EP1879312A2

EP1879312A2 - Broadcast receiver, broadcast receiving method and program

Info

Publication number: EP1879312A2
Application number: EP07013727A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kiyoshi Hosoi
Original assignee: Kenwood KK
Current assignee: JVCKenwood Corp
Priority date: 2006-07-13
Filing date: 2007-07-12
Publication date: 2008-01-16
Also published as: JP4793146B2; DE07013727T1; JP2008022343A; EP1879312A3

Abstract

To advance the start of processing on a title of music and an artist's name that are sent in a Radiotext in a mobile type FM radio 10 complying with the RSD. Information of a content type (for example, a title of music), a start marker (location of start character) and a length marker (the number of characters) is obtained from the group 11A. When a group 2A in which the Radiotext is written is received (YES at S51), the character number of a character in the currently received group 2A (the number from the head character in the Radiotext) is calculated (S52) and the character is recorded in the RAM (S53). If the character number is the number of the last character of the title of the music or more, it is determined that the title of the music has been received (YES at S54) and the title of the music is determined (S55).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a broadcast receiver, a broadcast receiving method and a program for receiving broadcast waves in which program broadcasting is multiplexed with data broadcasting, and more specifically to a broadcast receiver, a broadcast receiving method and a program for improved receiving of a text in data broadcasting.

Related Background Art

In the RDS (Radio Data System) that is adopted as a standard for the FM radio broadcasting with data broadcasting in Europe, a broadcasting station airs text information called Radiotext as required. For example, while music is broadcast at the radio station side, the title and the artist's name of the music are sent at the data broadcasting side.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-112664 discloses a technique for extracting Radiotext from the data broadcasting, which complies with the RDS, and displaying it on a display unit (the paragraph 0002 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-112664 ). Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-112664 discloses a technique for searching FM stations which are sending Radiotext, storing the Radiotext from each FM station in a memory (S4, S5 of FIG. 2 in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-112664 ), and after the searching ends, displaying the Radiotext from each FM station for a user to select a desired FM station with Radiotext (S9, S11, S12 of FIG. 2 in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-112664 ).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-341174 discloses a technique for displaying not only the current Radiotext but also the past Radiotext, while holding increase of memory capacity in the RDS receiver (the paragraphs 0008 and 0028 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-341174 ). That is, the Radiotext copes with the case in which the contents of broadcasting change as required and the same contents of broadcasting are repeatedly broadcast by a broadcast station. The RDS receiver in Japanese Patent. Application Laid-Open No. H10-341174 detects whether the currently received content of Radiotext is new or not, and additionally stores in a storage only those new to enable the past Radiotext to be subsequently displayed (the paragraph 0026 and S29 in FIG. 3 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-341174 ).
The Radiotext in the RDS is designed for transmitting 64 characters without regard to the actual number of characters. It is designed for intermittently transmitting the characters divided into a plurality of groups of the type 2A. For each group of the type 2A (hereinafter, called as a "group 2A"), only four characters per group can be carried; therefore, 16 groups 2A need to be received in total for receiving all the 64 characters. That takes too much time.
The Radiotext may include the title of music and the artist's name, which is aired by radio program broadcasting which is multiplexed with data broadcasting. In a conventional RDS receiver, the title and the artist's name are not determined displayed until all the 16 groups 2A have been received for the Radiotext. Thus, in the RDS receiver, there is a delay in such processing as displaying the Radiotext including the title of music on a display unit.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-112664 discloses a technique for collecting Radiotext from respective RDS stations, without mentioning advancing the contents of the items including the title of music in the Radiotext from respective RDS stations. Similarly, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-341174 discloses a technique for rationally storing a plurality of pieces of the Radiotext whose contents change for each hour from the same RDS station, without mentioning advancing the contents of the items including the title of music in the Radiotext from respective RDS stations.
The object of the present invention is to provide a broadcast receiver, a broadcast receiving method and a program for that can advance the start of processing of text of predetermined items in Radiotext.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The broadcast receiver of the present invention receives broadcast waves in which the program broadcasting is multiplexed with the data broadcasting. In the data broadcasting, predetermined data is transmitted for each type by the data set unit. A plurality of data set units of a type relating to the text for predetermined information are written in order from the head character and intermittently transmitted. The broadcast receiver has those described below:

location information extracting means for extracting location information of a text for a predetermined item included in the text for predetermined information in the text for the predetermined information from the data broadcasting;
text for predetermined information receiving means for receiving the data set unit of the type relating to the text for the predetermined information; and
determining means for detecting the data set unit in which the last character is written for the text for the predetermined item based on the location information, and determining the text for the predetermined item in response to that the text for predetermined information receiving means receives the data set unit.

In the broadcast receiving method of the present invention, broadcast waves in which the program broadcasting is multiplexed with the data broadcasting are received, predetermined data is transmitted for each type by the data set unit in the data broadcasting, a plurality of texts for predetermined information are written in the data set unit of the type relating to the text for predetermined information in order from the head character and intermittently transmitted. The broadcast receiving method has the following steps:

a step of extracting location information of a text for a predetermined item included in the text for predetermined information in the text for the predetermined information from the data broadcasting;
a step of receiving the data set unit of the type relating to the text for the predetermined information; and
a step of detecting the data set unit in which the last character is written for the text for the predetermined item based on the location information, and determining the text for the predetermined item when the data set unit is received.

The program of the present invention causes a computer to function as each means of a broadcast receiver of the present invention.
According to the present invention, processing including displaying of text of predetermined items such as a title of music and the like does not start after the last data set unit relating to text for predetermined information is received, but instead can start as soon as the data set unit of the last character of the text is received based on location information in the text for predetermined information relating to the text of the predetermined items so that the start time can be advanced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a mobile type FM radio;
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a format of a type 2A group for an RDS;
FIG. 3 a diagram showing a format of a group 3A for the RDS;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a format of a group 11A for the RDS;
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a radio text aired by the group 3A;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method for obtaining range information for the Radiotext +;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method for capturing the Radiotext +;
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a broadcasting receiver; and
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a broadcasting receiving method.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a mobile type FM radio 10. The FM radio 10 is mounted on an automobile with a speaker 25 and a car navigation device 28. An antenna 11 receives the FM waves. The FM broadcasting including the radio broadcasting (radio program broadcasting) and the data broadcasting complying with the RDS standard, and the FM broadcasting only including the radio broadcasting without including the data broadcasting are mixed in the FM waves received by the antenna 11.
A front end 12 converts the received FM waves in a selected frequency from the received FM waves at the antenna 11 into the intermediate frequency signals (IF signals) based on frequency control signals from a CPU 13, and transmits them to the demodulator 14. The demodulator 14 demodulates the intermediate frequency signals from the front end 12 and divides the demodulated signals into signals for the radio broadcasting and signals for the RDS broadcasting.
The demodulated signals for the radio broadcasting and the data broadcasting output from the demodulator 14 are transmitted to an audio amplifier 15 and an RDS decoder 16, respectively. A plurality of speakers 25 are arranged at predetermined sites in a cabin (for example, both sides at the front part of the cabin, and further both sides at the back part of the cabin). The audio amplifier 15 amplifies demodulated signals from the demodulator 14 based on volume control signals from the CPU 13 and transmits them to the speakers 25. Therefore, audio of the radio program in the selected FM broadcasting is output from the speakers 25.
Data broadcasting process related factors in the FM radio 10 can be operable even in a period for a user does not listen to the radio program. During the period, the audio of the radio program of the FM broadcasting is not output from the speakers 25, but information on the data broadcasting including traffic information is displayed on a display unit 20 or transmitted from the CPU 13 to the operating car navigation device 28 so that the information can be processed in the car navigation device 28.
The RDS decoder 16 decodes demodulated signals of the data broadcasting from the demodulator 14 and extracts various types of information including the Radiotext and the TMC (Traffic Message Channel) information from the signals. The, various types of information extracted by the RDS decoder 16 from the data broadcasting are transmitted to the CPU 13. An operation key 19 includes both of the keys equipped to the body of the FM radio 10 and the keys equipped to the remote controller. The display unit 20 is made of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), for example. The operation key 19 and the display unit 20 may be dedicated for the FM radio 10 or common to the FM radio 10 and the car navigation device 28 in an automobile equipped with the FM radio 10. A touch panel, may be commonly used for the operation key 19 and the display unit 20.
The CPU 13 detects a user operation on the operation key 19 and performs processing corresponding to the user operation. The CPU 13 transmits display data for generating a display screen on the display unit 20 to the display unit 20. A storage device 21 includes a ROM or a RAM. The ROM stores a program for the CPU 13 to execute or predetermined data. The RAM is used as a temporally storage location for data when the CPU 13 performs a predetermined process or a predetermined arithmetic operation.
The CPU 13 reads a program from the ROM of the storage device 21 and executes the program, while being able to write data into the storage device 21. The CPU 13 transmits the information from the RDS decoder 16 to the display unit 20 and displays the information on the display unit 20 or transmits the information to the car navigation device 28. TMC information and the like included in the data broadcasting is usually transmitted from the CPU 13 to the car navigation device 28, where the information is displayed or processed.
FIG. 2 shows a format of a group of the type 2A for the RDS (hereinafter, it is called as a simplified name with a type name added following to the group, like "group 2A", in order to distinguish RDS groups by their types). In the RDS, a data set unit called a group is defined. Each group consists of four blocks of 26 bits and a group consists of 104 bits. Each block consists of an information word of 16 bits at the head side and a check word of 10 bits at the end side.
The first block of the group includes a PI (Program Identification) code. The second block includes a Group type code and an A/B determining flag. As the group type code and the A/B determining flag are examined, the type of the group can be detected (in the block in FIG. 2, it is the group 2A). In the RDS, the group 2A is defined as a group for transmitting the Radiotext. The second block additionally has a Text segment address code of four bits. The Text segment address code will be described below.
In each of Radiotext segments of the third and fourth blocks of the group 2A, two characters of the Radiotext are written so that in the entire of the group 2A, four characters of the Radiotext are written. As the Radiotext is transmitted in the group 2A or the group 2B, the maximum number of characters of the Radiotext is limited to 64 for the group 2A and 32 for the group 2B, respectively. The Radiotext is transmitted by four characters from the head in order from the first group 2A in total of 16 groups 2A. At that moment, an identifier for indicating the place of each group 2A is required. The four bits text segment address code is used as the identifier.
FIG. 3 shows a format of an RDS group 3A. In each block, only an information word is shown, leaving a correction word omitted. In the block 1, a PI code is written. In the head five bits in the block 2, 3A indicating the type of the group is written. In the block 4, "4BD7" indicating AID (Application Identification) is written.
At the end of the block 2, 11A specifying the ODA (Open Date Applications) group is written. The group 11A is essentially a group that a user, i.e., an application can freely define the contents. The user, i.e., the application can transmit the group 11A with predetermined contents added by specifying the group 11A in the group 3A. Into the block 3 of the group 3A, messages of rfu, CB flag, SCB and template are written in order from the head.
FIG. 4 shows a format of the group 11A for the RDS. In each block, however, only an information word is shown, leaving a correction word omitted. In the block 1, a PI code is written. In the head five bits in the block 2, 11A showing the type of the group is written.
A content type, a start marker and a length marker make a set. Two sets are arranged in the group 11A filled from the back. Before the sets, an Item toggle bit and an Item running bit are arranged from the head in order. Each field has a meaning as below.
Item toggle bit: as the Item changes, 0 and 1 alternate.
Item running unit: a decision bit for validity/invalidity of an item, with 1 meaning validity.
Content type: for example, content type = 1 is defined as the title of music, and content type = 4 is defined as the artist's name.
Start marker: in a character string of 64 characters, the location of the start character of the content is indicated by the counted value. The counted value of the start marker = the character number - 1. The character number is the number given for each character in the Radiotext from the head. It should be noted that the head and end characters in the Radiotext are 1 and 64 by the character number, respectively, and 0 and 63 by the counted value of the start marker.
Length marker: indicates information on the corresponding number of characters in the content type. The corresponding number of characters in the content type = the value of length marker + 1. As described below in FIG. 5 of the number of characters of a title of music and an artist's name, the length marker for the title of music = 22 means that the number of characters of the title of music is 23. The length marker for the artist's name = 10 means the number of characters of the artist's name is 11.
FIG. 5 is an example of the Radiotext aired in the group 3A. The upper section shows the content of the Radiotext, and the lower section shows the character number for each character in the Radiotext. Although the group 3A is written for each character of the Radiotext but not written for the character number, it is shown in FIG. 5 for convenience of the description. The character number is 1 for the head character of the Radiotext and 64 for the last character. In the Radiotext with small number of characters, the end side has a blank. The Radiotext in FIG. 5 is 'You are listening to "House of the rising sun" by Eric Burdon.', being information on the music currently aired in the FM radio program multiplied with the data broadcasting. The music information includes two items of the title of music and the artist's name, with "House of the rising sun" meaning the title of music and "Eric Burdon" meaning the artist's name.
The FM station broadcasting the music broadcasts the group 11A of FIG. 4 with the group 3A of FIG. 5. The specific contents of the group 11A including the content type are shown below.

Content type 1: 1

Start marker 1: 22

Length marker 1: 22

Content type 2: 4

Start marker 2: 50

Length marker 2: 10
As mentioned above, the content type = 1 is defined as the title of music. For the title of music, the start marker 1 = 22, and the length marker = 22. As the character number corresponds to the start marker +1, the character number 23 is H, the first character in the title of music, in the example of the Radiotext of FIG. 5. As the number of the characters is the value of the length marker + 1, it corresponds to the character number of the last character of the title of music = start maker 1 + the length marker 1 + 1, thus, 22 + 22 + 1 = 45. In this manner, "House of the rising sun" from the character numbers 23 to 45 is extracted as the title of music.
The content type = 4 is defined as the artist's name. For the artist's name, the start marker 2 = 50 and the length marker 2 = 10. The character number corresponds to the start maker +1, in the example of the Radiotext in FIG. 5, the character number 51 is E, the first character of the artist's name. As the number of characters is the value of the length marker + 1, it corresponds to the character number of the last character of the artist's name = the value of the start marker 2 + the length marker 2 + 1, thus, 50+10+1=61. In such a manner, "Eric Burdon" from the character numbers 51 to 61 is extracted as the artist's name.
In this manner, the first character location and the last character location of the Radiotext part including the title of music and the artist's name is known from the information on the group 11A. Accordingly, the text segment address code as an identifier of the group 3A that transmits the last character can be calculated.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method for obtaining range information for the Radiotext + 35. The Radiotext + is the name of an advanced version of the Radiotext. "Plus" may be added in the place of "+".
At S36, whether the group 3A with AID (FIG. 3) is received or not is determined. If the determination is YES, the operation proceeds to S37. If the determination is NO, the method for obtaining range information for the Radiotext + 35 ends.
At S37, an ODA group is detected from the received group 3A with the AID. In the example of the group 3A in FIG. 3, the ODA group is denoted as 11A, thus, hereinafter, the ODA group will be referred to as 11A for convenience of the description. At S38, whether the group 11A as an ODA group has been received or not is determined. If the determination is NO, the determination at S38 is repeated. As soon as it is determined as YES, the operation proceeds to S39.
At S39, respective values including a contents type, a start marker and a length marker for predetermined items are detected from the received group 11A. The predetermined item is not limited to one (for example, only a title of music or an artist's name) and may be plural (for example, a title of music and an artist's name). In the example of FIG. 4, there are a plurality of predetermined items of a title of music and an artist's name. At S40, the start marker and the length marker for the predetermined items detected at S39 are set for the processing of a method for capturing the Radiotext + 50 (FIG. 7) to be described below.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the method for capturing the Radiotext + 50. At S51, whether the group 2A (FIG. 2) is received or not is determined. If the determination is YES, the operation proceeds to S52. If the determination is NO, the method for capturing the Radiotext + 50 ends.
At S52, the character number transmitted by the currently received group 2A transmitted for the Radiotext (the number in the lower section in FIG. 5) is calculated. Although the group 2A does not transmit the character number, the character number can be calculated from a text segment address code of the group 2A, for example. At S53, the character that is transmitted by the currently received group 2A for the Radiotext is stored in the RAM.
At S54, whether the all part of the Radiotext for the predetermined item (for example, the title of the music and/or the artist's name) has been obtained from the character number relating to the current character or not is determined. The determination can be performed by determining whether the character number relating to the currently received character is the number of the last character of the Radiotext for the predetermined item or more based on the character start position and the length set at S40 in the method for obtaining range information for the Radiotext + 35. If the determination at S54 is YES, the operation proceeds to S55. If the determination is NO, the method for capturing the Radiotext + 50 ends.
At S55, a determination completion flag for the Radiotext for the predetermined item is set. Accordingly, before all the 16 groups 2A are received, the text for the predetermined items such as the title of the music and the artist's name can be started. As the processing on the text, the processing,of displaying the title of the music and the artist's name on a display unit for the music currently coming out from a speaker is currently known.
In this manner, the text for the predetermined item to be transmitted by the Radiotext is quickly determined and the processing is started in the method for obtaining range information for the Radiotext + 35 and the method for capturing the Radiotext + 50.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a broadcast receiver 60. The abovementioned mobile type FM radio 10 is only a specific example of the broadcast receiver 60. The broadcast receiver 60 is not limited to the mobile type and may be a stationary type set in a home or an office or a portable type. The broadcast receiver 60 is typically a radio, but may be a television or may be embedded in another processing appliances such as a cell phone and the like.
The broadcast receiver 60 is not limited to but typically for receiving the data broadcasting for the RDS, and may be for receiving the data broadcasting complying with the other standard. The broadcast receiver 60 has a location information extraction means 61, a text for predetermined information receiving means 62, and a determining means 63. The broadcast receiver 60 receives broadcast waves in which the program broadcasting is multiplexed with the data broadcasting. By the data broadcasting corresponding to the broadcast receiver 60, predetermined data is transmitted for each type by the data set unit. A plurality of texts for predetermined information are written in the data set unit of the type relating to the text for predetermined information in order from the head character and intermittently transmitted.
The location information extraction means 61 extracts location information in the text for predetermined information for the text of predetermined item included in the text for predetermined information from the data broadcasting. The text for predetermined information receiving means 62 receives the data set unit of a type relating to the text for predetermined information. A determining means 63 detects the data set unit in which the last character is written for the text for the predetermined item based on the location information, and determines the text for the predetermined item when the text for predetermined information receiving means 62 receives the data set unit.
The data set unit corresponds to a group for each type of four blocks in the data broadcasting for the RDS. The location information extraction means 61 extracts location information on the text for the predetermined item in the text for predetermined information from the group 11A (FIG. 4), for example, in the data broadcasting for the RDS.
The text for predetermined information means the radio text in the data broadcasting for the RDS. The data set unit of a type relating to the text for predetermined information means the group 2A in the data broadcasting for the RDS. In the typical data broadcasting, the predetermined number of data set unit are allocated to each text for predetermined information without regard to the number of characters. In the data broadcasting for the RDS, 16 groups 3A are fixedly allocated to each radio text as each text for predetermined information.
The location information is written in the data set unit, whose contents can be freely defined by an application. The data set unit corresponds to the group 11A (FIG. 2) in the data broadcasting for the RDS. The text for predetermined information is information relating to the currently broadcast program in the program broadcasting. When the program broadcasting airs music, the text for predetermined item is the title of the music and the artist's name.
The location information is typically information on the location in the text for predetermined information and its length of the head character of the text for predetermined item, though, the location in the text for predetermined information of the last character may be used in the place of the length. Alternatively, only the location in the text for predetermined information of the last character may be used as the location information.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a broadcasting receiving method 80. The abovementioned method for obtaining range information for the Radiotext + 35 and the method for capturing the Radiotext + 50 are only specific examples of the broadcasting receiving method 80. In the broadcasting receiving method 80, the broadcast wave in which the program broadcasting is multiplexed with the data broadcasting is received. In the data broadcasting corresponding to the broadcasting receiving method 80, predetermined data is transmitted for each type by the data set unit. A plurality of texts for predetermined information are written in the data set unit of the type relating to the text for predetermined information in order from the head character and intermittently transmitted.
At S81, the location information in the text for predetermined information is extracted from the data broadcasting for a text for predetermined item included in the text for predetermined information. At S82, the data set unit in a type relating to the text for predetermined information is received.
At S83, whether the data set unit in which the last character is written for the text has been received or not is determined for predetermined item based on the location information. As soon as it has received, the operation proceeds to S84. At S84, the text for predetermined item is determined.
What described as a specific aspect of the method for capturing the Radiotext + 50, i.e., that a predetermined number of the data set units are allocated to the text for predetermined information, that the location information is information on the location in the text for predetermined information and the length of the head character, and that the location information is written in the data set unit of a type whose contents can be freely defined by an application can be applied as they are as specific aspect of the broadcasting receiving method 80.
The program, to which the present invention is applied, causes a computer to function as each means of the broadcast receiver 60. Another program, to which the present invention is applied, causes a computer to execute each step of the receiving broadcasting 80.
Although the present invention is described for each specific aspect, the present invention is not limited to the description, and may be implemented as each component in each of the specific aspects is modified (also deleted) without departing from the scope of the present invention. Various inventions may be formed by exchanging any components between various embodiments and/or combining a plurality of components of each specific embodiment.

Claims

A broadcast receiver for receiving broadcast waves in which program broadcasting is multiplexed with data broadcasting, wherein, in said data broadcasting, each type of data set units transmits predetermined data, and a data set unit of the type relating to a text for predetermined information is intermittently transmitted with a plurality of texts for predetermined information being written in order from the head character, comprising:
location information extracting means for extracting location information of a text for a predetermined item included in the text for predetermined information in said text for the predetermined information from the data broadcasting;

text for predetermined information receiving means for receiving the data set unit of the type relating to the text for the predetermined information; and

determining means for detecting the data set unit in which the last character is written for said text for the predetermined item based on said location information, and determining said text for the predetermined item in response to that said text for predetermined information receiving means receives the data set unit.
The broadcast receiver according to claim 1, wherein in the data broadcasting, a predetermined number of the data set units are allocated to each text for predetermined information regardless of the number of characters.
The broadcast receiver according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said location information is information on a location of a head character of the text for the predetermined item in the text for predetermined information and the length of the text.
The broadcast receiver according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said location information is written in the data set unit of a type whose contents can be freely defined by an application.
The broadcast receiver according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said text for the predetermined information is information relating to a program currently aired in the program broadcasting.
The broadcast receiver according to claim 5, wherein said text for the predetermined item is an artist's name and/or a title of music.
A method for receiving broadcast waves in which program broadcasting is multiplexed with data broadcasting, wherein, in said data broadcasting, each type of data set units transmits predetermined data, and a data set unit of the type relating to a text for predetermined information is intermittently transmitted with a plurality of texts for predetermined information being written in order from the head character, said method comprising the steps of:
extracting location information of a text for a predetermined item included in the text for predetermined information in said text for the predetermined information from the data broadcasting;

receiving the data set unit of the type relating to the text for the predetermined information; and

detecting the data set unit in which the last character is written for the text for said predetermined item based on said location information, and determining said text for the predetermined item in response to that the data set unit is received.
A program for causing a computer to function as each means of a broadcast receiver according to any of claims 1 to 6.