IP Library Granted Patent US 12,335,556
Granted Patent B2
US 12,335,556 · App. 18/605,309 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Devices, systems, and methods for receiving broadcast content via an automotive port

Inventors: Marcel Antonio Guajardo (Lakewood, CO); Jeffery Graham Romaniuk (Castle Rock, CO)
Assignee: DISH Wireless L.L.C.
H04N21/41422H04N21/433H04N21/43637H04N21/4383H04N21/6131
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,335,556
App. No.
18/605,309
Granted
Jun 17, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of a device that includes an automotive-specific connector are described herein. The device includes radiofrequency (RF) communication circuitry communicatively coupled to processing circuitry and configured to receive a broadcast digital television signal. The processing circuitry configured to receive a user selection of broadcast digital television content to be obtained. The RF communication circuitry controlled to select a frequency band corresponding to the broadcast digital television content from the broadcast digital television signal. Encoded broadcast digital content is received from the RF communication circuitry and a digital bitstream is decoded to obtain the selected broadcast digital television content therein.

Claims (46)

1. A device, comprising:

a housing;

an automotive-specific connector positioned on the housing, wherein the automotive-specific connector is an on-board diagnostic connector configured for attachment to an on-board diagnostic port of the vehicle;

radiofrequency (RF) communication circuitry configured to receive an over-the-air broadcast digital television signal and select a frequency band from the broadcast digital television signal; and

processing circuitry communicatively coupled with the RF communication circuitry and the automotive-specific connector, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

receive, from a mobile device over a secure wireless communication connection between the device and a mobile device different from a connection over which the over-the-air broadcast digital television signal is received, a user selection of broadcast digital television content to be obtained;

control, based on the user selection, the RF communication circuitry to select the frequency band corresponding to the broadcast digital television content from the broadcast digital television signal;

receive encoded broadcast digital content from the RF communication circuitry via a digital bitstream; and

decode the digital bitstream to obtain the broadcast digital television content in response to the user selection.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast digital television signal is an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 1.0 signal or an ATSC 3.0 signal.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

transmit the broadcast digital television content to one or more electrical systems of the vehicle through the automotive-specific connector.

4. The device of claim 1 , comprising:

memory communicatively coupled to the processing circuitry, the processing circuitry configured to:

store, at a first time, the broadcast digital television content in the memory in response to the user selection;

receive, at a second time, a request for the broadcast digital television content; and

transmit the broadcast digital television content in response to the request.

5. The device of claim 1 , the processing circuitry configured to:

obtain scheduling information indicating defined times at which media content will be encoded in the broadcast digital television signal; and

determine, based on the scheduling information, a future time at which the broadcast digital television content will be encoded in the broadcast digital television signal, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the RF communication circuitry at the future time to select the frequency band.

6. The device of claim 1 , comprising:

wireless communication circuitry communicatively coupled with the processing circuitry, the wireless communication circuitry configured to establish the secure wireless communication connection between the wireless communication circuitry and the mobile device.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry includes one or more Motion Picture Expert Group (MPEG) decoders, the processing circuitry configured to decode the digital bitstream using an MPEG decoder of the one or more MPEG decoders.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to receive electrical power from the vehicle through the automotive-specific connector.

9. The device of claim 1 , comprising:

a connector positioned on the housing and electrically coupled with the RF communication circuitry, the connector configured for connection of an RF antenna, the RF communication circuitry configured to receive the broadcast digital television signal through the connector.

10. The device of claim 1 , comprising:

cellular communication circuitry communicatively coupled with the processing circuitry, the cellular communication circuitry configured to communicate cellular data with one or more cellular communication systems.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the user selection is received through the automotive-specific connector.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device having an automotive-specific on-board diagnostic connector coupled to an on-board diagnostic port of a vehicle, from a mobile device over a secure wireless communication connection between the device and a mobile device different from a connection over which an over-the-air broadcast digital television signal is able to be received the device, a user selection of broadcast digital television content to be obtained;

receiving, by radiofrequency (RF) communication circuitry of the device, the over-the-air broadcast digital television signal;

based on the user selection, selecting, by the RF communication circuitry, a frequency band corresponding to the broadcast digital television content from the broadcast digital television signal;

receiving encoded broadcast digital content from the RF communication circuitry via a digital bitstream; and

decoding the digital bitstream to obtain the broadcast digital television content in response to the user selection.

13. The method of claim 12 , comprising:

transmitting the broadcast digital television content to one or more electrical systems of the vehicle through the automotive-specific connector.

14. The method of claim 12 , comprising:

storing, at a first time, the broadcast digital television content in a memory in response to the user selection;

receiving, at a second time, a request for the broadcast digital television content; and

transmitting the broadcast digital television content in response to the request.

15. The method of claim 12 , comprising:

obtaining scheduling information indicating defined times at which media content will be encoded in the broadcast digital television signal; and

determining, based on the scheduling information, a future time at which the broadcast digital television content will be encoded in the broadcast digital television signal, wherein the RF communication circuitry selects the frequency band at the future time.

16. The method of claim 12 , comprising:

establishing the secure wireless communication connection between wireless communication circuitry of the device and the mobile device.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: DISH WIRELESS L.L.C.
To: BOOST SUBSCRIBERCO L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 073066/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 15, 2024
From: GUAJARDO, MARCEL ANTONIO; ROMANIUK, JEFFERY GRAHAM
To: DISH WIRELESS L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 066784/0994 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16875247 · May 15, 2020
Related Publication 20240223837A1 · Jul 4, 2024
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