Patent ID: 8862048

Claim:
Radio broadcasting equipment that transmits broadcast signals in a radio broadcast area, the equipment comprising: a plurality of broadcast transmitters including a main transmitter and a plurality of auxiliary transmitters that are each configured to simultaneously transmit content on a single frequency; and a mechanism for switching on transmission of localized auxiliary information content by each of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters and the main transmitter, wherein, at a first time, the main transmitter and the plurality of auxiliary transmitters all transmit the same broadcast area wide programming content as one another, wherein, at a second time, the main transmitter transmits localized auxiliary information content and the plurality of auxiliary transmitters each transmit localized auxiliary information content, wherein localized auxiliary information content transmitted by the main transmitter and transmitted by at least one of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters differs from localized auxiliary information content transmitted by other auxiliary transmitters, wherein the broadcast area wide programming content includes programming content for distribution throughout a particular broadcasting area and the localized auxiliary information content include at least one of advertisements, public safety information, public service information, emergency broadcast information, wherein, the main transmitter transmits localized auxiliary information content while the plurality of auxiliary transmitters transmit localized auxiliary information content on the single frequency, and wherein a capture-ratio pattern for the radio broadcast area is altered to convert the main transmitter's broadcast signal to a same relative strength as that of each broadcast signal of the plurality of auxiliary transmitters and the altered capture pattern is maintained during transmission of the localized auxiliary information until completion, at which time the capture-ratio pattern is returned to the capture ratio pattern for transmission of broadcast area wide programming.