Computerized radio receiver

A radio receiver comprising:

• an RF tuner which is operative to receive an input RF signal from an antenna, the tuner including a frequency selector for determining a current selected frequency so that the tuner produces an output signal derived from the selected RF frequency and which can be supplied to a peripheral output device;
• a control system coupled to the tuner so as to control the operation thereof including operation of the frequency selector;
• a display screen coupled to the control system, the control system being operative to control the presentation of data and the presentation of user selectable inputs by the display screen;
• an input peripheral device coupled to the control system and by means of which the user can input data or information or commands to the control system;
• the control system including:
• a tuner frequency display control operative to cause display on the display screen in real time of the current frequency being passed by the tuner;
• and
• a tuner frequency select control responsive to input of a frequency change command by the user via the input peripheral device to cause the frequency selector of the tuner to change the current selected frequency of the tuner in accordance with the frequency change command,
• the tuner frequency select control being operative to cause display on the display screen of an image of a user selectable tuner frequency modifier, the control system being operative, firstly, in response to user selection of the tuner frequency modifier image via the input peripheral device, to cause the frequency selector of the tuner to change the current selected frequency of the tuner in accordance with the user selection, the tuner frequency modifier image comprising an image of an analogue tuning dial having markings to indicate a simulated rotational position of the dial and, secondly, when the user selects the dial and inputs the frequency change command via the input peripheral device to cause the frequency selector of the tuner to change the current selected frequency, the tuner frequency select control causes display on the display screen in real time of an animation of rotation of the dial for as long as the frequency change command is being input;
• the control system further including a stepping size memory for storing a desired incremental frequency step size by which the tuner frequency is to be changed when the user inputs the frequency change command to step up or to step down from an instantaneous tuner frequency.

A computerized radio receiver comprising:

• an RF tuner which is operative to receive an input RF signal from an antenna, the tuner including a frequency selector for determining a current selected frequency so that the tuner produces an output signal derived from the selected RF frequency and which can be supplied to a peripheral output device;
• a control system coupled to the tuner so as to control an operation thereof including operation of the frequency selector;
• a display screen coupled to the control system, the control system being operative to control the presentation of data and the presentation of user selectable inputs by the display screen;
• an input peripheral device coupled to the control system and by means of which the user can input data or information or commands to the control system;
• the control system comprising:
• a tuner frequency display control operative to cause display on the display screen in real time of the current frequency being passed by the tuner;
• a tuner frequency select control responsive to input of a frequency change command by the user via the input peripheral device to cause the frequency selector of the tuner to change the current selected frequency of the tuner in accordance with the frequency change command,
• a frequency range display control operative to cause display on the display screen of a frequency range display with associated presence indications at points along the frequency range display, the presence indications indicating the presence at particular frequencies of signals of significant strength indicative of detectable RF signals;
• a frequency pointer control operative to cause display on the display screen of a frequency pointer which is movable on the display screen in response to movement input commands by the user via the input peripheral device, the tuner frequency select control of the control system being operative in response to input of the frequency change command by the user to cause the frequency selector to change the current selected frequency dependent upon the position of the frequency pointer in relation to the frequency range display;
• wherein the control system updates the frequency range display in real time as the current selected frequency is scanned up or down, whereby the frequency range display provides to the user current information concerning the strength of signals at frequencies near to the current selected frequency;
• and,
• a background RF tuner additional to the RF tuner having the frequency selector for determining the current selected frequency, the background tuner being operative to receive and detect RF signals in a band of frequencies around the current selected frequency, the background tuner having an associated signal strength detector to provide indications of the strength of the RF signals being received and detected at frequencies within the band, the background tuner being operative to scan through a range of frequencies on either side of the current selected frequency and the signal strength detector being operative to provide a simultaneous indication of the strength of the signals, the frequency range display control of the control system being responsive to the background tuner and to the signal strength detector to regularly update the frequency range display.

A radio receiver comprising:

• an RF tuner for receiving an input RF signal from an antenna, the tuner comprising a frequency selector for determining a current selected frequency so that the tuner produces an output signal derived from the selected RF frequency which can be supplied to a peripheral output device;
• a control system for controlling the RF tuner and operation of the frequency selector;
• a display screen coupled to the control system, the control system being operative to control the presentation of data and the presentation of user selectable inputs by the display screen;
• an input peripheral device coupled to the control system for enabling the user to input data or information or commands to the control system;
• the control system comprising:
• a tuner frequency display control operative to cause display on the display screen in real time of the current frequency being passed by the tuner, and
• a tuner frequency select control responsive to input of a frequency change command by the user via the input peripheral device to cause the frequency selector of the tuner to change the current selected frequency of the tuner in accordance with the frequency change command;
• a receiver operating mode control operative to cause display on the display screen in real time of a current mode of operation of the tuner, the mode of operation including at least the current frequency band of the tuner operation;
• and
• a receiver power control operative to cause display on the display screen of an image of a power switch having an off condition and an on condition and between which the user can toggle by inputting a power command via the input peripheral device, the receiver power control being operative when the off condition of the power switch is selected firstly to cause display on the display screen of a quiescent image of a radio control panel with data presented on the display screen including the display of the current selected frequency being blanked and secondly to cause the tuner to be disabled, the receiver power control being operative when the on condition of the power switch is selected firstly to cause display on the display screen of an active image of the radio control panel with data being presented on the display screen including the current selected frequency and secondly to cause the tuner to be enabled.

A computerized radio receiver comprising:

• an RF tuner for receiving an input RF signal from an antenna, the tuner including a frequency selector for determining a current selected frequency so that the tuner produces an output signal derived from the selected RF frequency and which can be supplied to a peripheral output device;
• a control system coupled to the tuner to control an operation thereof including operation of the frequency selector,
• a display screen coupled to the control system, the control system operative to control the presentation of data and the presentation of user selectable inputs by the display screen;
• an input peripheral device coupled to the control system and by means of which a user can input data or information or commands to the control system;
• the control system comprising:
• a tuner frequency display control operative to cause display on the display screen in real time of the current frequency being passed by the tuner;
• a tuner frequency select control responsive to input of a frequency change command by the user via the input peripheral device to cause the frequency selector of the tuner to change the current selected frequency of the tuner in accordance with the frequency change command,
• a frequency range display control operative to cause display on the display screen of a frequency range display with associated presence indications at points along the frequency range display, the presence indications indicating the presence at particular frequencies of signals of significant strength indicative of detectable RF signals;
• a frequency pointer control operative to cause display on the display screen of a frequency pointer which is movable on the display screen in response to movement input commands by the user via the input peripheral device, the tuner frequency select control of the control system being operative in response to input of the frequency change command by the user to cause the frequency selector to change the current selected frequency dependent upon a position of the frequency pointer in relation to the frequency range display;
• and,
• a signal search initiator which is selectable by the user, the frequency range display control being operative in response to selection by the user of the signal search initiator to cause display on the display screen of a real time plot of the strength of detected RF signals throughout a range of frequencies as the tuner scans through the range of frequencies in response to selection by the user of the signal search initiator;
• and,
• wherein the control system is operative to initiate a predetermined action upon the signal strength exceeding a predetermined threshold, the predetermined action being selected from a group of actions comprising stopping the scanning of the tuner through different frequencies, pausing the scanning of the tuner through different frequencies, recording of the frequency at which the signal strength has exceeded the predetermined threshold, and initiating recording of the received signal at the predetermined frequency.

A computerized radio receiver comprising:

• an RF tuner for receiving an input RF signal from an antenna, the tuner including a frequency selector for determining a current selected frequency so that the tuner produces an output signal derived from the selected RF frequency and which can be supplied to a peripheral output device;
• a control system coupled to the tuner to control an operation thereof including operation of the frequency selector;
• a display screen coupled to the control system, the control system operative to control the presentation of data and the presentation of user selectable inputs by the display screen;
• an input peripheral device coupled to the control system and by means of which a user can input data or information or commands to the control system;
• the control system comprising:
• a tuner frequency display control operative to cause display on the display screen in real time of the current frequency being passed by the tuner;
• a tuner frequency select control responsive to input of a frequency change command by the user via the input peripheral device to cause the frequency selector of the tuner to change the current selected frequency of the tuner in accordance with the frequency change command,
• a frequency range display control operative to cause display on the display screen of a frequency range display with associated presence indications at points along the frequency range display, the presence indications indicating the presence at particular frequencies of signals of significant strength indicative of detectable RF signals;
• a frequency pointer control operative to cause display on the display screen of a frequency pointer which is movable on the display screen in response to movement input commands by the user via the input peripheral device, the tuner frequency select control of the control system being operative in response to input of the frequency change command by the user to cause the frequency selector to change the current selected frequency dependent upon a position of the frequency pointer in relation to the frequency range display;
• and,
• a sensitivity threshold control operative to provide a threshold for the signal strength enabling identification and response only to signals having a strength exceeding the threshold, the frequency display control being operative to cause display on the display screen of a sensitivity threshold level associated with the frequency range display whereby signals having a strength exceeding the threshold can be seen on the frequency range display;
• and,
• the threshold level display comprising a squelch line superimposed on the frequency range display, the separation of the squelch line from a. frequency axis of the frequency range display being indicative of the threshold level, the radio receiver further including a squelch line segmenting control operable in response to user commands to break the squelch line into multiple segments, a distance of each individual segment from the frequency axis being selectively variable under the control of the user whereby the signal threshold level can be selectively varied for different parts of a received frequency spectrum.