Method, system, and device for the distribution of internet radio content
A network-enabled audio device that provides a display device that allows the user to select playlists of music much like a jukebox is disclosed. The user can compose playlists from disk files, CD's, Internet streaming audio broadcasts, online music sites, and other audio sources. The user can also select a desired Web broadcast from a list of available Web broadcasts. In addition, the user can play standard audio CD's and MP3 encoded CD's and have access to local AM/FM stations. Further, the software, the user controls, and the display in the network-enabled audio device are operably configured and connected such that the user can listen to playlists that include CD's and other audio sources just as the user would choose a playlist in a jukebox. The user accesses a server site via a PC and the Internet. From the server site, the user obtains a list of the devices in his or her Internet Personal Audio Network (IPAN) and what songs are on those devices. The IPAN includes an IPAN server, an IPAN client, and IPAN software stored on the network-enabled audio device. Thus, the network-enabled audio device provides people who are or are not comfortable with computers a way of taking music from various sources and putting it into one place for listening pleasure. In one embodiment, the Personal Computer (PC) is used to compose the playlists, but the user is able to listen to playlists and other audio sources without using the PC.
1. A method of receiving an Internet radio broadcast selected by a radio device, comprising the steps of:
accessing an Internet radio site over a communications network, wherein the Internet radio site is communicatively coupled to one or more Internet radio broadcast stations that provide Internet radio broadcasts;
displaying in a first display mode of a display a list of Internet radio broadcast stations that are accessible by the Internet radio site and in a second display mode of the display information about a currently received Internet radio broadcast;
receiving a selection performed via a physical manipulation of a control element mounted on the radio device, wherein in the first display mode the physical manipulation scrolls through the displayed list of Internet radio broadcast stations on the display and enables selection of one of the Internet radio broadcast stations in the displayed list of Internet radio broadcast stations and in the second display mode the physical manipulation of the control element scrolls through a user-preselected subset of preferred Internet radio broadcast stations displayed on the display;
sending information identifying the selected Internet radio broadcast station to the Internet radio site; and
receiving the Internet radio broadcast provided by the selected Internet radio broadcast station.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the list of Internet radio broadcast stations from the Internet radio site over the communications network.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (e) comprises receiving a reformatted version of the Internet radio broadcast provided by the selected Internet radio broadcast station through the Internet radio site.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the reformatted version of the Internet radio broadcast is generated by the Internet radio site.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Internet radio broadcast provided by the selected Internet radio broadcast station is comprised of a broadcast comprised from the group consisting of: FM radio and AM radio.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising playing the received Internet radio broadcast provided by the selected Internet radio broadcast station after step (e).
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communications network is a network comprised from the group consisting of: the Internet, a telephone network, a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a satellite network, a cable network, a cable television network, a wireless network, and an Ethernet line based network.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the list of Internet radio broadcast stations additionally comprises a description of broadcasts provided by each of the Internet radio broadcast stations.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an address for the Internet radio site.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising establishing a connection with the Internet radio site after the step of receiving the address for the Internet radio site.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising receiving information necessary to establish a user account at the Internet radio site and communicating the information necessary to establish the user account at the Internet radio site to the Internet radio site, after the step of establishing the connection with the Internet radio site.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising receiving the list of Internet radio broadcast stations from the Internet radio site over the communications network after the user account is established.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising receiving a command to log in to the user account before performing steps (a)-(e).
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a command to log in to a user account before performing steps (a)-(e).
15. An intelligent radio device for receiving an Internet radio broadcast, comprising:
a control system, comprising:
a network interface adapted to couple the intelligent radio device to a communications network to receive the Internet radio broadcast;
at least one input device for receiving input to receive a selection for the Internet radio broadcast; and
at least one output device for playing a received Internet radio broadcast selected through the at least one input device;
at least one processor for executing software stored in memory;
wherein the control system is adapted to:
access an Internet radio site over the communications network, wherein the Internet radio site is communicatively coupled to one or more Internet radio broadcast stations that provide Internet radio broadcasts;
display in a first display mode of a display a list of Internet radio broadcast stations that are accessible by the Internet radio site on the at least one output device and in a second display mode of the display information about a currently received Internet radio broadcast;
receive a selection through the at least one input device mounted on the radio device via a physical manipulation of one of the at least one input device, wherein in the first display mode the physical manipulation scrolls through the displayed list of Internet radio broadcast stations on the display and enables selection of one of the Internet radio broadcast stations in the displayed list of Internet radio broadcast stations and in the second display mode the physical manipulation of the one of the at least one input device scrolls through a user-preselected subset of preferred Internet radio broadcast stations displayed on the display;
send information identifying the selected Internet radio broadcast station to the Internet radio site over the communications network; and
receive the Internet radio broadcast provided by the selected Internet radio broadcast station.
16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the control system is further adapted to receive the list of Internet radio broadcast stations from the Internet radio site over the communications network.
17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the control system is adapted to receive the Internet radio broadcast provided by the selected Internet radio broadcast station through the Internet radio site by receiving a reformatted version of the Internet radio broadcast provided by the selected Internet radio broadcast station through the Internet radio site.
18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the reformatted version of the Internet radio broadcast is generated by the Internet radio site.
19. The device of claim 15 , wherein the control system is further adapted to play the received Internet radio broadcast provided by the selected Internet radio broadcast station after receipt of the Internet radio broadcast provided by the selected Internet radio broadcast station through the Internet radio site.
20. The device of claim 15 , wherein the control system is further adapted to receive an address for the Internet radio site.
21. The device of claim 20 , wherein the control system is further adapted to establish a connection with the Internet radio site after receipt of the address for the Internet radio site.
22. The device of claim 21 , wherein the control system is further adapted to:
receive information necessary to establish a user account at the Internet radio site; and
communicate the information necessary to establish the user account at the Internet radio site to the Internet radio site, after the connection with the Internet radio site is established.
23. The device of claim 22 , wherein the control system is further adapted to:
receive the list of Internet radio broadcast stations from the Internet radio site over the communications network after the user account is established.
24. The device of claim 22 , wherein the control system is further adapted to:
receive a command to log in to the user account before the receipt of the selection for the Internet radio broadcast station among the list of Internet radio broadcast stations.
25. The device of claim 15 , wherein the control system is further adapted to:
receive a command to log in to a user account established before the receipt of the selection for the Internet radio broadcast station among the list of Internet radio broadcast stations.
26. The method of claim 1 wherein the control element is a tuning control.
27. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the Internet radio broadcast provided by the selected Internet radio broadcast station is through the Internet radio site.
28. The intelligent radio device of claim 15 , wherein the control system is adapted to receive the Internet radio broadcast provided by the selected Internet radio broadcast station through the Internet radio site.
29. A method of receiving an Internet radio broadcast selected at a radio device, comprising the steps of:
accessing an Internet radio site over a communications network, wherein the Internet radio site is communicatively coupled to one or more Internet radio broadcast stations that provide Internet radio broadcasts;
displaying in a first display mode of a display a list of Internet radio broadcast stations that are accessible by the Internet radio site and in a second display mode of the display information about a currently received Internet radio broadcast;
receiving a selection performed via a physical manipulation of a control element, wherein in the first display mode the physical manipulation scrolls through selects an Internet radio broadcast station among the displayed list of Internet radio broadcast stations on the display and enables selection of one of the Internet radio broadcast stations in the displayed list of Internet radio broadcast stations and in the second display mode the physical manipulation of the control element scrolls through a user-preselected subset of preferred Internet radio broadcast stations displayed on the display;
sending information identifying the selection of the selected Internet radio broadcast station to the Internet radio site;
receiving link information at the radio device from the Internet radio site;
connecting the radio device to the selected Internet radio broadcast station based on the link information; and
receiving the Internet radio broadcast provided by the selected Internet radio broadcast station.
30. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software with instructions for receiving an Internet radio broadcast selected by a radio device, the instructions configured to make the radio device:
access an Internet radio site over a communications network, wherein the Internet radio site is communicatively coupled to one or more Internet radio broadcast stations that provide Internet radio broadcasts;
display on the radio device in a first display mode of a display a list of Internet radio broadcast stations that are accessible by the Internet radio site and in a second display mode of the display information about a currently received Internet radio broadcast;
receive a selection performed via a physical manipulation of a control element mounted on the radio device, wherein in the first display mode the physical manipulation scrolls through the displayed list of Internet radio broadcast stations on the display and enables selection of one of the Internet radio broadcast stations in the displayed list of Internet radio broadcast stations and in the second display mode the physical manipulation of the one of the at least one input device scrolls through a user-preselected subset of preferred Internet radio broadcast stations displayed on the display;
send information identifying the selected Internet radio broadcast station to the Internet radio site; and
receive the Internet radio broadcast provided by the selected Internet radio broadcast station.