EP0539708B1 - Broadcast receiver, in particular vehicle receiver - Google Patents

Description

State of the art

The invention relates to a radio receiver, in particular a vehicle receiver, digitally encoded with a decoder for decoding traffic messages received according to the genus of the main claim.

A traffic radio decoder is described in DE-OS 35 36 820, which is set up for processing digital signals. These signals are for example a subcarrier that together with the FM radio program is broadcast on the radio station, superimposed. This allows the information contained in these digital signals is present, undisturbed parallel to the actual radio program be transmitted. This applies in particular to traffic news, which is caused by demodulation of the subcarrier mentioned decrypt. In addition to signal transmission using Subcarriers, however, it is also possible to use the digital in question Signals interleaved by a digital radio transmitter, for example to be added with the digital radio information.

Are the traffic messages transmitted as digital signals according to the same education law as that broadcast in plain text Traffic news, written, so instead of full information memory addresses are also transmitted, which are in the receiver end Save stored, standardized texts. Thereby you can with a much lower data capacity the transfer. The consequence is that now much more traffic information about individual events than can be the case up to now.

While maintaining the previous selection criteria for the traffic news, which essentially depends on the number of people affected Motorists could target even with cyclical repetition supraregional, on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany and where appropriate of neighboring neighboring traffic news can be transmitted over all FM transmitter chains. Another Possibility is the region on which the traffic news is concerned refer, for example, to the coverage area of the transmitter or to restrict the transmitter chain, but the selection of the Traffic news also extend to those events that only affect few drivers.

Which selection is also made for the transmitted traffic news will, the multitude of news would attract attention overwhelming the driver if he optically or acoustically all of them would get transmitted.

It has already been suggested in the displayed or reproduced Traffic News to make a selection. This can e.g. based on the intended route that the driver as data about the route to be traveled via an input device has entered. It is then ensured that only those traffic messages appear on the posting facility that this Route concerned.

However, the restriction to the route taken be too tight if the driver is also good for the traffic situation from other places or even longer traffic disruptions interested, because he may have these places at short notice want to start.

DE-OS 39 14 104 has already been proposed in the radio receiver to provide a voting device by means of which the user the radio receiver can individually specify a region, he wants to find out more about their traffic situation. Because of The default is then searched for a station that essentially Transmits information of this region. Furthermore, this can Decoders are switched so that the national traffic news, which are also transmitted by this transmitter, for example, be hidden so that only the information is output that are actually related to the selected region stand.

The manual entry of a certain region uses input means, like keyboards ahead, and means a certain amount to the user Circumstance since he is to enjoy the regional traffic news to enter, the corresponding region must be entered beforehand. this will therefore often omitted, so that there is still a risk that the user of the radio receiver either from unwanted Information is showered or because he is off a station in another region, the desired traffic news does not receive or only partially.

A radio receiver is therefore proposed in DE-OS 39 36 577 been, which continues to have a transmit memory by in regular Intervals of all receivable radio stations are stored will. This table is stored in a memory of the recipient stored table compared in which the broadcasters determined Regions are assigned. Now there will be a broad match between the received radio stations and the stored ones Broadcasters determined, so is the associated Region and only such traffic messages are issued, assigned to the relevant region. To be in regular Store the receivable radio stations at intervals , it is either necessary to have a second receiver for to provide this station search or the current program for to interrupt the station search. Both are often perceived as disturbing.

WO-A-91 07029 describes a radio receiver according to the preamble of claim 1.

In this prior art it is disadvantageous that during the Searching the radio transmission is interrupted, what in is perceived as disturbing in many cases. Out DE-C-38 35 870 a radio receiver is known which has an RDS decoder includes. This is done after a run of the whole FM range in a memory the currently receivable frequencies, that belong to the specified program identifier, in corresponding Storage chains saved.

The object of the present invention is a radio receiver without specifying the disadvantages described above. This task is characterized by the features in characterizing part of claim 1 solved.

Advantages of the invention

The radio receiver according to the invention with the characteristic features The main claim has the advantage that the provision the region occurs when the radio receiver is brief is not needed. This makes it possible without interference the program flow or without any unwanted interruptions current broadcast to determine the region in which the radio receiver is located located. This increases the convenience of the radio receiver significantly increased without the need for additional expensive means of reception are.

The measures listed in the subclaims are advantageous Further training and improvements in the main claim specified radio receiver possible. It is particularly advantageous it that the station search when playing a traffic message is carried out. This measure ensures that the Channel search carried out at regular intervals without interference becomes. Leaving a specific region can be done this way be recognized quickly and safely. It is also advantageous that Channel search when playing a signal from a cassette memory or a CD player. Because at these times the Receiving part of the radio receiver is not needed, it is here possible to search for channels more often. This measure is particularly suitable, even in geographically difficult areas Region determination. It is also advantageous that the station search also during the search for a new station is carried out. When searching for a new station, the Reception will be interrupted anyway since the user of the radio receiver by manually entering the request to hear another radio program. By the one to be initiated complete station search is the time it takes to find one new radio stations only slightly extended, which in most Cases is considered acceptable.

It is advantageous to provide a table in the radio receiver, which the frequency, the program identification code and the region contains. With this basic information is already a reliable one Region assignment possible. The region is still advantageous regarded as assigned, assigned to most of the received stations is. Especially in the border area between two regions can be achieved by this measure that the reception situation is taken into account when selecting the regions. It is advantageous also to weight the assigned regions. In many cases it is possible that a transmitter in both one and fairly well received in a wide area in another region but prefers traffic news from a specific region broadcasts. The weighting ensures that the determination a region of the broadcaster is less considered, the typically broadcasts less traffic news for the region. Finally, it is advantageous to keep the table in memory of the radio receiver, preferably in connection with the memory to file for the traffic news. Through the summary In terms of circuitry, there is hardly any of the two memories Additional effort, so that the measure according to the invention is good overall is to be realized.

drawing

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and explained in more detail in the following description. It 1 shows a radio receiver according to the invention, FIG. 2 the structure of a traffic message, Figure 3 is a flowchart to work of the microprocessor in relation to the invention and FIG. 4 shows a table, as it is stored in the radio receiver.

Description of the embodiment

Figure 1 shows a vehicle receiver designed as a radio receiver with an antenna 1 and a receiving part 2. The receiving part 2 has a tuning unit 11, with which it is possible to Search the entire radio area for receivable stations. The Receiving part 2 is followed by a demodulator 3. Demodulator 3 is over a switch 4 connected to a low frequency amplifier 5 the output of which is connected to a loudspeaker 6. From the demodulator 3 leads a line to an RDS decoder 7. With the RDS decoder 7, it is possible to superimpose digital data signals on the broadcast signal filter and evaluate. The RDS decoder 7 stands for this via a data line with a memory 8 in connection. At the exit a speech synthesizer 9 is connected to the RDS decoder 7, with which it is possible to convert digital data into speech. The output of the speech synthesizer 9 is with the switch 4 in connection. The switch 4 can be switched so that either Voice signal from radio receivers or the voice signal from Speech synthesizer 9 is to be led to the low-frequency amplifier 5.

Another data output of the RDS decoder 7 leads to an RDS display 10. The traffic information can also be displayed visually will. Finally, a data line also leads to a transmitter memory 13. The program identification code of the received station is evaluated and stored in the transmitter memory 13. Of the Transmitter memory 13 is in a transmitter comparison table via a data line 14 in conjunction, this comparison table 14 has a non-volatile memory. The station memory is still there 13 with a control computer 12 in connection with the transmitter memory 13 the associated frequency for each received station transmitted by the tuning unit 11. For this purpose also the tuning unit 11 connected to the control computer 12. Of the Control computer 12 continues to operate switch 4 when it is from RDS decoder 7 signals that new traffic news have been received. For this purpose, the control computer 12 is via a Line connected to the RDS decoder 7. Finally, the Control computer 12 starts after switching the switch 4 the station search 11 and storing the corresponding station data and the associated frequency in the transmitter memory 13.

The mode of operation of the device is illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 explained in more detail. Figure 2 shows a typical data telegram as it for example due to the digital received by the RDS decoder 7 Signals based on the information in the memory 8 is generated. This Information was output on the digital display 10 and generated simultaneously by the speech synthesizer 9 as speech and output via the low-frequency amplifier 5 and the loudspeaker 6. The RDS decoder 7 recognizes that it has a new traffic message received, he shares this with the control computer via the data line 12 with. The control computer 12 now switches the switch 4 so that the information prepared by the speech synthesizer according to FIG. 2 can be given to the driver via the loudspeaker 6.

The work of the control computer relating to the invention is shown in Figure 3 shown in more detail. The control computer asks at query point 20 12 regularly the RDS decoder 7 from whether new traffic information have arrived. No new traffic information occurs open, the computer is on hold or taking others Computational tasks related to the recipient true. Is a New traffic information has arrived, so the computers performed several functions. On the one hand, the control computer initiates 12 that the RDS decoder 7 this message to the speech synthesizer 9 passes on and switches the switch 4 so that the Traffic message can be read out. At the same time Position 22 of the station search run in the tuning unit 11 is activated. On the position 23 is the position of the tuning unit when a transmitter is found 11 and thus the frequency received. At the same time the RDS decoder 7 receives the instruction, the program identification code to deliver in the transmit memory 13. The control computer 12 transmits the associated frequency to the transmit memory 13. This The step is repeated until all the stations received are in the station memory 13 are stored. In the storage step 14, the Control computer 12 finally a comparison of those in the transmitter memory 13 stored frequencies and transmitters with the transmitter comparison table in Memory 14. Here, the associated region is now determined. Subsequently the control computer 12 sets its program at position 25 away.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a transmitter comparison table, as it is stored in memory 14. Here is a frequency in the FM range of the code of the corresponding radio station assigned as well as the region in which this transmitter on this Frequency is arranged. In the embodiment is on the frequency 80, 8 MHz to receive the transmitter SWF3, mainly in the region A is received, but also partially in region B too is hear. In this case region A is the most important region while region B is more secondary. On the same The frequency NDR1 can also be received, but it is in the Region D, which is completely different from region A, can be heard and at the same time still shines in region E. Due to the large spatial distance is ensured due to the transmitter distribution, that a radio receiver only the transmitter SWF3 or can hear NDR1. At other frequencies there are other transmitters demonstrated that in Germany or, with a correspondingly large Memory that can be received in Europe. The are also assigned Regions in which they can be received primarily or secondary. Here it cannot be ruled out that e.g. the transmitter SWF3 on another Frequency, for example at 90 MHz primarily in region B and is received secondarily in region C if the location of the Transmitter that transmits the program SWF3 is another.

The evaluation is now carried out in that the stored in the transmitter memory received station with the stations in the comparison table be compared. For example, during a channel run found that at frequency 80.8 SWF3, at frequency 81.2 SDR1 and received at the frequency 83.0 BR1, so with very likely to assume that the recipient located in region A, although at 83.0 the transmitter BR1 is preferred can be received in region F and only secondary in region A. This should be seen as an indication that the vehicle moved towards region F. On the other hand, too Exceeding ranges or particularly good reception locations are decisive, that a station was even heard on 83.0.

The determination of the region is of course the more precise, the more often a station search is carried out. A channel search is particularly common then executable when the radio receiver is a cassette player or CD player and the radio handset the cassette program or listens to the program on the CD. In this case points the switch 4 to another position in which the NF amplifier 5 and the speaker 6 with the cassette player or CD player is connected. The station search can now be carried out continuously be activated and so the reception conditions continuously checked will. Otherwise, a check is carried out whenever traffic news be issued. Here too, however, forms a kind of self-regulating effect because the region determination all the more is more accurate, the more frequently traffic reports are given have to. Therefore, the traffic is particularly heavy and the driver is a vehicle is particularly dependent on traffic information the region determination all the more often. Finally, one Channel search can also be carried out if the driver has one Vehicle the tuning device is actuated because he is another Wishes to hear the station. This is especially true when reception conditions are poor be the case, or if the benefits the RDS system is used and the system on its own is looking for a new station, because the old station is bad too is received. Since this also indicates a geographical change of location, it is particularly advantageous then the other receivable Store station to check if a certain region has been left in the meantime. After all, this is the process also when turning on a radio receiver to perform any information about the region in which the recipient is located to obtain.

The memory 8 and the memory 14 do not have to, as in the Figure 1 shown to be arranged separately. Rather, it is possible combine memories 8 and 14 into a common memory, where different address spaces are different contain digital information for which the one information for the RDS decoder and the other information for the comparison of the received Transmitter is provided.

Claims (5)

1. Broadcast radio receiver, in particular a vehicle receiver, having a broadcast radio receiving section (2, 3) and an audio-frequency amplifier (5), having a decoder (7) for decoding digitally coded received traffic messages and programme identification codes, in particular those which are transmitted using the RDS system, the traffic messages having road-section-specific features for limited geographic regions, and having a memory device (8) for storing the traffic messages, having visual and/or audible output devices (6, 10) with means for selecting and outputting traffic messages for limited geographic regions, and having a memory in which the station received during a station search is stored and is compared in the receiver with a table and the geographical region in which the receiver is located can be defined on the basis of the table, characterized in that a station search is initiated when the audio-frequency amplifier (5) is not connected to the broadcast radio receiving section (2, 3) and, instead of this, the audio-frequency amplifier (5) is connected to the memory device (8) for reading the stored traffic messages.
2. Broadcast radio receiver according to Claim 1, characterized in that the table contains the frequency, the programme identification code and the region.
3. Broadcast radio receiver according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the region which is regarded as being associated is that which is associated with most received stations.
4. Broadcast radio receiver according to Claim 3, characterized in that the associated regions are weighted.
5. Broadcast radio receiver according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the table is stored in a memory (14) in the broadcast radio receiver.

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