Auxiliary device control for a subscriber terminal

• US 5,657,414 A
• Filed: 12/01/1992
• Issued: 08/12/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Raley, Michael, Hamilton, Scott L., Lett, David B., Bacon, Kinney C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, David E.
• Application Number:
  US07/984,023
• Time in Patent Office: 1,715 Days
• Field of Search: 348/10, 348/6, 348/7, 348/734, 455/6.1, 455/6.3, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/3.1, 455/53.1, 455/151.1, 455/151.2, 455/151.4, 358/335
• US Class Current: 386/314
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 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 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

An auxiliary device control for a subscriber terminal includes a four wire ribbon cable defining a bidirectional communication and data interface from the terminal to one or more auxiliary devices. A communication and data protocol for the bidirectional transfer of instructions, status, and data over the interface includes an address field, command or reply field, data length field, and checksum field transmitted at 9600 baud. In a preferred implementation, the auxiliary device to be controlled is an IR peripheral controller which can tune a VCR, and switch it on and off. Several transactions in the communications and data protocol are used to effect the operation where a control VCR command and reply transaction cause the control of the tuning and recording of the VCR. A set-up VCR command and a brand reply transaction is used to provide information to configure the controller with brands and model of the VCRs. A program event code command and a program event timer reply transaction provide for the automatic recording of a program event based on an event code listed in a television schedule. A channel map command and a reply transaction provide for the downloading of the local cable system channel line up into the controller.

Claims

1. An auxiliary device interface for a subscriber terminal of a subscription television service which allows communication to or from, or control of or by, at least one auxiliary device;

said auxiliary device controlling a recording apparatus selected from a plurality of brands or makes, each of said plurality of brands or makes responding to commands associated with said brands or makes, said auxiliary device interface comprising;

a transmitter included in the subscriber terminal for transmitting at least one of data, control, and instruction over a transmit conductor in a predetermined communication protocol to said at least one auxiliary device, said at least one of data control, and instruction including a generic start command or a generic stop command;

a receiver included in said subscriber terminal for receiving at least one of data, control, or instruction over a receive conductor in said communication protocol from said at least one auxiliary device;

an interface bus including at least said transmit conductor, said receive conductor, and a ground conductor, said interface bus connected between said subscriber terminal and each of said at least one auxiliary device;

a receiver included in each of said at least one auxiliary device for receiving transactions sent from the subscriber terminal over said transmit conductor;

each of said at least one auxiliary device including processing means for processing the received data, control, or instruction; and

,

a transmitter included in each of said at least one auxiliary device for transmitting at least one of data, control or instruction in said communication protocol over the receiver conductor, wherein the transmitted at least one of data, control or instruction, transmitted from said transmitter in said at least one auxiliary device, is responsive to the received data, control, or instruction from the subscriber terminal and wherein said associated commands are generated in response to the receipt of said at least one of data, control or instruction from said subscriber terminal.

6. The auxiliary device interface for a subscriber terminal of a subscription television service according to claim 1, said at least one auxiliary device connected to and unidirectionally communicating with said recording apparatus.

7. The auxiliary device interface for a subscriber terminal of a subscription television service according to claim 6, said at least one auxiliary device transmitting information to said recording apparatus via an infrared transmission.

2. A system for automatically recording a program event broadcast over a subscription television system, said system comprising:

a subscriber terminal adapted to selectively tune the program event at a broadcast time;

a recording apparatus coupled to said subscriber terminal and adapted to record said selectively tuned program event, said recording apparatus selected from a plurality of brands or makes of recording apparatuses, each of said plurality of brands or makes responding to commands associated with said brands or makes; and

,

a peripheral controller, bi-directionally communicating with said subscriber terminal via a peripheral interface, said peripheral controller receiving generic commands from said subscriber terminal and outputting said associated commands to said subscriber terminal in response to receipt of said generic commands, said associated commands controlling said recording apparatus;

wherein at least one of said generic commands generated by said subscriber terminal includes a command to said peripheral controller to begin recording at the broadcast time the program event and at least another of said generic commands generated by said subscriber terminal includes a command to stop recording after the program event.

3. A system for automatically recording a program event as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said recording device is a video cassette recorder.

4. A system for automatically recording a program event as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said peripheral controller controls said video cassette recorder by means of an encoded infra-red transmission.

5. A system for automatically recording a program event as set forth in claim 2, wherein said subscriber terminal further includes:

a controller for setting a program timer which generates an event start signal as the broadcast time of said program event and generates an event stop signal at the end of said program event;

wherein said controller is responsive to said event start and stop signals, and causes said command to begin recording and said command to stop recording to be transmitted to said peripheral controller.

8. The system for automatically recording a program event broadcast over a subscription television system according to claim 2, said peripheral controller unidirectionally communicating to said recording apparatus.