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Television receiver with two-way telephone conversation capability

  • US 4,338,492 A
  • Filed: 01/02/1980
  • Issued: 07/06/1982
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/02/1980
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A television receiver comprising a cabinet which houses a television system having telephone network access means, said receiver providing both for presentation of television programs and for conversing through the talk channel and listen channel of an embodied telephone network while viewing a television picture, said television system having function control means including operational mode selection means for providing a television program mode, and alternately, a two-way-telephone-conversation-with-television-picture mode,A. said television system of said television receiver comprising:

  • (1) means for receiving broadcast or cable-carried television program signals;

    (2) means for processing said signals effective to provide separate video and audio signals;

    (3) cathode ray tube picture display means for receiving said video signal for displaying a television picture; and

    (4) television audio signal processing means for receiving said audio-signal including dual-function audio amplifier-speaker means connectible to said telephone network during to said two-way-conversation-with-television-picture mode;

    B. said telephone network access means of said television receiver comprising;

    (1) ring detector means for detecting a ringer signal from said telephone network during said television program mode;

    (2) alerting signal generating means for receiving said detected ringer signal and generating an audible and/or visible alerting signal;

    (3) off-hook signaling means for providing an off-hook signal to the telephone network;

    (4) microphone means for sensing user voice signals during a telephone conversation;

    (5) audio send channel means for receiving and amplifying the output of said microphone means for routing to said talk channel of the telephone network; and

    (6) audio receive channel means for accepting the listen signal from said telephone network for routing to audio amplifier-speaker means in said television system;

    C. said function control means of said television receiver comprising;

    (1) first means for routing, when said receiver is in said television program mode, and when said receiver is in an ON-hook condition, said ringer signal from said telephone network to said ring detector and to said alerting signals generator, and for connecting said TV audio signal processing means to said audio amplifier-speaker means for reproducing the audio portion of the television program signal;

    (2) second means for disconnecting the aforesaid connections for muting said television program when said function control means is operated to place the receiver in said two-way-telephone conversation-with-television-picture mode, and when said telephone network is in an off-hook condition, said second means also providing for(a) connecting said audio receive channel means to said listen channel for accepting caller voice audio signals;

    (b) connecting said audio receive channel means to said audio amplifier-speaker means for rendering audible the voice of said caller;

    (c) connecting said audio send channel means to said talk channel for conducting the voice audio signals of said television receiver user to said caller; and

    ,(d) connecting said off-hook signalling means to the telephone network for indicating the line is in use;

    (3) volume regulating means for regulating volume of said audio amplifier-speaker means;

    such that when the television receiver user is alerted to the presence of a detected ringer signal, the user can activate the two-way-telephone-conversation-with-television-picture mode and conduct a two-way conversation with said telephone caller through the television receiver while viewing a broadcast or cable-carried television picture, and upon termination of the conversation, restore said television program mode.

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