Notification system for television receivers
First Claim
1. A television receiver which receives and processes a television signal to produce a video image, the television receiver comprising:
- means for receiving the television signal containing message data, the message data being independent of the video image;
alarm means, internally coupled to the television receiver for indicating the occurrence of an event;
an Interactive Program Guide (IPG); and
control processor means for executing commands to operate the television receiver, including;
means for extracting the message data from the television signal, wherein the extracting means processes data received during the vertical blanking interval of the television signal;
means for processing the message data to determine a status of the event, including means for receiving a program rating value from an IPG service and for activating the alarm means only if the program rating value is greater than a predetermined value; and
means for selectively activating the alarm means responsive to the determined event status.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A notification system for television receivers including a visible alarm and/or an audible alarm that is activated when a certain event occurs. An information signal is extracted from a received television signal and is processed to determine the status of an event. If it is determined that the event occurred, then a control signal is sent to the appropriate alarm to activate that alarm, thereby notifying the user of the event'"'"'s occurrence. The event may include the reception of a text or graphic message, the televising of a certain television program, and the televising of a television program with a specific program rating. The user may also deactivate the alarm. A personal identification number may be used to restrict access to certain features of the notification system.
364 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A television receiver which receives and processes a television signal to produce a video image, the television receiver comprising:
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means for receiving the television signal containing message data, the message data being independent of the video image; alarm means, internally coupled to the television receiver for indicating the occurrence of an event; an Interactive Program Guide (IPG); and control processor means for executing commands to operate the television receiver, including; means for extracting the message data from the television signal, wherein the extracting means processes data received during the vertical blanking interval of the television signal; means for processing the message data to determine a status of the event, including means for receiving a program rating value from an IPG service and for activating the alarm means only if the program rating value is greater than a predetermined value; and means for selectively activating the alarm means responsive to the determined event status. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A television receiver which receives and processes a television signal to produce a video image, the television receiver comprising:
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means for receiving the television signal containing message data, the message data being independent of the video image; alarm means, internally coupled to the television receiver for indicating the occurrence of an event; an Interactive Program Guide (IPG) which receives and processes IPG data; and control processor means for executing commands to operate the television receiver, including; means for extracting the message data from the television signal, wherein said extracting means processes data received during the vertical blanking interval of the television signal and includes means for extracting a message data from the IPG data; means for processing the message data to determine a status of the event, including address processing means for extracting an address field from the message and for determining if the message is properly addressed; and means for selectively activating the alarm means responsive to the determined event status. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A television receiver which receives and processes a television signal to produce a video image, the television receiver comprising:
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means for receiving the television signal containing message data, the message data being independent of the video image; alarm means, internally coupled to the television receiver for indicating the occurrence of an event, wherein the event is the televising of a predetermined television program; and control processor means for executing commands to operate the television receiver, including; means for extracting the message data from the television signal which processes data received during the vertical blanking interval of the television signal; means for processing the message data to determine status of the event, including means for comparing all programs available to be received to the predetermined program and for activating the alarm means to indicate that the predetermined television program can be received; and means for selectively activating the alarm means responsive to the determined event status.
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13. A method of controlling and providing notice of an event through a television receiver comprising the steps of:
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receiving a television signal including an information signal of a first type; receiving local information including an information signal of a second type different from the first type; processing the information signal of the first type and the second type to determine the status of the event; and activating selectively an alarm indicating the occurrence of the event if the determined status of the event indicates that the event has occurred. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A notification system contained in a television receiver which receives and processes a television signal to produce a video image, the system comprising:
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means for receiving the television signal including an information signal of a first type; means for receiving local information including an information signal of a second type different from the first type; processing means for processing the information signal of the first type and of the second type; alarm means, internally coupled to the processing means for indicating the occurrence of an event; and means for selectively activating the alarm means responsive to processed information signals of the first type and of the second type. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification