Local area internet radio receiver/transmitter

• US 7,110,720 B1
• Filed: 09/28/1999
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Henderson, P. Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Application Number:
  US09/407,149
• Time in Patent Office: 2,548 Days
• Field of Search: 455/66, 455/9, 455/42, 455/39, 455/228, 455 303- 306, 455/66.1, 370/352
• US Class Current: 455/66.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/71 Wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 the transmission system being the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In accordance with the invention, radio program content or other audio communications and music are transmitted as digital information through the Internet to an Internet radio receiver/transmitter device. The device converts received digital information to analog information and broadcasts the information in the radio frequency band at low power in a localized area for reception by ordinary FM or AM radios. The device is capable of receiving multiple streams of different digital information, and broadcasting each of these on separate radio frequencies, so that each person in a household may hear its own selected programming on its own preselected radio frequency. It is programmable as to at least broadcast commence time, frequency and end time, if desired. Moreover, it may store received information to play at a preprogrammed time, or on demand.

Claims

1. A method for receiving digital information and transmitting the information in a localized area, comprising the steps of:

receiving audio communications from a plurality of streams of digital information from at least one remote source via the Internet;

converting the digital information from the plurality of streams to respective analog information associated with each respective stream;

broadcasting concurrently the respective analog information associated with multiple streams from the plurality of streams of digital information at low power in a localized area in multiple preselected radio frequencies chosen by at least one user; and

receiving the broadcast information associated with the multiple streams in the localized area on multiple radio frequency receivers, each receiver tuned to one of the preselected frequencies to permit listening to one of the audio communications associated with one of the multiple streams, wherein the broadcasting concurrently of the respective analog information associated with multiple streams is initiated at a predetermined time chosen by the at least one user and in at least one of the preselected frequencies chosen by the at least one user, the at least one user tuning one of the radio frequency receivers to one of the preselected radio frequencies.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving audio communications from a plurality of streams of digital information comprises receiving information through a means selected from the group consisting of digital subscriber line transmission, telephone line transmission, cable transmission, and satellite transmission.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of broadcasting comprises broadcasting in a radio frequency modulated waveband in the range of about 88 MHZ to about 108 MHZ and an amplitude modulated waveband in the range of from about 540 Khz to about 1.6 MHZ.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of broadcasting the analog information comprises broadcasting at a power level less than about 100 milliwatts.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving digital information comprises receiving music as digital information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving digital information comprises receiving radio program content as digital information.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one user tunes a first radio frequency receiver to one preselected radio frequency and a second radio frequency receiver to a different preselected radio frequency.

7. An apparatus for receiving information and broadcasting the information in a localized area, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of streams of digital information from at least one remote source via the Internet;

means for converting the plurality of streams of digital information to respective analog information associated with each respective stream; and

means for broadcasting concurrently the respective analog information of multiple streams of the plurality of streams of digital information in a localized area in multiple preselected radio frequencies chosen by at least one user; and

means for programming the means for broadcasting, the means for programming comprising a program for setting a time to activate the means for broadcasting, wherein the at least one user tunes a radio frequency receiver to one of the preselected radio frequencies.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising means for displaying user readable information.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least the means for receiving and means for converting are contained on a PCI card, the card receiving transmissions from the Internet and converting the transmissions to analog information for broadcasting.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the means for receiving, means for converting, and means for broadcasting are contained on a PCI card.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprises means for storing received digital information for broadcasting at a later time.

17. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the program prompts the at least one user to specify the time to activate the means for broadcasting.

12. A method for receiving digital information and transmitting the information in a localized area, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of streams of digital information from at least one remote source via the Internet;

converting the plurality of streams of digital information to respective analog information associated with each respective stream;

broadcasting concurrently the respective analog information associated with multiple streams of the plurality of streams of digital information in a localized area in multiple preselected radio frequencies chosen by at least one user, wherein at least one of the preselected radio frequencies is a frequency modulated radio frequency; and

setting a time to activate the broadcasting step, wherein the at least one user tunes a radio frequency receiver to one of the preselected radio frequencies.

13. A method of claim 12, further comprising the step of storing at least one of the plurality of streams of received digital information before converting the digital information to the analog information associated with the at least one of the plurality of streams of received digital information.

14. A method of claim 13, wherein the at least one stored stream of digital information is converted to analog information associated with at least one stored stream at a predetermined time.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the multiple preselected radio frequencies is a preselected amplitude modulated radio frequency.