TV REMOTE CONTROL SIGNAL LOG

• US 20090138903A1
• Filed: 11/28/2007
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Blanchard, Robert, Shintani, Peter, Dacosta, Behram
• Granted Patent: US 7,950,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• 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 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18

Abstract

An interceptor detects command signals from a TV remote control and logs the signals. The signals can be correlated not just to channel number but also to programs by accessing a program/channel database. A log of channels/programs that have been viewed by, e.g., a child can thus be obtained and viewed by a parent.

Claims

1. An interceptor comprising:

a processor;

an infrared interceptor receiver receiving at least TV channel commands originating from a TV remote control, the receiver communicating the commands to the processor, wherein

the processor accesses a database to correlate the commands to TV programs, the processor generating a log of programs displayed on a TV, the log being displayed on an output device.

2. The interceptor of claim 1 wherein the processor and receiver are in an interceptor housing separate from the TV, the TV including a TV wireless command receiver separate from the interceptor receiver.

3. The interceptor of claim 1, wherein the processor and receiver are in a TV housing, the processor being implemented by a TV processor and the receiver being implemented by a TV wireless command receiver.

4. The interceptor of claim 2, wherein the interceptor housing does not implement a set-top box.

5. The interceptor of claim 2, wherein the interceptor housing implements a set-top box.

6. The interceptor of claim 2, wherein in response to detecting a power on signal originated by the remote control, the processor sends a command to the TV to cause the TV to tune to a predetermined channel.

7. The interceptor of claim 1, comprising an extender receiving IR signals from a TV remote control and relaying the signals in RF to an extender on the interceptor, the extender on the interceptor transforming the signals from RF to IR.

8. A method for logging television use, comprising:

receiving channel change signals from a TV remote control;

correlating the channel change signals to TV programs; and

displaying a log of the programs to a user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the log is displayed only upon input of proper authentication information.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising synchronizing the log with an actual TV channel.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the synchronizing is established by commanding, in response to a power-oil signal, a TV to tune to a predetermined channel.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the method is executed by a processor in a TV.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the method is executed by a processor not in a TV.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the method is executed by a processor in a set top box.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the method is executed by a processor not in a set top box.

16. A system, comprising

at least one TV defining a TV chassis;

at least one remote control configured for sending wireless command signals to the TV;

at least one set-top box communicating with the TV and defining a STB housing; and

at least one interceptor in a housing separate from the TV chassis and set-top box housing and receiving signals from the remote control the interceptor logging at least some signals.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the interceptor logs channels viewed.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the interceptor correlates channels viewed to TV programs and causes a log thereof to be presented on command.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the signals are IR signals and the system includes at least one extender receiving IR signals from the remote control, transforming the IR signals into RF signals, and sending the RF signals to an extender receiver on the interceptor.