T.V. viewing and recording system

• US 5,420,647 A
• Filed: 01/19/1993
• Issued: 05/30/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Smart VCR Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Levine, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan J.
• Application Number:
  US08/005,704
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 358/194.1, 358/335, 358/181, 358/191.1, 340/825.72, 340/825.60, 359/142
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/167 Systems rendering the television signal unintelligible and subsequently intelligible

Abstract

In a television viewing system, a VCR adapted for use with a source of cable TV, a remotely controllable cable box and a remotely controllable TV receiver provides means to determine all channels tunable by the various tuners, including pay channels. A memory disposed within the VCR stores operative control codes for the cable box and TV. The VCR incorporates switches adapted to interconnect the various components in a variety of configurations. The VCR also incorporates an infrared transmitter operative to transmit control signals to the cable box and TV receiver. Upon receipt of user inputs specifying the desired mode of operation, a controller within the VCR adjusts the switching positions to achieve an optimum configuration for the system components to perform user selections options and transmits remote control codes to the cable box and the TV receiver to place them in condition to enable the user command.

Claims

1. A video recorder adapted for use with a multi-channel signal source and a remotely controllable television receiver, the video recorder comprising:

a tuner;

video record/playback means;

a first input to receive a signal from the multi-channel signal source;

an output to deliver a signal to an input of the television receiver;

electrically controlled switches operative to interconnect the tuner and video record/playback means to the multi-channel signal source through the first input and television receiver through the output;

a memory for storing remote control codes for the television receiver;

a remote control signal transmitter;

a source of operator control commands; and

an electronic controller operative to receive operator control commands, cause the transmitter to transmit control signals, to the television, and control the switches in order to achieve video recording and viewing options based upon the operator commands.

2. The video recorder of claim 1, further adapted for use with a remotely controllable tuner/descrambler, and having a second input to receive a signal from an output of the tuner/descrambler, the transmitter being further operative to transmit control codes to both the tuner/descrambler and to the television, the memory further storing remote control codes for the tuner/descrambler.

3. The video recorder of claim 1 in which said source of operator control commands is a voice recognition device responsive to oral operator commands.

4. The video recorder of claim 2, wherein said controller is further connected to an input responsive to the tunability of the television receiver and a memory to store attributes pertaining to channel tunability, said controller being further operative to:

cause the transmitter to transmit channel-change command signals to the tuner/descrambler and to the television receiver;

analyze the resulting operation of the tuner/descrambler and the television receiver in order to determine which channels may be tuned by the tuner/descrambler and by the television receiver; and

store in said memory, as a function of each channel, attributes indicating if said channel is capable of being tuned by said video recorder, tuner/descrambler or television receiver.

5. The video recorder of claim 4 wherein said controller is further operative to determine if said television receiver is cable-ready.

6. The video recorder of claim 1 further including an RF splitter adapted to receive said multi-channel signal source and provide an input to said cable tuner/descrambler and said electronic switching.

7. The video recorder of claim 1 wherein said electronic controller is further operative to receive operator commands transmitted to the tuner/descrambler or television receiver, cause the transmitter to transmit control signals to the tuner/descrambler and to the television receiver, and control the switches in order to achieve video recording and viewing options in accordance with the operator commands.

8. The video recorder of claim 7 wherein the operator commands and the control signals are transmitted at different frequencies.

9. A video routing system configured for use with a multi-channel signal source, an associated remotely controllable tuner/descrambler, and a television monitor, the system comprising:

a multi-channel tuner outputting a baseband video signal;

a video record/playback unit;

a receiver for remotely transmitted operator control commands;

a transmitter of remote control signals to be received by said tuner/descrambler and said television receiver;

electronically controllable baseband video switching means; and

a controller operative to receive operator originated control signals from said remote control transmitter relating to desired scenario associated with viewing or recording, and to control said switching means so as to interconnect the elements of the video recorder to one another and to the multi-channel signal source, tuner/descrambler and monitor, and cause the transmitter to generate control commands for the tuner/descrambler and the television receiver to enable said scenario.

10. The video recorder of claim 9 wherein said electronically controllable switching means includes:

a record select switch operative to choose one of the following as the record input to said magnetic record/playback unit;

the output of said multi-channel tuner; and

a video output of said cable tuner/descrambler; and

a view select switch operative to choose as an input to said television one of;

the output of said multi-channel tuner;

the output of said magnetic record/playback unit; and

a video output of said tuner/descrambler.

11. The video recorder of claim 9 wherein said viewing and recording scenarios include:

recording a descrambled cable channel while viewing;

the same descrambled cable channel;

a cable channel;

or

recording a cable channel while viewing;

the same cable channel;

a different cable channel;

or

a descrambled cable channel.

12. The video recorder of claim 9 further comprising a memory connected to the controller for storing the remote control codes for said tuner/descrambler and said television receiver.

13. In a video recorder adapted for use in conjunction with a multi-channel signal source, a remotely controllable cable tuner/descrambler and a remotely controllable television receiver, the video recorder including a tuner, video record/playback means, electrically controlled switches operative to interconnect the tuner, video record/playback means, multi-channel signal source, tuner/descrambler and television receiver, a remote-control signal transmitter adapted to transmit control signals to the tuner/descrambler and to the receiver, and a source of operator control commands, the method of configuring the video recorder, tuner/descrambler and television receiver for a desired recording/viewing option, comprising the steps of:

receiving at said recorder an operator command specifying the option;

tuning the tuner;

setting the switches;

energizing the record/playback means;

energizing and tuning the tuner/descrambler; and

energizing and tuning said television receiver.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of receiving at said recorder an operator command specifying the option includes receiving an operator command transmitted to the tuner/descrambler or receiver.

15. The method of claim 13 further including the steps of:

transmitting channel-change command signals to the tuner/descrambler and to the receiver;

analyzing the resulting operation of the tuner/descrambler and the receiver in order to determine which channels may be tuned by the tuner/descrambler and by the receiver; and

storing in a memory, as a function of each channel, attributes indicating if said channel is capable of being tuned by said video recorder, tuner/descrambler or receiver.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of analyzing the resulting operation of the tuner/descrambler in order to determine which channels may be tuned by the tuner/descrambler includes analyzing the resulting operation in order to determine if a channel is capable of being descrambled by the tuner/descrambler.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of analyzing the resulting operation of the tuner/descrambler in order to determine if a channel is capable of being descrambled by the tuner/descrambler includes the steps of:

analyzing the synchronization of an output signal of the tuner/descrambler to determine if it is periodic; and

analyzing the synchronization of said tuner/descrambler output signal, if periodic, to determine if it is inverted.