Telephonically programmable apparatus

• US 5,748,716 A
• Filed: 09/13/1996
• Issued: 05/05/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1992
• 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): Zele, Krista
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US08/713,900
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/90, 379/93, 379/97, 379/98, 379/102, 379/105, 379/102.01, 379/102.02, 379/102.03, 379/93.12, 348/5, 348/6, 348/7, 348/8, 348/9, 348/10, 348/11, 348/12, 348/13, 348/14
• US Class Current: 379/102.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus

Abstract

To initialize a remote control device for use in a particular installation, initialization parameters are entered relating to the relationship between user input codes and equipment to be controlled. In the preferred embodiment involving video recorder equipment, the initialization procedure concerns the video channels available to the recorder and remote control codes associated with the operation of the recorder using a receive-only modem on the device attached to a phone jack, initialization is performed by dialing up a remote location with a touch tone phone. At the remote end a computer sends selected audio response signals to the telephone receiver requesting that the user key in information using the touch tone pad. The computer then transmits the appropriate signals to the memory of the remote device to initialize it.

Claims

1. In a control device of the type having a control program and an alterable memory for storing parameters related to said control program, apparatus for remotely configuring the alterable memory through a telephone system having first and second terminal ends defining a transmission path, comprising;

means for electrically coupling said control device to said first terminal end also having a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMP) transceiver connected thereto;

a computer system connected to said second terminal end, including a source of audio messages; and

an application program resident in said computer system, said program being operative, upon said first terminal end being connected to said second terminal end, to select certain of said audio messages for transmission to said second terminal end so that the audio messages are telephonically received at said first terminal end, said audio messages being selected to direct an operator at said first terminal end to enter responses relating to the operating environment of said control device, said responses causing said computer system to generate and transmit signals from said second terminal end to said control device which configure said alterable memory of said control device with said parameters.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control device constitutes a remote control unit operative to control an electronic tuner forming part of a video recorder, and wherein said parameters relate to control codes used to operate said video recorder.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said parameters include conversion codes relating to channel assignments of a video program source connected to said video recorder.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said remote control unit includes a keyboard and a remote control transmitter operative to transmit signals to said video recorder causing said video recorder to record a particular program identified by codes entered using said keyboard.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further including means at said second terminal end for identifying the geographic location of said first terminal end and wherein at least certain of said parameters relate to said location of said first terminal end.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 including a wide band, multichannel cable as said video program source and further including means connected to said second terminal end for identifying the geographic location of said first terminal end upon receipt of said responses from said first terminal end and wherein said responses are provided to said application program for use in configuring the alterable memory of said control device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control device comprises a remote control for a video recorder having a multichannel cable as a source of video programming, and wherein one of the audio messages to said operator at the first terminal end includes a query as to the geographic location of said first terminal end.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said query relates to the postal zip code at said first terminal end.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the control device includes operator actuable means for placing said control device in either a first, training mode, in which said alterable memory is programmed, or a second, operating mode in which said control program is executed.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the control device includes a real-time clock, and said signals transmitted from said second terminal end to said control device include signals for setting said clock.

9. The method of configuring a control device having a programmable memory for use in a particular application comprising:

connecting said programmable memory of said control device to a first terminal of a telephonic system;

connecting a dual-tone, multi-frequency (DTMF) telephone transceiver to said first terminal;

using said DTMF transceiver to connect said first terminal to a second terminal of said telephonic system;

transmitting a series of audio inquiries from said second terminal to said first terminal;

manually inputting responses to said audio inquiries onto keys of said DTMF transceiver;

using said responses to formulate configuring signals for said programmable memory of said control device;

transmitting said configuring signals to said programmable memory through said telephonic system.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said audio inquiries are generated by a computer.

11. The method of claim 9 in which said control device controls a video recorder interfaced to a multichannel cable source of video programming through a cable tuner and wherein said configuring signals include data relating to the relationship between codes entered into the control device by said operator and channel designations of said multichannel cable source.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said control device is further operative to transmit a series of digital signals to said video recorder and wherein said configuring signals further include data relating to control codes embodied in said digital signals.

13. The method of claim 9 further including the step of generating signals at said first terminal representative of the location of said first terminal and providing said signals representative of the location of the first terminal to said second terminal.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said signals representative of the location of the first terminal are provided as a response to an audio inquiry transmitted from said second terminal to said first terminal.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein one of said audio inquiries requests the postal zip code of the location of the control device.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein said cable tuner has a model number, and wherein one of said audio inquiries requests said model number.

19. The method of claim 9 further including the step of disconnecting said control device from said first terminal for use in said particular application after receiving said configuring signals into said programmable memory.

20. A method of configuring an alterable control program in a television viewing system including a cable tuner connected to a multi-channel source of video programming from a computer system which is physically remote from said viewing system, comprising the step of:

transmitting an inquiry from said computer system to said viewing system requesting that an operator enter postal zip code information;

determining the geographical location of said viewing system based upon the postal zip code information entered by said operator;

selecting configuration parameters in accordance with the geographical location determined from the zip code information entered by said operator; and

transmitting, from said computer system, the selected configuration parameters associated with the alteration of said alterable control program, including configuration parameters relating to the geographical location of said viewing system;

configuring said alterable control program in said viewing system using said selected configuration parameters.