The document discusses developments in bringing FM radio functionality to mobile devices using FM-RDS technology. It describes efforts to develop FM receiver apps for Windows Mobile and Android phones between 2009-2010. It also outlines the creation of an FM-RDS test platform using GNU Radio and USRP hardware to experiment with RDS features. More recent progress includes the development of an FM API and app for a new Android phone that includes an FM-RDS chip, allowing for advanced FM features and opening the door to new hybrid radio innovations using RDS.

1. DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications
March 22, 2011
FM-RDS
developments
By Jean-Michel
Bouffard at CRC

2. Plan
 Our objective
 History
 FM-RDS Tx/Rx test platform
 Android development
 Recent progress
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

3. History
To bring FM on mobile devices
 Why?
 To show the potential for innovation.
 To encourage the development of new FM applications.
 How?
 Presence of FM-RDS chips on mobile devices.
 Accessible API for developers.
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

4. History
 2009-2010
App. for HTC Touch Pro
 Windows Mobile
(closed platform)
 FM-RDS chip
(no official API)
 Developed RDS decoder
(rdslib)
 Presented at NAB 2010
Copyright: HTC
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

5. History
 2010 (After NAB)
App. for T-Mobile G1
 Android
(open platform)
 FM-RDS chip
(no! → We used a RDS over WiFi)
 Developed FM-RDS app.
(Support for ODAs)
(Using USRP + PC)
 Waiting for Android
phone with FM-RDS chip. Copyright: HTC
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

6. FM-RDS Tx/Rx test platform
 Tx/Rx platform to
experiment with FM-RDS
 Hardware (generic and cheap)
 Laptop
 USRP with basic TX and basic RX
daughter boards
 Software
 GNURadio version 3.2.2
 GNURadio Companion 3.2.2
 gr-rds (to enable RDS)
 Built from free software
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

7. FM-RDS Tx/Rx test platform
 GNURadio FM-RDS applications
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

8. FM-RDS Tx/Rx test platform
 Experiment with RDS
features
 RadioText
 Open Data Applications
(Not available on commercial radio stations)
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

9. FM-RDS Tx/Rx test platform
 iTunes tagging
 Proprietary iTunes
protocol
 RT+
 Other types of
metadata would
be possible
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

10. FM-RDS Tx/Rx test platform
 FM-RDS monitoring
 ODAs in the ottawa area
Don't lie, we know what you're doing!
Freq Group AID Name Comment
97.9 8A CD46 RDS-TMC
11A C3B0 iTunes No data
tagging
12A 4BD7 RT+ No data
101.9 13A 4BD7 RT+ RT+ data
available but
no RT
103.3 11A C737 UMC
104.7 8A CD46 RDS-TMC
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

11. Android development
 Why Android?
 Project backed by Google
(A little company that have succeeded with some of their projects)
 Partly open platform
(Could enable low level access to hardware resources)
 Some devices already had FM receivers
(Might be possible to unlock/use the chip)
 Rumours mentioned the possible inclusion of an FM API in
Android 2.2
(That would have simplified things a lot!)
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

12. Android development
 Functional diagram
 RDS data over ip
 RDS decoding in rdslib
 Use custom RDS streams
Dalvik Vitual Machine
or stream grabbed from
WiFi TCP/UDP
commercial radio stations streams CRC FM Player
Java Application
 RDS aware
Raw RDS
application PC Java Native RDS
raw
RDS
decoded
Interface
developed Software Defined Radio (GNU Radio) Android native Linux OS
without the
need of the RDS decoder
library
required Tx Rx
hardware
Samsung Phone
USRP
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

13. PC Android
development
 ODA Rx on G1
Rx
PC
USRP
Tx FM
Rx FM
G1
Tx
USRP
PC
WiFi
G1
USRP
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

14. Android development
One click!
1st ODA Application!
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

15. Recent progress
 Q4 2010
New phone:
 Android
(Great! It's the platform we have
selected earlier)
 FM-RDS chip
(yes! But no API)
 Developed an API
(Silicon Labs fmsi4709)
 Enhanced the app
RDS Audio Volume Region
GUI Seek Copyright: Samsung
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

16. Conclusion
 Objective progressing well
 FM is on an Android mobile device
 We distribute an API for FM control and RDS decoding
 We distribute an application
 Advanced FM features
 Platform to release prototype RDS based services
 Door is opening for hybrid radio innovation
DRCG - New Radio Platforms and Applications - March 22, 2011

17. Thanks
 For more information:
 Project website
http://mmbtools.crc.ca/