Alternate media station selection using situational parameter history

Abstract

A media receiver identifies attributes of a media station to which the media receiver is currently tuned. The media receiver monitors the signal quality of the media station. If the signal quality of the media station drops below a quality threshold, the receiver chooses an alternate station having similar content, and then tunes to the alternate station until the signal quality of the original station improves. When the signal quality of the original station rises above a re-tune threshold, the receiver can switch back to the original station. The receiver can monitor and record user listening patterns, station-switching patterns, and situational parameters, to identify times or locations at which station switches occur. This information can be used to select appropriate alternative stations, to perform pre-emptive station switches, and to determine when a station's content will be buffered with the expectation that a station's signal will drop below the quality threshold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for use in a wireless receiver tuned to a first media station, the method comprising:
 determining that the wireless receiver is to be tuned to an alternate media station;   maintaining a history of user listening patterns associated with historical situational parameters in a memory of the wireless receiver;   determining a current situational parameter using a processor included in the wireless receiver;   determining whether the current situational parameters match particular historical situational parameters using a processor included in the wireless receiver; and   automatically tuning the wireless receiver from the first media station to the alternate media station based, at least in part, on the user listening patterns associated with the particular historical situational parameters.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the current situational parameter includes determining a current geographic location of the wireless receiver, the method further comprising:
 selecting the alternate media station based on a historical tendency of the user to select the alternate media station when the wireless receiver is located at the current geographic location, wherein the historical tendency is determined based on the history of the user listening patterns.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the current situational parameter includes determining a current time of day, the method further comprising:
 selecting the alternate media station based on a historical tendency of the user to select the alternate media station both at the current time of day and when the wireless receiver is located at the current geographic location.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting the alternate media station by considering a plurality of potential available media stations as candidates for selections as the alternate media station; and   selecting a first candidate media station that satisfies the user listening patterns and the current situational parameters as the alternate media station.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting the alternate media station by considering a plurality of potential available media stations as candidates for selections as the alternate media station; and   if the alternate media station has not been selected after consideration of a set number of available media stations, relaxing selection criteria for the alternate media station.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further wherein the current situational parameters include initialization of the receiver, the method further comprising:
 selecting the first media station based on a historical tendency of the user to select the first media station upon initialization of the receiver, wherein the historical tendency is determined based on the history of the user listening patterns.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the history of user listening patterns associated with particular historical situational parameters indicates an association between the particular historical situational parameters and a tendency of the user to choose a particular genre of media; and   automatically tuning the wireless receiver from the first media station to the alternate media station includes tuning to a media station associated with the particular genre.   
     
     
         8 . A wireless receiver comprising:
 a processor;   memory operably associated with the processor;   a wireless receiver coupled to the processor; and   a program of instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to implement a method including the following:
 determining that the wireless receiver is to be tuned to an alternate media station; 
 maintaining a history of user listening patterns associated with historical situational parameters in a memory of the wireless receiver; 
 determining a current situational parameter using a processor included in the wireless receiver; 
 determining whether the current situational parameters match particular historical situational parameters using a processor included in the wireless receiver; and 
 automatically tuning the wireless receiver from a first media station to the alternate media station based, at least in part, on the user listening patterns associated with the particular historical situational parameters. 
   
     
     
         9 . The wireless receiver of  claim 8 , wherein determining the current situational parameter includes determining a current geographic location of the wireless receiver, the method further comprising:
 selecting the alternate media station based on a historical tendency of the user to select the alternate media station when the wireless receiver is located at the current geographic location, wherein the historical tendency is determined based on the history of the user listening patterns.   
     
     
         10 . The wireless receiver of  claim 9 , wherein determining the current situational parameter includes determining a current time of day, the method further comprising:
 selecting the alternate media station based on a historical tendency of the user to select the alternate media station both at the current time of day and when the wireless receiver is located at the current geographic location.   
     
     
         11 . The wireless receiver of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 selecting the alternate media station by considering a plurality of potential available media stations as candidates for selections as the alternate media station; and   selecting a first candidate media station that satisfies the user listening patterns and the current situational parameters as the alternate media station.   
     
     
         12 . The wireless receiver of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 selecting the alternate media station by considering a plurality of potential available media stations as candidates for selections as the alternate media station; and   if the alternate media station has not been selected after consideration of a set number of available media stations, selecting a default alternate station.   
     
     
         13 . The wireless receiver of  claim 8 , further wherein the current situational parameters include initialization of the receiver, the method further comprising:
 selecting the first media station based on a historical tendency of the user to select the first media station upon initialization of the receiver, wherein the historical tendency is determined based on the history of the user listening patterns.   
     
     
         14 . The wireless receiver of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the history of user listening patterns associated with particular historical situational parameters indicates an association between the particular historical situational parameters and a tendency of the user to choose a particular genre of media; and   automatically tuning the wireless receiver from the first media station to the alternate media station includes tuning to a media station associated with the particular genre.   
     
     
         15 . A mobile device capable of receiving both over-the-air (OTA) broadcasts and Internet protocol (IP) broadcasts, the mobile device comprising:
 a wireless radio receiver configured to receive first media station content via an OTA broadcast;   memory;   a processor coupled to the memory and the wireless radio receiver, the processor programmed to;
 determine that the wireless receiver is to be tuned to an alternate media station; 
 maintain a history of user listening patterns associated with historical situational parameters in a memory of the wireless receiver; 
 determine a current situational parameter using a processor included in the wireless receiver; 
 determine whether the current situational parameters match particular historical situational parameters using a processor included in the wireless receiver; 
 select a media station available via an IP broadcast as the alternate media station; and 
 automatically tune the wireless receiver from the first media station to the alternate media station based, at least in part, on the user listening patterns associated with the particular historical situational parameters. 
   
     
     
         16 . The mobile device of  claim 15 , wherein determining the current situational parameter includes determining a current geographic location of the wireless receiver, the processor further programmed to:
 select the alternate media station based on a historical tendency of the user to select the alternate media station when the wireless receiver is located at the current geographic location, wherein the historical tendency is determined based on the history of the user listening patterns.   
     
     
         17 . The mobile device of  claim 16 , wherein determining the current situational parameter includes determining a current time of day, the processor further programmed to:
 select the alternate media station based on a historical tendency of the user to select the alternate media station both at the current time of day and when the wireless receiver is located at the current geographic location.   
     
     
         18 . The mobile device of  claim 15 , wherein determining the current situational parameter includes a current time relationship to an automated tune-away event, the processor further programmed to:
 select the alternate media station based on a historical tendency of the user to select a media station having content attributes similar to content attributes of the alternate media station at historical times corresponding to the current time relationship.   
     
     
         19 . The mobile device of  claim 15 , further wherein the current situational parameters include initialization of the receiver, the processor further programmed to:
 select the first media station based on a historical tendency of the user to select a media station having particular content attributes upon initialization of the receiver, wherein the historical tendency is determined based on the history of the user listening patterns.   
     
     
         20 . The mobile device of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the history of user listening patterns associated with particular historical situational parameters indicates an association between the particular historical situational parameters and a tendency of the user to choose a particular genre of media; and   the processor is further programmed to automatically tune the wireless receiver from the first media station to a media station associated with the particular genre.