VCR with cable tuner control

• US 5,123,046 A
• Filed: 11/05/1990
• Issued: 06/16/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Smart VCR Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Levine, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US07/609,291
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 380/7, 380/10, 380/49, 380/52, 455/131, 455/151, 455/5, 455/6, 358/86, 358/349, 358/194.1, 358/335, 340/825.72, 341/176, 359/146
• US Class Current: 380/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/167 Systems rendering the television signal unintelligible and subsequently intelligible

Abstract

A video recorder, adapted to receive descrambled signals from a remotely controllable tuner/descrambler for multi-channel cable or satellite signals for recording or provision to a T.V. receiver, includes a future program memory which may be programmed by an operator to cause the system to record a predetermined channel at a predetermined future time. To ensure that the descrambler is tuned to the proper channel when a signal requiring descrambling is to be recorded, the video recorder is connected to a remote control transmitter which is energized at the time occurrence of a program to be recorded to send a signal to the remote control receiver of the tuner/descrambler causing it to select the appropriate channel for descrambling.

Claims

1. In a video recorder including a future schedule memory adapted to store the channel and time of occurrence of programs desired to be recorded, the video recorder being adapted to receive television input signals from a multi-channel tuner/descrambler having a first remote control receiver for channel selection, the improvement comprising:

a first remote control transmitter forming a part of the video recorder and operative under control of signals stored in said future schedule memory of the video recorder, said first remote control transmitter being adapted to provide signals to said remote control receiver of the tuner/descrambler for channel selection at the time of occurrence of a program to be recorded to cause said tuner/descrambler to provide the video recorder with the appropriate television signal to be recorded;

a second remote control receiver forming part of the video recorder; and

a second remote control transmitter for provision of signals to said second remote control receiver in order to allow remote control of the video recorder and of the multi-channel tuner/descrambler through signals provided by the second remote control transmitter to the video recorder and from the first remote control transmitter of the video recorder to the first remote control receiver, whereby a single remote control unit may be used to control both the video recorder and the multi-channel tuner/descrambler.

2. The video recorder to claim 1 wherein said first remote control transmitter controls the channel selection of the tuner/descrambler.

3. The video recorder of claim 1 wherein said first remote control transmitter controls the energization of the tuner/descrambler.

4. The video recorder of claim 1, wherein said first remote control transmitter is connected to the video recorder via a flexible cable, said first remote control transmitter being positioned properly with respect to said first remote control receiver of the multi-channel tuner/descrambler for receipt of said signals generated by said first remote control transmitter by said first remote control receiver.

5. The video recorder of claim 1 in which the first remote control receiver and the first remote control transmitter communicate via infrared signals.

6. A method of controlling a multi-channel tuner/descrambler for television signals having a remote control receiver for channel selection for recording future scheduled programs, said method comprising the steps of:

storing the channel and time of occurrence of future programs desired to be recorded in a future schedule memory;

providing remote control signals to the remote control receiver via a remote control transmitter when the current time coincides with said time of occurrence of future programs desired to be recorded.

recording the television signal output of the multi-channel tuner/descrambler via a video recorder when the current time coincides with said time of occurrence of future programs desired to be recorded;

controlling operation of the video recorder via a second remote control receiver disposed in the video recorder; and

providing second remote control signals to the second remote control receiver via a second remote control transmitter, whereby both the multi-channel tuner/descrambler and the video recorder may be controlled by the second remote control transmitter.

7. The method claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said step of providing remote control signals to the remote control receiver via a remote control transmitter includes providing remote control signals for selection of the channel tuned by the multi-channel tuner/descrambler.

8. The method claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said step of providing remote control signals to the remote control receiver via a remote control transmitter includes providing remote control signals for energization of the multi-channel tuner/descrambler.

9. The method claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said step of providing remote control signals to the remote control receiver via a remote control transmitter includes

connecting said remote control transmitter to said future schedule memory via a flexible cable, and

disposing said remote control transmitter proximate the remote control receiver.

10. The method claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said step of providing remote control signals to the remote control receiver via a remote control transmitter includes generating infrared signals via said remote control transmitter.

11. A video system comprising:

a multi-channel source of television signals;

a multi-channel tuner connected to said multi-channel source of television signals having a remote control receiver for channel selection based upon received remote control signals;

a video recorder connected to said multi-channel tuner having means operative to generate a signal specifying a channel selection; and

a remote control transmitter operative to receive said signal specifying a channel selection generated by said video recorder and operative to generate remote control signals corresponding to said channel selection for receipt by said remote control receiver of said multi-channel tuner for channel selection.

12. The video system of claim 11, wherein:

said multi-channel source of television signals includes a television cable including at least one scrambled channel;

said multi-channel tuner consists of a cable box adapted to

receive a selected channel from said television cable corresponding to received remote control signals,

descramble the television signal on said selected channel if said selected channel is one of said at least one scrambled channel, and

output the television signals of said selected channel on a predetermined channel.

13. The video system of claim 11, wherein:

said video recorder further includes

a second remote control receiver for control of video recorder functions, and

means for generating remote control signals via said remote control transmitter for channel selection corresponding to remote control signals received via said second remote control receiver; and

said video system further includes a second remote control transmitter operative to generate remote control signals for receipt by said second remote control receiver of said video recorder for control of video recorder functions, whereby said second remote control transmitter may be used to control both said video recorder and said multi-channel tuner.

14. The video system of claim 13, wherein:

said second remote control transmitter includes means for providing channel selection signals; and

said remote control transmitter controls the channel selection of said multi-channel tuner corresponding to channel selection signals provided by said second remote control transmitter.

15. The video system of claim 13, wherein:

said second remote control transmitter includes means for providing energization signals; and

said remote control transmitter controls the energization of said multi-channel tuner corresponding to energization signals provided by said second remote control transmitter.

16. The video system of claim 11, wherein:

said video recorder further includes

a future schedule memory adapted to store the channel and time of occurrence of future programs,

a real time clock circuit for generating present time signals,

a controller connected to said future schedule memory, said clock circuit, and said remote control transmitter, said controller operative to control said remote control transmitter to transmit remote control signals to the remote control receiver of the multi-channel tuner for selection of the channel stored in said future program memory when said present time clock signal coincides with the time of occurrence of the future program.

17. The video system of claim 16, wherein:

said video recorder further includes

a tape drive unit adapted to record television signals on a video tape and play back television signals previously recorded on video tape, and wherein

said future schedule memory stores the channel and time of occurrence of future programs desired to be recorded, and

said controller is further connected to said tape drive unit to control said tape drive unit to record the television signal received from the multi-channel tuner when said present time clock signal coincides with the time of occurrence of a future program to be recorded.

18. The video system of claim 11, wherein:

said remote control transmitter is connected to the video recorder via a flexible cable, said remote control transmitter being positioned properly with respect to said remote control receiver of the multi-channel tuner for receipt of said remote control signals generated by said remote control transmitter by said remote control receiver.

19. A video recorder adapted to receive television input signals from a multi-channel tuner/descrambler which has a remote control receiver for channel selection, said video recorder comprising:

a future schedule memory adapted to store the channel and time of occurrence of future programs to be recorded;

a clock circuit for generating present time clock signals;

a tape drive unit adapted to record television signals on video tape and play back television signals previously recorded on video tape;

a remote control transmitter operative to generate remote control signals for receipt by the remote control receiver of the tuner/descrambler for channel selection;

a controller connected to said future schedule memory, said clock circuit, said tape drive unit and said remote control transmitter, said controller operative to

control said remote control transmitter to transmit remote control signals to the remote control receiver of the multi-channel tuner/descrambler for selection of the channel to be recorded stored in said future program memory when said present time clock signal coincides with the time of occurrence of a future program to be recorded, and

control said tape drive unit to record the television signal received from the multi-channel tuner/descrambler when said present time clock signal coincides with the time of occurrence of a future program to be recorded.

20. The video recorder of claim 19, further comprising:

a second remote control receiver for receipt of second remote control signals;

said controller being further connected to said second remote control receiver and further operative to

control video recorder functions in accordance with received second remote control signals, and

generate remote control signals via said remote control transmitter for channel selection corresponding to second remote control signals received via as second remote control receiver; and

further comprising a second remote control transmitter separated from said video recorder for provision of signals to said second remote control receiver in order to allow remote control of the video recorder and of the multi-channel tuner/descrambler through signals provided by the second remote control transmitter to the video recorder and from the remote control transmitter of the video recorder to the remote control receiver, whereby said second remote control unit may be used to control both the video recorder and the multi-channel tuner/descrambler.