Vps compatible apparatus and method for selection of correct IR code sets

• US 5,852,478 A
• Filed: 05/23/1997
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gemstar Development Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gemstar Development Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Kwoh, Daniel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VINCENT, DAVID ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US08/862,592
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 386/83, 386/95, 386/46, 386/1, 348/731, 348/732, 348/733, 348/734, 348/460, 348/468, 348/461, 348/465, 360/33.1, 360/69, 455/151.1, 455/151.2, 455/151.4
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention is a method for programming a controller for selection, from a plurality a set of infra red (IR) codes, set of IR codes for subsequent control of IR signal communication with a video cassette recorder (VCR). Each set of IR codes is for communicating with a different corresponding VCR. To this end, each such VCR has a tuner, which, when tuned to an actual channel of broadcast video signals, provides video signals derived from the actual channel to a video output thereof. A signal is provided to the VCR where the signal is predetermined by a selected IR code which is selected from one of the sets of IR codes. This causes the VCR to perform a predetermined operation. The video output of the VCR is monitored for a predetermined signal condition, such as a video signal being present, or for a label broadcast in the video signals. A set of IR codes is then selected for subsequent signal communication with the VCR. The set of IR codes which is selected is the one from which the selected IR code is selected which results in the predetermined signal condition.

Claims

1. In a multi-channel television environment in which program information labels are included in at least some of the television channels, a method for programming a controller for selecting, from a plurality of sets of infra red (IR) codes where each set is for communicating with a different television channel selector, of one of such sets of IR codes for subsequent control of IR signal communication with the corresponding television channel selector, and

wherein each such television channel selector includes a tuner, which when tuned to an actual channel of broadcast video signals, provides video signals derived from such actual channel to a video output thereof, the method comprising the steps of:

providing to the television channel selector a selected IR code which is selected from one of the sets of IR codes and causes the television channel selector to tune to a predetermined actual channel,

electrically monitoring the video output of the television channel selector for a program information label;

comparing at least a portion of the program information label which was provided the video output of the television channel selector for a predetermined relation; and

selecting the correct set of IR codes, from which the selected IR code was selected and resulted in the predetermined relation, and then using said correct set of IR codes for subsequent signal communication with the television channel selector.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of repeating the steps of tuning and comparing using a different actual channel and a different given program label.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of repeating the steps after tuning the tuner to a different channel.

4. In a multi-channel television environment in which program information labels are included in at least some of the television channels, a controller for selecting from a plurality of sets of infra red (IR) codes, where each IR code set is for communicating with a different corresponding television channel selector, of one of said sets of IR codes for subsequent control of IR signal communication with the corresponding television channel selector, and wherein each such television channel selector includes a tuner which, when tuned to an actual channel of broadcast video signals, provides video signals derived from such actual channel to a video output thereof, the controller comprising:

a code selector for providing to said television channel selector a signal predetermined by a selected IR code which is selected from one of the sets of IR codes for causing the television channel selector to tune to a predetermined actual channel over which a predetermined program information label is expected to be received;

a monitor for electrically monitoring the video output of the television channel selector;

a comparator for comparing the predetermined actual channel with the program information label which was provided the video output for a predetermined relation; and

a selector for selecting the correct set of IR codes, from which the selected IR code was selected and resulted in the predetermined relation, and then using said correct set of IR codes for subsequent signal communication with the television channel selector.

5. The controller of claim 4 wherein the means for tuning is operative for tuning to a different actual channel and the monitor is operative for comparing using a different given program label.

6. The controller of claim 4 wherein the means for tuning tunes the tuner to a sequence of different channels.

7. In a multi-channel television environment in which program information labels are included in at least some of the television channels, a method for programming a controller to select, from a plurality of sets of infra red (IR) codes where each set is for communicating with a different television channel selector of, one of such sets of IR codes for subsequent control of IR signal communication with the corresponding television channel selector, wherein each such television channel selector includes a tuner, which when tuned to an actual channel of broadcast video signals, provides video signals derived from such actual channel to a video output thereof, the method comprising the steps of:

providing to the television channel selector a selected IR code which is selected from one of the sets of IR codes and causes the television channel selector to tune to a predetermined actual channel;

electrically monitoring the video output of the television channel selector to detect the presence of a program information label;

selecting the correct set of IR codes, from which the selected IR code was selected and resulted in the detection of the presence program information label in the video output of the television channel selector and then using said correct set of IR codes for subsequent signal communication with the television channel selector.

8. In a multi-channel television environment in which program information labels are included in at least some of the television channels, a controller for selecting from a plurality of sets of infra red (IR) codes, where each IR code set is for communicating with a different corresponding television channel selector of, one of said sets of IR codes for subsequent control of IR signal communication with the corresponding television channel selector, and wherein each such television channel selector includes a tuner which, when tuned to an actual channel of broadcast video signals, provides video signals derived from such actual channel to a video output thereof, the controller comprising:

a code selector for providing to said television channel selector a signal predetermined by a selected IR code which is selected from one of the sets of IR codes for causing the television channel selector to tune to a predetermined actual channel over which a predetermined program information label is expected to be received;

a monitor for electrically monitoring the video output of the television channel selector to detect the presence of a program information label;

a selector for selecting the correct set of IR codes, from which the selected IR code was selected and resulted in the detection of the presence of a program information label in the video output of the television channel selector, and then using said correct set of IR codes for subsequent signal communication with the television channel selector.