Television Theft Deterrence

• US 20100156592A1
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zenith Electronics LLC (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zenith Electronics LLC (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lewis, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,487,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/00 Details of television systems scanning details or combination thereof with generation of supply voltages H04N3/00

Abstract

A signal received by a television over a communication medium is interrogated for the presence of a remotely transmitted ping. The television is operated in response to detection of the presence of the ping in the received signal. The television is locked against use in response to failing to detect the presence of the ping in the received signal.

Claims

1. A method of locking a television against unauthorized use comprising:

interrogating a signal received over a communication medium for detecting the presence of a remotely transmitted ping;

operating the television in response to detecting the presence of the ping in the received signal; and

,

locking the television against at least one use in response to failing to detect the presence of the ping in the received signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the ping comprises at least one predetermined frequency.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the predetermined frequency includes a frequency that identifies a facility to which the television is associated.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the locking of the television against use comprises locking the television against use when a predetermined amount of time elapses during which the presence of a ping in the received signal is not detected.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the locking of the television against use comprises locking the television against use upon a predetermined number of consecutive failures to detect the presence of a ping in the received signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the locking of the television against use comprises:

determining when a predetermined amount of time elapses during which the presence of a ping in the received signal is not detected;

counting a number of consecutive timers that the predetermined amount of time elapses during which the presence of a ping in the received signal is not detected; and

,

locking the television against use when the counted number reaches a predetermined number.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the ping comprises an identifying portion and a code portion.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the code portion includes a code identifying a facility to which the television is associated.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the locking of the television against use comprises:

matching a code in the code portion to a stored code; and

,

locking the television against use when the code in the code portion fails to match the stored code.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the locking of the television against use comprises locking the television against use when a predetermined amount of time elapses during which the presence of a ping in the received signal is not detected.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the locking of the television against use comprises locking the television against use upon a predetermined number of consecutive failures to detect the presence of a ping in the received signal.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the locking the television against use comprises:

determining when a predetermined amount of time elapses during which the presence of a ping in the received signal is not detected;

counting a number of consecutive times that the predetermined amount of time elapses during which the presence of a ping in the received signal is hot detected; and

,

locking the television against use when the counted number reaches a predetermined number.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the locking of the television against use comprises displaying a lack of authorization message.

14. A television comprising:

a tuner that tunes to a tuned channel;

a video processor that processes video of the tuned channel;

an audio processor that processes audio of the tuned channel; and

,

a ping detector that detects a ping in a received signal, that operates the television in response to detecting the ping in the received signal, and that locks the television against at least one use in response to failing to detect the presence of the ping in the received signal.

15. The television of claim 14 wherein the ping detector comprises a television controller.

16. The television of claim 14 wherein the ping comprises at least one predetermined frequency.

17. The television of claim 16 wherein the predetermined frequency includes a frequency that identifies a facility to which the television is associated.

18. The television of claim 14 wherein the ping detector locks the television against use when a predetermined amount of time elapses during which the presence of a ping in the received signal is not detected.

19. The television of claim 14 wherein the ping detector locks the television against use upon a predetermined number of consecutive failures to detect the presence of a ping in the received signal.

20. The television of claim 14 wherein the ping detector determines when a predetermined amount of time elapses during which the presence of a ping in the received signal is not detected, counts a number of consecutive times that the predetermined amount of time elapses during which, the presence of a ping in the received signal is not detected, and locks the television against use when the counted number reaches a predetermined number.

21. The television of claim 14 wherein the ping comprises an identifying portion and a code portion.

22. The television of claim 21 wherein the code portion includes a code identifying a facility to which the television is associated.

23. The television of claim 21 wherein the ping detector locks the television against use when the code in the code portion fails to match a stored code.

24. The television of claim 23 wherein the ping detector locks the television against use when a predetermined amount of time elapses during which the presence of a ping in the received signal is not detected.

25. The television of claim 23 wherein the ping detector locks the television against use upon a predetermined number of consecutive failures to detect the presence of a ping in the received signal.

26. The television of claim 23 wherein the ping detector determines when a predetermined amount of time elapses during which the presence of a ping in the received signal is not detected, counting a number of consecutive times that the predetermined amount of time elapses during which the presence of a ping in the received signal is not detected, and locking the television against use when the counted number reaches a predetermined number.

27. The television of claim 14 wherein the ping detector locks the television against use and displays a lack of authorization message.