Digital audio broadcast system with local information

A method for transmitting a plurality of local broadcast information streams within a single channel, comprising:

• associating at least one of a plurality of unique local broadcast identifying codes with each of a plurality of local content information streams, each of said unique local broadcast identifying codes being associated with a local geographic area within a general broadcast area;
• and
• transmitting a digital radio signal over said single channel, said digital radio signal comprising a plurality of data packets each containing one of said plurality of content information streams and an associated one of said plurality of unique local broadcast identifying codes;
• wherein at least one of said plurality of unique local broadcast identifying codes are included in respective header portions of said data packets.

Apparatus for transmitting a plurality of local broadcast information streams within a single channel, comprising:

• means for associating at least one of a plurality of unique local broadcast identifying codes with each of a plurality of local content information streams, said means for associating associates each of said unique local broadcast identifying codes with a local geographic area within a general broadcast area;
• and
• means for transmitting a digital radio signal over said single channel, said digital radio signal comprising a plurality of data packets each containing one of said plurality of content information streams and an associated one of said plurality of unique local broadcast identifying codes;
• wherein said means for transmitting includes means for including at least one of said plurality of unique local broadcast identifying codes in respective header portions of said data packets.

An information stream combiner for a single channel of a digital audio broadcast transmitter, comprising:

• a local audio content source;
• a module to packetize said local audio content source;
• a local broadcast identifying code storage element;
• and
• a processor to insert a local identifying code relating to a local geographic area within a general broadcast area, said local identifying code being obtained from said local broadcast identifying code storage element into each data packet containing at least a portion of said local audio content source;
• wherein said processor is further to insert said local identifying code into a header portion of each data packet.

A method of receiving one of a plurality of local audio content source information streams in a single channel of a digital audio broadcast system, comprising:

• monitoring said single channel for a local audio transmission associated with a geographic location of a receiver;
• playing back said local audio content source information stream if a monitored local audio transmission is associated with said geographic location of said receiver;
• storing a unique local broadcast identifying code associated with said geographic location of said receiver;
• said monitoring including a search of each detected data packet for said unique local broadcast identifying code contained therein corresponding to a transmission associated with said geographic location of said receiver.