SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTING A FREQUENCY FOR PERSONAL-USE FM TRANSMISSION

• US 20080057888A1
• Filed: 01/24/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Shoykhet, Eugene L., Bridges, Jason D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/161.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/034 Portable transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/62 for transportation systems, e.g. in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A portable electronic device includes a radio frequency receiver; a radio frequency transmitter; and a processing system coupled with the receiver and transmitter. The processing system directs the receiver to scan a radio frequency spectrum for available radio channels over which the transmitter may transmit. The processing system may further direct the receiver to perform a second scan for radio channels which are actively transmitting information. The processing system then selects an available radio channel as the radio channel best suited for use by the transmitter to transmit information to the external audio system. The processing system may select a transmission frequency which is spectrally distant from the active radio channels and/or may take into account a transmission profile of the transmitter to select a frequency that does not interfere with the reception of incoming radio signals.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a radio frequency receiver;

a radio frequency transmitter for transmitting audio information to an external audio system; and

a processing system coupled with the radio frequency receiver and the radio frequency transmitter, the processing system for directing the receiver to scan for available radio channels over which the transmitter can transmit the audio information,

wherein the processing system selects an available radio channel as the radio channel best suited for use by the radio frequency transmitter to transmit information to the external audio system.

2. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, further including a display for displaying the selected radio channel.

3. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing system is further operable to automatically tune the radio frequency transmitter to the selected radio channel.

4. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing system is operable to direct the external audio system to tune to the selected channel.

5. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing system directs the radio frequency receiver to scan for radio channels which are not being actively used for transmission of information.

6. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the processing system further directs the radio frequency receiver to scan for radio channels which are being used for transmission of information.

7. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the processing system selects the available channel best suited for use by the radio frequency transmitter by picking an available radio channel which is spectrally distant from the radio channels which are being used for transmission of information.

8. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing system considers a transmission profile of the radio frequency transmitter when selecting the selected radio channel.

9. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radio frequency transmitter is capable of transmitting audio and data to the external audio system.

10. A navigation device, comprising:

a receiver for receiving traffic information transmitted from an external traffic information broadcaster;

a transmitter for transmitting audio information to an external audio system so the audio information may be audibly reproduced by the external audio system; and

a processing system coupled with the receiver and the transmitter, the processing system for directing the receiver to scan for available radio channels over which the transmitter can transmit the audio information,

wherein the processing system selects one of the available radio channels as the radio channel best suited for use by the radio frequency transmitter to transmit information to the external audio system.

11. The navigation device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the transmitter is further operable to re-transmit the audio information to the external audio system over the selected radio channel so the audio information may be audibly reproduced the external audio system.

12. The navigation device as claimed in claim 10, further including a rechargeable battery and a charger for charging the rechargeable battery, the receiver being incorporated in the charger.

13. The navigation device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the charger comprises a cigarette lighter adapter.

14. The navigation device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the charger comprises a first plug for insertion into a cigarette lighter receptacle, a second plug for receipt within a power port on the navigation device, and an electrical conductor between the first plug and the second plug which serves to both conduct current between the first plug and the second plug and as an antenna for at least one of the transmitter and the receiver.

15. The navigation device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a location determining system for determining navigational information related to the device.

16. The navigation device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the transmitter is further capable of transmitting data to the external audio system.

17. A method of transmitting information between a portable electronic device and an external audio system, the portable electronic device including a receiver and a transmitter, comprising:

causing the receiver to scan for currently unused radio channels;

selecting one of the currently unused radio channels; and

causing the transmitter to transmit the information from the portable electronic device to the external audio system using the selected radio channel.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising causing the receiver to scan for currently active radio channels, wherein selecting one of the currently unused radio channels comprises selecting a currently active radio channel that is spectrally distant from the currently active radio channels.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein selecting one of the currently unused radio channels further comprises considering a transmission profile of the transmitter when selecting one of the currently unused radio channels which does not interfere with the currently active radio channels.

20. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a radio frequency transmitter for transmitting audio information to an external audio system; and

a processing system coupled with the radio frequency transmitter for accessing a memory listing available radio channels over which to transmit,

wherein the processing system selects which of the available radio channels should be used by the radio frequency transmitter to transmit the audio information to the external audio system.

21. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 20, further comprising location determining system for determining a current location of the device.

22. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the processing system selects which of the available radio stations should be used by the radio frequency transmitter based on the current location of the portable electronic device determined by the location determining system.

23. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the processing system considers a transmission profile of the radio frequency transmitter when selecting the selected radio channel.

24. A portable electronic device, comprising:

means for receiving radio frequency transmissions;

means for transmitting audio information to an external audio system; and

means coupled with the receiving means and the transmitting means for directing the receiving means to scan for available radio channels over which the transmitting means can transmit the audio information,

wherein the directing means selects an available radio channel as the radio channel best suited for use by the transmitting means to transmit information to the external audio system.