Control method for limiting watching distance in television

• US 4,835,614 A
• Filed: 10/30/1987
• Issued: 05/30/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Goldstar Jewellery LLC
• Original Assignee: Goldstar Jewellery LLC
• Inventors: Ryu, Sang W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Application Number:
  US07/114,743
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 358/245, 358/194.1, 358/188, 358/93, 358/107, 358/113, 455/603, 455/604, 455/352, 340/555, 367/93, 367/95
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0008 using a central processing unit, e.g. a microprocessor digital tuning in general H03J5/0245
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

A control method wherein a TV receiver, under the programmed control of a microcomputer, prevents infrared signals from a remote control transmitter and a watch-distance-limit-device transmitter from interferring with each other while using only one time-shared receiver for both functions.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a microcomputer to limit the watching distance and respond to a remote controller in a television including a tuner, an image signal circuit, an audio signal circuit, a watching distance limit infrared signal generator, and an infrared signal receiver from which an output is connected to the microcomputer through an amplifier, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining whether or not a distance detecting function is in operation;

(b) decreasing by "1" the count value of a first counter (C) in a watching distance detector portion of said microcomputer when said distance detecting function is in operation, and increasing by "1" the count value of a second counter (N) when the distance detecting function is not in operation;

(c) determining whether or not the count value of said second counter (N) has a predetermined value (K);

(d) resetting the count value of said second counter (N) to "zero" and transmitting a pulse wave from said distance limit infrared signal generator when the count value of said second counter (N) has said predetermined value (K) prior to said resetting and determining whether or not a remote control function is required when said count value is not of said predetermined value (K);

(e) returning to said step (a) when said remote control function is not necessary and returning to said step (a) after completing said remote control function when it is necessary;

(f) detecting whether or not there is a reflected input above a predetermined level received by said infrared signal receiver following transmission from said infrared signal generator;

(g) returning to step (d) after releasing said distance detecting function and resetting the count value of said second counter (N) to "zero" when there is no reflected signal received, then again determining whether or not there is a reflected input to said infrared receiver above a predetermined level which is transmitted from said infrared signal generator when a reflected signal is received;

(h) returning to step (d) in the event there is no reflected input to said infrared receiver, and determining whether or not the counter value of said first counter (C) has a predetermined value (X) after increasing the count thereof by "1" in the event there is a reflected input to the infrared signal receiver; and

(i) returning to step (d) after resetting the counter value of said second counter (N) to "zero" and performing said distance detecting function after setting the counter value of said first counter (C) to "zero" when the counter value of said first counter (C) has said predetermined value (X) and returning to step (f) when the counter value of said first counter (C) is not of said predetermined value (X).