Television system with menu like function control selection

• US 4,626,892 A
• Filed: 03/05/1984
• Issued: 12/02/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RCA Corporation
• Original Assignee: RCA Corporation
• Inventors: Beyers, Billy W. Jr., Nortrup, Kevin E., Fuhrer, Jack S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US06/586,271
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 358/21 R, 358/22, 358/183, 358/188, 358/194.1
• US Class Current: 348/569
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/57 Control of contrast or brightness

Abstract

Apparatus for controlling various functions of a television receiver such as the picture and audio responses includes a keyboard with numbered keys which are normally used for selecting channels and a program key. When the program key is pressed, an on-screen character generator is caused to display a numbered list or menu of the various functions to be controlled. Thereafter, a particular function can be selected for control by pressing the correspondingly numbered key. This causes the numbered list or menu of the characteristics of the selected function, e.g., the brightness, contrast, sharpness, color level and color tint of the picture, to be displayed. Thereafter a particular characteristic can be selected for control by pressing the correspondingly numbered key.

Claims

1. In a television system, apparatus comprising:

input means receiving a plurality of television signals for selecting one of said television signals;

signal processing means responsive to said selected television signal for adjusting, when enabled, various signal properties of said selected television signal to produce at least one of a video signal and an audio signal with desired properties;

coupling means for coupling said video signal to an image reproducing device in order to display an image and for coupling said audio signal to a sound reproducing device in order to produce an audio response;

a plurality of user operable numbered switches;

control means coupled to said input means and being normally responsive to the operation of said numbered switches for controlling the selection of one of said television signals;

character generation means coupled to said coupling means for forming alpha-numeric characters on said display device;

a user operable program switch;

said control means also being coupled to said character generation means and to said signal processing means and being responsive to the operation of said program switch for causing the display of a numbered list of functions to be controlled by said signal processing means and thereafter being responsive to the operation of ones of said numbered switches for enabling said signal processing means to adjust respective signal properties.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said numbered list of functions corresponds to the adjustment of a plurality of adjustable characteristics of at least one of said image and said audio response; and

said control means in response to the operation of the numbered switch associated with said one of said functions for the adjustment of said plurality of adjustable characteristics causes the display of a numbered list of said characteristics and thereafter being responsive to the operation of ones of said numbered switches for enabling said signal processing means to adjust respective ones of said displayed numbered characteristics.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 2, wherein:

first and second adjustment switches are provided for adjusting each one of said adjustable characteristics in opposite senses.

4. The apparatus recited in claim 3, wherein:

said signal processing means includes image processing means for processing a video signal derived from said selected television signal to control various adjustable characteristics of said image;

said numbered list of functions includes an image controlling function corresponding to the adjustment of said adjustable characteristics of said image; and

said control means in response to the operation of the numbered switch associated with said image control function causes a numbered list of said adjustable characteristics of said image to be displayed.

5. The apparatus recited in claim 4, wherein:

said signal processing means includes audio processing means for processing an audio signal derived from said selected television signal to control various adjustable characteristics of said audio response;

said numbered list of functions also includes an audio response controlling function corresponding to the adjustment of said adjustable characteristics of said audio response; and

said control means in response to the operation of the numbered switch associated with said audio response control function causes a numbered list of said adjustable characteristics of said audio response to be displayed.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 4, wherein:

said image processing means includes luminance processing means for controlling at least the brightness and contrast characteristics of said image; and

chrominance processing means for controlling the color level and color tint characteristics of said image.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 6, wherein:

said luminance processing means also controls the sharpness characteristics of said image.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 4, wherein:

there is provided at least a first storage means for storing a first preset value of one of said characteristics of said image;

a second storage means for storing a second preset value of said one of said characteristics;

third storage means for storing a present value of said one characteristics; and

transfer means for selectively (1) transferring the contents of said first storage means to said third storage means, (2) transferring the contents of said second storage means to said third storage means, or (3) transferring the contents of said third storage means to said first storage means;

said numbered list of functions also includes a transfer selection function for selecting ones of the transfer operation of said transfer means; and

said control means in response to the operation of the numbered switch associated with said transfer control function causes a numbered list of said transfer operations of said transfer means to be displayed.

9. The apparatus recited in claim 8, wherein:

there is provided a user operable recall switch;

said transfer means is responsive to the operation of said recall switch for causing one of said first and second transfer operations of said transfer means to be performed; and

said control means during the display of one of said numbered lists, is responsive to the operation of either one of said program or recall switches to cause said character generation means to end the display of said one numbered list.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 4, wherein:

said signal processing means includes audio processing means for processing first and second stereo signals derived from said selected television signal to control various adjustable characteristics of said audio response;

said numbered list of functions also includes an audio response controlling function corresponding to the adjustment of said adjustable characteristics of said audio response; and

said control means in response to the operation of the numbered switch associated with said audio response control function causes a numbered list of said characteristics of said audio response to be displayed.

11. The apparatus recited in claim 10, wherein:

said audio processing means controls at least the balance, treble and bass characteristics of said audio response.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 2, wherein:

said character generation means causes said numbered lists to be displayed at the same time as said image is displayed in response to said video signal.

13. In a television system, apparatus comprising:

input selection means for providing a television signal including luminance and chrominance components from a plurality of television signals;

luminance processing means for processing said luminance component of said television signal to produce a luminance signal having a plurality of controllable characteristics;

chrominance processing means for processing said chrominance components of said television signal to produce a color signal having at least one controllable characteristic;

coupling means for coupling said luminance and color signals to a display device for producing an image corresponding to said selected television signal;

a plurality of numbered switches operable by a user;

control means coupled to said input selection means and normally responsive to the operation of said numbered switches for controlling said input selection means to select a particular television signal;

a program switch operable by a user;

character generating means for generating character signals representative of alpha-numeric characters coupled to said coupling means to thereby display said characters;

said control means being responsive to the operation of said program switch for causing said character generating means to generate character signals for displaying a numbered list of said controllable characteristics of said luminance and chrominance signals and thereafter enabling the appropriate one of said luminance and chrominance processing means to control a given characteristic in response to the operation of a numbered switch corresponding to said given characteristic.

14. The apparatus recited in claim 13, wherein:

said input means receives a plurality of RF television signals and includes tuning means for selecting a particular RF television signal and converting said selected RF signal to an IF signal.

15. The apparatus recited in claim 13, wherein:

said luminance processing means controls the brightness and contrast characteristics of said luminance signal;

said chrominance processing means controls the color level characteristic of said color signal.

16. The apparatus recited in claim 15, wherein:

said luminance processing means also controls the sharpness characteristics of said luminance signal.

17. The apparatus recited in claim 15, wherein:

said chrominance processing means also controls the color tint characteristic of said color signal.

18. The apparatus recited in claim 13, wherein:

said character generating means causes said numbered list to be displayed at the same time said image is displayed in response to said luminance and chrominance signals.

19. In a television system, apparatus comprising:

input selection means for selecting one television signal including luminance, chrominance and audio signal components from a plurality of television signals;

signal processing including luminance processing means for controlling, when enabled, at least one signal property of said luminance signal component, chrominance processing means for controlling, when enabled, at least one signal property of said color signal component, and audio processing means for controlling, when enabled, at least one signal property of said audio signal component;

video coupling means for coupling said luminance and color signals to an image reproducing device to produce an image;

audio coupling means for coupling said audio signal to a sound reproducing device to produce an audio response;

a plurality of user operable switches identified by respective symbols;

control means coupled to said input selection means and normally responsive to the operation of said switches identified by said symbols for controlling said input selection means to select a particular one of said television signals;

a user operable control initiating switch for initiating the control of said characteristics;

character generation means for generating character signals representing characters coupled to said video coupling means to thereby display said characters;

control means coupled to said character generation means and being responsive to the operation of said control initiating switch to cause said character generation means to generate character signals for displaying a list of functions to be controlled by ones of said signal processing means, each of said listed functions being identified by a respective one of said symbols, and thereafter being responsive to the operation of ones of said switches identified by said symbols displayed on said list to enable ones of said processing means to control respective ones of said properties.

20. The apparatus recited in claim 19, wherein:

at least one of said processing means includes a plurality of characteristic control means for adjusting respective ones of a plurality of adjustable characteristics of the respective signal processed by said one processing means; and

said control means is reponsive to the enabling of the said one of said processing means to be controlled for causing said character generation means to generate character signals for displaying a list of said plurality of adjustable characteristics, each of said characteristics being identified by a respective one of said symbols, and thereafter is responsive to the operation of said switches identified by said symbols displayed on said list to enable ones of said characteristic control means to adjust respective ones of said plurality of characteristics.

21. The apparatus recited in claim 19, wherein:

said character generation means causes said characters to be displayed at the same time said imge is displayed in response to said luminance and color signals.

22. A television system, comprising:

a display device;

input means for deriving a video signal from a selected one of a plurality of television signals;

video signal processing means coupled to said display device for processing said video signal and coupling it to said display device to produce an image, said video signal processing means selectively adjusting predetermined properties of said video signal corresponding to respective characteristics of said image;

first switch means operable in a first mode for controlling said input means to select one of said television signals;

alpha-numeric signal generating means coupled to said display means for selectively generating alpha-numeric character-representative signals; and

second switch means coupled to said alpha-numeric signal generating means and to said signal procesing means for

(a) causing said display means to display a menu associating said first switch means to a plurality of video signal control functions; and

(b) enabling said first switch means to operate in a second mode for selecting a video signal control function from said menu by conditioning said video signal processing means to adjust the property of said video signal dependent on the operation of said first switch means.