Receiver system for decoding data embedded in an electromagnetic signal

• US 20050037721A1
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Benz, Christoph, Gierl, Stefan, Korner, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 7,254,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/187.100
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0083 using two or more tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/186 using two or more tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/34 using an out-of-band subcarrier signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/55 for traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/13 radio data system/radio broadcast data system [RDS/RBDS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/60 characterised in that the receiver comprises more than one tuner
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/09 Arrangements for receiving desired information automatically according to timetables

Abstract

A system for decoding data, such as travel and traffic information, configured in data blocks embedded in an electromagnetic signal, such as a broadcasted radio signal, has been developed. The system includes a method and receiver for decoding the data with a background tuner in a manner that does not impair the ability of the background tuner to demodulate other signals. While a main tuner is tuned to demodulate a first electromagnetic signal to produce a data stream, the background tuner is switched to decode the data blocks only when the data blocks are expected to be received. In the remaining time, the background tuner is free to demodulate other signals to support a diversity or other function. If a data block is not received, or not received when expected, the background tuner returns to demodulating one or more other frequencies after a predetermined time interval has elapsed.

Claims

1. A receiver for decoding data configured in a plurality of data blocks, comprising:

a first tuner operative to demodulate a first electromagnetic signal; and

a second tuner operative to demodulate a second electromagnetic signal and decoding the plurality of data blocks, where the second tuner is operative to perform a diversity function during an estimated time interval between data blocks.

2. The receiver of claim 1, where the receiver is implemented by computer logic according to computer-executed instructions stored in a computer-readable medium.

3. The receiver of claim 1, where the receiver is implemented by computer logic according to computer-executed instructions embodied in a computer-readable electromagnetic signal.

4. A receiver for decoding data configured in a plurality of data blocks, comprising:

a first tuner operative to demodulate a first electromagnetic signal;

a second tuner operative to demodulate a second electromagnetic signal that comprises the plurality of data blocks, and decode the plurality of data blocks; and

a timer in communication with the second tuner and operative to estimate a time interval between data blocks, where the second tuner demodulates at least one other electromagnetic signal during the estimated time interval between data blocks.

5. The receiver of claim 4, where the first electromagnetic signal is a broadcasted signal.

6. The receiver of claim 5, where the broadcasted signal is a radio broadcast signal.

7. The receiver of claim 4, where the second electromagnetic signal is a broadcasted signal.

8. The receiver of claim 7, where the broadcasted signal is a radio broadcast signal.

9. The receiver of claim 7, where the second electromagnetic signal comprises a radio data service data stream.

10. The receiver of claim 9, where the plurality of data blocks comprise travel message channel data embedded in the radio data service data stream.

11. The receiver of claim 4, where the second electromagnetic signal equals the first electromagnetic signal.

12. The receiver of claim 4, where the first electromagnetic signal comprises a program.

13. The receiver of claim 12, where the second tuner comprises a scanning module that identifies any of the at least one other electromagnetic signal that comprise the program.

14. The receiver of claim 13, where the second tuner comprises a selector module that selects a signal from among the first electromagnetic signal and the at least one other electromagnetic signals.

15. The receiver of claim 4, where the timer further determines a deviation of the estimated time interval between data blocks.

16. The receiver of claim 4, where the timer produces a first trigger signal at an end of the estimated time interval between data blocks.

17. The receiver of claim 16, where the second tuner comprises a switching module in communication with the timer, where the switching module is configured to tune the second tuner to the second electromagnetic signal in response to the first trigger signal is received.

18. The receiver of claim 17, where the switching module is configured to tune the second tuner to one of the at least one other electromagnetic signals after one of the plurality of data blocks is received.

19. The receiver of claim 17, where the switching module is configured to tune the second tuner to the first electromagnetic signal after one of the plurality of data blocks is received.

20. The receiver of claim 17, where the timer is configured to determine a second time interval after the first trigger signal is produced.

21. The receiver of claim 20, where the timer produces a second trigger signal if one of the plurality of data blocks is not received during the second time interval.

22. The receiver of claim 21, where the switching module tunes the second tuner to one of the at least one other electromagnetic signals when the second trigger signal is received.

23. The receiver of claim 21, where the switching module tunes the second tuner to the at least first electromagnetic signals when the second trigger signal is received.

24. The receiver of claim 4, where the receiver is implemented by computer logic according to computer-executed instructions stored in a computer-readable medium.

25. The receiver of claim 4, where the receiver is implemented by computer logic according to computer-executed instructions embodied in a computer-readable electromagnetic signal.

26. A receiver for decoding data configured in a plurality of data blocks in a first electromagnetic signal, comprising:

a first means for demodulating a second electromagnetic signal;

a second means for demodulating the first electromagnetic signal and decoding the plurality of data blocks; and

a third means for estimating a time interval between data blocks in communication with the second means, where the second means comprises a means for demodulating at least one other electromagnetic signal during the estimated time interval between data blocks.

27. The receiver of claim 26, where the receiver is implemented by computer logic according to computer-executed instructions stored in a computer-readable medium.

28. The receiver of claim 26, where the receiver is implemented by computer logic according to computer-executed instructions embodied in a computer-readable electromagnetic signal.

29. A receiver system for decoding data configured in a plurality of data blocks, the receiver system comprising:

an input device in communication with a first electromagnetic signal and a second electromagnetic signal that comprises the plurality of data blocks;

a receiver in communication with the input device, the receiver comprising;

a first tuner demodulating the first electromagnetic signal;

a second tuner demodulating the second electromagnetic signal, and decoding the plurality of data blocks; and

a timer in communication with the second tuner and estimating a time interval between data blocks, where the second tuner demodulates at least one other electromagnetic signal during the estimated time interval between data blocks; and

an interface in communication with the receiver and communicating the second electromagnetic signal and the data to a user.

30. The receiver system of claim 29, where the input device comprises an antenna that receives at least one of the electromagnetic signals.

31. The receiver system of claim 29, where the interface comprises a speaker that converts the second electromagnetic signal into an audio signal.

32. The receiver system of claim 29, where the interface comprises a display that converts the second electromagnetic signal into a visual signal.

33. The receiver system of claim 32, where the interface comprises an input that enables selection of the first electromagnetic signal.

34. The receiver system of claim 29, further comprising a navigation system in communication with the receiver and receiving the data.

35. The receiver system of claim 29, where the receiver is implemented by computer logic according to computer-executed instructions stored in a computer-readable medium.

36. The receiver system of claim 29, where the receiver is implemented by computer logic according to computer-executed instructions embodied in a computer-readable electromagnetic signal.

37. A method for decoding data in a receiver that comprises a first tuner and a second tuner, the method comprising:

tuning a first tuner to demodulate a first electromagnetic signal;

tuning a second tuner to demodulate a second electromagnetic signal that comprises the data configured in a plurality of data blocks;

decoding at least one of the plurality of data blocks;

estimating a time interval between data blocks;

tuning the second tuner to demodulate at least one third electromagnetic signal during the estimated time interval between data blocks; and

tuning the second tuner to the second electromagnetic signal at an end of the time interval between data blocks.

38. The method of claim 37, where one of the at least one third electromagnetic signals equals the first electromagnetic signal.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising determining a second time interval if one of the plurality of data blocks is not decoded.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising tuning the second tuner to at least the third frequency at an end of the second time interval.

41. A method for decoding data configured in a plurality of data blocks, the method comprising:

demodulating a first electromagnetic signal; and

simultaneously with demodulating the first electromagnetic signal, performing the following steps;

demodulating a second electromagnetic signal that comprises the plurality of data blocks;

decoding the plurality of data blocks;

estimating a time interval between data blocks; and

demodulating at least a third electromagnetic signal during the estimated time interval between data blocks.

42. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for receiving data, the computer-executable instructions comprising logic for implementing a method comprising:

tuning a first tuner to demodulate a first electromagnetic signal;

tuning a second tuner to demodulate a second electromagnetic signal that comprises the data configured in a plurality of data blocks;

decoding at least one of the plurality of data blocks;

estimating a time interval between data blocks;

tuning the second tuner to demodulate at least one third electromagnetic signal during the estimated time interval between data blocks; and

tuning the second tuner to the second electromagnetic signal at an end of the time interval between data blocks.

43. A computer-readable electromagnetic signal defining computer-executable instructions for receiving data, the computer-executable instructions comprising logic for implementing a method comprising:

tuning a first tuner to demodulate a first electromagnetic signal;

tuning a second tuner to demodulate a second electromagnetic signal that comprises the data configured in a plurality of data blocks;

decoding at least one of the plurality of data blocks;

estimating a time interval between data blocks;

tuning the second tuner to demodulate at least one third electromagnetic signal during the estimated time interval between data blocks; and

tuning the second tuner to the second electromagnetic signal at an end of the time interval between data blocks.

44. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for receiving data, the computer-executable instructions comprising logic for implementing a method comprising:

demodulating a first electromagnetic signal; and

simultaneously with demodulating the first electromagnetic signal, performing the following steps;

demodulating a second electromagnetic signal that comprises the plurality of data blocks;

decoding the plurality of data blocks;

estimating a time interval between data blocks; and

demodulating at least a third electromagnetic signal during the estimated time interval between data blocks.

45. A computer-readable electromagnetic signal defining computer-executable instructions for receiving data, the computer-executable instructions comprising logic for implementing a method comprising:

demodulating a first electromagnetic signal; and

simultaneously with demodulating the first electromagnetic signal, performing the following steps;

demodulating a second electromagnetic signal that comprises the plurality of data blocks;

decoding the plurality of data blocks;

estimating a time interval between data blocks; and

demodulating at least a third electromagnetic signal during the estimated time interval between data blocks.