US6286063B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Microprocessor-controlled broadcast receiver embedded in an external peripheral with digital communications interface for bi-directional communication with a computer remotely located
Assignee: SOUND CHEERS Ltd
•
Filing: 1998-06-08
•
Granted: 2001-09-04
•
Expires: 2018-06-08
Abstract
Abstract A microcontroller or microprocessor-controlled broadcast receiver embedded in an external peripheral with a digital communications interface. In one embodiment, a microprocessor-controlled broadcast receiver is embedded in the housing of an external computer peripheral. The external computer peripheral is connected to a personal computer (PC) via a digital communications link such as USB (universal serial bus). Control data is relayed from the personal computer to the broadcast receiver in the external computer peripheral via the digital communications link. Audio signals received by the broadcast receiver in the external computer peripheral may also be relayed to the personal computer via the digital communications link or via an analog interface for recording storage, or manipulation by the personal computer. The broadcast receiver may also receive data signals in addition to audio signals (datacasting). The data or audio signals or both may be encrypted.
Inventors
- 👤 Brent Bolleman
- 👤 John Cotner
- 👤 David Todd
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 02:17
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04H; H04H40/00; H04H40/18; H04B; H04B1/00; H04B1/0003; H04H2201/00; H04H2201/10; H04H2201/19; H04H2201/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 60
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
A computer peripheral system comprising: a personal computer comprising: a microprocessor; and a personal computer digital control interface connected to said microprocessor; and a computer peripheral located remotely from said personal computer, said computer peripheral comprising: a housing; a peripheral digital communications interface connected to said personal computer digital control interface via a bi-directional digital communications link; a broadcast receiver circuit inside said housing; an antenna connected to said broadcast receiver circuit; and a peripheral microcontroller inside said housing connected to said peripheral digital communications interface, said peripheral microcontroller sending control signals to said broadcast receiver circuit to control said broadcast receiver circuit in response to control data received by said peripheral digital communications interface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
A computer peripheral system comprising: a personal computer comprising: a microprocessor; and a personal computer digital control interface connected to said microprocessor; and a computer peripheral located remotely from said personal computer, said computer peripheral comprising: a housing; a peripheral digital communications interface connected to said personal computer digital control interface via a bi-directional digital communications link; a broadcast receiver circuit inside said housing; an antenna connected to said broadcast receiver circuit; and a peripheral microcontroller inside said housing connected to said peripheral digital communications interface, said peripheral microcontroller sending control signals to said broadcast receiver circuit to control said broadcast receiver circuit in response to control data received by said peripheral digital communications interface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 , wherein said peripheral digital communications interface is a wireless communications interface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 , wherein said peripheral digital communications interface is a serial data interface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 3 , wherein said serial data interface is a Universal Serial Bus interface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 3 , wherein said serial data interface is an IEEE-1394 compliant interface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one speaker connected to said computer peripheral.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 6 , further comprising an audio amplifier circuit located inside said housing and connected to said speaker.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 , wherein said personal computer further comprises a data source connected to said microprocessor, said data source comprising broadcast programming information, and wherein said microprocessor communicates at least a portion of said broadcast programming information via said digital communications link to said peripheral microcontroller as said control data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 , wherein said personal computer further comprises a display and a user interface presented on said display, said microprocessor being responsive to data collected via said user interface and generating said control data in response to said data collected via said user interface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 , wherein said computer peripheral further comprises an analog buffer connected to said broadcast receiver.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 , wherein said computer peripheral further comprises an analog-to-digital converter connected to a buffer memory, said buffer memory storing audio signal samples.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 11 , wherein said control data comprises an instruction to said peripheral microcontroller to store audio signal samples generated by said analog-to-digital converter in said buffer memory.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 12 , wherein said control data comprises an instruction to the peripheral microcontroller to transfer at least a portion of the audio signal samples stored in said buffer memory through the peripheral digital communications interface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 , wherein said computer peripheral further comprises a plug-in slot.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 14 , wherein said broadcast receiver chip is mounted on a removable broadcast receiver card comprising a connector that mates with the plug-in slot.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 , wherein said computer peripheral further comprises a card slot for audio media storage.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 16 , wherein said card slot for audio media storage is an audio cassette unit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 16 , wherein said card slot for audio media storage is a minidisk unit.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 16 , wherein said card slot for audio media storage is a flash RAM card.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 , wherein said housing is the enclosure of a personal computer speaker.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 20 , wherein said antenna is located completely within the enclosure of said personal computer speaker.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 20 , wherein said antenna comprises at least one physical conductor which connects said peripheral digital communications interface to said personal computer digital control interface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 , wherein said housing is the enclosure of a personal computer keyboard.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral of claim 1 , wherein said housing is the enclosure of a personal computer pointing device.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 , wherein said housing is the enclosure of a personal computer monitor.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 wherein said broadcast receiver circuit receives broadcast signals in the VHF band.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 wherein said broadcast receiver circuit receives broadcast signals in the FM band.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 wherein said broadcast receiver circuit receives broadcast signals in the AM band.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 wherein said broadcast receiver circuit receives broadcast signals in the L band.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 wherein said broadcast receiver circuit receives broadcast signals in the S band.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 1 wherein said broadcast receiver circuit receives IBOC broadcast signals.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
53 words
A multimedia speaker system comprising: a housing; a broadcast receiver circuit inside said housing; an amplifier circuit connected to said broadcast receiver circuit; a microcontroller connected to said broadcast receiver circuit; and a digital communications interface connected to said microcontroller for two-way communications with a personal computer remote from said multimedia speaker system.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
53 words
A multimedia speaker system comprising: a housing; a broadcast receiver circuit inside said housing; an amplifier circuit connected to said broadcast receiver circuit; a microcontroller connected to said broadcast receiver circuit; and a digital communications interface connected to said microcontroller for two-way communications with a personal computer remote from said multimedia speaker system.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
19 words
The multimedia speaker system of claim 32 wherein said broadcast receiver circuit receives broadcast signals in the VHF band.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
19 words
The multimedia speaker system of claim 32 wherein said broadcast receiver circuit receives broadcast signals in the FM band.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
19 words
The multimedia speaker system of claim 32 wherein said broadcast receiver circuit receives broadcast signals in the AM band.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
19 words
The multimedia speaker system of claim 32 wherein said broadcast receiver circuit receives broadcast signals in the L band.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
19 words
The multimedia speaker system of claim 32 wherein said broadcast receiver circuit receives broadcast signals in the S band.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
16 words
The multimedia speaker system of claim 32 wherein said broadcast receiver circuit receives IBOC broadcast signals.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of controlling a multimedia speaker system that includes a broadcast receiver within said multimedia speaker system, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting, from a personal computer, control data over a bi-directional digital communications link; receiving said control data at said multimedia speaker system, said multimedia speaker system being remote from said personal computer; interpreting the programming information at said multimedia speaker system and producing broadcast receiver control signals in response; receiving at said multimedia speaker system, in response to said broadcast receiver control signals, broadcast transmissions on an antenna.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of controlling a multimedia speaker system that includes a broadcast receiver within said multimedia speaker system, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting, from a personal computer, control data over a bi-directional digital communications link; receiving said control data at said multimedia speaker system, said multimedia speaker system being remote from said personal computer; interpreting the programming information at said multimedia speaker system and producing broadcast receiver control signals in response; receiving at said multimedia speaker system, in response to said broadcast receiver control signals, broadcast transmissions on an antenna.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 39 , further comprising the steps of: transmitting, from the personal computer, control data including an instruction to store audio signal samples in an audio buffer memory samples associated with said broadcast transmissions, and storing said audio signals samples in said audio buffer memory.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of controlling a multimedia speaker system of claim 39 , wherein said broadcast transmissions are in the FM band.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of controlling a multimedia speaker system of claim 39 , wherein said broadcast transmissions are in the AM band.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of controlling a multimedia speaker system of claim 39 , wherein said broadcast transmissions are in the L band.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of controlling a multimedia speaker system of claim 39 , wherein said broadcast transmissions are in the S band.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of controlling a multimedia speaker system of claim 39 , wherein said broadcast transmissions are IBOC transmissions.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of controlling a multimedia speaker system of claim 39 , wherein said broadcast transmissions are in the VHF band.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
110 words
A computer peripheral system comprising: a personal computer comprising: a microprocessor; and a personal computer digital control interface connected to said microprocessor; and a computer peripheral located remotely from said personal computer, said computer peripheral comprising: a housing; a hybrid chip comprising: a peripheral digital communications interface connected to said personal computer digital control interface via a bi-directional digital communications link; a broadcast receiver; and a peripheral microcontroller connected to said peripheral digital communications interface, said peripheral microcontroller sending control signals to said broadcast receiver to control said broadcast receiver in response to control data received by said peripheral digital communications interface; and an antenna connected to said broadcast receiver.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
110 words
A computer peripheral system comprising: a personal computer comprising: a microprocessor; and a personal computer digital control interface connected to said microprocessor; and a computer peripheral located remotely from said personal computer, said computer peripheral comprising: a housing; a hybrid chip comprising: a peripheral digital communications interface connected to said personal computer digital control interface via a bi-directional digital communications link; a broadcast receiver; and a peripheral microcontroller connected to said peripheral digital communications interface, said peripheral microcontroller sending control signals to said broadcast receiver to control said broadcast receiver in response to control data received by said peripheral digital communications interface; and an antenna connected to said broadcast receiver.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 47 , wherein said broadcast receiver receives broadcast signals in the VHF band.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 47 , wherein said broadcast receiver receives broadcast signals in the FM band.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 47 , wherein said broadcast receiver receives broadcast signals in the AM band.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 47 , wherein said broadcast receiver receives broadcast signals in the L band.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 47 , wherein said broadcast receiver receives broadcast signals in the S band.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer peripheral system of claim 47 , wherein said broadcast receiver circuit receives broadcast signals in the IBOC band.
Claim 58
Independent Claim
43 words
A system for controlling a broadcast receiver circuit in a computer peripheral using a personal computer including: a computer peripheral including said broadcast receiver circuit; and a personal computer for controlling said broadcast receiver circuit, wherein said computer peripheral is a multimedia speaker.
Claim 59
Independent Claim
43 words
A system for controlling a broadcast receiver circuit in a computer peripheral using a personal computer including: a computer peripheral including said broadcast receiver circuit; and a personal computer for controlling said broadcast receiver circuit, wherein said computer peripheral is a multimedia speaker.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 54 wherein said computer peripheral includes an amplifier circuit connected to said broadcast receiver for amplification of audio signals received by said broadcast receiver circuit.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-09-03 | 2005-03-05 | 2005-09-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-09-03 | 2009-03-05 | 2009-09-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-09-03 | 2013-03-05 | 2013-09-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |