Telecommunications – Receiver or analog modulated signal frequency converter – Signal selection based on frequency
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-28
2001-02-20
Maung, Nay (Department: 2744)
Telecommunications
Receiver or analog modulated signal frequency converter
Signal selection based on frequency
C455S186100, C455S161100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192223
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to frequency scanning radio receivers. More particularly, the present invention relates to automatically programming the receiving frequencies of frequency scanning radio receivers.
Conventional frequency scanning radio receivers monitor radio transmissions by continually tuning the receiver, i.e., scanning, a group of discrete frequencies. When a transmission is detected on a frequency to which the receiver tunes, and the transmission signal level exceeds a threshold, tuning stops and the transmission is monitored. A radio receiver can only receive transmissions within a limited geographic area. The transmissions of usual interest to listeners are assigned to discrete frequencies, for example, to police, emergency medical services, fire, and public service agencies. Other local transmissions, for example, transmissions from local businesses, may not be of interest to the listener. Therefore, the listener must determine the frequencies of interest that are to be monitored and tune or program the frequency scanning receiver so that only those frequencies are monitored.
Historically, scanning radio receivers are manually programmable, i.e., the listener manually inputs the frequencies to be monitored. The frequencies of interest are established by experience, from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses, by purchase of channel listings from a private source, or otherwise. Privately published frequency allocations are frequently out-of-date.
Manually programming a radio receiver to monitor selected channels is an onerous and time consuming task that is subject to data entry errors. Programming a radio receiver involves consulting an owner's manual, and manually entering programming data and each frequency to be monitored using an input device, such as a keypad.
A frequency scanning radio receiver requires reprogramming whenever the listener changes geographic areas. The difficulty and time required to program and reprogram a conventional scanning radio receiver has led to listener frustration and is a major cause of return of frequency scanning radio receivers to retailers and manufacturers for refunds. Accordingly, there exists a need for a frequency scanning radio receiver that overcomes the problems of manual programming of frequencies of interest.
Another problem for the listener is the inability to easily identify a transmitting party being heard. Some conventional frequency scanning radio receivers include a visual display of the frequency being received. To determine the identity of a transmitting party the listener must know the frequency allocations from experience, consult a chart, or analyze the content of the transmission. These methods of identifying the transmitting party are cumbersome and unreliable and, thus, are not desirable. Accordingly, there exists a need for a frequency scanning radio receiver that signals to the listener the identity of the transmitting party.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a frequency scanning radio receiver in which the receiving frequencies of interest are automatically programmable into the receiver.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a frequency scanning radio receiver in which the receiving frequencies of interest in a local area specified by the listener are automatically programmed into the receiver from a remote location.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a frequency scanning radio receiver that displays the identity of a transmitting party to the listener.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a host system that stores frequency allocation information for geographic locations and for assembling and transmitting frequency allocation information for any location, upon request, for programming receiving frequencies into a frequency scanning radio receiver.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a programmable frequency scanning radio receiver comprises a receiver for receiving radio frequency transmissions at each of a plurality of discrete frequencies; a memory for storing frequency data, the frequency data including a plurality of frequencies corresponding to respective transmitting parties of interest; a processing circuit coupled to the memory and the receiver, accessing the memory, and controlling the receiver to monitor transmissions at each of the frequencies of the frequency data; and a communication device coupled to the processing circuit for communicating with a host system located remotely from the receiver and for receiving the frequency data from the host system, the processing circuit storing the frequency data in the memory, whereby the frequencies received by the receiver can be established and altered from a data base in the host system.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a host system for programming a frequency scanning radio receiver comprises a communication device for transmitting frequency data to a frequency scanning radio receiver in response to a programming request; a memory for storing frequency allocation information for each of a plurality of transmitting parties; and means for extracting and processing a portion of the frequency allocation information from the memory in response to the programming request to produce the frequency data. FIX
According to another aspect of the present invention, a frequency scanning radio receiver programming system for programming frequency scanning radio receivers, comprises a host system including a memory device for storing a plurality of operating frequencies for a plurality of transmitting parties; a processing circuit coupled to the memory device for extracting programming data from the memory device; a communication device coupled to the processing circuit for sending the programming data to the scanning radio; a scanning frequency radio receiver including a communication device for receiving the programming data from the host system; a receiver for scanning and receiving a range of radio frequency transmissions, the receiver being programmable a subset of the range of operating frequencies; a memory device for storing the programming data received from the host system; and a processing circuit coupled to the communication device, the memory device, and the receiver for controlling the receiver based on the programming data.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for automatically programming a frequency scanning radio receiver to monitor transmissions on a set of discrete frequencies comprising transmitting a programming request for a frequency scanning radio receiver to a host system, the programming request including a geographical location of the frequency scanning radio receiver; in response to the programming request, assembling frequency data including respective operating frequencies for a plurality of transmitting parties proximate the geographical location of the frequency scanning radio receiver; transmitting the frequency data from the host system to the frequency scanning radio receiver; and in response to the frequency data received from the host system, programming the frequency scanning radio receiver to monitor transmissions on the operating frequencies.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5471662 (1995-11-01), Shiota
patent: 5535442 (1996-07-01), Kishi
Barnett Richard E.
Henry Philip L.
Leydig , Voit & Mayer, Ltd.
Maung Nay
Vuong Quochien B.
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