A system and method for operating a wireless device installed in a vehicle. The method carried out by the system includes: determining one or more services utilized by the wireless device; receiving a signal indicating one or more services currently available from a wireless access point installed in the vehicle; determining if the one or more services utilized by the wireless device are currently available from the wireless access point; and based on the determinations deciding whether to connect the wireless device to the wireless access point or, if already connected, whether to disconnect so as to free up the wireless access point for use by other wireless devices on the vehicle.

A method is described for use in a satellite communication network, utilizing available resources (e.g. when operating in an idle mode) of at least one first terminal. that belongs to a cluster comprising a plurality of terminals that are adapted to communicate with a satellite, by at least one other terminal being a second terminal that belongs to that cluster of terminals, and wherein the utilization of idle resources is done by enabling communications between the first and second terminals is carried out by using a communication link that is not part of the satellite communication network.

Systems and methods for combining a satellite broadcast system with a network. A system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention comprises a plurality of satellite receivers, wherein each of the satellite receivers is coupled to both the satellite broadcast system and the network, wherein a first receiver in the plurality of satellite receivers receives data from at least a second receiver in the plurality of receivers via the network.

A broadcast response system provides, e.g., a radio broadcast listener with the ability to obtain media content such as music or speech while listening to the radio. The user can respond to items in the radio broadcast such as advertisements, fund raising drives, or interactive listener polls during the broadcast. Data such as song title and artist, author or publisher and the IP address for the location where the digital version of the content is stored, can be transmitted using, e.g., the RBDS/RDS data stream. A reference number representing song title and artist, author or publisher and the IP address for the location where the digital version of the content is stored can also be employed for ease of implementation. This reference number can reside in a lookup table to be accessed by broadcast response server.

A decoder with reduced power consumption is provided. The decoder includes a first circuit and a second circuit for holding data. The second circuit includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor. The first transistor and the second transistor include an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region. The third transistor includes silicon in a channel formation region. A gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the first transistor and a gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor. The decoder is configured to provide or stop power supply to the semiconductor device depending on a packet ID of a header portion of the data and to perform data storing or restoring of data between the first circuit and the second circuit.

A method for processing a digital audio broadcast signal in a radio receiver, includes: receiving a hybrid broadcast signal; demodulating the hybrid broadcast signal to produce an analog audio stream and a digital audio stream; and using a normalized cross-correlation of envelopes of the analog audio stream and the digital audio stream to measure a time offset between the analog audio stream and the digital audio stream. The time offset can be used to align the analog audio stream and the digital audio stream for subsequent blending of an output of the radio receiver from the analog audio stream to the digital audio stream or from the digital audio stream to the analog audio stream.

Embodiments are provided for syncing multiple electronic devices for collective audio playback. According to certain aspects, a master device connects (218) to a slave device via a wireless connection. The master device calculates (224) a network latency via a series of network latency pings with the slave device and sends (225) the network latency to the slave device. Further, the master devices sends (232) a portion of an audio file as well as a timing instruction including a system time to the slave device. The master device initiates (234) playback of the portion of the audio file and the slave devices initiates (236) playback of the portion of the audio file according to the timing instruction and a calculated system clock offset value.

Embodiments are provided for syncing multiple electronic devices for collective audio playback. According to certain aspects, a master device connects (218) to a slave device via a wireless connection. The master device calculates (224) a network latency via a series of network latency pings with the slave device and sends (225) the network latency to the slave device. Further, the master devices sends (232) a portion of an audio file as well as a timing instruction including a system time to the slave device. The master device initiates (234) playback of the portion of the audio file and the slave devices initiates (236) playback of the portion of the audio file according to the timing instruction and a calculated system clock offset value.

A decoder with reduced power consumption is provided. The decoder includes a first circuit and a second circuit for holding data. The second circuit includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor. The first transistor and the second transistor include an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region. The third transistor includes silicon in a channel formation region. A gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the first transistor and a gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor. The decoder is configured to provide or stop power supply to the semiconductor device depending on a packet ID of a header portion of the data and to perform data storing or restoring of data between the first circuit and the second circuit.

Apparatuses for playing signals received from the internet or other information highway or a stored database on one or more speakers are described. The apparatus has a receiver for receiving information from preselected addresses; a processor for interpreting the signals; and at least one speaker for playing signals from the internet. There is at least display device connected to the receiver for displaying an image received from the internet. The processor selects images that correspond with the signals played by the speaker.