Broadcast receiving system

• US 20030035550A1
• Filed: 07/29/2002
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kimura, Sadahiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,908,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/66
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/082 using echo cancellers echo cancellers per se H04B3/23

Abstract

A broadcast receiving system incorporating an echo canceling means automatically initiates recording of the broadcast and also controls the sound volume by taking into account the viewer'"'"'s movements and ambient conditions, by using echo canceling means of the type used in hand-free telephones. The broadcast receiving system includes a broadcast receiving unit for receiving a broadcast in the form of either digital or analog signals; an echo canceling unit; and a determining unit for monitoring the amount of residual echoes in the echo canceling unit, determining whether the amount of residual echoes has exceeded a predetermined value, and instructing a storage unit to store the broadcast if the amount of residual echoes is found to have exceeded the predetermined value.

Claims

1. A broadcast receiving system, comprising:

a broadcast receiving unit for receiving a broadcast in digital or analogue form and reproducing sound contained in said broadcast to provide a sound output;

an echo canceling unit responsive to said sound output to provide information regarding residual echoes;

a storage unit; and

a determining unit for monitoring an amount of said residual echoes, determining whether said amount of residual echoes has exceeded a predetermined value, and instructing said storage unit to store at least one of sound and image contents of said broadcast, if said amount of residual echoes is found to have exceeded said predetermined value.

2. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an amplifier for changing a volume of said sound output;

wherein said echo canceling unit provides information for changing an amplification ratio of said amplifier to increase said volume of said sound output, if said echo canceling unit detects a double-talk state.

3. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a switch selectively operated to on and off states to thereby selectively enable and disable said storing of contents in said storage unit.

4. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switch selectively operated to on and off states to thereby selectively enable and disable said changing of said amplification ratio.

5. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an interphone having on and off states;

wherein said determining unit further includes a circuit for monitoring whether said interphone is in its on state, and instructing said storage unit to store said contents of said broadcast, if said interphone is on.

6. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an internal clock for providing a time related to initiating recording of said broadcast contents; and

a display portion for displaying said time.

7. A broadcast receiving system, comprising:

a broadcast receiving means for receiving a broadcast in digital or analogue form and reproducing sound contained in said broadcast to provide a sound output;

echo canceling means responsive to said sound output;

storage means; and

a determining means for monitoring an amount of residual echoes in said echo canceling means, determining whether said amount of residual echoes has exceeded a predetermined value, and instructing said storage means to store contents of said broadcast, if said amount of residual echoes is found to have exceeded said predetermined value.

8. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 7, further comprising:

an amplifier means for changing a volume of said sound output;

wherein said echo canceling means comprises means for changing an amplification ratio of said amplifier means to increase said volume of said sound output, if said echo canceller means is found in a double-talk state.

9. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a switch means selectively operated to on and off states to selectively enable and disable said recording of contents in said storage means.

10. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a switch means selectively operated to on and off states to selectively change said amplification ratio of said amplifier means, if said echo canceling means is in a double-talk state.

11. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 7, further comprising:

an interphone means;

wherein said determining means comprises means for monitoring whether said interphone means is pressed on, and instructing said storage means to store said contents of said broadcast, if said interphone means is pressed on.

12. The broadcast receiving system means according to claim 7, further comprising:

an internal clock means for providing information regarding a time of initiating recording of said broadcast contents; and

a display portion means for displaying said time of initiating said recording steps.

13. A broadcast recording system comprising:

a broadcast receiver receiving information broadcast in digital or analogue form and reproducing sound contained in said broadcast to provide a sound output;

an echo canceling circuit responsive to said sound output to provide information regarding residual echoes;

a data storing facility; and

a determining circuit comprising a comparator responsive to said residual echoes to determining whether said an amount of said residual echoes has exceeded a predetermined value, and a recording initiating circuit responsive to a determination that said amount of residual echoes has exceeded said predetermined value to initiate recording of contents of said broadcast by said data storing facility.

14. A method of automatically initiating recording of contents of broadcasts, comprising:

receiving a broadcast and reproducing sound therefrom as a sound output;

monitoring said sound output within a user area and supplying information regarding said monitoring to an echo canceller that provides information regarding residual echoes; and

automatically initiating recording of contents of said broadcast if one or more selected parameters of said residual echoes meet selected criteria.

15. A method as in claim 14 wherein said selected parameters of the residual echoes include changes in the residual echoes due to selected motion of a viewer of said broadcast at said user area.

16. A method as in claim 14 wherein said selected parameters of the residual echoes include changes in the residual echoes due to sound of selected characteristics at said viewer area that is in addition to said sound output.

17. A method as in claim 14 further including automatically increasing said sound output if said residual echoes meet selected criteria.