Method and apparatus for detecting a radio frequency to which a broadcast receiver is tuned
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for determining the frequency to which a broadcast receiver is tuned, comprising:
- a controller,an active frequency detection module operably connected to said controller, said active frequency detection module including a radio transmitter operable to emit an audio tone on a frequency and a microphone operable to receive an audio signal from an external broadcast receiver,a passive frequency detection module operably connected to said controller,and an activation button operably connected to said controller, wherein depression of said activation button activates said controller;
wherein, upon such activation of said controller, said controller operates a predetermined one of said active frequency detection module or said passive frequency detection module to determine the frequency to which said broadcast receiver is tuned; and
, wherein, if no frequency is determined, said controller operates the other of said frequency detection modules to determine the frequency to which said broadcast receiver is tuned.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus is disclosed for detecting the frequency to which a broadcast receiver is tuned. In one embodiment, a sensing unit emits a chirp signal over a range of broadcast bands and monitors the output of the radio receiver to detect the frequency to which the radio receiver is tuned. In another embodiment, a sensing unit demodulates radio signals across a range of frequencies and compares the demodulated signals to observed audio output of the radio receiver.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining the frequency to which a broadcast receiver is tuned, comprising:
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a controller, an active frequency detection module operably connected to said controller, said active frequency detection module including a radio transmitter operable to emit an audio tone on a frequency and a microphone operable to receive an audio signal from an external broadcast receiver, a passive frequency detection module operably connected to said controller, and an activation button operably connected to said controller, wherein depression of said activation button activates said controller; wherein, upon such activation of said controller, said controller operates a predetermined one of said active frequency detection module or said passive frequency detection module to determine the frequency to which said broadcast receiver is tuned; and
, wherein, if no frequency is determined, said controller operates the other of said frequency detection modules to determine the frequency to which said broadcast receiver is tuned. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for determining the frequency to which a broadcast receiver is tuned, comprising:
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a controller, an active frequency detection module operably connected to said controller, wherein said active frequency detection module comprises a transmitter for transmitting a radio signal over a carrier frequency to the receiver; and
T means for receiving an audio signal from the receiver and detecting whether the receiver output corresponds to said radio signal;a passive frequency detection module operably connected to said controller, wherein said active frequency detection module comprises means for receiving the first demodulated signal from the receiver;
means for receiving said first modulated signal in the modulated domain and producing a second demodulated signal in the demodulated domain; and
means, coupled to each of the receiving means, for detecting a correlation between the first demodulated signal and the second demodulated signal;and an activation button operably connected to said controller, wherein depression of said activation button activates said controller; wherein, upon such activation of said controller, said controller operates a predetermined one of said active frequency detection module or said passive frequency detection module to determine the frequency to which said broadcast receiver is tuned; and, wherein, if no frequency is determined, said controller operates the other of said frequency detection modules to determine the frequency to which said broadcast receiver is tuned. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for determining a frequency to which a broadcast receiver is tuned comprising the steps of:
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emitting from a housing a first radio signal carrying a first audio signal on a first frequency; receiving an audio signal from a broadcast receiver external to the housing; determining if the received audio signal includes the first audio signal corresponding to the first emitted radio signal; and if the received audio signal includes the first audio signal corresponding to the first emitted radio signal, logging the first freguency and a time corresponding to the emission of the first radio signal at corresponding data locations. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method for determining a freguency to which a broadcast receiver is tuned comprising the steps of:
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emitting from a housing a first radio signal carrying a first audio signal on a first frequency; receiving an audio signal from a broadcast receiver external to the housing; and determining if the received audio signal includes the first audio signal corresponding to the first emitted radio signal; and if the received audio signal does not include the first audio signal corresponding to the first emitted radio signal; emitting from the housing a second radio signal carrying a second audio signal on a second frequency; receiving an audio signal from the broadcast receiver external to the housing; and determining if the received audio signal includes the second audio signal corresponding to the second emitted radio signal. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for determining a frequency to which a broadcast receiver is tuned comprising the steps of:
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receiving a manual activation signal; receiving a first radio signal on a first frequency; receiving an audio signal from a broadcast receiver; determining if the received audio signal includes a first audio signal corresponding to the first received radio signal; and if the received audio signal includes the first audio signal corresponding to the first received radio signal, logging the first freguency and a time corresponding to the receipt of the first radio signal at corresponding data locations. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A method for determining a freguency to which a broadcast receiver is tuned comprising the steps of:
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receiving a manual activation signal; receiving a first radio signal on a first freguency; receiving an audio signal from a broadcast receiver; determining if the received audio signal includes a first audio signal corresponding to the first received radio signal; and if the received audio signal does not include the first audio signal corresponding to the first received radio signal; receiving a second radio signal on a second frequency; receiving an audio signal from the broadcast receiver; and determining if the received audio signal includes a second audio signal corresponding to the second received radio signal. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification