Apparatus and method for receiving a message and playing it when a control is operated

• US 20050165610A1
• Filed: 01/07/2004
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Miron Markus
• Original Assignee: Miron Markus
• Inventors: Markus, Miron
• Application Number:
  US10/752,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20050165610A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/18 Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information

Abstract

The invention provides apparatus 10 and a method for receiving a message signal 34 transmitted from a remote entity, storing the message received by way of each message signal, and playing the message via a loudspeaker 16 when a switch 20 of the apparatus 10 is operated in the conventional manner.

Claims

1. Electronic apparatus including:

a receiver for receiving message signals;

storage means for storing each message received by way of such a message signal;

an operator control whereby a conventional function of the apparatus can be controlled;

sound output means; and

control means, configured to play such a stored message, via the sound output means, whenever the operator control is operated to control the conventional function.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operator control is a power switch of the apparatus.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage means is in the form of an integrated circuit memory device on which the message can be stored in digital form.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the memory device is rewritable.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a radio receiver, and the sound output means includes a loudspeaker of the radio receiver.

6. A method of operating electronic apparatus including an operator control whereby a conventional function of the apparatus can be controlled, and sound output means, said method including:

receiving a message signal in a receiver of the apparatus;

storing each message received by way of such a message signal in storage means of the apparatus; and

playing such a stored message via the sound output means, whenever the operator control is operated to control the conventional function.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the message signal is encoded and in which the method includes decoding the message signal.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6, which includes playing only the most recently stored message.

9. A method as claimed in claim 6, which includes playing the stored message at predetermined time intervals.

10. A method as claimed in claim 6, which includes muting a sound that would otherwise have been produced by the sound output means, while the message is being played.

11. A method as claimed in claim 6, in which the message is of an advertising, promotional, educational, or advisory nature.