Television – Receiver circuitry – Remote control
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-29
2001-09-04
Eisenzopf, Reinhard J. (Department: 2614)
Television
Receiver circuitry
Remote control
C348S731000, C348S732000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06285414
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of television channel selection devices and, more particularly, this invention relates to a channel selection device wherein a user can sequentially select each of the available channels.
Television channel selection devices are well known. Remote controllers allow a user to select a desired channel from a remote location, usually by transmitting a coded series of infrared light pulses. Remote controllers allow users to scan through a sequence of channels by pressing a “channel-up” or “channel-down” button that causes the television receiver to display the next successive or previous channel in the sequence of channels. In this way a user can view each of the channels available and select a program.
Given the large number of television channels available from cable television services, a user may scroll through the available channels a number of times before selecting a program. This practice is commonly called “surfing”.
Scrolling through large numbers of channels takes a considerable amount of time, so that by the time all the channels are previewed a user may miss a portion of the program he or she wishes to see.
Viewers generally have a better idea of the television programs they do not wish to see than those they do wish to see. A momentary segment of a broadcast is sufficient to indicate the type of program a user does not wish to view. For example, if a user does not wish to see a news program, the image of an announcer speaking into the camera will immediately indicate that this is not a desirable channel.
Because the user may have to scroll through the complete sequence of channels a number of times before deciding which of a few desirable shows he wants to see, the user will have to pass through the undesired news programs a number of times. This makes program selection more difficult, as well as time consuming.
One possible way to make channel selection less time consuming is to limit the number of channels available. Many television receivers are equipped with a “favorite channel” feature. This feature allows a user to program a number of favorite channels that are a subset of the complete series of available channels. Favorite channel selections may be added or deleted to suit a particular user's taste. The list of favorite channels remains unchanged throughout the viewing day.
The number of available channels may also be reduced by inhibiting access to channels. Many cable television systems allow users to block certain channels at certain times of the day, or at anytime, unless the user enters a password. Such systems allow parents to control access by their children to programming the parents find objectionable. Blocking channels reduces the time required to scan the available channels however, the user may wish to consider viewing programs on a blocked channel while surfing.
Limiting the number of selectable channels using a “favorite” list or by blocking certain channels reduces the time required to select a channel. These techniques, however, have certain drawbacks. Different viewers in a household may have varied tastes in programming. Thus, the favorite channels of one member may be undesirable to another. A viewer may have different viewing needs throughout the viewing day. Situation comedies or nightly news programs may be desirable during so-called prime-time, while full length movies may be desirable in the late evening. Maintaining multiple “favorite” lists to accommodate these preferences would add unnecessary complexity to the system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a channel selection device that allows a user to select a desired program more conveniently than with known channel selection devices.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a channel selection device that allows a user to deselect a channel from a series of channels so that subsequent scrolling through the series of channels skips the deselected channel.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a channel selection device where deselected channels remain deselected for a period of time calculated to correspond with the end of a programming timeslot.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a channel selection device that records program schedule information and calculates the period of time to deselect a channel from a series of channels using this recorded program information.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a television receiver equipped to receive coded signals from a hand-held remote control device. The remote control device has buttons to control the receiver to increment and decrement through a sequence of channel numbers and also a deselect button. The function of the deselect button is to deselect whichever channel is currently displayed on the television receiver. When the series of channels are again scanned using the increment or decrement buttons the deselected channel is skipped. A timing device calculates the time remaining until the end of a programming timeslot, which typically ends on the half-hour. The timing device causes the deselected channel to again become available in the sequence of channels at the end of the current programming timeslot. In this manner a user disables the display of programs that he has determined are not desirable. After the end of the undesirable program the user can again inspect that channel.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a television receiver equipped to receive commands from a remote control device. Among the commands available are channel increment, channel decrement, and deselect as described according to the first aspect. The television receiver is also equipped to receive and record programming information. This programming information may be a so-called electronic program guide (EPG) broadcast over a separate transmission channel or with a channel signal in the vertical blanking interval. According to this aspect of the present invention when a channel is deselected using the deselect command that channel remains deselected until the end of the program currently displayed when the deselect command was given. By using EPG information programs of any length may be deselected.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4495654 (1985-01-01), Deiss
patent: 4566034 (1986-01-01), Harger et al.
patent: 4626892 (1986-12-01), Nortrup et al.
patent: 5550642 (1996-08-01), Kim et al.
patent: 5805235 (1998-09-01), Bedard
patent: 5828419 (1998-10-01), Bruette et al.
patent: 5883680 (1999-03-01), Nykerk
Eisenzopf Reinhard J.
Lo Linus H.
Maioli Jay H.
Sony Corporation
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