Television system scheduler with on-screen menu type programming prompting apparatus

• US 4,641,205 A
• Filed: 03/05/1984
• Issued: 02/03/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RCA Corporation
• Original Assignee: RCA Corporation
• Inventors: Beyers, Billy W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardillo, Raymond F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weinhardt, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US06/586,270
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 358/335, 358/191.1, 358/192.1, 358/193.1, 358/194.1, 360/33.1, 369/6-13, 364/143-147, 364/188-189, 434/322-323
• US Class Current: 386/296
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 15/006 for operating at a number of different times cigar or cigarette receptacles or boxes with means for limiting the frequency of smoking A24F15/005
• 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 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus

Abstract

Programming apparatus for a scheduler of a television receiver or VCR for automatically tuning the system to channels corresponding to future programs requires, in its simplest form, only a single programming key for initiating the programming operation and digit keys for normally entering channel numbers. This is made possible by apparatus for displaying on the screen of the television receiver or, in the case of a VCR, an associated television receiver or monitor step-by-step instructions for entering the scheduling information. In response to pushing the programming key, a numbered list (or "menu") of various possible programming modes, e.g., scheduling programs to be selected only once, scheduling programs to be selected on a daily basis or scheduling programs to be selected on a weekly basis, is displayed. Thereafter any of the programming modes can be initiated by pushing the appropriate digit key. Thereafter, the user is prompted to push appropriate digit keys to enter the starting and ending times and channel numbers of programs to be scheduled until blanks following descriptive titles of the data that is to be entered are filled in.

Claims

1. In a television system including tuner means for selecting RF signals modulated with picture information corresponding to respective channels;

channel selection means for controlling said tuner means including digit switches for selecting channels;

demodulation means for demodulating said RF signals to generate a video signal corresponding to said picture information;

first coupling means for coupling said video signal to a display device having a screen for displaying an image corresponding to said picture information; and

a scheduler including memory means for storing time (including time of day and date) and channel information corresponding to respective programs occurring in the future;

clock means for indicating the present time; and

scheduler control means for causing said channel selection means to select the channel corresponding to one of said programs when the present time corresponds to the starting time of said one of said programs;

programming apparatus for allowing a user to program said schedule in a plurality of programming modes including at least a clock setting mode, a normal mode for scheduling programs for selection only once and a daily mode for scheduling programs for selection on a daily basis, comprising;

character generator means for generating character signals suitable for displaying alpha-numeric characters on said screen of said display device;

second coupling means for coupling said character signals to said display device;

a user operable programming switch; and

programming control means responsive to the operation of said programming switch for causing said character generator means to generate character signals for displaying a numbered list of said programming modes and for enabling said digit switches to select said programming modes and thereafter being responsive to the operation of one of said digit switches for causing said character generator to generate character signals for displaying prompting instructions for guiding a user to operate said digit switches to enter numerical information for a respectively numbered one of said programming modes.

2. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein:

said television system is a video tape recorder.

3. The combination recited in claim 2, wherein:

said first coupling means includes modulation means for converting said video and character signals to a correspondingly modulated RF carrier; and

said second coupling means is coupled to said first coupling means and thereby to said display device.

4. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein:

said program switch and said digit switches are incorporated in a remote control transmitter which generates remote control coded messages in response to their operation; and

said programming control means is responsive to said remote control messages to control said character generator means.

5. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein:

said prompting instructions include a descriptive title of the selected programming mode.

6. The combination recited in claim 5, wherein:

said prompting instructions include blanks corresponding to the numerical information to be entered; and

said programming control means is responsive to the operation of said digit switches after the generation of said character signals for displaying said prompting instructions for generating character signals for displaying the digits corresponding to said operated digit switches in place of said blanks.

7. The combination recited in claim 6, wherein:

said programming control means is responsive to a second operation of said program switch to terminate the programming operation.

8. The combination recited in claim 7, wherein:

said scheduler programming arrangement further includes a user operable clear switch; and

said programming control means is responsive to the operation of sald clear switch for canceling said character signals for displaying the digits corresponding to ones of said digit switches operated after the generation of said character signals for displaying said prompting instructions.

9. The combination recited in claim 8, wherein:

said program switch, said digit switches and said clear switch are the only user operated control devices provided for programming said scheduler.

10. The combination recited in claim 9, wherein:

said program control means includes a microprocessor under the control of a stored program.

11. The combination recited in claim 9, wherein:

said television system is a video tape recorder.

12. The combination recited in claim 9, wherein:

said first coupling means includes modulation means for converting said video and character signals to a correspondingly modulated RF carrier; and

said second coupling means is coupled to said first coupling means and thereby to said display device.

13. The combination recited in claim 9, wherein:

said program switch, said digit switches and said clear switch are incorporated in a remote control transmiter which generates respective remote control coded messages in response to their operation; and

said programming control means is responsive to said remote control messages to control said character generator means.

14. In a video recorder including tuner means for selecting RF signals modulated with picture information corresponding to respective channels;

channel selection means for controlling said tuner means including digit switches for selecting channels;

demodulation means for demodulating said RF signals to generate a video signal corresponding to said picture information;

recording means for recording said video signal obtained from said demodulation means;

playback means for recovering recorded video signals recorded;

output means for coupling one of said video signals obtained from said demodulation means or said playback means to a display device having a screen for displaying an image corresponding to said picture information; and

a scheduler including memory means for storing time (including time of day and date) and channel information corresponding to respective programs occurring in the future;

clock means for indicating the present time; and

scheduler control means for causing said channel selection means to select the channel corresponding to one of said programs when the present time corresponds to the starting time of said one of said programs;

programming apparatus for allowing a user to program said scheduler in a plurality of different programming modes including at least a clock setting mode, a normal mode for scheduling programs for recording only once and a daily mode for scheduling programs for recording on a daily basis, comprising;

character generator means for generating character signals suitable for displaying alpha-numeric characters on said screen of said display device;

coupling means for coupling said character signals to said output means;

a user operable programming switch; and

programming control means responsive to the operation of said programming switch for causing said character generator means to generate character signals for displaying a numbered list of said programming modes and for enabling said digit switches to select said programming modes and thereafter being responsive to the operation of one of said digit switches for causing said character generator to generate character signals for displaying prompting instructions for guiding a user to operate said digit switches to enter numerical information for a respectively numbered one of said programming modes.

15. The combination recited in claim 14, wherein:

said output means includes modulation means for converting said video and character signals to a correspondingly modulated RF signal.

16. The combination recited in claim 14, wherein:

said program switch and said digit switches are incorporated in a remote control transmitter which generates respective remote control coded messages in response to their operation; and

said programming control means is responsive to said remote control messages to control said character generator means.

17. The combination recited in claim 14, wherein:

said prompting instructions include a descriptive title of the selected programming mode;

said prompting instructions include blanks corresponding to the numerical information to be entered;

said programming control means is responsive to the operation of said digit switches after the generation of said character signals for displaying said prompting instructions for generating character signals for displaying the digits corresponding to said operated digit switches in place of said blanks;

said programming control means is responsive to a second operation of said program switch to terminate the programming operation;

said scheduler programming apparatus further includes a user operable clear switch; and

said programming control means is responsive to the operation of said clear switch for cancelling said character signals for displaying the digits corresponding to ones of said digit switches operated after the generation of said character signals for displaying said prompting instructions.

18. The combination recited in claim 17, wherein:

said program switch, said digit switch and said clear switch are the only user operated control devices provided for programming said scheduler arrangement.

19. The combination recited in claim 18, wherein:

said program switch, said digit switches and said clear switch are incorporated in a remote control transmiter which generates respective remote control coded messages in response to their operation; and

said programming control means is responsive to said remote conrol messages to control said character generator means.

20. In a television system including tuner selection means for selecting RF signals modulated with picture information corresponding to respective channels;

channel selection means for controlling said tuner means including digit switches for selecting channels;

demodulation means for demodulating said RF signals to generate a video signal corresponding to said picture information;

first coupling means for coupling said video signal to a display device having a screen for displaying an image corresponding to said picture information; and

a scheduler including memory means for storing time (including time of day and date) and channel information corresponding to respective programs occurring in the future;

clock means for indicating the present time; and

scheduler control means for causing said channel selection means to select the channel corresponding to one of said programs when the present time corresponds to the starting time of said one of said programs;

programming apparatus for allowing a user to program said schedule in a plurality of programming modes including clock setting mode, a normal mode for scheduling programs for selection only once, a daily mode for scheduling programs for selection on a daily basis and a weekly mode for scheduling programs for selection on a weekly basis, comprising;

character generator means for generating character signals suitable for displaying alpha-numeric characters on said screen of said display device;

second coupling means for coupling said character signals to said first coupling means and thereby to said display device;

a programming switch;

a clear switch;

programming control means responsive to the operation of said programming switch for causing said character generator means to generate character signals for displaying a numbered list of said programming modes and for enabling said digit switches to select said programming modes; and

after the generation of characters for displaying said numbered list of said programming modes being responsive to the opeation of one of said digit switches for causing said character generator to generate character signals for displaying prompting instructions for guiding a user to operate said digit switches to enter numerical information for a respectively numbered one of said programming modes, said prompting instructions including a descriptive title of the selected programming mode and blanks corresponding to the numerical information to be entered; and

after the generation of said character signals for displaying said prompting instructions, being responsive to the operation of said digit switches for displaying the corresponding digits in place of said blanks;

said programming control means being responsive to the operation of said clear switch for cancelling said character signals for displaying the last entered digit;

said programming control means being responsive to a second operation of said programming switch to terminate the programming operation of said scheduler.

21. In a television system including input selection means for selecting one of a plurality of television signals each representing respective picture information, input selection control means for controlling said input selection means including numbered switches for selecting said one of said television signals;

first coupling means for coupling said one of said television signals to a display device having a screen for displaying an image corresponding to said respective picture inforamtion; and

a scheduler including memory means for storing time and input selection information corresponding to respective programs occurring in the future;

clock means for indicating the present time; and

scheduler control means for causing said input selection means to select the television signal corresponding to one of said programs when the present time corresponds to the starting time of said one of said programs;

programming apparatus for allowing a user to program said scheduler in a plurality of programming modes, said programming apparatus comprising;

character generator means for generating character signals suitable for displaying alpha-numeric characters on said screen of said display device;

second coupling means for coupling said character signals to said display device;

a user operable programming switch; and

programming control means responsive to the operation of said programming switch for causing said character generator means to generate character signals for displaying a numbered list of said programming modes and for enabling said digit switches to select said programming modes and thereafter being responsive to the operation of one of said numbered switches for causing said character generator to generate character signals for displaying prompting instructions for guiding a user to operate said numbered switches to enter numerical information for a respectively numbered one of said programming modes.