Memory structure for use in a broadcast receiver, particularly for providing traffic or geographic information

• US 5,991,610 A
• Filed: 07/02/1996
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Kruger-Schuschke, Regina, Ruhl, Hans-Wilhelm
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US08/674,524
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 455/45, 455/185.1, 455/186.1, 455/186.2, 455/345, 340/905, 340/990, 340/995, 364/424.029, 364/436, 364/437, 704/7, 704/8, 704/10, 704/200, 704/201
• US Class Current: 455/186.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/093 Data selection, e.g. prioritizing information, managing message queues, selecting the information to be output
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/094 Hardware aspects; Signal processing or signal properties, e.g. frequency bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/55 for traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/13 radio data system/radio broadcast data system [RDS/RBDS]

Abstract

The invention relates to a broadcast receiver, comprising a control circuit (7) for applying encoded messages, derived from a broadcast signal, to at least one storage device (12, 28), for receiving control data, derived from the encoded messages, from at least one storage device (12, 28), and for forming the messages from the control data in a form suitable for a display device (13) and/or a speech synthesizer circuit (14). In order to accelerate access to the control data, a reading device (16) for reading data from an external first storage device (28) and a second storage device (12) are coupled to the control circuit (7). Moreover, the first storage device (28) is intended to store region-specific control data and the second storage device (12) is intended to store traffic-specific control data.

Claims

1. A broadcast receiver, comprising a control circuit (7) for

delivering encoded messages, derived from a broadcast signal, to at least one storage device (12, 28),

receiving control data, derived from the encoded messages, from at least one storage device (12, 28), and

forming the messages from the control data in a form which is suitable for a display device (13) and/or a speech synthesizer circuit (14), characterized in that

a reading device (16) for reading data from an external, first storage device (28) and a second storage device (12) are coupled to the control circuit (17), and that the first storage device (28) is intended for the storage of region-specific control data and the second storage device (12) for the storage of traffic-specific control data.

2. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that

the two storage devices (12, 28) are intended to store given, each time different control data under a respective escape code, and that the control circuit (7) is arranged to apply, after reception of control data containing at least one escape code, at least one escape code to the first or the second storage device (12, 28) and to receive the control data stored under the escape code.

3. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that

both storage devices (12, 28) are intended to store control data which is stored under a respective encoded message or an escape code and wherefrom a designation in an orthographic and/or phonetic notation of at least one language can be derived.

4. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that

the control data stored in the two storage devices (12, 28) under a respective encoded message or an escape code contains the extractable orthographic and/or phonetic notation of at least one first language and the extractable orthographic and/or phonetic notation of at least one further language only if the orthographic and/or phonetic notations of the further language deviate from the first language.

5. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that

each storage device (12, 28) contains lists (43, 44, 45) which are associated with storage sections and contain specific control data associated with a respective encoded message and also contains an escape list (46) with the escape codes and the respective associated control data.

6. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that

the first storage device (28) comprises an escape list (46) with region-specific control data and the second storage device (12) contains an additional escape list (46) with traffic-specific control data.

7. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that

the first storage device (28) contains a location list (43) for storing location designations in an orthographic and/or phonetic notation of at least one first language, an area location list (ALL) for the storage of area designations in an orthographic and/or phonetic notation of at least one first language, and a segment list (45) for the storage of road segments in an orthographic and/or phonetic notation of at least one first language, and that the second storage device (12) is arranged to store result designations in an orthographic and/or phonetic notation of at least one first language.

8. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that

the first storage device (28) forms part of a chip card (17) whit is arranged to be inserted into a card reader (16).

9. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claims 8, characterized in that

the encoded messages supplied with the broadcast signal are traffic messages.

10. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that

each storage device contains lists which are associated with storage sections and contain specific control data associated with a respective encoded message and also contains an escape list with the escape codes and the respective associated control data.

11. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that

the first storage device forms part of a chip card which is arranged to be inserted into a card reader.

12. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that

the encoded messages supplied with the broadcast signal are traffic messages.

13. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that

each storage device contains lists which are associated with storage sections and contain specific control data associated with a respective encoded message and also contains an escape list with the escape codes and the respective associated control data.

14. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that

the first storage device contains a location list for storing location designations in an orthographic and/or phonetic notation of at least one first language, an area location list (ALL) for the storage of area designations in an orthographic and/or phonetic notation of at least one first language, and a segment list for the storage of road segments in an orthographic and/or phonetic notation of at least one first language, and

that the second storage device is arranged to store result designations in an orthographic and/or phonetic notation of at least one first language.

15. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that

both storage devices are intended to store control data which is stored under a respective encoded message or an escape code and wherefrom a designation in an orthographic and/or phonetic notation of at least one language can be derived.

16. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that

the first storage device forms part of a chip card which is arranged to be inserted into a card reader.

17. A broadcast receiver as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that

the encoded messages supplied with the broadcast signal are traffic messages.

18. A module (47) for the processing of encoded messages derived from a broadcast signal, comprising a control circuit (64) which is arranged to

deliver encoded messages, derived from the broadcast signal, to at least one storage device (68, 28),

receive control data, derived from the encoded messages, from at least one storage device (689, 28), and

form the messages from the control data in a form suitable for a display device (13) and/or a speech synthesizer circuit (14), characterized in that

a reading device (66), arranged to receive an external, first storage device (28) for the storage of region-specific control data, and a second control device (68) for the storage of traffic-specific control data are coupled to the control circuit (64).

19. A broadcast receiver comprising

means for receiving an encoded broadcast message;

a first storage device (12) for storing frequently used natural language word information, the phrase "natural language word information" being abbreviated herein as "words";

a second storage device (28) for storing less frequently used words;

a control circuit for, responsive an encoded message, combining less frequently used words from the second storage device with more frequently used words from the first storage device to form a decoded message; and

output means for providing the decoded message to a user.

20. The receiver of claim 19 wherein the output means comprises a display device or a speech synthesizer circuit.

21. The receiver of claim 19 wherein the second memory embodies data structures storing region specific geographic information.

22. The receiver of claim 21 wherein the first memory embodies data structures storing geographic words which are used in describing places in a plurality of regions.

23. The receiver of claim 21 wherein the first memory embodies data structures storing traffic related words.

24. The receiver of claim 19 wherein the encoded broadcast message comprises numerical data for addressing the first and/or second memory.

25. A chip card for insertion into a card reader of a broadcast receiver, the chip card comprising a computer readable medium embodying a data structure storing region specific portions of geographical place names in such a way as to be accessible by at least a part of an encoded message, the portions being suitable for combination with other portions of the geographical place names which are not region specific, the other portions not being stored in the chip card, the portions and other portions together forming a decoded message.

26. The card of claim 25 wherein the data structure is addressable using a numerical code from the encoded message.