Remote control for a receiver

• US 6,069,672 A
• Filed: 07/16/1997
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ciscom AG
• Original Assignee: CIS Hotel Communications GmbH
• Inventors: Claassen, Henning J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnael, Paulos M.
• Application Number:
  US08/836,138
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 345/158, 348/5.5, 348/734, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.31, 341/176, 359/142, 359/146
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/61 Password, biometric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/94 Smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A cordless remote control for a receiver, more particularly for a television set, comprising a reader for a data medium, said data medium containing information for the activating the remote control and/or at least one program channel of said receiver.

Claims

1. A cordless remote control for television set of a pay TV system comprising

a) a reader for a data medium, said data medium containing information for activating said remote control and/or at least one program channel of a receiver,

wherein

b) said remote control is assigned a code (c);

and

c) said remote control comprises

c1) a device for writing said code (c) of said remote control on said data medium,

c2) a device for reading said code (c) from said data medium on said remote control, and

c3) a device for comparing said read code (c) to said code (c) of said remote control and for controlling the unblocking of said remote control.

2. The remote control as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reader is integrated in said remote control.

3. The remote control as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said data medium reader is provided for unblocking a program key (P1-P4, 1-9) or power key (0) of said remote control.

4. The remote control as set forth in claim 3, wherein a signal path from said program or power key (P1-P4, 1-9, 0) to an emitter of said remote control is closed on unblocking.

5. The remote control as set forth in claim 3, wherein a circuit is provided for controlling said unblocking actions, said circuit receiving via a lead signal from said reader that a valid data medium has been inserted into said reader or not.

6. The remote control as set forth in claim 3, wherein each program key (P1-P4, 1-9, 0) and said power key (10) need to be unblocked.

7. The remote control as set forth in claim 3, wherein only selected program keys (P1-P4) need to be unblocked.

8. The remote control as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reader is configured as a combined reader/writer.

9. The remote control as set forth in claim 8, wherein said reader/writer notes an unblocking action on said data medium.

10. The remote control as set forth in claim 8, wherein said data medium is a chip card on which the viewing time of an unblocked program channel can be noted or debited.

11. The remote control as set forth in claim 1, comprising a sensor for receiving an authorization signal (A) emitted by an emitter/sensor assigned to said receiver to be operated when said emitter/sensor has previously received an authentic ID signal (I) from an emitter of said remote control.

12. The remote control as set forth in claim 11, wherein said authorization signal (A) is applied to said circuit and an unblocking action will only occur when said sensor of said remote control has received an authorization signal (A).

13. The remote control as set forth in claim 1, wherein information is stored on said data medium as to specific types of receiver.

14. The remote control as set forth in claim 13, wherein the sending protocol of said remote control is adapted to said information stored on said data medium corresponding to said type of receiver by means of a key pad in accordance with the specification of said type of receiver.

15. The remote control as set forth in claim 13, wherein said remote control sends one or more ID signals to said receiver and receives from the latter an answer signal from which the type of receiver can be determined.

16. The remote control as set forth in claim 1, wherein said data medium needs to remain in said remote control to permit viewing certain program channels.

17. The remote control as set forth in claim 1, wherein data signals are exchanged between said receiver and said remote control.

18. The remote control as set forth in claim 17, wherein firstly an ID signal is emitted by an emitter of said remote control.

19. The remote control as set forth in claim 17, wherein said receiver emits an authorization signal (A) in response to an ID signal from said remote control when said ID signal is authentic.

20. The remote control as set forth in claim 17, wherein said receiver cannot be operated by said remote control until a sensor of said remote control has received an authorization signal (A).

21. The remote control as set forth in claim 17, wherein a monetary amount is debited by said data medium of said remote control after receiving an authorization signal (A) or after specific time units.

22. A local network comprising

a) remote control receivers

b) receiving pay and non-pay program channels from a transmitting station of said local network,

wherein

c) a cordless remote control as set forth in claim 1 is used for unblocking a program channel.

23. The local network as set forth in claim 22, wherein a reader/writer of said remote control is used for booking the value of the time used from a data medium.

24. The local network as set forth in claim 22, wherein a data exchange is used between a receiver and a remote control for identifying said remote control and/or for authorization.

25. A method of unblocking a remote control for a television set of a pay TV system, wherein

a) a code (C) assigned to said remote control is written onto a data medium by a writer integrated in said remote control;

b) said code (C) stored on said data medium is read by said remote control;

c) said code (C) assigned to said remote control is compared to said code (C) read from said data medium; and

d) it being established from said comparison whether said data medium has already been used for unblocking some other remote control.

26. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein a signal path from a program key (P1-P4, 1-9, 0) to an emitter of said remote control is closed when unblocked.

27. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein a reader/writer notes on said data medium an unblocking action.

28. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the time used by an unblocked program channel is noted or debited on said data medium.