Selective message broadcasting system

• US 6,804,490 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2002
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David L. Austell, Henry B. Lange
• Original Assignee: Safety 1st Inc. (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smith, Andrew L., Cook, L. Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gantt, Alan T.
• Application Number:
  US10/265,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20040067733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/569.1, 455/12.1, 455/561, 455/560, 455/3.06, 341/141, 341/328, 341/356
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/07 characterised by processes or methods for the generation

Abstract

A selective message broadcasting system. The system can include fixed storage configured to store pre-recorded audio messages. A digital audio system can be coupled to the fixed storage, and can include playback logic for playing back selected ones of the pre-recorded audio messages. A center frequency modulator can be coupled to the digital audio system and the modulator can be configured to modulate the selected ones of the pre-recorded audio messages about a center frequency in a particular broadcast spectrum. Finally, a frequency band comb distributor can be coupled to the center frequency modulator and configured to replicate the modulated selected ones of the pre-recorded audio messages across a set of frequency transmission channels in the particular broadcast spectrum while maintaining a silence interval between each of the frequency transmission channels in the particular broadcast spectrum. Notably, the broadcast spectrum can include the FM spectrum and the AM spectrum.

Claims

1. A selective message broadcasting system comprising:

fixed storage configured to store a plurality of pre-recorded audio messages,

a digital audio system coupled to said fixed storage, said digital audio system comprising playback logic for playing back selected ones of said pre-recorded audio messages stored in said fixed storage;

a center frequency modulator coupled to said digital audio system and configured to modulate said selected ones of said pre-recorded audio messages about a center frequency in a particular broadcast spectrum; and

,

a frequency band comb distributor coupled to said center frequency modulator and configured to replicate said modulated selected ones of said pre-recorded audio messages across a set of frequency transmission channels in said particular broadcast spectrum while maintaining a silence interval between each of said frequency transmission channels in said particular broadcast spectrum.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said broadcast spectrum is selected from the group consisting of the FM spectrum and the AM spectrum.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a microcontroller system coupled to said frequency modulator and said digital audio system; and

,

a keypad interface coupled to said microcontroller system.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising message selection logic through which individual ones of said pie-recorded messages can be selected for playback in said digital audio system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said digital audio system further comprises a digital audio recorder for recording individual ones of said pre-recorded messages.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an amplifier coupled to said frequency mind comb distributor, and,

an antenna coupled to said amplifier.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said antenna is a directional antenna.

4. A selective message broadcasting system comprising:

fixed storage configured to store a plurality of pre-recorded audio messages;

a digital audio system coupled to said fixed storage, said digital audio system comprising playback logic for playing back selected ones of said pre-recorded audio messages stored in said fixed storage;

a center frequency modulator coupled to said digital audio system and configured to modulate said selected ones of said pre-recorded audio messages about a center frequency in a particular broadcast spectrum;

a frequency band comb distribution coupled to said center frequency modulator and configured to replicate said modulated selected ones of said pre-recorded audio messages across a set of frequency transmission channels in said particular broadcast spectrum while maintaining a silence interval between each of said frequency transmission channels in said particular broadcast spectrum;

a microcontroller system coupled to said frequency modulator and said digital audio system;

a keypad interface coupled to said microcontroller system; and

an external component interface coupled to said microcontroller system, said external component interface providing trigger logic to said microcontroller system based upon externally transduced events.

7. A selective message broadcasting system comprising:

fixed storage configured to store a plurality of pre-recorded audio messages;

a digital audio system coupled to said fixed storage, said digital audio system comprising playback logic for playing back selected ones of said pre-recorded audio messages stored in said fixed storage;

a center frequency modulator coupled to said digital audio system and configured to modulate said selected ones of said pre-recorded audio messages about a center frequency in a particular broadcast spectrum;

a frequency band comb distributor coupled to said center frequency modulator and configured to replicate said modulated selected ones of said pre-recorded audio messages across a set of frequency transmission channels in said particular broadcast spectrum while maintaining a silence interval between each of said frequency transmission channels in said particular broadcast spectrum; and

an international adjustment switch coupled to said frequency band comb distributor, said switch when activated re-distributing said replicated pre-recorded audio messages in said set of frequency transmission channels to align said frequency transmission channels with an international implementation of said particular broadcast spectrum.

10. A method of selectively broadcasting messages from a broadcast transmitter across a multiplicity of frequency transmission channels to receivers in short range of said transmitter, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting one of a set of pre-recorded messages stored in fixed storage in the transmitter

digitally playing back said selected one of said set of pre-recorded messages;

modulating said digitally played back message about a center frequency in a particular broadcast spectrum;

replicating said modulated message across a selection of broadcast transmission channels in said particular broadcast spectrum while maintaining silence intervals in between each one of said broadcast transmission channels; and

,

amplifying said replications and transmitting said amplification to the receivers in short range of the transmitter.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

repeating said playing back, modulating, replicating, amplifying and transmitting periodically in a loop.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

recording at least one of said pre-recorded messages; and

,

storing said at least one recorded message in said fixed storage.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein each of said modulating and replicating steps are performed in a digital signal processor.

14. A method of selectively broadcasting messages from a broadcast transmitter across a multiplicity of frequency transmission channels to receivers in short range of said transmitter, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting one of a set of pre-recorded messages stored in fixed storage in the transmitter,

digitally playing back said selected one of said set of pre-recorded messages,

modulating said digitally played back message about a center frequency in a particular broadcast spectrum;

replicating said modulated message across a selection of broadcast transmission channels in said particular broadcast spectrum while maintaining silence intervals in between each one of said broadcast transmission channels;

amplifying said replications and transmitting said amplification to the receivers in short range of the transmitter; and

previewing said selected one of said pre-recorded messages before selecting said selected one of said pre-recorded messages.

15. A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program for selectively broadcasting messages from a broadcast transmitter across a multiplicity of frequency transmission channels to receivers in short range of said transmitter, said computer program comprising a routine set of instructions which when executed cause the machine to perform the steps of;

selecting one of a set of pre-recorded messages stored in fixed storage in the transmitter;

digitally playing hack said selected one of said set of pre-recorded messages;

modulating said digitally played back message about a center frequency in a particular broadcast spectrum;

replicating said modulated message across a selection of broadcast transmission channels in said particular broadcast spectrum while maintaining silence intervals in between each one of said broadcast transmission channels; and

,

amplifying said replications and transmitting said amplification to the receivers in short range of the transmitter.

16. The machine readable storage of claim 15, further comprising the step of

repeating said playing back, modulating, replicating, amplifying and transmitting periodically in a loop.

17. The machine readable storage of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

recording at teas;

one of said pre-recorded messages; and

,

storing said at least one recorded message in said fixed storage.

18. A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program for selectively broadcasting messages from a broadcast transmitter across a multiplicity of frequency transmission channels to receivers in short range of said transmitter, said computer program comprising a routine set of instructions which when executed cause the machine to perform the steps of:

selecting one of a set of pre-recorded messages stored in fixed storage in the transmitter;

digitally playing back said selected one of said set of pre-recorded messages;

modulating said digitally played back message about a center frequency in a particular broadcast spectrum;

replicating said modulated message across a selection of broadcast transmission channels in said particular broadcast spectrum while maintaining silence intervals in between each one of said broadcast transmission channels,

amplifying said replications and transmitting said amplification to the receivers in short range of the transmitter; and

previewing said selected one of said pre-recorded messages before selecting said selected one of said pre-recorded messages.