MXPA01004217A - Broadcast reception apparatus, broadcast reception system, and portable information terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

Data of a data broadcast received by a television receiver (10) is reproduced at a desired time by a portable information terminal (14) powered by a secondary battery. The television receiver (10) has a slot (18) having a data transmitting terminal and a battery charging terminal therein. When the portable information terminal (14) with the secondary battery included therein is inserted in the slot (18), the secondary battery is charged through the battery charging terminal, and data supplied through the data transmitting terminal is stored into a data storage in the portable information terminal (14). The data stored in the data storage can be reproduced on a liquid-crystal display unit (12) of the portable information terminal (14) while the portable information terminal (14) is being carried by the user.

Description

DISTRIBUTION RECEPTION DEVICE, DISTRIBUTION RECEPTION SYSTEM AS WELL AS LAPTOP INFORMATION TERMINAL Technical Field The present invention relates to an emission reception apparatus and an emission reception system that allow the effective use of a portable information terminal which receives energy from a secondary battery such as, for example, a portable telephone device, a PHS (personal portable telephone system) terminal, a PDA (personal digital assistant) terminal, a portable gaming machine, or the like, and a terminal of portable information itself. BACKGROUND ART An effort to allow a portable information terminal to receive emissions in an emissions reception circuit that is incorporated in the portable information terminal. However, the emission reception circuit incorporated in the portable information terminal requires a printed circuit board to have an increased area to allow placement of the broadcast reception circuit and also requires that the portable information terminal itself have a increased volume to accommodate circuit components of the emissions reception circuit. As a result, the portable information terminal has an increased weight and consumes an amount increased electrical energy. For these reasons, the portable information terminal is affected to some extent in its portable feature. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The inventor of the present invention has observed that many portable information terminals receive power through a secondary battery taking into account their convenience, and such portable information terminals are normally employed in such a way that they are carried and used. by users in the day, and connected to a battery charger to charge the secondary battery during the night. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an emission receiving apparatus and an emission reception system that allows a portable information terminal without a broadcast reception circuit to receive broadcast data and a portable information terminal itself. An emission receiving apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a receiving circuit for receiving emissions, a charging circuit, and a connector for connection to a portable information terminal that can be operated by a secondary battery included. The cor.ector has a data transmission terminal to transmit data from a broadcast received by the receiving circuit and a battery charging terminal to charge the battery secondary included in the portable training terminal with the charging circuit. When the portable information terminal is connected to the connector of the broadcast reception apparatus, the portable information terminal can receive data from a broadcast received by the reception circuit through the data transmission terminal, and the secondary battery included. in a portable information terminal can be charged through the battery charging terminal. If the portable information terminal has a memory device, then, when the portable information terminal is connected to the connector, the secondary battery is charged by the charging service through the battery charging terminal, and the transmitted data from the data transmission terminal are stored in the memory device. The data stored in the memory device can be reproduced at a desired moment, while the portable infermation terminal is carried by the user. The broadcast reception apparatus may be employed as a television receiver, a tuner box, a recording and reproduction device, a cable television control box, or a game machine with a tuner function.

The dissemination may comprise a dissemination of data, for example. The broadcast reception apparatus may have a timer-programmed recording function, and the data transmitted from the data transmission terminal may be supplied through the connector to the portable information terminal while it is in the registration process programmed by tuner. A broadcast reception system in accordance with the present invention comprises a broadcast receiving apparatus and a battery charging device. The broadcast reception apparatus has a reception circuit for receiving broadcasts and a data transmission connector for transmitting data of a broadcast received by the reception circuit. The battery charging device has a data reception terminal for connection to the data transmission connector, a terminal connector for connection to a portable information terminal that can be operated by a secondary battery included there, and a circuit charge to charge the secondary battery. The terminal connector has a data transmission terminal for transmitting the data received through the data transmission connector and the data reception terminal to the portable information terminal, and a battery charging terminal for charging the battery secondary included in the portable information terminal with the charging circuit. With the above arrangement, the diffusion receiving apparatus and the battery charging device can be separated from each other. In the broadcast reception system, if the portable information terminal has a memory device, then when the portable information terminal is connected to the terminal connector, the secondary battery is charged per the charging circuit through the terminal of battery charging, and the data transmitted from the data transmission terminal are stored in the memory device. The data stored in the memory device can be reproduced at the desired time while the portable information terminal is carried by the user. In accordance with the present invention, a portable information terminator that can be operated by a secondary battery includes a connector having a battery charging terminal and a data receiving terminal, and a memory device. When an external battery charging terminal and an external data transmission terminal are respectively connected to the battery charging terminal and to the data reception terminal, the secondary battery is charged from the battery terminal. external battery charging through the battery charging terminal and the data supplied from the external data transmission terminal through the sen data reception terminal stored in the memory device. In the portable information terminal, the data can be stored in the memory device while the secondary battery is being charged. The data can be stored in the memory device in accordance with a process of first entries, first outputs by deleting the data previously stored in the memory device and by storing newly transferred data in the memory device. The portable information terminal may further comprise a display leniency and / or a sound output unit. Therefore, the portable information terminal can only reproduce the data as images and / or sounds at a desired time. The above objects as well as other characteristic objects and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description in combination with the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a system including a television receiver in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a block diagram of a circuit arrangement of the system illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a flowchart of a sequence of operation of the system illustrated in Figure 1 for charging a battery and transferring data; Figure 4 is a flowchart of a sequence of operation of the system illustrated in Figure I for operating a portable information terminal alone; Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of a system including a recording and reproducing device according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of a system including a cable television control box in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of a system including a tuner box in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of a system including a video game machine with a tuner function in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view of a diffusion reception system in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 10 is a block diagram of a circuit arrangement of the broadcast reception system illustrated in Figure 9. PREFERRED MODE OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 shows a system including a television receiver 10 as a television reception apparatus. diffusion in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the television receiver 10 has a box 20 that includes a front panel that supports there the front face of a cathode ray tube display unit 22 housed in the case 10, a pair of speakers 24 , a power supply switch 25, and a slot (fastener) 18 in the form of a recess as a connector for a portable information terminal 14. The front panel of the box 20 also supports, near the slot 18, a lamp charge indicator 36 for indicating the charge of the battery from the portable information terminal 14 and a reception indicator lamp 37 to indicate the reception of broadcast data. The portable information terminal 14 may comprise a portable information terminal that receives power through a secondary battery, for example a portable telephone set, a PHS terminal, a PDA terminal, a portable portable game, or similar. The television receiver 10 is connected through a coaxial cable 10 to a terminal 44 connected to an aerial antenna 42 for receiving data broadcasts and is also connected through a power supply cable 46 and an AC 48 plug. to an AC 50 ou that receives a commercial AC power from an external AC power supply. The portable information germ 14 can be inserted into the slot 18 and removed from the slot 18 defined in a lower area of the front panel of the box 20. The portable information terminal 14 has a liquid crystal display unit (LCD) 12 It has a color liquid crystal screen of 320 pixels x 240 pixels. The portable information terminal 14 also has a box 26 which supports there the liquid crystal display unit 12 and an assembly of control keys 32 which includes a cross key 28 and a decision key 30. The decision key 30 operates also as a power supply switch for portable information terminal 14. Figure 2 shows a block array of a basic arrangement of an electrical circuit of the television receiver 10 and a basic arrangement of an electrical circuit of the portable information terminal 14. which is removably connected to the television receiver 10.

In Figure 2, the portable information terminal 14 is shown inserted into the slot 18 of the television receiver 10. Stated otherwise, the television receiver 10 and the portable information terminal 14 are shown as electrically connected to each other through of connection terminals 62, 64 and connection terminals 66, 68. For an easier understanding of the present invention, the connection terminals 62, 66 which are placed in the slot 18 and the connection terminals 64, 68 which are placed in a connector 29 of the portable information terminal 14 are shown connected to each other by individual wires. However, in fact, the connection terminals 62, 64 are connected to each other by several wires and the connection terminals 66, 68 are connected to each other by several wires. The connection terminal 62 serves as a data transmission terminal and the connection terminal 66 serves as the battery charging terminal (the battery charging output terminal). These connection terminals 62, 66 are placed in the bottom of the slot 18. The connection terminal 64 serves as the data receiving terminal, and the connection terminal 68 serves as the battery charging terminal (a charging input terminal). Of battery) . These connection terminals 64, 68 are located in the connector 29 that is located located on the bottom surface (bottom surface) of a lower end 16 (see Figure 1) of the portable information terminal 14. When the connector 29 of the portable information terminal 14 is inserted into the slot 18 of the television receiver 10. , the connection terminals 62, 64 come into contact with each other and are therefore electrically connected to each other, and the connection terminals 66, 68 also come into contact with each other and are therefore electrically connected to each other. As shown in Figure 2, the television receiver 10 has a tuner 51 as a data reception circuit capable of receiving data broadcasts. The tuner 51 extracts data from a television hertz wave 53 received by an antenna 42 and sends the extracted data to a bus 54. The radio and television wave 53 is a data broadcast radio wave that can distribute various contents digital, that is, various forms of information including drawings, images (images in movement and at rest), sounds, characters, numbers, etc. which represent programs and commercials that can be reproduced in television receivers and radio receivers, newspaper articles and magazine articles, using vertical erase intervals (VBIs) of NTSC broadcasts as terrestrial television broadcasts. Therefore, the wave Hertzian television 53 can be received by an antenna 42 which can be a conventional Yagi antenna, for example. The television hertz wave 53 contains several channel waves. In order to select and receive a desired channel, the television receiver 10 has a channel control circuit 56 for switching to a selected frequency of the tuner 51 based on a channel information that has been input by a remote control 38 that it works as a channel selection device. In the present embodiment, the antenna 42 and the tuner 51 receive landwave data broadcasts in accordance with what is described above. However, the principles of the present invention can also be applied not only to terrestrial wave data broadcasts, but also to digital satellite broadcasts, as well as digital ground broadcasts. Data, ie, NTSC signals, selected and received by the tuner 51 and sent to the bus 54 are decoded by a data decoder 58. If the decoded NTSC signal contains data representing several contents, in accordance with the above, multiplexed using VBIs, then the decoded data is transmitted to the portable information terminal 14 through an external interface 60, comprising a serial interface, and the connection terminal 62 under the control of a i: microcomputer 100 that functions as a reception controller. The data decoder 58 can be combined integrally with the microcomputer 100. The data sent from the television receiver 10 to the portable information terminal 14 through the connection terminal 62 in the slot 18 are sent to through the connection terminal 64 in the connector 29, an external interface 67, comprising a serial interface, and a bus 74 to a data storage (memory device) 72, comprising a ROM (read-only memory) programmable electrically erasable, for example, an instantaneous memory, under the control of a microcomputer ~ 0. The data sent to the data storage 72 are stored in the data storage? 2. The data storage 72 may have a storage capacity of 16 MB if data from a data broadcast having a data rate of approximately 40 kbps must be stored for at least 50 minutes (40 kcps 8 bits x 50 min. 60 sec = 15 MB). Each of the microcomputators 100, 70 comprises a CPU (central processing unit), a ROM, a RAM, random access memory), input and output interfaces, a clock as a half clock, a timer as a timing means, etc. ., and a unit works as a controller arithmetic and a processor. Accordingly, as described above, the function of the data decoder 58 can be performed by the micro-computer 100. To the microcomputer 100 in the television receiver 10, a reception indicator lamp 37 controlled by the microcomputer 100 is connected in such a way. that can be turned on while receiving a data broadcast, the data is transferred from the television receiver 10 to the data storage 72 in the portable information terminal 14, and the data is stored in the data storage 72, and it goes off in another way. The television receiver 10 also has a power supply circuit 80. The power supply circuit 80 converts an AC voltage, for example, AC 100 V supplied from the AC 50 output of the commercial AC power supply into a DC voltage. and supplies the DC voltage to all the blocks in the television receiver 10. A charging circuit 82 converts the DC voltage supplied from the power supply circuit 80 to a load DC voltage, for example, and supplies the DC voltage. charging via the connection terminal 66 to the portable information terminal 14. The charging DC voltage is applied through the connection terminal 68 to a secondary battery 84 in the portable information terminal 14 for thus charging the secondary battery 84. The charging circuit 82 carries out a charge control process for detecting the temperature of the secondary battery 84 to control a charge current supplied there, detecting a remaining capacity of the secondary battery 84 and detecting a fully charged state of the secondary battery 84. The secondary battery 84 may comprise a lithium ion battery, a nickel hydrogen battery, or the like. An indicator lamp 36 is connected to a charging circuit 82. The charging indicator lamp 3c is controlled by the charging circuit 82 such that it is turned on when the secondary battery 84 is being charged and turned off when the secondary battery 84 is switched on. It is fully charged. The control key assembly 32 (see also Figure 1) is connected to the bus 74 through an interface, not illustrated, and the LCD unit 12 is connected to the bus 74 through an LCD controller (LCDC), not illustrated. A process for receiving a data broadcast with the tuner 51 and for storing data er- the data storage 72 of the portable information terminal 14 while the secondary battery 84 of the portable information terminal 14 is being charged by the device 82 will be described in detail following with reference to Figure 3. In the step SI presented in Figure 3, the portable information terminal 14 is inserted into the slot 18 and consequently mounted on the television receiver 10 by the user. Usually, the portable information terminal 14 is mounted on the television receiver 10 when the user of the portable infotainment terminal 14 arrives home, or goes to bed at night. In step S2, the remote control 38 establishes a timer-programmed registration process. When the time to start the registration process is reached the tuner 51 begins to register a desired channel that has been established in the channel control circuit 56. When the slot 18 and the connector 29 are connected to each other in step SI, the microcomputer 100 of the television receiver 10 wakes up. In step S3, the DC electrical power converted from the AC electrical power supplied from the AC output 50 through the AC plug 48 is supplied from the power supply circuit 80 through the charging circuit 82 , the connection terminal 66, and the connection terminal 68 to the secondary battery 84. At this time, the charging circuit 82 carries out its charge control process to monitor the charging current, the charged quantity (remaining capacity ), the charging temperature, and the state fully loaded, etc. When the secondary battery 84 starts to charge, the charging indicator lamp 36 is turned on. In step S4, the tuner 51 receives the television hertz wave 53 which carries a data broadcast through the antenna 42 and the coaxial cable 40. If the television radio wave 53 is transmitted from a broadcast station, not shown, for a fixed period, then the clock and the temperizer of the microcomputer 100 can be used to supply electrical power to the tuner 51, data desiccant 58, etc. only during this fixed period. In this mode, it is considered that the hertzian television station broadcasted from a broadcasting station (not illustrated) contains data representing news clipping about local news, economic news and sports news (hereinafter referred to as "data"). newspaper articles ") from 4:00 a.m. to 4: 3 a.m. as a VBI signal in relation to the dissemination of data, and the timer-programmed registration process is established for this period of time in step S2. The data of the VBI signal can be compressed. If the data of the VBI signal is compressed, then the data decoder 58 stores a data expansion program or the VBI signal contains an interleaved data expansion program, which l will be loaded into the data decoder 58 when the VBI signal is decoded by the data decoder 58. In step S4, the television radio wave 53 received by the antenna 42 is demodulated by the tuner 51 in an NTSC signal in the channel that has been selected per the channel selection circuit 58. In step S5 the data decoder 58 decodes the NTSC signal in an attempt to separate data, i.e. data from newspaper articles that have been multiplexed into the NTSC signal. . If data that has been multiplexed in the NTSC signal, that is, newspaper article data, is produced by the decoding process performed by the data decoder 58 (Yes in step S6), then the presence of the data is indicated from the data decoder 58 to the microcomputer 100. The microcomputer 100 recognizes the presence of the data, and turns on the reception indicator lamp 37. In step S7, the data decoder 58 transfers the newspaper article data as contents through the bus 54, the external interface 60, the connection terminals 62, 64, the external interface 67, and the bus 74 to the data storage 72 of the portable information terminal 14. In step S8, the data of article of 1! transferred newspapers are stored in the data storage 72. Then, the processing is repeated in step S3 and in the following steps. In fact, if no multiplexed data is present in the NTSC signal in step S6, then the processing in step S3 and subsequent steps is also repeated. The sequence of operations illustrated in Figure 3 proceeds until the portable information terminal 14 is extracted, i.e. detached from the television receiver 10. If a quantity of data exceeding the available capacity of the data storage 72 is transferred from the decoding circuit 58 to the data storage 72, then what is known as the FIFO process (first entries, first outputs) is performed in order to update (overwrite) the stored data by deleting the data previously stored in the storage data 72 and storing the newly transferred data in the data storage 72. The data storage 72 can be arranged in such a way that the data stored in the data storage 72 is automatically erased for a certain period of time, for example 30 minutes, after assembly of the portable information terminal 14 on the television receiver 10 .

After removal of the portable information terminal 14 from the television receiver 10 by the user at approximately 7 a.m., for example, the user presses the decision switch 30 continuously for a given period of time in step Sil illustrated in FIG. Figure 4, turning on the portable information terminal 14. In step S12, the microcomputer 70 reads the data from the data storage 72, and controls the LCDC (not shown) to reproduce the data in the LCD unit 12. Accordingly, the newspaper article data received by the tuner 51 of the television receiver 10 are reproduced on the display screen of the LCD unit 12. A sound output unit 76 having a bus interface and a signal output terminal audio can be connected to the bus 74 in the portable information terminal 14, in such a way that sounds can be reproduced by a loudspeaker with a hearing aid in the delivery unit. 16 sound in sync ccn the reproduction of image data in the LCD unit 12. Only news or music sounds can be played by a speaker or hearing aid of this type. While the newspaper article data is being reproduced in step S12, the user can use the cross key 28 to rewind, feed quickly, pause, or otherwise process the data of newspaper article in reproduction process. When the decision key 30 is pressed continuously by the user for a given period of time while the newspaper article data is being reproduced in the S12 country, the portable information terminal 14 is turned off in step S13. The content data that can be received as data broadcasts is not limited to newspaper article data, but may include other data such as game data, guessing data of the future, etc. If such other data is included as content data, then the user can execute such data as an interactive application such as a game in the portable information terminal 14 employing the control key assembly 32. Typically, the portable information terminal 14 is carried by the user when the user leaves, and is mounted on the television receiver 10 when the user returns home. The broadcast station has an infrastructure such that a data broadcast is in the air from 4:00 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. the next morning, then when the user leaves in the morning the secondary battery 84 is fully charged, and the latest data, for example, today's newspaper article data has been stored in the data storage 72.

Accordingly, the user can reproduce the last data stored in the data storage 72 of the portable information terminal 14 while the user is traveling on a train, for example. As a result, the user can employ the television receiver 10 and the portable information terminal 14 can automatically receive and reproduce the latest data by connecting the portable information terminal 14 with the tele vision receiver 10 after arriving home daily , for example. The portable information terminal 14 placed as shown in Figures 1 and 2 does not require a data reception circuit that includes the tuner 51 that has a high energy requirement and a relatively large volume, and therefore is of a size and relatively small weight. The user of the portable information terminal 14 can read newspaper articles as electronic data in the LCD unit 12. Accordingly, the user finds that the printed newspapers are unnecessary, and therefore the portable information terminal 14 is a saving device. of paper resource. The portable information terminal 14 placed in this way can be used as a novel video medium, not conventionally available, different from portable television receivers. conventional In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the tuner 51 of the television receiver 10 is employed, and the charging circuit 82 is included in the television receiver 10. However, the tuner 51, the charge control circuit 56, the charging circuit 82 and the data decoder 58 can be included in a recording and playback device 101 (see FIG. 5) such as VTR (VCR) or the like, or a cable television control apparatus 102. (see Figure 6) to receive CATV (Cable TV) signals, or a tuner box 103 (see, Figure 7) to receive various broadcasts including u-na satellite hertz wave 53A with a satellite antenna 42A or a video game machine 104 (see figure 8) with a tuner function. Each of the reproduction recording device 1C1, the cable television control box 102, the tuner box 103, and the video game machine 104 have the slot 18 with a connection terminal 62, as the transmission terminal of data and the connection terminal 66 as the battery charging terminal, the charge indicator lamp 36 and the reception indicator lamp 37. Accordingly each of the recording and reproduction device 101, the cable television control box 102, The box of tuner 103, and the video game machine 104 can be used as a broadcast reception apparatus to which a television receiver 10 and portable information terminal 14 can be connected. In figures 5 to 8, the television receiver 10B comprises an ordinary television receiver. Figure 9 shows in perspective a broadcast reception system 200 in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 10 shows in block form a circuit arrangement of the diffusion receiver system shown in Fig. 9. These parts shown in Figs. 9 and 10 are identical to the parts of the 1C television receiver and the portable information terminal. 14 shown in Figures 1 and 2 are indicated by identical reference numbers, and will not be described in detail below. Basically, the broadcast reception system 200 shown in Figures 9 and 10 comprises a television receiver 10A having a tacho transmission connector 113, a battery charging device 212 connected to the data transmission connector 118 by a cable 210 is dedicated to receiving data, and a portable information terminal 14 detachably inserted in a slot 18A defined in the battery charging device 212. The data transmission connector 118 is connected to the external interface 60 of the television receiver 10A and has a connection terminal 62A connected to a connection terminal 218 of the battery charging device 212 by a cable 210. The connection terminal 218 is connected by an internal cable 220 to a connection terminal 62 in a slot 18A defined as a terminal connector in the battery charging device 212. The battery charging device 212 has a power supply cable 46A connected to a CA 48A plug for connection to the battery. AC output 50. The battery charging device 212 has a power supply circuit 80A connected to the power supply cable 46A, a charging circuit 82 connected to the power supply circuit 80A and a connection terminal '66 in the slot 18A, a lamp indication control circuit 216 connected to the SOA power supply circuit, a charge indicator lamp 36 connected to the circuit d e load 82, and a reception indicator lamp connected to the lamp indication control circuit 216. The SOA power supply circuit produces an electrical energy De that is supplied to the load circuit 82 and an input terminal of the control circuit lamp indication 216. The internal wire 220 is connected to another input terminal of the lamp indication control circuit 216. Other details of the broadcast reception system 200 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 are identical to details of the television receiver 10 and the portable information terminal 14 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. When the portable information terminal 14 is inserted into the slot 18A of the battery charging device 212 and the secondary battery 84 is in the process of being charged by the charging circuit 82, the charging indicator lamp 36 is turned on. While the broadcast data received by the tuner 51 of the television receiver 10A are transferred through the external interface 60, the connection terminal 62A, the cable 210, the connection terminal 218, and the internal cable 220, the lamp indication control circuit 216 turns on the lamp reception indication 37. At this time, the data is stored in the data storage 72 through the connection terminal 62, the connection terminal £ 4, the interf external az 67 and bus 74. The broadcast reception system 200 shown in figures 1 and 2 offers the same advantages as the advantages of the system illustrated in figures 1 and 2, and the portable feature of the portable information terminal 14 is not affected. In accordance with the present invention, as described above, when the portable information terminal is connected to the connector of the broadcast reception apparatus, the portable information terminal can receive data through the data transmission terminal, and the secondary battery in the portable information terminal can be Charged by the charging circuit through the battery charging terminal. The charging circuit may be included in the diffusion receiving apparatus or in the battery charging device externally in relation to the broadcast reception apparatus. If the charging apparatus is included in the battery charging device externally with respect to the broadcast reception apparatus, then the data received by the broadcast receiving apparatus can be sent through the battery charging device to the Disturbing information terminal. If the portable information terminal has a memory device, then, when the portable information terminal is connected to the broadcast reception apparatus or to the battery charging apparatus, the data supplied through the data transmission terminal they can be stored in the memory device while the secondary memory in the portable information terminal is in the process of being loaded. The data stored in the memory device can be reproduced with the display unit and / or the sound production unit in the portable information terminal alone at a desired time while the portable information terminal is carried by the user. With the above arrangement, even a portable information terminal that does not have a broadcast reception circuit can receive broadcast data. Since the portable information terminal does not have a broadcast reception circuit, its portable feature is not affected. Although certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (12)

1. CLAIMS A broadcast reception apparatus comprising: a reception circuit (51) for receiving broadcasts; ur load circuit (82); and ur-connector (18) for connecting to a portable information terminal (14) that can be operated by a secondary battery (84) included therein; said connector (18) has a data transmission terminal (62) for transmitting data of a broadcast received by said reception circuit and a battery charging terminal (66) for charging the secondary battery included in said information terminal with said charging circuit. A broadcast reception apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable information terminal has a memory device ~
2. 2), the arrangement is such that when said portable information terminal is connected to said cenector, said secondary battery it is charged by said charging circuit through said battery charging terminal, and said data transmitted from said transmission terminal is stored in said memory device. Ur diffusion receiving apparatus according to claim 1, which is used as a receiver of television (10), a tuner box (10
3. 3), a recording and playback device (101), a cable television control box (102), or a gaming machine (10
4. 4) with a tuner function. 4. A broadcast reception apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said diffusion comprises a data broadcast. 5. A broadcast reception apparatus according to claim 1, having a registration function programmed by timer, wherein when said portable information terminal is connected to said connector, said reception circuit begins to operate in a moment. set to initiate a timer-programmed registration process and said data transmitted from said data transmission terminal is supplied through said connector to said portable information terminal while it is in the process of timer-programmed registration. 6. A broadcast reception system comprising: a broadcast reception apparatus (10A) and a battery charging device (212); said broadcast reception apparatus has a reception circuit (51) for receiving broadcasts and a data transmission connector (118) for transmitting data of a broadcast received by said reception circuit; said battery charging device has a data reception terminal (218) for connection to said data transmission connector, a terminal connector (18A) for connection to a portable information terminal (14) that can be operated by a secondary battery (84) included therein, and a charging circuit (82) for charging said secondary battery; said terminal connector has a data transmission terminal (62) for transmitting the data received through said data transmission connector and said data reception terminal to said portable information terminal and a battery charging terminal. (66) for charging the secondary battery included in said portable information terminal with said charging circuit. A broadcast reception system according to claim 6, wherein said portable information terminal has a memory device (72), the arrangement is such "that when said portable information terminal is connected to said terminal connector, said secondary battery is charged by said charging circuit through said battery charging terminal, and said data transmitted from said data transmission terminal are stored in said memory device. A broadcast reception system according to claim 6, wherein said broadcast reception apparatus is employed as a television receiver (10B), tuner box (103), recording and playback device (101), cable television control box (102), or game machine (104) with a tuner function. A broadcast reception system according to claim 6, wherein said broadcasting comprises a data broadcast. A broadcast reception system according to claim 6, wherein said broadcast receiving apparatus has a timer-programmed registration function, wherein when said data terminal is connected to said data transmission terminal, and also when said portable information terminal is connected to said terminal connector, said reception circuit begins to operate at the set time to initiate a timer-programmed registration process, and said data transmitted from said data transmission terminal is supplied through said data transmission connector and said terminal connector to said portable information terminal while it is in the process of timer-programmed registration. 11. A portable information terminal that can be operated by a secondary battery, comprising: a connector (29) having a battery charging terminal (68), and a data receiving terminal (64); and a memory device (72); the arrangement is such that when an external battery charging terminal (66) and an external data transmission terminal (62) are respectively connected to said battery charging terminal and said data receiving terminal, said secondary battery is charged through said battery charging terminal and data supplied through said data transmission terminal are stored in the memory device. 12. A portable information terminal according to claim 11, wherein data is stored in said memory device in accordance with a process of first inputs, first outputs by deleting data previously stored in the memory device, and the storage of newly transferred data in the memory device. A portable information terminal according to claim 11, further comprising a display unit and / or a sound production unit.