Patent ID: 6141536
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: H04B,H04H

Abstract:
A radio receiver for a mobile vehicle wherein said receiver is capable of receiving subcarrier data from broadcasts containing said data, and wherein said receiver operates in either a diversity mode or a non-diversity mode, said receiver comprising:a first tuner producing a first tuner output signal in response to a broadcast signal at a first selected broadcast frequency, and providing a first signal strength signal;a second tuner producing a second tuner output signal in response to a broadcast signal at a second selected broadcast frequency, and providing a second signal strength signal;a signal mixer producing a mixed tuner output signal in response to said first and second tuner output signals, said signal mixer proportionally combining said first and second tuner output signals when in said diversity mode according to relative measures of signal quality, and said signal mixer isolating a selected one of said first and second tuner output signals from said mixed tuner output when in said non-diversity mode;a data demodulator responsive to either said first or second tuner output signal or said mixed tuner output signal to recover said subcarrier data; anda control coupled to said first and second tuners, said signal mixer and said data demodulator, said control selecting said diversity mode or said non-diversity mode in response to said signal quality, said control controlling said first and second selected broadcast frequencies such that 1) said first and second selected broadcast frequencies each provide a user selected program when in said diversity mode, or 2) said selected one of said first and second tuner output signals is searched for predetermined alternate frequency information according to said subcarrier data and the other one of said first and second tuner output signals provides said user selected program when in said non-diversity mode, wherein said control includes threshold means for comparing at least one of said signal strength signals with a threshold, and wherein selection of said selected one of said first and second tuner output signals is made in response to said comparison by said threshold means.