Computer interface extension system and method

• US 6,084,638 A
• Filed: 10/08/1996
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation Of North America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Corporation Of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hare, Charles S., Sakarya, Dursun, Blythe, Brent W. II
• Primary Examiner(s): BRITTON, HOWARD W
• Application Number:
  US08/725,940
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 348/552, 348/441, 348/6, 348/13, 348/734, 348/906, 348/12
• US Class Current: 348/552
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• 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 9/641 Multi-purpose receivers, e.g. for auxiliary information H04N9/642 takes precedence

Abstract

A system is disclosed which permits the user interface of a PC to be extended to the location of a remote television (TV) receiver such that video and audio signals generated by the PC may be viewed and heard on the remote TV receiver, and users at the TV receiver may control the operations of the PC through input devices located at the TV receiver. Through the disclosed interface extension system, video signals and accompanying audio signals, if any, generated by the PC are transmitted locally to a receiver coupled to the remote TV receiver. In a further embodiment, the interface extension system is used to provide multiple simultaneous interactive sessions to more than one user under the independent control of individual users located at each of several video displays, e.g. TV receivers. In that embodiment, data received from input devices located at each video display is tagged to identify the session on the PC which is controlled thereby. The disclosed interface extension system may include a multiple instruction program for providing macro-level control over the operations of the PC from the TV receiver location. In still another embodiment, the interface extension system can be used in conjunction with TV signal processing circuitry to provide related data signals accessed by the PC for display upon a television receiver in conjunction with a television signal which contains an embedded address through which the related data is accessed.

Claims

1. A system for providing video displays generated by a computer to a computer monitor of a local user at said computer and to a remote user having a remotely located video monitor and for enabling said local and said remote user to control interactive independent sessions on said computer, said system comprising:

(a) a transmitter for transmitting signals representing at least portions of said video displays from said computer to the remotely located video monitor;

(b) an input interface extender at said remotely located video monitors for connection to remote user input devices, said input interface extender transmitting signals to the location of said computer; and

(c) multiple session means at said location of said computer for receiving said transmitted signals and signals generated by said local user to permit said local user and said remote user to control said computer in independent interactive sessions and independently effect changes in the video displays on the respective monitors.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of said input interface extenders includes means for affixing an identifier to data received from user input devices connected thereto to permit said computer to distinguish between signals received from different input interface extenders.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said remotely located video monitor is a TV, and said system further comprises a scan converter for converting signals representing said video displays from a scan format utilized by said computer to a scan format utilized by said TV to permit at least portions of said video displays to appear on said TV.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the video displays include corresponding audio accompaniments.

5. A system for enabling a video display generated by a computer to be viewed on a video monitor at a remote location from said computer and for controlling said computer from said remote location with remote user input devices, comprising:

(a) a transmitter for transmitting signals from said computer to said video monitor to permit at least a portion of said video display to be viewable on said video monitor;

(b) a receiver at said location of said video monitor for receiving signals transmitted by said transmitter for input to said video monitor;

(c) an input interface extender at said location of said video monitor receiving inputs from said remote user input devices, said input interface extender combining the inputs from said remote user input devices into a single multiplexed data stream and transmitting said multiplexed data stream to the location of said computer;

(d) a demultiplexing circuit at the location of said computer for receiving and separating said multiplexed data stream into individual data streams comprising data generated by one of said remote user input devices, at least one of said individual data streams being input to said computer to effect control thereof.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising circuitry for receiving at least one of said individual data streams and a second data stream generated by a local user input device at said computer and providing a multiplexed output thereof to said computer to enable control thereof from said remote user input device and from the local user input device.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said input interface extender transmits said multiplexed data over wire conductors to said computer.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein said input interface extender transmits said multiplexed data utilizing electromagnetic radiation.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein said transmitter transmits signals from said computer to a head-end location for distribution and coupling to said video monitor.

10. The system of claim 5 wherein the video information includes an audio accompaniment that is output by said video monitor.

11. The system of claim 5 further comprising a scan converter for converting signals representing said video display from a scan format utilized by said computer to a scan format utilized by said video monitor.

12. The system of claim 5 wherein said scan converter converts said signals prior to the transmission of said signals to said video monitor.

13. The system of claim 5 wherein said scan converter converts said signals after the transmission of said signals to said video monitor.

14. A system for enabling a video display generated by a computer to be viewed on a video monitor at a remote location from said computer and for controlling said computer with a remote user input device located at said remote location, comprising:

(a) a local transceiver at the location of said computer and a remote transceiver at said remote location, said local and remote transceivers transmitting information over a digital link;

(b) an input interface extender communicatively connected to said remote user input device at said remote location and for providing remote input signals generated by said remote user input device to said remote transceiver; and

(c) said local transceiver transmitting digital signals from said computer to said remote transceiver for input to said video monitor to enable at least portions of said video display to be viewed on said video monitor and said remote transceiver transmitting digital remote input signals generated by said remote user input device to said local transceiver to effect control of said computer.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said information transmitted and received by said first and second transceivers is in the form of spread spectrum signals.

16. A method of controlling a computer from a remote location by using one or more remote computer input devices at said remote location and enabling at least portions of a video display generated by said computer to be viewed on a video monitor at said remote location, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating control signals from said one or more remote computer input devices;

(b) combining said control signals into a single multiplexed data stream;

(c) transmitting said multiplexed data stream to the location of the computer;

(d) separating said multiplexed data stream into individual data streams, each of said individual data streams comprising data generated by one of said remote computer peripheral devices;

(e) providing at least one of said individual streams to said personal computer to effect control thereof, said computer generating a display signal representing at least portions of the video display; and

(f) transmitting and interfacing said display signal to said video monitor to enable at least portions of said video display to be viewed on said video monitor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the video display includes audio accompaniment and the display signal generated by the computer includes a corresponding audio signal which is transmitted to the video monitor to be output therefrom.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmission of said display signal is via a wireless communications link.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmission of said multiplexed data stream is via a wireless communications link.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmission of the display signal and said multiplexed data stream are over the same wireless communication link.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of scan converting said display signal generated by said computer before transmitting said display signal to said video monitor.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of scan converting said display signal generated by said computer after transmitting said display signal to said video monitor.