Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for communicating an emergency alert message from a digital radio broadcast transmission system of a mobile vehicle to a digital radio broadcast receiver system. A digital radio broadcast signal including first and second data is broadcasted using the digital radio broadcast transmission system to end-user digital radio broadcast receivers. The first data includes an emergency code, and the second data includes an emergency alert message. The digital radio broadcast signal is transmitted at a predetermined frequency that is recognized by the receivers as an emergency notification frequency. The digital radio broadcast signal can be decoded only by receivers located within a localized area in a proximity of the transmission system. The receivers are configured to automatically tune to the emergency notification frequency to receive the digital radio broadcast signal and render the second data based on a detection of the emergency code within the signal.

Abstract: A method of processing a digital radio broadcast signal includes: (a) determining a plurality of current correlation sample values representative of a time delay between samples in an analog audio sample stream and samples in a digital audio sample stream; (b) determining a current inversion status; (c) updating a delay history and an inversion status history; (d) checking the current correlation sample values for consistency with a first confidence threshold; (e) if consistency is found in step (d), determining if each of a first plurality of values in the delay history is consistent within a predetermined range of the current correlation sample values; (f) if consistency is found in step (e), determining if a value in the inversion status history is consistent with the current inversion status; and (g) if the consistency is found in step (f), allowing blending of an output to the digital audio sample stream.

Abstract: An integrated lighting system and integrated lighting network including integrated lighting systems are communicatively coupled to one another, for example, via various wireless transceivers. The systems and networks can collect data of a passing object (e.g., person, animal, automotive vehicle). The data can be transmitted over the systems and networks such that the intensity of light generated by light fixtures within the systems and networks can be adjusted to the activities of the particular object. In some cases, the data is distance data, gesture data, 2D image data, 3D image data and/or proximity data of the object.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processor readable media are disclosed for detection of signal quality problems and errors in digital radio broadcast signals. First monitoring equipment is located in an over-the-air coverage area of a first radio station. Second monitoring equipment is located in an over-the-air coverage area of a second radio station. The first and second monitoring equipment are configured to receive digital radio broadcast signals from the respective first and second radio stations. A computing system is configured to receive data from the first monitoring equipment and the second monitoring equipment, the data being indicative of one or more attributes of a digital radio broadcast signal received at respective monitoring equipment. The computing system analyzes received data to detect a signal quality problem or error in the digital radio broadcast signals received at the first and second monitoring equipment.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a data rate in a data client for a digital audio broadcasting system includes a buffer for storing data, a codec for coding data, and a control module for controlling a bit rate of the codec in response to a level of the data in the buffer. A method performed by the apparatus is also included.

Abstract: A method of block deinterleaving data received at a digital radio broadcast receiver is described. The method includes providing a block of memory having a n×k addresses, wherein the block comprises a single table, receiving a digital radio broadcast signal at the receiver, and demodulating the digital radio broadcast signal into a plurality of interleaved data units. For at least one series of n×k data units a pointer step size is determined, and for each data unit in the series, an address in the block is calculated based on the pointer step size, and an output data unit is read from the block at the address, such that said output data units represent block deinterleaved data units. An input data unit from the plurality of interleaved data units is then written to the block at the address. Associated systems and computer readable storage media are presented.

Abstract: A method for processing a digital audio broadcast signal in a radio receiver, includes: receiving a hybrid broadcast signal; demodulating the hybrid broadcast signal to produce an analog audio stream and a digital audio stream; and using a normalized cross-correlation of envelopes of the analog audio stream and the digital audio stream to measure a time offset between the analog audio stream and the digital audio stream. The time offset can be used to align the analog audio stream and the digital audio stream for subsequent blending of an output of the radio receiver from the analog audio stream to the digital audio stream or from the digital audio stream to the analog audio stream.

Abstract: A method of processing a digital radio broadcast signal in a digital radio receiver includes: receiving baseband signal samples at a first sample rate; adjusting the sample rate of the baseband signals based on a difference between a receiver clock and a transmitter clock to produce adjusted baseband signal samples at a second sample rate; filtering the adjusted baseband signal samples to separate a digital component of the samples and an analog component of the samples, wherein the digital component and the analog component are synchronous; and separately demodulating the digital component and the analog component to produce a digital output signal and an analog output signal. A receiver that uses the method is also provided.

Abstract: A method for processing a digital audio broadcast signal in a radio receiver includes: receiving a digital audio broadcast signal; demodulating the digital audio broadcast signal to produce an analog audio stream and a digital audio stream; determining a digital signal quality value for the digital audio stream; blending an output of the radio receiver from the analog audio stream to the digital audio stream when the digital signal quality value exceeds an adaptive analog-to-digital threshold value; and blending the output of the radio receiver from the digital audio stream to the analog audio stream when the digital signal quality value falls below an adaptive digital-to-analog threshold value, wherein the adaptive digital-to-analog threshold value is lower than the adaptive analog-to-digital threshold value.

Abstract: A method for processing a radio signal includes producing first and second streams of audio samples; decimating the first and second streams of audio samples to produce first and second streams of decimated streams of audio samples; estimating a first offset value between corresponding samples in the first and second streams of decimated streams of audio samples; shifting one of the first and second streams of audio samples by a first shift value; decimating the first and second streams of audio samples to produce third and fourth streams of decimated audio samples; estimating a second offset value; determining a final offset value based on an intersection of ranges of valid results of the first and second offset values; and shifting one of the first and second streams of audio samples by the final offset value to align the first and second streams of audio samples.

Abstract: A method for processing a digital audio broadcast signal includes: separating an analog audio portion and a digital audio portion of the digital audio broadcast signal; determining the loudness of the analog audio portion and the digital audio portion over a first short time interval; using the loudness of the analog and digital audio portions to calculate a short term average gain; determining a long term average gain; converting one of the long term average gain or the short term average gain to dB; if an output has been blended to digital, adjusting a digital gain parameter by a preselected increment to produce a digital gain parameter; if an output has not been blended to digital, setting the digital gain parameter to the short term average gain; providing the digital gain parameter to an audio processor; and repeating the above steps using a second short time interval.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for utilizing sensor data are described. Various sensors may be used to gather sensor data. The sensor data may be associated with an environment. The environment may be many things such as a vehicle, user, or home, etc. The sensor data may be sent raw, or preprocessed to a server or mobile device via communication links. The server, or mobile device, may help utilize the data. For example, operations may be performed in response to identifying an activity. For example, alerting emergency services based upon identifying a home is on fire. Specific operations performed may be based upon information levels. For example, an information level may alert a home owner and display captured sensor data, while another level may alert the neighbors with a generic text message.

Abstract: A method includes: receiving an FM radio signal including an analog-modulated portion; digitally sampling an analog-modulated portion of the radio signal to produce a plurality of samples; using a ratio between an average magnitude and an RMS magnitude of a block of the samples to compute a signal quality metric; detecting sum and difference components of the baseband multiplex signal content; using the baseband content to produce an output signal; and blending the output signal from stereo to monaural as the signal quality metric falls below a threshold value.

Abstract: A device to automatically provide differing information levels according to a predetermined social hierarchy includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores social templates corresponding to unique social signatures and being selectable to provide, for each level of the predetermined social hierarchy, a corresponding differing amount of information to each member of the predetermined social hierarchy and/or a social networking service. The processor receives sensor data from a sensor set which detects sensor data related to an environment of a communication device, creates a detected social signature from the received sensor data, determines which of the social signatures of the social templates has the greatest correspondence with the created social signature, retrieves from the memory the determined one social template having the greatest correspondence, and provides only as much information as allowed in the retrieved social template.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for blending analog and digital portions of a composite digital radio broadcast signal by processing compressed audio packets to compute corresponding digital audio quality indicator values, storing the compressed audio packets in an audio blend buffer, processing audio information from each compressed audio packet stored in the audio blend buffer with an audio decoder to generate decompressed digital audio signal samples, and using the digital audio quality indicator values to guide a blending process for combining analog audio signal samples with the digital audio signal samples to produce an audio output by preventing unnecessary blending back and forth between analog and digital if the digital audio quality indicator values indicate that the compressed audio packets are degraded or impaired.

Abstract: A method for detecting the digital quality of a radio signal includes: receiving a radio signal including an analog modulated portion; digitally sampling an analog modulated portion of the radio signal to produce a plurality of samples; using a ratio between an average magnitude and an RMS magnitude of a block of the samples to compute an analog signal quality metric. Receivers that implement the method are also provided.

Abstract: A method includes: constructing complementary low density parity check codewords by generating a first codeword having a first code rate; and partitioning the first codeword by assigning groups of bits of the first codeword to four quarter-partitions, wherein each of the quarter partitions includes bits in one half of one of four independently decodable semi-codewords each having a second code rate that is larger than the first code rate. Receivers that receive signals produced by the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for rendering content at a digital radio broadcast receiver system. A digital radio broadcast signal comprises data for rendering content at the digital radio broadcast receiver. The digital radio broadcast signal is processed to determine whether the data from the digital radio broadcast transmission contains a data error. A portion of the data containing the data error is identified. A download request is transmitted to a computing system, where the download request requests duplicate data for the portion of the data containing the data error. The duplicate data is received at the digital radio broadcast receiver for the portion of the data containing the error via other wireless communication other than the digital radio broadcast. The duplicate data is processed to provide an uninterrupted rendering of the content.

Abstract: A translator includes: an input configured to receive a bit stream having a plurality of digitally encoded contents and control information; processing circuitry configured to select one of the digitally encoded contents, to use the selected digitally encoded content to produce an analog modulated signal, to use the digitally encoded contents to produce a digitally modulated signal, and to combine the analog modulated signal and the digitally modulated signal to produce a hybrid signal; and an output configured to output the hybrid signal. A method performed by the radio signal translator is also provided.