MXPA01011332A - Reception system, battery charging device, portable information terminal, and transmission and reception system - Google Patents

Abstract

Data can be received by a battery charging device (24) while a portable information terminal (14) powered by a secondary battery (84) is connected to the battery charging device (24) to charge the secondary battery (84). For data reception, the battery charging device has a tuner (51) as a data reception circuit. While the portable information terminal (14) is mounted in the battery charging device (24), the secondary battery (84) is charged by the battery charging device (24), and the tuner (51) receives a television wave (53) containing a data broadcast. Data multiplexed in a video signal outputted from the tuner (51) is decoded by a data decoding circuit (58), and stored into a data storage device (72) of the portable information terminal (14). The data stored in the data storage device (72) can be reproduced on a liquid crystal display unit (12) of the portable information terminal (14) when it is detached from the battery charging device (24).

Description

RECEPTION SYSTEM, BATTERY CHARGING DEVICE, PORTABLE INFORMATION TERMINAL, AND TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION SYSTEM. Technical Field The present invention relates to a portable information terminal, powered by a secondary battery, such as a portable telephone equipment, a PHS (Personal Manual Telephone System) terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant - portable communication terminal) , a portable gaming machine, etc., a battery charging device for charging the secondary battery of such portable information terminal, and a receiving system and a transmission and reception system, which employs the portable information terminal and the battery charging device. Prior Art Several proposals have been made for a portable information terminal to transmit data to and receive the data from an external circuit. According to a first attempt, the portable information terminal can have a built-in circuit for transmitting and receiving data. According to a second scheme, the portable information terminal can be connected to a device for transmitting and receiving data, via a connection cable.

However, the first proposal is disadvantageous because the portable information terminal has a relatively large volume and weight, since the area of a printed wiring board, which supports the transmission and reception of data, is increased and the terminal portable information needs to accommodate the components of the circuit of transmission and reception of data, the portable information terminal, has an increasing requirement of power supply, and portability of the portable information terminal is impaired. The second approach is able to overcome the shortcomings of the first proposal, but it is problematic, because the data transmission and reception device needs to be provided as an individual device, and the process of connecting and disconnecting the connection cable is tedious and it consumes time The inventor of the present invention has pointed out that many portable terminals are powered by a secondary battery in view of their convenience, and such portable information terminals are normally used in such a way that they are transported and used by users in the day, and connect to a battery charger, to charge the secondary battery, at night.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a portable information terminal, which is capable of receiving the data and / or transmitting the data without any embedded data reception circuit or a data transmission and reception circuit. Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery charging device for charging the secondary battery of such a portable information terminal, the battery charging device, which has an additional high value-added function in relation to the portable information terminal . Still, another object of the present invention is to provide a receiving system and a transmission and reception system, which has such portable information terminal and a battery charging device that has the additional function of high added value in relation to the portable information terminal. Description of the Invention According to the present invention, there is provided a receiving system comprising a portable information terminal, having a secondary battery, an interface or external interconnection, and a memory, and a battery charging device, for charge the secondary battery, the battery charging device having a data reception circuit to receive the data supplied from an external circuit, the arrangement, which is such that, when the portable information terminal and the battery charging device they connect to each other, the secondary battery is charged by the battery charging device, and the data received from the external circuit through the reception circuit, are stored in the memory of the portable information terminal, via the external interface. With the arrangement above, the portable information terminal, which does not have a reception circuit, can receive the data. Since the receiving circuit is incorporated in the battery charging device, no separate data receiving device needs to be specially provided. The data received from the external circuit may comprise data via a data transmission. The portable information terminal may have a display unit for displaying the data stored in the memory. If the data received from the external circuit comprises the data via a data transmission, then the display unit can display characters and images. The data can be displayed in the display unit while the portable information terminal is uncoupled from the battery charging device and transported by the user. If the portable information terminal has a sound production device in addition to the display unit, then the user can listen to sounds produced from the sound production device in synchronism with, or independently of, the portable information terminal deployed. If the data is supplied from an external circuit to the data reception circuit in a plurality of channels, then, the battery charging device or the portable information terminal may have a channel selection circuit for selecting one of a plurality of channels. channels. A battery charging device according to the present invention comprises a charging terminal for connection to a portable information terminal powered by a secondary battery, a data reception circuit for receiving the data supplied from an external circuit, and a reception controller to control the data reception circuit, to receive the data distributed from the external circuit, when the portable information terminal is connected to the charging terminal. The data received from the external circuit while the secondary battery is being charged can be sent to the portable information terminal while the secondary battery is being charged. If the data is supplied from the external circuit to the data reception circuit in a plurality of channels, then the battery charging device may further comprise a channel selection circuit for selecting one of the plurality of channels. According to the present invention, there is also provided a portable information terminal having a secondary battery, which is connectable to a battery charging device, which has a data reception circuit for receiving the data supplied from an external circuit , which comprises a memory for storing the data, and an external interface for entering the data, the arrangement is such that when the portable information terminal is connected to the battery charging device for charging the secondary battery, the data received from the circuit external data reception circuit are stored in the memory, via the external interface. Consequently, the portable information terminal without a data reception circuit is capable of receiving the data from the external circuit. If the data is supplied from the external circuit to the data reception circuit in a plurality of channels, then the portable information terminal may have a channel selection circuit, to select one of the plurality of channels. The portable information terminal may further comprise a display unit for displaying the data stored in the memory. A transmission and reception system according to the present invention comprises a battery charging device, which has a data transmission and reception circuit for transmitting data and for receiving data from an external circuit, and a first memory, and a portable information device having a secondary battery, an external interface, and a second memory , the arrangement is such that when the portable information terminal and the battery charging device are mutually connected, the secondary battery is charged by the charging device, and the data received from the external circuit by the reception circuit are stored in the secondary memory, via the external interface, and when the portable information terminal and the battery charging device are mutually connected, the data read from the first memory and / or the second memory, are transmitted via the transmission and reception circuit of data to the external circuit.

With the arrangement above, the battery charging device can transmit and receive data relating to the portable information terminal. The data relating to the portable information terminal may comprise audience data relating to the reception of the data of a transmission. When the portable information terminal is disconnected from the battery charging device, a display unit of the portable information terminal can display the data stored in the second memory. If the data is supplied from the external circuit in a plurality of channels, then the battery charging device or the portable information terminal of the transmission and reception system may have a channel selection circuit for selecting one of the plurality of channels . A battery charging device according to the present invention comprises a charging terminal for connection to a portable information terminal powered by a secondary battery, a data transmission and reception circuit for transmitting the data to and receiving the data from a external circuit, and a transmit and receive controller to control the data transmission and reception circuit to receive the data provided from the external circuit and transmit the data provided from the portable information terminal and / or the data from the charging device of batteries to the external circuit is connected to the charging terminal. Consequently, the portable information terminal without a data transmission and reception circuit is capable of transmitting and receiving the data. If the data is provided from the external circuit to the data reception circuit, in a plurality of channels, then the battery charging device or the portable information terminal has a channel selection circuit for selecting one of the plurality of channels. . The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown as Illustrative example. Brief Description of The Drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a data reception system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a circuit arrangement of the data receiving system shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a sequence of operation of the data receiving system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when a secondary battery is charged; FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an operation sequence of the data receiving system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 when only the portable information terminal operates; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a transmission and reception system according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a circuit arrangement of the data transmission and reception system shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a sequence of operation of the data transmission and reception system shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the secondary battery is charged; FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a data transmission and reception system according to yet another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a circuit arrangement of the data transmission and reception system shown in FIG. 8; FIG. 10 is a flow chart of an operation sequence of the data transmission and reception system shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 when the secondary battery is charged; FIG. 11 is an illustrative diagram of a hearing data file; and FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of an operation sequence of the data receiving system shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 when only the portable information terminal operates. Best Mode of Carrying Out the Invention FIG. 1 shows in perspective a receiving system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the data reception system 10, basically comprises a portable information terminal 14 having a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit 12 having a color liquid crystal display screen of 32 pixels x 240 pixels, for example , and a battery charging device 24, having a cavity 18 defined vertically therein, for inserting a lower end 16 of the portable information terminal 14 therein, for charging a secondary battery disposed in the portable information terminal 14. The battery charging device 24 has a data reception function as described later. The battery charging device 24 has a casing 26 that supports the LCD unit 12 and a key assembly 32 that includes a cross key 28 and a circular decision key 30. The circular decision key 30 also functions as a switch of the power supply for the portable information terminal 14. The battery charging device 24 has a box 34, which has a cavity 18 therein and also supports an indicator lamp 36, to indicate a state of charge of the battery. battery, for example, charging the battery in process, charging the completed battery, etc., a lamp 37 indicating the reception, to indicate that the portable information terminal 14 is receiving data, and a selection button 38 to select a desired channel for data transmission. The battery charging device 24 is connected by a coaxial cable 40 to a coaxial terminal 44, which is connected to a serial antenna 42 for receiving the data transmission, and is also connected by an energy supply cord 46. and an AC 48 plug to an AC 50 outlet, which is powered by a commercial AC power source from an external AC power source. FIG. 2 shows in block form an arrangement of a circuit of the data receiving system 10 shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, the portable information terminal 14 is shown as being inserted in the cavity 18 in the battery charging device 24, for a charging mode, ie the charging device of the battery 24 and the portable terminal of the battery. 14 are electrically connected to each other by pairs of connection terminals 62, 64 and connection terminals 66, 68. While each of the connection terminals 62, 64, 66, 68 are illustrated as being connected to a only wire for the benefit of brevity, are currently connected to a plurality of wires. The connection terminals 64, 68 are disposed on a lower surface of the lower end 16 of the portable information terminal 14, and the connection terminals 62, 66 are disposed on the upper surface of the cavity 18 in the loading device of the battery 24. When the portable information terminal 14 is mounted on the battery charging device 24, the connection terminals 64, 68 are electrically connected to the respective connection terminals 62, 66 under the weight of the portable terminal of information 14.

In FIG. 2, the battery charging device 24 of the data reception system 10, has a tuner 51, as a data reception circuit for receiving the data provided from an external source. The tuner 51 extracts the data from the television waves 53 received by the antenna 42. The television waves 53 are data transmission waves, which can distribute various digital contents, that is, various forms of information, including photographs, images (moving and still images), sounds, characters, numbers, etc. representative programs that can be reconstructed in television receivers, commercials, newspaper articles, and magazine articles, using intervals of suppression of vertical simultaneization (VBI) of NTSC transmission waves as television transmission waves at ground level. Therefore, television waves 53 can be received by antenna 42, which can be a conventional Yagi antenna, for example. The television wave 53 contains a plurality of channel waves. To select and receive the desired channel, the channel selection button 38 (see also FIG.1) sets the channel information, which causes the channel selection circuit 56 to change to a desired frequency in the tuner 51 .

An NTSC signal selected and received by the tuner 51 is provided via a collective bus 54 to a data decoding circuit 58. If the "TSC" signal includes data of combined contents as described above, then the data of the contents are decoded by means of the data decoding circuit 58, and they are sent to the portable information terminal 14, via an external interface 60, as a serial interface and the connection terminal 62, under the control of a microcomputer 100, which functions as a reception controller. The data decoding circuit 58 may be integrally combined with the microcomputer 100. The data sent from the battery charging device 24, via the connection terminal 62 to the portable information terminal 14, are stored in a storage device. data 72, which comprises a programmable ROM (read only memory) that can be electrically erased, such as a short temporary memory, via the connection terminal 64, an external interface 67 as a serial interface, and a collective conductor 74 under the control of a microcomputer 70. The data storage device 72, has a storage capacity of 16 MB if the data of a data transmission having a speed of approximately 40 bps should be stored for at least 50 minutes (40 bps -5- 8 bits x 50 minutes x 60 seconds = 15 MB). Each of the microcomputers 100, 70, comprises a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (including an EEPROM), a RAM (Random Access Memory), an input / output interface, a clock, a timekeeper, etc. and the functions as a controller, an arithmetic unit, a processor etc. Therefore, the function of the data decoding circuit 58 can be carried out by the microcomputer 100. The lamp 37 indicating the reception is connected to the microcomputer 100 of the battery charging device 24. The lamp 37 indicating the reception is controlled by the microcomputer 100, such that it is turned on while the data is being transferred from the battery charging device 24 to the data storage device 72 and the data is being stored in the data storage device , and it is turned off in another way. The battery charging device 24 also has a power supply circuit 80 for converting AC electric power to 100 V AC supplied from the external AC power source, via the AC output, into DC electric power, and which provides the power supply to all the blocks in the battery charging device 24. The charging device 24 of the battery also has a charge control circuit 82, to convert the supplied DC power supply from the power supply circuit 80, to suitable DC power supply, via the connection terminals 66, 68 to a secondary battery 84, of the portable information terminal 14, accordingly charging the battery secondary 84. The load control circuit 82 performs a load control process to detect the temperature of the secondary battery 84, to control a charge current supplied thereto, detect the remaining capacity of the secondary battery 84 , and detecting the 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. The charge indicator lamp 36 is connected to the charge control circuit 82. The charge indicator lamp 36 is controlled by the charge control circuit 82, such that it is turned on while the secondary battery 84 is being charged and is turned off when the secondary battery is fully charged. The assembly of the control key 32 (see also FIG.1) is connected to the collective conductor 74 via an interface 86, and the LCD unit 12 is connected to the collective conductor via an LCD controller (LCDC) 88. A process to receive a data transmission with the battery charging device 24 and store the data in the data storage device 72 of the portable information terminal 14 while the secondary battery 84 of the portable information terminal is being charged by The battery charging device 24 will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 3. In step Sl, shown in FIG. 3, which is the preparatory stage, the AC plug 48 of the battery charging device 24, is connected to the AC outlet 50 by the user, and the coaxial cable is connected to the coaxial terminal 44 by the user. In step S2, the channel selection button 38 of the battery charging device 24 is manually operated by the user to select a desired channel from the plurality of available channels. A desired channel may alternatively be selected on the basis of the channel information, which has been input by mounting the control key 32 and stored in the memory (EEPROM), in the microcomputer 70. If such an alternative is used, then, the channel selection button 38 can be eliminated. The melting of the channel selection circuit can be stored as a program in the memory in the microcomputer 70. In step S3, the portable information terminal 14 is manually inserted by the user into the cavity 18 in the charging device 24. Battery. The connection terminals 62, 66 of the battery charging device 27b and the terminals 64, 68 of the portable information terminal 14 are connected under the weight of the portable information terminal 14. The portable information terminal 14 can be easily assembled and disassembled from the battery charging device 24. Usually, the portable information terminal 14 is mounted on the battery charging device 24 when the user of the portable information terminal 14 arrives home or goes to bed at night. In step S4, the connection terminals 62, 66 of and the connection terminals 64, 68 are mutually connected, and the microcomputer 100 awakens, supplying electric power DC from the power supply circuit 80, via the charge control circuit 82 to the secondary battery 84. At this time, the charge control circuit 82 performs its charge control process to monitor the charge current, the charged amount (remaining capacity), the charge temperature, and the been fully charged, etc. In step S5, the tuner 51 receives the television waves 53 that carry a data transmission, via the antenna 42 and the coaxial cable 40. If the television waves 53 are transmitted for a fixed time, then the clock and the Timekeeper of the microcomputer 100 can be used to supply electrical power to the tuner 51, the data decoding circuit 58, etc., only during that set time. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the television waves 53 transmitted from a transmission station (not shown) contain the data representing newspaper clippings on local news, economy news, and sports news (here called "data from newspaper articles ") from 4:00 a.m. at 4:30 a.m. as a BVI signal they can be compressed. If the data of the VBI signal is compressed, then the data decoding circuit 58 stores a data expansion program, or the VBI signal contains an interleaved expansion program, which will be loaded into the data decoding circuit 58 when the VBI signal is decoded by the data decoding circuit 58. In step S5, the television wave 53, received by the antenna 42, is demodulated by the tuner 51 and the NTSC signal in the channel which has been selected by the channel selection button 38 and the channel selection circuit 56. In step S6, the data decoding circuit 58 decodes the NTSC signal in an attempt to separate the data, i.e. the data of today's article, which have been combined in the NTSC signal. If the data which has been combined in the NTSC signal, ie the data of today's article, is detected by the decoding process carried out by the data decoding circuit 58 (SI in step S7), then the presence of the data is indicated from the data decoding circuit 58 to the microcomputer 100. The microcomputer 100, recognizes the presence of the data, and turn on the reception indicator lamp 37. In step S8, the data decoding circuit 58, transfers the data of today's article as digital contents, via the external interface 60, the connection terminals 62, 64, the external interface 67, and the collective conductor 74 to the data storage device 72 of the portable information terminal 14. In step S9, the data of the newspaper article is stored in the data storage device 72. Then, the processing in step S4 and the following steps are repeated. If the combined data are not present in the NTSC signal in step S7, then the processing in step S4 and the following steps is also repeated. The operation sequence shown in FIG. 3, it is continued until the portable information terminal 14 is decoupled from the battery charging device 24. If a quantity of data, which exceeds the available storage capacity of the data storage device 72, is transferred from the circuit 58 of decoding data to the device-72 of data storage, then the so-called FIFO process is carried out to update (overwrite) the stored data, erasing the data previously stored in the data storage device 73 and storing the data newly transferred in the data storage device 72. The data storage device 72 can be arranged in such a way that the data stored in the data storage device 72 will be automatically erased for a certain period of time, for example 30 minutes, after the portable terminal 14 information is mounted on the battery charging device 24. After the portable information terminal 154 is removed from the battery charging device 24 by the user, at approximately 7 a.m., for example, the user presses the decision button 30 continuously for a given period of time in the stage Sil, shown in FIG. 4, lighting the portable information terminal 14. In step S12, the microcomputer 70 reads the data from the data storage device 72, and controls the LDDC 88 to reproduce the data on the LCD unit 12. Therefore, the newspaper article data received by the tuner 51 of the battery charging device 24 are reproduced on the display screen of the LCD unit 12. A loudspeaker interface and an audio signal output terminal may be connected to the collective conductor 74 in the portable terminal 14 of the information, and the sounds can be reproduced by the loudspeaker or hearing aid connected to the output terminal of the audio signal in synchronism with the playback of data or image on the LCD unit 12. Only the sounds can be reproduced by such loudspeaker or hearing aid.

While the newspaper article data is being reproduced in step S12, the user can use the cross key 28 to rewind, forward, pause or otherwise process the newspaper article data that is being played. When the decision key 30 is being pressed continuously for a given period of time, while the data of the newspaper article is being reproduced, the portable information terminal 14 is turned off in step S13. The data of the contents that can be received as data transmissions, are not limited to data of newspaper articles, but may include other data such as game data, fortune information data, etc. If such other data is included as data of the contents, then the user can retrieve such data in an interactive application in the portable information terminal 14 using the control key assembly 32. Usually, the portable information terminal 14 is transported by the user when the user leaves home, and is mounted on the battery charging device 24 when the user returns home at night. If the transmission station has such an infrastructure that a data transmission is in the air from 4:00 a.m. at 4:30 a.m. the next morning, then by the time the user leaves home in the morning, the secondary battery 84 has been fully charged, and the latest data, for example the data from today's newspaper article, have been stored in the 72 data storage device. Therefore, the user is able to reproduce the last data stored in the data storage device 72 of the portable information terminal 14 while the user is traveling in a passenger train, for example. As a result, the user who has the data reception system 10, can automatically receive and reproduce the latest data on a daily basis. The portable information terminal 14 configured as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, does not require that the data reception circuit includes the tuner 51, which has a high energy requirement and a relatively large volume, and hence is of relatively small size and weight. The user of the portable information terminal 14 is able to read newspaper articles as electronic data in the LCD unit 12. Therefore, the user finds the printed newspapers unnecessary, and therefore, the portable information terminal 14 is a source of paper savings. The portable information terminal 14 configured in this way may be a new video medium, not conventionally available, different from the portable television receivers available. FIGS. 5 and 6 show the data transmission and reception system 110 according to another embodiment of the present invention. The data transmission and reception system 110 comprises the portable information terminal 14 and a battery charging device 124 having a data transmission and reception function. Those parts of the data transmission and reception system 110, which are identical to those of the receiving system 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, are denoted by identical reference numbers, and will not be described in detail below. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a modem (modulator-demodulator) 151 as a data transmission and reception circuit is connected to the collective conductor 54 of the battery charging device 124. The modem 151 has an external input / output terminal, connected to a circuit 141 such as a public circuit, by a cable 140 and a modular connector 147, which comprises a modular plug 145 and a modular outlet 144. A terminal 142 from a content provider, i.e., a content provider terminal 142, is connected to circuit 141. A process of receiving data transmission from the content providing terminal 142 with the battery charging device 124 and storing the data in the data storage device 72 of the portable information terminal 14 while the secondary battery 84 of the portable information terminal 14 is being charged by the battery charging device 124., will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 7. In step S21 shown in FIG. 7, which is a preparatory step, the AC plug of the battery charging device 124, is connected to the AC outlet by the user, and the modular plug 145 is connected to the modular outlet 144 by the user. In step S22, while the portable information terminal 14 is used as a stand-alone unit, the user operates the assembly of the control key 32 of the portable information terminal 14 to enter the telephone number of the service provider terminal 142. contained in the data storage device 72. In step S23, the portable information terminal 14 is manually inserted into the cavity 18 in the battery charging device 24, and is hereby mounted on the battery charging device by the user. Usually, the portable information terminal 14 is mounted on the battery charging device 24 when the user of the portable information terminal 14 returns home or goes to bed at night. In step S24, the connection terminals 62, 66 of and the connection terminals 64, 68 are mutually connected, and the microcomputer 100 as a transmit and receive controller awakens, supplying DC electric power from the power supply circuit 80 via the load control circuit 82, to the secondary battery. At this time, the load control circuit 82 carries out its load control process to monitor the charge current, the charged amount (remaining capacity), the charge temperature, and the fully charged state, etc. In step S25, the microcomputer 100 and / or the microcomputer 70, refers to its own clock to determine if the current time is in a circuit connection time zone (4:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m., for example). ) for connection to the content provider terminal 142. If the current time is not in the circuit connection time zone, then the charge control process in step S24 is continued. If the current time is in the time zone of connection to the circuit, then the battery charging device 124 connects itself to the circuit 141 in step S26.

Specifically, in step S26, the microcomputer 100 reads the telephone number of the content provider terminal 142 from the data storage device 72, stores the telephone number read in the memory (EEPROM) in the microcomputer 100, sends a busy signal via the modem 151, and access the content providing terminal 142, via the modem 151 and the circuit 141. When the circuit 141 is connected between the modem 151 and the provider terminal of the contents 142, the supplying terminal of the contents 142, transmits the data of the newspaper article of today, and the modem 151, receives the data of the newspaper article of today in the step S27. The data received by the modem 151 is transferred via the collective conductor 54, the external interface 60, the connection terminals 62, 64, the external interface 67, and the collective conductor 74 to the data storage device 72, in the step S28. The transferred data is stored in the data storage device 72 in step S29. In step S30, the microcomputer 100 and / or the microcomputer 70, refers to its own clock, to determine if the current time is a time of disconnection of the circuit (5:00 am) for the disconnection of the supplying terminal of the the contents 142. If the current time is not the circuit disconnection time, then the process in step S24 - step S30, is repeated. If the current time is the time of circuit disconnection, then the battery charging device 124, sends a busy signal via the modem 151, to disconnect itself from the circuit 141 in step S31. After the portable information terminal 14 is removed from the battery charging device 24 by the user, at approximately 7 am, for example, the data stored in the data storage device 72 is reproduced by the user in the same way as described above with reference to FIG. 4. The data transmission and reception system 110, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. It allows the user to automatically receive the latest data of the contents, such as the data of the newspaper article daily from the terminal providing the contents 142, without receiving television broadcasts. The data transmission and reception system 110, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, also offers the same advantages as those of the receiving system 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIGS. 8 and 9 show a data transmission and reception system 210 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. The data transmission and reception system 210 comprises the portable information terminal 14 and a battery charging device 224, which has a data transmission and reception function. Those parts of the data transmission and reception system 210, which are identical to those of the data reception system 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 or those of the data transmission and reception system 110 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, are denoted by identical reference numbers, and will not be described in detail below. The data transmission and reception system 210, shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, comprises a combination of the data receiving system 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the data transmission and reception system 110 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The battery charging device 224 has both the tuner 51 and the modem 151. An audience level investigator terminal 242, ie, a research terminal of the audience level 242, is connected to the circuit 141. The data storage device 72 of the portable information terminal 14 of the data transmission and reception system 210, shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, it has a storage capacity of 32 MB, which twice the storage capacity of the data storage devices 72 of the data transmission and reception systems., 110-shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and FIGS. 5 and 6. A data transmission and reception process of the data transmission and reception system 210, shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, while the secondary battery 84 of the portable information terminal 14 is being charged by the battery charging device 224, will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 10. In step S41 shown in FIG. 10, which is a preparatory step, the AC 48 plug of the battery charging device 224 is connected to the AC 50 output by the user, the coaxial cable 40 is connected to the coaxial terminal 44 by the user, and the modular plug 145 is connected to the modular outlet 144 by the user. In step S42, the channel selection button 48 of the battery charging device 24 is manually operated by the user to select a desired one of the plurality of available channels. While the portable information terminal 14 is used as a separate unit, the user operates the assembly of the control key 32 of the portable information terminal 14 to enter the telephone number of the terminal providing the contents 142, for example , the desired content provider terminal, which provides content such as entertainment information and entertainment information that changes each day, and the telephone number of the investigating terminal of the audience level 242, in the data storage device 72 As the entry of the telephone numbers depends on the manual operation of the user, the user may not enter the telephone number of the investigating terminal of the audience level 242 if the user thinks that the introduction of that telephone is unnecessary. In step S43, the portable information terminal 14 is manually inserted into the cavity 18 in the battery charging device 224, and is therefore mounted in the battery charging device 224 by the user. Usually, the portable information terminal 14 is mounted on the battery charging device 224 when the user of the portable information terminal 14 returns home or goes to bed at night. The connection terminals 62, 66 of and the terminals 64, 68 are mutually connected, and the microcomputer 100 wakes up. The microcomputer 100 monitors whether the portable information terminal 14 is decoupled from the battery charging device 224 or not in step S44. If the portable information terminal 14 is not uncoupled from the battery charging device 224, i.e., if the portable information terminal 14 is mounted on the battery charging device 224, then the DC electric power is supplied from the battery. power supply circuit 80, via charge control circuit 82, to secondary battery 84, in step S45. At this time, the load control circuit 82 carries out its load control process to monitor the charge current, the charged amount (remaining capacity), the charging temperature, and the fully charged state, etc. In step S46, the tuner 51 receives the television waves carrying a data transmission, via the antenna 42 and the coaxial cable 40. If the television waves 53 are transmitted for a fixed time, then the clock and the The timer of the microcomputer 100 may be used to supply electrical power to the tuner 51, the data decoder circuit 58, etc., only during that set time. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the transmission of television waves 53 from a transmission station (not shown), contains representative newspaper clippings on local news, economy news, and sports news (here called "data of newspaper articles ") from 4:00 a.m. at 4:30 a.m., as a VBI signal relative to the transmission of data. In step S46, the television waves 53, received by the antenna, are demodulated by the tuner 51 in an NTSC signal in the channel which has been selected by the channel selection button 38 and the channel selection circuit 56. In step S47, the circuit of data decoding 58, decodes the NTSC signal in an attempt to separate the data, i.e., the data from today's newspaper articles, which have been combined into the NTSC signal. If the data, which have been combined in the NTSC signal, that is, the data of today's newspaper articles, are detected by the decoding process carried out by the data decoding circuit 58 (YES in the step S48), then the presence of the data is indicated from the decoding circuit of the data 58 to the microcomputer, which functions as a transmit and receive controller. The microcomputer 100 recognizes the presence of the data, and turns on the reception indicator lamp 37. In step S49, the microcomputer 100, measures the time during which the transmission of the data is received.

In step S50, the data decoding circuit 58, transfers the data from today's newspaper articles as digital contents, via the external interface 67, and the collective conductor 74 to the portable data storage device 72. of information 14. In step S51, the data of the newspaper articles transferred is stored in a first area of the memory in the data storage device 72, which serves as a secondary memory. Then, in step S52, the time during which the data transmission is received, which begins to be measured in step S49, is stored. The measured times for the reception channel are accumulated and stored in a memory 101 in the microcomputer 100, which serves as a first memory. FIG. 11 shows the details of an audience data file 250, stored in the memory 101. The audience data file 250, contains in its top row, the transmission sets 252, each comprising the time during which it is received. a data transmission (from hh: mm: ss to hh: mm: ss), and the reception channel (the channel selected by the selection circuit of channel 56). Such set of data transmissions is stored each time step S52 is executed.

In step S53, the microcomputer 100 and / or the microcomputer 70, refer to their own clocks to determine if the current time is in the zone of the circuit connection time (4:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. example, for the connection to the terminal 142 provider of the contents If the current time is not in the zone of the time of connection to the circuit, then the process of load control and the process of receiving the data transmission in the Step S45, step S52, are repeated If the current time is in the zone of the time of connection to the circuit in step S53, then the battery charging device 124, connects itself to the circuit 141 in step S54. Specifically, the microcomputer 100, reads the telephone number of the terminal 142 providing the contents, from the data storage device 72, stores the telephone number read in the memory 101, sends a busy signal via the MODEM 151, and access the terminal 142 providing the contents, via the MODEM 151 and the circuit 141. At this moment, the microcomputer 100, reads the telephone number of the investigating terminal of the audience level 242 as well as the telephone number of the terminal 142 provider of the contents, from the data storage device 72, and stores them in the memory 101. 8 When the circuit 141 is connected between the MODEM 151 and the terminal 142 providing the contents, the terminal 142 providing the contents, transmits the data of the contents relating to today's entertainment information and the hobby information, and the MODEM 151, receives the data transmitted in step S55. When the data of the contents are received by the MODEM 151, the time during which the data of the contents are received, begins to be measured in the step S56. The data received by the MODEM 151 is transferred via the connecting conductor 54, the external interface 60, the connection terminals 62, 64, the external interface 67, and the collective conductor 74 to a second memory area, different from the first memory area for storing the data of the newspaper articles, in the data storage device 72 in step S57. The transferred data is stored in the second area of the memory in the data storage device 72, in step S58. In step S59, the time during which the contents data is received, which has been measured in step S56, is stored. The measured times for the reception channel, that is, the telephone number of the terminal providing the contents 142, are accumulated and stored in the memory 101 in the microcomputer 100. The file of the audience data 250, shown in FIG. 11, contains in its bottom line, the data sets of the successive contents 254 each one comprising the time during which the content data were received (from hh: mm: ss to hh: mm: ss), and the reception channel (the telephone number of the terminal providing the contents 142). Such set of the contents data is stored each time the process in step S59 is executed. In step S60, the microcomputer 100 and / or the microcomputer 70, refers to its own clock to determine if the current time is a time of disconnection of the circuit (5:00 am) for the disconnection of the terminal providing the contents 142. If the current time is not the circuit disconnection time, then the process is repeated in step S44 and the following steps. If the current time is the time of disconnection of the circuit, then the battery charging device 124, sends a busy signal via the MODEM 151 to disconnect from the circuit 141. Then, the process is repeated in step S44 and the steps next. During the period of time from 4:00 a.m. at 5:00 a.m., usually the process from step S45, if it is negative in step S44, to step S60, is repeated. Then, the battery charging device 124 is disconnected from the circuit 141 in step S61, if the portable information terminal 14 is removed from the battery charging device 24 by the user at approximately 7 a.m., for example, then the portable information terminal 14 is judged to have been decoupled from the battery charging device 224 in step S44. After the portable information terminal 14 is removed from the battery charging device 224, the microcomputer 100 reads the telephone number of the investigating terminal of the audience level 242, stored in the step S54, from the memory 101 in the step S62, and connect battery charging device 224, via MODEM 151 and circuit 141, to the investigating terminal of audience level 242, in step S63. In step S64, the microcomputer 100, reads the data file of the audience 250, from the memory 101, and transmits a status of reception of the transmission of data, a status of reception of the data of the contents, and a level of audience of the contents to the research terminal of the audience level 242. Next, the battery charging device is disconnected from the circuit 141 to the investigating terminal of the audience level 242, in step S65.

Then, as shown in FIG. 12, the user turns on the portable information terminal 14 in step S71. In step S72, the LCD unit 12 of the portable information terminal 14 displays an image to indicate to the user to select the reproduction of the data transmission or the reproduction of the data of the contents. If the user selects a desired one of the data, for example, the data transmission, with the cross key 28, in step S73, then the selected data is read from the data storage device 72, and displayed in the LCD unit 12, in step S74. In step S75, the user turns off the portable information terminal 14 to complete the reproduction of the data. While the selected data is being reproduced, the user can change it to another transmission of stored data. As described above, the data transmission and reception system 210 is able to visualize the transmission of data, via the television waves 53, and also to obtain the data of the contents of the terminal providing the contents 142, via circuit 141. As the audience data file 250 is transmitted to the research terminal of the audience level 242, the research terminal of the audience level 242, can calculate the audience level. While the audience data file 250, audience level 242 can be automatically transmitted to the investigating terminal, it is up to the user to decide whether to send the audience data file 250 to the investigating terminal of audience level 242 or not. The data transmission and reception system 210, shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, also offers the same advantages as those of the data transmission and reception system 110, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and the receiving system 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the above modalities, the data of the data transmission is interleaved (combined) in the vertical simultaneization suppression intervals (VBI) of an NTSC transmission signal. However, a data transmission can be carried out by means of a PAL signal, a digital television signal, etc. According to the present invention, as described above, as the charging device of the battery for charging the secondary battery of the portable information terminal has a data reception function and / or a data transmission function, the data they can be transmitted from and received by the battery charging device, while the battery charging device is charging the secondary battery of the portable information terminal. The data that is received while the battery charging device is charging the secondary battery is stored in the memory of the portable information terminal, for example, while the battery charging device is charging the secondary battery. After the portable information terminal is removed from the battery charging device, the data stored in the memory can be reproduced. Usually, the portable information terminal is connected to the battery charging device at night, to charge the secondary battery of the portable information terminal. Each time the portable information terminal is connected to the battery charging device, the data stored in the memory can be automatically updated (overwritten). Although certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (15)

1. CLAIMS 1. A reception system, characterized in that it comprises: a portable information terminal, having a secondary battery, an external interface or interconnection, and a memory, and a battery charging device, for charging said secondary battery, said battery charging device having a receiving circuit, for receiving the data supplied from an external circuit; the arrangement is such that when said portable information terminal and said battery charging device are mutually connected, said secondary battery is charged by said battery charging device, and the data received from the external circuit by said battery circuit. reception, are stored in said memory of the portable information terminal, via said external interface.
2. 2. A reception system according to claim 1, characterized in that said portable information terminal has a display unit for displaying the data stored in said memory.
3. 3. A reception system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the data are supplied from the external circuit to said reception circuit in a plurality of channels, and said battery charging device or said portable terminal of information have a channel selection circuit, to select one of said plurality of channels.
4. 4. A battery charging device, characterized in that it comprises: a charging terminal for connection to a portable information terminal powered by a secondary battery; a data reception circuit, for receiving the data supplied from an external circuit; and a reception controller for controlling said data reception circuit, for receiving the data supplied from the external circuit when the portable information terminal is connected to the charging terminal.
5. 5. A battery charging device according to claim 4, characterized in that the data is supplied from the external circuit to said reception circuit, in a plurality of channels, further comprising a channel selection circuit to select one of said plurality of channels.
6. 6. A battery charging device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the data supplied from the external circuit comprises the data supplied via a data transmission.
7. 7. A portable information terminal, having a secondary battery, which is connectable to a battery charging device, which has a receiving circuit for receiving the data supplied from an external circuit, characterized in that it comprises: a memory to store the data; and an external interface or interconnection to enter the data; the arrangement is such that, when said portable information terminal is connected to said battery charging device for charging the secondary battery, the data received from the external circuit by said reception circuit, are stored in said memory, via said interface external
8. 8. A portable information terminal according to claim 7, characterized in that the data is supplied from the external circuit to said reception circuit in a plurality of channels, and said portable information terminal has a channel selection circuit, to select one of a plurality of channels.
9. 9. A portable information terminal according to claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises: a display unit for displaying the data stored in said memory.
10. 10. A reception system, characterized in that it comprises: a battery charging device, having a circuit for transmitting and receiving the data, for transmitting the data to, and receiving the data from an external circuit, and a first memory; and a portable information terminal that has a secondary battery, an external interface, and a secondary memory; the arrangement is such that, when said portable information terminal and said battery charging device are mutually connected, said secondary battery is charged by the charging device of the battery, and the data received from the external circuit by said charging circuit reception, are stored in said secondary memory, via said external interface, and when said portable information terminal and said battery charging device are mutually connected, the data read from said first memory and / or said second memory is transmitted via said transmission circuit and data reception to the external circuit.
11. 11. A transmission and reception system according to claim 10, characterized by, said portable information terminal has a display unit for displaying the data stored in said secondary memory.
12. 12. A transmission and reception system according to claim 10 or li, characterized in that the data is supplied from the external circuit in a plurality of channels, and said battery charging device or said portable information terminal has a channel selection circuit, to select one of said plurality of channels.
13. 13. A battery charging device, characterized in that it comprises: a charging terminal for connection to a portable information terminal powered by a secondary battery; a data transmission and reception circuit for transmitting the data to, and receiving the data from an external circuit; and a transmission and reception controller, for controlling said transmission and reception circuit to receive the data supplied from the external circuit and transmitting the data supplied from said portable information terminal and / or the data from the charging device of the battery to the external circuit when the portable information terminal is connected to said charging terminal.
14. 14. A battery charging device according to claim 13, characterized in that the data is supplied from the external circuit to said circuit for receiving the data in a plurality of channels, and said battery charging device or said portable information terminal has a channel selection circuit for selecting one of said plurality of channels.
15. 15. A battery charging device according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the data supplied from the external circuit when said portable information terminal is connected to said charging terminal, comprises the data supplied via a transmitted wave. or the data supplied via a network.