FR2662321A1 - RADIO COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND AUXILIARY APPARATUS THEREFOR. - Google Patents

Abstract

Radio-electric device (2) comprising an auxiliary device (5) connected between the device (2) and its loudspeaker (4), with a FIFO voice memory (13) between an analog-to-digital converter (14) and a digital converter - analog (15). The received voice signals are permanently introduced into the voice memory (13) so that at each instant the voice signals introduced immediately before for a period corresponding to the capacity of the voice memory are stored. By means of a control device (16), the user can interrupt the introduction of the voice signals into the voice memory (13) and trigger the extraction of the stored voice signals. The auxiliary device can be used in particular with a car radio or a radiotelephone.

Description

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  RADIO COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND AUXILIARY APPARATUS FOR

THESE MEASURES

  The present invention relates to a radiocommunication device comprising a receiver unit and a loudspeaker, as well as an auxiliary apparatus for this device, in particular for a radio apparatus such as a transceiver, a radio telephone or a car radio with a part broadcasting receiver for

the circulation.

  Devices of this type are for example transceivers used in radio communication by taxis and police as well as car radios with a

  broadcasting receiving part for circulation.

  With devices of this type, equipped with a broadcasting receiving part for traffic, the user, who may be for example a taxi driver, a police officer, an automobile driver, etc., receives a large number information that, for the most part, does not concern him As a result, he does not listen carefully to this information, especially if he is absorbed by traffic or other causes (especially in the case of the police), so that he only realizes that a message concerns him at the moment when he receives it or after having received it. For this reason, very often the user does not perceive the details of this message, which for example, in the case of a taxi driver or police officer, the exact address of the place to go, the exact location of traffic congestion, etc. Even when has perceived these details accurately because of his sustained attention, the user can forget easily, especially when the message is followed by other information or when the information heard is unfamiliar to him, for example when he does not know where the announced clutter is and he must consult his plan for

  determine if he is on his way.

  The object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks by means of a device and an auxiliary device for it which make it possible to perceive

exactly the content of a message.

  According to the invention, this object is achieved by a radio communication device comprising a receiver unit and a loudspeaker, a voice memory in which the received voice signals are continuously introduced, so that at each instant the voice signals introduced immediately before, during a time corresponding to the capacity of the voice memory, are stored, and a control device by means of which the input of the voice signals into the voice memory can be interrupted and the extraction of the stored voice signals can be triggered, as well as by an auxiliary device for the preceding device, in particular for a transceiver, a radiotelephone or a car radio with a broadcast broadcasting receiver part, comprising an input intended to be connected to the loudspeaker output of the part of the device which has the receiving unit, an output intended to be connected to the ha a connection between the input and the output, a voice memory connected in parallel thereto between the input and the output, and in which the received voice signals are continuously introduced, so that at each instant, the voice signals introduced immediately before, for a duration corresponding to the capacity of the voice memory, are stored, and a control device by means of which the introduction of voice signals into the voice memory can be interrupted and the extraction

  stored voice signals can be triggered.

  Thanks to the device according to the invention or the auxiliary device according to the invention, the last part of a message is permanently memorized When the driver determines during or immediately after a message that information important to him is transmitted, information that it has not exactly perceived, it can interrupt the progress of the storage by operating the control device, so that the part of the message that has been stored last remains stored with the important information When the message is completed, it can call one or, if necessary, several times the relevant part of the message The important information having been analyzed exactly, the continuous storage of the last part of the messages is initiated by the control device. We will now give a non-limiting example of

  embodiment of the invention using the unique drawing.

  The single figure shows a block diagram of a device designed for example for radiocommunications

  for taxis or police, with an auxiliary device.

  The device represented consists of a transmitter

  commercial receiver 2 which has a transmitter unit

  receiver HF 1 with an antenna 18, a microphone 3, a speaker 4 and an auxiliary device 5 with a power supply or plug 6 which can be connected

  for example on the battery of a motor vehicle.

  The auxiliary apparatus 5 comprises an input 8 for the voice signals which is intended to be connected to the speaker output 7 of the transceiver 2 and an output 9 1 i O for the voice signals which must be connected to the loudspeaker. 4 The input 8 for the voice signals is connected to an amplifier 10 whose output is connected directly to the output 9 for the voice signals by a connecting conductor 11 Between the output of the amplifier and the output 9 for the voice signals is connected a voice memory 13 (in parallel with the connecting conductor 11) whose input is connected to an analog / digital converter 14 and whose output is connected to a converter

digital / analog 15.

  The voice memory 13 may be a FIFO (first-in, first-out) memory, for example of the RAM shift register type, in which the received voice signals are continuously introduced so that, at each instant, the voice signals introduced immediately before during a duration corresponding to the capacity of the FIFO voice memory

13 are stored.

  The capacity of the voice memory 13 is chosen according to the duration of the information provided for the device in question. It is chosen not equal to the total duration of a usual message but greater than a tolerance corresponding to the maximum duration of the message. Particularly important communication for the user Too low memory capacity means that the beginning of the important information may not be memorized in some cases, while too large memory capacity the extraction or restitution described in the rest of the stored speech signals, uninteresting information for the user are reproduced too long and his attention is relaxed so that it allows the essential to pass again A memory capacity corresponding to 30 seconds of voice information is suitable for the use indicated for taxi radiocommunications and for polishing For particular applications, it is possible to also provide larger memory capacities for information.

  for example, up to 3 minutes maximum.

  The FIFO voice memory 13 is controlled by a control device 16 by means of which the input into the voice memory 13 of the received voice signals can be interrupted and the extraction of the stored voice signals can be triggered. The control device 16 is connected to a remote control. threshold detector (comparator) 17 connected to the input 8 for the voice signals and interrupts the reading or extraction of the stored voice signal data when the threshold detector 17 indicates the arrival of voice signals (An amplitude threshold is chosen such that the noise and the spurious pulses do not cause interruption) When the threshold detector 17 no longer detects the arrival of voice signals, the control device triggers the resumption of playback (The triggering can also be done by pressing again on a key or pushbutton 19 whose function will be described in the

after).

  The control is performed by means of a key 19 of the control device 16, this device being such that a first actuation of short duration (less than a predetermined time interval) of the key 19 causes the interruption of the introduction. voice signals in the voice memory 13, that a second operation also runs (also lower than the predetermined time interval) of the key 19 causes the extraction of the stored voice signals and that long operation (longer than the predetermined time interval) of the key 19 again triggers the permanent introduction of the voice signals received by the receiver in the voice memory 13. If the key 19 is briefly pressed again after the second short-time operation, again occurs extraction of the stored voice signal data The limit between short operation and long operation is established for example at 3 seconds by a first t Emporizer of the control device A light emitting diode 20 indicates the introduction of voice signals into the memory 13; it goes out during extraction. The control device 16 furthermore comprises a second timer with a time constant of a few minutes, for example 3 minutes. This second timer measures the time that elapses since the interruption of the memorization of the voice signals in the voice memory. caused by the actuation of the key 19 It is reset each time the key 19 is actuated The time constant having elapsed (without actuating the key 19) the control device 16 sends to the memory 13 an order of memory so that the received voice signals are again permanently stored in the

voice memory 13.

  The device operates in the following way: the HF radio signals are received by the transceiver 2 via the antenna 18, then they are demodulated and amplified The received voice signals (demodulated RF radio signals or frequency signals demodulated BF voice) reach via the connections 7, 8 and the amplifier 10, on the one hand directly to the loudspeaker 4 by the driver Il and on the other hand to the FIFO memory 13 in which they are stored after being converted in digital signals by the analog-to-digital converter, at each instant the voice signal data introduced immediately before for a duration corresponding to the capacity of the voice memory being stored and the data previously stored being covered or

  erased by the new data.

  The user hears the different messages thanks to

  loudspeaker 4 (without delay as in the case of transmitters-

  usual receivers) If he realizes during or after a message that important information concerning him has been broadcast at the moment and if he did not perceive exactly the details of this information, he briefly presses the key. control device 16 then interrupts the input of the received voice signal data so that the voice signal data input immediately before for a duration corresponding to the capacity of the FIFO voice memory 13 remain stored and can no longer be covered

  (erased) by the consecutive voice data.

  When the message is finished, the user again briefly presses the key 19. The control device 16 then triggers the extraction of the stored voice signal data which is converted into analog data by the digital-to-analog converter 15 and which can reach the desired value. by the loudspeaker 4 If necessary, the user can, by briefly pressing button 19, listen once or more times to the memorized text. If he understands the information in detail, he / she activates the key 19 for more than three seconds so that the controller 16 sends the memory 13 a read or store order so that the received voice signals are again permanently stored in the voice memory 13 If the user forgets the restore order (long key S 19 is pressed), the controller 16 automatically sends the memory 13 the read command when

  the time constant of the second timer has elapsed.

  If a new message arrives while retrieving the stored speech data, the threshold detector (comparator) 17 responds to the received voice signals and the controller 16 interrupts the retrieval of the stored voice signal data When the message is complete (When the threshold detector 17 no longer detects received voice signals), the control device 16 triggers again, automatically or following the actuation of the key 19, the extraction of the stored voice signal data. amplifier 10 then prevents the voice signals extracted from the memory 13 from reaching the

threshold detector 17.

  When the information stored at the beginning of the new message does not seem particularly important to the user (for example because the user has already read it once) and when the user can expect the new message contains important information, it quickly actuates the key 19 for more than three seconds so that the new information is permanently stored in the memory 13. Instead of detecting the demodulated BF voice frequency signals (received voice signals), the detector threshold 17 can also detect the RF radio signals received by

the receiving unit 1.

  In addition, the voice memory 13 can be connected to the microphone 3 so that it is possible to memorize both the voice signals received by the receiver unit 1 and returned by the loudspeaker 4, and also the voice signals picked up by means of the microphone. of the microphone and transmitted by the transmitting unit 1 Or it is possible to provide a second voice memory for the voice signals received at

  average of the microphone 3 and transmitted by the transmitting unit 1.

  Instead of providing a single voice memory 13 it is possible to provide several and equip the control device 16 with a switching device with which it is possible to switch the permanent introduction of demodulated voice signals by the receiving unit 1 and played back by the speaker 4 from a voice memory to the next voice memory and to choose the voice memory

  desired for the extraction of the stored voice signals.

  The extraction rate during extraction of the voice signals stored in the memory 13 can be accelerated by means of a quick extraction key when it is desired to extract quickly Of course, it is important to choose an acceleration that to ensure understanding, ie that the information, although distorted, must be

remain understandable.

  The device according to the invention can be an ARI car radio (broadcasting receiving part for the circulation, for the automatic reception of messages relating to the circulation) The auxiliary apparatus 5 is then connected to the loudspeaker output of the car radio, or in one of the loudspeaker outputs of the car radio In this case, the control device 16 may, as well as the car radio, be provided with a decoder for the traffic message signals and present a switch broadcasting system for the circulation with which the user can set the optional auxiliary device on the permanent storage of all the received voice signals (to memorize not only traffic messages, but for example also information, weather forecasts, etc.) or on the permanent memorization of the only messages concerning the circulation, in which case the control device 16 does not allow the memorization permane voice signals in the memory 13 only when a traffic start signal is detected which indicates the beginning of a traffic message, after which the

  command interrupts this memorization again.

  The device can also be a radiotelephone, in which case the information of the interlocutor that was misunderstood (and possibly also the own words of the user of the radiotelephone) are stored with the auxiliary device and can be heard again

  one or more times when the conversation is over.

  The loudspeaker 4 can also be a capsule of loudspeaker

  speaker, for example a radiotelephone capsule or

transceiver.

  The auxiliary apparatus 5 may be used with any radio communication device, such as the evoked transceiver, a car radio, a radiotelephone, but also with any other similar device, for example with "usual" radio sets. adaptation to the device and can therefore be sold separately as an independent device, auxiliary devices having

  different memory capacities that can be offered.

  The device can also be incorporated in a portable microphone or in a manually operated device, for example the handset of a radiotelephone It can be

  also incorporated into a transceiver.

  The device or the auxiliary device also allows, in the absence of the user, to record the received voice messages, the last voice messages remaining 1 1 stored according to the capacity of the voice memory and can be called by the user. user on return The device or ancillary device may then be provided with an optical indicator which signals that a recording has taken place in the absence of the user, this indicator being activated upon receipt of a voice message if the user has taken care to activate an absence switch.

Claims (8)

  1 radio communication device comprising a receiver unit (1) and a loudspeaker (4), characterized by a voice memory (13) in which the received voice signals are continuously introduced, so that at each moment the voice signals introduced immediately before for a time corresponding to the capacity of the voice memory (13) are stored, and by a control device (16) by means of which the input of the voice signals into the voice memory (13) can be interrupted and the extraction   stored voice signals can be triggered.   2 Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the voice memory is a digital FIFO memory (13)   whose input is connected to an analogue converter-   digital (14) and whose output is connected to a   digital-to-analog converter (15).   3 Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the voice memory or the FIFO memory (13) is connected with the analog-digital converter (14) and the digital-to-analog converter (15).   parallel with the connecting conductor (11) of the speaker (4).   4 Device according to any one of   Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the   control (16) has a threshold detector (17) for the received voice signals or the received RF radio signals and interrupts the extraction of the stored voice signals as soon as received voice signals or RF radio signals are received.   detected by the threshold detector (17).   Device according to any one of   Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the   control (16) comprises a key (19) and is arranged so that, by a first actuation of the key (19) shorter than a predetermined time interval, the input of the received voice signals into the voice memory (13) ) is interrupted, by a second operation of the key (19) also shorter than the predetermined time interval, the extraction of the stored voice signals is triggered and that by a key operation (19) longer than the predetermined time interval, the permanent introduction into the memory   voice of the received voice signals is triggered again.   6 Device according to any one of   Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the device for   control (16) has a timer and suppresses the interruption of the input of voice signals into the voice memory (13) when a predetermined time has elapsed since this interruption, so that the received voice signals are again introduced. permanently in the voice memory (13).   7 Device according to any one of   Claims 1 to 6, comprising a microphone (3) and a   transmitting / receiving unit (1), characterized in that the received voice signals and the voice signals picked up by the microphone are stored in the voice memory, or in that a second voice memory is provided for them.   voice signals picked up by the microphone.   8 Device according to any one of   Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that provision is made   a plurality of voice memories and in that the control device includes a switching device by which the permanent input of the received voice signals can be switched from one voice memory to the next and by which it is possible to select the desired voice memory for   the extraction of the stored voice signals.   Auxiliary device for a radio communication device according to claim 1, in particular for a transceiver station (2), a radiotelephone or a car radio with a broadcasting receiving part for the traffic, characterized by an input (8) to be connected to the loudspeaker output (7) of the part of the device which comprises the receiving unit (1), an output (9) to be connected to the loudspeaker (4), a link (11) between the input (8) and the output (9), a voice memory (13), connected in parallel to this connection between the input (8) and the output (9), in which the received voice signals are continuously introduced, so that at each moment the voice signals introduced immediately before for a period corresponding to the capacity of the voice memory (13) are stored, and by a control device (16) by means of which the input of the voice signals into the voice memory (13) can be interrupted and extraction of   stored voice signals can be triggered.   Auxiliary device according to claim 9, characterized in that the voice memory is a digital FIFO memory (13) whose input is connected to an analog-digital converter (14) and whose output is connected to a   digital-to-analog converter (15).