Projects

Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits

Digitaler-Rundfunk_Projekte_

XM Satellite Radio

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XM Radio obtained one of two Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses during an auction in 1997 to provide an Continental US (CONUS) wide digital audio broadcasting service via satellite in S-Band (2332.5 to 2345.0 MHz). The service provides up to 100 different channels with music, news and audio entertainment. The receivers are available as car receivers, and in the future also as portable and home receivers.
On the technical side the XM Radio system consists of two geostationary satellites positioned at 85" and 115" west over the equator, right at above the east and west coast of the United States. The satellites are equipped with transparent payloads receiving the signal from the XM Radio studios in the Washington D.C. area. The satellite system is supplemented by a terrestrial repeater network which eliminates reception gaps of the satellite coverage in urban areas caused by blockage and shadowing by tall buildings.
The system was launched in September 2001 with nationwide coverage via satellite. At the same time key markets on the east and west coast were covered also by terrestrial networks. These are incrementally upgraded to further enhance the reception quality.
For the development of the system XM Radio teamed up with major players in the fields of satellite communications, audio coding and consumer electronics.

Within this team Fraunhofer IIS is contributing to the development of the system in the following fields: