Personal media streaming appliance system

Abstract

A system is provided for streaming media content in a vehicle. The system includes a personal media streaming appliance system configured to connect to a media delivery system and receive media content from the media delivery system at least via a cellular network. The personal media streaming appliance system operates to transmit a media signal representative to the received media content to a vehicle media playback system so that the vehicle media playback system operates to play the media content in the vehicle.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A system for controlling media content playback by a vehicle media playback system of a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a docking device having:
 a vehicle mounting portion configured to mount the docking device to the vehicle by securely attaching the docking device to a structure of the vehicle so that the docking device remains fixed to the structure of the vehicle; 
 a coupling structure arranged opposite the vehicle mounting portion; and 
   a streaming device configured to removably engage and separate from the coupling structure of the docking device, the streaming device comprising:
 a body having a front side and an opposite rear side; 
 at least one processing device positioned inside the body; 
 at least one data storage device positioned inside the body and storing data instructions executable by the at least one processing device; 
 a manual user interface system including:
 a control knob arranged on the front side of the body; and 
 a manual input processing engine configured to detect manual user inputs received from the control knob to control playback of media content; and 
 
 a media content processing engine that operates to process the media content and transmit through a media content output interface a media content signal that is received by the vehicle media playback system for playback of the media content inside the vehicle. 
   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the streaming device further comprises:
 a display device arranged on the front side of the body and configured to display information relating to the playback of the media content.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the display device operates as a display screen only and is not capable of receiving the manual user inputs. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the display device is configured as a touch-sensitive display screen that operates as both a display screen and a user input device. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the control knob is rotatable with respect to the body of the streaming device to control playback of the media content. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the control knob has a plurality of regions on a knob face that are independently depressible to control playback of the media content. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the control knob is configured to tilt to control playback of the media content. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the control knob is configured to slide to control playback of the media content. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the manual user interface system further includes:
 preset buttons that are each depressible to control playback of the media content, each preset button being preset for association with a set of media content.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the rear side of the body of the streaming device is magnetically attracted to the coupling structure of the docking device. 
     
     
         35 . A streaming device for removably attaching to a docking device that attaches to a structure of a vehicle, the streaming device comprising:
 a body having a front side and an opposite rear side;   at least one processing device positioned inside the body;   at least one data storage device positioned inside the body and storing data instructions executable by the at least one processing device;   a manual user interface system including:
 a control knob arranged on the front side of the body; and 
 a manual input processing engine configured to detect manual user inputs received from the control knob to control playback of media content; and 
   a media content processing engine that operates to process the media content and transmit through a media content output interface a media content signal that is received by the vehicle media playback system for playback of the media content inside the vehicle.   
     
     
         36 . The streaming device of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 a display device arranged on the front side of the body and configured to display information relating to the playback of the media content.   
     
     
         37 . The streaming device of  claim 36 , wherein the display device operates as a display screen only and is not capable of receiving the manual user inputs. 
     
     
         38 . The streaming device of  claim 36 , wherein the display device is configured as a touch-sensitive display screen that operates as both a display screen and a user input device. 
     
     
         39 . The streaming device of  claim 35 , wherein the control knob is rotatable with respect to the body of the streaming device to control playback of the media content. 
     
     
         40 . The streaming device of  claim 35 , wherein the control knob has a plurality of regions on a knob face that are independently depressible to control playback of the media content. 
     
     
         41 . The streaming device of  claim 35 , wherein the control knob is configured to tilt to control playback of the media content. 
     
     
         42 . The streaming device of  claim 35 , wherein the control knob is configured to slide to control playback of the media content. 
     
     
         43 . The streaming device of  claim 35 , wherein the manual user interface system includes one or more preset buttons that are each depressible to control playback of the media content. 
     
     
         44 . The streaming device of  claim 43 , wherein each of the one or more preset buttons is preset for association with a set of media content.