Home area network including arrangement for distributing audio programming information from a plurality of source over local radio broadcast

• US 7,068,972 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ucentric Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Tarr, Morton
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/823,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20010034205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.06, 455/3.04, 455/3.05, 455/414.1, 455/414.4, 455/561, 455/168.1, 381/118, 381/119, 381/315, 381/77, 381/81, 348/485, 348/515, 348/738, 707/501, 707/513, 725/32, 725/109, 725/110, 725/111, 725/74, 725/80, 370/352
• US Class Current: 455/3.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/005 Interface circuits for subscriber lines current supply H04M19/00 and subgroups; supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements H04M3/22 and subgroups; in key telephone systems H04M9/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440236 by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures, audio is converted into text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 : for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 : Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 : Backbone network devices

Abstract

An audio program distribution arrangement for use in connection with a server in a home area network is described. The audio program distribution arrangement is configured to distribute audio programming over a local audio link. The audio program distribution arrangement comprises an audio programming information receiver module, an audio programming information assembler module and a control module. The audio programming information receiver module is configured to receive audio programming information from a plurality of sources. The audio programming information assembler module is configured to generate assembled audio programming information by selectively assembling said audio programming information as received by the audio programming information receiver module into a selected set of frequencies for transmission over the local audio link. The control module configured to control the audio programming information receiver module and the audio programming information assembler module.

Claims

1. An audio program distribution arrangement for use in connection with a server in a home area network, the audio program distribution arrangement being configured to distribute audio programming over a local audio link, the audio program distribution arrangement comprising:

an audio programming information receiver module configured to receive audio programming information from a plurality of sources;

an audio programming information assembler module configured to generate assembled audio programming information by selectively assembling said audio programming information as received by the audio programming information receiver module into a first selected set of frequencies for transmission over the local audio link;

a control module configured to control the audio programming information receiver module and the audio programming information assembler module; and

a broadcast arrangment configured to broadcast the assembled audio programming information over the wireless, local audio link wherein the broadcast arrangement further comprises;

a base module configured to receive the assembled audio programming information from the audio programming information assembler module and transmit the assembled audio programming information over a second selected set of frequencies;

at least one remote module configured to receive the assembled audio programming information over the second selected set of frequencies and to convert the received assembled audio programming information to the first selected set of frequencies for broadcast over the wireless audio link.

2. An audio program distribution arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which the second selected set of frequencies is selected to be such that the base module can broadcast the assembled audio programming information thereover using a higher amount of power than is permitted over the first selected set of frequencies.

3. An audio program distribution arrangement as defined in claim 2 in which the first selected set of frequencies comprises the FM frequency band.

4. An audio program distribution arrangement as defined in claim 2 in which the second selected set of frequencies comprises an unlicenced frequency band in which personal broadcast is permitted.

5. An audio program distribution arrangement as defined in claim 4 in which the second selected set of frequencies comprises a frequency band proximate 900 MHz.

6. An audio program distribution arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which the base module comprises:

a base signal generator configured to receive the assembled audio program information and modulate the received assembled audio program information onto the first set of frequencies;

a base mixer configured to receive the modulated assembled audio information generated by the first signal generator and modulate the modulated assembled audio information onto the second set of frequencies for broadcast to the at least one remote module.

7. An audio program distribution arrangement as defined in claim 6 in which the base module further comprises an amplifier configured to amplify the twice modulated assembled audio information generated by the base mixer prior to it being broadcast.

8. An audio program distribution arrangement as defined in claim 6 in which the base mixer is configured to periodically shift the second set of frequencies within a selected frequency band.

9. An audio program distribution arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which the at least one remote module comprises:

a remote receiver configured to receive the twice modulated assembled audio information broadcast on the first selected set of frequencies;

a remote mixer configured to receive the twice modulated assembled audio information received by the remote receiver and modulate the twice modulated assembled audio information onto the first set of frequencies for broadcast over the wireless audio link.

10. An audio program distribution arrangement as defined in claim 9 in which the remote module further comprises an amplifier configured to amplify the thrice modulated assembled audio information generated by the remote mixer prior to it being broadcast.

11. An audio program distribution arrangement as defined in claim 9 in which the remote mixer is configured to periodically shift the second set of frequencies within a selected frequency band.