EQUIPMENT, SYSTEM AND METHODOLOGIES FOR SEGMENTATION OF LISTENING AREA INTO SUB-AREAS ENABLING DELIVERY OF LOCALIZED AUXILIARY INFORMATION

• US 20110065377A1
• Filed: 09/10/2010
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GBS 2 LLC, Lazer Spot Incorporated (Lazer Spot Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Lazer Spot Incorporated (Lazer Spot Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Hieatt, William R., Bonick, Richard J., Devine, Christopher F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,862,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/103 Transmitter-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/26 Arrangements for switching distribution systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/67 Common-wave systems, i.e. using separate transmitters operating on substantially the same frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information

Abstract

Radio broadcasting equipment is provided that enables targeted radio broadcast advertisement delivery in an radio broadcast area wherein a plurality of radio transmitters are used to transmit broadcasting area wide programming and localized auxiliary information on a single frequency and wherein broadcasting area wide programming is transmitted by at least one of the radio transmitters and localized auxiliary information is transmitted by individual radio transmitters included in the plurality of transmitters.

Claims

1. Radio broadcasting equipment comprising:

a plurality of transmitters including a main transmitter and a plurality of auxiliary transmitters; and

a mechanism for switching on transmission of localized auxiliary information content by each of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters,

wherein both the main transmitter transmits broadcast area wide programming content and the plurality of auxiliary transmitters transmit localized auxiliary information content on a single frequency.

2. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the mechanism for switching on transmission of localized auxiliary information content by each of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters also reduces a power level of transmission by the main transmitter,

3. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the broadcast area wide programming content includes programming content for distribution throughout a particular broadcasting area and the localized auxiliary information content include at least one of advertisements, public safety information, public service information, emergency broadcast information.

4. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, further comprising at least one Studio-Transmitter Link coupled to each of the plurality of transmitters and configured to carry both broadcast area wide programming and auxiliary information content transmitted from one or more studios to the plurality of transmitters.

5. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, further comprising at least T1 line coupled to each of the plurality of transmitters and configured to carry both broadcast area wide programming and auxiliary information content transmitted from one or more studios to the plurality of transmitters.

6. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmitters transmit analog radio signals

7. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmitters transmit digital radio signals.

8. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein each of the auxiliary transmitters is configured to transmit localized auxiliary information content when the main transmitter has ceased transmission of broadcast area wide programming content.

9. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein each of the auxiliary transmitters is configured to transmit broadcast area wide programming content in a simulcast manner when the main transmitter is transmitting broadcast area wide programming and also transmit localized auxiliary information content when the main transmitter has ceased transmission of broadcast area wide programming content.

10. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the localized auxiliary information content includes audio data spoken in a language other than the language of the broadcast area wide programming content.

11. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the mechanism includes components for incorporating an inaudible tone in the signal broadcast by the main transmitter, which triggers the auxiliary transmitters to begin transmission of localized auxiliary information in a specified period of time

12. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the mechanism includes at least one dedicated communication link provided between the main transmitter and each of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters and configured to carry control information indicating when transmission of localized auxiliary information by each of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters should begin.

13. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the localized auxiliary information includes advertising content associated with advertisers located in the geographic area associated with the auxiliary transmitter transmitting the localized auxiliary information.

14. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the localized auxiliary content includes information generated by emergency services personnel regarding a child abduction.

15. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the localized auxiliary content includes information generated by emergency services personnel regarding a localized public emergency or event.

16. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the localized public emergency includes one of a tornado, flash flooding or a forest fire and the localized public event includes one of road closures.

17. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein at least one of the auxiliary transmitters is further configured to transmit a trigger to circuitry included in signage within the geographic area associated with the auxiliary transmitter to trigger display of promotional content associated with the content being transmitted via the auxiliary transmitter.

18. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein at least one of the auxiliary transmitters is further configured to transmit data to one or more user devices located within a geographic area associated with content that has or will be transmitted via that auxiliary transmitter.

19. A method to transmitting both broadcast area wide programming content and localized auxiliary information content within a single broadcast area, the method comprising:

operating a plurality of transmitters including a main transmitter and a plurality of auxiliary transmitters; and

triggering transmission of localized auxiliary information by each of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters when broadcast area wide programming is not being transmitted by the main transmitter,

wherein both the main transmitter transmits broadcast area wide programming content and the plurality of auxiliary transmitters transmit localized auxiliary information content on a single frequency.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising reducing a power level of transmission by the main transmitter during transmission of localized auxiliary information by the plurality of auxiliary transmitters.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the broadcast area wide programming content includes programming content for distribution throughout a particular broadcasting area and the localized auxiliary information content include at least one of advertisements, public safety information, public service information, emergency broadcast information.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising coupling each of the plurality of transmitters to one or more studios via at least one communication link and transmitting at least one of broadcast area wide programming and auxiliary information content from the one or more studios to at least one of the plurality of transmitters.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein each of the auxiliary transmitters is configured to transmit localized auxiliary information content when the main transmitter has ceased transmission of broadcast area wide programming content.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein each of the auxiliary transmitters is configured to transmit broadcast area wide programming content in a simulcast manner when the main transmitter is transmitting broadcast area wide programming and also transmit localized auxiliary information content when the main transmitter has ceased transmission of broadcast area wide programming content.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting different localized auxiliary content from at least two of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the differing localized auxiliary content includes advertisements for advertisers located in the geographic area associated with each of the at least two auxiliary transmitters.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the localized auxiliary information content includes audio data spoken in a language other than the language of the broadcast area wide programming content.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein transmission by the auxiliary transmitters is triggered by an inaudible tone in the signal broadcast by the main transmitter, which triggers the auxiliary transmitters to begin transmission of localized auxiliary information in a specified period of time.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein transmission by the auxiliary transmitters is triggered via at least one dedicated communication link provided between the main transmitter and each of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters and configured to carry control information indicating when transmission of localized auxiliary information by each of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters should begin.