SEARCHING RECEIVER

• US 20080280576A1
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• 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: Zehnle, Guido, Conzelmann, Werner
• Granted Patent: US 8,792,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/186.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/60 characterised in that the receiver comprises more than one tuner
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/11 Arrangements for counter-measures when a portion of broadcast information is unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/29 Arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/41 for identifying broadcast space, i.e. broadcast channels, broadcast stations or broadcast areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/46 for receiving on more than one standard at will deflecting circuits of multi-standard receivers H04N3/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals

Abstract

A monitoring receiver accepts program preferences from an operator. The receiver automatically monitors alternate frequencies for programming that matches the program preferences, alerts the operator when a match is found, and may switch to a preferred program. The receiver may be configured to automatically turn ON when a preferred program is located.

Claims

1. A method for receiving a designated program, the method comprising the acts of:

reading program designation data from a memory;

locating a designated program that matches at least a portion of the program designation data with a program monitoring receiver; and

when the program monitoring receiver locates the designated program;

automatically turning ON a selected program receiver for receiving the designated program; and

signaling location of the designated program.

2. The method of claim 1, where locating a designated program comprises the acts of:

receiving a transmitted program signal;

obtaining program indicia from the transmitted program signal; and

comparing the program indicia to at least a portion of the program designation data.

3. The method of claim 1, where reading the program designation data comprises the act of reading operator specified program preference data from the memory.

4. The method of claim 1, where reading the program designation data comprises the act of reading program selection characteristic data including at least one of a program selection count and a program selection time.

5. The method of claim 1, where the program designation data comprises a geographic-specific program code list.

6. A method for receiving a designated program, the method comprising the acts of:

locating a designated program with a second program receiver, the designated program matching program designation data to identify availability of a first designated program; and

when the second program receiver locates the designated program;

automatically turning ON a first program receiver;

tuning the second program receiver to receive the first designated program; and

interchanging search and reception operations of the first and second program receiver so that the first program receiver begins to search for a second designated program while the second program receiver receives the first designated program.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the act of reading operator specified program preference data comprising a program code list.

8. The method of claim 7, where the program code list is geographic-specific.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining when the second designated program is available and in response;

tuning the first program receiver to receive the second designated program; and

interchanging search and reception operations of the first and second program receiver so that the second program receiver begins to search for a third designated program while the first program receiver receives the second designated program.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising the acts of generating an announcement signal in response to locating the first designated program and combining the announcement signal with the first designated program.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

reporting signal strength of the first designated program; and

accepting an authorization to switch reception of the first designated program to the first program receiver.

12. A computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions that cause a signal receiver to perform a method comprising:

reading program designation data from a memory;

locating a designated program that matches the program designation data with a program monitoring receiver; and

when the program monitoring receiver locates the designated program;

automatically turning ON a selected program receiver for receiving the designated program; and

generating an announcement signal.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, where locating a designated program comprises the acts of:

receiving a transmitted program signal;

obtaining program indicia from the transmitted program signal; and

comparing the program indicia to at least a portion of the program designation data.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, where reading program designation data comprises the act of reading operator specified program preference data from the memory.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12, where the executable instructions further cause the signal receiver to:

reporting signal strength of the designated program; and

receiving an activation signal that directs a receiver to switch reception to the designated program.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, where the program designation data comprises a geographic-specific program code list.

17. A computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions that cause receivers to perform a method comprising:

locating a designated program with a second program receiver that matches program designation data to identify availability of a first designated program; and

when the second program receiver locates the first designated program;

automatically turning ON a first program receiver;

tuning the second program receiver to receive the first designated program; and

interchanging search and reception operations of the first and second program receiver so that the first program receiver begins to search for a second designated program while the second program receiver receives the first designated program.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, where the program designation data comprises at least one operator specified program code list.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, where the program code list is geographic-specific.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, where locating a designated program comprises the act of sweeping at least one of a television and a radio frequency range.