Television system scheduler
First Claim
1. In a television system, apparatus comprising:
- digital tuner means for tuning said television system to various channels identified by respective channel numbers in a predetermined range of numbers in response to binary signals representing said channel numbers;
programmable means for at least temporarily storing binary signals representing information to be selected by a user;
keyboard means including a plurality of digit keys for normally generating binary signals representing said channel numbers in response to the operation of said digit keys by said user; and
control means responsive to the operation of at least one of said digit keys to generate binary signals representing channel numbers within said predetermined range of numbers for causing said digital tuner means to tune said television system to respective channels and responsive to the operation of at least one of said digit keys to generate binary signals representing a predetermined number not within said predetermined range of said numbers for enabling said programmable means to receive binary signals generated in response to the subsequent operation of said digit keys.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A television receiver includes a chassis having a digital tuner for generating local oscillator signals for tuning the receiver to respective channels in response to binary signals representing corresponding channel numbers and a signal processing unit for controlling at least one characteristic of the receiver such as the sound level, in response to binary signals representing the controllable characteristic. The receiver also includes a microcomputer including a RAM (Random Access Memory) with at least one memory location for storing binary signals representing the present time and a plurality of memory locations for storing binary signals representing future times and channel numbers of channels to be tuned at those times. A control portion of the microcomputer causes binary signals representing the channel number associated with a future time to be coupled to the digital tuner when the present time matches the future time. A keyboard having ten digit keys for generating binary signals representing the decimal digits between 0 and 9 and two characteristic keys to generate binary signal representing an increase and a decrease in the controllable characteristic is provided to enable user control of various operating modes of the receiver. When a user operates digit keys to form a number within a predetermined range of channel numbers, e.g., 2-83, the control portion of the microcomputer causes a channel to be tuned. Subsequently, operation of digit keys within the predeterined range of channel numbers causes the channel to be changed and operation of the characteristic keys causes the controllable characteristic to change. When a user operates digit keys to form a number not within the predetermined range of channel numbers, the control portion of the microcomputer causes power to be decoupled from the chassis. Subsequently, in response to the operation of a predetermined one of the characteristic keys, the control portion causes binary signals generated in response to the operation of the digit keys to be selectively coupled to either the RAM location associated with the present time or to the RAM location for future selections.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. In a television system, apparatus comprising:
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digital tuner means for tuning said television system to various channels identified by respective channel numbers in a predetermined range of numbers in response to binary signals representing said channel numbers; programmable means for at least temporarily storing binary signals representing information to be selected by a user; keyboard means including a plurality of digit keys for normally generating binary signals representing said channel numbers in response to the operation of said digit keys by said user; and control means responsive to the operation of at least one of said digit keys to generate binary signals representing channel numbers within said predetermined range of numbers for causing said digital tuner means to tune said television system to respective channels and responsive to the operation of at least one of said digit keys to generate binary signals representing a predetermined number not within said predetermined range of said numbers for enabling said programmable means to receive binary signals generated in response to the subsequent operation of said digit keys. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a television system, apparatus comprising:
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digital tuning means for tuning said television system to various channels identified by respective channel numbers in response to binary signals representing said channel numbers to thereby generate an IF signal having components representing picture and audio information; signal processing means for deriving picture and audio signals from said components of said IF signal; first power supply means for selectively coupling and decoupling operating power to at least one of said digital tuner means and said signal processing means to thereby establish an on condition of said television system and an off condition of said television system; programmable means for at least temporarily storing binary signals representing information selected by a user; keyboard means including digit keys for normally generating binary signals representing said channel numbers in response to the operation of said digit keys by said user; and second power supply means; control means receiving operating power from said second power supply means and being coupled to said first power supply means for enabling binary signals generated in response to the operation of said digit keys to be coupled to said digital tuner means when said television system is in said on condition and for enabling binary signals generated in response to the operation of said digit keys to be coupled to said programmable means when said television system is in said off condition. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification