Radio receiver having station format selection capability

Claim 2

A broadcast receiver including a tuning means, combined with:- means for conveying to a user a plurality of distinct items of information identifying attributes of a received station; memory means having stored therein a database containing said plurality of distinct items of information identifying attributes of broadcast stations capable of being received by the receiver; control means for transferring from said memory means to said conveying means said items of information of a received station; means for the user to select a desired attribute of a received station; and means for restricting receiver station reception to stations having said desired attribute.

Claim 3

The receiver of claim 1 wherein one of said attributes is station program format and said selection means provides the user with a plurality of station program formats from which to choose a desired format.

Claim 4

The receiver of claim 1 wherein said database is organized according to geographic grids within a general broadcast region.

Claim 5

The receiver of claim 3 further comprising means for the user to input to said control means receiver location data that identifies which geographic grid the receiver is located within or neighbor to.

Claim 6

The receiver of claim 4 wherein said receiver location data comprises city and state information.

Claim 7

The receiver of claim 4 wherein said control means scans said database for multiple stations using a common broadcast frequency within a geographic grid, said control means sequentially transferring said items of information to said conveying means for each of said multiple stations when instructed by the user.

Claim 8

A broadcast receiver comprising: a. means to tune the receiver to one of a plurality of broadcast frequencies; b. means to detect reception of a station broadcasting on one of said broadcast frequencies; c. means for conveying to the user a plurality of items of information identifying attributes of a received station; d. memory means having stored therein a database containing said plurality of items of information identifying attributes of broadcast stations capable of being received by the receiver; e. control means for transferring from said memory means to said conveying means said items of information for a received station, said control means controlling said tuning means frequency in response to said detecting means; and f. means for the user to instruct said control means to only receive stations having a user selected identifying attribute.

Claim 9

A broadcast receiver comprising: a. means to tune the receiver to one of a plurality of broadcast frequencies; b. means to detect reception of a station broadcasting on one of said broadcast frequencies; c. means for conveying to the user a plurality of items of information identifying attributes of a received station; d. memory means having stored therein a database containing said plurality of items of information identifying attributes of broadcast stations capable of being received by the receiver; e. control means for transferring from said memory means to said conveying means said items of information for a received station, said control means controlling said tuning means frequency in response to said detecting means; and f. means for the user to instruct said control means to only receive stations having a user selected identifying attribute.

Claim 10

The receiver of claim 7 wherein said control means is a programmed microprocessor controller capable of automatically scanning a broadcast frequency band for stations capable of being received, said database being organized according to a plurality of geographic regions, wherein said instruction means includes means for the user to input receiver location data to said control means.

Claim 11

The receiver of claim 8 wherein said control means identifies which of said geographic regions the receiver is in according to said receiver location data, and restricts station reception to stations having said selected attribute.

Claim 12

The receiver of claim 9 wherein said control means first scans a broadcast frequency band for an available station and then permits reception of that station if said station has said selected attribute.

Claim 13

The receiver of claim 9 wherein said control means first scans said database for available stations within the receiver geographical region having said selected attribute, and further comprising means for the user to select which of said available stations is received.

Claim 14

The receiver according to claim 7 wherein said user selectable identifying attribute is station program format.

Claim 15

In combination with a broadcast receiver including a tuning means: means having the capacity to convey to the user a plurality of distinct items of information concerning a received station; memory means having stored therein a database containing alpha-numeric information representing a plurality of distinct items of information identifying attributes of the broadcast stations capable of being received by the receiver; a control module connected to the receiver; and means coupling said memory means through said control module to said conveying means whereby the distinct items of information may be conveyed to the user.

Claim 16

In combination with a broadcast receiver including a tuning means: means having the capacity to convey to the user a plurality of distinct items of information concerning a received station; memory means having stored therein a database containing alpha-numeric information representing a plurality of distinct items of information identifying attributes of the broadcast stations capable of being received by the receiver; a control module connected to the receiver; and means coupling said memory means through said control module to said conveying means whereby the distinct items of information may be conveyed to the user.

Claim 17

The receiver of claim 13 wherein one of said distinct items of information is information pertaining to the call sign of a broadcast station.

Claim 18

The receiver of claim 13 wherein one of said distinct items of information is information pertaining to the frequency of a broadcast station.

Claim 19

The receiver of claim 13 wherein one of said distinct items of information is information pertaining to the format of a broadcast station.

Claim 20

The receiver of claim 13 wherein the information identifies the location of the broadcast station.

Claim 21

The receiver of claim 13 wherein the information identifies the city and state in which the broadcast station is located.

Claim 22

The receiver of claim 13 wherein user operated means are provided in order to enter the location of the receiver and means to convey that information.

Claim 23

The receiver of claim 13 wherein user operated means are provided in order to enter the time and date and means to convey that information.

Claim 24

The receiver of claim 13 wherein user operated means are provided in order to enter the preset stations and means to convey that information.

Claim 25

The receiver of claim 13 wherein user operated means are provided to control the duration of the operation of the receiver and means to convey that information.

Claim 26

The receiver of claim 13 wherein means are provided for a user to enter a time at which the receiver is to start operating or sound an alarm and to convey that time information.

Claim 27

In combination with the receiver as set forth in claim 13 wherein said memory means may be periodically replaced in order to maintain currency of the data stored therein.