Digital radio systems and methods

• US 8,868,023 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3D Radio, LLC
• Original Assignee: 3D Radio, LLC
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc M
• Application Number:
  US12/348,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20090180579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,115 Days
• Field of Search: 455/574, 4553431-3435
• US Class Current: 455/343.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3275 Power saving in memory, e.g. RAM, cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0031 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/62 for transportation systems, e.g. in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/71 Wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/09 Arrangements for receiving desired information automatically according to timetables
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/35 Arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time, e.g. for identifying broadcast stations or for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system, apparatus, method, and media directed to power control in the field of digital radio systems are provided. For example, an apparatus, method, or medium can be implemented to enter a radio into lower power mode, store radio programming with reduced functionality, and resume normal power mode.

Claims

1. A method for use in a digital multi-tuner radio system for power management of the radio system, comprising:

implementing a power control circuit that controls power to various circuits within the digital multi-tuner radio system, wherein the various circuits comprises a processor;

receiving selections of one or more features by a user while the system is switched on;

handling incoming audio signals in connection with the selected features from one or more radio stations while in a lower power mode;

determining minimum power needed to meet the user'"'"'s need by the power control circuit while the system is in low power mode; and

in response, exiting low power mode and operating in a normal power mode when the system is without normal power and while handling the incoming audio signals from the one or more radio stations.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising selectively controlling power to the processor and other selectively determined circuits.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising storing radio programming, when in the lower power mode, with reduced functionality.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising causing the radio system to enter the low power mode by putting one or more devices or circuits in the radio system into a low-power-consumption mode.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising causing the radio system to enter the low power mode by removing power from one or more devices or circuits in the radio system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that low power mode is required by determining a time prior to a planned turn on time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining low power parameters by measuring a battery voltage.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining low power parameters by determining user specified radio stations preferences or history.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the radio system to enter low power mode by reconfiguring a device or circuit.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the radio system to enter low power mode by reallocating a processing task from a first processor to a second processor.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the radio system to enter low power mode by using a lower clock speed for a device or circuit.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing radio programming with reduced functionality when in lower power mode by monitoring fewer radio stations.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing radio programming with reduced functionality when in lower power mode by monitoring fewer types of radio stations.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing radio programming with reduced functionality when in lower power mode by using less memory.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing radio programming with reduced functionality when in lower power mode by using a different compression algorithm.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing radio programming with reduced functionality when in lower power mode by disabling all audio processing processors and using direct memory access to store digitized audio data.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing radio programming with reduced functionality when in lower power mode by storing audio data of a lower quality.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising disallowing one or more features using the data stored while in the low power mode after the normal power mode has been entered.