Patent Document

TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to vehicle infotainment systems, and more particularly, to systems and methods of providing radio station genre categorization features. 
     BACKGROUND 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,403,755 generally discloses a monitoring receiver that accepts program preferences from an operator. When active, the receiver automatically monitors alternate frequencies for programming that matches the program preferences, alerts the operator when a match is found, and may switch to a preferred program. 
     U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0059535 generally discloses a receiver such as in an automobile and/or wireless communication device that is configured for a method of playing of live and recorded multimedia content. A desired genre of content is first defined. Both recorded and live content of that desired genre is identified and assembled into a playlist. Live content that is near a beginning of its being played can be rotated to a top of the playlist. In this way, live content, which a user may not have heard is given a priority of recorded content of the user. Since a start time of live content typically will not coincide with an end time of recorded content being played, the receiver can fade-in and fade-out to a the live content or buffer it for delayed play. 
     U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0028128 generally discloses an accessory device, such as a mobile telematics unit, that captures tags for user desired media content items from a content broadcast, such as a digital radio broadcast or television broadcast. Each tag provides one or more parameters for identification of a song or other audio selection. The accessory device sends each tag over a mobile communications network air interface, with an identifier of an account of a mobile communications network subscriber. A server receives such tag transmissions and compiles a list of one or more tags directly from the accessory device, for the subscriber on the identified mobile service account. In some situations, the server generates a playlist from the stored list of tags and communicates at least a portion of the playlist to a personal media device, upon access by the personal media device to the subscriber&#39;s account. 
     SUMMARY 
     In a first illustrative embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes receiving a request from a user to locate a radio station similar to a radio station currently providing content in a predefined genre to a radio receiver; accessing stored genre information compiled from a radio station scan to locate a second radio station providing content in the genre; and tuning the radio receiver to the second radio station. 
     In a second illustrative embodiment, a system includes at least one controller configured to receive a request from a user to locate a radio station similar to a radio station currently providing content in a predefined genre to a radio receiver; access stored genre information compiled from a radio station scan to locate a second radio station providing content in the genre; and tune the radio receiver to the second radio station. 
     In a third illustrative embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions configured to cause at least one controller to receive a request from a user to locate a radio station similar to a radio station currently providing content in a predefined genre to a radio receiver; access stored genre information compiled from a radio station scan to locate a second radio station providing content in the genre; and tune the radio receiver to the second radio station. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exemplary block topology of a vehicle infotainment system implementing a user-interactive vehicle information display system; 
         FIG. 2  is an exemplary block topology of an example system for integrating one or more nomadic devices with an infotainment system; 
         FIG. 3A  illustrates an exemplary user interface for selection of a genre of radio station; 
         FIG. 3B  illustrates an exemplary user interface for selection of a radio station within a selected genre; 
         FIG. 3C  illustrates an exemplary user interface of a radio application tuned to a radio station and including a find similar feature; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary process for gathering radio genre information; and 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary process for selection of radio stations utilizing genre-related features. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the embodiments. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. Various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particular applications or implementations. 
     The embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide for a plurality of circuits or other electrical devices. All references to the circuits and other electrical devices and the functionality provided by each, are not intended to be limited to encompassing only what is illustrated and described herein. While particular labels may be assigned to the various circuits or other electrical devices disclosed, such labels are not intended to limit the scope of operation for the circuits and the other electrical devices. Such circuits and other electrical devices may be combined with each other and/or separated in any manner based on the particular type of electrical implementation that is desired. It is recognized that any circuit or other electrical device disclosed herein may include any number of microprocessors, integrated circuits, memory devices (e.g., FLASH, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), electrically programmable read only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), or other suitable variants thereof) and software which co-act with one another to perform operation(s) disclosed herein. In addition, any one or more of the electric devices may be configured to execute a computer-program that is embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium that is programmed to perform any number of the functions as disclosed. 
     A user may not know what content is being provided by a radio station until the user tunes a radio receiver to that station. Moreover, once the radio receiver is tuned to a station, it may be difficult for the user to determine more generally what genre of content is typically provided by that station. 
     Radio data system (RDS) is a communications protocol standard for embedding small amounts of digital information in conventional FM radio broadcasts, and standardizes several types of information transmitted, including time, station identification and program information. A vehicle system may scan the FM frequency band to retrieve RDS data transmitted by local FM stations. Based on the received RDS data, the vehicle system may compile a listing of genres and stations within each genre. This information may be maintained by the vehicle system, and utilized in the radio user interface to support additional genre-related station browsing features. 
     As one example, the vehicle user interface may include a feature to allow for browsing of radio stations according to genre. The user interface may provide a listing of genres based on the RDS data for a user to select. When selected, the user interface may further provide a listing of the stations within the selected genre for the user to select. As another example, the user interface may provide a find similar user interface element to allow a user to tune to another radio station indicated as being within the same genre as the currently tuned radio station. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example block topology for a vehicle based computing system  1  (VCS) for a vehicle  31 . An example of such a vehicle-based computing system  1  is the SYNC system manufactured by THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. A vehicle enabled with a vehicle-based computing system may contain a visual front end interface  4  located in the vehicle. The user may also be able to interact with the interface if it is provided, for example, with a touch sensitive screen. In another illustrative embodiment, the interaction occurs through, button presses, spoken dialog system with automatic speech recognition and speech synthesis. 
     In the illustrative embodiment 1 shown in  FIG. 1 , a processor  3  controls at least some portion of the operation of the vehicle-based computing system. Provided within the vehicle, the processor allows onboard processing of commands and routines. Further, the processor is connected to both non-persistent  5  and persistent storage  7 . In this illustrative embodiment, the non-persistent storage is random access memory (RAM) and the persistent storage is a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory. In general, persistent (non-transitory) memory can include all forms of memory that maintain data when a computer or other device is powered down. These include, but are not limited to, HDDs, CDs, DVDs, magnetic tapes, solid state drives, portable USB drives and any other suitable form of persistent memory. 
     The processor is also provided with a number of different inputs allowing the user to interface with the processor. In this illustrative embodiment, a microphone  29 , an auxiliary input  25  (for input  33 ), a USB input  23 , a GPS input  24 , screen  4 , which may be a touchscreen display, and a BLUETOOTH input  15  are all provided. An input selector  51  is also provided, to allow a user to swap between various inputs. Input to both the microphone and the auxiliary connector is converted from analog to digital by a converter  27  before being passed to the processor. Although not shown, numerous of the vehicle components and auxiliary components in communication with the VCS may use a vehicle network (such as, but not limited to, a CAN bus) to pass data to and from the VCS (or components thereof). 
     Outputs to the system can include, but are not limited to, a visual display  4  and a speaker  13  or stereo system output. The speaker is connected to an amplifier  11  and receives its signal from the processor  3  through a digital-to-analog converter  9 . Output can also be made to a remote BLUETOOTH device such as PND  54  or a USB device such as vehicle navigation device  60  along the bi-directional data streams shown at  19  and  21  respectively. 
     In one illustrative embodiment, the system  1  uses the BLUETOOTH transceiver  15  to communicate  17  with a user&#39;s nomadic device  53  (e.g., cell phone, smart phone, PDA, or any other device having wireless remote network connectivity). The nomadic device can then be used to communicate  59  with a network  61  outside the vehicle  31  through, for example, communication  55  with a cellular tower  57 . In some embodiments, tower  57  may be a WiFi access point. 
     Exemplary communication between the nomadic device and the BLUETOOTH transceiver is represented by signal  14 . 
     Pairing a nomadic device  53  and the BLUETOOTH transceiver  15  can be instructed through a button  52  or similar input. Accordingly, the CPU is instructed that the onboard BLUETOOTH transceiver will be paired with a BLUETOOTH transceiver in a nomadic device. 
     Data may be communicated between CPU  3  and network  61  utilizing, for example, a data-plan, data over voice, or DTMF tones associated with nomadic device  53 . Alternatively, it may be desirable to include an onboard modem  63  having antenna  18  in order to communicate  16  data between CPU  3  and network  61  over the voice band. The nomadic device  53  can then be used to communicate  59  with a network  61  outside the vehicle  31  through, for example, communication  55  with a cellular tower  57 . In some embodiments, the modem  63  may establish communication  20  with the tower  57  for communicating with network  61 . As a non-limiting example, modem  63  may be a USB cellular modem and communication  20  may be cellular communication. 
     In one illustrative embodiment, the processor is provided with an operating system including an API to communicate with modem application software. The modem application software may access an embedded module or firmware on the BLUETOOTH transceiver to complete wireless communication with a remote BLUETOOTH transceiver (such as that found in a nomadic device). Bluetooth is a subset of the IEEE 802 PAN (personal area network) protocols. IEEE 802 LAN (local area network) protocols include WiFi and have considerable cross-functionality with IEEE 802 PAN. Both are suitable for wireless communication within a vehicle. Another communication means that can be used in this realm is free-space optical communication (such as IrDA) and non-standardized consumer IR protocols. 
     In another embodiment, nomadic device  53  includes a modem for voice band or broadband data communication. In the data-over-voice embodiment, a technique known as frequency division multiplexing may be implemented when the owner of the nomadic device can talk over the device while data is being transferred. At other times, when the owner is not using the device, the data transfer can use the whole bandwidth (300 Hz to 3.4 kHz in one example). While frequency division multiplexing may be common for analog cellular communication between the vehicle and the internet, and is still used, it has been largely replaced by hybrids of Code Domain Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Domain Multiple Access (TDMA), Space-Domain Multiple Access (SDMA) for digital cellular communication. These are all ITU IMT-2000 (3G) compliant standards and offer data rates up to 2 mbs for stationary or walking users and 385 kbs for users in a moving vehicle. 3G standards are now being replaced by IMT-Advanced (4G) which offers 100 mbs for users in a vehicle and 1 gbs for stationary users. If the user has a data-plan associated with the nomadic device, it is possible that the data-plan allows for broad-band transmission and the system could use a much wider bandwidth (speeding up data transfer). In still another embodiment, nomadic device  53  is replaced with a cellular communication device (not shown) that is installed to vehicle  31 . In yet another embodiment, the ND  53  may be a wireless local area network (LAN) device capable of communication over, for example (and without limitation), an 802.11g network (i.e., WiFi) or a WiMax network. 
     In one embodiment, incoming data can be passed through the nomadic device via a data-over-voice or data-plan, through the onboard BLUETOOTH transceiver and into the vehicle&#39;s internal processor  3 . In the case of certain temporary data, for example, the data can be stored on the HDD or other storage media  7  until such time as the data is no longer needed. 
     Additional sources that may interface with the vehicle include a personal navigation device  54 , having, for example, a USB connection  56  and/or an antenna  58 , a vehicle navigation device  60  having a USB  62  or other connection, an onboard GPS device  24 , or remote navigation system (not shown) having connectivity to network  61 . USB is one of a class of serial networking protocols. IEEE 1394 (FireWire™ (Apple), i.LINK™ (Sony), and Lynx™ (Texas Instruments)), EIA (Electronics Industry Association) serial protocols, IEEE 1284 (Centronics Port), S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format) and USB-IF (USB Implementers Forum) form the backbone of the device-device serial standards. Most of the protocols can be implemented for either electrical or optical communication. 
     Further, the CPU could be in communication with a variety of other auxiliary devices  65 . These devices can be connected through a wireless  67  or wired  69  connection. Auxiliary device  65  may include, but are not limited to, personal media players, wireless health devices, portable computers, and the like. 
     Also, or alternatively, the CPU could be connected to a vehicle based wireless router  73 , using for example a WiFi (IEEE 803.11)  71  transceiver. This could allow the CPU to connect to remote networks in range of the local router  73 . 
     In addition to having exemplary processes executed by a vehicle computing system located in a vehicle, in certain embodiments, the exemplary processes may be executed by a computing system in communication with a vehicle computing system. Such a system may include, but is not limited to, a wireless device (e.g., and without limitation, a mobile phone) or a remote computing system (e.g., and without limitation, a server) connected through the wireless device. Collectively, such systems may be referred to as vehicle associated computing systems (VACS). In certain embodiments particular components of the VACS may perform particular portions of a process depending on the particular implementation of the system. By way of example and not limitation, if a process has a step of sending or receiving information with a paired wireless device, then it is likely that the wireless device is not performing the process, since the wireless device would not “send and receive” information with itself. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand when it is inappropriate to apply a particular VACS to a given solution. In all solutions, it is contemplated that at least the vehicle computing system (VCS) located within the vehicle itself is capable of performing the exemplary processes. 
       FIG. 2  is an exemplary block topology of a system for integrating one or more connected devices with the vehicle based computing system  1  (VCS). To facilitate the integration, the CPU  3  may include a device integration framework  101  configured to provide various services to the connected devices. These services may include transport routing of messages between the connected devices and the CPU  3 , global notification services to allow connected devices to provide alerts to the user, application launch and management facilities to allow for unified access to applications executed by the CPU  3  and those executed by the connected devices, and point of interest location and management services for various possible vehicle  31  destinations. 
     As mentioned above, the CPU  3  of the VCS  1  may be configured to interface with one or more nomadic devices  53  of various types. The nomadic device  53  may further include a device integration client component  103  to allow the nomadic device  53  to take advantage of the services provided by the device integration framework  101 . Applications executed by the nomadic device  53  may accordingly utilize the device integration client component  103  to interact with the CPU  3  via the device integration framework  101 . As one example, a music player application on the nomadic device  31  may interact with the CPU  3  to provide streaming music through the speaker  13  or stereo system output of the VCS  1 . As another example, a navigation application on the nomadic device  31  may interact with the CPU  3  to provide turn-by-turn directions for display on the screen  4  of the VCS  1 . 
     The multiport connector hub  102  may be used to interface between the CPU  3  and additional types of connected devices other than the nomadic devices  53 . The multiport connector hub  102  may communicate with the CPU  3  over various buses and protocols, such as via USB, and may further communicate with the connected devices using various other connection buses and protocols, such as Serial Peripheral Interface Bus (SPI), Inter-integrated circuit (I2C), and/or Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART). The multiport connector hub  102  may further perform communication protocol translation and interworking services between the protocols used by the connected devices and the protocol used between the multiport connector hub  102  and the CPU  3 . The connected devices may include, as some non-limiting examples, a radar detector  104 , a global position receiver device  106 , and a storage device  108 . 
     A VCS  1  may include one or more receivers configured to receive audio content. For example, the VCS  1  may include an FM radio receiver configured to receive frequency-modulated radio transmissions from radio stations broadcasting within the frequency band of 87.5 to 108.0 MHz. In addition to receiving audio content, the VCS  1  may be further configured to receive metadata regarding the radio stations providing the audio content. For example, the VCS  1  may be configured to scan the FM frequency band to retrieve RDS data transmitted by the radio stations. 
     The metadata may include, for example, station identification (e.g., via the RDS data program identification (PI) or program service (PS) data elements) and genre information indicative of the types of audio content provided by the radio station (e.g., via the RDS data program type (PTY) data element). These genres may include, as some non-limiting examples: news, information, sports, talk, rock, classic rock, adult hits, soft rock, top 40, country, oldies, soft, nostalgia, jazz, classical, rhythm and blues, soft rhythm and blues, language, religion music, religious talk, personality, public, college, Spanish talk, Spanish music, hip hop, unassigned, weather, emergency test or emergency. The metadata may also include information regarding the specifics of the audio content currently being provided, such as the song, artist, or radio show currently being broadcast (e.g., via the RDS data radio text (RT) data element). 
     In some cases, a system may utilize a single radio receiver. In such cases, the metadata content may be received using the same receiver used to receive the audio content. In other cases, a system may include multiple receivers. As one possibility, the VCS  1  may include a first receiver to receive the audio content, and a second receiver to scan the available stations for genre information. The second receiver may be implemented, for example, as a module connected to the VCS  1  via the multiport connector hub  102 . As another possibility, the VCS  1  may utilize multiple receivers for metadata retrieval to increase the speed of the scanning of available stations (e.g., both an internal receiver not currently being used to receive audio content and also a receiver module connected via the hub  102 ). 
     Based on the received audio metadata data, the VCS  1  may compile a listing of genres and stations within each genre. Continuing to use RDS as an example, each station may be associated with a genre corresponding to the PTY code received during the FM frequency scan. The genre information compiled based on the station scan may be maintained by the VCS  1 . 
     The VCS  1  may determine whether to rescan the radio stations for updated metadata based on various triggers. As one possibility, the VCS  1  may be configured to initiate a station scan when radio functionality of the VCS  1  is invoked. As another possibility, the VCS  1  may be configured to initiate a station scan if there is no currently cached station metadata information, or if the currently cached station metadata information is older than a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 24 hours old, 30 days old, etc.). As yet a further possibility, the VCS  1  may be configured to maintain an indication of a geographic location of the vehicle  31  when the scan was last performed (e.g. using the GPS input  24 ), and may initiate a station scan if the vehicle has moved at least a threshold distance from the geographic location of when a scan was last performed (e.g., 25 miles, 50 miles, etc.). 
     Using the genre information, the VCS  1  may be configured to provide additional genre-related station browsing features in the radio user interface. These additional features may include a user interface for browsing radio stations by genre, as well as a user interface for finding a radio station playing content in the same genre as the radio station to which the VCS  1  is currently tuned. 
       FIG. 3A  illustrates an exemplary user interface  300 -A for selection of a genre of radio station. The user interface  300 -A may be displayed, for example, on a display screen  4  of the VCS  1 . Based on the compiled genre information, the user interface  300 -A may be configured to present a listing of genre user interface elements  302  that correspond to the available genres of radio station. The user interface  300 -A may also include or update a label  304  to indicate to the user that the current user interface  300 -A facilities selection of a genre of radio station. In the exemplary user interface, the genre user interface elements  302  include a sports genre element  302 -A, an adult hits genre element  302 -B, a top 40 genre element  302 -C, a country genre element  302 -D, a rhythm and blues genre element  302 -E, a public radio genre element  302 -F, an emergency information genre element  302 -G, and an unknown genre element  302 -H (e.g., for those stations for which a genre was specified as unknown, was not specified, or otherwise could not be identified). While the user interface  300 -A includes eight genre elements  302 -A through genre element  302 -H, it should be noted that based on the compiled genre information, more, fewer, or different genre elements  302  may be included in the user interface  300 -A. 
     The genre user interface elements  302  may be selectable by a user to allow the user to choose from stations in the selected radio station genre. For example, selection of the sports genre element  302 -A may cause the VCS  1  to present a listing of available sports stations, and selection of the rhythm and blues genre element  302 -E may cause the VCS  1  to present a listing of available rhythm and blues stations. 
     As illustrated, only genre user interface elements  302  for which stations exist may be appear in the user interface  300 -A. In other cases, the user interface  300 -A may include genre user interface elements  302  for various possible genres, regardless of whether any radio stations are associated with the genre. In such cases, the genre user interface elements  302  corresponding to genres in which no stations are present may be included in the user interface  300 -A but in a disabled form, such that they may not cause the VCS  1  to present a listing of available stations within the genre. Or, upon selection the user interface  300 -A may provide a notification message indicating that no stations are presently available within the selected genre. 
       FIG. 3B  illustrates an exemplary user interface  300 -B for selection of a radio station within a selected genre. The user interface  300 -B may be configured to present a listing of radio station user interface elements  306  that are included in the genre corresponding to a genre element  302  selected from the user interface  300 -A. The user interface  300 -B may also be configured to include or update a label  304  in the user interface  300 -B to be indicative of the selected genre. 
     For example, the user interface  300 -B may be provided upon receipt of user selection of the rhythm and blues genre element  302 -E from the user interface  300 -A. The VCS  1  may identify based on the compiled genre information that the stations 97.9 FM, 103.5 FM, and 104.3 FM fall within the rhythm and blues genre. Accordingly, the VCA  1  may include a radio station user interface element  306 -A corresponding to 97.9 FM, a radio station user interface element  306 -B corresponding to 103.5 FM, and a radio station user interface element  306 -C corresponding to 104.3 FM. 
     The radio station user interface elements  306  may be selectable by a user to allow the user to choose to listen to the selected radio station. For example, selection of the radio station user interface element  306 -A may cause the VCS  1  to tune the radio to 97.9 FM, and selection of the radio station user interface element  306 -C may cause the VCS  1  to tune the radio to 104.3 FM. 
       FIG. 3C  illustrates an exemplary user interface  300 -C of a radio application tuned to a radio station and including a find similar feature  310 . The user interface  300 -C may be configured to present details of the currently-tuned radio station in one or more radio information interface elements  308 . The information included in the elements  308  may include, for example, an indication of the currently tuned radio station, information regarding the genre of the radio station, and information regarding the content presently being provided by the station such as song, artist, radio show, etc. (e.g., determined according to retrieved RDS data, as one example). The user interface  300 -C may also be configured to include or update a label  304  in the user interface  300 -C to indicate that the user interface  300 -C represents information regarding the currently tuned radio station. 
     The user interface  300 -C may be provided based on selection of a radio station user interface element  306  from the user interface  300 -B. For example, the user interface  300 -C may be provided upon receipt of user selection of the radio station user interface element  306 -C associated with 104.3 FM from the user interface  300 -B. 
     It should also be noted that the user interface  300 -C may be displayed in situations other than resulting from user selection of the radio station user interface element  306 -C. For example, if only one radio station is included in a genre, then selection of a genre user interface element  302  form the user interface  300 -A for that genre may result in the VCS  1  providing the user interface  300 -C for that radio station, without requiring the user to select the only available choice from the user interface  300 -B. 
     The user interface  300 -C may be displayed based on other user interface flows as well. As some possibilities, the user interface  300 -C may be displayed in response to a user selecting a radio station preset, in response to the user seeking or scanning to the radio station, or in response to the user utilizing a direct tune feature to direct the radio to the radio station. 
     Moreover, the user interface  300 -C may also include a find similar user interface element  310 . The find similar user interface element  310  may be configured to allow a user to easily tune to another radio station in the same genre as the currently tuned radio station. Upon receipt of user selection of the find similar user interface element  310 , the VCS  1  may identify a similar station based on the compiled genre information, and may tune the radio to the identified similar radio station. 
     For example, as mentioned above with respect to the user interface  300 -B, in the illustrated example the genre information includes two other stations in the same genre as the currently tuned radio station (i.e., 97.9 FM and 104.3 FM are also in the rhythm and blues genre along with 104.3 FM). Thus, the VCS  1  may be tune the radio to either 97.9 FM or 104.3 FM. As one possibility, the VCS  1  may select the next station in frequency order. For instance, if the radio is tuned to 103.5 FM, then selecting the find similar user interface element  310  may tune the radio to 104.3 FM, selecting the find similar user interface element  310  again may tune the radio to 97.9 FM, and selecting the find similar user interface element  310  again may tune the radio back to 103.5 FM. 
     A user may accordingly use the find similar user interface element  310  to cycle through the available programming within a particular genre of music, without having to know which radio stations play content in what genre. Moreover, the user may be able to automatically browse content in an unfamiliar city, also without having to know which stations play what genres of content. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary process for gathering radio genre information. As one possibility, the process  400  may be implemented using software code contained within the VCS  1 . In other embodiments, the process  400  may be implemented in other vehicle controllers, or distributed amongst multiple vehicle controllers. 
     At decision point  402 , the VCS  1  determines whether to capture updated genre information. For example, the VCS  1  may be configured to initiate a station scan when radio functionality of the VCS  1  is invoked, or when radio functionality requiring genre information is invoked. As another possibility, the VCS  1  may be configured to initiate a station scan if there is no currently cached station metadata information, or if the currently cached station metadata information is older than a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 24 hours old, 30 days old, etc.). As yet a further possibility, the VCS  1  may be configured to maintain an indication of a geographic location of the vehicle  31  when the scan was last performed, and may initiate a station scan if the vehicle has moved at least a threshold distance from the geographic location of when a scan was last performed (e.g., 25 miles, 50 miles, etc.). If the VCS  1  determines that updated genre information should be captures, control passes to block  404 . Otherwise, control remains at decision point  402 . 
     At block  404 , the VCS  1  performs a scan for genre information. For example, the VCS  1  may be configured to utilize one or more radio receivers to scan the FM frequency band to retrieve RDS data transmitted by the radio stations. The metadata may include, for example, station identification (e.g., via the RDS data program identification (PI) or program service (PS) data elements) and genre information indicative of the types of audio content provided by the radio station (e.g., via the RDS data program type (PTY) data element). These genres may include, as some non-limiting examples: news, information, sports, talk, rock, classic rock, adult huts, soft rock, top 40, country, oldies, soft, nostalgia, jazz, classical, rhythm and blues, soft rhythm and blues, language, religion music, religious talk, personality, public, college, Spanish talk, Spanish music, hip hop, unassigned, weather, emergency test or emergency. The metadata may also include information regarding the specifics of the audio content currently being provided, such as the song, artist, or radio show currently being broadcast (e.g., via the RDS data radio text (RT) data element). 
     At block  406 , the VCS  1  compiles the genre information. For example, based on the received audio metadata data, the VCS  1  may compile a listing of genres and stations within each genre. Continuing to use RDS as an example, each station may be associated with a genre corresponding to the PTY code received during the FM frequency scan. 
     At block  408 , the VCS  1  caches the compiled genre information. The compiled genre information may accordingly be maintained by the vehicle system, and utilized in the radio user interface to support additional genre-related station browsing features. Using the genre information, the VCS  1  may be configured to provide additional genre-related station browsing features in the radio user interface. These additional features may include, as some examples, a user interface for browsing radio stations by genre, as well as a user interface for finding a radio station playing content in the same genre as the radio station to which the VCS  1  is currently tuned. After block  408 , control passes to decision point  402 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary process for selection of radio stations utilizing genre-related features. As with the process  400 , the process  500  may be implemented using software code contained within the VCS  1 . In other embodiments, the process  500  may be implemented in other vehicle controllers, or distributed amongst multiple vehicle controllers. 
     At decision point  502 , the VCS  1  determines whether the user wishes to select a radio station by genre. For example, the user may select an element from a radio user interface  300  requesting to tune by genre. If the user wishes to select a radio station by genre, control passes to block  504 . Otherwise, control passes to block  514 . 
     At block  504 , the VCS  1  displays a listing of station genres. For example, the VCS  1  may display an exemplary user interface  300 -A for selection of a genre of radio station, such as the one discussed above with respect to  FIG. 3A . The user interface  300 -A may be displayed, for example, on a display screen  4  of the VCS  1 . The user interface  300 -A may present, for example, a listing of genre user interface elements  302  that correspond to the available genres of radio station as determined based on the genre information, as well as a label  304  to indicate to the user that the current user interface  300 -A facilities selection of a genre of radio station. 
     At block  506 , the VCS  1  receives a genre selection from the user interface. For example, the genre user interface elements  302  of the user interface  300 -A may be selectable by a user, and the user may select one of the genre user interface elements  302  from the user interface  300 -A. 
     At block  508 , the VCS  1  displays stations in the selected genre. For example, the VCS  1  may display an exemplary user interface  300 -B for selection of a radio station within a selected genre, such as the one discussed above with respect to  FIG. 3B . The user interface  300 -B may be configured to present a listing of radio station user interface elements  306  that correspond to a genre element  302  selected from the user interface  300 -A. The user interface  300 -B may also be configured to include or update a label  304  in the user interface  300 -B to be indicative of the selected genre. 
     At block  510 , the VCS  1  receives a station selection from the displayed stations. For example, the radio station user interface elements  306  of the user interface  300 -B may be selectable by a user, and the user may select one of the radio station user interface elements  306  from the user interface  300 -B. 
     At block  512 , the VCS  1  tunes to the selected station. For example, upon receipt of user selection of one of the radio station user interface element  306  from the user interface  300 -B, the VCS  1  may set a receiver of the VCS  1  to receive audio content from the selected radio station, and may provide the user interface  300 -C to indicate to the user that the selected station is now playing. After block  512 , control may pass to decision point  516 . 
     At block  514 , the VCS  1  receives a station selection through a mechanism other than via genre information. For example, the user may select a radio station preset, may utilize a seek or scan radio feature to browse to a station, or may utilizing a direct tune feature to directly enter a station frequency into the VCS  1 . After block  514 , control may pass to block  512  to tune to the selected station. 
     At decision point  516 , the VCS  1  determines whether the user requests the radio to tune to a similar station. For example, as discussed above with respect to  FIG. 3C , the VCS  1  may include a find similar user interface element  310  in the user interface  300 -C to allow a user to easily tune to another radio station in the same genre as the currently tuned radio station. If the user selects the find similar user interface element  310 , control passes to block  518 . Otherwise, control passes to decision point  520 . 
     At block  518 , the VCS  1  tunes the radio to an identified similar radio station. For example, the VCS  1  may identify a similar station based on the compiled genre information. For example, based on the genre information, the VCS 1  may select another radio station in the same genre as the currently tuned radio station. After block  518 , control passes to block  512  to tune to the selected station. 
     At decision point  520 , the VCS  1  determines whether the user requests the radio to tune to another station. For example, user may select an element from a radio user interface  300  indicating that the user wishes to tune to another station. If the user requests to tune to another station, control passes to decision block  502 . Otherwise, control passes to decision point  516 . 
     Referring again to  FIGS. 4-5 , the vehicle and its components illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  are referenced throughout the discussion of the processes  400  and  500  to facilitate understanding of various aspects of the present disclosure. The processes  400  and  500  may be implemented through a computer algorithm, machine executable code, or software instructions programmed into a suitable programmable logic device(s) of the vehicle, such as the vehicle control module, the hybrid control module, another controller in communication with the vehicle computing system, or a combination thereof. Although the various steps shown in the process  500  and  600  appear to occur in a chronological sequence, at least some of the steps may occur in a different order, and some steps may be performed concurrently or not at all. 
     While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms encompassed by the claims. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. As previously described, the features of various embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments of the invention that may not be explicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments could have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that one or more features or characteristics can be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the specific application and implementation. These attributes can include, but are not limited to cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. As such, embodiments described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for particular applications.

Technology Category: h