Abstract:
A multimedia system which substantially integrates analog functions normally found in consumer radios (radio frequency tuner functions, volume functions), and information streams from a digital network in a single design. The system may include an Ethernet interface, central processing unit, memory, local storage device, analog to digital converter, digital to analog converter, audio output speakers, microphone, display controller, liquid crystal display panel, user interface logic, controls for tuning streams, analog and digital radio frequency tuner, and an analog storage device. The system may generate analog signals for audible reproduction. The source of audio signals may be configured in real time by the user. The hardware implementation allows for selection of broadcast radio or digital network streams such that hardware signals indicating which broadcast radio or digital stream to play from are fed to a hardware circuit which determines which stream is sent to an audio output device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present application claims priority from Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/111,790, filed Dec. 11, 1998 and incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to the field of multimedia play back systems. More particularly, this invention relates to an integration of analog functions found in radios today and the play back of media streams which broadcast over a digital network or information which exists on a digital network. This invention may be particularly suited for any audio stream which may be decoded in real time, in hardware or software. This invention may be even more particularly suited for audio streams which dominate a digital network today, including .MP3 files defined by the ISO/IEC International Standard specification for MPEG layer 3 audio and Real Networks compressed data streaming technology known as RealAudio. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Radio stations may broadcast in different analog radio frequency domains. Audio signals may be transmitted through radio frequency (RF) waves, which may come from a transmission tower. If there is no interference, or the tower is not too far from a receiver (or tuner), audio frequencies may be presented to a user via an audio speaker. Audio signals may also be broadcast in a digital fashion. Digitally encoded media packets may be transmitted by radio frequency waves, which may come from a satellite. If there is no interference, packetized data may then be decoded, converted back to analog signals, and may be presented to a user via an audio speaker. 
   Radio stations may broadcast transmissions over a digital network. General-purpose computers have been adapted to take media streams from a digital network and present them to a user. In prior art embodiments of a digital network audio broadcast, the stream may be compressed on a server, sent to those general-purpose computers which are connected to that server on a digital network, data may be sent to a user general-purpose computer, uncompressed, converted into analog information, and may be presented to an audio speaker. 
   Downloading media streams to a general-purpose computer may be accomplished by connecting to a particular digital network address. Different media streams may come from different address on a digital network. In order to obtain information from a digital network, a general-purpose computer may communicate with digital network servers to connect properly to a specific digital network site. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a Prior Art analog circuit (“radio”) which may be employed in typical radio frequency broadcast. Antenna  101  may receive radio waves from the air, and depending where tuner  106  is physically located, a particular frequency may be decoded and sent to amplifier  111  such that the information presently broadcast at that frequency may be audible over speaker  110 . The frequency decoded by the position of the tuning mechanism may be user selectable by controllable knobs  102 . 
   User interface logic  103  may then configure tuner  106 . User interface logic  103  may be physically represented by a system of pulleys, gears, or other mechanical means, or by a digital tuner interface. User interface logic  103  may control analog storage  112  to record or play back broadcast radio audio streams. User interface logic  103  may control alarm  105  to notify the user when a specific time has been reached. Notification may be in the form of a fixed frequency audible tone, or enabling the output of tuner  106 . User interface logic  103  may interact with time keeper  113  such that functions such as alarm  105  may be triggered at the correct user configurable time. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a Prior Art general-purpose computer hardware. Circuits which represent mouse and keyboard interface logic and hardware  210 , central processing unit  215 , system memory  214 , bus arbitration and memory arbitration logic  213 , display controllers  208 , display devices  207 , and audio decoders  202  with speakers  206  are considered prior art and typical of computer designs. 
   The purpose of the hardware of the general-purpose computer of  FIG. 2  in terms of audio play back may be enhanced by the addition of digital network interface card  200 , which may be used to present media streams from a digital network. Central Processing Unit (CPU)  215  may be used to decode data received over system bus  216  from digital network interface card  200 . Uncompressed digital representations of data may be sent to CRT/LCD controller  208  for presentation to the user on display device  207 . Uncompressed digital representations of audio data may be sent by CPU  215  over system bus  216  to audio DAC/ADC  202  for presentation to the user on speaker  206 . 
   The function of the general-purpose computer of  FIG. 2  in terms of audio play back may be enhanced by the addition of specialized analog radio frequency tuner and decoder  201 . Control software may communicate over system bus  216  to digitally  5  manipulate and tune a specialized analog radio frequency tuner and decoder  201 . Analog audio input may be encoded by audio DAC/ADC  202  once received from microphone/input  217 . 
   CPU  215  may also incorporate a method of keeping time. Synchronization of this method may be done by querying a time server connected to the digital network interface card  200 . The time keeping method may also incorporate time events. These events may start play back of either a user selected digital information stream, locally stored information stream, broadcast radio, or locally stored analog media. The events may also trigger storage of user selected digital streams either simultaneously or sequentially, and/or broadcast radio. 
     FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of how software may execute on a general-purpose computer configured with digital network interface card  200  and specialized analog radio frequency tuner and decoder  201 .  FIG. 3  illustrates how a general-purpose computer may interact with a network and generalized server computer which provides media streams over a network, and how data may be sent from a general-purpose computer to be broadcast over a digital network. Control software  301  through  309  control various stages of how a user may enter keystrokes or click a mouse to enable a particular piece of a general-purpose computer to play analog and digital media streams. 
   The General-purpose computer described in  FIG. 3  may also decode digitally encoded media packets which may be transmitted by radio frequency waves. In order to configure the system to play back this digital radio media stream, functional blocks may have a dual purpose. Radio frequency broadcast to analog transducer software control  307  may enable specialized radio frequency tuner and decoder  201  previous described in  FIG. 2  to also decode media packets before sending it to audio DAC/ADC  202  for presentation to the user. 
   Broadcast radios described in  FIG. 1  may not be connected to a digital network and may not have the capability to play back digital media streams from a digital network. Broadcast radio receivers may not have the capability of digitally broadcasting media streams over a digital network. Broadcast radio receivers may have the capability to record analog media to a storage device, such as a cassette tape. Broadcast radios receivers may not have the capability to record digital media from a digital network. This may render a broadcast radio receiver useless for gathering information from a digital network or sending it to a digital network. 
   General-purpose computers may play back digital media streams from a network or connection to a digital network. General-purpose computers may play back analog radio frequency signals much like an analog radio with a specialized computer card which digitally tunes frequencies. General-purpose computers may also decode digitally encoded media packets which may be transmitted by radio frequency waves. General-purpose computers may have media stream inputs which may be encoded and broadcast over a digital network. 
   General-purpose computers may have the ability to record media streams from a digital network or a radio frequency source. General-purpose computers may require a general-purpose user interface such as keyboard or mouse which may be used to configure analog radios with digital interfaces and digital network addresses for digital network media streams. General-purpose computers may be configured through a variety of software functions which may rely upon general-purpose user interfaces such as a keyboard or a mouse. General-purpose computers may have any one of these functions added by different manufacturers. Configuration and use may take multiple windows and user interactions to create the desired effect. General-purpose computers may not have an integrated control mechanism which may be manipulated for broadcast radio frequencies, digital network address tuning, volume control, recording enable, digital network broadcast enable, time event selection, secure transaction selection, user preference enable, and stream purchase/rental selection. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention includes an apparatus for controlling the play back of radio frequency broadcast as well as controlling the play back of digital media streams from a digital network. These functions may be substantially integrated into a single design circuit as described in a general-purpose computer, but has the scale and design of a small appliance, such as a radio, or a consumer electronics stereo receiver and tuner. The device is configured for digital and analog broadcast streams not in the fashion which general-purpose computers have, but in a similar manner as the described analog radio in  FIG. 1 . 
   A first embodiment of the present invention comprises a hardware circuit which may tune broadcast radio frequency broadcasts and media streams broadcast over a digital network at different addresses. The tuning mechanism of the present invention may be embodied by, but not limited to, a tuning knob or a series of buttons which when pushed, select digital network addressing selections and disable analog radio frequency tuning. The tuning mechanism of the present invention may be embodied, but not limited to, a small network appliance such as a clock radio. It may also be embodied by and integrated stereo system tuner device or receiver commonly found in consumer stereo equipment. 
   A second embodiment of the present invention comprises a hardware circuit to select either radio frequencies (which may be analog amplitudes or digital packets of media information) or digital network addresses for media stream play back. Such a hardware circuit may be used in conjunction with the first embodiment of the present invention and may be thought of as a tuning selector. 
   A third embodiment of the present invention comprises a hardware circuit which substantially integrates recording, storing, and playing back either a broadcast radio frequency (which may be analog amplitudes or digital packets of media information) or digital media stream broadcast over a digital network. Such an embodiment may be used in conjunction with the first and second embodiments of the present invention and may be thought of as a recording selector. 
   A fourth embodiment of the present invention comprises a hardware circuit (in conjunction with a substantially integrated circuit described in the first, second, and third embodiments of present invention) to record analog input signals and broadcast such signals over a digital network. 
   A fifth embodiment of the present invention comprises a hardware circuit (in conjunction with a substantially integrated circuit described in the first, second, third, and fourth embodiments of present invention) to record or play back at selected times a selection of analog or digital streams. 
   A sixth embodiment of the present invention tunes broadcast radio frequencies while tuning multiple digital streams with different digital network addresses at the same time. This sixth embodiment allows simultaneous broadcast radio frequencies and digital information to be presented to the user. 
   A seventh embodiment of the present invention comprises a substantially integrated system comprised of a radio and a general-purpose computer. The substantially integrated system of the seventh embodiment has all of the functions of a general-purpose computer except that it does not have a general-purpose computer interface. The interface of the seventh embodiment of the present invention emulates an analog radio (which may be able to decode media packets of information broadcast on analog radio, also known as digital radio) with a display and tuning circuits similar to that found on radios, but extended to include digital network address selection as a means for different media streams to be played. 
   An eighth embodiment of the present invention enables software on the substantially integrated appliance, software running on a server in the network, and software running on a network access device to work in conjunction with each other for network appliance configuration purposes. This eighth embodiment enables the use of identifier keys on the appliance to determine which configuration stored on a network server is associated with a substantially integrated appliance. 
   A ninth embodiment of the present invention enables software on a network access device to retrieve playlists from one configuration space, and an associated appliance, and inject that playlist onto the configuration of another device. This ninth embodiment allows users of to take lists of streaming media locations on the network and share them with other integrated appliances. 
   A tenth embodiment of the present invention enables software running on an integrated appliance to retrieve information from a network server which provides extra information on the digital and analog media rendered by the integrated appliance. This tenth embodiment provides a user extra information about the media stream obtained from a digital network or an analog receiver. Extra information may include station type or class of media being played, which artist has generated the media content, the name of the content, and/or data to help a user decide how to purchase items related to the media streams on a digital network. 
   An eleventh embodiment of the present invention enables software running on an integrated appliance to retrieve information from a network server which provides extra graphical information relating to the selected media stream. Analog and digital streams may both have graphical information. Graphical information may include icons to help a user distinguish what media streams may be selected. 
   A twelfth embodiment of the present invention enables software running on an integrated appliance to retrieve information from a network server to determine the look and feel of all information presented to a user. This twelfth embodiment allows the user to select which “skin” the integrated appliance has. Skins may be thought of a series of bitmaps, fonts, and user presentable objects that all share a common theme. 
   A thirteenth embodiment of the present invention enables application software running on a configuration server to understand where in the digital network packets are coming from. This allows application software running on a configuration sever to decipher what time zone the appliance is physically located. This gives the configuration management system the ability to set the current time and time zone of the integrated appliance. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a prior art embodiment of an analog alarm clock or clock radio hardware circuit. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a prior art embodiment of a general-purpose personal computer hardware circuit. 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a prior art block diagram of a personal computer software system which uses a general-purpose personal computer hardware circuit to decode analog and radio frequency audio sources. 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention illustrating a Substantially Integrated Digital Network and Broadcast Radio Apparatus. 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention illustrating a Substantially Integrated Digital Network and Broadcast Radio Apparatus. 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram of yet another embodiment of the present invention illustrating a Substantially Integrated Digital Network and Broadcast Radio Method. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In prior art  FIG. 1 , radio signals from an analog transmission source may be received from broadcast through the air by the antennae  101 . The signal which is deciphered may be selected by user controllable knob  102 . As knobs  102  are adjusted for tuning, a system of pulleys may be used to physically adjust tuner  106 , thus changing radio stations. User interface logic  103  may interact with user interface knobs  102  to control alarm functions, present time, time setting and may contain other analog functions. 
   User interface logic  103  may send signals to  104  to enable an alarm  105 , or it may send control signals to select the enabling of radio play back tuner  106 . Block  107  may send either or both of these signals to an amplifier circuit  111 , which in turn may send signals to a speaker  110 , enabling a user to hear the tuned station selected by tuner  106 . 
   User interface logic  103  may have a clock and may also have an LED interface  108  so that the present time may be displayed on LED display  109 . User interface logic  103  may use the clock to compare with time keeper  113 . If internal state information such as when an alarm should go off, and user interface logic  103  gets a signal from time keeper  113 , it may switch state to enable a timed alarm event. 
   Knobs  102  may also attenuate the volume level of the broadcast. User interface logic  103  may interact with knobs  102  to set the attenuation level of amplifier circuit  111 . User interface logic  103  may interact with knobs  102  to select the recording of or play back from analog storage device  112 . 
   In prior art  FIG. 2 , a personal computer CPU  215  may decode information from digital network with digital network interface card  200 . As data is streamed over digital network interface card  200 , the data may be temporarily stored in memory  214 . At the same time all peripherals on system bus  216  may interact with CPU  215  through core logic  213 . Software may be controlled through mouse and keyboard interface logic  210 . 
   Data streamed over a digital network may be saved before or after CPU  215  has decoded this information on local storage device  209 . Media images may be transferred over system bus  216  and decoded by CRT/LCD controller  208 , which presents physical images on display device  207 . 
   As audio data travels over system bus  216  to be decoded by CPU  215 , it may be sent back over system bus  216  while core logic  213  arbitrates access to CPU  215  and arbitrates access to memory  214  with peripherals  210 ,  209 ,  208 ,  202 , and  200 . Decoded audio  5  data may be sent to audio DAC/ADC  202  for presentation to the user. Audio device  202  may convert digital representations of sound to analog amplifier  205 , which in turn may send signals to speaker  206  for presentation of sound to a user. 
   The generalized personal computer of  FIG. 2  may also have a specialized analog radio frequency tuner and decoder  201  built onto the same computer card as audio device  202 . It may have specialized digital interfaces for software control allowing digital software to control functions, resulting in sending digital data to audio DAC/ADC  202  for presentation of sounds to speaker  206 . 
   Analog audio signals may be input into the system by microphone/input  217 . The attenuation of these analog audio signals may be controlled by analog amplifier  218  before being sent to audio DAC/ADC  202 . Analog signals may be converted to digital data in audio DAC/ADC  202  and sent to CPU  215  over system bus  216 . CPU  215  may encode or compress the digital data and enable the data to be sent over system bus  216  to digital network interface card  200 . Such a configuration allows a general-purpose computer, with the appropriate control and encoding software to broadcast an audio media stream over a digital network. 
   In prior art  FIG. 3 , a collection of system software is described which may run on a personal computer described in  FIG. 2 , which may be configured to control different functions of the machine. Stream Server  300  may send bit streams over a network. The network may comprise the internet, a home area network, local area network, a wireless network, or the like. Software stream client  301  may decode such a stream and send it to local stream storage control software  302 . 
   Local Stream storage control software  302  may then store media streams information on a local storage device  209  referred to in  FIG. 2 . The software may then be configured through a stored or live stream selector  303  to determine the source of information which moves the stream to analog software transducer  304 . If a local storage device is selected, it may obtain such information from local storage device  209  described in  FIG. 2 . 
   As data moves out of stream to analog software transducer  304  it may be stored in local storage device  209 . Radio Frequency broadcast to analog transducer software control  307  may control a specialized analog radio frequency tuner and decoder  201  described in  FIG. 2 . Software Stream Selector  306  may control the source of audio which is sent to audio device  202  described in  FIG. 2 . These sources may include software stream client  301  from a network, local storage device  209  described in  FIG. 2 , or a specialized analog radio frequency tuner and decoder  201  described in  FIG. 2 . 
   Once signals have been homogeneously transformed to analog signals in audio DAC/ADC  202  described in  FIG. 2 , signals may be sent to analog amplifier  205  described in  FIG. 2 , which in turn may send signals to speaker  206  describe in  FIG. 2  for presentation of sound to a user. The design may be converted into an integrated digital media broadcast system by input control software  308  disabling output functions of audio DAC/ADC  202  described in  FIG. 2  and enabling input functions. 
   In such a system configuration, microphone/input  217  described in  FIG. 2  may send data to analog amplifier  205  described in  FIG. 2 , which in turn sends data to audio DAC/ADC  202  also described in  FIG. 2 . Input control software  308  may then transfer data to encoding control software and user interface  309 . The data may then be compressed and manipulated for transfer from software stream client  301  over a network domain to stream server  300 . At that point, data may be broadcast over a digital network. 
   Software security features selector  310  may used to ensure that stream play back or stream purchasing is done in such a manner that no one else may either deliver unauthorized streams or appropriate a user identity. Time event and time shifting selector software  311  may determine stream/audio play back, or recording at specific times from time keeper  113  previously described in  FIG. 1 . 
   User Preferences software  312  may record user selections to determine user preferences. These preferences may be used to gather desirability of particular streams and may include user selections for time shifting or time based events. The desirability of a particular stream may be of interest to advertisers. Alternatively, user preferences may be used by stream server  300  to automatically determine other streams that may be of interest to the user, and present them. The prior art is described as “cookies” used by Internet (Web) browsers and servers. 
     FIG. 4  is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating how an integrated design allows digital media streams from a digital network and broadcast radio frequencies to be controlled from the same hardware circuit. The embodiment also details how the same design stores or plays back from storage, broadcast radio frequencies or digital media streams from the previously mentioned hardware control circuit. The embodiment of  FIG. 4  also details how the same design may be a digital network broadcasting platform, again from the same integrated hardware control circuit. 
   To play back streams from a digital network, user interface buttons/knobs  413  may be configured to enable user interface  414  to send the appropriate control signals over control bus  405 . These control signals may allow Ethernet interface  401  to interact with a digital network such that digital media streams are being placed onto control bus  405 . Data may be transferred from Ethernet interface  401 , over control bus  405  to CPU/memory  402 . 
   If the media stream is visual in nature, the data may be uncompressed and transformed such that it may be placed on control bus  405  and readied for presentation to display controller  412 . If the media stream is an audio stream, the data will be uncompressed and transformed by CPU/memory  402  such that it is ready for presentation to audio DAC/ADC  404  over control bus  405 . Once data is transformed by audio DAC/ADC  404  it is presented to analog amplifier  410  which may control volume of the output signals which are in turn presented to speaker  409 . 
   To play back broadcast radio frequencies from the airwaves, user interface buttons/knobs  413  may be configured to enable user interface  414  to send the appropriate control signals over control bus  405 . These control signals may allow data to be sent to analog bus  406  for presentation of data to audio DAC/ADC  404  by radio frequency to audio  415 . Radio frequency to audio  415  may contain the ability to decipher digital radio data packets, convert them to analog data and move this data over analog bus  406  for presentation to audio DAC/ADC  404 . 
   Signals may be boosted by analog amplifier  410  before they reach speaker  409  for presentation to the user. Radio frequency to audio  415  may include an antenna to receive analog signals or analog signals containing digital packet information. 
   To record broadcast radio frequencies, user interface buttons/knobs  413  may be configured to enable user interface  414  to send the appropriate control signals over control bus  405 . These control signals may allow broadcast radio frequency signals to be sent from radio frequency to Audio  415  over analog bus  406 . In this configuration, data may be sent to local analog storage (tape, CD)  416  which may transfer each signal onto a medium which may be used to play back the same signals at a later time. 
   To play back a previously recorded analog stream of signals, user interface buttons/knobs  413  may be configured such that data is obtained from a local storage device (tape, CD)  416  and placed onto analog bus  406 . Data may then be presented to audio DAC/ADC  404  for presentation to the user over speaker  409 . 
   To record digital media streams, user interface buttons/knobs  413  may be configured to enable user interface  414  to send the appropriate control signals over control bus  405 . These control signals may allow Ethernet interface  401  to send data over control bus  405 . These control signals may allow CPU/memory  402  to not decompress the data, but to send it back over control bus  405  and store the media stream on local digital storage (hard disk, flash ROM)  403 . 
   To play back a previously recorded digital media streams of data, user interface buttons/knobs  413  may be configured such that data is obtained from a local digital storage device (hard disk, flash ROM)  403  and placed onto control bus  405 . Data may then be presented to audio DAC/ADC  404  for presentation to the user over speaker  409 . 
   To broadcast a digital media stream over a digital network, user interface buttons/knobs  413  may be configured to enable user interface  414  to send the appropriate control signals over control bus  405 . These control signals may allow analog data to be input into the system by microphone/input  408 . The amplitude of these signals may be modified by analog amplifier  407  before being converted to digital data in audio DAC/ADC  404 . 
   The resulting digital data may be placed on control bus  405  such that CPU/memory  402  may modify and compress the data before sending it back over control bus  405  to Ethernet interface  401 . Once data has been sent to Ethernet interface  401 , the media may be presented to a digital network so that other Substantially Integrated Digital Network and Broadcast Radio Method and Apparatus may decode it and play it back. 
   To enable play back or recording of radio broadcast frequencies or storage of a digital stream, user interface buttons/knobs  413  may be configured to enable user interface  414  to send appropriate control signals over control bus  405 . These control signals may allow time keeping  416  to set up an event which may allow for the recording or play back of a broadcast radio or digital streams. Event setup information may include which source to record or play back, the broadcast radio station to tune to, the digital stream or streams to be recorded or played back, the local stream or streams to play back, the local analog storage location to play from, selection of a fixed frequency sound to play back or which time or times to enable the event. 
   Time keeping  416  may compare the present time with the stored event times, and when a match is detected, the associated event actions may be enabled. Time keeping  416  may also synchronize with a time server connected to the network, via Ethernet interface  401  to obtain the local time. Alternatively, user interface logic  413  and user interface  414  may used to set the local time. 
     FIG. 5  is a block diagram of the system described in  FIG. 4 , illustrating how control may be applied in a substantially integrated design, and specifically how the individual control settings interact with one another in different configurations. 
   Broadcast Configuration 
   The system may be configured by control mechanism  511  to broadcast digital streams from digitally encoded stream client  502  to digitally encoded stream server  501  over a digital network. Broadcast enable  517  may be set by the user. This may allow control mechanism  511  to be configured to enable broadcasting. If it is enabled for broadcasting, digitally encoded stream client  502  may become the stream server, and digitally encoded stream server  501  may become both a client and a server to other clients in the digital network. Analog information may be sent from an external device, or from local storage  506 , to microphone/input  519 . These signals may, in turn, be amplified by analog amplifier  518 . 
   Stored/“Live” selector MUX  504  may be set by the user to select between the output of analog amplifier  518  (“Live”) and local stream storage  503  (Stored). The resultant information stream may be then modified by digitally encoded stream client  502 . Once data is prepared or compressed, it may be broadcast over a digital network by being sent to digitally encode stream server  501 . 
   When broadcast enable control switch  517  is enabled other switches may or may not be valid or have different meanings. When broadcast enable control switch  517  is enabled, for example, analog amplitude selection  512  may be defined as the input attenuation control for analog amplification  518  and analog amplitude selection  509  may have no meaning. Similarly, when broadcast enable control switch  517  is enabled, server stream selection  513  may be defined as the digital network address to stream the data to and radio frequency selection  514  may have no meaning. In this state, the physical position of RF/stream selection  515  may have no meaning. In addition, when broadcast enable control switch  517  is enabled, record RF/stream enable  516 , time events selection  521 , and security features  522  may all have no meaning. 
   Record Configuration 
   The system may be configured by control mechanism  511  to record digital streams from digitally encoded stream server  501 . The system may be configured by control mechanism  511  to record analog or digitally encoded media packet streams from radio frequency broadcast to analog transducer  507 . If record RF/stream enable  516  is set by the user to the RF position, the system may record the present station selected by Radio Frequency selection  514 . If digital RF/analog RF/stored/“live” selector MUX  508  is placed in the digital RF position, digital packet data which is transmitted over analog radio waves may be decoded and converted to analog signals by radio frequency broadcast to analog transducer  507 . 
   Otherwise, radio frequency broadcast to analog transducer  507  may not decode digital packet information and may tune analog signals directly. Such data may be sent to audio DAC/ADC  404  previously described in  FIG. 4  from a built in antenna in radio frequency broadcast to analog transducer  507 . The data may then be stored on local analog storage  506 . If record RF/stream enable  516  is set by the user to the stream position, the system may record the station selected by server stream selection  513 . This data may be compressed by CPU/memory  402  previously described in  FIG. 4  and sent to local stream storage  503 . 
   The system may have the capability to record a digital network or broadcast radio stream while decoding and presenting to the user a different stream. The system may have the capability to record a broadcast radio frequency or digital network stream while watching or hearing that stream being presented to the user by the device. 
   When record RF/stream enable  517  is turned on by the user other switches may or may not be valid or have different meanings. In this state analog amplitude selection  512  may control the attenuation of the present play back stream. The present play back stream may be configured by the setting of server stream selection  513  if RF/stream selection  515  is set to stream. The present play back stream may be configured by the setting of radio frequency selection  514  if RF/stream selection  515  is set to RF. It may be an invalid configuration to have record RF/stream enable  516  in the RF or stream position while Stored/“Live” selector  520  is placed in the stored position. It may be invalid to have broadcast enable  517  to be set to the enable position while record RF/stream enable  516  is enabled by the user. Controls  521 ,  522 , and  523  may be independent controls. 
   Play Back Configuration 
   The system may be configured by control mechanism  511  to play back digital streams from digitally encoded stream server  501  or local stream storage  503 . Stored/“Live” selector  520  may be configured in the stored position. Digital data may be taken from local stream storage  503 , sent to stream to analog transducer  505 , sent to analog amplification  509  and presented to Electro-mechanical analog transducer  510  for presentation to the user or display controller  412  previously described in  FIG. 4  if the media stream is visual in nature. 
   Stored/“Live” selector  520  may be configured in the live position. Digital data may come from a particular digital network address selected by server stream selection  513 . Data may be decoded by digitally encoded stream client  502  and readied for stream to analog transducer  505  to play back the media stream to electromechanical analog transducer  510  or display controller  412  previously described in  FIG. 4  if the media stream is visual in nature. 
   The system may be configured by control mechanism  511  to play back analog frequencies (or digital media packets that are transported on top of analog frequencies, based on the position of digital RF/analog RF/stored/“live” selector MUX  508 ) from radio frequency broadcast to analog transducer  507  or local analog storage  506 . Stored/“Live” selector  520  may be configured in the stored position. 
   Analog data may then be taken from local analog storage  506 , sent to analog amplification  509  and presented to Electro-mechanical analog transducer  510  for presentation to the user. Stored/“Live” selector  520  may be configured in the live position. Analog data may come from a particular tuned broadcast radio frequency selected by radio frequency selection  514 . Data may be readied for analog amplification  509  to play back the analog signals to electromechanical analog transducer  510 . 
   When RF/stream selection  515  is enabled for play back other switches may or may not be valid or have different meanings. For example, when RF/stream selection  515  is enabled for play back, analog amplitude selection  512  may be defined as the output attenuation control for analog amplification  509 . In addition, when RF/stream selection  515  is enabled for play back, analog amplitude selection  518 , may have no meaning and server stream selection  513  may have no meaning, or be defined as the digital network address to get media streams from. 
   Similarly, when RF/stream selection  515  is enabled for play back, radio frequency selection  514  may have no meaning, or may select what radio frequency to have the system play back and record RF/stream enable  516  and broadcast enable  517  may have no meaning. In this state, Stored/“Live” selector  520  may determine if a live broadcast radio or digital network stream get used verses a previously recorded broadcast radio or digital network stream. Controls  521 ,  522 , and  523  may be independent controls. 
   Event Configuration 
   Time event selector  521  may control time keeping  524  to store multiple event states with associated event times. When time event selector  521  is enabled, other switches may or may not be valid or have different meanings. In this state, switches  520 ,  512 ,  517 ,  513 ,  514 ,  516 ,  515 ,  522 ,  523 , may not have immediate effect, but may be used to define an event state along with a time selected by time events selection  521 . This event state may be stored in time keeping block  524 . 
   When time keeping block  524  detects that the time defined by an event has occurred, the event state may be enabled, and switches  520 ,  512 ,  517 ,  513 ,  514 ,  516 ,  515 ,  522 ,  523  may assume the state defined by the event state. For the duration of the time event defined by  521 , switches  520 ,  512 ,  517 ,  513 ,  514 ,  516 ,  515 ,  522 ,  523  may not accept user input. 
   Security 
   Security features selector  522  may allow/disallow control mechanism  511  to store/broadcast streams as described above, or it may allow entry of user identification/security codes/credit card/electronic cash equivalents. Such information may allow the user to purchase/rent/use information streams broadcast by vendors. The information streams may be broadcast in a secure fashion, which may prevent unauthorized use of the stream. 
   Control mechanism  511 , with the security information entered previously, may decode/decrypt the information stream, when receiving said stream. Alternatively, when broadcasting an information stream, control mechanism  511  may encode/encrypt the information stream, utilizing the previously entered security information. 
   User Preferences 
   User preferences selector  523  may allow/disallow control mechanism  511  to automatically select information streams/broadcast radio stations, based on user defined criteria not limited to musical type, news source, time of day, geographical location, other user recommendations, or cost. This stream type preference information may be transmitted to information servers for purposes not limited to gathering access statistics, advertising, billing. 
   Further user preference information may allow/disallow transmittal of the stream type preference information. Further user preference information may control other aspects of the control mechanism  511 , not limited to display brightness, and updating of control mechanism  511  programming (if any). 
   User preferences  523  may use digitally encoded stream client  502  to communicate over the digital network to a specialized network address to determine what digital media streams are to be selectable by the previously described tuning methodology. Once this configuration is completed, control mechanism  511  may interact with display controller  412  previously described in  FIG. 4  to select different digital stations. 
   User preference selection may be embodied, but not limited to, a series of user buttons on the network appliance. In addition, user preference selection may be embodied, but not limited to, a series of icons on LCD panel  411  previously described in  FIG. 4 . User preference selection may also be embodied, but not limited to, a rolling set of digital network addresses viewable on LCD panel  411  previously described in  FIG. 4 . 
     FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating how an appliance using the integrated tuner described in  FIGS. 4 and 5  may be configured using other components of a digital network. Specifically,  FIG. 6  illustrates how the appliance, a network server storing all configuration information, and an application running on a network access device use the digital network to manipulate the appliance from any node in the network.  FIG. 6  may be further described as networked configuration management methodology. 
   To allow network appliance  601  to be configured through digital network  604 , a user may employ network access device  606  which in turn may obtain information from configuration server  605 . Application software residing on network access device  606  may use standardized software protocols. In this fashion, software running on network access device  606  may not need specific understanding of configuration software found on configuration server  605 , allowing a user to view software applications that exist on configuration server  605  without any special modifications from network access device  606 . 
   Network access device  606  may change and modify the configuration of network appliance  601  and save it back to configuration server  605 , allowing a user to modify the configuration of network appliance from any generic network access device connected to digital network  604 . 
   Network appliance  601  may also retrieve configuration information. Specifically, application software  603  may use digital network  604  to communicate to configuration server  605 . More specifically, application software  603  may use identifier key  602  to get a particular configuration from configuration server  605 . 
   Network appliance  601  may display the current time to a user. Networked configuration management may be employed to retrieve the current time from configuration server  605  when network appliance  601  is first turned on. This may relieve a user of network appliance  601  from having to set the current time. 
   Application software running on configuration server  605  may look at packets of information coming into it and figure out what network address of digital network  604  is making requests. Application software running on configuration server  605  may be able to decipher what time zone is associated with that network address such that a user need not indicate what time zone they are in. This may further relieve a user from having to decipher what the current time is. 
   Network appliance  601  may display different media streams to a user. Application software  603  may use digital network  604  to retrieve those media streams and what media streams it should pick as there may be more choices than the network appliance is rendering for a user. 
   Application software  603  may use digital network  604  to retrieve network addresses of pre-selected media streaming sources. This configuration information may be stored on configuration server  605 , allowing network appliance  601  to retrieve media streams from other network servers which may be connected to digital network  604 . Network addresses of pre-selected media may be associated with knobs and buttons described in  FIG. 4 . 
   Application software running on configuration server  605  may figure out what the network addresses for which streaming media on network appliance  601  is “most listened to”. Based on those usage patterns, configuration server  605  may store lists of network addresses which mimic similar streaming media content. Network appliance  601  may be placed into a mode where it allows the network configuration management system to suggest and render digital media streams. Network appliance  601  may do the same for analog broadcasts. 
   Application software  603  may have the ability to allow a user to indicate a particular media stream should be saved to a list. This list may be stored on configuration server  605 , allowing a user to save a list of network locations of streaming media. This may also allow a user to save a list of analog broadcasts. 
   Application software running on configuration server  605  may allow the sharing of lists. Lists may be generated by a user of network appliance  601  or the networked configuration management system. Network access device  606  may be used to take a list associated with one particular network appliance  601  identified by identifier key  602  and insert it into a list of another network appliance  601  connected to digital network  604  that has a different identifier key  602 . Sharing of lists may be accomplished by updating the lists of target network appliances  601  within configuration server  605 . 
   The networked configuration management system may be used to select how data is presented to a user on networked appliance  601 . Configuration server  605  may contain different themes of how data is to be displayed on network appliance  601 . The network configuration management system may allow any network access device  606  to determine what theme should be displayed. Theme data may include what type of font is used to display information. Theme display may include what kind of background is used when displaying information and/or the layout of the user interface for all data to be displayed. 
   The networked configuration management system may be used to select how data is presented to a user on networked appliance  601 . Configuration server  605  may contain different icons associated with network addresses that stream data which may be saved to a list within the user appliance. Configuration server  605  may contain different icons associated with analog broadcast addresses, allowing network appliance  601  to better help a user to distinguish what analog or digital media stream to choose. The icon may give specific logo information of different media content locations in the analog and digital spectrum. 
   Application software  603  may use identifier key  602  and the networked configuration management system to retrieve data from configuration server  605  to indicate to the user more information about the media content that is being rendered. Media content information may include what type or classification the media being rendered belongs to. Media content information may include what artist is responsible for creating the content. Media content information may include what the name of the content is. Media content information may include other information helpful to a user. The networked configuration management system may enable a user to make purchases of content based on media content information that may be displayed to the user. 
   While the preferred embodiment and various alternative embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it may be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.