Wireless coupled adapter for decoding information from a broadcast signal to which a radio is tuned

A method of augmenting the operation of an existing broadcast receiver by decoding information contained in a broadcast signal to which the receiver is tuned, comprising:

• placing coupling means in the vicinity of a broadcast receiver that is tuned to a broadcast signal having a given carrier frequency, said broadcast signal having certain information encoded in a part of the broadcast signal;
• sensing with the coupling means a local signal that is emitted from the broadcast receiver, said local signal having a predetermined relation to the carrier frequency of a broadcast signal to which the receiver is tuned, and deriving a tuning signal that corresponds to said local signal;
• applying said tuning signal in an adapter receiver having a tuning range that includes the carrier frequency of the broadcast signal to which the broadcast receiver is tuned;
• acquiring the part of the broadcast signal in which said certain information is encoded by tuning the adapter receiver to receive the broadcast signal at said carrier frequency in response to said tuning signal;
• and
• decoding information contained in the part of said broadcast signal acquired by the adapter receiver.

A wireless adapter for augmenting the operation of an existing broadcast receiver by decoding information contained in a broadcast signal to which the receiver is tuned, comprising:

• coupling means for sensing a local signal emitted from a broadcast receiver in the vicinity of the coupling means, wherein the local signal has a predetermined relation to a carrier frequency of a broadcast signal to which the receiver is tuned, and the broadcast signal has certain information encoded in a part of the broadcast signal;
• means for deriving a tuning signal that corresponds to the local signal;
• and
• adapter receiver means, including
• tuning means responsive to said tuning signal and having a tuning range that includes the carrier frequency of the broadcast signal to which the broadcast receiver is tuned,
• means associated with the tuning means for acquiring the part of the broadcast signal in which said certain information is encoded by tuning said tuning means to receive the broadcast signal at said carrier frequency in response to said tuning signal;
• and
• decoder means for decoding information contained in the part of the broadcast signal acquired by said tuning means.