System and method for providing radio content to a vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and method of providing radio content to a vehicle. A system for providing radio content to a vehicle includes a vehicle communication system, a vehicle infotainment system, and a vehicle entertainment support server remote from the vehicle. A vehicle communication system includes a tuner unresponsive to a first radio transmission medium and configured to transmit a radio content request requesting radio content from an identified radio station (i.e., a desired radio station). The vehicle infotainment system is configured to obtain an input identifying a desired radio station broadcast in a first radio transmission medium and to transmit radio content from the desired radio station. The remote vehicle entertainment support server is configured to: receive radio content from a source, store the radio content in a selected temporary memory; obtaining a radio content request; and in response to the transmitting radio being the desired radio in the radio content request, transmitting the radio content in the selected temporary memory.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle infotainment system that provides radio content, and more particularly to a vehicle infotainment system for an electric vehicle. Background Art

[0002] The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

[0003] Vehicle infotainment systems provide users with a variety of audio options, such as radio content from radio stations broadcasting at amplitude modulation (AM) frequencies and frequency modulation (FM) frequencies. Radio content from radio stations is typically received via an AM tuner and an FM tuner. Summary of the invention

[0004] This section provides a general summary of the disclosure and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

[0005] In one form, the present disclosure relates to a system for providing radio content to a vehicle and includes a vehicle communication system, a vehicle infotainment system, and a vehicle entertainment support server remote from the vehicle. The vehicle communication system includes at least one tuner, wherein the at least one tuner is unresponsive to a first radio transmission medium and is configured to transmit a radio content request requesting radio content from an identified radio station. The vehicle infotainment system includes one or more processors and a memory storing programming instructions, the programming instructions being configured to cause the one or more processors to: obtain input identifying a desired radio station broadcasting in the first radio transmission medium, and transmit radio content from the desired radio station. The identified radio station of the radio content request is the desired radio station. The vehicle entertainment support server is remote from the vehicle and includes one or more temporary memories. The vehicle entertainment support server is configured to: receive radio content from a source, wherein the radio content was originally broadcast in the first radio transmission medium by a transmitting radio station; store the radio content in a selected temporary memory of the one or more temporary memories; obtain the radio content request; and in response to the transmitting radio station being the desired radio station in the radio content request, transmit the radio content in the selected temporary memory.

[0006] In one form, the present disclosure relates to a method for providing radio content to a vehicle. The method includes: obtaining, by a vehicle infotainment system at a vehicle, an input identifying a desired radio station broadcasting in a first radio transmission medium; transmitting, by a vehicle communication system of the vehicle, a radio content request requesting radio content from the desired radio station, wherein the vehicle communication system includes at least one tuner and the at least one tuner is unresponsive to the first radio transmission medium; obtaining the radio content request by a vehicle entertainment support server remote from the vehicle; obtaining, by the vehicle entertainment support server, radio content from a source, wherein the radio content was originally broadcast in the first radio transmission medium by a transmitting radio station; storing, by the vehicle entertainment support server, the obtained radio content in a selected temporary storage of one or more temporary storages, wherein the vehicle entertainment support server includes the one or more temporary storages; transmitting, by the vehicle entertainment support server, the radio content in the selected temporary storage in response to the transmitting radio station being the desired radio station in the radio content request; and playing, by the vehicle infotainment system, the radio content received from the vehicle entertainment support server.

[0007] In one form, the present disclosure relates to a system for providing radio content to a vehicle. The system includes a vehicle communication system, a vehicle infotainment system, and a vehicle entertainment support server remote from the vehicle. The vehicle communication system includes at least one tuner, wherein each tuner is unresponsive to radio transmissions provided in an amplitude modulation (AM) radio frequency band and is configured to transmit a radio content request requesting radio content from an identified radio station. The vehicle infotainment system includes one or more processors and a memory storing programming instructions, the programming instructions being configured to cause the one or more processors to: obtain input identifying a desired radio station broadcasting in the AM frequency band, wherein the identified radio station of the radio content request is the desired radio station. The vehicle entertainment support server includes one or more temporary memories, the vehicle entertainment support server being configured to: receive radio content from a source, wherein the radio content was originally broadcast in the AM frequency band by a transmitting radio station; store the radio content in a selected temporary memory of the one or more temporary memories; obtain a radio content request from the vehicle communication system; determine that the desired radio station matches the transmitting radio station; and transmit the radio content in the selected temporary memory to the vehicle communication system of the vehicle. The instructions also cause the one or more processors of the vehicle infotainment system to play radio content received from the vehicle entertainment support server.

[0008] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein.It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] In order that the present disclosure may be better understood, various forms of the present disclosure will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] Figure 1 A vehicle entertainment support (VES) server and a vehicle system having a digital amplitude modulation (AM) radio module according to the present disclosure are shown;

[0011] Figure 2 According to the present disclosure Figure 1 An exemplary block diagram of a VES server;

[0012] Figure 3 According to the present disclosure Figure 1 An exemplary block diagram of a vehicle system having a digital AM radio module;

[0013] Figure 4 is a flow chart of an exemplary digital AM radio content request routine according to the present disclosure; and

[0014] Figure 5 is a flow chart of an exemplary radio content transmission routine according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] As required, detailed embodiments are disclosed herein; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples, which may be embodied in various alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; some features may be enlarged or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, the specific structural details and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to adopt the present disclosure in different ways.

[0016] The number of electric vehicles on the road is increasing. However, components of electric vehicles, such as electric motors, may interfere with a selected radio transmission medium, such as an amplitude modulation (AM) frequency, thereby causing a reduction in the reception quality of radio content received at the AM frequency. In lieu of an AM radio tuner, the present disclosure outlines a system in which a vehicle obtains radio content from a desired AM radio station without using an AM tuner, and instead employs a vehicle entertainment support (VES) server and a digital AM radio module provided with the vehicle's infotainment system. As described in detail below, the VES server and the vehicle communicate using various types of wireless communication protocols, such as, but not limited to, cellular, Wi-Fi, and / or vehicle-to-the-world (V2X) communications. The VES server obtains radio content broadcast by AM radio stations from various sources and transmits the radio content to a vehicle having a digital AM radio module, thereby providing a single AM ​​radio access to a vehicle that does not have an AM tuner.

[0017] refer to Figure 1 In one form, the vehicle system 100 is configured to obtain radio content from a vehicle entertainment support (VES) server 102, wherein the radio content is in a radio transmission medium that is not receivable by the vehicle system 100. In a non-limiting example, the vehicle system 100 is an electric vehicle and does not include an appropriate tuner / receiver for receiving radio content transmitted in the AM band as the radio transmission medium. Without the necessary tuner, the vehicle system 100 is unable to directly receive radio content from one or more AM radio stations 104A, 104B, 104C (collectively referred to as "radio stations 104").

[0018] As described herein, vehicle system 100 includes a digital AM radio module 105 configured to identify a desired AM radio station and obtain radio content transmitted by the desired AM radio station via VES server 102. Vehicle system 100 having digital AM radio module 105 may be referred to as an enhanced vehicle system 100.

[0019] exist Figure 1 In the embodiment of the present invention, the wireless communication network 103 is utilized by the enhanced vehicle system 100, the VES server 102 and other devices (e.g., the radio 104 and the traditional vehicle system 106) to communicate with external devices / systems. In a non-limiting example, the wireless communication network 103 provides one or more wireless communication links supported by various protocols, such as but not limited to: cellular, Wi-Fi, vehicle-to-the-world (V2X) communication, infrastructure-to-the-world (I2X) communication, transmission control protocol (TCP), user datagram protocol (UDP) and / or satellite communication.

[0020] In one form, the VES server 102 is a cloud-based server remote from the enhanced vehicle system 100 and is configured to receive radio content provided in the AM frequency band and transmit the radio content to the enhanced vehicle system 100. The radio content provided in the AM radio frequency band may be provided to the VES server 102 by various sources, such as, but not limited to, AM radio stations 104 and / or conventional vehicle systems 106. In a non-limiting example, the VES server 102 receives radio content from a radio station 104 (e.g., a conventional vehicle system 106) within reception range of the VES server 102. Figure 1 The radio content is received by a radio station 104A in the VES server 102. The radio signal is an analog radio signal broadcast in the allocated AM frequency band. Alternatively or in addition to the broadcast radio signal, the VES server 102 is configured to obtain a digital file of the radio content from the radio station 104 if the digital file is available. The digital file can be obtained in various suitable ways, such as, but not limited to, a cloud-based database managed by the radio station 104.

[0021] In addition to or in lieu of the radio station 104, the VES server 102 is configured to receive radio content from a legacy vehicle system 106 that is configured to receive radio content broadcast in the AM band. In a non-limiting example, the legacy vehicle system 106 and the VES server 102 communicate via V2X and I2X standards using a cellular network.

[0022] In one form, the conventional vehicle system 106 includes a conventional communication (Comm.) system 110 having an AM tuner 112, an analog-to-digital (AD) converter 114, and a telematics control unit (TCU) 116. The AM tuner 112 is configured to receive radio content in an AM radio band, and specifically, to receive radio content from an AM radio frequency selected by a user of the conventional vehicle system 106. In other words, the user of the vehicle employs one or more interfaces (such as, but not limited to, buttons, dials, voice commands, etc.) provided with the infotainment system of the vehicle system 106 to tune to the selected AM frequency. The AM tuner 112 then obtains radio content broadcasted in the selected AM band.

[0023] In one form, analog radio signals received by AM tuner 112 at a selected AM frequency are transmitted as digital files / messages to VES server 102. Specifically, AD converter 114, which may also be referred to as a digital audio converter (DAC), is configured to convert the analog radio signals into digital files.

[0024] In one form, the TCU 116 transmits a message with a digital file to the VES server 102. In a non-limiting example, the TCU 116 includes hardware and software components for establishing communication with the VES server 102 under the V2X standard, and then generates and transmits a message using the V2X standard. The message may also include other information, such as, but not limited to: the location of the legacy vehicle system 107, identification information of the radio station 104, a timestamp with the data and time of the radio content. In one form, the TCU 116 includes a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) antenna and a computing device configured to execute protocols related to the V2X standard.

[0025] Thus, if a user of a legacy vehicle system 106 receives radio content from an AM radio station 104 (e.g., radio station 104B) within the reception range of the vehicle system 106 via an AM tuner 112, the legacy vehicle system 106 may transmit the radio content to the VES server 102. In one form, the VES server 102 transmits a message requesting the radio content from the identified radio station. The legacy vehicle system 106 then determines whether the AM tuner 112 is tuned to the AM frequency associated with the identified radio station. If so, the legacy vehicle system routinely transmits a message with a digital file to the VES server 102 until, for example, the AM tuner 112 is no longer tuned to the identified radio station, the legacy vehicle system 106 is turned off, and / or the VES server 102 transmits a message indicating that the radio content of the identified radio station is no longer needed. It should be readily understood that the VES server 102 is capable of receiving radio content from multiple identified radio stations from multiple legacy vehicle systems 106. Thus, multiple legacy vehicle systems 106 may be fed the same and / or different AM radio content at one time.

[0026] In some variations, the VES server may also receive radio content from other sources, such as, but not limited to, sources providing digital audio or television content (eg, digital content supported by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) standard).

[0027] In one form, reference Figure 2 The VES server 102 is configured to include a server communication (Comm.) system 200, an AM content receiving module 202, a content library 203 having one or more temporary memories (SM) 204-1 to 204-N (collectively referred to as "temporary memories 204"), and an AM content transmission module 206.

[0028] In one form, the server communication system 200 is configured to communicate with other devices / systems via the wireless communication network 103. In a non-limiting example, the server communication system 200 may include an AM tuner 210 for receiving radio content broadcast in the AM frequency band, an AD converter 212, and an I2X module 214. Similar to the AD converter 114, the AD converter 212 converts analog signals into digital files.

[0029] The I2X module 214 is configured to exchange data with other devices (such as the traditional vehicle system 106, the enhanced vehicle system 100, and / or a roadside device (not shown)) using the V2X / I2X standard. It should be readily understood that the server communication system 200 may include other known components, such as but not limited to a processor, a transceiver, and a modem, to establish communications with external devices and perform the operations described herein.

[0030] In one form, the AM content receiving module 202 is configured to receive radio content from one or more sources, such as the AM radio station 104 and / or the conventional vehicle system 106. The AM content receiving module 202 is configured to store the radio content in the content library 203, and more specifically, select a temporary memory 204 from one or more temporary memories 204 of the content library 203 to temporarily store the radio content before transmitting the radio content to the enhanced vehicle system 100. In a non-limiting example, the temporary memory is provided as one or more caches.

[0031] The AM content receiving module 202 is configured to manage the radio content being received by storing information such as, but not limited to: the AM frequency associated with the radio content; identification information related to the source of the received radio content (identification information of the radio station 104 and / or the traditional vehicle system 106); and / or the location of the source providing the radio content. Therefore, the AM content receiving module 202 is configured to receive a plurality of radio contents broadcast from a plurality of radio stations and store the plurality of radio contents in the content library 203 (e.g., in at least one temporary memory 204). The AM content receiving module 202 can also provide a list of available AM ​​radio frequencies (i.e., available radio content), which is shared with the enhanced vehicle system 100.

[0032] In one form, the AM content receiving module 202 receives the same radio content from multiple sources (e.g., multiple legacy vehicle systems 106; legacy vehicle systems 106 and radio stations 104) and selects radio content to be stored from the sources based on one or more qualifiers. In a non-limiting example, the one or more qualifiers include the quality of the radio content and / or the latency of the radio content. In addition, the AM content receiving module 202 can switch between different sources, such that if radio content from a first source is selected to be stored, for example, if the quality of the radio content from the first source deteriorates, the AM content receiving module 202 can switch to another source.

[0033] In one form, the AM content transmission module 206 is configured to view a request for radio content from the enhanced vehicle system 100 and provide the radio content (if available) to the server communication system 200 for transmission to the enhanced vehicle system 100. Using the identified radio station and location of the enhanced vehicle system 100 provided in the request, the AM content transmission module 206 determines whether the content library 206 includes radio content from the identified radio station. If the radio content is available, the AM content transmission module 206 retrieves the radio content from an associated temporary storage storing the radio content and transmits the radio content to the enhanced vehicle system 100 via the server communication system 200.

[0034] If the AM content transmission module 206 is unavailable, the AM content transmission module 206 generates a notification indicating that the radio content is unavailable and transmits the notification to the enhanced vehicle system 100. In another variation, the AM content transmission module 206 can broadcast a message to one or more legacy vehicle systems 106 in communication with the VES server 102 to request the radio content of the identified radio station if the legacy vehicle system 106 is tuned to the same radio station. If no response is received within a desired time period, the VES server 102 transmits a notification about the unavailable radio content to the enhanced vehicle system 100.

[0035] refer to Figure 3 , the enhanced vehicle system 100 includes, among other components, a communication system 300 and an infotainment system 302, the infotainment system including one or more interface devices 304 and a digital AM radio module 105. Similar to the conventional communication system 110, the communication system 300 is configured to communicate with various external devices / systems, such as, but not limited to, the VES server 102 and conventional vehicle systems 106 within the communication range of the enhanced vehicle system 100.

[0036] In one form, the communication system 300 includes, among other components, a frequency modulation (FM) radio tuner 306 and a TCU 308 for obtaining radio content in the FM band. The TCU 308 operates in a similar manner to the TCU 116 of the conventional vehicle system 106, so the details of the TCU 308 are omitted for the sake of brevity. The communication system 300 also includes other components, such as but not limited to a processor, a transceiver, and a modem to establish communications with external devices / systems. In some variations, the communication system 300 may not include the FM radio tuner 306.

[0037] The infotainment system 302 is configured to provide information and vehicle entertainment options, such as but not limited to radio content, to the user of the enhanced vehicle system 100. In one form, an interface device 304 is provided to relay information to the user and receive input from the user. In non-limiting examples, the interface device 304 may include an audio device (e.g., a speaker and / or a microphone), a display device (e.g., a heads-up display and / or a liquid crystal display with a touch screen), and / or buttons / knobs.

[0038] The digital AM radio module 105 is configured to provide AM radio content to the user without using the AM radio tuner 112. Specifically, the communication system 300 typically includes at least one tuner (e.g., an FM tuner, a cellular receiver, and / or a GNSS receiver, etc.). However, no tuner is provided for a designated radio transmission medium, such as an AM tuner for receiving an AM frequency band. Therefore, the communication system 300 is unresponsive, or in other words, unable to receive radio content in the designated radio transmission medium. The digital AM radio module 105 is configured to provide access to radio content transmitted in the AM frequency band by requesting radio content of an identified radio station from the VES server 102.

[0039] In one form, the digital AM radio module 105 includes a radio content selector 320, a radio request generator 322, and a radio content manager 344. The radio content selector 320 is configured to obtain input from a user identifying a desired radio station in the AM frequency band. In a non-limiting example, the AM radio content selector 320 is configured to: use the location of the enhanced vehicle system 100 to provide available local radio stations 104 (e.g., radio station 104C) within the reception range of the enhanced vehicle system 100; provide available radio stations 104 broadcast to a selected location provided by the user (such as a home location, a destination location, or other specified location); and / or provide information indicating a list of available radio content from various radio stations received by the VES server 102. The AM radio content selector 320 may employ one or more of the interface devices 304 (such as a display) to provide information related to the available local radio stations 104 and / or the list of available radio content from the VES server 102.

[0040] Using one or more of the interface devices 304, the user selects a desired radio station, and the radio request generator 322 is configured to provide a radio content request requesting radio content from the identified radio station, wherein the identified radio station is the desired radio station selected by the user. The radio content request is transmitted to the VES server 102 via the communication system 300. The radio content request may include additional information, such as, but not limited to, the location of the enhanced vehicle system 100, identification information associated with the enhanced vehicle system 100, and / or a timestamp of the request.

[0041] As detailed above, the VES server 102 is configured to review the radio content request and provide the radio content of the identified radio station if available. The radio content manager 344 obtains the radio content from the VES server 102 through the communication system 300 and transmits or plays the radio content via the speakers in the enhanced vehicle system 100. The radio content manager 344 can temporarily store the radio content in a cache to provide buffering and time-shifted playback, thereby providing the user with the option of listening to the radio content later, but not necessarily in real time.

[0042] In the event that radio content is not available, the radio content manager 344 is configured to provide a notification indicating the unavailability of the radio content from the desired radio station.

[0043] The VES server 102 is configured to provide the enhanced device with the radio content of the identified radio station as long as the radio content is available and / or the enhanced vehicle system 100 is no longer requesting the radio content. In a non-limiting example, the user can deselect the desired radio station by: selecting an off button of the infotainment system 302 via one or more of the audio features of the infotainment system 302, for example; selecting another audio source (e.g., a Bluetooth device, an FM tuner, etc.); turning off the enhanced vehicle system 100; and / or selecting another AM radio station as the desired radio station. If another AM radio station is selected, the radio request generator 322 provides a new radio content request to the VES server 102. On the other hand, if the user changes the audio source or selects the off button of the infotainment system 302, the radio content manager 344 is configured to provide a cancellation notification to the VES server 102 via the communication system 300 to cancel or stop the transmission of the radio content.

[0044] Although not having an AM tuner, the enhanced vehicle system 100 of the present disclosure provides radio content from AM radio stations that transmit radio signals at a selected AM frequency using a digital AM radio module and a VES server 102. The digital AM radio module is a single radio access source with AM radio content available from different communication links / channels (such as cellular, broadcast, and V2X), allowing the user to select a radio station from the available stations.

[0045] In one form, using vehicle-to-vehicle communications, the enhanced vehicle system 100 may also receive radio content from legacy vehicle systems 106 within communication range of the enhanced vehicle system 100 by broadcasting radio content requests to the VES server 102 and the legacy vehicle systems 106 .

[0046] refer to Figure 4 , a flow chart of an exemplary digital AM radio content request routine 400 performed by the enhanced vehicle system 100, and specifically the communication system 300 and the infotainment system 302 having the digital AM radio module 105. At 402, the enhanced vehicle system 100 obtains a desired radio station for a radio transmission medium that is not available via direct broadcast. That is, the enhanced vehicle system 100 does not include a tuner associated with the radio transmission medium for obtaining radio content directly from the radio station 104. In a non-limiting example, the radio transmission medium is an AM frequency band.

[0047] At 404, the enhanced vehicle system 100 provides a radio content request to the VES server 102, the radio content request requesting radio content from the identified radio station as the desired radio station. At 406, the enhanced vehicle system 100 determines whether the radio content is available. Specifically, in one form, the enhanced vehicle system 100 determines whether the radio content is received from the VES server 102. If received, the enhanced vehicle system 100 transmits the radio content obtained from the VES server 102 using a speaker in the enhanced vehicle system 100 at 408.

[0048] If radio content is not received within a selected time period (e.g., no message after 1 minute, 40 seconds, etc.), or if the VES server 102 provides a notification indicating that radio content is not available, the enhanced vehicle system 100 provides a notification indicating that radio content is not available via one or more interface devices 304 at 410 .

[0049] refer to Figure 5 , an exemplary radio content transmission routine 500 performed by the VES server 102 is provided. At 502, the VES server 102 determines whether a radio content request is received. If a request is received, the VES server 102 determines at 504 whether the radio content is available for the identified radio station provided in the request. Specifically, as described above, the VES server 102 tracks radio content originally broadcast by one or more transmitting radio stations, which may be received from various sources, such as, but not limited to, the traditional vehicle system 106 and the transmitting radio station 104 itself. If the transmitting radio station matches the desired radio station in the radio content request, the VES server 102 transmits the radio content of the desired radio station to the enhanced vehicle system 100 at 506. On the other hand, if none of the transmitting radio stations matches the desired radio station, the VES server 102 transmits a notification indicating that the radio content of the desired radio station is not available at 508.

[0050] The enhanced vehicle system 100 having an infotainment system 302 with a digital AM radio module 105 may be configured in various suitable ways according to the present disclosure and should not be limited to Figure 4 In a non-limiting example, the routine may include an operation for determining whether the radio content of the desired radio station is still desired by the user. In another example, the routine may be modified so that the VES server 102 sends a notification to various radio content sources (such as the legacy vehicle system 106) to see if the legacy vehicle system is obtaining the radio content of the desired radio station.

[0051] Similarly, the VES server 102 may be configured in various suitable ways according to the present disclosure and should not be limited to providing radio content. Figure 5 In a non-limiting example, the routine may include operations for requesting radio content of a desired radio station if the radio content is not currently being received.

[0052] Unless otherwise expressly indicated herein, all numerical values ​​indicating mechanical / thermal properties, composition percentages, dimensions and / or tolerances or other characteristics when describing the scope of the present disclosure should be understood to be modified by the word "about" or "approximately". Such modifications are desirable for a variety of reasons, including: industrial practice; material, manufacturing and assembly tolerances; and testing capabilities.

[0053] In this application, the term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include: an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinatorial logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0054] The term memory is a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term "computer-readable medium" as used herein does not encompass transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagated through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); thus, the term "computer-readable medium" may be considered to be tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital tape or hard drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0055] The apparatus and methods described in this application may be implemented partially or completely by a special-purpose computer, which is created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The functional blocks, flow chart components, and other elements described above are used as software specifications, which can be translated into a computer program by routine work of a technician or programmer.

[0056] As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A or B or C), using a non-exclusive logical "or", and should not be construed to mean "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C."

[0057] The description of the present disclosure is merely exemplary in nature, and thus, variations that do not depart from the essence of the present disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the present disclosure. Such variations should not be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0058] According to the present invention, a system for providing radio content to a vehicle is provided, which has: a vehicle communication system, the vehicle communication system including at least one tuner, wherein the at least one tuner is unresponsive to a first radio transmission medium and is configured to transmit a radio content request requesting radio content from an identified radio station; a vehicle infotainment system, the vehicle infotainment system including one or more processors and a memory storing programming instructions, the programming instructions being configured to cause the one or more processors to: obtain input identifying a desired radio station broadcasting in the first radio transmission medium, wherein the identified radio station of the radio content request is the desired radio station, and transmit radio content from the desired radio station; and a vehicle entertainment support server, the vehicle entertainment support server being remote from the vehicle and including one or more temporary memories, the vehicle entertainment support server being configured to: receive radio content from a source, wherein the radio content was originally broadcast in the first radio transmission medium by a transmitting radio station; store the radio content in a selected temporary memory of the one or more temporary memories; obtain the radio content request; and in response to the transmitting radio station being the desired radio station in the radio content request, transmit the radio content in the selected temporary memory.

[0059] According to an embodiment, the first radio transmission medium is an amplitude modulation (AM) radio band.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the at least one tuner is configured to receive data from at least one of a frequency modulation (FM) radio station, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and / or a cellular network.

[0061] According to an embodiment, the vehicle entertainment support server is configured to receive the radio content from a second vehicle having a tuner in response to the first radio transmission medium, wherein the second vehicle is the source.

[0062] According to an embodiment, the vehicle entertainment support server is configured to receive the radio content from a radio station that originally broadcast the radio content, wherein the radio station is the source.

[0063] According to an embodiment, the radio content is received as an analog radio signal, and the vehicle entertainment support server is configured to convert the analog radio signal into a digital file of the radio content.

[0064] According to an embodiment: the vehicle entertainment support server is configured to receive a plurality of radio contents transmitted from a plurality of radio stations, store the plurality of radio contents in the one or more temporary memories, and transmit information providing a list of available radio contents; and the vehicle infotainment system is configured to provide information indicating the list of available radio contents, wherein the desired radio station is selected from the list of available radio contents.

[0065] According to the present invention, a method for providing radio content to a vehicle includes: obtaining, by a vehicle infotainment system at the vehicle, an input identifying a desired radio station broadcasting in a first radio transmission medium; transmitting, by a vehicle communication system of the vehicle, a radio content request requesting radio content from the desired radio station, wherein the vehicle communication system includes at least one tuner, wherein the at least one tuner is unresponsive to the first radio transmission medium; obtaining the radio content request by a vehicle entertainment support server remote from the vehicle; obtaining, by the vehicle entertainment support server, radio content from a source, wherein the radio content was originally broadcast in the first radio transmission medium by a transmitting radio station; storing, by the vehicle entertainment support server, the obtained radio content in a selected temporary storage of one or more temporary storages, wherein the vehicle entertainment support server includes the one or more temporary storages; in response to the transmitting radio station being the desired radio station in the radio content request, transmitting, by the vehicle entertainment support server, the radio content in the selected temporary storage; and playing, by the vehicle infotainment system, the radio content received from the vehicle entertainment support server.

[0066] In one aspect of the invention, the first radio transmission medium is an amplitude modulation (AM) radio band.

[0067] In one aspect of the invention, the at least one tuner is configured to receive data from at least one of a frequency modulation (FM) radio station, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), and / or a cellular network.

[0068] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes communicating, by the vehicle entertainment support server, with a second vehicle to receive the radio content, wherein the second vehicle is the source.

[0069] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes communicating, by the vehicle entertainment support server, with a radio station broadcasting the radio content, wherein the radio station is the source.

[0070] In one aspect of the invention: the radio content is received as an analog radio signal, and the method further comprises converting, by the vehicle entertainment support server, the analog radio signal into a digital file of the radio content.

[0071] In one aspect of the present invention: the vehicle entertainment support server receives a plurality of radio contents transmitted from a plurality of radio stations and stores the plurality of radio contents in the one or more temporary memories, the method further comprising: the vehicle entertainment support server transmits information providing a list of available radio contents; and the vehicle infotainment system provides information indicating the list of available radio contents, wherein the desired radio station is selected from the list of available radio contents.

[0072] According to the present invention, a system for providing radio content to a vehicle is provided, comprising: a vehicle communication system, the vehicle communication system including at least one tuner, wherein each tuner is non-responsive to radio transmissions provided in an amplitude modulation (AM) radio frequency band and is configured to transmit a radio content request requesting radio content from an identified radio station; a vehicle infotainment system, the vehicle infotainment system including one or more processors and a memory storing programming instructions, the programming instructions being configured to cause the one or more processors to: obtain input identifying a desired radio station broadcasting in the AM frequency band, wherein the identified radio station of the radio content request is the desired radio station; and a vehicle entertainment support server The vehicle entertainment support server is remote from the vehicle and includes one or more temporary memories, the vehicle entertainment support server being configured to: receive radio content from a source, wherein the radio content is originally broadcast by a transmitting radio station in the AM frequency band; store the radio content in a selected temporary memory of the one or more temporary memories; obtain a request for the radio content from a vehicle communication system; determine that a desired radio station matches a transmitting radio station; and transmit the radio content in the selected temporary memory to the vehicle communication system of the vehicle, wherein: the instructions also cause the one or more processors of the vehicle infotainment system to play the radio content received from the vehicle entertainment support server.

[0073] According to an embodiment, the at least one tuner is configured to receive data from at least one of a frequency modulation (FM) radio station, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and / or a cellular network.

[0074] According to an embodiment, the vehicle entertainment support server is configured to receive the radio content from a second vehicle having a tuner in response to an AM frequency band, wherein the second vehicle is the source.

[0075] According to an embodiment, the vehicle entertainment support server is configured to receive the radio content from a radio station that originally broadcast the radio content, wherein the radio station is the source.

[0076] According to an embodiment, the radio content is received as an analog radio signal, and the vehicle entertainment support server is configured to convert the analog radio signal into a digital file of the radio content.

[0077] According to an embodiment: the vehicle entertainment support server is configured to receive a plurality of radio contents transmitted from a plurality of radio stations, store the plurality of radio contents in the one or more temporary memories, and transmit information providing a list of available radio contents; and the instructions further cause one or more processors of the vehicle infotainment system to provide information indicating the list of available radio contents, wherein the desired radio station is selected from the list of available radio contents.

Claims

1. A system for providing radio content to a vehicle, comprising: a vehicle communication system comprising at least one tuner, wherein the at least one tuner is non-responsive to a first radio transmission medium and is configured to transmit a radio content request requesting radio content from an identified radio station; A vehicle infotainment system comprising one or more processors and a memory storing programming instructions, the programming instructions being configured to cause the one or more processors to: obtaining input identifying a desired radio station broadcasting in the first radio transmission medium, wherein the identified radio station of the radio content request is the desired radio station, and transmitting radio content from the desired radio station; and A vehicle entertainment support server, the vehicle entertainment support server being remote from the vehicle and comprising one or more temporary memories, the vehicle entertainment support server being configured to: receiving radio content from a source, wherein the radio content was originally broadcast in the first radio transmission medium by a transmitting radio station; storing the radio content in a selected temporary storage of the one or more temporary storages; obtaining the radio content request; as well as In response to the transmitting radio station being the desired radio station in a radio content request, the radio content in the selected temporary storage is transmitted.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first radio transmission medium is an amplitude modulation (AM) radio band.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one tuner is configured to receive data from at least one of a frequency modulation (FM) radio station, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), and / or a cellular network. 4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle entertainment support server is configured to receive the radio content from a second vehicle having a tuner in response to the first radio transmission medium, wherein the second vehicle is the source. 5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle entertainment support server is configured to receive the radio content from a radio station that originally broadcast the radio content, wherein the radio station is the source. 6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the radio content is received as an analog radio signal, and the vehicle entertainment support server is configured to convert the analog radio signal into a digital file of the radio content.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein: The vehicle entertainment support server is configured to receive a plurality of radio contents transmitted from a plurality of radio stations, store the plurality of radio contents in the one or more temporary memories, and transmit information providing a list of available radio contents; and The vehicle infotainment system is configured to provide information indicative of the list of available radio content, wherein the desired radio station is selected from the list of available radio content.

8. A method for providing radio content to a vehicle, comprising: obtaining, by a vehicle infotainment system at the vehicle, input identifying a desired radio station broadcasting in a first radio transmission medium; transmitting, by a vehicle communication system of the vehicle, a radio content request for radio content from the desired radio station, wherein the vehicle communication system includes at least one tuner, wherein the at least one tuner is unresponsive to the first radio transmission medium; obtaining the radio content request by a vehicle entertainment support server remote from the vehicle; obtaining, by the vehicle entertainment support server, radio content from a source, wherein the radio content was originally broadcast in the first radio transmission medium by a transmitting radio station; storing, by the vehicle entertainment support server, the obtained radio content in a selected temporary storage of one or more temporary storages, wherein the vehicle entertainment support server includes the one or more temporary storages; in response to the transmitting radio station being the desired radio station in the radio content request, transmitting, by the vehicle entertainment support server, the radio content in the selected temporary storage; as well as The radio content received from the vehicle entertainment support server is played by the vehicle infotainment system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first radio transmission medium is an amplitude modulation (AM) radio band.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one tuner is configured to receive data from at least one of a frequency modulation (FM) radio station, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), and / or a cellular network.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising communicating, by the vehicle entertainment support server, with a second vehicle to receive the radio content, wherein the second vehicle is the source.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising communicating, by the vehicle entertainment support server, with a radio station broadcasting the radio content, wherein the radio station is the source.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein: The radio content is received as an analog radio signal, and The method also includes converting, by the vehicle entertainment support server, the analog radio signal into a digital file of the radio content.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein: The vehicle entertainment support server receives a plurality of radio contents transmitted from a plurality of radio stations and stores the plurality of radio contents in the one or more temporary memories, The method further comprises: transmitting, by the vehicle entertainment support server, information providing a list of available radio content; and Information indicative of the list of available radio content is provided by the vehicle infotainment system, wherein the desired radio station is selected from the list of available radio content.

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