JP3742967B2 - Tuning device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tuning device such as a tuner, and more particularly to a tuning device that can reduce the number of keys.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In an audio device such as a car radio, the preset channel up / down key is operated for channel selection, and the frequency scan mode (frequency scan mode and channel selection mode will be described later with reference to FIG. 7). / Sometimes the down key is operated. In channel selection by operating the preset channel up / down key, the user sets the frequency of the desired broadcasting station in advance for each channel, and the user selects the preset channel until the program of the broadcasting station that he / she wants to listen to this time flows from the speaker. The up / down key is operated. The frequency scan mode includes auto-tuning and manual tuning. In auto-tuning, the user can operate the frequency scan mode up / down key up or down only once by touching, etc. When the frequency of the radio wave having a predetermined electric field strength or higher is detected, the scanning is stopped, and the program of the broadcasting station having the reception frequency flows from the speaker. In manual tuning, the user operates the up / down frequency scan mode up / down little by little to change the tuning reception frequency little by little to search for a program to be listened to, or When the user knows the frequency of the broadcasting station that he / she wants to listen to, the frequency scan mode up / down key is operated little by little until the tuning reception frequency becomes the frequency of the broadcasting station.
[0003]
Although the user normally selects a channel with the preset channel up / down key, the frequency scan mode up / down key is used to set the reception frequency of the desired broadcast station for each channel of the preset channel up / down key. Necessary. Also, when changing the tuning reception frequency by auto-tuning, broadcast stations whose radio field intensity at the reception frequency is less than the reference value at the time of the change will leak from the search, so even if the radio broadcast has a slightly poor reception sensitivity. Manual tuning is needed to deal with users who want to listen. Therefore, it is difficult to omit the up / down key for the frequency scan mode.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Conventional audio equipment requires a separate preset channel up / down key and frequency scan mode up / down key, which increases the total number of keys and reduces the area of the remote control and operation key array on the main unit. In audio equipment, it is difficult to secure a key arrangement space for preset channel up / down keys and frequency scan mode up / down keys, or a large number of keys are arranged in a small space, which impairs aesthetics.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to provide a channel selection device that overcomes the above-mentioned problems.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the channel selection device of the present invention, the frequency of each pre-selected broadcasting station is set as a preset channel, and the common up / down key is a preset channel up / down key for sequentially switching the tuning frequency to that of each preset channel; The frequency scan mode up / down key is used to scan a tuning frequency and select a broadcasting station.
[0007]
This channel selection apparatus is applicable not only when selecting a radio broadcast station but also when selecting a television broadcast station. That is, this channel selection device can be installed not only in a radio tuner but also in a TV tuner. The radio tuner equipped with the channel selection device may be, for example, a car radio, a component stereo installed at home, a system stereo, or a portable audio device.
[0008]
The channel selection mode switching key is composed of a pair of an up key and a down key. The up key and the down key of the channel selection mode switching key are generally preset channel up / down keys and frequency scan mode up / down keys. Correspond to the up key and down key of the down key. The preset channel up / down key and the frequency scan mode up / down key can be switched using the up / down key up / down key operation as well as based on the operation of the channel selection mode switching key as described later. It is also possible to adopt a method of alternately switching to preset channel up / down key and frequency scan mode up / down key by pressing the key and down key simultaneously for a predetermined time.
[0009]
Thus, by sharing the up / down key with the preset channel up / down key and the up / down key for the frequency scan mode, the total number of keys required for the channel selection device can be reduced, and the AV having a small operation key arrangement area can be obtained. The preset channel up / down key and the frequency scan mode up / down key can be arranged without any trouble on the device, and the design of the operation unit of the AV device can be improved.
[0010]
According to the channel selection device of the present invention, for the channel selection mode, an automatic channel selection that automatically searches for a broadcast station of radio waves having a predetermined electric field strength or more, and a manual channel selection in which the user manually changes the tuning frequency are performed. The tuning mode is switched to auto tuning and manual tuning alternately by operating the tuning mode switch key, and the up / down key normally functions as the preset channel up / down key. During the predetermined time T1 from when the channel selection mode switching key is operated, it functions as a frequency scan mode up / down key.
[0011]
The user normally functions as a preset channel up / down key when operating the up / down key. However, when the user operates the channel selection mode switching key, when the user operates the up / down key within a predetermined time T1 from the time of the operation, the up / down key is the frequency scan mode up / down key. Function as. Thus, the preset channel up / down key for the up / down key and the up / down key for the frequency scan mode can be used properly without any trouble.
[0012]
According to the channel selection device of the present invention, the channel selection mode switching key is operated during the period P during which the up / down key functions as the preset channel up / down key. When the down key is switched to the period S functioning as the frequency scan mode up / down key, the first channel selection mode in the period S is set to the previous channel selection mode.
[0013]
Since there are automatic channel selection and manual channel selection in the channel selection mode, the channel selection mode switching key is operated during the period P, so that when the period P is switched to the period S, The question is which channel selection mode to use for manual channel selection. Since the user often uses the same channel selection mode as the previous channel selection mode, the user selects the first channel selection mode switched from the period P to the period S to be the same as the previous channel selection mode. The user can prevent confusion about the use of the up / down key as the up / down key for the current frequency scan mode.
[0014]
According to the channel selection device of the present invention, the channel selection mode switching key is operated during the period P during which the up / down key functions as the preset channel up / down key. When the down key is switched to the period S functioning as the frequency scan mode up / down key, the first channel selection mode in the period S is set to auto channel selection.
[0015]
Since there are automatic channel selection and manual channel selection in the channel selection mode, the channel selection mode switching key is operated during the period P, so that when the period P is switched to the period S, the automatic channel selection is performed. The problem is whether to select the station or manual tuning mode. When using the frequency scan mode up / down key, general users tend to use the automatic channel selection more frequently than the manual channel selection, and the up / down key is the frequency scan mode up / down key. Convenience can be improved by setting the first channel selection mode after switching to use as automatic channel selection.
[0016]
According to the channel selection device of the present invention, the channel selection mode is switched when the channel selection mode switching key is operated during the period S in which the up / down key functions as the frequency scan mode up / down key. .
[0017]
In this way, in the period S, it is possible to smoothly switch between the automatic tuning operation and the manual tuning operation for the operation of the frequency scan mode up / down key.
[0018]
According to the channel selection device of the present invention, when the up / down key is operated during the period S in which the up / down key functions as the up / down key for the frequency scan mode, the channel selection mode is set to auto channel selection. In some cases, the period S is extended from the end of the broadcast station search to a predetermined time T2.
[0019]
T2 = T1 may be sufficient.
[0020]
The user searches for a broadcast station by automatic channel selection, finds a predetermined broadcast station, and listens to it for a while (when the channel selection apparatus is applied to a TV tuner) or listens (the channel selection apparatus is a radio station). When it is applied to a tuner.) If you don't like it, it is common to search for another broadcast station again with auto tuning. In such a case, if the up / down key operation is switched from the frequency scan mode up / down key to the preset channel up / down key, the channel selection mode switching key must be operated again. This is inconvenient for the user, and in this channel selection device, the period S is extended from the end of the search for the broadcasting station by the automatic channel selection to a predetermined time T2, so that such inconvenience can be eliminated.
[0021]
According to the channel selection device of the present invention, when the up / down key is operated during the period S in which the up / down key functions as the up / down key for frequency scan mode, the channel selection mode is set to manual channel selection. In some cases, the period S is extended until a predetermined time T3 after the user finishes operating the up / down key.
[0022]
T3 = T2 may be sufficient.
[0023]
The user searches for a broadcast station by manual channel selection, finds a predetermined broadcast station, and listens to it for a while (when the channel selection device is applied to a TV tuner) or listens (the channel selection device is a radio station). When it is applied to a tuner.) If you do not like it, it is common to search for another broadcast station again with manual tuning. In such a case, if the up / down key operation is switched from the frequency scan mode up / down key to the preset channel up / down key, the channel selection mode switching key must be operated again. This is inconvenient for the user, and in this channel selection device, the period S is extended from the end of the search for the broadcasting station by manual channel selection until a predetermined time T3, so that such inconvenience can be eliminated.
[0024]
According to the channel selection device of the present invention, the up / down key is currently functioning as (a) a preset channel up / down key, and (b) for the frequency scan mode in the channel selection mode of auto channel selection. Whether it is functioning as an up / down key or (c) functioning as an up / down key for frequency scan mode in the channel selection mode of manual channel selection is displayed on the display unit. ing.
[0025]
Since the display unit displays whether the current operation for the up / down key is (a), (b), or (c), if the user sees the display, the up / down can be performed without any problem. In addition to knowing the current operation on the key, it is possible to smoothly switch to the desired one of (a), (b), and (c).
[0026]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The following description relates to an audio device in which a CD player or the like is integrated with a radio tuner. The key arrangement part of the remote control of the audio device includes a preset channel up / down key, operation keys for switching between FM and AM bands, and switching for tuning mode for switching the tuning mode between auto tuning and manual tuning. Various keys such as keys are equipped. The important point is that the preset channel up / down key also serves as the frequency scan mode up / down key.
[0027]
First, in FIG. 7, the relationship between the channel selection mode, frequency mode, display, and operation will be described. There are two tuning modes: auto tuning (AUTO) and manual tuning (MANUAL). There are three frequency scan modes: normal (NORMAL), auto tuning (AUTO TUNING), and manual tuning (MANUAL TUNING). The normal frequency scan mode refers to a state in which there is no frequency operation, that is, frequency scan (frequency scan) is stopped. There are two frequency scan modes in auto tuning, normal and auto tuning, and there are two frequency scanning modes in manual tuning, normal and manual tuning. The display includes a normal display, a MANUAL display, and an AUTO display, which are illustrated as A11, A13, and A14 in FIG. The remarks of FIG. 7 will be described in detail in a flowchart described later.
[0028]
FIG. 1 is an overall schematic flowchart of channel selection control. The blocks A, B, and C are circulated in order. In block A, display control is performed on the display of the audio device. In block B, a predetermined process for a key operation by the user is performed. In block C, timer processing is performed.
[0029]
FIG. 2 is a detailed flowchart of the display control block A shown in FIG. Note that the current channel selection in the audio device is three channels of preset channels (in this audio device, radio broadcast station presets can be ten or more, and the actual display of the three channels is “03” and the tenth place. 0 is added), and the reception frequency is assumed to be 80.0 MHz.
[0030]
3, 4, and 5 are detailed flowcharts of the first, second, and third ranges for the processing block B for the key operation by the user in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a detailed flowchart of the timer processing block C shown in FIG. FIGS. 4 and 5 show the case where the up key is operated among the up and down keys of the preset channel up / down key, and the flowchart when the down key is operated is shown in FIG. Although omitted, in the flowchart when the down key is operated, the frequency UP is replaced with the frequency DOWN, and Pch = Pch + 1 of B45 is replaced with Pch = Pch-1 with respect to FIGS.
[0031]
First, normal operation will be described. Normally, the preset channel up / down key functions as the original preset channel up / down key. In normal times, the auto / manual 5-second display timer is not activated, and in FIG. 2, A10 passes NO, and normal display in A11, that is, “03 80.0 MHz” and “TUNER” are displayed in two steps. Done. “TUNER” in the display is used as the original preset channel up / down key instead of the preset channel up / down key as the frequency scan mode up / down key for the operation of the preset channel up / down key. The user is informed of the status. Further, since the auto / manual 5-second display timer is not operated, A18 passes through without being processed, and A19 passes through NO. In a normal state, B10 passes NO in FIG. 3 unless the auto / manual key as the channel selection mode switching key is operated. When the auto / manual key as the channel selection mode switching key is operated during normal operation, it will be described later. Normally, if the user does not operate the preset channel up / down key, B30 of FIG. 4 is passed with NO, but the user does not pass the preset channel up / down key (in the flowchart, of the preset channel up / down keys). If it is assumed that the preset channel up key has been operated.), It is determined whether or not the preset channel up key (Pch UP key) in B30 is ON, and B31 and B38 pass through NO. In B45, the preset channel Pch is incremented by 1. In B46, the memory data (= received frequency data of the Pch) for the updated Pch is substituted into the frequency data R. The frequency data R determines the current tuning frequency of the tuner, and a radio broadcast having a frequency set in the frequency data R is a radio broadcast output from a speaker. In FIG. 5, in B50, it is determined whether the preset channel up key is turned off, that is, whether the pressing operation of the preset channel up key is released. In B51, the frequency scan mode is manual tuning (MANUAL TUNING). It is determined whether or not. When the preset channel up key is not operated at normal time, that is, when B30 in FIG. 4 is passed through NO, B50 is passed through NO, and the preset channel up key is operated at normal time. In other words, if the preset channel up key is turned off, that is, if the preset channel up key is released, the process passes through B50 with YES, and the process passes through B45 and B46 in FIG. When the preset channel up / down key is functioning as the original function of the preset channel up / down key, since the frequency scan mode is not present, B51 is passed through NO. In C10 of FIG. 6, it is determined whether or not the frequency up timer has expired, that is, whether or not the frequency up timer has measured a predetermined time ΔT (ΔT is, for example, 200 msec or 500 msec) from the start. Normally, the frequency up timer is not activated and C10 passes NO.
[0032]
A case where the user operates the auto / manual key in the normal time (hereinafter referred to as “case X1”) will be described. In case X1, B10 in FIG. 3 passes through YES, and in case X1, the display on the display unit is the normal display (A11 in FIG. 2), so the determination in B12 in FIG. 3: the display on the display unit is “AUTO”. Whether or not display is in progress and determination of B18: Both determinations of whether or not the display on the display section is “MANUAL” display are both passed with NO, and as a result, the auto / manual 5 second display timer is set at B23. It starts immediately after resetting. Hereinafter, the operation of the auto / manual 5-second display timer is referred to as “case X2”. In case X2, that is, when the auto / manual 5-second display timer is operating, the preset channel up / down key is not used as the preset channel up / down key, but as the frequency scan mode up / down key, as will be described later. Function.
[0033]
In case X2, every time the display control block A is passed, display processing in the channel selection mode is performed in the display unit. That is, in case X2, the determination in A10 is YES, and it is determined in A12 whether or not the channel selection mode is auto channel selection. The first channel selection mode when switching from case X1 to case X2 is the last channel selection mode (this last channel selection) in which the preset channel up / down key functions as the frequency scan mode up / down key. The mode information is stored in the predetermined memory M, and is called from the predetermined memory M at the time of determination of A12. When the audio device is shipped, the channel selection mode information stored in the predetermined memory M is automatic channel selection. In case X2, if the channel selection mode is auto channel selection, A12 passes through YES, and in A14, the audio display unit displays “03 80.0 MHz” and “ “AUTO” is written in two steps. Also, in case X2, if the channel selection mode is manual channel selection, the determination of A12 is NO, and in A13, the audio display unit displays “03 80.MANUAL (manual channel selection)”. Two-stage writing of “0 MHz” and “MANUAL” is performed.
[0034]
In case X2, the auto / manual 5-second display timer process is performed each time the display control block A is passed. That is, in A18 of FIG. 2, the count value of the auto / manual 5-second display timer (this count value means the elapsed time since the auto / manual 5-second display timer was reset and started) (this value). The predetermined amount means the elapse of a predetermined time). In A19, it is determined whether or not the auto / manual 5-second display timer measures 5 seconds. If the determination is NO, block A is terminated, and if the determination is YES, the process proceeds to A20. In A20, the count of the auto / manual 5-second display timer is stopped. By stopping the count of the auto / manual 5-second display timer, the preset channel up / down key functions as an original preset channel up / down key, not as an up / down key for frequency scan mode.
[0035]
In case X2, as described above, the preset channel up / down key functions as the up / down key for the frequency scan mode, and every time the user operates the auto / manual key, the tuning mode is set to auto tuning or manual tuning. It is switched alternately to tuning. That is, when the user operates the auto / manual key, the determination in B10 in FIG. 3 is YES: whether or not the auto / manual key is turned on (operated) and whether the auto channel selection display in B12 (A14 in FIG. 2) is in progress. A determination is made as to whether or not manual channel selection display (B13 in FIG. 2) is being performed in B18. If the automatic channel selection is being displayed for the channel selection mode, the channel selection mode is switched to manual channel selection in B13. If manual channel selection is being displayed for the channel selection mode, the channel selection mode is switched to automatic channel selection in B19. After the process of B14 or B19, in B23, the auto / manual 5 second display timer is reset and immediately started.
[0036]
As described above, in case X2, the preset channel up / down key functions as an up / down key for the frequency scan mode. Therefore, in case X2, when the user operates the preset channel up key, determination of B30: determination of whether the preset channel up key is turned on (pressed) becomes YES, and determination of B31: auto channel selection It is determined whether or not the display (A14 in FIG. 2) is in progress, and the determination in B35: whether or not the manual channel selection display (A13 in FIG. 2) is in progress. If the automatic channel selection is being displayed, the determination in B31 is YES, and the process proceeds to B32 to set the frequency scan mode to auto tuning (AUTO TUNING). If manual channel selection is being displayed, the determination in B35 is YES, and the process proceeds to B36 to set the frequency scan mode to manual tuning (MANUAL TUNING). The specific processing of the automatic tuning and manual tuning in the frequency scan mode will be described later with reference to FIG. After B32 or B36, proceed to B39. In B39, the frequency up timer is started. Hereinafter, the operation of the frequency up timer is referred to as case X3. The frequency up timer is used in C10, C20, etc., which will be described later. In B40, the auto / manual 5-second display timer is started immediately after being reset.
[0037]
In case X3, when the preset channel up key is turned off (in this audio device, the pressing operation of the preset channel up key (Pch UP key) is released in this audio device), determination in B50: preset channel up key Whether or not is OFF is determined as YES, and the determination of B51: whether or not the frequency scan mode is manual tuning is performed. When auto-tuning, block B is immediately terminated. When manual tuning is selected, the frequency scan mode is set to normal (NORMAL: normal: in response to the user's preset channel up / down key operation, the scan is executed and stopped. (B52), the frequency up timer is stopped (B53), the auto / manual 5-second display timer is reset, and then immediately started (B54). Thus, during manual tuning, when the user turns off the preset channel up key, the frequency up timer stops and the increase in the reception frequency for tuning stops.
[0038]
In case X3, when the frequency up timer measures the elapse of a predetermined time, for example, 200 msec or 500 msec, the determination in C10 of FIG. 6 is YES: whether the frequency up timer is up or not is determined, and C11, C12, and C30 Receive the decision. That is, in C11, it is determined whether or not the frequency scan mode is auto-tuning, and in C12, whether or not the broadcast station is received, in other words, the radio wave of the currently tuned reception frequency is greater than or equal to a predetermined electric field strength. In C30, it is determined whether or not the frequency scan mode is manual tuning. When the frequency scan mode is auto-tuning and the radio wave of the reception frequency currently being tuned is equal to or higher than the predetermined electric field strength, the determinations of C11 and C12 are both YES, and the process proceeds to C13 and C14. In C13, the frequency scan mode is changed from auto tuning to normal, and in C14, the frequency up timer is stopped, that is, scanning of the reception frequency to be tuned is stopped. Regarding the operation of the frequency up timer, C14 is paired with C21. When the frequency scan mode is auto-tuning and the radio wave of the reception frequency currently being tuned is less than the predetermined electric field strength, the determinations of C11 and C12 are respectively YES and NO, and the tuning reception frequency is set to a predetermined amount (C20). The predetermined amount is, for example, 0.1 MHz for FM scanning, and for example, 9 KHz for AM scanning.) After the frequency up timer is reset in C21, start immediately, that is, increase the next frequency. In order to calculate the timing to perform, the elapsed time from the current time is measured by the frequency up timer. When the frequency scan mode is manual tuning, the determinations of C11 and C30 are NO and YES, respectively, and the processes of C20 and C21 described above are performed. Next to C14 or C21, after the auto / manual 5-second display timer is reset in C33, the elapsed time from the current time is automatically calculated in order to calculate the timing to start immediately, that is, to terminate the function of the frequency scan mode up / down key. / Measured with a manual 5-second display timer. Even if a predetermined tuning is obtained by auto tuning in auto tuning or manual tuning in manual tuning by processing of the auto / manual 5-second display timer in C33, the user presets within 5 seconds from the obtained time. If the channel up key is rescanned, auto tuning in auto tuning and manual tuning in manual tuning are continued.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall schematic flowchart of channel selection control.
FIG. 2 is a detailed flowchart of a display control block A in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a detailed flowchart of a first range for a processing block B for a key operation by a user in FIG. 1;
4 is a detailed flowchart of a second range for a processing block B for a key operation by the user in FIG. 1; FIG.
FIG. 5 is a detailed flowchart of a third range for a processing block B for a key operation by the user in FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a detailed flowchart of the timer processing block C in FIG.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a relationship among a channel selection mode, a frequency mode, display, and operation.

Claims (7)

The frequency of each pre-selected broadcasting station is set as a preset channel, and the common up / down key selects the broadcasting station by scanning the tuning frequency and the preset channel up / down key for sequentially switching the tuning frequency to that of each preset channel. In the channel selection device shared by the up / down key for frequency scan mode to
For the tuning mode, auto tuning that automatically searches for broadcast stations with radio waves with a predetermined electric field strength or higher and manual tuning that allows the user to manually change the tuning frequency are prepared. The tuning mode is switched alternately between automatic tuning and manual tuning by operation, and the up / down key normally functions as a preset channel up / down key, and the tuning mode switching key is operated. A channel selection device that functions as an up / down key for a frequency scan mode within a predetermined time T1 from the time when the channel selection is performed. During the period P in which the up / down key functions as a preset channel up / down key, the channel selection mode switching key is operated, so that from the period P, the up / down key becomes the frequency scan mode. when been switched to the period S functioning as a use-up / down key, the first channel selection mode said period between S is tuning to claim 1, wherein the set in the last channel selection mode apparatus. During the period P in which the up / down key functions as a preset channel up / down key, the channel selection mode switching key is operated, so that from the period P, the up / down key becomes the frequency scan mode. when been switched to the period S functioning as a use-up / down key, the first channel selection mode said period between S is the channel selection apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it is set to auto-tuning. Claim 2, wherein the up / down key during S that operates as an up / down key for frequency scan mode, when the tuning mode switching key is operated, characterized in that the channel selection mode is switched Or the channel selection apparatus of 3 description. When the up / down key is operated during the period S in which the up / down key functions as the frequency scan mode up / down key, and the channel selection mode is auto channel selection, the search for the broadcast station is performed. The channel selection device according to claim 4 , wherein the period S is extended from the end to a predetermined time T2. When the up / down key is operated during the period S during which the up / down key functions as the frequency scan mode up / down key, and the channel selection mode is manual channel selection, the user 6. The channel selection apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the period S is extended from the end of the down key operation to a predetermined time T3. Up / down key is currently functioning as (a) preset channel up / down key, and (b) functioning as up / down key for frequency scan mode in auto tuning channel selection mode , claim 1, characterized in that are to be displayed in a separate can display portion of it is functioning as a frequency scan mode up / down keys in the channel selection mode (c) manual tuning The channel selection apparatus in any one of -6 .

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