System and method for multipoint distribution of satellite digital audio radio service

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The need in the art is addressed by the satellite digital audio radio service multipoint distribution system and method of the present invention.
Generally, the inventive system comprises a first arrangement for receiving the satellite digital audio radio signal and distributing a converted signal in response thereto.
The distributed signal is received by plural receivers each of which provide a respective output signal in response thereto.
In the illustrative embodiment, the first arrangement includes a satellite antenna and a radio frequency (RF) satellite receiver.
In the best mode, the RF satellite receiver is a terrestrial repeater.
The repeater decodes a stream of data received from the satellite and recodes the stream using a satellite radio terrestrial broadcast.
In the best mode, the signal is an intermediate frequency signal in the XM radio, multi-carrier modulation (MCM) format.
The recorded signal is rebroadcast by the repeater via a distribution network and received by a plurality of intermediate frequency (IF) receivers.
The distribution system may be wireless, cable, or fiber optic.
In the illustrative embodiment, the IF receivers are modified conventional satellite digital audio radio service receivers.
A user interface is provided for each IF receiver to allow for channel selection and audio processing.
As an alternative to the repeater, satellite radio signals may be stored in a medium such as a digital video disc and rebroadcast therefrom as disclosed and claimed in copending U.
S.
patent application Ser.
No.
09/423,862, filed Nov.
4, 1999 by C.
Wadin and P.
Marko and entitled Composite Waveform Storage and Playback (Atty.
Docket #39253) the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.