Radio broadcast reciever, automatic tuning device for radio broadcast and method for receiving radio broadcast

• US 20080045167A1
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshida, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 7,787,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/131
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0091 provided with means for scanning over a band of frequencies H03J1/0058 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/285 the counter or frequency divider being used in a phase locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/12 Arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/18 Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels

Abstract

A radio broadcast receiver includes: a frequency conversion circuit for receiving a radio broadcast wave and for outputting a reception signal; a detection circuit for detecting the reception signal of an analog radio broadcast wave and for outputting a detection signal; an automatic tuning device for searching a broadcast frequency; and a noise amplifier for amplifying a noise component in the detection signal and for outputting a noise detection signal. The automatic tuning device selects the broadcast frequency when the reception signal level is equal to or larger than a predetermined electric field intensity threshold value and a noise detection signal level is equal to or smaller than a predetermined noise determination threshold value.

Claims

1. A radio broadcast receiver comprising:

a frequency conversion circuit for receiving a radio broadcast wave and for outputting a reception signal having an intermediate frequency;

a detection circuit for detecting the reception signal of an analog radio broadcast wave and for outputting a modulation signal as a detection signal in an audio range;

an automatic tuning device for searching a broadcast frequency corresponding to a reception signal level of the reception signal by changing a reception signal frequency of the reception signal, the reception signal level being equal to or larger than a predetermined electric field intensity threshold value; and

a noise amplifier for amplifying a noise component in the detection signal and for outputting a noise detection signal corresponding to a noise amount, wherein

the automatic tuning device controls the frequency conversion circuit to output the reception signal, which is converted to have the intermediate frequency from the broadcast frequency, and

the automatic tuning device selects the broadcast frequency when the reception signal level is equal to or larger than the predetermined electric field intensity threshold value and a noise detection signal level of the noise detection signal is equal to or smaller than a predetermined noise determination threshold value.

2. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein

the noise amplifier includes a high pass filter and an amplifier,

the high pass filter has a cutoff frequency higher than the audio range, and

the amplifier is arranged on a latter step of the high pass filter.

3. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein

the receiver is disposed in a region, in which a digital radio broadcast wave and the analog radio broadcast wave are mixed in a common frequency range.

4. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein

the predetermined electric field intensity threshold value is 30 dBμ

V, and

the predetermined noise determination threshold value is four volts.

5. The receiver according to claim 4, wherein

the predetermined electric field intensity threshold value is 50 dBμ

V.

6. The receiver according to claim 4, wherein

the noise amplifier includes a high pass filter and an amplifier,

the high pass filter has a cutoff frequency higher than the audio range,

the amplifier is arranged on a latter step of the high pass filter,

the frequency conversion circuit includes a mixer and a local oscillator,

the local oscillator generates a local oscillation signal, and

the mixer mixes the radio broadcast wave and the local oscillation signal so that the reception signal is provided.

7. The receiver according to claim 6, wherein

the local oscillator includes a PLL circuit having an IF counter and a local oscillation circuit,

the IF counter counts a number of pulses corresponding to the intermediate frequency,

the IF counter outputs a signal of the number of pulses as an IF count value into the automatic tuning device,

the local oscillation circuit generates and outputs the local oscillation signal to the mixer, and

the automatic tuning device selects the broadcast frequency when the IF count value is in a predetermined range.

8. An automatic tuning device for searching a broadcast frequency corresponding to a reception signal level of a reception signal by changing a reception signal frequency of the reception signal, the reception signal level being equal to or larger than a predetermined electric field intensity threshold value, wherein the reception signal is outputted from a radio broadcast receiver having a frequency conversion circuit and a detection circuit, wherein the frequency conversion circuit receives a radio broadcast wave and outputs the reception signal having an intermediate frequency, and wherein the detection circuit detects the reception signal of an analog radio broadcast wave and outputs a modulation signal as a detection signal in an audio range, the device comprising:

a noise amplifier for amplifying a noise component in the detection signal and for outputting a noise detection signal corresponding to a noise amount; and

a controller, wherein

the controller controls the frequency conversion circuit to output the reception signal, which is converted to have the intermediate frequency from the broadcast frequency,

the controller selects the broadcast frequency when the reception signal level is equal to or larger than the predetermined electric field intensity threshold value and a noise detection signal level of the noise detection signal is equal to or smaller than a predetermined noise determination threshold value.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein

the noise amplifier includes a high pass filter and an amplifier,

the high pass filter has a cutoff frequency higher than the audio range, and

the amplifier is arranged on a latter step of the high pass filter.

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein

the receiver is disposed in a region, in which a digital radio broadcast wave and the analog radio broadcast wave are mixed in a common frequency range.

11. The device according to claim 8, wherein

the predetermined electric field intensity threshold value is 30 dBμ

V, and

the predetermined noise determination threshold value is four volts.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein

the predetermined electric field intensity threshold value is 50 dBμ

V.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein

the noise amplifier includes a high pass filter and an amplifier,

the high pass filter has a cutoff frequency higher than the audio range,

the amplifier is arranged on a latter step of the high pass filter,

the frequency conversion circuit includes a mixer and a local oscillator,

the local oscillator generates a local oscillation signal, and

the mixer mixes the radio broadcast wave and the local oscillation signal so that the reception signal is provided.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein

the local oscillator includes a PLL circuit having an IF counter and a local oscillation circuit,

the IF counter counts a number of pulses corresponding to the intermediate frequency,

the IF counter outputs a signal of the number of pulses as an IF count value into the automatic tuning device,

the local oscillation circuit generates and outputs the local oscillation signal to the mixer, and

the controller selects the broadcast frequency when the IF count value is in a predetermined range.

15. A method for receiving radio broadcast comprising:

receiving a radio broadcast wave, converting the radio broadcast wave to have an intermediate frequency from a broadcast frequency of the radio broadcast wave, and outputting the converted radio broadcast wave as a reception signal having the intermediate frequency;

detecting the reception signal of an analog radio broadcast wave and outputting a modulation signal as a detection signal in an audio range;

searching the broadcast frequency corresponding to a reception signal level of the reception signal by changing a reception signal frequency of the reception signal, the reception signal level being equal to or larger than a predetermined electric field intensity threshold value; and

amplifying a noise component in the detection signal and outputting a noise detection signal corresponding to a noise amount, wherein

the searching includes selecting the broadcast frequency when the reception signal level is equal to or larger than the predetermined electric field intensity threshold value and a noise detection signal level of the noise detection signal is equal to or smaller than a predetermined noise determination threshold value.