Television control device

• US 20030043302A1
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crest Health Care
• Original Assignee: Crest Health Care
• Inventors: Heinsch, John, Beedle, Nicholas Michael, Stoner, Mark Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,142,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0025 in a remote control unit remote control tuning in general H03J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers

Abstract

A system and apparatus for controlling a television. Various embodiments of the apparatus have various components providing compatibility with most brands and types of televisions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a television comprising:

a housing electrically coupled to the television, wherein the television is a source of electrical power for the apparatus;

a power supply disposed within the housing, the power supply being configured to derive power for the apparatus from the electrical power from the television, wherein the power supply can receive any polarity of the electrical power from the television and outputs an appropriate polarity of the electrical power to the apparatus; and

a microprocessor powered by the power supply, the microprocessor configured to transmit encoded signals to the television.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the television is a sole source of electrical power for the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor is configured to transmit a plurality of the encoded signals to the television.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor is configured to transmit only compatible encoded signals to the television.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the microprocessor has a hardware configuration allowing a user to transmit only compatible encoded signals to the television.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the microprocessor is configured to be programmed by a user to transmit only compatible encoded signals to the television.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the microprocessor is configured to be programmed by user input at a user interface to transmit only compatible encoded signals to the television.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one membrane switch on a user interface disposed within the housing, the membrane switch being sealed from atmospheric contaminants.

9. An apparatus for controlling a television comprising:

a housing electrically coupled to the television, wherein the television is a source of electrical power for the apparatus;

a microprocessor disposed within the housing, the microprocessor configured to transmit encoded signals to the television; and

a bilateral switch operably connected to the microprocessor, the bilateral switch configured to allow the microprocessor to transmit encoded signals to the television by making compatible any voltage polarity of the electrical power from the television.

10. An apparatus for controlling a television comprising:

a housing electrically coupled to the television;

a sensor circuit disposed within the housing, the sensor circuit configured to sense information generated by the television; and

a microprocessor electrically coupled to the sensor circuit and configured to receive the information from the sensor circuit, identify the television based on the information, and transmit only compatible encoded signals to the television.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the information is voltage information.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the information is polarity information.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the information is voltage information and polarity information.

14. An apparatus for controlling a television comprising:

a housing electrically coupled to the television, the housing configured to receive audio signals from the television;

a user interface disposed within the housing, the user interface configured to allow transmission of signals to control volume; and

a volume control circuit operably connected to the user interface, the volume control circuit having a plurality of audio output channels wherein the channels are configured to be selectively enabled by the signals from the user interface.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein volume variability is dependent upon selectively enabling the channels.

16. An apparatus for controlling a television comprising:

a housing electrically coupled to the television, wherein the television is a source of electrical power for the apparatus;

a power supply disposed within the housing, the power supply being configured to derive power for the apparatus from the electrical power from the television, wherein the power supply can receive any polarity of the electrical power from the television and outputs an appropriate polarity of the electrical power to the apparatus;

a microprocessor powered by the power supply and configured to transmit encoded signals to the television;

a bilateral switch operably connected to the microprocessor, the bilateral switch configured to allow the microprocessor to transmit encoded signals to the television by making compatible any voltage polarity of the electrical power from the television;

a sensor circuit disposed within the housing, the sensor circuit configured to sense information generated by the television and transmit the information to the microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor is configured to receive the information from the sensor circuit, identify the television based on the information, and transmit only compatible encoded signals to the television; and

a volume control circuit operably connected to a user interface disposed within the housing, the volume control circuit having a plurality of audio output channels wherein the channels are configured to be selectively enabled by the signals from the user interface.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the television is a sole source of electrical power for the apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the information is voltage information.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the information is polarity information.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the information is voltage information and polarity information.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising at least one membrane switch on the user interface, the membrane switch being sealed from atmospheric contaminants.

22. A communication system comprising:

a central station;

a nurse call system connected to the central station, the nurse call system configured to send signals to the central station and receive signals from the central station;

a remote apparatus connected to the central station wherein the remote apparatus is configured to receive signals from the nurse call system through the central station, the remote apparatus comprising;

a power supply disposed within the remote apparatus, the power supply being configured to derive power for the remote apparatus from incoming electrical power, wherein the power supply can receive any polarity of the electrical power from the television and outputs an appropriate polarity of the electrical power to the apparatus; and

a microprocessor powered by the power supply, the microprocessor configured to transmit encoded signals to the central station; and

a television connected to the central station, whereby the television is a source of power to the remote apparatus, wherein the television receives the encoded signals from the remote apparatus through the nurse call system.

23. An apparatus for controlling a television comprising:

a pillow speaker electrically coupled to the television, wherein the television is a source of electrical power for the pillow speaker;

a power supply disposed within the pillow speaker, the power supply being configured to derive power for the apparatus from the electrical power from the television, wherein the power supply can receive any polarity of the electrical power from the television and outputs an appropriate polarity of the electrical power to the apparatus;

a microprocessor powered by the power supply, the microprocessor configured to transmit encoded signals to the television;

a user interface disposed within the pillow speaker, the user interface configured to provide signals to the microprocessor based on user input;

a plurality of membrane switches disposed on the user interface, the plurality of membrane switches configured to produce the signals provided to the microprocessor;

a bilateral switch operably connected to the microprocessor, the bilateral switch configured to allow the microprocessor to transmit encoded signals to the television by making compatible any voltage polarity of the electrical power from the television;

a sensor circuit disposed within the pillow speaker, the sensor circuit configured to sense information generated by the television and transmit the information to the microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor is configured to receive the information from the sensor circuit, identify the television based on the information, and transmit only compatible encoded signals to the television; and

a volume control circuit operably connected to the user interface, the volume control circuit having a plurality of audio output channels wherein the channels are configured to be selectively enabled by signals from the user interface.