Apparatus and methods of delivering music and information

Abstract

The invention comprises music and information delivery systems and methods. One system comprises a portable communication device configured to receive a piece of music from an audio source and transmit the piece of music via a first communication medium to a host computer. The host computer is configured to receive the piece of music from the portable communication device and search a storage medium to identify and access the piece of music from the storage medium. The host computer is configured to transmit the piece of music via a second communication medium to one or more reception units that are configured to receive the piece of music from the host computer via the second communication medium.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A method for controlling acquisition of an audio signal by a computing system, the method comprising:
 receiving, via a microphone, at a first sensitivity level, a speech command;   in response to receiving the speech command and without receiving additional speech commands:
 increasing a sensitivity of the microphone to a second sensitivity level for observing non-speech audio including music; 
 receiving audio signal by the microphone, at the second sensitivity level; and 
 searching the received audio signal for non-speech audio; and 
   in response to identifying non-speech audio in the audio signal, matching at least a portion of the identified non-speech audio to an identified audio pattern,   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein searching the received audio signal for non-speech audio comprises filtering the audio signal by at least one of a bandpass filter, low pass filter, or anti-aliasing filter. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the identified non-speech audio includes at least one of whistling, humming, singing, drum beats, or sound of another musical instrument. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising sampling the at least a portion of the identified non-speech audio for a length of time. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising configuring the length of time based, at least in part, on a degree of certainty for successfully matching the at least a portion of the identified non-speech audio to an identified audio pattern. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising configuring the length of time based on at least one of a starting point of the sampling, type of the non-speech audio, or method for identifying the non-speech audio. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein receiving the speech command comprises receiving a pre-established spoken keyword or key-phrase. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein matching the at least a portion of the identified non-speech audio to an identified audio pattern comprises:
 transmitting the at least a portion of the identified non-speech audio to a server; and   receiving at least an indication of the identified audio pattern that has been matched to the at least a portion of the identified non-speech audio.   
     
     
         32 . A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform actions comprising:
 in response to receiving a speech command and without receiving additional speech commands:
 increasing a sensitivity of a microphone from a first sensitivity level to a second sensitivity level for observing non-speech audio including music; and 
 receiving audio signal by the microphone, at the second sensitivity level; and 
   identifying non-speech audio from the received audio signal; and   matching the identified non-speech audio to an identified audio pattern.   
     
     
         33 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 32 , wherein matching the identified non-speech audio to the identified audio pattern comprises:
 identifying words in the non-speech audio; and   comparing the identified words to previously identified words mapped to the identified audio pattern.   
     
     
         34 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 32 , wherein the second sensitivity level comprises a sensitivity level of the microphone sufficient for detecting music at least 20 feet away. 
     
     
         35 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 32 , wherein the actions further comprise determining a location of the computing system. 
     
     
         36 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 35 , wherein matching the identified non-speech audio to the identified audio pattern is based, at least in part, on the determined location of the computing system. 
     
     
         37 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 35 , wherein actions further comprise presenting options to access media associated with the identified audio pattern based, at least in part, on the determined location of the computing system. 
     
     
         38 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 32 , wherein identifying the non-speech from the received audio signal comprises filtering ambient noise from the received audio signal. 
     
     
         39 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 38 , wherein filtering ambient noise from the received audio signal comprises excluding, from the received audio signal, at least one of talking or traffic sounds. 
     
     
         40 . A computing system comprising:
 one or more processors;   a microphone configured to receive audio; and   at least one memory storing contents that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to:
 in response to receiving a speech command and without receiving additional speech commands:
 increase a sensitivity of the microphone from a first sensitivity level to a second sensitivity level for observing non-speech audio including music; and 
 receiving audio signal by the microphone, at the second sensitivity level; and 
 
 identify non-speech audio from the received audio signal; and 
 match the identified non-speech audio to an identified audio pattern. 
   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the contents, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing system to sample at least a portion of the identified non-speech audio for a configurable length of time. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the contents, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing system to configure the length of time based, at least in part, on a degree of certainty for successfully matching the non-speech audio to an identified audio pattern. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the contents, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing system to present options to access media associated with the identified audio pattern based, at least in part, on a location of the computing system.