the item identifier as a basis for identifying the first media item-related information, the first media item-related information is a basis for a response to an interactivity activation made in reaction to presentation of the first representation of the first media item by the broadcast reception device. When the broadcast reception device is tuned to the third broadcast channel and presents the first representation of the second media item, the method includes providing the item identifier as a basis for identifying the second media item-related information, the second media item-related information is a basis for a response to an interactivity activation made in reaction to presentation of the representation of the second media item by the broadcast reception device.
1. A method for substituting a first item of programming with alternative programming, comprising:
receiving the first item of programming at a radio, wherein the first item of programming is received in a wireless manner from a wide area radio broadcast provider;
presenting the first item of programming on a first radio station of the radio, wherein the first radio station of the radio corresponds to the wide area radio broadcast provider;
receiving user input requesting alternative programming, wherein the user input does not comprise changing to a different radio station of the radio;
presenting the alternative programming on the radio instead of the first item of programming in response to said receiving user input; and
after said presenting the alternative programming on the radio instead of the first item of programming, automatically receiving and presenting a second item of programming received from the wide area radio broadcast provider on the first radio station.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said receiving user input comprises receiving user input selecting a substitute key of the radio.
3. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein said receiving user input is received using a remote interface device in communication with the radio.
4. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein said presenting the alternative programming comprises providing the alternative programming from a digital media source in communication with the radio.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing minimum time spacing constraints; and
determining the alternative programming based on the minimum time spacing constraints, wherein the minimum time spacing constraints are used to prevent items recently heard from being heard again in a certain period of time.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said receiving user input requesting the alternative programming comprises receiving user input skipping the first item of programming, and wherein the alternative programming comprises a next item of programming.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alternative programming is determined by the wide area radio broadcast provider.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alternative programming has a length of time that is close to the length of time of the first item of programming.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first item of programming from the wide area radio broadcast provider comprises an advertisement.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the alternative programming comprises a different advertisement.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alternative programming comprises one or more songs.
12. A system, comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) antenna configured to receive radio signals from one or more wide area radio broadcast providers;
a memory storing one or more audio files;
an input for receiving user input to control operation of the system;
an output for providing audio signals to one or more speakers; and
processing logic coupled to the RF antenna, the memory, the input, and the output, wherein the processing logic is configured to:
process the radio signals from a first wide area radio broadcast provider to provide radio audio signals to the output, wherein the radio audio signals correspond to a first item of programming;
in response to user input to the input requesting substitution of the first item of programming, process a first audio file of the one or more audio files to provide audio file audio signals to the output, wherein the audio file audio signals correspond to an alternative item of programming; and
after said processing the first audio file, automatically process the radio signals from the first wide area radio broadcast provider to provide second radio audio signals to the output, wherein the second radio audio signals correspond to a second item of programming.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the input comprises a substitute key, and wherein the user input requesting substitution of the first item of programming comprises the user pressing the substitute key.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the input comprises a remote interface device, and wherein the user input requesting substitution for the first item of programming comprises the user using the remote interface device.
15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the alternative item of programming has a length of time that is less than the length of time of the first item of programming.
16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the alternative item of programming meets repetition constraints, wherein the repetition constraints prevent exceeding a maximum number of repetitions for a substitute item in a certain period of time.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first item of programming comprises an advertisement.
18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first item of programming comprises a song.
19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the alternative item of programming comprises an advertisement.
20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the alternative item of programming comprises a song.
21. A method for substituting a first item of programming with alternative programming, comprising:
presenting the first item of programming, wherein the first item of programming is received in a wireless manner from a wide area radio broadcast provider;
receiving user input requesting alternative programming, wherein the user input does not comprise changing to a different radio station;
presenting the alternative programming instead of the first item of programming in response to said receiving user input; and
after said presenting the alternative programming instead of the first item of programming, automatically presenting a second item of programming received from the wide area radio broadcast provider.