RF radio and method for monitoring warning alert data

• US 20080176526A1
• Filed: 01/24/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ValueStreet Consulting Group
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Altizer, Daniel T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,711,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/179.1
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0008 using a central processing unit, e.g. a microprocessor digital tuning in general H03J5/0245
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0053 with common antenna for more than one band
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/26 Arrangements for switching distribution systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/72 of terrestrial networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/27 specially adapted for broadcast systems covered by groups H04H20/53 - H04H20/95

Abstract

An RF radio and a method of monitoring warning alert data is provided. The RF radio includes a radio receiver for receiving broadcast radio wave signals, and a tuner adjustable for selecting radio wave signal channels within AM and FM radio bands and radio wave signal channels within a weather band. The weather band is adapted to provide warning alert data. The radio also includes a controller for controlling the tuner to select a radio wave signal channel within the AM or FM radio band. The controller controls the tuner to periodically switch to the weather band and determines presence of warning alert data. The controller further initiates receipt of the warning alert data when such warning alert data is determined to be present.

Claims

1. An RF radio having a radio band configured to receive warning alert data, said radio comprising:

a radio receiver for receiving broadcast radio wave signals;

a tuner adjustable for selecting radio wave signal channels within a first radio band and radio wave signal channels within a second radio band, wherein the second radio band is adapted to provide warning alert data; and

a controller for controlling the tuner to select a radio wave signal channel within the first radio band, wherein the controller controls the tuner to periodically switch to the second radio band and determine presence of warning alert data, and wherein the controller initiates receipt of the warning alert data when such warning alert data is determined to be present.

2. The radio as defined in claim 1, wherein the second radio band is a weather band.

3. The radio as defined in claim 2, wherein the weather band comprises specific area message encoding (SAME) weather band signals.

4. The radio as defined in claim 1, wherein the tuner comprises an FM band, AM band and weather band tuner.

5. The radio as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller periodically tunes the tuner for a momentary time period to check for the presence of warning alert data.

6. The radio as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller performs an alternate frequency update.

7. The radio as defined in claim 6, wherein the alternate frequency update comprises detecting signal quality of the second radio band and comparing the signal quality to a threshold to determine the presence of warning alert data broadcast in the second radio band.

8. The radio as defined in claim 7, wherein the step of detecting signal quality comprises performing a correlation algorithm to establish a correlation value, and comparing the correlation value to a threshold to determine whether warning alert data is present.

9. The radio as defined in claim 1, wherein the radio comprises a vehicle radio.

10. A method of monitoring warning alert data broadcast in a radio band of an RF radio, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving broadcast radio wave signals with a radio receiver;

selecting a radio wave signal channel within a first radio band with a tuner;

periodically switching the tuner to a second radio band;

detecting presence of warning alert data in the second radio band; and

initiating receipt of the warning alert data when warning alert data is detected.

11. The method as defined in claim 10 further comprising the step of returning the tuner setting to the first radio band after the warning alert data has been received.

12. The method as defined in claim 10 further comprising the step of returning the tuner setting to the first radio band following the periodic switching of the tuner to the second radio band.

13. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the steps of periodically switching the tuner and returning the tuner setting to the first radio band occur in less than ten milliseconds when no warning alert data is detected.

14. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the second radio band comprises a weather band.

15. The method as defined in claim 14, wherein the weather band comprises specific area message encoding (SAME) weather band signals.

16. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the step of detecting the presence of warning alert data comprises monitoring a signal quality value and comparing the signal quality value to a threshold to determine whether warning alert data is detected.

17. The method as defined in claim 16, wherein the step of detecting signal quality value further comprises performing a correlation routine to establish a correlation value and comparing the correlation value to a threshold to determine the presence of warning alert data.

18. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the method is performed on a RF radio in a vehicle.