Television – Combined with diverse art device
Reexamination Certificate
1996-11-16
2001-09-11
Lee, Michael (Department: 2614)
Television
Combined with diverse art device
C725S074000, C725S078000, C725S148000, C725S153000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06288749
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to computers, local computer networks, and televisions. More specifically, the present invention relates to the use of televisions in association with a computer system, allowing for remote operation of the computer and allowing the television to access computer signals and broadcast and cable signals and display video images corresponding to the accessed computer signals and broadcast and cable signals.
DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART
It is known in the art to use a television monitor in the place of a computer monitor screen as a display device. Devices exist which convert a computer's video display signal, also known as a VGA signal, into a NTSC-standard video signal which may be interpreted and displayed by a television set. The signal conversion operates independent from the television set, where the television set is not itself specifically modified for use with the computer.
It is also known in the art to integrate televisions and computers in the form of an interactive television system. In such an interactive television system, a computer is connected to a remote television signal broadcast source. The computer sends a data signal along with the broadcast signal, usually through a hard-wired cable or fiber-optic connection. In the home, a set-top unit interprets the data signal and can present the broadcast signal or the data signal to the television's input. The home user can interact with the system through the set-top unit, which transmits a data signal back through the hard-wired connection to the broadcast source and connected computer. Such interactive television systems require significant expense to create both the system and the content transmitted, which content is controlled by the broadcast source.
With an individual computer system, transmission of data between the central processing unit of the computer and peripheral devices may occur through data cables, which may be RS-232 cables or monitor cables. It is also known in the art to use remote radio frequency (RF) or infrared signals to exchange data between various pieces of computer hardware.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for converting output signals from a computer to video signals to be displayed on at least one television set and transmitting the output signals from the computer along with broadcast and cable video signals to the at least one television set. Using the preferred embodiments of the present invention, one or more televisions may be used as remote display devices and remote input devices are provided to control how output signals from one or more computers are displayed on one or more televisions.
In a preferred embodiment, a computer system with remote television display includes a computer for generating an output signal and for receiving an input signal, a television broadcast source for transmitting a first multichannel television signal, a signal converter for receiving the output signal from the computer and converting the output signal to at least one single channel television signal, the signal converter also for receiving the first multichannel television signal, the converter outputting at least part of the first multichannel television signal and the at least one single channel television signal as a second multichannel television signal, a television for receiving the second multichannel television signal and displaying one channel of the second multichannel television signal and an input device located remote from the computer for transmitting input signals to the computer.
In a preferred embodiment, the signal converter converts the computer's display signal into a signal having a channel frequency which can be received by and displayed on the at least one television. The signal converter preferably includes suitable signal processing hardware and/or software such as a comb filter for preventing signals output from the computer from being transmitted back out to the television broadcast source. The signal converter also preferably includes a notch filter for allowing selected television signals to be transmitted therethrough and for attenuating at least one input channel frequency so as to prevent signals having the selected input channel frequency from being transmitted from the signal converter. The notch filter is preferably controllable via input signals sent from the input device to the computer so as to allow a user to select a desired channel frequency or frequencies to be notched or attenuated.
Using the input device for transmitting signals to the computer, the user can activate the signal converter so as to display output signals from the computer on the at least one television for viewing the computer display images on the television. In addition, the user can use the input device to the computer to select the number and specific channel frequencies that are to display the output signals from the computer.
The input device preferably comprises a remote access device, such as a pointer or keyboard which is used to transmit instruction signals, preferably via radio frequency or some other remote data transmission protocol, to a signal receiver, such as a conventional radio frequency receiver which is preferably connected to the computer. In another preferred embodiment, the signal converter and signal receiver may be provided in the same unit which is connected to the at least one computer.
The computer may have a plurality of signal outputs including a VGA output and a DVD output. The plurality of signal outputs may be preferably connected to the signal converter or combined signal converter/receiver for transmitting a plurality of output computer signals which can then be output along with the remaining television signals as a multichannel television signal.
The at least one computer is preferably connected to the signal converter which is connected to the television broadcast line for a television, such that the signals output from the computer are converted from, for example, a VGA format, into a television channel signal which may be displayed on a television. The converted signal from the computer is combined with the signal feed from the television broadcast line such that the user may select the computer output as a channel on the television set. The command input to the computer may be preferably connected to a radio frequency receiver and controller, which receives signals from remote command units and converts those signals into commands for the computer.
Although only one computer is mentioned above, it is possible to connect a plurality of computers to the signal converter or the combined signal converter/receiver so as to allow a plurality of computer users to view the display of any connected computer.
Other features and advantages of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention which are shown in the accompanying drawings.
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Altec Lansing Technologies Inc.
Greenberg & Traurig, LLP
Lee Michael
LandOfFree
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