Broadcasting station data detector and broadcast receiver for moving body that search a channel map based on location

• US 6,181,921 B1
• Filed: 04/17/1996
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kubota, Sinji, Konisi, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US08/632,404
• Time in Patent Office: 1,749 Days
• Field of Search: 455/186.1, 455/186.2, 455/185.1, 455/179.1, 455/161--16, 455/162.3, 455/158.1, 455/158.4, 455/158.5, 455/156.1, 455/457, 455/456, 381/17, 348/725, 348/731, 348/732
• US Class Current: 455/186.2
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0016 Indicating arrangements digital indication of tuning in general H03J1/048
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0058 provided with channel identification means arrangements for monitoring the use made of broadcast services H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0075 where the receiving frequencies of the stations are stored in a permanent memory, e.g. ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 5/02 with variable tuning element having a number of predetermined settings and adjustable to a desired one of these settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/18 Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for a moving body which enables a user to know a receivable broadcast station at the current position in real time and to select smoothly a desired broadcast station in a receiver even in an unfamiliar area. This system includes a broadcast station data memory that stores the channel data of a receivable broadcast station for each area, and a main processing circuit which is responsive to the vehicle'"'"'s current position sensed by a coordinate computing unit for referring to the channel data and for showing the channel data of a receivable broadcast station at the current position on a display.

Claims

1. A broadcast station data detector for a moving body, comprising:

position sensing means for sensing a geographic position of the moving body;

a broadcast station data memory which stores channel map data of a receivable broadcast station for a broadcast area;

broadcast station data searching means for searching the channel map data in said broadcast station data memory based on the sensed geographic position of the moving body and outputting a receivable broadcast station prior to receiving any broadcast signal; and

transmitting means for transmitting received broadcast signals to a radio set mounted on the moving body.

2. The broadcast station data detector according to claim 1, further comprising input means for inputting a search command, wherein said broadcast station data searching means responds to said search command by reporting said channel map date of the receivable broadcast station to a user.

3. The broadcast station data detector according to claim 1, wherein said broadcast station data searching means responds to said sensed geographic position of the moving body by searching the channel map data in said broadcast station data memory and by reporting a channel of said receivable broadcast station at the sensed geographic position to a user.

4. The broadcast station data detector according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast station data searching means reports said receivable broadcast station at said sensed geographic position to a user.

5. The broadcast station data detector according to claim 1, further comprising reporting means for reporting information to a user through at least one of images and sounds, wherein said broadcast station data searching means reports the channel map data of said receivable broadcast station to the user through said reporting means.

6. The broadcast station data detector according to claim 5, wherein said reporting means includes an image display means mounted on said moving body for showing said images of the channel map data of said receivable broadcast station.

7. The broadcast station data detector according to claim 5, wherein said reporting means includes a sound generating means mounted on said moving body to output sounds corresponding to the channel map data of said receivable broadcast station.

8. The broadcast station data detector according to claim 5, wherein said broadcast station data memory stores said channel map data of a receivable broadcast TV station for a TV broadcast area and said broadcast station data searching means responds to said sensed geographic position of the moving body by searching the channel map data of said broadcast station data memory and by reporting a channel of the receivable broadcast TV station at the sensed geographic position to the user.

9. A broadcast wave receiving system for a moving body having a broadcast station data detector, the broadcast station data detector comprising:

position sensing means for sensing a geographic position of the moving body;

a broadcast station data memory which stores channel map data of a receivable broadcast station for a broadcast area;

broadcast station data searching means for searching the channel map data in said broadcast station data memory based on the sensed geographic position of the moving body and outputting receivable broadcast stations prior to receiving any broadcast signal; and

transmitting means for transmitting received broadcast signals to a radio set mounted on the moving body.

10. A broadcast wave receiving system for a moving body, comprising:

position sensing means for sensing a geographic position of the moving body;

a broadcast station data memory which stores channel map data of at least one of a broadcast station and affiliates thereof allocated to a broadcast area for said broadcast station and affiliates thereof, respectively;

selection input means for inputting a selection command for selecting a broadcast station from receivable broadcast stations and affiliates associated with the selected broadcast station determined prior to receiving any broadcast signal;

channel determining means coupled to the position sensing means, the broadcast station data memory and the selection input means for searching the channel map data in said broadcast station data memory based on said sensed geographic position of the moving body and said selection command, and for determining a reception channel of a selected broadcast station at said sensed geographic position; and

broadcast wave receiving means coupled to the channel determining means for receiving broadcast waves through said reception channel determined by the channel determining means.

11. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 10, further comprising means for sensing a reception sensitivity of the reception channel in said broadcast wave receiving means, wherein said channel map data includes a list of at least one channel for the selected broadcast station in an unstable reception area where a broadcast reception of the selected broadcast station is unstable, and wherein when the sensed geographic position of the moving body is in the unstable reception area of the selected broadcast station, said channel determining means reads a list of the at least one channel of the selected broadcast station from said broadcast station data memory and automatically determines one of the at least one channel having a highest reception sensitivity as the reception channel to be used by said broadcast wave receiving means to receive the broadcast waves.

12. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 10, further comprising sensing means for sensing a reception sensitivity of the reception channel in said broadcast wave receiving means, wherein said channel determining means determines that the moving body is in an unstable reception area of the selected broadcast station where broadcast reception is unstable, and wherein when the reception sensitivity sensed by said sensing means becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined reference level, the channel determining means reads a list of at least one channel allocated to said selected broadcast station at the unstable reception area from said broadcast station data memory based on the sensed geographic of the moving body and automatically determines one of the at least one channel having the reception sensitivity greater than the predetermined reference level as the reception channel to be used by said broadcast wave receiving means to receive the broadcast waves.

13. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 10, further comprising means for sensing a reception sensitivity of the reception channel in said broadcast wave receiving means, wherein said channel map data includes a list of at least one channel of the selected broadcast station for the broadcast area, and said channel determining means responding to the sensed geographic position of the moving body by reading a list of at least one channel of the selected broadcast station from said broadcast station data memory and by automatically determining one of the at least one channel having a highest reception sensitivity as the reception channel to be used by said broadcast wave receiving means to receive the broadcast waves.

14. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 10, wherein said broadcast station data memory stores the channel map data of a receivable broadcast station allocated to the broadcast area and said broadcast wave receiver includes broadcast station data searching means coupled to said position sensing means and said broadcast station data memory for responding to said sensed geographic position of the moving body by searching the channel map data in said broadcast station data memory and by reporting to a user a channel of the receivable broadcast station at the sensed geographical position of the moving body.

15. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 14, further comprising search input means for inputting a search command, wherein said broadcast station data searching means is coupled to search means and responds to said search command by reporting the channel map data of the receivable broadcast station to the user.

16. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 10, wherein said position sensing means is a position sensor in a navigation system.

17. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 15, further comprising reporting means for reporting information to the user through at least one of images and sounds, wherein said broadcast station data searching means is coupled to the reporting means and reports the channel map data of said receivable broadcast station to the user through said reporting means.

18. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 17, wherein said reporting means includes image display means mounted on the moving body for showing the images representing the channel map data of said receivable broadcast station.

19. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 17, wherein said reporting means includes sound generating means mounted on the moving body to output the sounds that correspond to the channel map data of said receivable broadcast station.

20. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 17, wherein said broadcast station data memory stores the channel map data of the receivable broadcast station allocated to the broadcast area, said selection input means inputting the selection command for any TV broadcast station, said channel determining means responding to said sensed geographic position of the moving body and said selection command by searching the channel map data in said broadcast station data memory and by determining the reception channel of a selected TV broadcast station at said sensed geographic position of the moving body, said broadcast wave receiving means receiving TV broadcast waves from said selected TV broadcast station through the reception channel.

21. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 10, wherein said broadcast station data memory stores the channel map data of a receivable broadcast station allocated to the broadcast area, said selection input means inputs the selection command for any TV broadcast station, said channel determining means responding to said sensed geographic position of the moving body and said selection command by searching the channel map data in said broadcast station data memory and by determining the reception channel of a selected TV broadcast station at said sensed geographic position of the moving body, said broadcast wave receiving means receiving TV broadcast waves from said selected TV broadcast station through the reception channel.

22. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 21, further comprising image display means for showing images corresponding to said received TV broadcast waves.

23. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 22, further comprising a radio set mounted on said moving body and transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting radio signals corresponding to said received TV broadcast waves to said radio set, whereby said radio set outputs sound signals corresponding to the radio signals through a sound generating portion of said radio set.

24. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 23, further comprising an unused wave data memory which stores channel map data of used and unused broadcast waves allocated to the broadcast area and channel determining means responding to said sensed geographic position of the moving body searching said unused wave data memory and by determining an unused channel from the unused channel map data for radio signal transmission, said broadcast wave receiving means wirelessly transmits radio signals corresponding to said received TV broadcast waves to said radio set using the unused channel.

25. The broadcast wave receiving system according to claim 24, further comprising planned route input means for inputting a planned route which the moving body will take, the channel determining means responding to the inputted planned route by searching the unused channel map data in said unused wave data memory and by determining an unused channel from the unused channel map data for radio signal transmission along said planned route and by storing the unused channel in a memory, and channel switching means coupled to the position sensing means, the channel determining means and the transmitting means, for switching to the unused channel, the channel switching means responding to said sensed geographic position of the moving body by recalling the unused channel corresponding to the sensed geographic position stored in said memory and by switching to the recalled unused channel in said transmitting means for the radio signal transmission.

26. A broadcast wave receiving system for a moving body comprising:

position sensing means for sensing a geographic position of the moving body;

a broadcast station data memory which stores channel map data of at least one of a broadcast station and affiliates thereof allocated to a broadcast area for said broadcast station and affiliates thereof, respectively;

selection input means for inputting a selection command for selecting the broadcast station;

channel determining means coupled to the position sensing means, the broadcast station data memory and the selection input means for searching the channel map data in said broadcast station data memory based on said sensed geographic position of the moving body and said selection command, and for determining a reception channel of a selected broadcast station at said sensed geographic position;

broadcast wave receiving means coupled to the channel determining means for receiving broadcast waves through said reception channel determined by the channel determining means;

an unused wave data memory which stores channel map data of used and unused broadcast waves allocated to the broadcast area;

channel determining means responding to said sensed geographic position of the moving body by searching said unused wave data memory and by determining an unused channel from the unused channel map data for radio signal transmission;

a radio set mounted on said moving body; and

transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting radio signals corresponding to said received broadcast waves using said unused channel and for outputting said radio signals to produce sounds through a sound generating portion of said radio set.

27. A radio signal transmitter for a moving body, comprising:

a position sensor that senses a geographic position of the moving body;

an unused wave data memory that stores channel map data of used and unused channels allocated to a broadcast area;

a channel determining device that searches the unused channel map data based on a sensed geographic position of the moving body to identify a first unused channel; and

a transmitter that wirelessly transmits radio signals using the first unused channel, the radio signals corresponding to sound signals from a sound source and being transmitted to a radio set that produces sounds through a sound generating portion of the radio set based on the radio signals.

28. The radio signal transmitter according to claim 27, further comprising:

a planned route input device that inputs a planned route that the moving body will take, the channel determining device searching the unused channel map data in the unused wave data memory based on the planned route to identify unused channels for a radio signal transmission along the planned route, the unused channels being stored in a memory; and

a channel switch coupled to the position sensor, the channel determining device and the transmitter for switching the transmitter to one of the unused channels, the channel switch recalling a second unused channel of the unused channels from the memory and switching the transmitter to the second unused channel for transmitting the radio signal based on the geographic position sensed by the position sensor.

29. The radio signal transmitter according to claim 27, wherein the position sensor is a position sensor of a navigation system.

30. A radio signal transmitter for a moving body, comprising:

a position sensor that senses a geographic position of the moving body;

a broadcast wave receiver that receives broadcast waves;

an unused wave data memory that stores channel map data of used and an unused channels allocated to the broadcast area;

a channel determining device that searches the unused channel map data based on a sensed geographic position of the moving body to identify a first unused channel; and

a transmitter that wirelessly transmits radio signals using the first unused channel, the radio signals corresponding to received broadcast waves and being transmitted to a radio set that produces sounds through a sound generating portion of the radio set based on the received broadcast waves.

31. The radio signal transmitter according to claim 30, further comprising:

a planned route input device that inputs a planned route that the moving body will take, the channel determining device searching the unused channel map data in the unused wave data memory based on the planned route to identify unused channels for a radio signal transmission along the planned route, the unused channels being stored in a memory; and

a channel switch coupled to the position sensor, the channel determining device and the transmitter for switching the transmitter to one of the unused channels;

the channel switch recalling a second unused channel of the unused channels from the memory and switching the transmitter to the second unused channel for transmitting the radio signal based on the geographic position sensed by the position sensor.

32. The radio signal transmitter according to claim 30, wherein the position sensor is a position sensor of a navigation system.