Method And System For Selecting, Transmitting, And Receiving An Unused Carrier Frequency And Transmitting Over The Unused Carrier Frequency

• US 20090221244A1
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: VanHarlingen, Brian, McGugan, Christopher L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/103
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/034 Portable transmitters

Abstract

In some embodiments, a method of transmitting electrical signals over at least one unused first frequency includes: (a) using a first electrical device to receive information identifying the at least one unused first frequency; (b) selecting a first transmission frequency from the at least one unused first frequency; (c) communicating the first transmission frequency to a user; and (d) using the transmitter of the first electrical device to broadcast the electrical signals over the first transmission frequency. Other embodiments are disclosed in this application.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting electrical signals over at least one unused first frequency, the method comprising:

using a receiver of a first electrical device to receive information identifying the at least one unused first frequency;

selecting a first transmission frequency from the at least one unused first frequency;

communicating the first transmission frequency to a user; and

using a transmitter of the first electrical device to broadcast the electrical signals over the first transmission frequency.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tuning the transmitter of the first electrical device to the first transmission frequency.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

communicating the first transmission frequency to the user comprises;

using the first electrical device to visually display the first transmission frequency.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

using the receiver to receive the information comprises;

using the receiver of the first electrical device to receive the information identifying the at least one unused first frequency over a subcarrier frequency of a frequency signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the subcarrier frequency is a 57 kilohertz signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

using the first electrical device to receive the information comprises;

using the first electrical device to receive the information using a radio broadcast data system standard.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

using the first electrical device to receive the information comprises;

using the first electrical device to receive the information transmitted over a paging network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after communicating the first transmission frequency, selecting a second transmission frequency from the at least one unused first frequency;

communicating the second transmission frequency to the user; and

using the transmitter of the first electrical device to broadcast the electrical signals over the second transmission frequency.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the first electrical device to receive information identifying at least one unused second frequency;

selecting a second transmission frequency from the at least one unused second transmission frequency;

communicating the second transmission frequency to a user; and

using the transmitter in the first electrical device to broadcast the electrical signals over the second transmission frequency.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

selecting the first transmission frequency comprises;

using the first electrical device to automatically select the first transmission frequency from the at least one unused first frequency.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

using the receiver of the first electrical device further comprises;

using the receiver of the first electrical device to automatically receive the information identifying the at least one unused first frequency.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

using the transmitter of the first electrical device further comprises;

using the transmitter of the first electrical device to automatically broadcast the electrical signals over the first transmission frequency.

13. A method of facilitating use of a first electrical device comprising:

providing the first electrical device to comprise;

a first receiver configured to receive information regarding at least one first unused frequency; and

a transmitter electrically coupled to the first receiver and configured to transmit data over two or more frequencies;

selling the first electrical device;

facilitating transmission of information identifying at least one second unused frequency in a first predetermined geographic area,

wherein;

the two or more frequencies comprise the at least one first unused frequency; and

the at least one first unused frequency comprises the at least one second unused frequency.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

facilitating transmission of information identifying at least one third unused frequency in a second predetermined geographic area,

wherein;

the at least one first unused frequency further comprises the at least one third unused frequency.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

facilitating transmission over a second broadcast medium in a second predetermined geographic area of information identifying at least one third unused frequency,

wherein;

facilitating transmission of the information identifying the at least one second unused frequency further comprises;

facilitating transmission over a first broadcast medium different from the second broadcast medium of the information identifying the at least one second unused frequency; and

the at least one first unused frequency further comprises the at least one third unused frequency.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

before facilitating the transmission, selecting the at least one first unused frequency.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

selecting the at least one first unused frequency comprises;

identifying two or more clear frequencies from two or more carrier frequencies in the first predetermined geographic area; and

creating a ranked list of the two or more clear frequencies based at least partially on a signal strength in the first predetermined geographic area of carrier frequencies adjacent to each of the two or more clear frequencies; and

facilitating the transmission comprises;

facilitating transmission of the ranked list of the two or more clear carrier frequencies in the first predetermined geographic area,

wherein;

the at least one first unused frequency comprises the two or more clear frequencies; and

the information identifying the at least one second unused frequency comprises the ranked list of the two or more clear frequencies.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting the information identifying the at least one second unused frequency in the first predetermined geographic area.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein:

facilitating the transmission comprises;

facilitating the transmission of the information identifying the at least one second unused frequency using a radio broadcast data system in the first predetermined geographic area.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein:

facilitating the transmission comprises;

facilitating the transmission of the information identifying the at least one second unused frequency over a paging network in the first predetermined geographic area.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

facilitating broadcasting of electrical signals over the at least one second unused frequency.

22. An electrical device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive information regarding at least one unused frequency;

a transmitter electrically configured to transmit data over a first transmission frequency; and

a selection module electrically coupled to the receiver and the transmitter,

wherein;

the selection module is configured to select the first transmission frequency from the at least one unused frequency and automatically tune the transmitter to the first transmission frequency.

23. The electrical device of claim 22, further comprising:

a display coupled to the selection module and configured to visually display the first transmission frequency.

24. The electrical device of claim 22, further comprising:

a user input component coupled to the selection module and configured to allow a user to select a new transmission frequency from the at least one unused frequency,

wherein;

when a user selects the new transmission frequency using the user input component, the selection module is configured to select the new transmission frequency and automatically tune the transmitter to the new transmission frequency.