Selection of traffic capable station by RDS radio while listening to other media

• US 6,240,280 B1
• Filed: 08/26/1997
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics Sales GmbH
• Original Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics Sales GmbH
• Inventors: Arrowsmith, Douglas Scott, Ravi, Latha, Gillespie, Douglas Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Nguyen T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEHRPOUR, NAGHMEH
• Application Number:
  US08/920,145
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 369/7, 369/2, 381/34, 455/345, 455/161.2, 455/184.1, 455/152.1, 455/166.2, 455/186.1, 455/45, 455/161.1
• US Class Current: 455/161.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/093 Data selection, e.g. prioritizing information, managing message queues, selecting the information to be output
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/55 for traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/13 radio data system/radio broadcast data system [RDS/RBDS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/27 specially adapted for broadcast systems covered by groups H04H20/53 - H04H20/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences

Abstract

When an RDS or RBDS radio is used to listen to prerecorded media, the tuner monitors an RDS station in the background to determine when a traffic announcement is in progress. A search for selecting an appropriate station for background monitoring is provided which selects a station which is most likely to be in accordance with the individual preferences of the driver. The search method can also be used to find traffic capable stations, weather stations, emergency alert information, and news broadcasts.

Claims

1. A method for automatically selecting a broadcast station for background monitoring to detect predetermined events as identified by a data flag transmitted within auxiliary data of a radio data system while an audio system is reproducing audio signals from a source other than a broadcast station capable of transmitting said predetermined events, said method comprising the steps of:

searching said auxiliary data received from respective broadcast stations until a broadcast station is found transmitting or capable of transmitting said data flag; and

monitoring auxiliary data of said found broadcast station to detect when a predetermined event is in progress;

wherein said searching step inspects a plurality of broadcast stations saved in a plurality of memory presets prior to conducting a scan of frequencies across a radio band; and

wherein the stations saved in said memory presents are “

favorite”

stations selected without regard to whether or not they are transmitting or capable of transmitting said data flag.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined events are traffic announcements.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined events are emergency alert messages.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined events are news broadcasts.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined events are weather announcements.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

if said searching is completed without finding a broadcast station capable of broadcasting said predetermined events, then;

searching said auxiliary data received from respective broadcast stations until a broadcast station is found transmitting or capable of transmitting alternate events; and

monitoring said auxiliary data of said found broadcast station to detect when an alternate event is in progress.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said searching step for said alternate events inspects broadcast stations saved in memory presets prior to conducting a scan of frequencies across a radio band.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said predetermined events are traffic announcements in progress and wherein said alternate events are traffic announcement capability.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein said searching step first searches said auxiliary data of said favorite stations, which are broadcast stations saved previously in said plurality of memory presets, for a broadcast station either transmitting or capable of transmitting said data flag and when said data flag is not present in one of said favorite stations, said searching step next searches for an appropriate broadcast station either transmitting or capable of transmitting said data flag in a scan across said radio band.

15. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said auxiliary data of said favorite stations saved previously in a plurality of memory presets is first searched for a broadcast station either transmitting or capable of transmitting said data flag and when said data flag is not present in one of said favorite stations, an appropriate broadcast station either transmitting or capable of transmitting said data flag is next searched in a scan across said radio band.

9. A method for automatically selecting a broadcast station for background monitoring for traffic announcements in a radio data system while an audio system is reproducing audio signals from a source other than a broadcast station capable of broadcasting a traffic announcement, said method comprising the steps of:

searching auxiliary data received from respective broadcast stations until a broadcast station is found which identifies itself as being traffic capable; and

monitoring auxiliary data of said found broadcast station to detect when a traffic announcement is in progress; and

wherein said searching step inspects a plurality of broadcast stations saved in a plurality of memory presets prior to conducting a scan of frequencies across a radio band and;

wherein the stations saved in said memory presets are “

favorite”

stations selected without regard to whether or not they are transmitting or capable of transmitting said data flag.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said searching step inspects broadcast stations in the order of:

last tuned station;

scan of presets; and

scan through sequential frequencies in said radio band.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said searching step inspects broadcast stations in the order of:

last tuned station in active FM band;

scan of presets in active FM band;

last tuned station in inactive FM band;

scan of presets in inactive FM band; and

scan through sequential frequencies across said radio band.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said searching step inspects broadcast stations in the order of:

last tuned station in active FM band;

scan of presets in active FM band;

last tuned station in inactive FM band;

scan of presets in inactive FM band;

scan through sequential frequencies across said radio band with an additional requirement that a broadcast station must have a program type code that matches a program type code for at least one broadcast station stored as a preset; and

selecting a station from said scan through sequential frequencies without regard to said additional requirement.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:

automatically reproducing a traffic announcement when it is detected.