System for providing signals from an auxiliary audio source to a radio receiver using a wireless link

• US 6,810,233 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2002
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sirius XM Radio Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: XM Satellite Radio Incorporated (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Patsiokas, Stelios
• Primary Examiner(s): Gesesse, Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US10/289,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20030060219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 455/344, 455/3.02, 455/11.1, 455/575, 455/345, 455/200.1, 455/268, 455/267, 369/2, 369/6, 369/8, 381/86, 381/79, 381/106, 381/25, 343/713, 343/715, 343/702
• US Class Current: 455/3.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/207 with an audio or audio/video bus for signal distribution H04B1/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for transmitting audio signals from an auxiliary source such as a satellite broadcast receiver or a CD or cassette player to a radio receiver located, for example, in a vehicle, using a wireless link. The apparatus comprises a scanning device for locating open radio frequencies in the RF spectrum of the radio receiver. The apparatus displays plural RF channel options on a display device and provides a selection device with which a user selects an RF channel. The apparatus modulates the audio signals using the selected radio frequency, and the user tunes the vehicle radio receiver to the selected RF channel. The scanning device continuously scans for open RF channels and monitors the quality of the RF channel already selected for use as the wireless link. The apparatus provides the user with an indication to select another open channel when the RF channel in use degrades.

Claims

1. A system for providing audio signals to a radio receiver from an auxiliary audio source comprising:

an input for receiving said audio signals from said auxiliary audio source;

a processing device connected to said input and operable to substantially continuously monitor a selected radio frequency spectrum to identify radio frequency channels that satisfy a predetermined open channel criteria, and to automatically select at least one radio frequency satisfying said predetermined open channel criteria at which to transmit said audio signals to said radio receiver via a wireless link, and to modulate said audio signals on said selected radio frequency; and

an antenna connected to said processing device and operable to transmit said audio signals to said radio receiver using said at least one radio frequency;

wherein said processing device further comprises an output device for indicating said at least one radio frequency to a user to allow said user to tune said radio receiver to said at least one radio frequency.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one radio frequency is selected from one of an amplitude modulation radio broadcast spectrum and a frequency modulation radio broadcast spectrum.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing device is operable to monitor the quality of said at least one radio frequency, to select another radio frequency when said at least one radio frequency degrades, and to generate a second indication signal to instruct said user to tune said radio receiver to said another radio frequency.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing device is operable to randomly select a first radio frequency which satisfies said predetermined open channel criteria from said selected radio frequency spectrum in response to powering up of said processing device.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing device comprises a scanning receiver for automatically scanning said predetermined radio frequency spectrum and selecting a radio frequency therein for said wireless link.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing device is operable to automatically and dynamically identify a plurality of radio frequencies satisfying said predetermined open channel criteria at which to transmit said audio signals to said radio receiver.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said processing device further comprises a display device for displaying said plurality of radio frequencies and a selection device to allow a user to select one of said plurality of radio frequencies.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said processing device modulates said audio signals using said selected one of said plurality of radio frequencies m response to said selection device.

9. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said processing device is operable to monitor the quality of said at least one radio frequency selected via said processing device, and to generate a signal to instruct said user to tune to another said plurality of radio frequencies when said at least one radio frequency degrades, said user selecting said another one of said plurality of radio frequencies via said selection device.

10. A method of providing a audio signals to a radio receiver from an auxiliary audio source comprising the steps of:

receiving said audio signals from said auxiliary audio source;

substantially continuously monitor a selected radio frequency spectrum to identify radio frequency channels that satisfy a predetermined open channel criteria;

automatically selecting at least one radio frequency satisfying said predetermined open channel criteria at which to transmit said audio signals to said radio receiver via a wireless link;

modulating said audio signals to said selected radio frequency;

transmitting said audio signals to said radio receiver using said at least one radio frequency; and

indicating said at least one radio frequency to a user to allow said user to tune said radio receiver to said at least one radio frequency.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said step of automatically selecting said at least one radio frequency comprises the step of randomly selecting a first radio frequency which satisfies said predetermined open channel criteria from said selected radio frequency spectrum in response to powering up of said processing device.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring the quality of said at least one radio frequency;

selecting another radio frequency when said at least one radio frequency degrades; and

generating a signal to instruct said user to tune said radio receiver to said another radio frequency.

13. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

scanning said predetermined radio frequency spectrum; and

selecting a radio frequency therein for said wireless link.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said predetermined radio frequency spectrum is one of an amplitude modulation radio broadcast spectrum and a frequency modulation radio broadcast spectrum.

15. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the steps of automatically and dynamically identifying a plurality of radio frequencies at which to transmit said audio signals to said radio receiver that satisfy said predetermined open channel criteria.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

displaying said plurality of radio frequencies on a display device to allow a user to select one of said plurality of radio frequencies; and

modulating said audio signals to the selected one of said plurality of radio frequencies.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the step of modulating said audio signals using said selected one of said plurality of radio frequencies in response to said input device.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring the quality of said at least one radio frequency to determine when said at least one radio frequency degrades; and

generating a signal to instruct said user to tune said radio receiver to one of said plurality of radio frequencies.