Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-06
2004-08-17
Lea-Edmonds, Lisa (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C341S176000, C348S734000, C398S106000, C345S158000, C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06778380
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of TV accessories, and more particularly to a TV Mute Finger Ring.
Remote control devices for activating and controlling a standard TV are well known. Such devices tend to use IR type LED emitters that send a signal to an IR receiver located on the front panel of a standard TV. Standard commands include On-off, volume, channel selection and Mute. The Mute switch turns off all sound from the TV. Many TV user's tend to turn off the sound coming from the TV when an advertising commercial appears. They do this because many times the sound emitted during a commercial is louder than the normal TV program sound. User's may also want to turn off the sound temporarily to communicate with a nearby person, or to answer a telephone or any other instance when the TV sound may be temporarily undesirable. In this case, the user must find the remote device locate the mute button and then press the button. This operation must be repeated when turning the sound back on. Unfortunately, the process of finding the remote device, turning on an available light source to locate the rather small mute button and finally pressing the mute button can take almost as long as the time of a standard TV commercial thereby making the process irrelevant. TV remote devices that are built into wrist watches have been developed in the recent past. Although these devices do help a user have convenient use of a mute feature, they tend to be rather costly and the mute button is very small, making it almost impossible to use the device without looking carefully at it. Additionally, the user must turn and lift his or her arm and wrist in the direction of the TV set for the wrist mounted device to work. In general, the wrist mounted TV remote devices available today are rather awkward and difficult to use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the invention is to provide a mute switch for a TV that is quick and easy to access.
Another object of the invention is to provide a mute switch for a TV that can be operated by one hand.
Another object of the invention is to provide a mute switch for a TV where the user does not have to visually see the mute switch in order to operate it.
Another object of the invention is to provide a mute switch for a TV that is economical to manufacture.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.
TV Mute Finger Ring comprising: a hollow C shaped finger ring housing, said housing containing the standard electronics and IR transmitting LED associated with activating the mute function of a standard TV, said housing also containing a battery type electrical power source, said C shaped ring housing having a loop type fastener strip attached to one end of said C shape and a hook type fastening panel affixed to the opposite end of said C shape so that said loop type fastener can removably attach to said hook fastener thereby forming a full ring that can be worn on the user's forefinger, said C shaped housing containing a momentary on-off switch and attached outwardly accessible switch cover located in a position where the user's thumb can easily reach said switch cover, said IR transmitter being covered by a transparent plastic lens that is flush with the outer surface of said C shaped housing, and said plastic lens positioned so that said lens and said IR transmitting LED are pointed outwardly in the general direction of said TV.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4045777 (1977-08-01), Mierzwinski et al.
patent: 4517424 (1985-05-01), Kroczynski
patent: 4905001 (1990-02-01), Penner
patent: 4954817 (1990-09-01), Levine
patent: 5481265 (1996-01-01), Russell
patent: 5489922 (1996-02-01), Zloof
patent: 5926168 (1999-07-01), Fan
patent: 6184863 (2001-02-01), Sibert et al.
Lea-Edmonds Lisa
Shippey Michael A.
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