JP2000244284A - Tuner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To secure a desired frequency in a short time even when the selected frequency is greatly changed by increasing the pitch of the frequency that is switched by a frequency switch control means when an operation means performs its continuous operations. SOLUTION: A microcomputer 14 switches the frequency of the broadcast signals which are received by a tuner 12 when an up button 15 and a down button 16 are operated. In an FM broadcast reception mode, the frequency is raised or lowered with 0.1 MHz pitch by a normal button operation, and the frequency is raised or lowered with 9 kHz pitch by a normal button operation in an AM broadcast reception mode. Then the FM and AM broadcast signals are raised or lowered with 1 MHz and 36 kHz respectively when a button is continuously operated. Thus, the frequency is switched with a large pitch compared with a normal case in a continuous operation mode of a pushbutton. As a result, the selected frequency is switched at a very fast speed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a tuner,
In particular, the present invention relates to a tuner that can quickly switch a reception frequency.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional tuner, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 60-57.
A technique as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 222 is known.
FIG. 6 shows a configuration of the technique described in the publication. In FIG. 6, a tuner 902 includes an antenna 901 and a VIF.
Connected to the circuit 903 and the tuning microcomputer 904,
Antenna 901 according to a signal from tuning microcomputer 904
And a channel of a predetermined frequency is selectively received via
Output to the F circuit 903.

An up button 905, a down button 906, and a display unit 907 are connected to the tuning microcomputer 904, and the up button 905, the down button 90
By the operation of step 6, an instruction to increase or decrease the frequency is given to the tuning microcomputer 904, and the selected frequency is displayed on the display unit 907. Here, the tuning microcomputer 904 changes the tuning frequency in a short fixed cycle immediately after the button operation.

[0004] In the above configuration, the user operates the display unit 907.
The frequency is switched by operating the frequency up button 905 or the down button 906 while referring to the selected frequency displayed in. Here, as described above, immediately after the button operation, the tuning frequency changes in a short fixed cycle,
When the up button 905 or the down button 906 is continuously pressed, the selected frequency increases or decreases at a constant speed.

The above-mentioned conventional tuner has the following problems. That is, in the above-described conventional example, if the button is continuously pressed, the time required for switching the frequency once becomes short, and thus the selected frequency can be increased or decreased at a relatively high speed. However, if the pitch of the frequency changed once is small, it takes a long time to change the selected frequency greatly.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a tuner that can reach a desired frequency in a short time even when the selected frequency is largely changed.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiving means for receiving a radio signal of a predetermined frequency via an antenna, and an instruction for increasing or decreasing a selected frequency. Operation means for controlling the frequency of the radio signal received by the reception means at a predetermined frequency pitch in accordance with the operation of the operation means; A switching pitch changing means for increasing the pitch of the frequency to be switched by the frequency switching control means.

In the tuner according to the first aspect, the receiving means receives a radio signal of a predetermined frequency received through an antenna, and when the user wants to change the selected frequency, An instruction to increase or decrease the selected frequency is input via the operation means. When an instruction is input by the operating means, the frequency switching control means controls the frequency of the radio signal received by the receiving means at a predetermined frequency pitch in accordance with the operation of the operating means.

Here, the switching pitch changing means increases the pitch of the frequency to be switched by the frequency switching control means when the operation by the operating means is continuous. As a result, the frequency is greatly switched once in the continuous operation as compared with the normal operation, so that the frequency is largely switched even in a short time.

The receiving means is for receiving a radio signal of a predetermined frequency via an antenna. The radio signal is obtained by applying a predetermined modulation to a carrier of a predetermined frequency and superimposing a signal component thereon. It is suitable for use in receiving broadcast signals. Needless to say, the present tuner can be used without depending on a modulation method such as AM / FM, or may be a television broadcast, or may be used in a personal wireless tuner in various modes.

The operating means only needs to be able to input a user's intention to raise or lower the selected frequency, and is preferably constituted by a frequency up button and a down button. Can also be configured.

The frequency switching control means switches the frequency of the radio signal received by the receiving means. At this time, the frequency switching control means controls the receiving means so as to switch at a predetermined frequency pitch. That is, for example, in an FM radio broadcast receiver, a broadcast radio signal can generally exist in a frequency band of about 76.0 MHz to 108.0 MHz. Therefore, the frequency switching control means sets the reception frequency to, for example, 0.1 MHz
It is configured to switch at the z pitch.

Here, the switching pitch changing means only needs to be able to increase the normal predetermined switching pitch to be switched by the same frequency switching control means during continuous operation of the operating means. According to the present invention, in the tuner according to claim 1, the switching pitch changing means changes the switching frequency pitch by switching a frequency of a digit larger than the switching frequency pitch at the time of normal input of the operation by the operating means. It is configured to be large.

In the invention according to claim 2 configured as described above, the frequency of a digit larger than the normal switching frequency pitch is switched at the time of continuous input of the operation by the operating means. That is, for example, similarly to the above-described example of the switching pitch in FM radio broadcasting, when switching is performed at a pitch of 0.1 MHz during normal operation, switching is performed by 1 MHz at the time of continuous input of operation. As a result, 1
The frequency switches at 0 times speed. Of course, in this case, it is only necessary to increase the frequency switching speed.
The frequency may be switched in units of Hz or 3 MHz.

Further, as another specific example of the configuration for increasing the switching pitch, the invention according to claim 3 is the tuner according to claim 1, wherein the switching pitch changing means includes:
At the time of continuous input of the operation by the operation means, the switching frequency pitch is increased by setting a plurality of switching frequency pitches in a normal state to one pitch.

In the invention according to claim 3 configured as described above, a plurality of normal switching frequency pitches are switched at a time at the time of continuous input of operation by the operating means. That is, for example, similarly to the above-described example of the switching pitch in FM radio broadcasting, when switching is performed at 0.1 MHz during normal operation, switching is performed by 0.5 MHz at the time of continuous input of operation. As a result, the frequency is switched at a speed five times faster than in the normal case. Needless to say, in this case, it is only necessary to increase the switching speed of the frequency, so that the switching may be performed by 0.8 MHz or 1.5 MHz.

After the switching frequency pitch is switched and increased in this way, it is not always necessary to fix the switching frequency pitch at the switched pitch. As a specific example of such a configuration,
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the tuner according to any one of the first to third aspects, the switching pitch changing unit is configured to control the frequency switching control unit as the continuous input time of the operation by the operation unit increases. Is configured to increase the pitch of the switching frequency.

In the invention according to claim 4 configured as described above, the switching pitch changing means increases the pitch of the frequency to be switched by the frequency switching control means as the continuous input time of the operation by the operating means increases. . For example, the switching pitch changing means measures the time during which the operation means is operated, and the switching pitch is increased in proportion to the measured time. A value may be set and the switching pitch may be increased stepwise each time the set value is exceeded. With such a configuration, even when the present invention is applied to a receiver having a wide reception frequency band, the frequency band is switched very quickly from one end to the other.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, the selection frequency can be switched very quickly even when the selection frequency is largely changed. According to the second aspect of the invention, the switching pitch can be easily changed between the normal operation and the continuous operation. Further, according to the third aspect of the invention, the switching pitch can be easily changed between the normal operation and the continuous operation. Furthermore, according to the invention according to claim 4, even if the reception frequency band is very wide, the frequency band can be changed very quickly.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an external view of a radio receiver using a tuner according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a radio receiver 10 includes a tuner according to the present invention and a demodulation of signal radio waves in a substantially housing. It has an amplifier circuit and the like, has a substantially rectangular panel on the upper surface, and has an LCD 17, an operation unit 18 and a speaker 19 on the panel.

The operation unit 18 has an up button 15 for instructing an increase in the selected frequency and a down button 1 for instructing a decrease
6 and a BAND button for instructing switching between AM / FM broadcasting, a power ON / OFF button, a volume adjustment knob, and the like. Further, the radio receiver 10 has an antenna 11 on one side of the housing, and the user switches the selected frequency to be received via the antenna with the up button 15 or the down button 16 while referring to the LCD 17 to change the speaker frequency. From 19, the broadcast sound is heard.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal structure of the radio receiver 10. In FIG. 1, a tuner 12 includes an antenna 11, a demodulation / amplification circuit 13, and a microcomputer 1
4, a radio broadcast signal of a predetermined frequency is selectively received via the antenna 11 according to a signal from the microcomputer 14, and output to the demodulation / amplification circuit 13.

The microcomputer 14 has a tuner 12, L
The CD 17 and the operation unit 18 are connected, and the operation unit 1
8 up button 15, down button 16, BA
An operation such as an ND button is input to the microcomputer 14. The LCD 17 displays predetermined characters based on a signal from the microcomputer 14, and displays the current reception band and frequency.

In the case of the FM broadcast signal, the tuner 12 has a receiving frequency band of 76.0 MHz to 108.0 MH.
z, and the reception frequency band is 53 for an AM broadcast signal.
The frequency range from 1 kHz to 1629 kHz, which is emitted as a broadcast signal, is covered.

Here, the microcomputer 14 operates the up button 1
5, when the down button 16 is operated, the frequency of the broadcast signal received by the tuner 12 is switched. When the FM broadcast signal is received, the frequency is changed to 0.1 MHz pitch by a normal button operation. When the AM broadcast signal is being received, the frequency is raised or lowered at a 9 kHz pitch by a normal button operation. Further, at the time of a continuous operation such as continuous pressing of a button, the FM broadcast signal is raised or lowered at a pitch of 1 MHz, and the AM broadcast signal is raised or lowered at a pitch of 36 kHz.

The tuner 12 outputs the selected broadcast signal to the demodulation / amplification circuit 13, which demodulates and amplifies the input broadcast signal, outputs an audio signal to the speaker 19, and outputs the audio signal to the speaker 19. Generates a sound wave based on the sound signal and sounds.

Next, the operation of this embodiment in the above configuration will be described. FIG. 3A shows an LCD when receiving an FM broadcast signal.
FIG. 17B shows a display on the LCD 17 when an AM broadcast signal is received. L in FIG.
At the time of CD display a1, the frequency is 82.5 MHz.
When the up button 15 is pressed once, the microcomputer 14 controls the tuner 12 so that the reception frequency becomes 82.6.
MHz and the display on the LCD 17 becomes the LCD display a.
The frequency becomes 82.6 MHz as shown in FIG. When the up button 15 is pressed again, the reception frequency and the LCD display a3 become 82.7 MHz in the same manner.

Further, at the time of the LCD display b1 in FIG. 4B, the frequency 729 kHz is received and the frequency 729 kHz is displayed.
6 is pressed once, the microcomputer 14 controls the tuner 12 so that the reception frequency is 729 kHz to 720 kHz, 711 kHz.
It switches to kHz. Accordingly, the LCD display 17 becomes L
As shown in the CD display b2 and b3, 720 kHz, 7
Switches to 11 kHz.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show how the display on the LCD 17 changes when the continuous button is operated. FIG. 4A shows the display on the LCD 17 when receiving an FM broadcast signal, and FIG. This is a display on the LCD 17 at the time. In FIG. 9A, when the up button 15 is continuously pressed when receiving the frequency of 82.5 MHz shown in the LCD display a4, the microcomputer 14
First, the tuner 12 is controlled in response to this button operation to increase the frequency of 0.1 MHz, which is one pitch at the normal time, and the LCD 17 displays 82.6 like the LCD display a5.
MHz is displayed.

In this case, however, the operation of the up button 15 is continuously input to the microcomputer 14 because the up button 15 is kept pressed. Therefore, the microcomputer 1
4 determines that the operation button is in a continuously pressed state,
In the next stage, the rising frequency pitch becomes 1 MHz. Therefore, the tuner 12 is controlled so that the reception frequency is 83.6M.
And the LCD 17 displays 83.6 MHz on the LCD 17 like the LCD display a6. This rise at the 1 MHz pitch is continued until the up button 15 can no longer be pressed.

Similarly, when the down button 16 is continuously pressed during reception of the frequency of 729 kHz as shown by b4 in FIG. 9k which is the pitch
Hz, and the LCD 17 displays the LCD b
It is displayed as 720 kHz as in FIG.

In this case, however, the operation of the down button 16 is continuously input to the microcomputer 14 because the down button 16 is kept pressed. Therefore, the microcomputer 1
4 determines that the operation button is in a continuously pressed state,
In the next stage, the falling frequency pitch becomes 36 kHz. Therefore, the tuner 12 is controlled so that the reception frequency becomes 684 k.
Hz, and 684 kHz is displayed on the LCD 17 like the LCD display b6. The lowering at the 36 kHz pitch is continued until the down button 16 can no longer be pressed.

In the above description, the up button 15 is pressed during FM broadcast reception and the down button 16 is pressed during AM broadcast reception. The down button 16 is pressed during FM broadcast reception. The same applies to the case and the case where the up button 15 is pressed at the time of AM broadcast reception. When the operation buttons are continuously operated, the frequency decreases at a pitch of 1 MHz and the frequency increases at a pitch of 36 kHz.

As described above, even when FM broadcast is received, A
Even during the reception of the M broadcast, when the operation buttons are continuously operated, the switching is performed at a larger frequency pitch than at the normal time, so that the selected frequency can be switched at a very high speed.

The switching pitch of 1 MHz and 36 kHz at the time of the continuous operation of the operation buttons is merely an example, and it is not always necessary to set such a pitch. The longer the operation time of the operation buttons, the longer the switching pitch. Thus, the selection frequency can be switched more quickly. FIG. 5 shows an LCD 17 using such a configuration.
Is shown as an example.

In the same figure, if the up button 15 is kept depressed when receiving the frequency 82.5 MHz shown on the LCD display a7, the microcomputer 14 first controls the tuner 12 in accordance with the operation of the button to obtain one pitch for normal operation. 0.1M
Hz, and the LCD 17 displays the LCD display a.
8 is displayed as 82.6 MHz.

Further, also in this case, since the up button 15 is kept pressed, the operation of the up button 15 is continuously input to the microcomputer 14. Therefore, the microcomputer 1
4 determines that the operation button is in a continuously pressed state,
In the next stage, the rising frequency pitch becomes 1 MHz. Therefore, the tuner 12 is controlled so that the reception frequency is 83.6M.
Hz, and 83.6 MHz is displayed on the LCD 17 like the LCD display a9.

When the up button 15 is kept pressed,
During a certain period of time thereafter, the reception frequency continues to rise at a frequency pitch of 1 MHz, and the reception frequency switches to 84.6 MHz... 88.6 MHz.
As shown in FIG. 11, 84.6 MHz... 88.6 MHz is displayed. When the up button 15 is further pressed, the rising frequency is switched to 2 MHz at a certain point, and continues to rise at a frequency pitch of 2 MHz, and the reception frequency becomes 90.6 MHz.
z, 92.6 MHz, and 90.6 MHz as shown in LCD displays a12 and a13.
z, 92.6 MHz.

As described above, the frequency can be switched at a higher speed by increasing the rising frequency pitch after the elapse of a predetermined time. Of course, when the down button 16 is pressed again, the frequency pitch is switched at regular intervals and descends, and the switching pitch is also 1M.
It is not necessary to limit to the embodiment where the frequency is increased to 1 MHz and 2 MHz, and various modes such as 1 MHz and 1.5 MHz are conceivable.

Various methods can be considered for measuring the fixed time as described above. For example, while receiving a signal from the operation button, the capacitor is charged by the signal voltage, and the capacitor is charged. The switching pitch may be switched when the charging voltage exceeds a certain threshold value.

As described above, according to the present invention, the frequency of the radio signal received by the tuner is switched at a predetermined pitch by the microcomputer in accordance with the instruction to increase or decrease the frequency by the user. At the time of continuous operation, control is performed to increase the switching pitch. Therefore, it is possible to provide a tuner that can switch the selection frequency very quickly even when the selection frequency is largely changed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an appearance of a radio receiver using a tuner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a radio receiver using a tuner according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a normal LCD display of the radio receiver using the tuner according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display on the LCD at the time of continuous operation of the radio receiver using the tuner according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display on an LCD at the time of continuous operation of a radio receiver using a tuner according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a television receiver using a conventional tuner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Radio receiver 11 ... Antenna 12 ... Tuner 13 ... Demodulation / amplification circuit 14 ... Microcomputer 15 ... Up button 16 ... Down button 17 ... LCD 18 ... Operation part 19 ... Speaker

Claims (4)

[Claims] A receiving means for receiving a radio signal of a predetermined frequency via an antenna; an operating means for inputting an instruction to increase or decrease a selected frequency; and the receiving means receiving in response to an operation of the operating means. Frequency switching control means for controlling the frequency of the radio signal to be switched at a predetermined frequency pitch; switching pitch changing means for increasing the pitch of the frequency switched by the frequency switching control means when the operation by the operation means is continuous A tuner comprising: 2. The tuner according to claim 1, wherein the switching pitch changing means switches a frequency of a digit larger than a normal switching frequency pitch when a continuous operation is input by the operating means. A tuner characterized by increasing the pitch. 3. The tuner according to claim 1, wherein said switching pitch changing means performs switching by setting a plurality of normal switching frequency pitches to one pitch during continuous input of operation by said operating means. A tuner characterized by increasing the frequency pitch. 4. The tuner according to claim 1, wherein the switching pitch changing means switches the frequency switching control means as the continuous input time of the operation by the operation means becomes longer. A tuner characterized by increasing the frequency pitch.