System and method for improving the audio quality of web-radios

Abstract

Presented here is a system and method for improving audio quality of web-radios played by a computing device (computer, mobile phone, wearable, embedded computing system for home or vehicle audio, etc.) by connecting the web-radio app with a streaming music library in a way, where the actually played web-radio music performer and title is looked up in the streaming music library and if found, the music library stream is played instead of the web-radio stream by the web-radio app. As web-radios typically stream much lower bitrate (resolution) version of music titles and streaming music libraries typically offer highest bitrate lossy or lossless or even high resolution lossless playback streams, this replacement can improve the audio quality of the played music drastically, while still playing the playlist of the web-radio live, as it is streamed.

Description

[0001] System and method for improving the audio quality of web-radios

[0002] Description

[0003] Background

[0004] Web-radios are very popular often because of a superb selection of music, sometimes providing both many interesting new or little known titles and an even kind of style or mood throughout their playlist for long hours or even days without the repetition of titles. This quality of playlist compilation is to date not matched with so called radios within streaming music library apps that offer limited playlists and frequent repetitions. Web-radios, however, mostly suffer from low audio quality, due to low bitrate lossy compression used in their streams. Due to financial reasons they are often not in the position to improve the quality of their streams or to provide a non-free tier of higher audio quality streaming to paid users. Increasing number of people use today high bandwidth networks with large or unlimited quotas of data, as well as high quality audio systems and sound emitters, ranging from quality mobile phones with hi-fi headsets to high-end players, amplifiers and speakers. These users are in a dilemma of choosing between loved and much enjoyed web-radio broadcasts with frustratingly unnatural sound of some of the instruments performing in the music or high quality streaming music libraries they are already paid users of with great sound quality but very limited and repetitive radio services. The system and method presented here solves this problem by serving high quality streaming music library playback for titles present in the given library (or in one of the multiple libraries the user has access to) while serving a replacement according to the user’s choice in the settings for titles not present in the library as detailed below.

[0005] Detailed description

[0006] Presented here is a system and method for improving audio quality of web-radios played by a computing device (computer, mobile phone, wearable, embedded computing system for home or vehicle audio, etc.) by connecting the web-radio app with a streaming music library in a way, where the actually played web-radio music track’s performer and title is looked up in the streaming music library and if found, the music library stream is played instead of the web-radio stream by the web-radio app or by an app connecting to both the web-radio app and the music library. As web-radios typically stream much lower bitrate (resolution) versions of music titles and streaming music libraries typically offer highest bitrate lossy or lossless or even high resolution lossless playback streams, this replacement can improve audio quality of the played music drastically, while still playing the playlist of the web-radio live, as it is streamed. The system allows for playing high audio quality music streams also based on the playlist of a previous period, like days or months before, provided that playlist data is saved already for that period by the system or the system has access to archives of playlists, as well as the live playlist just broadcasted by the web-radio. The system is comprised of the web-radio app or embedded part of an app that provides web-radio functionality, the music streaming library app or parts of an app that provides access to the contents of the music library and a connector app or embedded part of one of the apps that provides connector functionality between the web-radio and the music library app. The connector might use a server-side app in a cloud (or a dedicated server on the network). The entire system might be implemented within one single custom-built app as well. Possible implementations include cases when multiple music libraries are looked up, either in a preset order or randomly, and either the lookup stops at the music library where the web-radio’s actual title was found first, or all libraries are searched for the title and that music library’s stream is played which has the highest audio quality version of the title.

[0007] The flow of action within the system is the following:

[0008] 1. The web-radio broadcasts the performer and title of the next song that is recorded in the webradio app or the embedded part with web-radio functionality The connector app or the embedded connector part looks up the performer and title in the music library or in multiple music libraries If found, the connector app or embedded connector part retrieves the high audio quality stream from the music library and serves it to the user or to the web-radio app that plays it back instead of the low audio quality web-radio stream of that title. If multiple music libraries are used, either their preset order determines which one’s stream is played or the highest available audio quality version is played back to the user. If not found, the following actions (or some other action not recorded here) might be taken based on the user’s preferences set in the settings of the web-radio app or the connector app or the app embedding these functionalities:

[0009] 1. The original stream is played for that title in the low (or lower) audio quality, streamed from the web-radio

[0010] 2. An another title is played from the track history of the web-radio playlist that is present in the music library with higher audio quality, streamed from the music library

[0011] 3. A recommended title is played as recommended by the music library based on the previously played titles from the music library, streamed from the music library

[0012] 4. skip forward function is used on the web-radio, if available, to jump to the next title in the web-radio playlist The non-music stream parts of the web-radio, like channel signals, announcements, commercials or other non-music content might be treated similarly to point 4. based on user preference.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 12 May 2025 (12.05.2025)1 . a system comprising a computing device or multiple connected computing devices that contain(s) non-transitory memory to store instructions and processor(s) to execute the stored instructions that cause the system to create or incorporate a web-radio player, a streaming music library player and a connector that looks up the title actually played in the web-radio from the music library and plays it from the music library, if found, instead of the stream in the web-radio, thereby providing higher audio quality playback2. a system of claim 1 , wherein the web-radio player contains and provides the connector functionality3. a system of claim 1 , wherein the streaming music library player contains and provides the connector functionality4. a system of claim 1 , wherein the web-radio, the connector and the streaming music library player functionalities are implemented in one application5. a system of claim 1 , 2, 3 or 4, in which some of the components reside on the serverside in a cloud or dedicated server(s)6. a system of claim 1 , 2, 3, 4 or 5, in which some of the components or functions are implemented via API calls7. a method that looks up the title actually played in the web-radio from the music library and plays it from the music library, if found, instead of the stream in the web-radio, thereby providing higher audio quality playback8. a method of claim 7, in which the original web-radio stream is played if the actual webradio title is not available in the music library9. a method of claim 7, in which a previous title form the web-radio’s playlist is played from the music library if the actual web-radio title is not available in the music library10. a method of claim 7, in which a title recommended by the music library is played from the music library if the web-radio’s actual title is not available in the music library11 . a method of claim 7, in which skip forward functionality of the web-radio is invoked, if available, if the web-radio’s current title is not available in the music library12. a method of claim 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 , in which the original web-radio stream is replaced by a track from the web-radio’s previous playlist served from the music library if the web-radio stream actually plays station signal, announcement, commercial or other non-music content13. a method of claim 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 , in which the original web-radio stream is replaced by a track from the music library's recommendation served from the music library if the web-radio stream actually plays station signal, announcement, commercial or other non-music content14. a method of claim 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 , in which skip forward functionality of the web-radio is invoked, if available, if the web-radio stream actually plays station signal, announcement, commercial or other non-music content15. a method of claim 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 , in which the original web-radio stream is played if the web-radio stream actually plays station signal, announcement, commercial or other non-music content16. a method of claim 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12, 13, 14 or 15 in which multiple music libraries are used with multiple implemented players or API callers in a predefined or random order with the method of checking the next music library if the web-radio’s actual title is not found in the previously checked one(s) and playing the title from the music library where it was found first17. a method of claim 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12, 13, 14 or 15 in which multiple music libraries are used with multiple implemented players or API callers with the method of checking all music libraries and playing the title from the music library where it was found to be available in the highest audio qualityStatement under Article 19(1).The international search report pointed out that the claims were worded as "system and method" and that is against the PCT Article 6. The amendment separates system and method claims and fixes the wording accordingly, introducing a new claim to define the method that is the basis of the invention in a claim separate from claim 1 , which is now a system claim. The wording of the claim 1 and the new claim 7 are now made clearer also to conform to Article 6.The international search report also pointed out that some claims include the terms "API calls" and "API callers" and the description does not mention this. As far I understand, the description cannot be amended at this point, so this can only be fixed at the national phase.