GB2410633A

GB2410633A - Broadcast receiver with user audio interface

Info

Publication number: GB2410633A
Application number: GB0401939A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Crawford; Martin Harrison
Original assignee: Imagination Technologies Ltd
Current assignee: Imagination Technologies Ltd
Priority date: 2004-01-29
Filing date: 2004-01-29
Publication date: 2005-08-03
Also published as: GB0401939D0

Abstract

A broadcast receiver, for example a DAB radio, an FM radio with RDS, or a digital television receiver, is provided with means (16, 12) for audibly indicating information about the received station, or about the receiver status, including signal strength, menu options and control settings. The system can also make an audible announcement of any broadcast textual data. The system may include a voice synthesizer (20, fig.2) or may include pre-recorded or user-recorded voice samples. The voice samples may be up-dated by voice samples delivered over a broadcast.

Description

24 1 0633

BROADCAST RECEIVER

This invention relates to a broadcast signal receiver and in particular to a broadcast receiver such as a radio or digital radio with an improved user interface.

Broadcast receivers such as radios and digital radios use text based user interfaces which show on a display either a frequency to which a radio has been tuned or a channel name, which is received with the signal in a digital transmission or an fm transmission using the radio data system (RDS). In order to be able to use fully a receiver with a tuning display such as this, the user must be able to see and read the display effectively. This applies not only to the selection of received broadcast channels but also to other functions which may be available via the display such as volume control, tone control, etc. Standard analogue equipment for receiving broadcast signals has the advantage that is provides immediate audible feed back when the received frequency is changed. Thus, a user knows when the radio is out of tune and can tell when it is becoming better tuned. However, he has no indication as to which channel he is tuned to other than that which is provided by the display or by the particular programme being broadcast at that time. With digital receivers such as digital radios, there are delays in decoding any received signal and therefore immediate audible feedback cannot be provided. There is a delay of a number of seconds between selection of a channel and the audible feedback. This is problematic if the display cannot be seen, which may be the case when driving. It can also be a very serious drawback for visually impaired persons. Problems also arise in operating this type of equipment for illiterate people who are unable to read the display.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment there is provided a broadcast receiver including means for audibly indicating information about the status of the receiver.

In a preferred embodiment the broadcast receiver plays announcements about the status of the receiver.

Preferably the announcements include announcements which name a station selected for audible reproduction by the receiver; In one preferred embodiment, the broadcast receiver is a digital audio broadcast (DAB) receiver.

In another preferred embodiment, the broadcast receiver is an fm radio receiver capable of receiving radio data system (RDS) data.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures in which: Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a digital radio receiver incorporating the invention; Figure 2 shows a more detailed diagram of the audible signal generator of Figure 1; and, Figure 3 shows a different embodiment of the audible signal generator of figure 1.

A number of broadcast transmissions for audio or video reception include capacity for additional data to be sent with a transmission. Examples of these are the following: 1. The radio data system (RDS) which is used with fm radio transmissions in the United Kingdom; 2. DAB in the United Kingdom; and 3. Digital televisions signals transmitted in the United Kingdom.

The applicant has appreciated that these additional data channels can be used to activate some type of audible indication on a broadcast receiver to indicate the identity of a channel selected by a user. Such a feature will be particularly attractive to the visually impaired who would not necessarily be able to read a visual display indicating the channel selected.

An example of a DAB receiver embodying the invention is shown in figure 1. This comprises of an antenna 2 to receive a signal and a receiver 4 to demodulate the signal. The decoding of the DAB signal then takes place in a microprocessor 6.

User controls 8 are used to select one of the stations received in a DAB multiplex. The selected station is then provided to an audio generator 10 and the audio signal is played back by a loud speaker 12.

A display 14 indicates to the user the signal selected. This is important in decoding a DAB signal because there is a time delay between the station being selected and the audio generator starting to provide the decoded station to the loud speaker 12. If the display were not present, then a user might go onto the next station in the multiplex and thereby miss the station to which he was trying to tune.

The problem such a display provides for the visually impaired is overcome by also including an audible signal generator 16 between the microprocessor 6 and the loud speaker 12. This generates an audible signal indication which station has been selected by the user with the user controls 8 and causes the loud speaker 12 to play this audible signal before the audio generator 10 provides the selected station to the loud speaker. Preferably the time delay between the station being selected by the user controls 8 and the audible signal generated 16 causing audible signal to be played back by the loud speaker 12 is very short so that the user does not have time to move onto another station before the signal is played. Preferably the time delay is of the order of a few milliseconds.

In a preferred embodiment, the audible signal generator generates a voice signal which causes the loud speaker to announce the name of the station selected. It could, however, be some other form of audible signal such as a tone.

The audible signal can be provided from a number of different sources. These are discussed with reference to figures 2 and 3.

Figure 2 shows a more detailed block diagram of the audible signal generator 16.

This comprises a data decoder 18 and an audio synthesizer 20 providing a signal to the loud speaker 12. The data decoder 18 is responsive to additional data received in the broadcast signal and provided to it by the micro processor 6.

Where the audio synthesizer 20 is a voice synthesizer then the additional data will be data to control the voice synthesizer and to cause it to announce the name of a station selected. Alternatively, the additional data could comprise broadcast voice samples which are decoded by the data decoder 18 and provided to the loud speaker 12. Although in this case the voice samples are delivered over the broadcast, they would not usually come in real-time. Such broadcast samples would form part of the DAB multiplex and would be stored when they arrive in a look up table of some sort for announcement when required. So, the receiver has a LUT with prerecorded voice samples, and then those are overwritten on an ad hoc basis when "new" samples are received over the broadcast.

Alternatively, the arrangement of figure 3 could be used. This comprises a data decoder 18 to decode broadcast additional data. This is provided to a look up table 22 which retrieves audio data from an audio data memory 24 before providing these for playback to the loudspeaker 12. The audio data memory can store pre-recorded voice samples or user recorded voice samples. In addition to the identity of the station selected, the audible signal generator 16 can be used to generate audible signals played back via the loudspeaker 12 relating to other functions and the status of a receiver. These could be for example: Announcement of date/time; Announcement of user set up/menuing options; Announcement of receiver status; including signal strength; Audible announcement of any broadcast textual data; Data about the setting of presets.

It will be appreciated that both the radio data system and the DAB system can be used with this invention. Also, the invention may be embodied in a television receiver. The digital television network in addition to carrying television signals also carries radio signals which can be listened to via a television receiver. The system also includes various textual information services which could be played back to a visually impaired user as a voice signal. Furthermore, the audible indication could be included when a television channel is selected as there is also a delay in digital television receivers between channel selection and playback of channels. The invention may also be embodied in other apparatus which receives broadcast signals such as computers including broadcast receivers and mobile phones which include radio receivers.

Claims

Claims 1. A broadcast signal receiver including means for audibly

indicating information about the status of the receiver.
2. A broadcast signal receiver according to claim 1 in which the means for audibly indicating includes means responsive to data included in a received signal to activate an audible indication.
3. A broadcast signal receiver according to claim 2 in which the means responsive to data included in a received signal is responsive to data in a signal selected for reproduction by the receiver to activate an audible indication identifying the selected signal.
4. A broadcast signal receiver according to claim 3 in which the data included in the signal selected for reproduction is voice data identifying the signal selected.
5. A broadcast signal receiver according to any preceding claim including a memory for storing data to be played by the means for audibly indicating information about the status of the receiver.
6. A broadcast signal receiver according to claim 5 in which the memory stores data received with broadcasts.
7. A broadcast signal receiver according to claims 5 or 6 in which the memory stores pre-recorded voice data.
8. A broadcast signal receiver according to claims 5, 6 or 7 in which the memory stores user recorded voice data.
9. A broadcast signal receiver according to any preceding claim in which the broadcast signal receiver is a digital audio broadcast (DAB) receiver.
10. A broadcast signal receiver substantially as herein described.

10. A broadcast signal receiver according to any of claims 1 to 8 in which the broadcast signal receiver is a radio data system (RDS) receiver.

A broadcast signal receiver according to any of claims 1 to 8 in which the broadcast signal receiver is a digital television.

12. A broadcast signal receiver substantially as herein described.

Amended claims have been filed as follows . . . e .

se. . # .e Claims 1. A broadcast signal receiver including means for audibly indicating information about the status and functions of the receiver.

2. A broadcast signal receiver according to claim 1 in which the means for audibly indicating includes means responsive to data included in a received signal to activate an audible indication.

3. A broadcast signal receiver according to claim 2 in which the means responsive to data included in a received signal is responsive to data in a signal selected for reproduction by the receiver to activate an audible indication identifying the selected signal.

4. A broadcast signal receiver according to any preceding claim including a memory for storing data to be played by the means for audibly indicating information about the status and functions of the receiver.

5. A broadcast signal receiver according to claim 4 in which the memory stores pre-recorded voice data.

6. A broadcast signal receiver according to claims 4 and 5 in which the memory stores user recorded voice data.

7. A broadcast signal receiver according to any preceding claim in which the broadcast signal receiver is a digital audio broadcast (DAB) receiver.

8. A broadcast signal receiver according to any of claims 1 to 8 in which the broadcast signal receiver is a radio data system (RDS) receiver.

9. A broadcast signal receiver according to any of claims 1 to 8 in which the broadcast signal receiver is a digital television.