Computer based multi-channel radio system and user interface

A computer based multi-channel radio, comprising:

• a digital audio radio receiver for receiving a plurality of channels and data associated with the plurality of channels over-the-air, said data including one or more of channel number, artist name, song title, channel name, category or genre, and use percentage of a channel;
• a channel decoder coupled to the radio receiver;
• and
• a port for transmitting data associated with the plurality of channels, transmitting an output signal representative of a selected channel among the plurality of channels, and for receiving control signals from a computer having a graphical user interface,
• wherein the computer selectively displays on the graphic user interface at least a portion of the data associated with the plurality of channels and a user selectively controls the channel decoder by selecting the selected channel on the graphical user display.

A method of representing a plurality of channels on a display, comprising:

• extracting data associated with each channel in the plurality of channels from a data stream using a digital audio receiver, said data including one or more of channel number, artist name, song title, channel name, category or genre, and use percentage of a channel;
• enabling the selective display of the data associated with each of the plurality of channels on a graphical user interface;
• simultaneously updating and displaying said data associated with said selected plurality of channels;
• and
• selectively controlling a remotely coupled channel decoder on a radio receiver via the graphical user interface.

A method of displaying a group of selected channels among a plurality channels, comprising:

• controlling a remote source for receiving a digitally encoded bit stream on at least a portion of the plurality of channels and decoding a selected channel among the plurality of channels using a digital audio receiver;
• selectively displaying data associated with each of the plurality of channels on a graphical user interface, said data including one or more of channel number, artist name, song title, channel name, category or genre, and use percentage of a channel;
• and
• updating and displaying the data associated with the plurality of channels in rapid recurring succession.

A machine-readable non-transitory storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform a method comprising:

• extracting data associated with each channel in a plurality of channels from a data stream obtained using a digital audio receiver, said data including one or more of channel number, artist name, song title, channel name, category or genre, and use percentage of a channel;
• enabling the selective display of the data associated with each of the plurality of channels on a graphical user interface;
• simultaneously updating and displaying said data associated with said selected plurality of channels;
• and
• selectively controlling a remotely coupled channel decoder on a radio receiver via the graphical user interface.

A machine-readable non-transitory storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform a method comprising:

• controlling a remote source for receiving a digitally encoded bit stream on at least a portion of the plurality of channels and decoding a selected channel among the plurality of channels using a digital audio receiver;
• selectively displaying data associated with each of the plurality of channels on a graphical user interface said data including one or more of channel number, artist name, song title, channel name, category or genre, and use percentage of a channel;
• updating and displaying the data associated with the plurality of channels in a rapid recurring succession;
• and
• enabling the output of the selected channel as represented by the graphical user interface.