Television program scheduler for providing an indication to a user that a television program is about to start

• US 5,410,367 A
• Filed: 02/23/1994
• Issued: 04/25/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AQI Limited
• Original Assignee: AQI Limited
• Inventors: Zahavi, Issashar, Weiner, Avi
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US08/200,333
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 348/725, 348/906
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 11/00 Producing optical signals at preselected times
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• 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 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

A television program scheduler for providing an indication to a user that a television program is about to start. The scheduler includes a clock for keeping date and time, a keyboard for inputting information relating to a user selected schedule of one or more television programs, a display for displaying at least a portion of the information and control apparatus for comparing the date and start time of the television programs to the date and time of the clock for providing an indication to the user starting a predetermined period of time before the start of a television program.

Claims

1. A television program scheduler for providing an indication to a user that a television program is about to start, comprising:

(a) a clock for keeping date and time;

(b) inputting means for inputting information relating to a user selected schedule of at least one television program, wherein said information includes the date and start time of said at least one television program;

(c) a display for displaying at least a portion of said information;

(d) control means for comparing the date and start time of said at least one television program to the date and time of said clock; and

(e) indicating means for providing the indication to the user in response to said control means, said indication being initiated a pre-determined period of time before the start of said at least one television program.

2. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said information includes the date of said at least one television program.

3. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said information includes the start time of said at least one television program.

4. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said information includes the duration of said at least one television program.

5. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said information includes the end time of said at least one television program.

6. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said information includes the channel of said at least one television program.

7. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said information includes said pre-determined period of time.

8. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said information includes a descriptor of said at least one television program.

9. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said information includes whether said at least one television program is broadcast daily.

10. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said information includes whether said at least one television program is broadcast weekly.

11. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said information includes whether said at least one television program is broadcast on a weekday.

12. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said information includes whether said at least one television program is broadcast over a weekend.

13. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said information includes a code of the user.

14. The scheduler as in claim 13, wherein said information is protected under a secret code of the user.

15. The scheduler of claim 1, wherein said indicating means increases the rate of flashing of said display as the time kept by said clock approaches the start of said at least one television program.

16. The scheduler of claim 1, wherein said indicating means activates an LED for providing said indication.

17. The scheduler as in claim 16, wherein said indicating means increases the rate of activating said LED as the time kept by said clock approaches the start of said at least one television program.

18. The scheduler of claim 1, wherein said indicating means activates a buzzer for providing said indication.

19. The scheduler as in claim 18, wherein said indicating means increases the level of sound emitted by said buzzer as the time kept by said clock approaches the start time of said at least one television program.

20. The scheduler as in claim 1 configured as a hand-held device.

21. The scheduler as in claim 1 configured as a wristwatch.

22. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said inputting means includes a keypad.

23. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said inputting means includes a microphone and speech recognition circuitry.

24. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said information is encoded.

25. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said display is a television screen of a television set.

26. The scheduler as in claim 1, wherein said display is incorporated in a housing of a television set.