Video processing apparatus which can respond to non-native remote commands and method of operation thereof

• US 20060080706A1
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Mears, Mark Gilmore, Liebhold, Valerie Sacrez
• Granted Patent: US 7,734,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/38
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums

Abstract

A recorder, method, device, and interpretation apparatus for executing code commands. The invention is a device which functions in response to code commands comprising: means to execute a function in response to a code command having a format for the device; and means to execute the function in response to a code command having a format for a different device. The invention is also a recorder comprising means to execute a first type of recorder function corresponding to a second type of recorder commands. In another aspect, the invention is a method of controlling a recorder comprising: receiving a second type of recorder command; mapping the second type of recorder command into a corresponding first type of recorder function; and executing the corresponding first type of recorder function. In yet another aspect, the invention is an interpretation apparatus for receiving a second type of recorder command and outputting a corresponding first type of recorder.

Claims

1. A video processing apparatus controllable by a first type of user commands for performing video processing functions, the video processing apparatus comprising:

means for receiving the first type and a second type of user commands, wherein the second type is used to control a different type of video processing device; and

means for executing one of the video processing functions upon receiving a corresponding user command of the second type.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the executing means comprises a command interpreter for mapping the second type of user commands into corresponding one of the video processing functions.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second type of user commands are VCR code commands.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the video processing apparatus is a digital recorder and the video processing functions are digital recorder functions.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the digital recorder functions comprise digital recorder turn on, digital recorder start recording, digital recorder stop recording, and digital recorder turn off, and the second type of recorder commands are VCR turn on unit, VCR record, VCR stop, and VCR turn off unit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the video processing apparatus is a digital recorder selected from the group consisting of a personal video recorder and a DVD player.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the different type of video processing apparatus is a VCR.

8. A method of controlling a recorder comprising:

receiving a second type of recorder command;

mapping the second type of recorder command into a corresponding first type of recorder function; and

executing the corresponding first type of recorder function.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the second type of recorder command is a VCR code command.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the first type of recorder function is a digital recorder function.

11. An interpretation apparatus for receiving a second type of recorder command and outputting a corresponding first type of recorder command comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive the second type of video recorder command;

means to map the second type of video recorder command into a corresponding first type of video recorder command; and

means to output the corresponding first type of video recorder command.

12. The interpretation apparatus of claim 11 wherein the second type of recorder command is VCR code command.

13. The interpretation apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first type of recorder command is a digital video recorder code command.

14. The interpretation apparatus of claim 11 wherein the receiver comprises an IR sensor.

15. The interpretation apparatus of claim 11 wherein the output means comprises an IR blaster.

16. The interpretation apparatus of claim 11 wherein the mapping means is a programmed processor.

17. The interpretation apparatus of claim 11 wherein the mapping means is a command interpreter.

18. A device responding to code commands comprising:

means to execute a function in response to a code command having a format for the device; and

means to execute the function in response to a code command having a format for a different device.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the code command having a format for the device has a first preamble and the code command having a format the different device has a second preamble.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the first preamble is a VCR preamble and the second preamble is a digital recorder preamble.