Remote programmer for a satellite television receiver

• US 6,108,516 A
• Filed: 06/06/1997
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuether, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): GRANT, CHRISTOPHER C
• Application Number:
  US08/869,601
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 348/934, 348/725, 348/906, 348/10, 348/11, 348/12, 348/13, 348/7, 348/6, 455/3.1, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 386/83
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/04 for receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/06 for recorders
• 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 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• 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 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• 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 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• 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 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A remote programmer connectable to a satellite television receiver prompts a user to enter commands representing a satellite or local television program to be recorded by a video tape recorder. The remote programmer issues programming commands to the satellite television receiver and the video tape recorder to cause the program to be provided at the output of the receiver and recorded by the video tape recorder at a specified time.

Claims

1. A remote programmer for programming a satellite television receiver and a video tape recorder to record a selected program, comprising:

a communication link to the satellite television receiver;

a communication link to the video tape recorder;

means for prompting a user to enter programming information for the selected program;

means responsive to the prompting means for accepting the programming information; and

means responsive to the accepting means for issuing programming commands to the satellite television receiver and the video tape recorder to cause the selected program to be output from the receiver and recorded by the video tape recorder;

wherein the communication link to the video tape recorder is an infrared link comprising a plug-in infrared adapter connectable to an infrared transmitter port.

2. A remote programmer for programming a satellite television receiver and a video tape recorder to record a selected program, comprising:

a communication link to the satellite television receiver;

a communication link to the video tape recorder;

means for prompting a user to enter programming information for the selected program;

means responsive to the prompting means for accepting the programming information;

means responsive to the accepting means for issuing programming commands to the satellite television receiver and the video tape recorder to cause the selected program to be output from the receiver and recorded by the video tape recorder; and

means for determining whether the selected program is a pay per view program.

3. A remote programmer for programming a satellite television receiver and a video tape recorder, comprising:

an interface connecting the remote programmer to the satellite television receiver;

a processor;

a display panel;

a command entry apparatus;

wherein the processor is programmed to operate the display panel to prompt a user to enter user commands via the command entry apparatus, and to accept user commands specifying a selected program and issue programming commands to the satellite television receiver via the interface to provide the selected program to a receiver output at a specified time; and

an infrared port linked with the video tape recorder for receiving signals from the processor to cause the video tape recorder to record the selected program;

wherein the processor is further programmed to determine whether the selected program is a pay per view program.

4. The remote programmer of claim 3, wherein the processor is further programmed to prompt a user via the display panel to pre-buy the selected program and check rating and spending limits if the selected program is a pay per view program.

5. The remote programmer of claim 3, wherein the processor is further programmed to prompt a user to specify satellite television receiver configuration information and automatically purchase the selected program if the selected program is a pay per view program.

6. A remote programmer for programming a satellite television receiver and a video tape recorder, comprising:

an interface connecting the remote programmer to the satellite television receiver;

a processor;

a display panel;

a command entry apparatus;

wherein the processor is programmed to operate the display panel to prompt a user to enter user commands via the command entry apparatus, and to accept user commands specifying a selected program and issue programming commands to the satellite television receiver via the interface to provide the selected program to a receiver output at a specified time; and

an infrared port linked with the video tape recorder for receiving signals from the processor to cause the video tape recorder to record the selected program;

wherein the processor is further programmed to determine whether the selected program is a satellite program or a local program and, if the selected program is a local program, to send a command to the satellite television receiver to receive local programming.

7. A remote programmer for programming a satellite television receiver and a video tape recorder, comprising:

an interface connecting the remote programmer to the satellite television receiver;

a processor;

a display panel;

a command entry apparatus;

wherein the processor is programmed to operate the display panel to prompt a user to enter user commands via the command entry apparatus, and to accept user commands specifying a selected program and issue programming commands to the satellite television receiver via the interface to provide the selected program to a receiver output at a specified time; and

an infrared port linked with the video tape recorder for receiving signals from the processor to cause the video tape recorder to record the selected program;

wherein the processor is further programmed to disable control of the satellite television receiver while the selected program is being recorded by the video tape recorder.