Selection of alternate sources for audio broadcast signals responsive to embedded source identification information

Abstract

An apparatus, program product, and method utilize embedded source identity information within an audio broadcast signal to facilitate the reception of the audio broadcast signal from an alternate source. Such embedded information may be used, for example, to facilitate the automated selection of an alternate source of an audio broadcast signal, e.g., in response to poor reception of the primary source of the audio broadcast signal, so that a listener is less likely to miss any portion of an audio broadcast. In one particular implementation, an audio broadcast signal is a radio signal broadcast by a radio station, whereby suitable alternate sources might include another radio station that broadcasts the audio broadcast signal over a different frequency, a transmission device accessible over a telephone network, or a transmission device accessible over a computer network such as the Internet.

1 . A method of receiving an audio broadcast, the method comprising: 
 receiving an audio broadcast signal from a first source;    detecting a source identifier in the audio broadcast signal that identifies an alternate source for the audio broadcast signal, wherein the alternate source transmits the audio broadcast signal via a medium other than that of the first source; and    receiving the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source identified by the source identifier.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source identified by the source identifier is performed using the detected source identifier.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first source comprises a local radio station.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alternate source comprises a local radio station.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the source identifier comprises a telephone number, and wherein receiving the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source comprises: 
 dialing the telephone number on a cellular network; and    receiving the audio broadcast signal over the cellular network.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the source identifier comprises a network address identifier that identifies a storage location on a computer network that broadcasts the audio broadcast signal, and wherein receiving the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source comprises connecting to the storage location on the computer network to receive the audio broadcast signal.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the network address identifier comprises a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), and wherein receiving the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source further comprises: 
 dialing a telephone number of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) on a cellular network; and    sending the URL to the ISP over the cellular network.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting weak reception of the audio broadcast signal from the first source, wherein receiving the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source is performed responsive to detecting the weak reception.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein detecting weak reception further comprises detecting lost reception of the audio broadcast signal from the first source, whereby receiving the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source is performed responsive to detecting the lost reception.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 detecting strong reception of the audio broadcast signal from the first source during reception of the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source; and    discontinuing reception of the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source responsive to detecting the strong reception.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 playing back the audio broadcast signal received from the first source; and    after detecting the source identifier, discontinuing playback of the audio broadcast signal from the first source and playing back the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source identified by the source identifier.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein discontinuing playback of the audio broadcast signal from the first source and playing back the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source identified by the source identifier is performed automatically.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a receiver configured to receive an audio broadcast signal from a first source; and    a controller coupled to the receiver and configured to detect a source identifier in the audio broadcast signal that identifies an alternate source for the audio broadcast signal, the controller further configured to initiate reception of the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source identified by the source identifier, wherein the alternate source transmits the audio broadcast signal via a medium other than that of the first source.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source identified by the source identifier using the detected source identifier.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first source comprises a local radio station.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the alternate source comprises a local radio station.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a cellular transceiver coupled to the controller, wherein the source identifier comprises a telephone number, and wherein the controller is configured to initiate reception of the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source by controlling the cellular transceiver to dial the telephone number on a cellular network, and receiving the audio broadcast signal over the cellular network.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the source identifier comprises a network address identifier that identifies a storage location on a computer network that broadcasts the audio broadcast signal, and wherein the controller is configured to initiate reception of the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source by connecting to the storage location on the computer network to receive the audio broadcast signal.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising a cellular transceiver coupled to the controller, wherein the network address identifier comprises a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), and wherein the controller is configured to initiate reception of the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source further by dialing a telephone number of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) on a cellular network, and sending the URL to the ISP over the cellular network.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to detect weak reception of the audio broadcast signal by the receiver, and to initiate reception of the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source responsive to detecting the weak reception.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the controller is further configured to detect strong reception of the audio broadcast signal from the first source during reception of the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source, and to discontinue reception of the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source responsive to detecting the strong reception.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to initiate playback of the audio broadcast signal received from the first source, and, after detecting the source identifier, to discontinue playback of the audio broadcast signal from the first source and initiate playback of the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source identified by the source identifier.  
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the controller is configured to discontinue playback of the audio broadcast signal from the first source and initiate playback of the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source identified by the source identifier automatically.  
   
   
       24 . A program product, comprising: 
 a program for a controller coupled to a receiver capable of receiving an audio broadcast signal from a first source, the program configured to detect a source identifier in the audio broadcast signal that identifies an alternate source for the audio broadcast signal, and to initiate reception of the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source identified by the source identifier, wherein the alternate source transmits the audio broadcast signal via a medium other than that of the first source; and    a signal bearing medium bearing the program.    
   
   
       25 . A method of transmitting an audio signal, the method comprising: 
 embedding a source identifier within an audio signal configured for transmission by a first source, wherein the source identifier identifies an alternate source for the audio signal, wherein the alternate source transmits the audio broadcast signal via a medium other than that of the first source; and    with the first source, broadcasting the audio signal with the source identifier embedded therein.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the audio signal comprises a digital radio data stream, and wherein the source identifier comprises a packet embedded within the digital radio data stream.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the source identifier comprises a telephone number, the method further comprising transmitting the audio signal over a telephone network.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the source identifier comprises a network address identifier that identifies a storage location on a computer network, the method further comprising transmitting the audio signal over the computer network.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first source comprises a local radio station.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the alternate source comprises a local radio station.  
   
   
       31 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a controller configured to embed a source identifier within an audio signal, the source identifier identifying an alternate source for the audio signal; and    a transmitter configured to broadcast the audio signal with the source identifier embedded therein, wherein the alternate source transmits the audio broadcast signal via a medium other than that of the transmitter.    
   
   
       32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the transmitter comprises a digital radio transmitter that transmits the audio signal as a digital radio data stream, and wherein the source identifier comprises a packet embedded within the digital radio data stream.  
   
   
       33 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the source identifier comprises a telephone number, the apparatus further comprising a modem configured to transmit the audio signal over a telephone network.  
   
   
       34 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the source identifier comprises a network address identifier that identifies a storage location on a computer network, the apparatus further comprising a server configured to transmit the audio signal over the computer network.  
   
   
       35 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the transmitter broadcasts a local radio broadcast signal.  
   
   
       36 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the alternate source comprises a local radio station.  
   
   
       37 . A method of receiving an audio broadcast, the method comprising: 
 receiving an audio broadcast signal from a first source;    playing back the audio broadcast signal received from the first source;    detecting a source identifier in the audio broadcast signal that identifies an alternate source for the audio broadcast signal, wherein the alternate source transmits the audio broadcast signal via a different medium from that of the first source;    receiving the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source identified by the source identifier; and    discontinuing playback of the audio broadcast signal from the first source and playing back the audio broadcast signal from the alternate source identified by the source identifier    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the first source comprises a local radio station.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the second source comprises a local radio station.