Remote control for digital music terminal with synchronized communications

• US 5,282,028 A
• Filed: 01/08/1992
• Issued: 01/25/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Lee R., Montreuil, Leo, Rovira, Luis A., Wall, William E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US07/818,191
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.2, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 455/186.1, 455/186.2, 455/158.2, 455/158.3, 455/158.4, 455/158.5, 358/86, 358/84, 358/194.1
• US Class Current: 725/139
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0025 in a remote control unit remote control tuning in general H03J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/24 Remote control device with display showing program content
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18523 Satellite systems for providing broadcast service to terrestrial stations, i.e. broadcast satellite service arrangements specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving H04H40/90; picture transmission via satellite H04N1/00103; television transmission via satellite H04N7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/78 CATV [Community Antenna Television] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/79 using downlink of the CATV systems, e.g. audio broadcast via CATV network
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/81 combined with telephone network over which the broadcast is continuously available
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/84 combined with power distribution network
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/91 broadcasting computer programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42225 characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 : Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 : Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 : Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A remote control system including a hand held remote control unit with an alphanumeric information display, for controlling and communicating with a first controlled device, such as a digital music tuner connected to a community antenna television (CATV) cable, and for controlling a selected one of a plurality of second controlled devices, such as CATV set-top units, VCRs, or television sets. A first, high speed, error free display information communications protocol is utilized for transmitting program content or other information from a device, such as the CATV-connected music tuner, to the remote control unit for display. A second or control communications protocol is utilized by the remote control unit for controlling the first controlled device and a selected one of the second controlled devices. The CATV cable-connected music tuner utilizes the 44.1 kHZ Compact Disk (CD) clock signal embedded in digital music signals provided via the cable to derive clocking signals for implementing the display information communications protocol, resulting in an efficient, low cost electronic design.

Claims

1. A system for displaying information derived from an information signal corresponding to at least one digital data signal, said information signal and said digital data signal provided as encoded signals from a signal source, said digital data signal being provided at a first clock frequency, comprising:

a first device, comprising;

first receiving means for receiving said encoded signal from said signal source and for providing a received encoded signal;

first processor means responsive to said received encoded signal for separating a selected information signal from its corresponding digital data signal and providing a separated information signal;

clock signal generator means for providing a clock signal at said first clock frequency; and

first transmitting means for transmitting said separated information signal at a frequency defined by said first clock frequency to produce a transmitted information signal; and

a second device, remotely located from said first device, comprising;

second receiving means for receiving said transmitted information signal to provide a received information signal; and

means for displaying said received information signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said digital data signal comprises a digital audio signal encoded at said first clock frequency.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said first transmitting means comprises an infrared signal transmitter, and said first clock frequency is a frequency operative for infrared signal transmission.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said first clock frequency is 44.1 kHz.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said clock signal generator is simultaneously operative for providing said a clock signal at said first clock frequency for utilization of said digital data signal and for utilization by said first transmitting means for transmitting said separated information signal.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising second transmitting means associated with said second device, said transmitting means being operative for transmitting an information request signal from said second device to said first device, and wherein said first device is responsive to said information request signal for transmitting said separated information signal.

7. A system for communication information corresponding to a selected set of digital data, comprising:

(a) a first device, comprising;

first receiving means for receiving an encoded signal, said encoded signal provided by a remote signal source and containing a plurality of information signals and a plurality of digital data signals, each of said information signals having a corresponding one of said data signals, to provide a received encoded signal;

first processor means, coupled to said first receiving means, for processing said received encoded signal to provide a selected one of said information signals that is separated from said corresponding one of said digital data signals;

clock signal generator means, coupled to said first processor means, for providing a clock signal having a first frequency; and

first transmitting means, coupled to said first processor means, for transmitting said selected one of said information signals at a rate defined by said first frequency to produce a transmitted information signal; and

(b) a second device, remotely located from said first device, comprising;

second receiving means for receiving said transmitted information signal to provide a received information signal;

second processor means, coupled to said second receiving means, for processing said received information signal; and

communicating means, coupled to said second processor means, for communicating said received information signal.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said second device further comprises:

input means, coupled to said second processor means, for inputting an information request; and

second transmitting means, coupled to said second processor means, for transmitting an information request signal to said controlled device in response to said information request.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said first device further comprises an information request receiver means, coupled to said first processor means, for receiving said information request signal to provide a received information request signal.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said first processor means is responsive to said received information request signal to enable said first transmitting means to transmit said selected information signal.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein said first transmitting means transmits said selected information signal by gating a signal source with a gate signal having said first frequency.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said gate signal is digitally coded by a pulse code modulator means to produce a pulse code modulation (PCM) signal having a fixed bit rate.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said fixed bit rate is defined by a selected integral number of cycles of said first frequency per bit.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said gate signal is said clock signal.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein said signal source is an infrared source.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein said predetermined bit rate is defined by a selected integral number of cycles of said first frequency per bit.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said integral number of cycles of said first frequency per bit is nine.

16. A system for communicating information corresponding to a selected set of digital data, comprising:

(a) a first device including;

first receiving means for receiving an encoded signal, said encoded signal provided by a remote signal source and containing a plurality of information signals and a plurality of digital data signals, each of said information signals corresponding to one of said data signals, to provide a received encoded signal;

first processor means, coupled to said first receiving means, for processing said received encoded signal to provide a selected one of said information signals that is separated from said corresponding one of said digital data signals;

clock signal generator means, coupled to said first processor means, for providing a clock signal having a first frequency;

first transmitting means, coupled to said first processor means, for operating upon said selected one of said information signals to transmit a transmitted information signal at a rate defined by said first frequency; and

information request receiver means, coupled to said first processor means, for receiving an information request signal from a second device remotely located from said first device; and

(b) a second device including

second receiving means for receiving said transmitted information signal to provide a received information signal;

second processor means associated with said second receiving means, for processing said received information signal;

communicating means associated with said second processor means, for communicating said received information signal;

input means for inputting an information request and operative for generating an information request signal; and

second transmitting means for transmitting said information request signal to said first device in response to said information request,

wherein said first transmitting means transmits said transmitted information signal in response to said information request signal.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said first transmitting means transmits said transmitted information signal by gating a signal source with a gate signal having said first frequency.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said gate signal is digitally coded by a pulse code modulator means to produce a pulse code modulation (PCM) signal having a predetermined bit rate.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein said gate signal is said clock signal.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein said signal source is an infrared source.

23. The system of claim 16 wherein said digital data signal is digital audio signal.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said first frequency is defined as a Compact Disc (CD) technology standard frequency for digital-to-analog conversion of said digital audio signal.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said standard frequency is 44.1 kHz.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein said transmitted information signal comprises a message containing said information, said message having a transmission protocol defined by a plurality of fields.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said transmission protocol includes a start text field, a message sequence field, a plurality of data definition fields, a plurality of data fields, a plurality of error detection fields, a message error detection field, and an end of text field.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein each of said data definition fields comprises a predetermined set of characters.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein each of said plurality of said error detection fields provides an error detection term for said selected one of said data fields to ensure accurate transmission of said selected one of said data fields.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein said message error detection field provides a message error detection term for said message to ensure accurate transmission of said message.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said end of text field indicates the end of said message.

32. The system of claim 16, wherein said second device further comprises alphanumeric display means for displaying said received information signal.