DE19503420A1 - Radio receiver for receiving and playing back digitally coded traffic reports - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a radio receiver according to the Genus of the main claim.

With the radio data system (RDS) an additional and inaudible transmission of digital data parallel to Broadcast programs in a data channel. Specifications of the radio data system for FM radio are among others in the publication Tech. 3244-E, March 1984 the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Radio receivers with suitable RDS decoders can transmitted data in addition to radio reception with the Record and decode the same receiver. The Data transmission takes place in 32 groups of 108 bits each, each group is assigned a specific service. Group 8a is for the transmission of digitally coded Traffic announcements provided.

The structure and coding of these traffic reports are in the proposed standard ALERT C, November 1990 specified by the RDS ATT ALERT Consortium. The  The essential elements of a traffic report are Place of occurrence (location) and the event. This information is cataloged, which means that everyone traffic-relevant location and every traffic-related event a unique code is assigned. The concatenation of places in the place table along existing streets gives the Course again. Except for the usual facilities one Receivers with an RDS decoder are required to use the Traffic message channel TMC (Traffic Message Channel) Devices for decoding, storage, Further processing and output of traffic reports required.

Because of the limited amount of data of 108 bits per normal Traffic information can only transmit a small amount of information with the help of relatively extensive tables the traffic message is decoded in the receiver and output is processed. These tables contain location-based and event-related data. So decoding is one digitally encoded traffic announcement among other things Location code, a location type (point area, road segment), a Reference to a previous point, a reference to a subsequent point and other data is required.

Then there are more to output a traffic report location-related data is required, such as type a street, possibly a specific name of the Street, the name of the place, a second name of the place and if applicable, the geographic coordinates.

Accordingly, a digitally coded traffic report can only be decoded if the location code and the associated Information in the list is available in the recipient. There are therefore very large amounts of data are required if all Traffic reports should be decodable and reproducible. This applies all the more, the greater that of a uniform  standardized system is covered area, for example most of Europe.

The object of the present invention is a Radio receiver for the reception and reproduction of digital to indicate coded traffic reports in different Areas can be used without decoding and data required for playback for everyone theoretical operating locations of the radio receiver are saved.

This object is achieved in that the received digitally coded traffic reports one Device for decoding the traffic reports can be fed are used for decoding the traffic reports required location-related data on an interchangeable Data carriers are stored that from the decoded Traffic announcements playback data can be derived, for Derivation of the playback data required further location-related data on the exchangeable data carrier are stored, and that the playback data is one Playback device can be fed.

The radio receiver according to the invention can be in different Countries for receiving and playing digitally coded Traffic announcements are used, only the Media containing data from the country concerned is to be used. The disk can be in the form of a usual Chip card or other memory cards, for example after the ISO 7816 standard. The invention Radio receivers also have the advantage that Changes to the location-related data, for example through New construction of roads or motorway junctions inexpensive update is possible.  

In the radio receiver according to the invention, the Playback by voice, in writing Display or by a graphic representation in the sense a map. With the speech and with the written notice is through appropriate storage and Selection also a reproduction in different languages possible regardless of the area in question.

In a development of the invention Broadcast receiver is provided that for decoding the Traffic reports and to derive the playback data required algorithms and event-related data in a memory are stored in the radio receiver. These As such, data does not require updating or adjustment to different countries or geographical areas, their Storage within the radio receiver reduced however, the required space on the removable disk.

An exchangeable data carrier for an inventive Radio receiver can be designed such that the location-related data and the other location-related data in are stored in a read-only memory. However, it can also be provided that the location-related data and other location-related data in a non-volatile rewritable memory are stored. This can a chip card that has been purchased from time to time be updated.

Despite constant advances in storage density the storage capacity of removable storage in for the foreseeable future be limited or relatively expensive. On User, especially a driver who is not far Rides are often not decoded interested in all traffic reports covering an entire country affect. According to a further development of the  exchangeable data carrier be provided that the im Data stored on a by country borders, according to which location-related databases are divided, different geographic area.

For decoding and deriving playback data it is advantageous if on the removable disk at least one location code, one location type, references to each location neighboring locations, for point locations references to an associated road segment, a country code, a code the database of the country to which get the aforementioned codes, a street name, a Street description, additional descriptions of the place type, names the location and, if applicable, names of other locations are.

A display in the form of a map can thereby the geographic coordinates are also enabled of places are saved.

A first or repeated description of a interchangeable data carrier can be such that from a central database covering multiple areas contains updated data, queried data and according to a Input that identifies a selected area be selected and that the selected data in the Memory of the removable disk is written will. The central database can, for example, all Place lists included in Europe. By entering a selected area via a selection menu Data carriers are produced, for example a Decoding and playback of traffic reports one of enable a motorist to drive in an area that is frequently used can belong to several countries.  

Another advantageous development of the interchangeable Data carrier enables particularly favorable utilization the available storage capacity in that in a first stored on the removable disk Table for each location except for the Decoding required one or more data Identifiers are stored and that for one Identifier in a second on the interchangeable Disk stored table the other location-related Data are stored. These preferably contain at least a place name. It can be very advantageous Place names appearing only once directly in the first File table.

Embodiments of the invention are in the drawing represented with several figures and in the following Description explained in more detail. It shows:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a broadcast receiver according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a schematic representation for describing an interchangeable data carrier and

Fig. 3 is a further block diagram of a broadcast receiver according to the invention with a location list containing a chip card.

The exemplary embodiment is a block diagram shown. However, this does not mean that it is on a Realization with the help of individual blocks corresponding circuits is limited. Of the Rather, the radio receiver is particularly advantageous Way with the help of highly integrated circuits realizable. Digital signal processors can are used, which, with suitable programming, the  shown in the block diagrams Carry out processing steps.

Fig. 1 shows some modules of a radio receiver required to explain the invention and in the part framed by dashed lines used to carry out the method according to the invention. The signals to be received are fed via an antenna 1 to a receiving part 2 , to the output of which an RDS decoder 3 and an audio amplifier 4 with a loudspeaker 5 are connected.

The decoding and reproduction of the digitally coded traffic reports is controlled by a microcomputer 11 . This is connected to a memory 12 in which event-related and language-relevant data and algorithms are stored. Output signals of the RDS decoder 3 can be fed to the microcomputer 11 . Furthermore, the microcomputer 11 is connected via an interface 13 to a card read / write device, which is not shown separately in FIG. 1. In the reader, the connection to a memory 14 on a chip card 15 is established via an interface 16 also located on the chip card.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, a voice output is provided, for which purpose digital voice signals are synthesized in the microcomputer 11 and are supplied to the audio amplifier 4 via a digital / analog converter 17 . In addition, the traffic reports and further information, for example the type of selection of the traffic reports, can be represented with the aid of a display device 18 (display) which is connected to the microcomputer 11 via a display driver 19 .

The memory 14 can be designed as read-only memory (ROM), so that the user must purchase a new chip card 15 when changes are made, or as non-volatile read / write memory to be written to in each case. This can then be described with new data when the location-relevant data changes or when the area of interest changes.

The location and event codes transmitted with a digitally coded traffic announcement are language-independent. For example, a code 101 denotes the event of a traffic jam and a code 4711, for example, the location Cologne. The representatives corresponding to the codes are therefore stored in a specific national language in decoding tables in the memories 14 and 12 . The events are language-dependent and country-independent, since the events are standardized across Europe, for example 101 = traffic jam = traffic jam. The place names are country-dependent, which means that a place code in France shows a different place than the same code in Germany. The locations are distinguished by the country code, which is transmitted separately in the radio data system.

The data stored in the memory 14 of the chip card 15 are divided according to the aspects of decoding and the reproduction of the traffic reports. The data required to decode a traffic report are summarized in the following table, where Loc. = Location stands for location:

With this information, information coded according to the ALERT standard can be decoded. When coding, for example, a location code, an indication of the length of an event (for example, a traffic jam length of 20 km) and the direction are evaluated in such a way that, for example, the motorway concerned, a section of this motorway with directional information, two connection points at which the event is located and the event itself, for example the information:
A7, Kassel towards Hannover, between, Hildesheim and Laatzen, event.

Thereby within the digitally coded traffic announcement the location code Hildesheim and the extent and direction received and the other information from the table.

After the decoding described, however, this information is still available in the form of codes which are converted into written or spoken text for the purpose of output. For this purpose, the microcomputer 11 accesses a list of the following type, likewise stored in the memory 14 :

The data thus obtained can then be used for optical or acoustic traffic announcement output are used, if necessary also for the screen display of a Map using the coordinates.

As described, each location is by one Country code, a database number and one Location code (Loc.-Code) as well as unique through its references Are defined. Place lists with the database number addressed are created by summarizing places.  

A chip card can now basically be different parts Place lists included, so that the generation of individual Cards becomes possible. The content of a chip card fixed during the manufacture of the chip card and in stored in a read-only memory of the chip card.

Alternatively, chip cards with rewritable memory can be used. The card can then be written with a data record by the manufacturer or sold without content. Suitable service providers can rewrite the chip cards. An embodiment of a device for this is shown schematically in FIG. 2. All the data required for compiling the location lists are stored and managed in a computer 21 . An update is possible by means of a remote data transmission 22 to a central location, which manages all location lists, possibly by country. The desired selection can be made with the aid of an operating unit 23 , the operation being carried out by entries using selection menus. The selected data are then fed to a programming station 24 for writing the selected data into the memory of the chip card 15 .

Only parts and functions of the radio receiver that are required to explain the invention are shown in FIG. 3. A traffic announcement processing device 31 is supplied with the signals of group 8 a at 32 by an RDS decoder (not shown). According to the ALERT specification mentioned above, this data essentially contains information about the location, type, expected duration, size and direction of an event. This information is decoded and selected in the device 31 , which is preferably implemented in the form of a microcomputer or a digital signal processor. A selection takes place according to the selection criteria supplied via an input unit 33 , so that, for example, only those traffic reports are reproduced which relate to the entered road section in a given direction.

Data stored in a place list 35 is already required for decoding the traffic reports, for example the places closest to the place mentioned in the traffic report in the course of a street and the affiliation to an area. This and other information is stored in a location list on a chip card 34 and, like other information described later, can be read with the aid of a reading device in the receiver. In the example shown it can be seen that the location no. 4711 belongs to an area in 2009 and that the neighboring locations are 4710 and 4712. The location list also contains 35 identifiers which are used to read the location names and other names from the table 38. For example, the identifier 15 can mean the word Cologne and the identifier 81 the word north. The use of the identifiers, which preferably have a constant number of digits, saves a considerable amount of storage space.

The traffic messages decoded in this way are fed to a device 36 for speech synthesis, the output signals of which are fed to the loudspeaker 5 via the digital / analog converter 17 and the audio amplifier 4 . The device 36 can advantageously also be implemented with the aid of a digital signal processor, to which a program 37 is available. The data required for speech synthesis are fed from table 38, which is stored on chip card 34 , to an event record list 42 , a carrier record list 43 and a segment library 44 . The synthesis then takes place in the language in which the event record list 42 , the carrier record list 43 and the segment library 44 are created. Speech synthesis methods are known per se. A method which is particularly tailored to the output of coded traffic reports is described in the patent application filed simultaneously by the applicant "Method and device for outputting digitally coded traffic reports by means of synthetically generated speech".

In addition to the verbal place names, table 38 also contains numbers, such as in connection with junction 15 . Since it is naturally important to hear the number of a connection point in the language in which the rest of the output takes place, the number 15 is stored as a number in table 38. A special part of the segment library 44 is used for the speech synthesis, in which the pronunciation of the numbers is stored in the respective language of the recipient. Furthermore, the place names are in the usual script in table 38, so that an optical voice output can also take place with the aid of the chip card 34 .

Claims (10)

1. radio receiver for receiving and reproducing digitally coded traffic reports containing location information and event information, characterized in that

• that the digitally coded traffic reports received can be fed to a device for decoding the traffic reports, location-related data required for decoding the traffic reports being stored on an exchangeable data carrier,
• - That playback data can be derived from the decoded traffic reports, further location-related data required for the derivation of the playback data being stored on the exchangeable data carrier, and
• - That the playback data can be fed to a playback device.

2. Radio receiver according to claim 1, characterized characterized in that for decoding the traffic reports and necessary to derive the playback data Algorithms and event-related data in a memory in the Radio receivers are stored.   3. Interchangeable data carrier for a radio receiver according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that that the location-related data and the other location-related Data are stored in a read-only memory. 4. Interchangeable data carrier for a radio receiver according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that that the location-related data and the other location-related Data in non-volatile rewritable memory are filed. 5. Interchangeable data carrier according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the in the memory stored data one from the country borders, according to which location-based databases are divided, different concern geographic area. 6. Interchangeable data carrier according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that at least one per location Location code, a location type, references to neighboring locations, at point locations references to an associated Street segment, a country code, a code of those Database of the country to which the refer to the aforementioned codes, a street name, a Street description, additional descriptions of the place type, names the location and, if applicable, names of other locations are. 7. Replaceable data carrier according to claim 6, characterized characterized that further the geographic coordinates of places are saved. 8. Method for storing location-related data and location-related additional data on an interchangeable Data carrier according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterized characterized that from a central database that for  contains multiple areas of updated data, queried data and according to an input representing a selected area identifies, be selected and that the selected Data in the memory of the removable disk be registered. 9. Interchangeable data carrier for a radio receiver according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that that in a first on the removable disk saved table for a location in each case except the data required for decoding one or more Identifiers are stored and that for one Identifier in a second on the interchangeable Disk stored table the other location-related Data are stored. 10. Interchangeable data carrier according to claim 9, characterized characterized that the other location-related data contain at least one place name.