Television receiver with two-way telephone conversation and dial-out capabilities

• US 4,349,701 A
• Filed: 08/05/1980
• Issued: 09/14/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zenith Radio Corporation (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zenith Radio Corporation (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Snopko, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hecker, Stuart N.
• Application Number:
  US06/175,456
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 EA, 179/2 TV, 358/85, 455/344
• US Class Current: 348/552
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/26 Devices for calling a subscriber H04M1/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/085 using a television receiver, e.g. viewdata system

Abstract

A televison receiver is disclosed comprising a cabinet which houses a television system having telephone network access means. The television receiver provides both for presentation of television programs and for dialing out and conversing through the talk channel and listen channel of an associated telephone network while viewing a television picture. The receiver has at least one 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, and with numerical keypad for dial out. The television receiver user can initiate a telephone call by dialing through the television receiver telephone network access means. Upon termination of the conversation, the televison receiver user can restore the television program mode.

Claims

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 dialing out and conversing through the talk channel and listen channel of an embodied telephone network while viewing a television picture, said television receiver 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 with dial out;

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 with dial out;

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

(1) a ring detector means and an alerting signals generator means for detecting a ringer signal received from said telephone network and generating a visible and/or audible alerting signal;

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

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

(4) 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

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

(6) dial signal generator means for providing direct access loop-disconnect dialing through said telephone network;

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 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 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 with said dial out, 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;

(e) connecting said dial signal generator means to said telephone network for dialing out through said telephone network;

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

such that the television receiver user can initiate a telephone call by dialing out through said telephone network access means of said television receiver, and can conduct a two-way telephone conversation with the person called while viewing the picture portion of a broadcast or cable-carried television picture with muted audio, and upon termination of said conversation, restore said television program.