Method to receive local information with a national broadcast service

• US 20050025089A1
• Filed: 07/28/2003
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Walker, Glenn A., Mateychuk, Duane E., Pollard, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,606,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/323
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/106 Receiver-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/13 radio data system/radio broadcast data system [RDS/RBDS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/19 digital satellite radio [DSR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations

Abstract

A receiver is disclosed. The receiver includes a first antenna, a second antenna, a system controller, a national broadcast demodulator, a local broadcast demodulator, and an information output select device. The first antenna for receives a signal from a satellite that contains information of national interest. The second antenna receives a signal from a land-based transmitter that contains information of local interest. The national broadcast demodulator is coupled to the first antenna and the system controller. The national broadcast demodulator provides a first interrupt indicator to the system controller. The local broadcast demodulator is coupled to the second antenna and the system controller. The local broadcast demodulator provides a second interrupt indicator to the system controller. Upon receiving either the first or second interrupt indicator at the system controller, the system controller switches the information output select device between the national broadcast information and the local broadcast information. A method for providing a seamless transition between national broadcast information and local broadcast information for a receiver is also disclosed. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A receiver, comprising:

a first antenna for receiving a signal from a satellite, wherein said satellite signal contains information of national interest;

a second antenna receiving a signal from a land-based transmitter wherein said land-based signal contains information of local interest;

a system controller;

a national broadcast demodulator coupled to the first antenna and the system controller, wherein the national broadcast demodulator provides a first interrupt indicator to the system controller;

a local broadcast demodulator coupled to the second antenna and the system controller, wherein the local broadcast demodulator provides a second interrupt indicator to the system controller; and

an information output select device, wherein upon receiving either the first or second interrupt indicator at the system controller, the system controller switches the information output select device between the national broadcast information and the local broadcast information.

2. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein the first interrupt indicator is a time-slot interrupt signal.

3. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein the second interrupt indicator is an interrupt signal.

4. The receiver according to claim 3, wherein the interrupt signal is a radio data service (RDS) data signal.

5. The receiver according to claim 3, wherein the interrupt signal is a series of tones on the audio channel.

6. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein the information output select device is a diverge for audio data multiplexer.

7. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein the national interest information satellite signal is an SDAR service signal and the local interest information land-based signal is an AM/FM signal.

8. The receiver according to claim 7, wherein the national broadcast demodulator is an SDAR service tuner and the local broadcast demodulator is an AM/FM tuner.

9. The receiver according to claim 8, wherein digital audio signals are communicated from the tuners to an audio multiplexer.

10. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein the system controller further comprises a microcontroller.

11. The receiver according to claim 10, wherein the microcontroller stores downloaded information relating to region-specific preferred local stations.

12. The receiver according to claim 11, wherein the downloaded information includes regional location information with a listing of the region-specific preferred local stations stored in a central database lookup table provided by a national broadcast service provider.

13. A method for providing a seamless transition between national broadcast information and local broadcast information for a receiver, comprising the steps of:

determining if the receiver is set to a national information mode setting or a local information mode setting;

upon determining when the national mode setting is detected, gathering location information of the receiver;

downloading an available plurality of preferred local stations that correlate to the gathered location information;

choosing the a local station from the plurality of preferred local stations;

playing a national broadcast signal;

monitoring for a time-slot interrupt or a signal interrupt;

detecting a time-slot interrupt or a signal interrupt and interrupting the national broadcast signal; and

initiating the playing of a local broadcast signal.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, prior to the downloading step, determining if the receiver is in need of a preferred local station update in view of the gathered location information.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein, after the choosing step, searching for the local station chosen from the plurality of preferred local stations.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the downloading step is performed randomly by a national broadcaster service provider.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the downloading step is performed at specific predetermined times.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the downloading step is performed when the receiver is activated.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the gathering location information of the receiver is conducted via a GPS signal.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein the gathering location information of the receiver is conducted via a manual user input of the receiver'"'"'s geographic location.