AUTOMOBILE RADIO RECORDING SYSTEM

SYSTEME D'ENREGISTREMENT POUR RECEPTEUR RADIO D'AUTOMOBILE

English Abstract

An auto recorder is provided that allows a user to continuously record the
contents of radio programs onto a solid state memory and then transfer selected
portions to a cassette tape or recordable compact disk. The auto recorder prevents
unnecessary wear on the tape mechanism and tape by requiring use of these only
when the tape transfer is made or the tape is being played back. A second optional
AM/FM tuner allows the user to listen to one program while recording another program
onto the solid state memory. Extended recording capability is provided.

French Abstract

Enter L'invention a trait à un enregistreur d'automobile permettant à un utilisateur d'enregistrer en continu le contenu de programmes radio sur une mémoire à semiconducteurs puis de transférer des parties déterminées sur une bande magnétique ou un disque compact pour enregistrement. L'enregistreur prévient l'usure inutile du mécanisme d'enregistrement sur bande et de la bande du fait que ses composants ne sont utilisés que lors du transfert sur la bande ou que lorsque l'utilisateur écoute l'enregistrement de la bande. Un deuxième tuner AM/FM optionnel permet à l'utilisateur d'écouter un programme tout en faisant l'enregistrement d'un autre sur une mémoire à semiconducteurs. L'invention offre donc une capacité étendue d'enregistrement.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An automobile recorder, comprising:
a. a conventional automobile radio electronic circuit;
b. a conventional cassette recorder connected directly to
receive the analog output of said radio electronics circuit;
c. an analog to digital converter in parallel with said
cassette recorder directly connected to receive the analog
output of said radio electronics circuit and has as its output
a digitized version of said analog input, said analog to
digital converter being normally blocked from receiving said
radio circuit output;
d. a random access memory that stores said digitized
version for later recording by said cassette recorder without
time delay, wherein the input to said random access memory is
the output of said analog to digital converter;
e. a digital to analog converter whose input is the
digitized output of said random access memory, wherein said
digital to analog converter has as its output the restored
analog output of said automobile radio electronics circuit such
that said analog output may be recorded onto said conventional
cassette recorder at a later time;
f. a microcontroller to unblock said analog to digital
converter to receive the analog output of said electronics
circuit and to order and operate said conventional automobile
radio electronics circuit, said conventional cassette recorder,
said analog to digital converter, said random access memory,
and said digital to analog converter, according to program
instructions;
g. a read only memory that permanently stores said program
instructions; and
h. means comprising a multiplicity of controls under the
control of a user that changeably enters said program
instructions and initiates said microcontroller to unblock said

analog to digital converter to permit recording by said
cassette recorder the digitized version of the output of said
radio circuit at a later time selected by said user.
2. An automobile recorder, as recited in claim 1, further
comprising a clock and minute indicator that displays time and
date and is connected to said conventional automobile radio
electronics circuit such that said clock and minute circuit is
used to program the start and stop times of a recording.
3. An automobile recorder, as recited in claim 1, further
comprising a microphone input and a microphone switch whereby
a microphone can be used as a recording information source.
4. An automobile recorder, as recited in claim 1, further
comprising a self-contained security alarm circuit.
5. An automobile recorder; as recited in claim 1, further
comprising a compact disk player.
6. An automobile recorder, as recited in claim 1, further
comprising a compact disk recorder, whereby the output of said
conventional auto radio electronics circuit can be recorded
onto a compact disk.

Description

CA 02199907 2002-O1-29
1
AUTOMOBILE RADIO RECORDING SYSTEM
BA KGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention relates, generally, to the field of
automobile entertainment systems, and, more specifically, to
automobile electroinc systems with recording capabilities. At
present drivers spend a great deal of time listening to music
while driving. Many of the songs heard on the auto radio are
the tunes that the driver would like to have as permanent
recordings. However, ithis individual is typically forced to
purchase the entire album in order to obtain a recording of the
desired song. In some instances, auto car radios are equipped
with a tape cassette deck; however, if the user attempts to
continuously record in order to not miss a song, the tape
mechanism and the tape will wear out through constant use.

2199907
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BACKGRO ND OF THE PRIOR naT
A number of inventions have been suggested to address the above stated
problems. For instance, Shu et. al. (U.S. Patent 5,050,021) suggests an
expanded
micro cassette player-recorder; Yamada et. al (U.S. Patent 5,053,901) suggests
a
threading device for tape recorder including a tension arm abutted against a
slide block
in an initial position; and Ohmori et. al. (U.S. Patent 5,065,264) suggest a
capstan
arrangement for a magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus. However, these
inventions do not pertain to auto installations and use magnetic recording
media only.
,..

CA 02199907 2000-09-15
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
there is provided an automobile recorder, comprising: a. a
conventional automobile radio electronic circuit; b. a
conventional cassette recorder connected directly to receive
the analog output of the radio electronics circuit; c. an
analog to digital converter in parallel with the cassette
recorder directly connected to receive the analog output of the
radio electronics circuit and has as its output a digitized
version of the analog input, the analog to digital converter
being normally blocked from receiving the radio circuit output;
d. a random access memory that stores the digitized version for
later recording by the cassette recorder without time delay,
wherein the input to the random access memory is the output of
the analog to digital converter; e. a digital to analog
converter whose input is the digitized output of the random
access memory, wherein the digital to analog converter has as
its output the restored analog output of the automobile radio
electronics circuit such that the analog output may be recorded
onto the conventional cassette recorder at a later time; f. a
microcontroller to unblock the analog to digital converter to
receive the analog output of the electronics circuit and to
order and operate the conventional automobile radio electronics
circuit, the conventional cassette recorder, the analog to
digital converter, the random access memory, and the digital
to analog converter, according to program instructions; g. a
read only memory that permanently stores the program
instructions; and h. means comprising a multiplicity of
controls under the control of a user that changeably enters the
program instructions and initiates the microcontroller to

CA 02199907 2000-09-15
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unblock said analog to digital converter to permit recording
by the cassette recorder the digitized version of the output
of the radio circuit at a later time selected by the user.
To the accomplishment of the above and related features,
this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact,
however, that the drawings are illustrative only and that
changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated
and described within the scope of the appended claims.
30

2199907
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BRIEF D RIPTION OF THE D WINC FIC'I IRFS
The figures in the drawings are briefly described as follows:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention, an in-dash stereo unit.
Figure 2 is a view of the front panel of a first embodiment of the invention.
Figure 3 is a view of the front panel of a second embodiment of the invention
showing
the addition of a microphone input and a built-in security system.
Figure 4 is a view of the front panel of a third embodiment of the invention
showing the
addition to a compact disk recordeNplayer.
Figure 5 is an electronic block diagram of the invention.

~~~9~~7
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DETAILED DESr'Ria'nnN n~ Tug oo~~~oo~D EMBODIME I S
The operation of the invention is best understood by first referring to Figure
5, the
electronic block diagram of the invention. The auto recorder (10 in Fig. 1 )
contains
conventional auto radio electronics circuits 62 with typical volume control
12, tuning
knob 24, equalizer 36, and clock display 34. In operation, when the user
operates the
memory controls 74, comprising memory control buttons 28,30,32, and 38, the
microcontroller 70 signals the conventional auto radio circuit 62 to output
the radio
audio signals to analog-to-digital converter 64. The analog-to-digital
converter 64
converts the radio's analog signal to a digitized form capable of storing in
solid state
memory. This digitized information is stored in random access memory 66. In
order to
prevent loss of memory should power be disconnected, random access memory 66
may
be made non volatile through the use of a battery backup or a nonvolatile
semiconductor technology.
a
When the user chooses to record the program onto a cassette tape, he
~ depresses one of the memory controls 74, which commands microcontroller 70
to dump

CA 02199907 2000-09-15
_ 7 _
the contents of random access memory 66 into digital to analog
converter 68 and thereby into cassette recorder 60. It should
be noted that recent advances in recordable compact disks now
make it possible to record onto compact disk as well as
cassette, so that cassette can be supplemented or replaced by
a compact disk recorder.
The permanent operating instructions for microcontroller
70 are contained in read only memory 72. The time and date are
displayed on display 34 by clock circuit 76. This clock
circuit can also be used to auto record at some predetermined
time.
One option to the invention is the addition of a second
AM/FM tuner 80. This second tuner allows the user to listen
to a radio program through speaker 78 while recording a
different program occurring simultaneously on a different radio
channel.
The first embodiment of the invention, shown in Figure 2.
This embodiment employs a single cassette recorder 14 with
eject button 16. It offers a record light 18, Dolby noise
reduction button 20, record button 22, and headphones jack 26.

CA 02199907 2000-09-15
The second embodiment, shown in Figure 3, offers the
addition of security circuits operated by security code buttons
43, 44, 46, and 48, as well as a microphone jack 40 and microphone
push button switch 42.
The third embodiment, shown in Figure 4, is similar to the
second embodiment and adds a compact disk player/recorder 50
with eject button 52.
While certain novel features of this invention have been
shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims,
it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and
changes in the forms and the details of the device illustrated
and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art
without departing from the spirit of the invention.

2199907
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It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or
more
together may also find a useful application in other types of methods
differing from the
type described above.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described
and
are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the
details
above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications,
substitutions
and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its
operation can
be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the
spirit of the
present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the
present
invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for
various
applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art,
fairly
constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of
this invention.

Representative Drawing