Broadcast signal output device and vehicle having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12328661-B2
Application number	US-202217869435-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2022
Priority date	Nov 4, 2021
Publication date	Jun 10, 2025
Grant date	Jun 10, 2025

Abstract

Provided is a broadcast signal output device and a vehicle having the same. The broadcast signal output device includes: a communicator configured to receive current location information; a memory in which map information is stored; a tuner configured to receive a broadcast signal having a frequency; a processor configured to determine whether a current location is a shadow area based on the current location information and the map information, determine whether a broadcast device is present upon determining that the current location is the shadow area, mute the received broadcast signal to prevent noise from being output upon determining that the broadcast device is absent, and control an output of the received broadcast signal upon determining that the broadcast device is present; and a sound outputter configured to output an audio signal in the received broadcast signal in response to a control command of the processor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A broadcast signal output device comprising:
a communicator configured to receive current location information;
a memory in which map information is stored;
a tuner configured to receive a broadcast signal having a frequency;
a processor configured to:
determine whether a current location is a shadow area based on the current location information and the map information,
determine whether a broadcast device is present upon determining that the current location is the shadow area,
mute the received broadcast signal to inhibit noise from being output upon determining that the broadcast device is absent, and
control output of the received broadcast signal upon determining that the broadcast device is present; and

a sound outputter configured to output an audio signal in the received broadcast signal in response to a control command of the processor,
wherein:
the communicator is configured to perform communication with a server, and
upon determining that the current location is the shadow area, the processor is configured to:
transmit the current location information to the server,
receive information about an existence of a shadow area specific broadcast device from the server, and
determine whether the broadcast device is present in the shadow area of the current location based on the received information about the existence of the shadow area specific broadcast device.

2. The broadcast signal output device of claim 1 , wherein the memory is configured to store location information of the shade area, and
the processor is configured to compare the current location information with the location information of the shadow area stored in the memory and determine whether the current location is the shadow area.

3. The broadcast signal output device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to learn the information about the existence of the shadow area specific broadcast device received from the server and determine whether the broadcast device is present in the shadow area of the current location.

4. The broadcast signal output device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
control the communicator to transmit receive signal strength indicator (RSSI) information at an entry point of the shadow area, RSSI information in the shadow area, and RSS information at an exit point of the shadow area to the server, and
determine whether the broadcast device is present in the shadow area based on the RSSI information at the entry point of the shadow area, the RSSI information in the shadow area, and the RSS information at the exit point of the shadow area.

5. The broadcast signal output device of claim 1 , further comprising a display,
wherein upon determining that the current location is the shadow area, the processor is configured to control the display to display information about a broadcast signal having a frequency receivable through the tuner.

6. The broadcast signal output device of claim 1 , further comprising a broadcast signal processor configured to acquire information about an RSSI of the received broadcast signal,
wherein:
upon determining that the current location is the shadow area and the broadcast device is present in the shadow area, the processor is configured to determine whether the acquired RSSI is greater than or equal to a reference RSSI, and
upon determining that the acquired RSSI is greater than or equal to the reference RSSI, the processor is configured to remove noise from the audio signal in the received broadcast signal to adjust a sound quality.

7. The broadcast signal output device of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to, upon determining that the acquired RSSI is less than the reference RSSI, perform a first broadcast output mode to output a same broadcast program as a broadcast program before an entry into the shadow area.

8. The broadcast signal output device of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to, upon determining that the acquired RSSI is less than the reference RSSI, perform a second broadcast output mode to output a broadcast signal having a frequency different from a broadcast signal having a frequency received before an entry into the shadow area.

9. The broadcast signal output device of claim 1 , further comprising a broadcast signal processor configured to acquire information about an RSSI of the received broadcast signal,
wherein the processor is configured to, upon determining that the current location is the shadow area and the broadcast device is present in the shadow area, determine whether the acquired RSSI is greater than or equal to a reference RSSI, and upon determining that the acquired RSSI is greater than or equal to the reference RSSI, perform a first broadcast output mode to output a same broadcast program as a broadcast program before an entry into the shadow area.

10. The broadcast signal output device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to, upon determining that the acquired RSSI is less than the reference RSSI, perform a second broadcast output mode to output a broadcast signal having a frequency different from a broadcast signal having a frequency received before the entry into the shadow area.

11. The broadcast signal output device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to,
upon determining that the current location is the shadow area and the broadcast device is present in the shadow area, perform a first broadcast output mode to output a same broadcast program as a broadcast program before an entry into the shadow area.

12. The broadcast signal output device of claim 1 , further comprising a broadcast signal processor configured to acquire information about an RSSI of the received broadcast signal,
wherein the processor is configured to, upon checking that the RSSI is greater than or equal to a preset RSSI, determine that the broadcast device is present, and upon checking that the RSSI is less than the preset RSSI, determine that the broadcast device is absent.

13. The broadcast signal output device of claim 1 , further comprising an inputter,
wherein the processor is configured to, upon receiving a first broadcast output mode through the inputter, determine whether the current location is a shadow area in which a broadcast device is provided, and upon determining that the current location is the shadow area in which the broadcast device is provided, check a broadcast program being broadcast, check a frequency for outputting the checked broadcast program, and control the tuner to receive a broadcast signal having the checked frequency.

14. The broadcast signal output device of claim 1 , further comprising an inputter,
wherein the processor is configured to, upon receiving a second broadcast output mode through the inputter, determine whether the current location is a shadow area in which a broadcast device is provided, and upon determining that the current location is the shadow area in which the broadcast device is provided, check a broadcast signal having a receivable frequency, and control output of the checked broadcast signal.

15. The broadcast signal output device of claim 1 , further comprising a display,
wherein the processor is configured to control the display to output a video signal in the broadcast signal.

16. A vehicle comprising:
an inputter;
a location receiver configured to receive current location information; and
a broadcast signal output device configured to receive a broadcast signal having a frequency and output an audio signal in the received broadcast signal,
wherein the broadcast signal outp

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Lee Sang Heun

Classifications

• H04W48/16

  Discovering, processing access restriction or access information · CPC title

• H04B17/327

  Received signal code power [RSCP] · CPC title

• H03J7/183

  combined with selection between different stations transmitting the same programm, e.g. by analysis of the received signal strength · CPC title

• H04N21/41422

  located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle (arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62) · CPC title

• H04H60/51

  of receiving stations · CPC title