RF radio and method for monitoring multiple channels to acquire warning alert data
View Patent ↗An RF radio and a method of monitoring warning alert data is provided. The RF radio includes a radio receiver for receiving broadcast radio wave signals, and a tuner adjustable for selecting radio wave signal channels within AM and FM radio bands and radio wave signal channels within a weather band. The weather band is adapted to provide warning alert data. The radio also includes a controller for controlling the tuner to select a radio wave signal channel within the AM or FM radio band. The controller controls the tuner to periodically switch to the weather band to simultaneously monitor a plurality of weather band channels during an alternate frequency update, and determines presence of warning alert data. The controller further initiates receipt of the warning alert data when such warning alert data is determined to be present.
1. An RF radio having a radio band configured to receive warning alert data, said radio comprising:
a radio receiver for receiving broadcast radio wave signals;
a single tuner adjustable for selecting radio wave signal channels within a first radio band and radio wave signal channels within a second radio band, wherein the second radio band comprises a plurality of channels adapted to provide warning alert data; and
a controller for controlling the tuner to select a radio wave signal channel within the first radio band, wherein the controller controls the tuner to periodically switch to a frequency within the second radio band to generate an IF signal comprising warning alert data from the plurality of channels to simultaneously monitor the plurality of channels while the tuner is controlled to the frequency in the second radio band and determine presence of warning alert data on one or more of the plurality of channels in the second radio band, and wherein the controller initiates receipt of the warning alert data when the warning alert data is determined to be present.
2. The radio as defined in claim 1 , wherein the second radio band is a weather band.
3. The radio as defined in claim 2 , wherein the weather band comprises specific area message encoding (SAME) weather band signals.
4. The radio as defined in claim 2 , wherein the weather band comprises seven channels, wherein the controller simultaneously monitors the seven channels for presence of warning alert data.
5. The radio as defined in claim 1 , wherein the controller simultaneously monitors a plurality of channels within a bandwidth of less than 200 kHz.
6. The radio as defined in claim 1 , wherein the controller periodically tunes the tuner for a momentary time period to check for the presence of warning alert data.
7. The radio as defined in claim 1 , wherein the controller performs an alternate frequency update.
8. The radio as defined in claim 7 , wherein the alternate frequency update comprises detecting a correlation value for each of the plurality of channels of the second radio band and comparing the correlation value for each of the plurality of channels of the second radio band to a threshold value to determine the presence of warning alert data broadcast in the second radio band.
9. The radio as defined in claim 1 , wherein the radio comprises a vehicle radio.
10. The radio as defined in claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises a plurality of bandpass filters, wherein and each bandpass filter is configured to receive the IF signal and separate the warning data associated with each of the plurality of channels from the IF signal.
11. A method of monitoring warning alert data broadcast in a radio band of an RF radio, said method comprising the steps of:
receiving broadcast radio wave signals with a radio receiver;
selecting a radio wave signal channel within a first radio band with a single tuner;
periodically switching the tuner to a second frequency within a second radio band;
generating an IF signal comprising warning alert data from a plurality of channels within the second radio band;
simultaneously monitoring a plurality of channels while the tuner is controlled to the frequency in the second radio band;
detecting presence of warning alert data in one or more of the plurality of channels in the second radio band; and
initiating receipt of the warning alert data when warning alert data is detected.
12. The method as defined in claim 11 , wherein the step of simultaneously monitoring a plurality of channels in the second radio band comprises monitoring seven channels in a weather band.
13. The method as defined in claim 12 , wherein the weather band comprises specific area message encoding (SAME) weather band signals.
14. The method as defined in claim 11 further comprising the step of returning the tuner setting to the first radio band after the warning alert data has been received.
15. The method as defined in claim 11 further comprising the step of returning the tuner setting to the first radio band following the periodic switching of the tuner to the second radio band.
16. The method as defined in claim 11 , wherein the step of detecting the presence of warning alert data comprises monitoring a correlation value for each of the plurality of channels of the second radio band and comparing the correlation value for each of the plurality of channels of the second radio band to a threshold value to determine whether warning alert data is detected.
17. The method as defined in claim 11 , wherein the step of simultaneously monitoring comprises monitoring the plurality of channels within a bandwidth of less than 200 kHz.
18. The method as defined in claim 11 , wherein the method is performed on an RF radio in a vehicle.
19. The method as defined in claim 11 , wherein the step of simultaneously monitoring a plurality of channels while the tuner is controlled to the frequency in the second radio band includes filtering the IF signal with a plurality of bandpass filters, wherein each bandpass filter is configured to receive the IF signal and separate the warning data associated with each of the plurality of channels from the IF signal.