A method for scanning a frequency band for producing a service plan. The method parallelises the scanning by dividing the analysis into two steps: an exploration step for the purpose of detecting channels or frequencies carrying services; and an analysis step for extracting detected channels from program information in order to supply a service plan. Each of the steps is performed by multiple task instances. These tasks share the band to be explored and synchronise, for one same step, via semaphores and, for an inter-step communication, according to a producer/consumer principle.

An apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus comprises a plurality of inputs, a plurality of receive buffers, a processor and an output. The plurality of inputs are configured to receive a plurality of data streams. Each data stream comprising a respective plurality of data blocks carrying common content. The plurality of receive buffers are each configured to store the data blocks of a respective on of the plurality of data streams including storing quality information associated with each data block. The processor is configured to select stored data blocks from the respective buffers to form an output data stream carrying the common content. The processor is further configured to carry out signal processing on the selected data blocks in dependence on the associated quality information. The output is configured to output the selected and error concealed data blocks. The quality information associated with each data block corresponds to a quality experienced by a receive path at the time of reception of each data block.

A reception device comprising: at least one receiver and a corresponding delay buffer configured to receive portions of data for at least one data stream; wherein based on a request to switch from decoding delayed data portions retrieved from a host device from a first time point to decoding delayed data portions from a different, second time point, the request received while the controller is configured to receive the delayed data portion from said first time point for decoding; the controller is configured to; (a) identify one or more second-time-point delayed data portions to request from the host device; (b) request the one or more identified second-time-point delayed data portions; and (c) while one or both of requesting and receiving the one or more second-time-point delayed data portions, requesting one or more delayed data portions corresponding to the first time.

Tools and techniques are provided for identifying, collecting, and processing music-related content within a radio broadcast environment. In one embodiment, a method is provided for processing music-related broadcast radio data. The method includes receiving a plurality of broadcast radio station signals; identifying each radio station signal as an analog signal or a digitally broadcast signal in response to the identified radio station signals; obtaining a broadcast sample from at least one of the radio stations; identifying at least one music-related information element missing from the broadcast sample; obtaining missing music-related information elements; updating a computer server with the obtained music-related information elements; and generating and communicating a music guide including the updated information to various user devices.

When the reception level of a main tuner (3) is equal to or lower than a first threshold or the reception level of a sub tuner (4) is equal to or lower than a second threshold while the sub tuner (4) performs data service reception, a sub tuner processing control unit (90), a broadcast program search control unit (91), and a data service control unit (93) cause the sub tuner (4) to suspend the running data service reception and start a broadcast program search. Then, while the reception level of the main tuner (3) is equal to or lower than the first threshold or the reception level of the sub tuner (4) is equal to or lower than the second threshold, the sub tuner processing control unit (90) and the broadcast program search control unit (91) cause the sub tuner (4) to repeatedly and continuously perform a broadcast program search.

A method, reception device and host device are provided for aligning data streams at a multi-source receiver. Portions of data for a plurality of data streams are received at a reception device, the plurality of data streams carrying respective content, wherein the content of each data stream is misaligned with at least one other data stream with respect to time. The portions of data are forwarded to a host device to be stored in respective delay buffers. Indexing information is maintained for each of the delay buffers. The portions of data are forwarded to the host device along with the indexing information.

A reception device comprising: at least one receiver and a corresponding delay buffer configured to receive portions of data for at least one data stream; wherein based on a request to switch from decoding delayed data portions retrieved from a host device from a first time point to decoding delayed data portions from a different, second time point, the request received while the controller is configured to receive the delayed data portion from said first time point for decoding; the controller is configured to; (a) identify one or more second-time-point delayed data portions to request from the host device; (b) request the one or more identified second-time-point delayed data portions; and (c) while one or both of requesting and receiving the one or more second-time-point delayed data portions, requesting one or more delayed data portions corresponding to the first time.

Systems and methods for aiding user content navigation are described. An exemplary system may include an electronic device configured to receive audiovisual content and/or user inputs. The electronic device may additionally include one or more outputs coupled with a display device. The electronic device may further include one or more processors as well as memory, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause them to perform one or more navigation functions to receive a channel change command to adjust from a first channel to a second channel. The one or more processors may further be caused to determine that the second channel is presenting advertising content instead of program content, and determine that a third channel is presenting program content. The one or more processors may further be caused to adjust the output to the third channel.

Tools and techniques are provided for identifying, collecting, and processing music-related content within a radio broadcast environment. In one embodiment, a method is provided for processing music-related broadcast radio data. The method includes receiving a plurality of broadcast radio station signals; identifying each radio station signal as an analog signal or a digitally broadcast signal in response to the identified radio station signals; obtaining a broadcast sample from at least one of the radio stations; identifying at least one music-related information element missing from the broadcast sample; obtaining missing music-related information elements; updating a computer server with the obtained music-related information elements; and generating and communicating a music guide including the updated information to various user devices.

A method performed by a radio receiver comprises: receiving digital radio broadcast (DRB) signals on respective frequency channels: acquiring a list that identifies which of the DRB signals are all-digital signals: receiving a tune command to tune to a particular DRB signal among the DRB signals; and upon determining that the particular DRB signal is an all-digital signal based on the list: playing muted audio: while playing muted audio, tuning to the particular DRB signal based on the tune command and performing digital signal acquisition of the particular DRB signal; and when the digital signal acquisition is complete, performing digital demodulation of the particular DRB signal to recover digital audio, and switching from playing muted audio to playing digital audio.