Patent Publication Number: US-2007117535-A1

Title: Multifunctional radio

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention generally relates to radios and, particularly, to a multifunctional radio which may play external devices.  
      2. DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART  
      Radios are receiving equipments of wireless broadcast system. Numerous popular radio devices, such as AM/FM radios, utilize radio frequency receivers to detect and reproduce sounds from radio frequency signals transmitted by distant broadcasting stations. These receivers are generally tuned to select one of a number of stations by setting the resonant frequency of an oscillator in the receiver to a frequency that differs from the frequency of the signal transmitted from other stations by a predetermined fixed amount. Accordingly, people may freely choose any station to listen, thereby making life rich and colorful.  
      Radios are adored by a wide range of consumers owing to a broad selection of entertainment programs. However, a typical radio cannot connect with an external device such as an MPEG Audio Laye-3 (MP3) player so as to provide a strong amplifier for the sound from the MP3 player. Accordingly, conventional radios are often difficult to satisfy needs of consumers.  
      Although MP3 players may have a FM radio function, the radio function is a secondary function making the receiving range and precision not as good as a common radio. Furthermore, the volume of MP3 player products is limited such that MP3 player products usually have a weak amplifier.  
      Therefore, a new multifunctional radio is desired in order to overcome the above-described shortcomings.  
     SUMMARY  
      In one embodiment thereof, a multifunctional radio includes a housing and at least one speaker. The housing has an external interface configured for connecting an external device. The at least one speaker is fixed to the housing. The at least one speaker is electrically adapted by the external device.  
      Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Many aspects of the multifunctional radio can be better understood with reference to the following drawing. The components in the drawing are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the multifunctional radio. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.  
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an embodiment of the multifunctional radio. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring to drawings in detail,  FIG. 1  shows a multifunctional radio  100  in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The multifunctional radio  100  includes a housing  10  and a printed circuit board (not shown) received therein.  
      The housing  10  is substantially rectangular, and includes a front surface  12  and a top surface  14 . The front surface  12  is oriented perpendicular to the top surface  14 . A display  122  is located on the front surface  12 . A number of function buttons  124  are arranged on the left side surface  12  adjacent to the display  122  for operating the multifunctional radio  100 .  
      The display  122  is used to display information that includes a digital dial to show the radio station setting tuned-in, and may also show a current state such as a sleep state or an alarm state. A subsidiary display  142  is disposed on the top surface  14  by way of digital type. The subsidiary display  142  functions as a time display to show a time that is large enough in size and relatively easy to see. The subsidiary display  142  may be a liquid crystal display (LED) display screen or an electroluminescent display screen configured for displaying time. Accordingly, the subsidiary display  142  may illuminate in the dark.  
      The housing  10  has two speakers.  16  disposed at two ends thereof so as to transform an electronic signals into sound. A universal serial bus (USB) interface  144  is disposed at the top surface  14  adjacent to the subsidiary display  142 . A typical MP3 player may be inserted in the interface  144  so as to connect with the multifunctional radio  100 . Accordingly, the MP3 player may transform its electronic signals into sounds by means of the speakers  16  of the multifunctional radio  100 .  
      The printed circuit board includes a radio module configured for receiving AM/FM radio signals. The multifunctional radio  100  may play both AM/FM radio stations and broadcast TV bands. The radio module electrically connected to the speakers  16  so as to enable the speakers  16  to transform the AM/FM radio signals into sound. The multifunctional radio  100  includes an alarm system for setting alarms for a full week, weekdays, or the weekend. The alarm system includes an alarm clock circuit that is electrically coupled to the radio output circuit. The alarm clock circuit has an alarm output signal. The radio output circuit is responsive to the alarm output signal of the alarm clock circuit in a manner so as to output an alarm signal. The alarm signal is sent to a device such as a buzzer, a bell, or other transducer.  
      In operation, the user of the radio  100  actuates one or more of several buttons disposed on the housing  10  to operate the radio receiver mode and clock functions. When the user desires to place the clock in an alarm mode, such as to wake up at a predetermined time, he actuates the appropriate buttons  124  to set the alarm time and to place the alarm in an “armed” state. When the actual time is reached, the bell device is actuated to emit a sound that will notify, or wake, the user.  
      In another embodiment, the USB interface  144  is replaced with an IEEE1394 external interface.  
      In the above-mentioned embodiments, the interface  144  acts as a connecting interface configured for connecting an external device and allows the external device to transmit an electronic signal to the speaker so as to transform into sound.  
      As described above, the preferred embodiments provides the multifunctional radio convenient for a user to connect the MP3 player by way of the external device. It is, however, to be understood that the multifunctional radio could potentially be useful in other applications in which it may be desirable to connect other devices.  
      It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.