Remote control unit for controlling a television and videocassette recorder with a display for allowing a user to select between various programming schedules

• US 5,710,605 A
• Filed: 01/11/1996
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rakuten, Inc. (Rakuten Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rickey D. Nelson
• Inventors: Nelson, Rickey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Murrell, Jeffrey S.
• Application Number:
  US08/587,109
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 348/3, 348/734, 348/906, 348/552, 359/146, 359/148, 359/145, 359/143, 379/102, 379/104, 379/105, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.36, 345/169
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42212 Specific keyboard arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• 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 21/47 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 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus

Abstract

A universal remote control unit for controlling a television and videocassette recorder including a data input mechanism securable to a telephone line for receiving signals from an external supplier representing television programing schedule items; a display mechanism for displaying television programing schedule items and television and videocassette operating functions in a hierarchy of textual and scrollable selection lists; a user-operable selector mechanism for allowing a user to scroll through the lists and then select television programing schedule items or television and videocassette functions; another user-operable selector mechanism for allowing a user to generate billing signals signifying a payment to be made in response to the receipt of the television programming schedule items from the external supplier; a data output mechanism securable to a telephone line for transmitting the billing signals representing a payment made to the external supplier; a processor mechanism for controlling operations; and a transmitter mechanism responsive to the processor mechanism for generating and transmitting via free space remote scheduling signals for subsequent receipt by the television and videocassette recorder for scheduling and controlling each of their operations.

Claims

1. A universal remote control unit for controlling a television and videocassette recorder, the television and videocassette recorder being adapted to perform a function upon receipt of a remote control signal, the universal remote control comprising, in combination:

data input means securable to a telephone line for receiving a plurality of signals from an external supplier representing a plurality of television programming schedule items;

timing means for keeping track of a current day and time;

display means for displaying the current day and time and for further displaying television programming schedule items and television and videocassette operating functions in a hierarchy of textual and scrollable selection lists;

first user-operable selector means for allowing a user to scroll through the lists and then select one of the television programming schedule items;

second user-operable selector means for allowing a user to scroll through the lists and then select one of the television and videocassette functions;

third user-operable selector means for generating a plurality of billing signals signifying a payment to be made in response to the receipt of the television program schedule items from the external supplier;

data output means securable to the telephone line for transmitting the billing signals to the external supplier;

fourth user-operable selector means for allowing a user to designate one of the program schedule items as a favorite program;

processor means coupled to the data input means, the timing means, the first user-operable selector means, the second user-operable selector means, the third user-operable selector means, the fourth user-operable selector means, and the data output means, the processor means responsive to the first user-operable selector means for generating a television programming scheduling signal when a television programming data item is selected, the processor means further responsive to the second user-selector means for generating a function control signal when the television and videocassette functions are selected;

memory means coupled to the processor means for storing the television programming scheduling signals, the function control signals, and the billing signals;

infrared transmitter means coupled to the processor means responsive to receipt of one of the television programming scheduling signals from the processor means for generating and transmitting via free space one of a plurality of remote scheduling signals for subsequent receipt by the television and videocassette recorder for scheduling each of their operations, the infrared transmitter means further responsive to the receipt of one of the function control signals from the processor means for generating and transmitting via free space one of a plurality of remote control signals for subsequent receipt by the television and videocassette recorder for controlling each of their operations; and

alarm means coupled to and responsive to the processor means for generating an alarm at a predetermined time to signify when the user'"'"'s favorite program is about to begin.

2. A universal remote control unit for controlling a television and videocassette recorder, the television and videocassette recorder adapted to perform a function upon receipt of a remote control signal, the universal remote control comprising:

data input means securable to a telephone line for receiving a plurality of signals from an external supplier representing a plurality of television programming schedule items;

display means for displaying television programming schedule items and television and videocassette operating functions and in a hierarchy of textual and scrollable selection lists;

first user-operable selector means for allowing a user to scroll through the lists and then select one of the television programming schedule items;

second user-operable selector means for allowing a user to scroll through the lists and then select one of the television and videocassette functions;

third user-operable selector means for generating a plurality of billing signals signifying a payment to be made in response to the receipt of the television program schedule items from the external supplier;

data output means securable to a telephone line for transmitting the billing signals to the external supplier;

processor means coupled to the data input means, the timing means, the selector means, and the data output means, the processor means responsive to the first user-operable selector means for generating a television programming scheduling signal when a television programming data item is selected, the processor means further responsive to the second user-selector means for generating a function control signal when the television and videocassette functions are selected;

memory means for storing the television programming scheduling signals, the function control signals, and the billing signals; and

transmitter means responsive to receipt of one of the television programming scheduling signals from the processor means for generating and transmitting via free space one of a plurality of remote scheduling signals for subsequent receipt by the television and videocassette recorder for scheduling each of their operations, transmitter means further responsive to the receipt of one of the function control signals from the processor means for generating and transmitting via free space one of a plurality of remote control signals for subsequent receipt by the television and videocassette recorder for controlling each of their operations.

3. A universal remote control unit for controlling a television and videocassette recorder, the television and videocassette recorder adapted to perform a function upon receipt of a remote control signal, the universal remote control comprising:

data input means securable to a telephone line for receiving a plurality of signals from an external supplier representing a plurality of television programming schedule items;

display means for displaying television programming schedule items and television and videocassette operating functions and in a hierarchy of textual and scrollable selection lists;

first user-operable selector means for allowing a user to scroll through the lists and then select one of the television programming schedule items;

second user-operable selector means for allowing a user to scroll through the lists and then select one of the television and videocassette functions;

third user-operable selector means for generating a plurality of billing signals signifying a payment to be made in response to the receipt of the television program schedule items from the external supplier;

data output means securable to a telephone line for transmitting the billing signals to the external supplier;

processor means coupled to the data input means, the timing means, the selector means, and the data output means, the processor means responsive to the first user-operable selector means for generating a television programming scheduling signal when a television programming data item is selected, the processor means further responsive to the second user-selector means for generating a function control signal when the television and videocassette functions are selected;

memory means for storing the television programming scheduling signals, the function control signals, and the billing signals;

transmitter means responsive to receipt of one of the television programming scheduling signals from the processor means for generating and transmitting via free space one of a plurality of remote scheduling signals for subsequent receipt by the television and videocassette recorder for scheduling each of their operations, the transmitter means further responsive to the receipt of one of the function control signals from the processor means for generating and transmitting via free space one of a plurality of remote control signals for subsequent receipt by the television and videocassette recorder for controlling each of their operations;

fourth user-operable selector means for allowing a user to designate one of the program schedule items as a favorite program; and

alarm means coupled responsive to the processor means for generating an alarm at a predetermined time to signify when the user'"'"'s favorite program is about to begin.