resrching audio hyperlinks technology to control devices from podcasts

hasapplied for a patentwith the U.S Patent and Trademark (viaInsider) on methods for using hyperlinks embedded into audio strms that could offer content crtors the capability to link to other forms of media or control a device altogether. The main concept of the patent is outlined in the abstract of the filing, and explains how audio hyperlinks could be used to allow listeners to access such content within audio:
Hyperlinks within an audio strm provide a way for a listener to access linked resources. An audio hyperlink end in an audio strm indies the presence of an audio hyperlink in the audio strm, as well as providing information for traversing the hyperlink to the linked resource. The hyperlink may be conditionally traversed upon a user interaction or automatically upon detection in the audio strm, possibly pausing the audio strm containing the hyperlink during the traversal of the hyperlink and resuming the audio strm if the audio strm is returned to from the linked material. The linked material may be other audio content, but may also be any other type of desired content that may be accessible by the system processing the audio strm.

In the patent appliion, gives an example of a podcast which could link to other podcasts, websites, or other media, and describes how software could either automatically activate audio hyperlinks when detected or offer a user interface to allow users to have control over of the links.

While the patent appliion does not make any references to specific devices, examples and drawings outline how the process could be applied to such mobile devices such as i, iPads, and iPods.