Method and system for selecting, transmitting, and receiving an unused carrier frequency and transmitting over the unused carrier frequency

• US 8,503,937 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2009
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: VanHarlingen, Brian, LeDuc, Michael Tad, Igo, Shane, Elgie, Richard James, Kleeman, David, Tu, Jason, Gale, Vannin, Brewer, Timothy, Seil, Oliver Duncan, Iverson, Kent, Singer, Chad
• Primary Examiner(s): Yun, Eugene
• Application Number:
  US12/611,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20100144278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 455/62, 455/67.7, 455/103, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/71, 455/75, 455/313, 455/3.02
• US Class Current: 455/62
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0066 with means for analysing the received signal strength H03J1/0083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0091 provided with means for scanning over a band of frequencies H03J1/0058 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA

Abstract

Some embodiments concern a method of transmitting electrical signals. The method can include: using a global positioning satellite receiver to determine a first location of a first electrical device; using a first transmitter to transmit the first location to a first server; using a receiver to receive information identifying at least one first unused frequency at the first location from the first server; selecting a first transmission frequency from the at least one first unused frequency; and communicating the first transmission frequency to a user. Other embodiments are disclosed in this application.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting electrical signals, the method comprising:

using a global positioning satellite receiver to determine a first location of a first electrical device;

using a first transmitter to transmit the first location to a first server;

using a receiver to receive information identifying at least one first unused FM radio frequency at the first location from the first server;

selecting a first FM radio transmission frequency from the at least one first unused FM radio frequency;

communicating the first FM radio transmission frequency to a user;

using the global positioning satellite receiver to determine a second location of the first electrical device;

using the first transmitter to transmit the second location to the first server;

using the receiver to receive second information identifying at least one second unused FM radio frequency at the second location from the first server;

selecting a second FM radio transmission frequency from the at least one second unused FM radio frequency; and

communicating the second FM radio transmission frequency to the user, wherein;

the first location is different from the second location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a second transmitter to broadcast the electrical signals over the first FM radio transmission frequency.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one third unused FM radio frequency at the first location of the first electrical device; and

using the first transmitter to transmit the second information identifying the at least one third unused FM radio frequency to the first server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one third unused FM radio frequency at the first location of the first electrical device,

wherein;

selecting the first FM radio transmission frequency from the at least one first unused FM radio frequency comprises;

selecting the first FM radio transmission frequency from the at least one first unused FM radio frequency or the at least one third unused FM radio frequency.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

selecting the first FM radio transmission frequency comprises;

identifying one or more third FM radio frequencies in the at least one first unused FM radio frequency that the user has not previously rejected for use at the first location; and

selecting the first FM radio transmission frequency from the one or more second third FM radio frequencies, and

the one or more third FM radio frequencies comprise the at least one first unused FM radio frequency that the user has not previously rejected for use at the first location.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling the first electrical device to a second electrical device,

wherein;

using the global positioning satellite receiver to determine, using the first transmitter to transmit, and using the receiver to receive are performed by the first electrical device; and

selecting the first FM radio transmission frequency and communicating the first FM radio transmission frequency are performed by the second electrical device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

using the first transmitter comprises;

using the first transmitter to transmit the first location to the first server at least partially over a cellular phone network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

using the first transmitter comprises;

using the first transmitter to transmit the first location to the first server at least partially over a computer network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user rating of the first FM radio transmission frequency from the user; and

transmitting the user rating of the first FM radio transmission frequency to the first server.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

selecting a third FM radio transmission frequency from the at least one first unused FM radio frequency if the user rating is negative.

11. A method of transmitting electrical signals, the method comprising:

receiving a destination location;

using a global positioning satellite receiver to determine a first location of a first electrical device;

determining a route from the first location to the destination location, the route comprises one or more intermediate locations;

using a first transmitter to transmit the first location to a first server;

using a receiver to receive information identifying at least one first unused frequency at the first location from the first server;

selecting a first transmission frequency from the at least one first unused frequency;

communicating the first transmission frequency to a user;

using the first transmitter to transmit the one or more intermediate locations to the first server;

using the receiver to receive from the first server second information identifying at least one second unused frequency at each of the one or more intermediate locations;

selecting a second transmission frequency from the at least one second unused frequency for each of the one or more intermediate locations; and

communicating to the user the second transmission frequencies for one of the one or more intermediate locations when the first electrical device is at the one of the one or more intermediate locations.

12. A method of determining one or more useable radio frequencies in two or more first geographic areas, the two or more first geographic areas comprise a second geographic area and a third geographic area, the method comprising:

receiving first usability information for one or more radio frequencies in the second geographic area from two or more first electrical devices;

storing the first usability information;

analyzing the first usability information to identify at least one first unused frequency in the third geographic area;

providing information identifying the at least one first unused frequency to one or more second electrical devices; and

receiving a request for a first number of useable radio frequencies at a first set of global positioning satellite coordinates,

wherein;

the one or more useable radio frequencies comprise the at least one first unused frequency;

the first usability information comprises at least one of signal strength information or user rating information;

the third geographic area comprises the first set of global positioning satellite coordinates;

analyzing the first usability information comprises;

analyzing the first usability information to identify one or more first recommended frequencies in a first circle with a first predetermined radius, the first set of global positioning satellite coordinates located within the first circle; and

if a first number of frequencies in the one of more first recommended frequencies is not equal to or greater than the first number of useable radio frequencies, analyzing the first usability information to identify one or more second recommended frequencies in a second circle with a second predetermined radius, the first set of global positioning satellite coordinates located within the second circle;

providing the information identifying comprises;

if the first number of the frequencies in the one of more first recommended frequencies is equal to or greater than the first number of useable radio frequencies, providing second information identifying the one or more first recommended frequencies to the one or more second electrical devices; and

if the first number of the frequencies in the one of more first recommended frequencies is not equal to or greater than the first number of useable radio frequencies and if a second number of frequencies in the one of more second recommended frequencies is equal to or greater than the first number of useable radio frequencies, providing third information identifying the one or more second recommended frequencies to the one or more second electrical devices;

the one or more first recommended frequencies comprises the at least one first unused frequency; and

the one or more second recommended frequencies comprise the one or more first recommended frequencies.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

providing the information comprises;

providing the information identifying the at least one first unused frequency to the one or more second electrical devices at least partially over a cellular telephone network.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

after providing the information identifying the at least one first unused frequency, receiving usage information from at least one of the one or more second electrical devices,

wherein;

the usage information comprises data regarding use of the at least one first unused frequency.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the first circle is centered at a predetermined point on Earth'"'"'s surface and has a the first predetermined radius.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the predetermined point on the Earth'"'"'s surface is the first set of global positioning satellite coordinates of at least one of the one or more second electrical devices.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein:

receiving the first usability information comprises;

receiving second usability information at a first set of global positioning satellite coordinates from a first device of the two or more first electrical devices;

receiving third usability information at a second set of global positioning satellite coordinates from a second device of the two or more first electrical devices;

the second geographic area comprises the first set of global positioning satellite coordinates and the second set of global positioning satellite coordinates; and

the first usability information comprises the second usability information and the third usability information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

storing the first usability information comprises;

storing the second usability information with the first set of global positioning satellite coordinates; and

storing the third usability information with the second set of global positioning satellite coordinates.

19. A method of transmitting electrical signals, the method comprising:

using a global positioning satellite receiver to determine a first location of a first electrical device;

using a first transmitter to transmit the first location to a first server;

using a receiver to receive information identifying at least one first unused frequency at the first location from the first server;

selecting a first transmission frequency from the at least one first unused frequency; and

communicating the first transmission frequency to a user,

wherein;

using the receiver comprises;

using the receiver to receive information identifying at least one first unused FM radio frequency at the first location from the first server;

selecting the first transmission frequency comprises;

selecting a first FM radio transmission frequency from the at least one first unused FM radio frequency; and

communicating the first transmission frequency comprises;

communicating the first FM radio transmission frequency to the user.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

using a second transmitter to broadcast the electrical signals over the first FM radio transmission frequency.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining at least one second unused frequency at the first location of the first electrical device; and

using the first transmitter to transmit second information identifying the at least one second unused frequency to the first server.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining at least one second unused FM radio frequency at the first location of the first electrical device,

wherein;

selecting the first FM radio transmission frequency from the at least one first unused FM radio frequency comprises;

selecting the first FM radio transmission frequency from the at least one first unused FM radio frequency or the at least one second unused FM radio frequency.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein:

selecting the first FM radio transmission frequency comprises;

identifying one or more second FM radio frequencies in the at least one first unused FM radio frequency that the user has not previously rejected for use at the first location; and

selecting the first FM radio transmission frequency from the one or more second FM radio frequencies, and

the one or more second FM radio frequencies comprise the at least one first unused FM radio frequency that the user has not previously rejected for use at the first location.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

coupling the first electrical device to a second electrical device,

wherein;

using the global positioning satellite receiver to determine, using the first transmitter to transmit, and using the receiver to receive are performed by the first electrical device; and

selecting the first FM radio transmission frequency and communicating the first transmission frequency are performed by the second electrical device.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein:

using the first transmitter comprises;

using the first transmitter to transmit the first location to the first server at least partially over a cellular phone network.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein:

using the first transmitter comprises;

using the first transmitter to transmit the first location to the first server at least partially over a computer network.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a user rating of the first FM radio transmission frequency from the user; and

transmitting the user rating of the first FM radio transmission frequency to the first server.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

selecting a second FM radio transmission frequency from the at least one first unused FM radio frequency if the user rating is negative.