Vehicle internet radio interface

Abstract

The invention provides a internet radio interface for use in vehicles. The interface allows a device unit, with wireless capability and voice interface technology, to communicate with a vehicle, mobile phone, and portal in order to manage and upload various user preferences to the device unit as set out by the user prior to getting into the vehicle. The device unit interacts with the user to permit various functions and access preferable channels as well as managing secondary functions of the user, including cell phone communications.

1 . An in-vehicle communication system comprising:
 a control unit in a vehicle;   at least one profile; and   access to a data network, the control unit accessing media content over the data network, the control unit accessing the at least one profile to control access to information over the data network.   
     
     
         2 . The in-vehicle communication system of  claim 1  wherein the control unit further accesses email and presents email as text-to-speech. 
     
     
         3 . The in-vehicle communication system of  claim 2  wherein the control unit prioritizes the email and the information from the data network based upon the profile. 
     
     
         4 . The in-vehicle communication system of  claim 1  wherein the control unit selects the information over the data network based upon the profile. 
     
     
         5 . The in-vehicle communication system of  claim 4  wherein the profile indicates to the control unit to select the information over the data network based upon vehicle speed. 
     
     
         6 . The in-vehicle communication system of  claim 4  wherein the profile indicates to the control unit to select the information over the data network based upon weather. 
     
     
         7 . The in-vehicle communication system of  claim 4  wherein the information includes audio transmitted over the internet. 
     
     
         8 . The in-vehicle communication system of  claim 7  wherein the profile indicates to the control unit to select the audio based upon whether there is more than one person in the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The in-vehicle communication system of  claim 1  wherein the control unit determines a geographic location of the control unit and wherein the information accessed over the data network is based upon the location of the control unit. 
     
     
         10 . The in-vehicle communication system of  claim 9  wherein the information accessed over the data network includes audio and wherein the information includes advertisements, and wherein the advertisements are selected and presented based upon the location of the control unit. 
     
     
         11 . A method for providing information in a vehicle including the steps of:
 accessing a user profile;   accessing data over a wide area network from a vehicle based upon the profile; and   presenting the data in the vehicle based upon the profile.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further including the step of presenting email as text-to-speech. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein further including the step of prioritizing the email and the data from the data network based upon the profile. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further including the step of selecting the data over the data network based upon the profile. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further including the step of selecting the data over the data network based upon an indication in the profile regarding vehicle speed and based upon vehicle speed. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the data includes audio transmitted over the wide area network. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the profile indicates a selection of audio based upon whether there is more than one person in the vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  further including the steps of determining a geographic location and selecting data over the wide area network based upon the geographic location. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  further including the steps of determining the presence of more than one user and presenting data to each of the users based upon profiles of each of the users. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11  further including the steps of requesting a specific audio file over the wide area network based upon the profile, receiving the specific audio file over the wide area network and presenting the specific audio file to the user. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 11  further including the step of prioritizing a phone call versus presenting the data over the wide are network as indicated in the profile. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the data is buffered during handling of the phone call.