Utilization of location information for improving trust model for real time traffic and tuner functions

A method of validating a signal received by a radio from a radio station, the method comprising:

• determining a power level of the signal as received by the radio;
• ascertaining a frequency of the signal;
• finding a location and a transmission power of the radio station in a database based on the frequency of the signal;
• estimating an expected power level of the signal as received by the radio, the estimating being based upon the transmission power of the radio station and a distance between the radio and the radio station based on a known location of the radio and the location of the radio station as found in the database;
• and
• validating the radio station only if a difference between the determined power level of the signal as received by the radio and the expected power level of the signal as received by the radio is less than a threshold value.

A method of validating a signal received by a radio from a radio station, the method comprising:

• determining a strength of the signal as received by the radio;
• ascertaining a frequency of the signal;
• calculating a first distance between the radio and the radio station dependent upon the strength of the signal as received by the radio;
• identifying the radio station by referring to a database, the identifying being based on the frequency of the signal
• looking up a location and a broadcast range of the identified radio station in the database;
• computing a second distance between the radio and the radio station based on a known location of the radio and the location of the radio station as found in the database;
• and
• validating the radio station only if the first distance and the second distance are within a margin of error and if the second distance is within the broadcast range of the radio station.