Process for providing a control, signal for controlling a radio receiver after a change in position

• US 6,151,489 A
• Filed: 02/04/1998
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Hegeler, Wilhelm
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Application Number:
  US09/011,359
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/457, 455/224, 455/226.1, 455/226.2, 455/186.1, 455/186.2, 455/45
• US Class Current: 455/226.2
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0075 where the receiving frequencies of the stations are stored in a permanent memory, e.g. ROM

Abstract

A method of supplying a control signal for controlling a radio receiver after a change in location. Four check-back transmit frequencies are stored in the radio receiver. The control signal is supplied by a counter whose count is increased regularly or is reduced by a factor when there is a change in the check-back transmit frequencies.

Claims

1. A method of supplying a control signal for controlling a radio receiver after a change in location, comprising the steps of:

evaluating a check-back transmit frequency for determining whether the check-back transmit frequency is of a reception quality;

storing the check-back transmit frequency in the radio receiver if it is determined that the check-back transmit frequency is of the reception quality;

comparing the reception quality of the stored check-back transmit frequency with a reception quality of a set non-check-back transmit frequency;

replacing the stored check-back transmit frequency with the non-check-back transmit frequency if the reception quality of the non-check-back transmit frequency is greater by a first predetermined value than the reception quality of the stored check-back transmit frequency;

incrementing a count by a second predetermined value at a predetermined interval;

reducing the count by a predetermined factor when the stored check-back transmit frequency is replaced by the non-check-back transmit frequency; and

supplying the control signal as a function of the count.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of replacing the non-check back transmit frequency with a lowest-valued stored reception quality check-back transmit frequency when the reception quality of the non-check-back transmit frequency is evaluated as greater than the reception quality of the stored check-back transmit frequency.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

reevaluating the reception quality of the check-back transmit frequency at a predetermined interval;

replacing the stored check-back transmit frequency with the reevaluated check-back transmit frequency if the reception quality of the reevaluated check-back transmit frequency is greater than the reception quality of the stored check-back transmit frequency; and

downgrading the reception quality of the check-back transmit frequency by a predetermined amount between reevaluation intervals.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control signal is supplied only upon an occurrence of a predetermined deviation of the count from a maximum count.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined factor for reducing the count is 1/2.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein four check-back transmit frequencies are stored.

7. A radio receiver for supplying a control signal after a change in location of the radio receiver, the control signal containing information with respect to the change in location, the radio receiver comprising:

a first memory for storing check-back transmit frequencies;

a second memory for storing at least one value indicative of a reception quality of the check-back transmit frequencies stored in the first memory;

a counter for generating a count-dependent output signal; and

a microprocessor for supplying the control signal and containing a subprogram for controlling the count-dependent output signal as a function of a change in a status of the check-back transmit frequencies, wherein;

the counter is capable of being incremented by a first predetermined value at a predetermined interval, and

the counter is capable of being decremented by a predetermined factor when one of the stored check-back transmit frequencies is replaced by a non-check-back transmit frequency.