Audio control apparatus, audio system, and navigation apparatus

• US 20080039034A1
• Filed: 08/09/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Fujita, Teruhiko, Iwase, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/179.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/11 Arrangements for counter-measures when a portion of broadcast information is unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information

Abstract

According to a user'"'"'s recording instruction, a navigation apparatus acquires reception data (music information and identification information) from a satellite digital radio apparatus on a tune basis and records the data on a hard disk. After the recording is complete, the navigation apparatus uses a size of the reception data recorded on the hard disk to determine whether or not the recording is interrupted in the middle of a tune. When the recording is interrupted, the navigation apparatus registers the tune'"'"'s identification information to an interrupted recording list. The navigation apparatus then acquires identification information about a tune being received from the satellite digital radio apparatus. When the interrupted recording list registers the identification information, that is, the recording-interrupted music is rebroadcast, the navigation apparatus acquires reception data from the satellite digital radio apparatus and re-records it on the hard disk.

Claims

1. An audio control apparatus connected with a reception apparatus for receiving an airwave containing music information as an audio signal of music and identification information about the music and for restoring music information and identification information from the received signal, the audio control apparatus acquiring, when supplied with a recording instruction from outside, music information on a tune basis specified by the identification information from the reception apparatus to thereby record the acquired music information on a recording medium,

the audio control apparatus comprising:

an interrupt listing unit that (i) acquires, from the reception apparatus, identification information corresponding to the music information to be recorded by the audio control apparatus on a recording medium, (ii) determines whether or not one tune of the music information is recorded on the recording medium, and, (iii) when one tune of the music information is not recorded and recording is interrupted, stores the acquired identification information as interrupt identification information about incompletely recorded music in an interrupt list storage unit;

a determination unit that sequentially acquires identification information about music currently received from the reception apparatus and determines a match whether the acquired identification information matches the interrupt identification information stored in the interrupt list storage unit; and

a first re-recording unit that, when the determination unit determines the match, acquires music information from the reception apparatus and records it on the recording medium and, when it is determined thereafter that one tune of the music information is recorded on the recording medium, deletes the interrupt identification information about recorded music from the interrupt list storage unit.

2. The audio control apparatus of claim 1,

wherein, when the determination unit determines the match, the first re-recording unit notifies a user whether or not to re-record music specified by the identification information and starts re-recording the music information in response to a re-recording instruction supplied from outside thereafter.

3. An audio system comprising:

a reception apparatus that receives an airwave containing music information as an audio signal of music and identification information about the music and restores music information and identification information from the received signal; and

the audio control apparatus of claim 1 connected with the reception apparatus.

4. A navigation apparatus provided in a vehicle for providing an occupant with driving guidance, the navigation apparatus comprising:

all the units included in the audio control apparatus of claim 1.

5. An audio control apparatus connected with a reception apparatus for receiving an airwave containing music information as an audio signal of music and identification information about the music and for restoring music information and identification information from the received signal, the audio control apparatus acquiring, when supplied with a recording instruction from outside, music information on a tune basis specified by the identification information from the reception apparatus to thereby record the acquired music information on a recording medium,

the audio control apparatus comprising:

an interrupt listing unit that (i) acquires, from the reception apparatus, identification information corresponding to the music information to be recorded by the audio control apparatus on a recording medium, (ii) determines whether or not one tune of the music information is recorded on the recording medium, and, (iii) when one tune of the music information is not recorded and recording is interrupted, stores the acquired identification information as interrupt identification information about incompletely recorded music in an interrupt list storage unit;

a program acquisition unit that acquires program information about broadcast programs that the reception apparatus to receive;

a rebroadcasting detection unit that detects a date of rebroadcasting the incompletely recorded music based on the program information and the interrupt identification information stored in the interrupt list storage unit; and

a second re-recording unit that acquires the music information about the incompletely recorded music from the reception apparatus and records the information on the recording medium at a rebroadcasting date detected by the rebroadcasting detection unit, and when it is determined thereafter that one tune of the music information is recorded on the recording medium, deletes the interrupt identification information from the interrupt list storage unit.

6. The audio control apparatus of claim 5,

wherein, when the rebroadcasting detection unit detects the date of rebroadcasting, the second re-recording unit notifies a user whether or not to re-record the incompletely recorded music at the rebroadcasting date detected by the rebroadcasting detection unit and starts re-recording the music information in response to a re-recording instruction supplied from outside thereafter.

7. The audio control apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a reception unit having functions of the reception apparatus and configured to sequentially restore music information from the received signal and concurrently stores the restored music information in a storage section, and when the music information is requested, reads the requested music information from the storage section, and supplies the read music information from the beginning of a tune.

8. An audio system comprising:

a reception apparatus that receives an airwave containing music information as an audio signal of music and identification information about the music and restores music information and identification information from the received signal; and

the audio control apparatus of claim 5 connected with the reception apparatus.

9. A navigation apparatus provided in a vehicle for providing an occupant with driving guidance, the navigation apparatus comprising:

all the units included in the audio control apparatus of claim 5.

10. An audio control apparatus connected with an audio output apparatus for generating an audio and with a reception apparatus for receiving an airwave containing music information as an audio signal of music and identification information about the music and for restoring music information and identification information from the received signal,

the audio control apparatus comprising:

an input unit for accepting various instructions from outside, wherein the music information is acquired from the reception apparatus to be recorded on a recording medium in response to an instruction supplied via the input unit for recording received music, and the audio output apparatus is allowed to output an audio based on music information restored by the reception apparatus or recorded on the recording medium in response to an instruction supplied via the input unit for outputting received music or recorded music; and

a broadcast notification unit that, when the audio output apparatus does not output an audio based on music information restored by the reception apparatus, acquires the identification information from the reception apparatus and notifies a user of music being or to be broadcast based on the identification information,

wherein, when a recording instruction for the music notified by the broadcast notification unit is supplied via the input unit, music information is acquired from the reception apparatus and recorded on the recording medium.

11. The audio control apparatus of claim 10 capable of acquiring music information from an information source different from the reception apparatus,

wherein the audio control apparatus acquires music information from the information source in response to an instruction supplied via the input unit for recording music information from the information source and allows the audio output apparatus to generate an audio based on music information from the information source in response to an instruction supplied via the input unit for outputting music from the information source.

12. The audio control apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a determination unit that, when recording information indicating music information to be automatically recorded is supplied via the input unit, compares the identification information with the recording information and determines whether or not to automatically record the music information being received by the reception apparatus each time the broadcast notification unit acquires the identification information from the reception apparatus,

wherein, when the determination unit determines that the reception apparatus is receiving music information to be automatically recorded, the audio control apparatus acquires music information corresponding to the identification information from the reception apparatus and records the music information on the recording medium.

13. The audio control apparatus of claim 10 comprising a reception unit functioning as the connected reception apparatus,

wherein the reception unit includes a storage section for temporarily storing the music information, and sequentially restores the music information from the received signal while storing the music information in the storage section, and

wherein the reception unit reads requested music information from the storage section to supply the music information from the beginning of a tune.

14. An audio system comprising:

an audio output apparatus that generates an audio;

a reception apparatus that receives an airwave containing music information as an audio signal of music and identification information about the music and restores music information and identification information from the received signal; and

the audio control apparatus of claim 10 connected with the audio output apparatus and the reception apparatus.

15. A navigation apparatus provided in a vehicle for providing an occupant with driving guidance, the navigation apparatus comprising:

all the units included in the audio control apparatus of claim 10.

16. An audio control apparatus connected with (i) an audio output apparatus for generating an audio, (ii) a reception apparatus for receiving an airwave containing music information as an audio signal of music and identification information about the music and for restoring music information and identification information from the received signal, and (iii) a recording medium for recording tune data including the music information and the identification information on a tune basis,

the audio control apparatus comprising:

an output control unit that allows the audio output apparatus to output one of audios based on (i) music information restored by the reception apparatus and (ii) music information recorded on the recording medium, in accordance with an instruction from outside; and

a first match notification unit that (i) acquires, from the recording medium, identification information corresponding to music information, which is recorded on the recording medium and associated with an audio currently output from the audio output apparatus, (ii) determines based on the acquired identification information whether or not the reception apparatus receives music information belonging to a same type as the currently audibly output music, and (iii) notifies a user that the reception apparatus receives music information belonging to the same type as the currently audibly output music.

17. The audio control apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a second match notification unit that (i) acquires, from the reception apparatus, identification information corresponding to music information, which is restored by the reception apparatus and associated with an audio output from the audio output apparatus, (ii) uses the acquired identification information to extract tune data of a same type as that of currently audibly output music from tune data recorded on the recording medium, and (iii) notifies a user of an extraction result.

18. The audio control apparatus of claim 16,

wherein the recording medium includes a plurality of recording areas for recording tune data acquired from different information sources,

the audio control apparatus further comprises:

a third match notification unit that (i) acquires, from the recording medium, identification information corresponding to music information, which is recorded on the recording medium and associated with an audio output from the audio output apparatus, (ii) uses the acquired identification information to extract tune data of a same type as that of currently audibly output music from tune data recorded on a recording area of the recording medium different from a recording area used for the identification information, and (iii) notifies a user of an extraction result.

19. An audio system comprising:

an audio output apparatus that generates an audio;

a reception apparatus that receives an airwave containing music information as an audio signal of music and identification information about the music and restores music information and identification information from the received signal;

a recording medium that records tune data including the music information and the identification information on a tune basis, wherein the audio output apparatus to output one of audios based on music information restored by the reception apparatus and based on music information recorded on the recording medium in accordance with an instruction from outside; and

the audio control apparatus of claim 16 connected with the audio output apparatus, the reception apparatus, and the recording medium.

20. A navigation apparatus provided in a vehicle for providing an occupant with driving guidance, the navigation apparatus comprising:

all the units included in the audio control apparatus of claim 16.

21. An audio control apparatus connected with (i) an audio output apparatus for generating an audio, (ii) a reception apparatus for receiving an airwave containing music information as an audio signal of music and identification information about the music and for restoring music information and identification information from the received signal, and (iii) a recording medium for recording tune data including the music information and the identification information on a tune basis,

the audio control apparatus comprising:

an output control unit that allows the audio output apparatus to output one of audios based on music information restored by the reception apparatus and based on music information recorded on the recording medium in accordance with an instruction from outside; and

a second match notification unit that (i) acquires, from the reception apparatus, identification information corresponding to music information restored by the reception apparatus and associated with an audio output from the audio output apparatus, (ii) uses the acquired identification information to extract tune data of a same type as that of currently audibly output music from tune data recorded on the recording medium, and (iii) notifies a user of an extraction result.

22. The audio control apparatus of claim 21,

wherein the recording medium includes a plurality of recording areas for recording tune data acquired from different information sources,

the audio control apparatus further comprises:

a third match notification unit that (i) acquires, from the recording medium, identification information corresponding to music information recorded on the recording medium and associated with an audio output from the audio output apparatus, (ii) uses the acquired identification information to extract tune data of a same type as that of currently audibly output music from tune data recorded on a recording area of the recording medium different from a recording area used for the identification information, and (iii) notifies a user of an extraction result.

23. An audio system comprising:

an audio output apparatus that generates an audio;

a reception apparatus that receives an airwave containing music information as an audio signal of music and identification information about the music and restores music information and identification information from the received signal;

a recording medium that records tune data including the music information and the identification information on a tune basis, wherein the audio output apparatus to output one of audios based on music information restored by the reception apparatus and based on music information recorded on the recording medium in accordance with an instruction from outside; and

the audio control apparatus of claim 21 connected with the audio output apparatus, the reception apparatus, and the recording medium

24. A navigation apparatus provided in a vehicle for providing an occupant with driving guidance, the navigation apparatus comprising:

all the units included in the audio control apparatus of claim 21.

25. An audio control apparatus connected with (i) an audio output apparatus for generating an audio, (ii) a reception apparatus for receiving an airwave containing music information as an audio signal of music and identification information about the music and for restoring music information and identification information from the received signal, and (iii) a recording medium for recording tune data including the music information and the identification information on a tune basis, wherein the recording medium includes a plurality of recording areas for recording tune data acquired from different information sources,

the audio control apparatus comprises:

an output control unit that allows the audio output apparatus to output one of audios based on music information restored by the reception apparatus and based on music information recorded on the recording medium in accordance with an instruction from outside; and

a third match notification unit that (i) acquires, from the recording medium, identification information corresponding to music information recorded on the recording medium and associated with an audio output from the audio output apparatus, (ii) uses the acquired identification information to extract tune data of the same type as that of currently audibly output music from tune data recorded on a recording area of the recording medium different from a recording area used for the identification information, and (iii) notifies a user of an extraction result.

26. An audio system comprising:

an audio output apparatus that generates an audio;

a reception apparatus that receives an airwave containing music information as an audio signal of music and identification information about the music and restores music information and identification information from the received signal;

a recording medium that records tune data including the music information and the identification information on a tune basis, wherein the audio output apparatus to output one of audios based on music information restored by the reception apparatus and based on music information recorded on the recording medium in accordance with an instruction from outside; and

the audio control apparatus of claim 25 connected with the audio output apparatus, the reception apparatus, and the recording medium.

27. A navigation apparatus provided in a vehicle for providing an occupant with driving guidance, the navigation apparatus comprising:

all the units included in the audio control apparatus of claim 25.