Title of Invention

BROADCAST RADIO RECEIVER

Abstract In a broadcast radio receiver, stored operating instruction can be called up and can be output via an output device. In this case, the operating instruction can be called up from a non-volatile memory in the broadcast radio receiver. However, means may also be provided to allow the operating instructions to be called up from a central facility, which can be connected to the broadcast radio receiver via a transmission device.
Full Text The invention relates to a broadcast radio receiver.
As broadcast radio receivers become increasingly complex, for example with additional services such as RDS or TMC, it is becoming more difficult to learn how to operate such equipment. The previously available printed operating instructions are more comprehensive, and can often be understood by laymen only with a great deal of effort and practice on the equipment. Furthermore, manufacturers of such equipment are faced with the difficulty of ensuring that the printed operating instructions always match the latest development standard of the respectively associated equipment.
The obj ect of the present invention is thus to provide operating instructions which are always available whenever questions relating to operation occur, and which are matched to the development standard of the respective equipment.
This object is achieved according to the invention in that stored operating instructions can be called up and can be output via an output device.
According to the invention, the operating instructions may be output both as text and/or using a voice output.
The broadcast radio receiver according to the invention furthermore has the advantage that the operating instructions cannot be mislaid and, when ownership of the broadcast radio receiver changes, are passed on directly to the purchaser.

A first embodiment of the invention provides the capability to call up the operating instructions from a non-volatile memory in the broadcast radio receiver. This embodiment is facilitated, in particular, in a cost-effective manner as a result of the fact that digital memories are becoming increasingly cheaper and more compact.
A second embodiment of the invention comprises means for calling up the operating instructions from a central facility, which can be connected to the broadcast radio receiver via a transmission device, and for receiving the operating instructions, which are received from the central facility.
This embodiment admittedly requires access to a transmission device, for example a mobile radio network or else, in the case of stationary broadcast radio receivers, to a conventional communications network including the Internet, but has the advantage that operating instructions which are applicable to all the relevant receivers can be modified in the central facility without the user of the equipment having to accept any cost whatsoever associated with this. Thus, for example, a fault which was originally present can be corrected in the central facility. Furthermore, it may be necessary to amend the operating instructions as a result of a modification to the services which can be received by the broadcast radio receiver, and this can likewise be done in a simple manner in the central facility.
An advantageous refinement of the invention allows part of the operating instructions to be called up in each case. This simplifies or saves the process which is otherwise necessary of paging through the operating instructions, which may be very comprehensive. In this refinement, it is possible to provide the capability to

call up part of the/ operating instructions by application of the operating voltage. This part of the operating instructions may contain, for example, introductory information which informs the user of the most important functions when the equipment is used for the first time and, possibly, refers to further information in the operating instructions. In addition, this part of the operating instructions can be called up by an input, in the same way as other parts.
A development of the broadcast radio receiver according to the invention comprises a capability to call up and output a part of the operating instructions by means of a specific control element, with such a part of the operating instructions being matched to the respective operating mode of the receiver. This allows context-dependent selection from the operating instructions, so that the user is provided with the respectively associated part of the operating instructions.
This development preferably provides for other parts of the operating instructions to be output by repeatedly operating the specific control element.
It is also possible to provide in the broadcast radio receiver according to the invention for part of the operating instructions to be output by operating the specific control element and subsequently operating a further control element, in which case the part of the operating instructions relates to the further control element. This simplifies the process of selection from the operating instructions even when the user wants to obtain information independently of the respective operating mode of the broadcast radio receiver. Thus, for example, after operating the specific control element, possibly called "HELP", a key with the function "AUDIO" can be operated. The user then receives information about the possible audio settings,
for example "The function AUDIO allows audio-output geometry settings to be ;made. You can move the sound output forwards, backwards, to the left or to the right- Moving the rocker to the left or right allows you to vary the balance, while moving it up and down varies the fader".
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description and are illustrated by a number of figures in the drawing, in which:
Fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment, with operating instructions stored in the broadcast radio receiver, and
Fig. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment which is designed for calling up the operating instructions from a central facility.
Equivalent parts have the same reference symbols in the figures.
Both exemplary embodiments have an antenna 1, a receiving section 2, an AF amplifier 3 and a loudspeaker 4 although, for the sake of clarity, the details have not been illustrated, such as a number of loudspeakers for stereo reproduction, a stereo decoder, an RDS decoder etc. All the receiver functions - for example programme selection and volume control - are controlled by a controller 5, to which a keypad 6 is connected. A controller 5 is also connected to a display 7 on which the respective settings and other information can be made visible. Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiments, a voice output unit 8 is connected to the controller 5, and its output signals can be made audible via the AF amplifier 3 and the loudspeaker 4. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, the operating instructions are stored in a

non-volatile memory 9. In addition to the operating instructions, this memory 9 may also contain other data required to operate the broadcast radio receiver.
A special key 10 is provided on the keypad 6 for calling up the operating instructions from the memory 9, and is marked appropriately - for example with the word HELP.
In the exemplary embodiment according to Fig. 2, the operating instructions are stored in a central facility 11 (CE), which can be connected to the receiver according to the invention via a suitable transmission medium. A transmitting/receiving device 12 (T/R) with an antenna 13 is provided for this purpose in the exemplary embodiment shown in Fig. 2. When the HELP key, and possibly a number of keys on the keypad 6, are operated, the transmitting/receiving device 12 sends a suitable request to the central facility 11. This request contains data about the requester receiver, suitable details (addresses) for the transmission of the operating instructions to the receiver, and possibly details about what part of the operating instructions are desired. The central facility essentially comprises, for example, a computer which contains and controls all the required operating instructions. In response, the operating instructions or parts of them are transmitted, in the exemplary embodiment according to Fig. 2, via the same transmission medium, for example a mobile radio network or the Internet, to the receiver, where they are supplied to the controller 5, via the antenna 13 and the transmitting/receiving device 12. A memory 14 is provided for temporary storage of the received operating instructions, or parts of them.

We claim:
1. A broadcast receiver with operating instructions stored in a memory, the operating instructions being called up in arbitrary parts by an input of a user ,the operating instructions being displayed optically and/or acoustically, the broadcast radio receiver having a transmission device (12), the transmission device being provided to receive the operating instructions or parts of the operating instructions from a central device (11).
2. The broadcast radio receiver according to Claim 1, wherein the operating instructions can be called up from a non-volatile memory (9) in the broadcast radio receiver.
3. The broadcast radio receiver according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a specific control element (10) is provided to carry out the calling up process and the outputting of part of the operating instructions with the calling-up process being matched to the respective operating mode of the receiver.
4. The broadcast radio receiver according to Claim 3, wherein other parts of the operating instructions can be output by repeatedly operating the specific control element (10).

5. The broadcast radio receiver according to one of the preceding claims, wherein part of the operating instructions is output by operating the specific control element (10) and subsequently operating a control element, in which case the part of the operating instructions relates to the control element.

Documents:

69-mas-1999 abstract granted.pdf

69-mas-1999 claims granted.pdf

69-mas-1999 description (complete) granted.pdf

69-mas-1999 drawing granted.pdf

69-mas-1999-claims.pdf

69-mas-1999-correspondence others.pdf

69-mas-1999-correspondence po.pdf

69-mas-1999-description complete.pdf

69-mas-1999-drawings.pdf

69-mas-1999-form 1.pdf

69-mas-1999-form 26.pdf

69-mas-1999-form 4.pdf


Patent Number 226119
Indian Patent Application Number 69/MAS/1999
PG Journal Number 02/2009
Publication Date 09-Jan-2009
Grant Date 10-Dec-2008
Date of Filing 19-Jan-1999
Name of Patentee ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
Applicant Address POSTFACH 30 02 20, D-70442 STUTTGART FEDERAL,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 ARND WENDLAND UHLANDWEG 12, 31199 DIEKHOLZEN,
PCT International Classification Number H04H1/00
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 NA