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Apparatus for displaying inhibited menu functions in a television receiver

  • US 5,650,827 A
  • Filed: 09/10/1992
  • Issued: 07/22/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A television receiver operable in a plurality of modes of operation including reproduction of signals from different video and audio sources, the television receiver comprising:

  • display means including a display screen for displaying on a portion thereof a main menu having a plurality of displayed menu items for selection of respective operational parameters including a mode of operation by a user of the television receiver and a cursor for indicating a chosen menu item from the plurality of displayed menu items for selection, the plurality of displayed menu items including inhibited menu items that cannot be selected;

    setting means for selecting the chosen menu item from the plurality of menu items displayed by the display means and for determining and setting values thereof, the setting means including a remote control unit having a plurality of manually operable keys for controlling movement of the cursor to a position adjacent to the chosen menu item from the plurality of displayed menu items for selection, for selecting the chosen menu item from the plurality of displayed menu items at the position adjacent to the cursor, and for setting values thereof;

    control means for issuing an inhibit command to control the display means to indicate on the display screen that a displayed menu item is inhibited from selection when a present first mode of operation is changed to a second mode of operation and the displayed menu item is inconsistent with the second mode of operation, and for returning the inhibited menu item to its original uninhibited condition when the second mode of operation is changed to the first mode of operation or a third mode of operation with which the uninhibited menu item is consistent, the control means having memory means for storing a set value of the uninhibited menu item when the first mode of operation is changed to the second mode of operation, the control means retrieving the stored value and resetting the displayed menu item to the stored value when the first mode of operation is restored; and

    the display means further including a display microcomputer for generating a control signal in response to the inhibit command from the control means and for generating output signals corresponding to a red signal, a green signal and a blue signal, and a resistor network connected to the display microcomputer for lowering a signal level of the red, green and blue signals in response to the control signal in order to reduce a brightness of the inhibited menu item,wherein the user can visually confirm the selection of a menu item, and is prevented from selecting menu items that are not compatible with a selected video and audio source.

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