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US 7,756,497 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for switching between subchannels on a single radio frequency broadcast
AssigneeRadiosophy, LLC
InventorsRichard A Skeie, Bruce A Young
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention utilizes station preset buttons on a radio frequency receiver to allow the user to browse through the various subchannels included in a single station or channel. The preset buttons still have the standard function of having a frequency and subchannel selection parameter associated with the button that can be used to directly select that subchannel. But subsequent presses of the button may change the currently playing program to a different program contained in the same station or channel using a circular queue ordering.
Claims20
A method for switching between a plurality of subchannels contained in an electrical signal comprising the steps of:
- tuning to the electrical signal and having a currently selected subchannel chosen from the plurality of subchannels contained in the electrical signal;
- determining a circular queue ordering of the plurality of subchannels contained in the electrical signal;
- determining a location of the currently selected subchannel within the circular queue ordering;
- receiving a selection command;
- retrieving an associated electrical signal identifier and an associated subchannel identifier indicated by the selection command;
- comparing the selection command to a previous selection command;
- selecting a different subchannel from a next location following the location of the currently selected subprogram within the circular queue ordering only if the selection command is the same as the previous selection command;
- tuning to a new electrical signal indicated by the associated electrical signal identifier and selecting the different subchannel indicted by the associated subchannel identifier only if the selection command is different from the previous selection command;
- and
- changing from the currently selected subchannel to the different subchannel in response to the selection command.
7 more elements
A method for changing subchannels containing audio programs on a receiver using a set of one or more presets comprising the steps of:
- tuning to a current radio frequency and having a currently selected subchannel selected from a plurality of subchannels modulated on the radio frequency signal;
- determining a circular queue ordering of the plurality of subchannels modulated on the radio frequency;
- determining a next subchannel within the circular queue ordering based on the currently selected subchannel;
- storing a specific radio frequency identifier and subchannel identifier for a specific preset selected from the set of one or more presets;
- receiving a command to change to the specific preset;
- and
- in response to the command to change to the specific preset, switching to either a radio frequency and subchannel as indicated by the specific radio frequency identifier and subchannel identifier stored for the specific preset or to the next subchannel within the circular queue ordering.
4 more elements
A digital receiver apparatus comprising:
- receiving circuitry capable of tuning to a selected radio frequency and recovering a digital bit stream from the selected radio frequency;
- a demultiplexer capable of selecting a single subchannel from a plurality of subchannels in the digital bit stream;
- a button;
- a preset memory used for storing for a preset radio frequency identifier and subchannel identifier associated with the button;
- control circuitry capable of detecting when the button has been pressed and commanding the demultiplexer to select a different single subchannel from the plurality of programs in the digital bit stream using a circular queue ordering;
- and
- the control circuitry having further capability of tuning to a different radio frequency indicated by the preset radio frequency identifier and subchannel identifier if the preset radio frequency identifier is different than the selected radio frequency.
4 more elements
A digital receiver apparatus comprising:
- receiving circuitry capable of tuning to a selected radio frequency and recovering a digital bit stream from the selected radio frequency;
- a demultiplexer capable of selecting a single subchannel from a plurality of subchannels in the digital bit stream;
- a 1st button and a 2nd button;
- a preset memory used for storing for a preset radio frequency identifier and a subchannel identifier associated with each of the 1st button and the 2nd button;
- a last button pressed memory containing information on which of the 1st button or the 2nd button was most recently pressed;
- control circuitry capable of detecting when a button press of either the 1st button or the 2nd button has occurred;
- the control circuitry commanding the demultiplexer to select a different single subchannel from the plurality of programs in the digital bit stream using a circular queue ordering if the button press is the same as the information stored in the last button pressed memory;
- and
- the control circuitry commanding the receiving circuitry to tune to a different radio frequency indicated by the preset radio frequency identifier and the subchannel identifier associated with the button press if the button press is different than the information stored in the last button pressed memory.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.