Audio system for vehicle with battery-backed storage

An audio system for use in a vehicle for the playback of audio data by a sound amplification system of the vehicle, the audio system comprising:

• (a) a nonvolatile digital storage device that stores the audio data for playback;
• (b) an audio playback device that reads the audio data from the digital storage device and converts it to a form which can be output to the vehicle's sound amplification system;
• (c) a first audio acquisition device that receives the audio data to be stored in the digital storage device, said first audio acquisition device including a radio receiver/demodulator that receives broadcast audio signals and stores the received audio signals in said digital storage device;
• and
• (d) a second audio acquisition device comprises a radio receiver that receives audio data transmitted wirelessly to said audio system from a nearby computer or media server and stores the received audio data in the digital storage device.

A method for providing audio playback of pre-recorded audio content in a vehicle over the vehicle's sound amplification system, comprising:

• (a) a user selecting specific audio content that the user wants to listen to in the vehicle;
• (b) establishing a wireless networking connection between an audio device that is mounted in the vehicle and a remote source of the specific audio content;
• (c) transferring a copy of the specific audio content over the wireless connection from the remote source to the audio device;
• (d) the audio device receiving the specific audio content and storing it in non-volatile memory;
• and.
• (e) the user interacting with the audio device to cause it to play back said specific audio content.

An audio system for use in a vehicle for the playback of audio data by a sound amplification system of the vehicle, the audio system comprising:

• a non-volatile digital storage device that stores the audio data for playback;
• an audio playback device that reads the audio data from the digital storage device and converts it to a form which can be output to the vehicle's sound amplification system;
• a first audio acquisition device that receives the audio data to be stored in the digital storage device, said first audio acquisition device including a radio receiver/demodulator that receives broadcast audio signals and stores the received audio signals in said digital storage device;
• and
• a second audio acquisition device comprising a Compact Disc (CD) reader.

An audio system for use in a vehicle for the playback of audio data by a sound amplification system of the vehicle, the audio system comprising:

• a non-volatile digital storage device that stores the audio data for playback;
• an audio playback device that reads the audio data from the digital storage device and converts it to a form which can be output to the vehicle's sound amplification system;
• a first audio acquisition device comprising a Compact Disc (CD) reader;
• and
• a second audio acquisition device comprising a radio receiver that receives audio data transmitted wirelessly to said audio system from a nearby computer or media server and stores the received audio data in the digital storage device.

An audio system for the playback of audio data by a sound amplification system, comprising:

• (a) a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) that stores the audio data for playback;
• (b) an audio playback device that reads the audio data from the DRAM and converts it to a form which can be output to the sound amplification system;
• (c) an audio acquisition device that receives the audio data to be stored in the DRAM;
• and
• (d) a power supply system supplying power to the DRAM consistently including when power is removed from the rest of the audio system.