Equipment, system and methodologies for robust coverage in a broadcast area

• US 9,232,481 B1
• Filed: 07/14/2014
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GeoBroadcast Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: GeoBroadcast Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: Devine, Christopher F., Bonick, Richard J., Hieatt, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego, Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US14/330,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20160014703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/06 among broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/103 Transmitter-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/18 Arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/26 Arrangements for switching distribution systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/34 using an out-of-band subcarrier signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/423 Transmitter side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/67 Common-wave systems, i.e. using separate transmitters operating on substantially the same frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/13 radio data system/radio broadcast data system [RDS/RBDS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile

Abstract

Radio broadcasting equipment along with a system design that provides specified booster transmitter locations, control and adjustment of transmitter power levels, analysis and provisioning of optimized antenna heights and antenna azimuths is provided that enables filling a dead zone in a radio broadcast area with a radio signal synchronized with the main transmitter(s) signal, wherein the radio broadcasting equipment includes a plurality of booster transmitters transmitting at a cumulative power level much higher than that of the main transmitter in the dead zone to which the plurality of booster transmitters are dedicated.

Claims

1. Radio broadcasting equipment comprising:

a plurality of auxiliary transmitters associated with at least one main transmitter, the at least one main transmitter transmitting broadcast area wide programming on a radio frequency for a respective broadcast area, wherein the plurality of auxiliary transmitters transmit on the same radio frequency as the at least one main transmitter; and

at least one processor running software to control synchronization of a radio signal transmitted by the plurality of auxiliary transmitters on an intra-plurality basis as well as control synchronization of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters'"'"' radio signal with a radio signal transmitted by the at least one main transmitter,

wherein a cumulative power level for the radio signal transmitted by the plurality of auxiliary transmitters overwhelms the power level of the radio signal transmitted by the at least one main transmitter in a radio broadcast area dead zone associated with the plurality of auxiliary transmitters.

2. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the broadcast area is a radio broadcasters'"'"' listening area.

3. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the radio broadcast area dead zone is caused by a geographic, geological or man made obstacle that impedes the effective transmission from the at least one main transmitter.

4. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency is an FM frequency.

5. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency is an AM frequency.

6. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the cumulative power level for the radio signal transmitted by the plurality of auxiliary transmitters that overwhelms the power level of the radio signal transmitted by the at least one main transmitter reduces the size or effect of one or more radio broadcast area dead zones in the radio broadcast area.

7. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the plurality of auxiliary transmitters are configured to transmit radio signals at a single and selectable broadcast frequency.

8. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the intra-plurality basis use active directionalization including at least one directional antennae.

9. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the active directionalization contains and/or focuses interference by overwhelming the signal transmitted by the at least one main transmitter using the combined strength of the signals transmitted by the plurality of auxiliary transmitters.

10. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the plurality of auxiliary transmitters transmit multiple signals on different frequencies so as to be shared by a plurality of main transmitters, including the at least one main transmitter, wherein each of the plurality of main transmitters transmit broadcast area wide programming on different frequencies multiple broadcasters using a plurality of frequencies so as to reduce the cost of installation and operation of that equipment.

11. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters are dedicated to at least one dead zone and cumulative power output of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters signal is selected so as to overwhelm that of the main signal in the dead zone to which the auxiliary transmitters are dedicated.

12. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 11, wherein a ratio of signal power for the plurality of auxiliary transmitters to the signal power of the at least one main transmitter varies from 3 dB to 30 dB, depending on the RF channel condition, RF power level, and amount of signal fading and shadowing.

13. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the at least one main transmitter continues to transmit at a specified power level while the plurality of auxiliary transmitters transmit at a higher power level.

14. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the plurality of auxiliary transmitters each have higher path loss slopes than the at least one main transmitter and the transmitted signal power from the plurality of auxiliary transmitters decreases more rapidly than that of the at least one main transmitter as a function of distance from the transmitters.

15. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the RF ratios from the main transmitter and at least one of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters are between 0 to 16 dB for Monophonic transmission, and 0 to 24 dB for Stereophonic transmission.

16. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the plurality of auxiliary transmitters and the at least one main transmitter transmit analog radio signals.

17. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the plurality of auxiliary transmitters and the at least one main transmitter transmit digital audio signals.

18. The radio broadcasting equipment of claim 1, wherein the intra-plurality basis use active directionalization including at least one directional antennae.

19. A method of augmenting transmission of a main transmitter transmitting broadcast area wide programming, the method comprising:

transmitting a radio signal, on a plurality of auxiliary transmitters associated with the at least one main transmitter, the at least one main transmitter transmitting broadcast area wide programming on a radio frequency for a respective broadcast area;

synchronizing the radio signal transmitted by the plurality of auxiliary transmitters using at least one processor running software to control synchronization,

wherein the radio signal transmitted by the plurality of auxiliary transmitters is transmitted on an intra-plurality basis,

wherein the radio signal transmitted by the plurality of auxiliary transmitters as well as control synchronization of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters'"'"' radio signal with a radio signal transmitted by the at least one main transmitter,

wherein a cumulative power level for the radio signal transmitted by the plurality of auxiliary transmitters overwhelms the power level of the radio signal transmitted by the at least one main transmitter in a radio broadcast area dead zone associated with the plurality of auxiliary transmitters.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the broadcast area is a radio broadcasters'"'"' listening area.