Broadcast receiver system
First Claim
1. An interface circuit for a bridging circuit configured to connect between (a) a broadcast receiver tuner and associated circuitry for the receiving and processing of broadcast radio frequency signals and (b) a general purpose computer device programmed with software demodulation code configured to engage a general purpose processor in signal demodulation functions, the tuner being configured to receive instructions from the general purpose computer device via the bridging circuit and the bridging circuit being configured to send indications of the current status of controllable aspects of the tuner to the general purpose computer device, the interface circuit comprising:
- a data interface comprising a packetisation buffer connected to receive (i) digital signal sample data from a signal path of the tuner and associated circuitry and (ii) indications of control settings which have been applied to one or more configurable components of the tuner during taking of the sample data, said packetisation buffer being operable to construct packets comprising blocks of sample data and header information carrying said control settings indications; and
a control interface configured to receive control instructions from tuner control code running on the general purpose computer device;
the interface being configured for connection to a microcontroller of the bridging circuit, the microcontroller being operable to receive the control instructions from the control interface and distribute corresponding control settings to configurable components of the tuner and associated circuitry, said microcontroller also being operable to supply indications of relevant control settings to said packetisation buffer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An interface circuit configured to connect between (a) a broadcast receiver tuner and associated circuitry for the receiving and processing of broadcast radio frequency signals, and (b) a general purpose computer device programmed with software demodulation code configured to engage a general purpose processor in signal demodulation functions, the interface circuit comprising: a data interface comprising a packetisation buffer connected to receive (i) digital signal sample data from a signal path of the tuner and associated circuitry and (ii) indications of control settings which are applied to one or more configurable components during taking of the sample data, said packetisation buffer being operable to construct packets comprising blocks of sample data and header information carrying said control settings indications; a control interface configured to receive control instructions from tuner control code running on the general purpose computer device; and a microcontroller operable to receive the control instructions from the control interface and distribute corresponding control settings to configurable components of the tuner and associated circuitry, said microcontroller also being operable to supply indications of relevant control settings to said packetisation buffer.
29 Citations
14 Claims
-
1. An interface circuit for a bridging circuit configured to connect between (a) a broadcast receiver tuner and associated circuitry for the receiving and processing of broadcast radio frequency signals and (b) a general purpose computer device programmed with software demodulation code configured to engage a general purpose processor in signal demodulation functions, the tuner being configured to receive instructions from the general purpose computer device via the bridging circuit and the bridging circuit being configured to send indications of the current status of controllable aspects of the tuner to the general purpose computer device, the interface circuit comprising:
-
a data interface comprising a packetisation buffer connected to receive (i) digital signal sample data from a signal path of the tuner and associated circuitry and (ii) indications of control settings which have been applied to one or more configurable components of the tuner during taking of the sample data, said packetisation buffer being operable to construct packets comprising blocks of sample data and header information carrying said control settings indications; and a control interface configured to receive control instructions from tuner control code running on the general purpose computer device; the interface being configured for connection to a microcontroller of the bridging circuit, the microcontroller being operable to receive the control instructions from the control interface and distribute corresponding control settings to configurable components of the tuner and associated circuitry, said microcontroller also being operable to supply indications of relevant control settings to said packetisation buffer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. An interface configured to receive control instructions from computer code running on a general purpose computing device and configured to connect between (a) a demodulator implemented in software on the general purpose computing device and (b) an interface circuit associated with a separate hardware tuner for receiving broadcast signals, the interface circuit being a component of a bridging circuit between the hardware tuner and the general purpose computing device, the hardware tuner being configured to receive control signals from the general purpose computing device via the bridging circuit and the bridging circuit being configured to send indications of the current status of controllable aspects of the hardware tuner to the general purpose computing device, said interface comprising:
-
a data interface for receiving packetised signal sample data including header information comprising control settings indications which are applied during taking of the sample data; a control interface operable to receive control instructions, from a tuner controller, setting control inputs of configurable components of the hardware tuner and further operable to forward said control instructions to a complimentary interface associated with the hardware tuner; the tuner controller, wherein the tuner controller is operable to issue control instructions intended to change a control setting of a configurable component of the hardware tuner; and a packet monitoring module operable to detect control settings indications for configurable components of the hardware tuner and to compare them with a log of at least one issued instruction to determine when an instruction issued by the tuner controller has been implemented at the configurable component of the hardware tuner. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification