IP Library Granted Patent US 12,587,928
Granted Patent B2
US 12,587,928 · App. 18/325,711 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Radio broadcast receiver and radio source switching method

Inventors: Masataka Yamamoto (Kanagawa, JP); Yosuke Ishikawa (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Co., Ltd.
H04W36/30H04W36/125
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,587,928
App. No.
18/325,711
Granted
Mar 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A radio broadcast receiver comprising: a memory; and a processor that is coupled to the memory, and, when executing a program stored in the memory, performs operations. The operations include: receiving analog quality information indicating a reception quality of an analog radio based on a broadcast radio including a digital radio and the analog radio; and determining switching of a radio source from one of the broadcast radio and an IP radio to the other of the broadcast radio and the IP radio based on the analog quality information indicating the reception quality of the analog radio.

Claims (51)

1 . A radio broadcast receiver comprising:

a memory;

a processor that is coupled to the memory, and, when executing a program stored in the memory, performs operations comprising:

receiving analog quality information indicating a reception quality of an analog radio based on a broadcast radio including a digital radio and the analog radio;

determining switching of a radio source from a first one of the broadcast radio and an Internet Protocol (IP) radio to a second one of the broadcast radio and the IP radio based on the analog quality information indicating the reception quality of the analog radio;

switching the radio source from the IP radio to the broadcast radio in a case in which a reception condition of the analog radio is determined to be good based on the analog quality information;

switching the radio source from the IP radio to the digital radio in a case in which the reception condition of the analog radio is determined to be good based on the analog quality information while the IP radio is selected as the radio source; and

switching the radio source from the digital radio to the IP radio in a case in which the reception condition of the analog radio is determined not to be good based on the analog quality information while the digital radio of the broadcast radio is selected as the radio source; and

a speaker that, in operation, outputs a broadcast radio sound or an IP radio sound according to the switching,

wherein the processor, in operation, determines the reception condition of the analog radio is good when a numerical value of a signal level of the analog radio continues to exceed a first threshold value for a first period of time, and

wherein the processor, in operation, determines the reception condition of the analog radio is not good when the numerical value of the signal level of the analog radio continues to fall below a second threshold value for a second period of time, the second threshold value being lower than the first threshold value.

2 . The radio broadcast receiver according to claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

switching the radio source from the broadcast radio to the IP radio in a case in which the reception condition of the analog radio is determined not to be good based on the analog quality information.

3 . The radio broadcast receiver according to claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving digital quality information indicating a reception quality of the digital radio; and

determining the switching based on the digital quality information and the analog quality information.

4 . The radio broadcast receiver according to claim 3 , wherein the operations further comprise:

switching the radio source from the broadcast radio to the IP radio in a case in which a reception condition of the digital radio is determined not to be good based on the digital quality information or in a case in which the reception condition of the digital radio is determined to be good but a reception condition of the analog radio is determined not to be good based on the analog quality information and the digital quality information.

5 . The radio broadcast receiver according to claim 3 , wherein the operations further comprise:

switching the radio source from the IP radio to the broadcast radio in a case in which both a reception condition of the digital radio and a reception condition of the analog radio are determined to be good based on the analog quality information and the digital quality information.

6 . The radio broadcast receiver according to claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise:

switching the radio source from the IP radio to the broadcast radio in a case in which both the reception condition of the digital radio and the reception condition of the analog radio are determined to be good based on the analog quality information and the digital quality information.

7 . The radio broadcast receiver according to claim 3 , wherein the operations further comprise:

switching the radio source from the IP radio to the digital radio in a case in which a reception condition of the digital radio is determined to be good based on the digital quality information; and

switching the radio source from the IP radio to the analog radio in a case in which the reception condition of the digital radio is determined not to be good and a reception condition of the analog radio is determined to be good based on the analog quality information and the digital quality information.

8 . The radio broadcast receiver according to claim 3 , wherein the operations further comprise:

switching the radio source from the IP radio to the digital radio in a case in which a reception condition of the digital radio is determined to be good based on the digital quality information; and

switching the radio source from the IP radio to the analog radio in a case in which:

(i) the reception condition of the digital radio is determined not to be good based on the digital quality information;

(ii) the reception condition of the analog radio is determined to be good based on the analog quality information; and

(iii) the reception condition of the digital radio is not estimated to become good.

9 . The radio broadcast receiver according to claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:

switching the radio source from the IP radio to the broadcast radio after waiting for a predetermined time in a case in which:

(i) the reception condition of the digital radio is determined not to be good based on the digital quality information;

(ii) the reception condition of the analog radio is determined to be good based on the analog quality information; and

(iii) the reception condition of the digital radio is estimated to become good.

10 . The radio broadcast receiver according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first antenna; and

a second antenna different from the first antenna,

wherein a radio wave of the broadcast radio is received by the first antenna, and a radio wave of the IP radio is received by the second antenna.

11 . A radio source switching method comprising:

receiving analog quality information indicating a reception quality of an analog radio based on a broadcast radio including a digital radio and the analog radio;

determining switching of a radio source from a first one of the broadcast radio and an Internet Protocol (IP) radio to a second one of the broadcast radio and the IP radio based on the analog quality information indicating the reception quality of the analog radio;

switching the radio source from the IP radio to the broadcast radio in a case in which a reception condition of the analog radio is determined to be good based on the analog quality information;

switching the radio source from the IP radio to the digital radio in a case in which the reception condition of the analog radio is determined to be good based on the analog quality information while the IP radio is selected as the radio source; and

switching the radio source from the digital radio to the IP radio in a case in which the reception condition of the analog radio is determined not to be good based on the analog quality information while the digital radio of the broadcast radio is selected as the radio source; and

outputting a broadcast radio sound or an IP radio sound from a speaker according to the switching

wherein the reception condition of the analog radio is determined to be good when a numerical value of a signal level of the analog radio continues to exceed a first threshold value for a first period of time, and

wherein the reception condition of the analog radio is determined not to be good when the numerical value of the signal level of the analog radio continues to fall below a second threshold value for a second period of time, the second threshold value being lower than the first threshold value.

12 . The radio broadcast receiver according to claim 1 , wherein

when sound interruptions are greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold in the IP radio, the speaker switches from outputting the IP radio sound having the sound interruptions, the broadcast radio sound of which the reception condition of the analog radio is determined to be good.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066709/0727 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 4, 2023
From: YAMAMOTO, MASATAKA; ISHIKAWA, YOSUKE
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064786/0011 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-030901 · Feb 26, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2021040185 · Oct 29, 2021
Related Publication 20230328615A1 · Oct 12, 2023
References Cited (15)
US 7551889B2 · Quelle · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20100296673A1 · Estes · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20170353251A1 · Martinez Diez · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 107005319B · 2019 [cited by applicant]
EP 3160065A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
EP 3324561A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2010258820A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
JP 2015126360A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017085223A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017108229A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018082399A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
Translation of JP 2018125781A, “Radio Broadcast Receiver”, Ozaki Daisuke, 1 page, Sep. 6, 2018. [cited by examiner]
Broadcast Reception Device and Output Control Method, Hamaguchi Tomoya, May 2, 2015. ( Translation of JP 2016144193 A). [cited by examiner]
International Search Report, mailed Dec. 28, 2021, for PCT Application No. PCT/JP2021/040185. (5 pages) (with English translation). [cited by applicant]
Office Action, dated Aug. 4, 2025, for Taiwanese Patent Application No. 111106820. (35 pages)(with English Translation). [cited by applicant]