Multiple broadcast channel transmitter arrangment

• US 5,862,235 A
• Filed: 09/26/1996
• Issued: 01/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics Incorporated (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics
• Inventors: Kowalczyk, David Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, Forester W.
• Application Number:
  US08/722,880
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 381/14, 381/79, 381/16, 381/77, 455/59
• US Class Current: 381/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/082 to be used in vehicles H04B1/086 takes precedence; holding or mounting accessories B60R11/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/20 for coupling gramophone pick-up, recorder output, or microphone to receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/48 for FM stereophonic broadcast systems

Abstract

A transmitter includes a plurality of oscillators for transmitting multiple radio frequency (RF) signals simultaneously, from each one of which signals a broadcast radio receiver system can reproduce the transmitted audio information. The transmitter will not only allow a user to listen to a CD or tape player through the radio receiver system but also let the user choose whichever frequency gives the best quality sound by merely tuning the receiver system in the same manner as tuning it to the broadcast radio station signals.

Claims

1. An audio player for the use in a moving vehicle in which a radio receiver is installed for receiving broadcast radio signal in different geographical locations, comprising:

means for retrieving an audio signal from a pre-recorded medium;

signal distributing means coupled to said audio signal retrieving means for distributing said audio signal to a plurality N of radio frequency (RF) carrier generating means;

said RF carrier generating means for simultaneously providing a plurality N of modulated RF carrier signals within a band of radio broadcast frequencies;

signal combining means for combining and transmitting said plurality N of modulated RF carrier signals; and

wherein

(i) said RF carrier generating means comprises a number, N, of individual crystal controlled oscillators for generating respective ones of said plurality, N, of modulated RF carrier signals;

(ii) the plurality N of RF carrier signals and the respective number of respective individual crystal controlled oscillators being at least three (N=3) and at most a number that is substantially less than the total number of broadcast radio signal channels assignable to the FM radio band;

(iii) the frequency spacing of said RF carrier signals being a selected one of 200 kHz and 400 kHz between adjacent ones of said RF carrier signals; and

wherein

(iv) a selected one of said RF carrier signals exhibits a field strength greater than that of any of the remaining RF carrier signals.