Telecommunications – Receiver or analog modulated signal frequency converter – Signal selection based on frequency
Reexamination Certificate
1996-04-17
2001-01-30
Chin, Wellington (Department: 2746)
Telecommunications
Receiver or analog modulated signal frequency converter
Signal selection based on frequency
C455S158100, C455S161200, C455S161300, C455S185100, C348S725000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181921
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a broadcast station data detector and broadcast receiver for a moving body.
BACKGROUND OF ART
Navigation Systems are broadly used in various fields such as ships and vehicles, because they can sense the position of a moving body and show it on a display in real time.
Presumably, the navigation systems will spread increasingly for they can sense accurately the position of a moving body utilizing radio waves from Global Positioning System satellites, and with the technical developments of liquid crystal displays as well as the cost and size reduction of integrated circuits.
The conventional navigation systems provide an excellent navigation for showing the positions of a moving body, but do not accommodate navigation data for receiving broadcast waves and selecting broadcast stations.
For example, a vehicle includes a broadcast wave receiver such as a TV set or radio set to create a pleasant atmosphere. Particularly, vehicles on which the navigation systems are mounted often include TV sets.
Supposing that a vehicle is moving on an expressway surrounded by many mountains from a point A (e.g. Tokyo City) to another point B (e.g. Matsumoto City). The driver decides to take a break at a service area, and to watch TV in the vehicle. Being unfamiliar with the area, he is unaware of which TV broadcasts are receivable through which TV channels as it is often the case that different channels transmit different broadcasts for every geographic area. Thus, the driver would have to change the channels and find the receivable TV broadcasts in vain, making the TV station selection complicated.
Furthermore, assuming that a sightseeing bus including a TV set is moving while the television is on. Frequently, TV broadcast reception gradually degrades and in worst cases, the TV broadcast becomes invisible. For example, the nation-wide TV broadcast waves from Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) may be received through different channels in different areas. Therefore, if a vehicle is moving while the NHK TV broadcast is on, the TV broadcast wave reception may gradually degrade and the images may become invisible. In such a case, if the TV channels are automatically switched depending on the area in which the vehicle is moving, the TV broadcasts may be transmitted in a desired condition. However, the prior art does not provide such a TV broadcast receiver.
In view of such problems in the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved broadcast station data detector and broadcast receiver for a moving body, which can utilize the positional data of the moving body to know a receivable broadcast station at the position of the moving body in real time, whereby even a user unfamiliar with the area can smoothly select the receivable broadcast station.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a broadcast receiver which can utilize the positional data of the moving body to switch the channels automatically and to obtain a desired broadcast reception.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
To this end, the present invention provides a broadcast station data detector for a moving body, comprising:
position sensing means for sensing a position of a moving body;
a broadcast station data memory which stores channel data of a receivable broadcast station for each area; and
broadcast station data searching means for referring to data in the broadcast station data memory based on a sensed position of the moving body and for reporting the receivable broadcast station at the sensed position to a user.
In the broadcast station data detector of the present invention, the broadcast station data memory stores the channel data of a receivable broadcast station for each area. For example, the channel data may include receivable channel data for each section in Tokyo City, receivable channel data for each section in Yamanashi Prefecture adjacent to Tokyo City, and receivable channel data for each section in Nagano Prefecture adjacent to Yamanashi Prefecture.
Based on the current position of the moving body, the broadcast station data searching means refers to the broadcast station data memory and reports to the user the channel data of a broadcast station which may be received at the current position. At this point, the channel data may be shown on a display or announced as sounds.
Thus, when the position of the moving body is sensed, it is possible to report the channel data of the receivable broadcast station to the user in real time. For example, when a vehicle moves on an expressway from Tokyo City toward Nagano Prefecture and passes Hachioji City surrounded by mountains the TV broadcast reception degrades. In such a case, the broadcast station data detector of the present invention may find and select a receivable broadcast station in the area, and set it to the corresponding channel.
When the vehicle moves from Yamanashi Prefecture toward Nagano Prefecture, receivable broadcast stations vary continuously. Nevertheless, the broadcast station data detector of the present invention is very convenient, since it can find a receivable broadcast station substantially in real time.
Thus, according to the present invention a navigation system can utilize positional data to know a receivable broadcast station at the current position of a moving body in real time. Therefore, a user can smoothly select a broadcast station in an unfamiliar area.
It is preferable that the broadcast station data detector also comprises input means for inputting a search command and wherein the broadcast station data searching means is responsive to the search command to report channel data of a receivable broadcast station to the user.
When such input means is used to input the search command into the broadcast station data detector, it is possible to know necessary channel data at the desired timing.
It is also preferable that the broadcast station data detector further comprises means for reporting information to the user through at least images or sounds and wherein the broadcast station data searching means reports the channel data of the receivable broadcast station to the user through the reporting means.
It is further preferable that the reporting means includes image display means mounted on a moving body for showing images representing the channel data of the receivable broadcast station.
The reporting means may include sound generating means mounted on a moving body to output the channel data of the receivable broadcast station as sounds.
It is further preferable that the broadcast station data memory stores channel data of a receivable broadcast station for each area and the broadcast station data searching means is responsive to a sensed position of the moving body for referring to the data of the broadcast station data memory and for reporting a channel of a receivable broadcast station at the sensed position to the user.
The present invention also provides a broadcast wave receiver for a moving body, which includes the aforementioned broadcast station data detector of the present invention.
The broadcast wave receiver for a moving body comprises:
position sensing means for sensing a position of a moving body;
a broadcast station data memory which stores channel data of a broadcast station or affiliates thereof allocated to each area as channel map data for the broadcast station or affiliates thereof;
input means for inputting a selection command for selecting a broadcast station;
channel determining means responsive to the sensed position of the moving body and the selection command for referring to the data of the broadcast station data memory and for determining a reception channel of a selected broadcast station at the sensed position; and
means for receiving broadcast waves through the determined reception channel.
For example, while the NHK TV broadcast is allocated to the first channel in Tokyo, it is often allocated to the eighth or other channel in other locations. Thus, the broadcast station data memory stores the reception channel data of the NHK TV
Konisi Masanori
Kubota Sinji
Chin Wellington
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Seiko Epson Corporation
Sobutka Philip J.
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