JPS61139125A - Radio receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the operation, which is required for reception release of traffic information, unnecessary by storing the operation condition of a radio receiver before the reception start of traffic information at least and restoring the radio receiver to the operation condition before the reception start stored in a condition storage means when it is detected that the reception strength of traffic information is reduced to a prescribed level. CONSTITUTION:When a driver turns on a traffic information switch SWT to hear traffic information, a control circuit 13 stores the state just before turning-on of the traffic information switch SWT in a last one memory 23. The control circuit 13 starts power supply to an AM tuner 1 and turns off power sources of the other audio devices and reads in the reception frequency of a traffic information station stored preliminarily in a traffic information station memory 21. when the reception strength of traffic information is lower than a reference level, a signal is outputted from a comparator 27 to the control circuit 13, and the control circuit 13 reads information of the state just before turning-on of the traffic information switch SWT from the last one memory 23 when receiving this signal and stops power supply to the AM tuner 1 through a power source selector 9 and a frequency selector 15 and restarts power supply to an FM tuner 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a radio receiver installed in a vehicle, and more particularly to a radio receiver with improved operability.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems] Recently, for example, on expressways, etc., traffic information such as the state of road confusion, the occurrence of traffic accidents, the presence or absence of construction, etc. is quickly notified to vehicle drivers, and traffic information such as the state of road confusion, the occurrence of traffic accidents, the presence or absence of construction, etc. Traffic information is transmitted using a predetermined frequency in order to avoid traffic jams, drive comfortably, and ensure driving safety. This traffic information usually uses multiple frequencies, for example, in Japan today, 522 kHz and 161 kHz.
, 1620k)-1z, 1629k
It is transmitted at a frequency of Hz. Such traffic information can be received, for example, with a regular radio receiver, but
A frequency memory is used to store each frequency mentioned above. Conventionally, in order to select and receive a frequency stored in this frequency memory, for example, a plurality of preset buttons are used to preset and receive the frequency of normal radio broadcasting, and each of the plurality of preset buttons is pressed. Each frequency of traffic information is preset, and by operating this preset button, traffic information of a desired frequency can be immediately received without any effort.

By the way, the area where traffic information can be received on expressways etc. is generally about several kilometers, and the time that a vehicle traveling at high speed is in the area where such traffic information can be received is only a few minutes. be. Therefore, when the driver has finished receiving the traffic information for several minutes, he or she must set the reception frequency by operating a preset button to listen to the radio, or start playing the cassette deck. In other words, for the driver, to receive traffic information, all he has to do is operate a preset button, but after a few minutes at most, he decides that he can no longer receive traffic information and turns on the radio. It is necessary to set the reception frequency of the receiver, operate the cassette deck for playback, etc., and this is often troublesome along with the determination of the unreceivable state.

[Purpose of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and its purpose is to provide radio reception that does not require the operation required to cancel reception of traffic information when the area is outside the area where traffic information can be received. The aim is to provide the opportunity.

[Summary of the Invention] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a radio receiver having a function of receiving traffic information, including a status storage means for storing at least the operating status of the radio receiver before the reception of traffic information starts. The present invention is further characterized in that, when it is detected that the reception strength of the traffic information has decreased to a predetermined level, a situation restoration means is provided for returning to the operating situation before the start of reception stored in the situation storage means.

[Embodiments of the invention] The present invention will be explained below based on the drawings.

FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) are diagrams showing one embodiment of the present invention, and the configuration will first be explained using FIG. 1).

AM Chi:x-su1. FM team 1-3. TV tuner 5
．． The cassette decks 7 (hereinafter collectively referred to as audio devices) are connected to a power source selector 9 and a power source monitor 11, respectively. The power supply selector 9 controls the supply of power to each audio device based on commands from the i-control circuit 13, which will be described later, and the power supply monitor 11 detects which audio device is being supplied with power and is operating. The output signal is output to the control circuit 13.

AM tuner 1. FM tuner 3. The TV tuner 5 (hereinafter referred to as tuner) is connected to a frequency selector 15 and a frequency monitor 17, respectively, and the frequency selector 15 sets the receiving frequency of the tuner based on a command from the control circuit 13. The frequency monitor 17 detects at what reception frequency the tuner is operating, and its output signal is output to the control circuit 13.

The control circuit 13 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer, and includes preset switches SW1. SW2゜SW3. SW
4 is connected, and the frequency selection signal stored in the preset memory 19 is transmitted to the frequency selector 15 in accordance with the setting of each preset switch SWI to SW4 to change the receiving frequency of the tuner. Furthermore, a traffic information switch SWT is connected to the control circuit 13, and when the traffic information switch SWT is turned on, the control circuit 13
gives a command to the power supply selector 9 to start power supply to the AM tuner 1, and at the same time transmits the traffic information station frequency stored in advance in the traffic information station memory 21 to the frequency selector 15, and starts the AM tuner 1. It operates on the traffic information bureau frequency. At the same time, the control circuit 13 switches the traffic information switch S
When the WT is turned on, the power supply monitor 11 and the frequency monitor 1
7, the audio device and its frequency that were operating immediately before the traffic information switch SWT was turned on are stored in the last one memory 23.

A part of the intermediate amplified signal of the AM tuner 1 is input to the level detector 25 and converted into a DC voltage according to the strength of the signal, which is output to one input terminal of the comparator 27. The reference voltage from the reference level device 29 is input to the other input terminal of the comparator 27, and the output voltage of the AM tuner 1 is compared with the reference voltage, and the output voltage of the AM tuner 1 is lower than the reference voltage. When it becomes smaller, a signal is output to the control circuit 13.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained using the processing flowchart of the control circuit shown in FIG. 1(b).

The driver receives FM tuner 3 at a frequency of 80M while driving!
For example, when operating at -1z, control circuit 1
3, the FM tuner 3 is operating according to the signals from the power supply monitor 11 and the frequency monitor 17, and its receiving frequency is 80M.
)-1z (step 100,
110), when the driver turns on the traffic information switch SWT to listen to traffic information (step 120).
, the control circuit 13 stores in the last one memory 23 the state immediately before the traffic information switch SWT is turned on, that is, the information that the FM tuner 3 is in operation and its reception frequency is 80M1-1z (step 130). .

Next, the υrm circuit 13 starts supplying power to the AM tuner 1 via the power source selector 15, and turns off the power to other audio devices (step 14o). Then, the control circuit 13
The reception frequency (1620kHz) of the traffic information bureau is read from the traffic information bureau memory 21, which is stored in advance (for example, 1620kHz), and the frequency of the AM tuner 1 is read through the frequency selector 15.
to receive traffic information (Step 1)
50', 160).

After such a series of reception start operations, the reception intensity of traffic information is input from the AM tuner 1 to the level detector 25 while traffic information is being received. Traffic information broadcasts can be received over a range of several kilometers, so after driving at high speed for several minutes, the radio waves reaching your vehicle gradually weaken. When the reception intensity of the traffic information becomes smaller than the reference level given by the reference level device 29, the control circuit 1 receives the traffic information from the comparator 27.
3 (step 170).

When the control circuit 13 receives this signal (step 180)
, the state immediately before the traffic information switch SWT is turned on (that is, the state in which the FM tuner 3 is operating at 80MH2)
information is read from the last one memory 23, the power supply to the AM tuner 1 is cut off via the power supply selector 9 and the frequency selector 15, and the power supply is restarted to the FM tuner 3 instead, and the frequency is set to 80 MHz. (Steps 190 and 200).

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the invention.

In this embodiment, the time constant circuit 31 of the comparator 27 shown in FIG.
A relay 33 is provided between the time constant circuit 31 and the control circuit 13. The normal oven side of the relay 33 is pulled up to a high (IIGH) level 37 via a resistor 35, and the relay 33 is normally connected to the time constant circuit 31 side. A timer 39 is connected to a part of the connection line between the control circuit 13 and the traffic information switch SWT,
The other end of the timer 39 is connected to the coil of the relay 33. The timer 39 keeps the coil of the relay 33 energized for several tens to hundreds of seconds after the traffic information switch SWT is turned on, and during this time the contacts of the relay 33 are connected to the resistor 35 side. Note that the output of the comparator 27 in this embodiment is high (high) when it is higher than the output of the level detector 25 representing the reception strength of traffic information or the output of the reference level detector 29.
H) level, and when it is low, it becomes a low (L) level, and when a low level signal is input to the control circuit 13, the control circuit 13 reads the information stored in the last one memory 23. .

FIG. 3 shows a specific configuration of the time constant circuit 31, which consists of a diode 41°, a resistor 43. and a capacitor 45.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

For example, when trying to listen to traffic information, there is generally a notice displayed about 1km ahead of the highway, but even if the driver sees this and turns on the traffic information switch SWT, the traffic information radio waves are still not available at that point. It may be weak and below the standard level. In this embodiment, even in such a case, when the traffic information switch SWT is turned on, the contact of the relay 33 remains in the resistor 3 for several tens to hundreds of seconds due to the action of the timer 39.
5 side and a high level signal is supplied to the control circuit 13, and a low level signal from the comparator 27 is not input to the control circuit 13, so the reception state of traffic information can be maintained during this time. Therefore, even if the driver operates the traffic information switch SWT, the traffic information reception status is reset because the traffic information reception strength is weak, and the driver operates the traffic information switch SWT a second or third time. This saves you the trouble of doing so.

Furthermore, while receiving traffic information, the traffic information radio waves may be temporarily interrupted due to the influence of trucks, etc. In this embodiment, the traffic information radio waves are interrupted and the output of the comparator 27 temporarily goes LOW. Even if the level is reached, the time constant circuit 31 can maintain the receiving state of traffic information for that time constant. This eliminates the need for the driver to operate the traffic information switch SWT again due to a temporary interruption in the reception of traffic information, and eliminates the situation where the driver fails to hear the traffic information he or she needs.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, in a radio receiver having a function of receiving traffic information, a status storage means for storing at least the operating status of the radio receiver before the reception of traffic information starts. When the receiving strength of traffic information falls below a predetermined level, the operation status is automatically returned to the operating status before the reception started, which is stored in the status storage means, so that the own vehicle receives traffic information. Even if the receiving function area is sharpened, the driver does not need to perform any operation to cancel traffic information reception, and as a result, the operability of the radio receiver can be improved.

Furthermore, by storing the status of audio equipment other than the radio receiver, such as a cassette deck and a TV tuner, in the status storage means, it is possible to improve the operability of not only the radio receiver but also the entire audio equipment. It becomes possible.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1(a) is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
The figure is a block diagram of another embodiment of this invention, and Figure 3 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the configuration of a time constant circuit in the figure. 1...AM tuner 3...FM tuner 5.
...TV tuner 7...Cassette deck 9...
- Power supply selector 11... Power supply monitor 13... Control circuit 15... Frequency selector 17... Frequency monitor 19... Preset memory 21... Traffic information bureau memory 23... Last one memory 25...Level detector 27...Comparator 29...
・Reference level device 31...Time constant circuit 33...Relay 39...Timer patent applicant
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. No. 111W(b) No. 21!1 Fig. 8

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) In a radio receiver having a function of receiving traffic information, a status storage means for storing at least the operating status of the radio receiver before the reception of traffic information starts, and the reception intensity of traffic information has decreased to a predetermined level. 1. A radio receiver comprising: a situation recovery means for returning to the operating situation before the start of reception, which is stored in the situation storage means, when detecting this. (2) The radio receiver according to claim 1, wherein the status storage means is capable of storing operating statuses of other audio devices in addition to the radio receiver. (3) The radio receiver according to Claims 1 and 2, wherein the situation recovery means starts operating after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the start of receiving traffic information. (4) When the situation restoration means detects that the reception strength of the traffic information has not reached a predetermined level for a set time, the situation restoration means returns to the operating situation stored in the situation storage means before the start of reception. A radio receiver according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: