Example systems, apparatus, and methods receive audio information including a plurality of frames from a source device, wherein each frame of the plurality of frames includes one or more audio samples and a time stamp indicating when to play the one or more audio samples of the respective frame. In an example, the time stamp is updated for each of the plurality of frames using a time differential value determined between clock information received from the source device and clock information associated with the device. The updated time stamp is stored for each of the plurality of frames, and the audio information is output based on the plurality of frames and associated updated time stamps. A number of samples per frame to be output is adjusted based on a comparison between the updated time stamp for the frame and a predicted time value for play back of the frame.

Large data transmission in digital radio broadcasting system and method are disclosed. A first channel information of tuned frequency indicates the availability of the data distribution table. Second channel information contains the data distribution info table (list of frequencies mapped to data chunk identifiers). Data chunks have a unique id. Digital broadcast radio receiver receives data distribution tables and parses through the currently tuned frequencies data distribution table. The receiver has information on how to collect the distributed data. Receiver uses its primary tuner to receive the data chunks in the current tuned frequency. Rest of the data chunks are collected by the background tuners in a parallel fashion by tuning to required frequencies. Once all chunks are collected, data file is reconstructed and available for presentation to the user.

Example systems, apparatus, and methods receive audio information including a plurality of frames from a source device, wherein each frame of the plurality of frames includes one or more audio samples and a time stamp indicating when to play the one or more audio samples of the respective frame. In an example, the time stamp is updated for each of the plurality of frames using a time differential value determined between clock information received from the source device and clock information associated with the device. The updated time stamp is stored for each of the plurality of frames, and the audio information is output based on the plurality of frames and associated updated time stamps. A number of samples per frame to be output is adjusted based on a comparison between the updated time stamp for the frame and a predicted time value for play back of the frame.

A system is described for maintaining synchrony of operations among a plurality of devices that have independent clocking arrangements. The system includes a task distribution device that distributes tasks to a synchrony group comprising a plurality of devices that are to perform the tasks distributed by the task distribution device in synchrony. The task distribution device distributes each task to the members of the synchrony group over a network. Each task is associated with a time stamp that indicates a time, relative to a clock maintained by the task distribution device, at which the members of the synchrony group are to execute the task. Each member of the synchrony group periodically obtains from the task distribution device an indication of the current time indicated by its clock, determines a time differential between the task distribution device's clock and its respective clock and determines therefrom a time at which, according to its respective clock, the time stamp indicates that it is to execute the task.

The conversion circuit adapts a legacy radio to play digital broadcasts using a sensing circuit coupled to a control device of the legacy radio to produce a control device position signal. A processor detects changes in this position signal and interprets a pattern of predetermined changes in position signals to generate at least digital radio broadcast scan command. The conversion circuit also includes a digital radio receiver that performs a scan operation in response to the scan command and supplies the processor with a channel list of detected digital stations. The processor associates each of the detected digital stations to a different positional setting of the control device. The processor also interprets different positional settings of the control device as a content selection commands, which it uses to cause the receiver to select a particular content component for playback through an audio amplifier.

The conversion circuit adapts a legacy radio to play digital broadcasts using a sensing circuit coupled to a control device of the legacy radio to produce a control device position signal. A processor detects changes in this position signal and interprets a pattern of predetermined changes in position signals to generate at least digital radio broadcast scan command. The conversion circuit also includes a digital radio receiver that performs a scan operation in response to the scan command and supplies the processor with a channel list of detected digital stations. The processor associates each of the detected digital stations to a different positional setting of the control device. The processor also interprets different positional settings of the control device as a content selection commands, which it uses to cause the receiver to select a particular content component for playback through an audio amplifier.

A method for processing audio signals in a radio transmitter, includes: receiving an analog audio sample stream and a digital audio sample stream; determining offsets in time between the analog audio stream and the digital audio stream using a normalized cross-correlation of audio envelopes of the analog audio sample stream and the digital audio sample stream; filtering the determined offsets in time to produce filtered offset values; determining an alignment slip adjustment value as a function of the filtered offset values; aligning the analog audio sample stream and the digital audio sample stream using the determined alignment slip adjustment value; and generating a hybrid radio signal for broadcast that includes time-aligned analog audio and digital audio.

A digital broadcast receiver includes a first receiving module tunable to a foreground broadcast service to extract a program information, a first decoder module coupled to the first receiving module and decoding the program information, an output module switchably coupled to the first decoder module and adapted to output the program information, at least one second decoder module coupled to the first receiving module and tunable to a background broadcast service to decode a program information associated with the background broadcast service, and a control unit adapted to tune the first receiving module and the first decoder module to the foreground broadcast service and to tune each of the at least one second decoder modules to a background broadcast service. The control unit determines the foreground broadcast service based on a user input and determines the background broadcast services based on the foreground broadcast service and a predefined rule.

A method is disclosed for monitoring the audience of an advertisement over a content distribution system, the advertisement comprising an advertising message associated with an audio content. The method comprises: inserting, within the message, an advertising identifier associated with the advertisement and distributing the audio content with the advertising message to a user of the content distribution system; at a first user device configured to receive the audio content, playing the audio content with the advertising message; at a second user device connected to the first user device and configured to communicate with a data collection server over a data communication network, retrieving a customer identifier uniquely associated with the user; and, during or after playing, sending by the second user device the customer identifier and the advertising identifier extracted from the advertising message to the server to monitor the audience of the advertising message.

A system is described for maintaining synchrony of operations among a plurality of devices that have independent clocking arrangements. The system includes a task distribution device that distributes tasks to a synchrony group comprising a plurality of devices that are to perform the tasks distributed by the task distribution device in synchrony. The task distribution device distributes each task to the members of the synchrony group over a network. Each task is associated with a time stamp that indicates a time, relative to a clock maintained by the task distribution device, at which the members of the synchrony group are to execute the task. Each member of the synchrony group periodically obtains from the task distribution device an indication of the current time indicated by its clock, determines a time differential between the task distribution device's clock and its respective clock and determines therefrom a time at which, according to its respective clock, the time stamp indicates that it is to execute the task.