Geographically adaptive portable broadcast receiver

• US 6,282,412 B1
• Filed: 07/22/1998
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia of America Corporation (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lyons, Francis R. X.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Application Number:
  US09/120,634
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 455/150.1, 455/160.1, 455/161.1, 455/161.2, 455/161.3, 455/166.1, 455/166.2, 455/179.1, 455/181.1, 455/185.1, 455/186.1, 455/186.2, 455/45, 455/558, 455/345, 455/418-420, 455/456, 455/556-559, 709/217-219
• US Class Current: 455/186.1
• 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 2200/12 Radio receiver combined with a GPS receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/20 Radio receiver with possibility to choose a station with a certain program style
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/082 to be used in vehicles H04B1/086 takes precedence; holding or mounting accessories B60R11/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/47 for recognising genres
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side

Abstract

A broadcast receiver that responds to broadcast stations having a listener-preferred program style. The receiver has a processor and a database memory arranged to be coupled with the processor. The memory is configured to store information concerning a number of broadcast stations that serve at least a portion of a user-designated geographic area, and which stations have a designated program style. The information corresponds to an operating frequency for each broadcast station and an associated service coverage. A geographic position determining unit (e.g., a GPS receiver) is coupled to the processor and produces information corresponding to a current position of the receiver within the designated area. The processor is configured to produce a tuning signal operative to set a tuner unit to respond to a broadcast station that can be received at the receiver'"'"'s position with the designated program style.

Claims

1. A broadcast receiver for responding to broadcast stations having a listener-preferred program style, comprising:

a processor arranged to control operations of the receiver;

a database memory arranged to be coupled to the processor, wherein said memory is in the form of a memory card with a connecting terminal section and is configured to store information concerning a number of broadcast stations having a pre-defined program style and situated over a pre-defined geographic area, said information corresponding to an operating frequency for each broadcast station, the station'"'"'s service coverage within the pre-defined geographic area, and times during which the station broadcasts the pre-defined program style;

the memory card has an associated interface arranged for coupling with a database and configured so that a listener can download from the database into the memory card said information concerning only the broadcast stations having said pre-defined program style and situated over said pre-defined geographic area;

an electrical card connector coupled to the processor, wherein the connecting terminal section of the memory card is arranged to engage said card connector;

a geographic position determining unit coupled to said processor, said unit being constructed and arranged to produce information corresponding to a current position of the receiver within the designated geographic area; and

a tuner unit coupled to the processor;

wherein said processor is configured to produce a tuning signal operative to set the tuner unit to respond to a broadcast station having the pre-defined program style and which station can be received at the position of the receiver, in accordance with the information downloaded into the memory card by the listener, and the information from the position determining unit.

2. A broadcast receiver according to claim 1, wherein said geographic position determining unit comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

3. A broadcast receiver according to claim 1, wherein said memory card comprises a programmable read-only-memory.

4. A broadcast receiver according to claim 1, including a receive signal strength (RSS) monitor stage coupled to the processor and configured to measure a relative signal strength of a station to which the tuner unit is set to respond by said tuning signal.

5. A broadcast receiver according to claim 4, wherein said processor is configured to produce a sequence tuning signals corresponding to frequency data read from a number of identified addresses of the memory card.

6. A broadcast receiver according to claim 5, wherein said processor is programmed to determine which of a number of RSS measurements performed by the RSS monitor stage during said sequence of tuning signals is strongest.