Cradle, receiving terminal and receiving method

• US 20040248543A1
• Filed: 03/25/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Broadcasting Corp
• Original Assignee: Mobile Broadcasting Corp
• Inventors: Itsukaichi, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/345
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/082 to be used in vehicles H04B1/086 takes precedence; holding or mounting accessories B60R11/02

Abstract

When a portable receiving terminal is mounted on a cradle in an automobile, the satellite broadcasted contents is received by use of external antennas connected to the cradle, in place of built-in antennas contained in the portable receiving terminal. Accordingly, by use of the portable receiving terminal of the present invention, the satellite broadcasted contents can be surely received even in an automobile. Furthermore, the received information outputted from the portable receiving terminal can be transmitted to external devices such as car navigation system and the like when being mounted on the automobile. Accordingly, by taking advantages of a car navigation system, a car television and a car stereo mounted on the automobile, the information received by the portable receiving terminal can be displayed in a very lively manner.

Claims

1. A cradle, used for a receiving terminal having a first antenna for receiving a carrier wave convoluted with a signal, a reproducing means for reproducing the signal received through the first antenna and a first output terminal for outputting the reproduced signal, comprising:

a mounting portion to which the receiving terminal is detachably attached;

an external antenna for receiving the carrier wave;

an interface portion for transmitting the signal received through the external antenna to the receiving terminal mounted on the mounting portion;

a first input terminal capable of being connected to the first output terminal of the receiving terminal mounted on the mounting portion; and

a second output terminal for outputting the received signal inputted from the first input terminal.

2. The cradle as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the receiving terminal has a reproduced received signal providing means for providing the reproduced received signal to an user;

and

wherein the cradle has;

means for causing the receiving terminal to shift from a first mode to a second mode when the receiving terminal is mounted on the mounting portion, the first mode being for providing the user with the received signal by using the reproduced signal providing means, the second mode being having the reproduced signal be capable of being output from the second output terminal.

3. The cradle as set forth in claim 2,

wherein the reproduced received signal providing means is means for displaying the received signal reproduced by the reproducing means.

4. The cradle as set forth in claim 2,

wherein the reproduced received signal providing means is means for outputting the received signal reproduced by the reproducing means as an audible sound.

5. The cradle as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the interface portion has a transmitting antenna disposed opposite to the first antenna of the receiving terminal, for transmitting the received signal received through the external antenna.

6. The cradle as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the second output terminal is capable of being connected to an external device having at least an indicator and means for outputting a control signal for controlling the receiving terminal,

wherein the cradle has:

a second input terminal for inputting the control signal transmitted from the external device; and

a transmitting means for transmitting the control signal inputted through the second input terminal to the receiving terminal mounted on the mounting portion.

7. The cradle as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a receiving portion for receiving the control signal which is transmitted from a remote controller to control the receiving terminal; and

a control signal transmitting means for transmitting the received control signal to the receiving terminal mounted on the mounting portion.

8. The cradle as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a power source inputting portion for being connected to an external direct current power source; and

a power source supplying portion for supplying the direct current power to the receiving terminal mounted on the mounting portion.

9. A receiving terminal, comprising:

a first antenna for receiving the carrier wave convoluted with a signal;

a decoding means for decoding the signal received through the first antenna;

a decoding restricting means for restricting decoding by the decoding means;

a reproducing means for reproducing the received signal decoded by the decoding means; and

an outputting means for outputting the received signal decoded by the decoding means.

10. The receiving terminal as set forth in claim 9,

wherein the receiving terminal is capable of being attached to a mounting portion of a cradle to which the receiving terminal is detatchably attached;

wherein the cradle has;

a reproduced received signal providing means for providing the received signal reproduced by the reproducing means; and

means for causing the receiving terminal to shift from a first mode to a second mode, when the receiving terminal is mounted on the mounting portion, the first mode for being providing the user with the received signal by using the reproduced signal providing means, the second mode being having the reproduced signal be capable of being output from the second output terminal.

11. The receiving terminal as set forth in claim 10,

the reproduced received signal providing means is means for displaying the received signal reproduced by the reproducing means.

12. The receiving terminal as set forth in claim 10,

the reproduced received signal providing means is means for outputting the received signal reproduced by the reproducing means as an audible sound.

13. The receiving terminal as set forth in claim 9, further comprising:

a controlling signal inputting means for inputting the controlling signal from outside the receiving terminal.

14. The receiving terminal as set forth in claim 13,

wherein the controlling signal includes a brake signal of a vehicle capable of being equipped with the receiving terminal;

and,

a restricting means for restricting reproduction by the reproducing means or the output of the reproduced signal by the outputting means according to the brake signal included in the controlling signal inputted by the controlling signal inputting means.

15. A receiving method in a receiving system including a receiving terminal and a cradle, the receiving terminal has a first antenna for receiving the carrier wave convoluted with a signal, a reproducing means for reproducing the signal received through the first antenna, a reproduced received signal providing means for providing the received signal reproduced by the reproducing means to a user and a first outputting terminal for outputting the reproduced received signal, and the cradle has a mounting portion to which the receiving portion is detachably attached, an external antenna for receiving the carrier wave, an interface portion for transmitting the signal received through the external antenna to the receiving terminal mounted on the mounting portion, a first input terminal capable of being connected to the first output terminal of the receiving terminal mounted on the mounting portion and a second output terminal for outputting the received signal inputted from the first input terminal, comprising the steps of:

providing the received reproduced signal by the reproducing signal providing means; and

causing the receiving terminal to shift from a first mode to a second mode when the receiving terminal is mounted on the mounting portion, the first mode being for providing a user with the received signal by using the reproduced signal providing means and the second mode being having the reproduced signal be capable of being output from the second output terminal.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the carrier wave directly from the first antenna; and

receiving the carrier wave indirectly from the interface portion and the first antenna through the external antenna when the receiving terminal is mounted on the mounting portion.

17. The method as set forth in claim 15,

wherein the reproduced received signal providing means is means for displaying the received signal reproduced by reproducing means.

18. The method as set forth in claim 15,

wherein the reproduced received signal providing means is means for outputting the received signal reproduced by the reproducing means as an audible sound.