GB2142764A

GB2142764A - Automatic recording apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2142764A
Application number: GB08312835A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Lionel Swale; Robert Matthews
Original assignee: TRAFFIC TECHNOLOGY Ltd
Current assignee: TRAFFIC TECHNOLOGY Ltd
Priority date: 1983-05-10
Filing date: 1983-05-10
Publication date: 1985-01-23
Also published as: GB8312835D0

Abstract

An apparatus for recording information bulletins of predetermined maximum duration transmitted at predetermined times of day on one or more known radio frequencies comprises a receiver 2 tuned into a required frequency on which the bulletin is transmitted. The received bulletin is passed to amplifier 3 and in response to control unit 13 activating recording control means 4, the amplified bulletin can be either recorded on tape recorder 5 or played on loudspeaker 6. The control unit 13 can automatically adjust the receiver tuning frequency and the amplifier 3 amplification level. The control unit 13 contains stored instructions of start and finish times for recording a received bulletin and is activated in response to receipt of a time signal picked up by an aerial 12. The central control unit may also include a clock and clock display which can include alarm facilities. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Automatic recording apparatus This invention relates to an automatic recording apparatus for recording information bulletins of predetermined maximum duration transmitted at predetermined times of day on one or more known radio frequencies.

Information bulletins such as weather reports, news, sport and motoring news are often transmitted by radio or television at predetermined times of day. Consequently a person can tune into the bulletins by knowing the predetermined times. In some cases the information is of great import, for example weather forecasts for shipping, which have particular relevance to yachtsmen. It is, however, rather tedious for a person to arrange their life to ensure coincidence with such bulletins and this necessity can prove to be both irritating and potentially dangerous should a vital bulletin be missed.

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for recording information bulletins which are transmitted at predetermined times of day and have a predetermined maximum duration, thereby eliminating the necessity of a user to tune into the bulletin at precisely the correct time.

According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for recording information bulletins of predetermined maximum duration transmitted at predetermined times of day on one or more known radio frequencies, comprising a first radio receiving means to receive the bulletin on the or a selected one of the known frequencies, a second radio receiving means tuned to receive both a broadcast time signal and to provide an output signal representing the time of day indicated by the received time signal, control means capable of storing indications of the start and finish times of the information bulletins to be recorded and providing a control signal in response to said output signal indicating a time of day between a stored pair of start and finish times, and recording means arranged to be activated in response to said control signal to record the information bulletin received by said first radio receiving means.

In this way the apparatus is accurately timed to record the information bulletins that it is desired to record. By replaying the information bulletin recorded on the recording means a number of information bulletins may be heard at one time. Consequently a user of the apparatus does not need to tune into the bulletins broadcast at precisely the correct time. Preferably the control means is operable by a user to set the stored indications of the start and finish times. In this way the apparatus can take into account of variations in the time of day of broadcast of the information bulletins thereby allowing the apparatus to be employed for different types of information bulletins.

It is advantageous that the control means includes a clock means arranged to drive a clock display means. The clock means can be set by the output signal provided by the second radio receiving means. Preferably the means to record comprises a tape recorder machine and includes a loudspeaker system for replaying of bulletins recorded by the tape recorder machine. The control means can comprise a microprocessor.

Examples of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which an apparatus embodying the invention is illustrated.

Referring to the drawing an aerial 1 is arranged to be capable of picking up a signal forming a transmitted information bulletin, such as a weather report. The signal is relayed to a receiver 2 tuned into the required frequency on which the bulletin is transmitted, for example 200 kHz. Preferably the receiver can be manually adjusted to tune into different frequencies on which information bulletins are being broadcast. The received bulletin is passed to amplifier 3 which can be either manually set to a required amplification level or can be automatically adjusted by a microprocessor central control unit 13. The central control unit can also include automatic tuning of the receiver 2 and can vary the frequency of the receiver in accordance with a sequence programmed into the unit prior to use.In this way it is possible to tune into information bulletins transmitted at predetermined times of day on one or more known radio frequencies.

The control unit 13 produces control pulses to activate a recording means control 4 to cause a recording means 5 to record the received bulletin amplified by amplifier 3. The recording means can, for example, comprise a tape recorder or a suitable solid state store such as a digitized memory. The control 4 can also be manually activated to rewind the recording means 5 and replay a recording of the bulletin over, say, a loudspeaker or earphone 6. The control 4 is also arranged to pass a received bulletin to loudspeaker 6 during recording of the bulletin if the unit 4 should at this time be activated for rewind and replay.

The control unit 13 has stored therein indications of the start and finish times for recording a received bulletin. The control pulse is produced by the control unit 13 in response to receipt of a time signal which indicates a time of day between the stored pair of start and finish times. The time signal is picked up by an aerial 12 and relayed through, say, a 60 kHz receiver 11 to the central control unit.

Clearly other frequencies could be employed.

The time signal can comprise any suitable signal, for example a coded signal which indicates the date and the time of day, such signals are produced from the radio transmitter at Rugby in England. The coded signal is decoded by the control unit after receipt in order to evaluate whether the time signal indicates a time of day between the stored pair of start and finish times. The stored values are set to activate the control 4 immediately prior to the information bulletin and the finish time stored is set to deactivate control 4 immediately after the information bulletin. It will be apparent that the predetermined maximum duration of the information bulletin could be stored to deactivate control 4 after a predetermined duration of activation.

The start and finish time stored can be entered into the microprocessor central control unit by a keyboard 10. The central control unit 13 can also include a clock which can be employed to drive a time display or clock 7, which can include alarm facilities. Preferably the clock includes an internal crystal clock which is adjusted to be accurate to the time of day in response to the time signal received by the receiver 11.

Consequently the apparatus can be built to be either hand-held or mounted on a piece of equipment and can be powered by batteries 9 which can be recharged through a battery charger 8. Preferably the apparatus is arranged to be waterproof for use in seabourne applications.

Therefore a user can either arrange to automatically tune into the frequencies carrying the information bulletins it is required to record or can do so manually and the required start and finish times for recording the information bulletins can be stored in the central control unit 13. The control unit 13 then arranges the automatic recording of received information bulletins by the tape recorder 5.

Consequently the necessity for a user to tune into specific bulletins at precisely the correct time is eliminated thereby reducing the dangers of missing a potentially vital bulletin.

Claims

1. Apparatus for recording information bulletins of predetermined maximum duration transmitted at predetermined times of day on one or more known radio frequencies, comprising a first radio receiving means to receive the bulletin on the or a selected one of the known frequencies, a second radio receiving means tuned to receive both a broadcast time signal and to provide an output signal representing the time of day indicated by the received time signal, control means capable of storing indications of the start and finish times of the information bulletins to be recorded and providing a control signal in response to said output signal indicating a time of day between a stored pair of start and finish times, and recording means arranged to be activated in response to said control signal to record the information bulletin received by said first radio receiving means.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim I wherein the control means is user operable to be capable of setting the stored indications of the start and finish times.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the control means includes a clock means arranged to drive a clock display means.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the clock means is adjusted to be accurate to the time of day in response to said output signal.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the means to record comprises a tape recorder.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the means to record includes a loudspeaker system for replay of bulletins recorded by the tape recorder.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the control means comprises a microprocessor.

8. Apparatus for recording information bulletins of predetermined maximum duration transmitted at predetermined times of day on one or more known radio frequencies substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.