Digital recorder for car radio

• US 6,067,278 A
• Filed: 04/06/1998
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VOXX Electronics Corporation (VOXX International Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Recoton Corporation
• Inventors: Owens, Kenneth R., Hrvatin, Bart
• Primary Examiner(s): Neyzari, Ali
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHU, KIM KWOK
• Application Number:
  US09/055,628
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 369/7, 369/29, 369/25, 704/270, 704/201, 704/103, 395/2.79, 341/110, 711/103, 364/400.01, 340/568
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information

Abstract

An automobile radio/digital recording system is provided in which a digital recorder enables input either through the radio or through a microphone to be stored in the digital storage device and be played back through the automobile'"'"'s radio system. Storage of information in excess of five minutes is available.

Claims

1. An automobile radio digital recording combination comprising

an automobile radio system comprising a receiver section and an audio section,

a digital recording system comprising a digital memory,

a microphone and an electronic circuit connected between said microphone and said digital memory, said microphone mounted in said radio to pick up verbal information,

manually actuable means to permit recording in said digital recording system through said microphone to permit an automobile occupant to record a message,

muting means connected to said manually actuable means to mute audio sounds emanating from said automobile radio system while said digital recording system is recording said verbal information through said microphone,

said digital recording system comprising means to generate signals representative of and play back information stored therein, said audio section of said automobile radio connected to said digital recording system to audibly reproduce through said audio section said verbal information stored in said digital recording system,

said automobile radio digital recording combination using the radio to either playback said verbal information stored or the audio sounds emanating from said automobile radio system so that said verbal information stored or the audio sounds can be heard within the automobile.

2. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 1, wherein said digital memory comprises at least one megabyte of storage.

3. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 1, wherein said receiver section of said automobile radio is connected through said electronic circuit to said digital memory, actuable means connecting either said receiver section of said radio or said microphone to said digital memory to effect storage of respective signals.

4. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 1, wherein said digital recording system is capable of storing at least five minutes of information.

5. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 1, wherein said electronic circuit comprises programmable computer chips.

6. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 1, wherein said manually actuable means comprises at least a manual push button for record functions.

7. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 6, wherein said manually actuable means comprises at least a manual push button to actuate playback of recorded information.

8. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 7, further comprising an oral command to receive and decode oral commands to control said digital recorder.

9. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 1, further comprising light means to indicate when said digital recording system is in record mode.

10. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 1, wherein said microphone is mounted in the front panel of said automobile radio.

11. An automobile radio digital recording combination comprising

an automobile radio system comprising a receiver section and an audio section,

a digital recording system comprising a digital memory,

a microphone and an electronic circuit connected between said microphone and said digital memory, said microphone mounted in said radio to pick up verbal information,

actuable means to permit recording in said digital recording system through said microphone to permit an automobile occupant to record a message,

muting means connected to said actuable means to mute audio sounds emanating from said automobile radio system while said digital recording system is recording said verbal information through said microphone,

said digital recording system comprising means to generate signals representative of and play back information stored therein, said audio section of said automobile radio connected to said digital recording system to audibly reproduce through said audio section said verbal information stored in said digital recording system,

said automobile radio digital recording combination using the radio to either playback said verbal information stored or the audio sounds emanating from said automobile radio system so that said verbal information stored or the audio sounds can be heard within the automobile.

12. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 11, wherein said actuable means comprises voice recognition means connected to said microphone to generate control command signals.

13. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 12, wherein said actuable means also comprise manually actuable means to generate said control command signals.

14. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 12, wherein said control command signals comprise a play command and a record command signal.

15. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 12, wherein said control command signals comprise a play command and a record command signal.

16. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 11, wherein said receiver section of said automobile radio is connected through said electronic circuit to said digital memory, actuable means capable of connecting either said receiver section of said radio on said microphone to said digital memory to effect storage of a respective signal.

17. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 11, wherein said digital recording system is capable of storing at least five minutes of information.

18. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 11, wherein said electronic circuit comprises programmable electronic computer chips.

19. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 11, further comprising light means to indicate when said digital recording system is in record mode.

20. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 11, wherein said digital memory comprises at least one megabyte of storage.

21. An automobile radio digital recording combination according to claim 11, wherein said microphone is mounted in the front panel of said automobile radio.