Technique for determining a tuning frequency of an audio receiver

Abstract

A technique for determining a tuning frequency of an audio receiver includes interrupting a received radio frequency (RF) signal at an input of the audio receiver. Next, a modulated audio signal is injected into the input of the audio receiver. Then, it is determined whether the demodulated audio signal is present at an output of the audio receiver. If not, the frequency of the modulated audio signal is changed until the demodulated audio signal is detected at the output of the audio receiver.

1 - 7 . (canceled)  
   
   
       8 . A method for determining a tuning frequency of an audio receiver, comprising the steps of: 
 superimposing a modulated audio signal on a received radio frequency (RF) signal at an input of an audio receiver;    determining whether a demodulated audio signal that corresponds to the modulated audio signal is present at an output of the audio receiver; and    changing a frequency of the modulated audio signal when the demodulated audio signal is not present at the output of the audio receiver.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the modulated audio signal is initially provided at a last known channel of the audio receiver.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the modulated audio signal is one of a tone, a sequence of tones, a set of tones and a pseudo random noise (PRN).  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the received RF signals are interrupted responsive to an audio source.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the modulated audio signal is one of an amplitude modulated (AM) signal and a frequency modulated (FM) signal.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of: 
 providing audio content from an audio source at the output of the audio receiver when the demodulated audio signal is present at the output of the audio receiver.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the audio source is one of a mobile telephone, a satellite digital audio receiver (SDAR) system and a compact disk (CD) player.  
   
   
       15 .- 18 . (canceled)  
   
   
       19 . An audio subsystem, comprising: 
 an audio signal generator for providing an audio signal;    a detector for detecting a demodulated audio signal provided at an output of an audio receiver;    a modulator coupled to the audio signal generator, the modulator providing a modulated audio signal that corresponds to the audio signal provided by the audio signal generator; and    a processor coupled to the audio signal generator, the detector and the modulator, wherein the processor is configured to execute code for causing the processor to perform the steps of: 
 superimposing the modulated audio signal on a received radio frequency (RF) signal at an input of the audio receiver;  
 determining whether the demodulated audio signal is present at the output of the audio receiver, wherein the demodulated audio signal corresponds to the modulated audio signal; and  
 changing a frequency of the modulated audio signal when the demodulated audio signal is not present at the output of the audio receiver.  
   
   
   
       20 . The subsystem of  claim 19 , wherein the modulated audio signal is initially provided at a last known channel of the audio receiver.  
   
   
       21 . The subsystem of  claim 19 , wherein the audio signal provided by the audio signal generator is one of a tone, a sequence of tones, a set of tones and a pseudo random noise (PRN).  
   
   
       22 . The subsystem of  claim 19 , wherein the processor is configured to execute additional code that causes the processor to perform the addition step of: 
 providing audio content from an audio source at the output of the audio receiver when the demodulated audio signal is present at the output of the audio receiver.    
   
   
       23 . A method of employing an audio subsystem for determining a tuning frequency of an audio receiver, wherein the audio subsystem comprises an audio signal generator for providing an audio signal, a detector for detecting a demodulated audio signal provided at an output of the audio receiver, a modulator coupled to the audio signal generator, the modulator providing a modulated audio signal that corresponds to the audio signal provided by the audio signal generator, and a processor coupled to the audio signal generator, the detector and the modulator, said method comprising the steps of: 
 superimposing a modulated audio signal on a received radio frequency (RF) signal at an input of an audio receiver;    determining whether a demodulated audio signal that corresponds to the modulated audio signal is present at an output of the audio receiver; and    changing a frequency of the modulated audio signal when the demodulated audio signal is not present at the output of the audio receiver.