Appliance with TV and INTERNET modes of operation

• US 20020080273A1
• Filed: 12/05/2000
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Icebox, LLC (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Icebox, LLC (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harrison, Robert G., Lamson, Robert D.
• Application Number:
  US09/730,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080273A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/552
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/46 for receiving on more than one standard at will deflecting circuits of multi-standard receivers H04N3/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/641 : Multi-purpose receivers, e.g. for auxiliary information H04N9/642 takes precedence

Abstract

Multimode appliances with modules which have only TV and INTERNET modes of operation. The module can be controlled with a remote control or a wireless keyboard, both capable of generating signals in the electromagnetic portion of the spectrum. The module may be of the stand alone type, or it may be designed for mounting to an overhead structure such as a kitchen cabinet.

Claims

1. An appliance which only has an INTERNET mode of operation and a TV mode of operation:

said appliance having the capability of connecting the appliance to the Internet and concomitantly displaying a worldwide web home page;

said appliance also having the capability of bringing up and displaying pages which are directly or indirectly linked to said home page; and

said appliance further having the capability, when the appliance is switched out of its INTERNET mode and then back into said mode, of returning to a web page displayed when the appliance was switched out of the INTERNET mode.

2. An appliance as defined in claim 1 which also has the capability, selectable by a user of the appliance, of returning to the worldwide web home page when the appliance is switched from the TV mode to the INTERNET mode.

3. An appliance as defined in claim 1 which, if switched out of the TV mode and then back to the TV mode, will return to the channel which was active when the appliance was switched out of the TV mode.

4. An appliance which comprises:

an integrated unit with only TV and INTERNET operating modes; and

an input device for transmitting data to said integrated unit by signals in a selected part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

5. An appliance as defined in claim 4 in which the input device has the capability of generating and transmitting signals in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

6. An appliance as defined in claim 4 in which the input device is a remote control.

7. An appliance as defined in claim 4 in which the input device is a keyboard.

8. An appliance as defined in claim 4 in which the input device has exactly two mode selection controls, said controls being a TV control and an INTERNET control.

9. An appliance as defined in claim 4 which has an input device with the following controls:

BACK and NEXT controls for moving backwards and forwards through Internet web pages;

a set of LEFT, RIGHT, UP and DOWN scroll controls for moving a page relative to a screen component of the appliance;

a second, separate set of LEFT, RIGHT, UP and DOWN buttons for moving a cursor about the screen component of the appliance; and

a GO control used to bring up a web page indicated by the cursor.

10. An appliance as defined in claim 9 in which the input device has an OPTIONS control operable to bring up on the screen component a menu of choices available to a user of the appliance, said OPTIONS control being usable in both the TV and INTERNET modes of operation of the appliance.

11. An appliance as defined in claim 9 which has a STOP control operable with the appliance in its INTERNET mode of operation to terminate the downloading of an Internet file.

12. An appliance as defined in claim 9 which has a PAUSE control operable with the appliance in its INTERNET mode of operation to first stop the downloading of a web file and to then cause the downloading of the file to continue from the point where it was stopped.

13. An appliance as defined in claim 9 in which the input device has a numerical keypad.

14. An appliance as defined in claim 9 in which the input device has a keyboard with keys corresponding to the letters of the alphabet.

15. An appliance as defined in claim 4 in which said integrated unit is of the stand alone type and is constructed to sit on a horizontal surface.

16. An appliance as defined in claim 4 in which the integrated unit has the capability of being mounted to an overhead structure.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the capabilities of the integrated unit are provided by operating components which include:

a video switch/display driver;

an audio switch/speaker driver;

an INTERNET controller operatively connected to the video switch/display driver and the audio switch/speaker driver; and

a television controller/digital tuner also operatively connected to the video switch/display driver and the audio switch/speaker driver.

18. An appliance as defined in claim 17 in which the television controller/digital tuner has a connection for a television cable or antenna and the Internet controller has Ethernet, USB, and phone line connections.

20. An appliance as defined in claim 19 which has a TV mode of operation and an ON-OFF control and wherein, if a user activates the ON-OFF control when the appliance is off, the appliance will come on in the TV mode.

21. An appliance as defined in claim 20 which has a TV mode control and wherein, if a user activates the TV control when the appliance is off, the appliance will come on in its TV mode of operation.

22. An appliance as defined in claim 19 which has the capability, when the appliance is switched out of its INTERNET mode and then back into said mode, of returning to a web page displayed when the appliance was switched out of the INTERNET mode.

23. An appliance as defined in claim 19 which has a TV mode of operation and the capability, selectable by a user of the appliance, of returning to a worldwide web home page when the appliance is switched from the TV mode to the INTERNET mode.

24. An appliance as defined in claim 19 which, if switched out of the TV mode and then back to the TV mode, will return to the channel which was active when the appliance was switched out of the TV mode.

19. An appliance which can be turned on and off and has an INTERNET mode of operation and an INTERNET mode control for selecting that mode of operation;

said appliance having the capability of coming on in the INTERNET mode if, when the application is off, a user activates the INTERNET mode control.