Interactive video distribution systems – Video distribution system with local interaction – Interactive data transmitted in video signal band
Reexamination Certificate
1997-04-08
2001-07-10
Faile, Andrew (Department: 2611)
Interactive video distribution systems
Video distribution system with local interaction
Interactive data transmitted in video signal band
C725S095000, C348S461000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260195
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cable television (hereinafter, referred to as CATV) broadcasting system, and a terminal device for the CATV broadcasting system.
Recently, CATV systems have come into wide use. Users of the CATV systems who contract to receive CATV broadcasts receive a broadcast signal transmitted through a CATV network from a broadcasting center with use of a terminal device. The terminal device includes a converter connected to the CATV network and a TV receiver connected to the converter. The TV receiver reproduces images and sounds based on the broadcast signal. The terminal device is usually arranged such that when the terminal device is turned ON, the channel which was being viewed when the terminal device was turned OFF is automatically selected.
The CATV broadcasting system as described above may also be used to broadcast various notifications such as, for example, notification of temporary interruption of broadcasting due to construction work on the network and the like (hereinafter, referred to as “notification information”). Generally, the notification information is broadcast through a specific channel (hereinafter, referred to as a notification channel). Since the terminal device is arranged to automatically select, when the terminal device is turned ON, the last channel the users viewed, the users may not see the notification information unless they positively select the notification channel. Thus, there is a problem in that the notification information may not be effectively delivered.
To cope with this problem, it is possible to broadcast the notification information through all broadcast channels at once at a predetermined time, however, since a program being viewed by users must be forcibly interrupted to display the notification information, the users may be inconvenienced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a terminal device for a CATV broadcasting system, and a CATV broadcasting system capable of efficiently and conveniently transmitting notification information to users.
For the above object, according to the invention, there is provided a television system, comprising: a broadcasting center; and a plurality of terminal devices. The broadcasting center transmits broadcasting signals corresponding to a plurality of television channels, and a channel data signal representative of a channel number. Each of the terminal devices receives the broadcasting signals, and the channel data signal. Further, each of the terminal devices includes a tuner, a memory, in which the channel data is stored, and a controller, the controller controlling the tuner to select a channel represented by the channel data stored in the memory when the terminal device is turned ON.
Optionally, the memory may store a selected channel number which was selected when the terminal device was last turned OFF, and if the channel data does not represent a channel number, the controller controls the tuner to select the selected channel number which had been stored in the memory.
Further optionally, the broadcasting center may transmit a predetermined information, such as a notification information through a channel represented by the channel data. The notification information may be related to operation of the broadcasting center, such as an interruption of broadcasting due to a construction work or the like.
Still optionally, the television may be a cable television system, in which the broadcasting signals and the channel data signal are transmitted from the broadcasting center to the terminal devices through a cable network.
Furthermore, the broadcasting signals are not limited to analog signals, but could be digital signals.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a television system, comprising: a broadcasting center; and a plurality of terminal devices. The broadcasting center transmits broadcasting signals corresponding to a plurality of television channels, and a channel data signal representative of a channel number. Each of the terminal devices receives the broadcasting signals, and the channel data signal. Each of the terminal devices includes an operable member which is operated by a user to turn ON or OFF the terminal device; a tuner; a memory, in which the channel data is stored; and a controller. The controller controls the tuner to select a channel represented by the channel data stored in the memory in response to operation of the operable member. Thus, when the terminal device is turned ON or OFF, the channel represented by the channel data stored in the memory is selected.
Optionally, the television system may be a cable television system using a cable network, the broadcasting signals and the channel data signal being transmitted from the broadcasting center to the terminal devices through the cable network.
According to further aspect of the invention, there is provided a terminal device for a television system, the terminal device receiving signals transmitted from a broadcasting center of the television system. The terminal device may include a signal receiving system, the signal receiving system receives signals transmitted from the broadcasting center, the signals including a channel data signal representative of a channel through which a predetermined information is transmitted; a tuner; a memory, the memory storing the channel data received by the signal receiving system; and a controller, the controller controlling the tuner to select a channel represented by the channel data stored in the memory when the terminal device is turned ON.
Optionally, when the tuner is tuned to the channel represented by the channel data, the channel data may be deleted.
Further optionally, the television system may be a cable television system.
According to furthermore aspect of the invention, there is provided a terminal device for a television system, the terminal device receiving signals transmitted from a broadcasting center of the television system, the terminal device comprising: a signal receiving system, the signal receiving system receives signals transmitted from the broadcasting center, the signals including a channel data signal representative of a channel through which a predetermined information is transmitted; an operable member to be operated to turn ON or OFF the terminal device: a tuner; a memory, the memory storing the channel data received by the signal receiving system; a controller, the controller controlling the tuner to select a channel represented by the channel data stored in the memory in response to operation of the operable member.
When the tuner is tuned in the channel represented by the channel data, the channel data may be deleted.
Further optionally, the television system may be a cable television system.
According to still further aspect of the invention, there is provided a television system, comprising: a broadcasting center; and a plurality of terminal devices, the broadcasting center transmitting broadcasting signals corresponding to a plurality of television channels and a channel data signal representative of a channel number, each of the terminal devices receiving the broadcasting signals and the channel data signal, each of the terminal devices including: a tuner; a memory, the memory storing the channel data and a selected channel number which was selected when the terminal device was last turned OFF; a controller, the controller controlling the tuner to tune in a channel number represented by the channel data stored in the memory for a predetermined period when the terminal device is tuned ON, then tune in the selected channel number.
Optionally, each of the terminal devices further includes a timer, the predetermined period being measured by the timer.
According to further aspect of the invention, there is provided a television system, comprising: a broadcasting center; and a plurality of terminal devices, the broadcasting center transmitting broadcasting signals corresponding to a plurality of television channels and a ch
Brown Reuben M.
Faile Andrew
Pitney Hardin Kipp & Szuch LLP
Xing Inc.
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