Receiver for receiving text-based multiplex broadcasts and storing text-based data

• US 6,195,538 B1
• Filed: 12/08/1997
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Owaki, Masanao
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US08/987,104
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 455/45, 455/158.4, 455/158.5, 455/166.2, 455/171.1, 455/179.1, 455/185.1, 455/186.1, 455/186.2, 386/95, 370/486, 370/487
• US Class Current: 455/158.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/13 radio data system/radio broadcast data system [RDS/RBDS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/71 using meteorological information

Abstract

A FM receiver for receiving text-based multiplex broadcasts includes: a receiving circuit for receiving the text-based multiplex broadcasts; a decoding circuit for taking out the plurality of character program data from a multiplexed signal received by the receiving circuit; a display element for displaying the character program in accordance with data obtained from the decoding circuit; a memory; and control means adapted to request, when a key operation for setting retention using a timer is performed, to designate a selected character program from the plurality of character programs, and to designate the time to carry out the retention using the timer, to retain, when the designated time comes, the character program data designated, in the memory, from the plurality of character program data obtained from the decoding circuit, and to read out, when a calling key operation is performed, the character program data retained in the memory, and to display the character program of the retained data on the display element using the data read out. The receiver is capable of timer presetting with small memory capacity.

Claims

1. A receiver for receiving text-based multiplex broadcasts in which text-based program data is multiplexed with an audio broadcast program signal and the resulting multiplexed signal is broadcast, said receiver comprising:

a receiving circuit for receiving said text-based multiplex broadcasts;

a decoding circuit for extracting said text-based program data from said text-based multiplex broadcasts received by said receiving circuit;

a display element for displaying said text-based program data obtained from said decoding circuit;

a timer for presetting a preset time to carry out a retention of said text-based program data;

a memory; and

control means for designating, when a timer presetting operation is performed using said timer during reception of a broadcasting station which is broadcasting a selected text-based program, data indicating said preset time, frequency data indicating a frequency of said broadcasting station, and data indicating said selected text-based program to retain in said memory, for further designating, when the timer preset time arrives, said frequency data retained in said memory provided to said receiving circuit for selecting a broadcasting station, and a selected text-based program data from received text-based program data to retain in said memory in accordance with said data indicating said selected text-based program, and for further designating, when a retained program calling operation is performed, to read out a retained text-based program data from said memory and display said retained text-based program data on said display element.

2. The receiver for receiving text-based multiplex broadcasts as defined in claim 1, wherein said control means extracts, when at least one of said timer presetting operation and said retained program calling operation is performed, data for each program name from main menu data of said text-based multiplex broadcasts, and said control means displays said each program name of a plurality of text-based programs on said display element using the data of said each program name thus extracted, and said control means causes a program name of said selected text-based program to be designated from among said program names displayed, and reads only said selected text-based program data corresponding to said designated program name from said memory.

3. The receiver for receiving text-based multiplex broadcasts as defined in claim 1, wherein said control means designates said selected text-based program data to share said memory with said data indicating said selected text-based program by said timer presetting and said received text-based program data.