Broadcast receiving system responsive to ambient conditions

• US 7,908,617 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2002
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kimura, Sadahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley; Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): Andramuno; Franklin S
• Application Number:
  US10/207,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20030035550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,151 Days
• Field of Search: 725/10, 725/12, 725/14, 725/18
• US Class Current: 725/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/082 using echo cancellers echo cancellers per se H04B3/23

Abstract

A broadcast receiving system incorporating an echo canceling means automatically initiates recording of the broadcast and also controls the sound volume by taking into account the viewer'"'"'s movements and ambient conditions, by using echo canceling means of the type used in hand-free telephones. The broadcast receiving system includes a broadcast receiving unit for receiving a broadcast in the form of either digital or analog signals; an echo canceling unit; and a determining unit for monitoring the amount of residual echoes in the echo canceling unit, determining whether the amount of residual echoes has exceeded a predetermined value, and instructing a storage unit to store the broadcast if the amount of residual echoes is found to have exceeded the predetermined value.

Claims

1. A broadcast receiving system, comprising:

a broadcast receiving unit configured to receive a broadcast in digital or analogue form and reproduce sound contained in said broadcast to provide a sound output;

an amplifier for changing a volume of said sound output;

an echo canceling unit responsive to said sound output to provide information regarding residual echoes;

a storage unit; and

a determining unit configured to

determine based on said information regarding said residual echoes whether a user is moving out of a broadcast viewing area, and

automatically instruct said storage unit to record at least one of sound and image contents of said broadcast, if it is determined that the user is moving out of said broadcast viewing area,

wherein said echo canceling unit is configured to change an amplification ratio of said amplifier to increase said volume of said sound output, if said echo canceling unit detects a double-talk state.

2. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switch selectively operated to on and off states to thereby selectively enable and disable said storing of contents in said storage unit.

3. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switch selectively operated to on and off states to thereby selectively enable and disable said changing of said amplification ratio.

4. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an interphone having on and off states;

wherein said determining unit further includes a circuit for monitoring whether said interphone is in its on state, and instructing said storage unit to store said contents of said broadcast, if said interphone is on.

5. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an internal clock for providing a time related to initiating recording of said broadcast contents; and

a display portion for displaying said time.

16. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 1, wherein said information regarding said residual echoes indicates an amount of said residual echoes, and said determining unit determines whether said amount of said residual echoes has exceeded a predetermined value, and instructs said storage unit to store said contents of said broadcast, if said determining unit determines that said amount of said residual echoes exceeded said predetermined value.

17. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit does not automatically instruct said storage unit to record at least one of sound and image contents of said broadcast, if it is determined that the user is not moving out of said broadcast viewing area.

18. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 1, wherein said broadcast viewing area is an area proximate to said broadcast receiving unit.

6. A broadcast receiving system, comprising:

a broadcast receiving unit configured to receive a broadcast in digital or analogue form and reproduce sound contained in said broadcast to provide a sound output;

an echo canceling unit responsive to said sound output to provide information regarding residual echoes;

a storage unit;

an amplifier configured to change a volume of said sound output; and

a determining unit configured to

determine based on said information regarding said residual echoes whether a user is moving out of a broadcast viewing area, and

automatically cause the contents of said broadcast to be recorded in said storage unit, if it is determined that the user is moving out of said broadcast viewing area,

wherein said echo canceling unit is configured to change an amplification ratio of said amplifier to increase said volume of said sound output, if said echo canceling unit detects a double-talk state.

7. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a switch selectively operated to on and off states to selectively enable and disable said recording of contents in said storage unit.

8. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a switch selectively operated to on and off states to selectively change said amplification ratio of said amplifier, if said echo canceling unit is in a double-talk state.

9. The broadcast receiving system according to claim 6, further comprising:

an interphone connected to said determining unit;

wherein said determining unit monitors whether said interphone is pressed on, and instructing said storage unit to record said contents of said broadcast, if said interphone is pressed on.

10. The broadcast receiving system means according to claim 6, further comprising:

an internal clock unit configured to provide information regarding a time of initiating recording of said broadcast contents; and

a display unit configured to display said time of initiating said recording steps.

11. A broadcast recording system comprising:

a broadcast receiver receiving information broadcast in digital or analogue form and reproducing sound contained in said broadcast to provide a sound output;

an amplifier for changing a volume of said sound output;

an echo canceling circuit responsive to said sound output to provide an output signal including information regarding residual echoes;

a data storing facility; and

a determining circuit configured to receive said output signal of said echo canceling circuit and determine whether a user is moving out of a broadcast viewing area, based on said output signal of said echo canceling circuit, and said determining circuit including a recording initiating circuit responsive to a determination that said user is moving out of said broadcast viewing area to automatically initiate recording of contents of said broadcast by said data storing facility,

wherein said echo canceling circuit is configured to change an amplification ratio of said amplifier to increase said volume of said sound output, if said echo canceling circuit detects a double-talk state.

12. A method of automatically initiating recording of contents of broadcasts, comprising:

(a) receiving a broadcast and reproducing sound therefrom as a sound output;

(b) providing an amplifier for changing a volume of said sound output;

(c) providing an echo canceller to monitor said sound output within a user area and output information regarding residual echoes;

(d) determining based on more selected parameters of said residual echoes in said information regarding said residual echoes whether a user is moving out of a broadcast viewing area;

(e) automatically initiating recording of contents of said broadcast if it is determined in (d) based on said one or more selected parameters of said residual echoes that the user is moving out of said broadcast viewing area; and

(f) changing an amplification ratio of said amplifier to increase said volume of said sound output, if a double-talk state is detected based on said information regarding said residual echoes.

13. A method as in claim 12 wherein said selected parameters of the residual echoes include changes in the residual echoes due to selected motion of a viewer of said broadcast at said user area.

14. A method as in claim 12 wherein said selected parameters of the residual echoes include changes in the residual echoes due to sound of selected characteristics at said viewer area that is in addition to said sound output.

15. A method as in claim 12 further including automatically increasing said sound output if said residual echoes meet selected criteria.