Computer system with remote television display

• US 6,288,749 B1
• Filed: 11/16/1996
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Altec Lansing Technologies (Infinity Group Holding Co. LLC)
• Inventors: Freadman, Tommyca
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael
• Application Number:
  US08/746,870
• Time in Patent Office: 1,760 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N 1.100, H04/N.710, H04/N.700, 348/552, 348/9, 348/8, 348/10, 348/12, 348/13, 348/6, 348/7, 348/1, 348/3, 348/5.5, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.2, 725/74, 725/78, 725/81, 725/82, 725/83, 725/85, 725/143, 725/148, 725/149, 725/151, 725/152, 725/153
• US Class Current: 348/552
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

A computer system with a remote television display converts output signals from a computer to video signals to be displayed on at least one television set and transmits the output signals from the computer along with broadcast and cable video signals to the at least one television set so that one or more televisions may be used as remote display devices. The system includes a computer for generating an output signal and for receiving an input signal, a television broadcast source for generating first multichannel television signal, a signal converter for receiving the output signal and converting it to a first channel television signal, the signal converter also for receiving the first multichannel television signal, the converter outputting at least part of the first multichannel television signal and the first channel television signal as a second multichannel television signal, a television for receiving the second multichannel television signal and displaying one channel of the second multichannel television signal and an input device located remote from the computer for transmitting input signals to the computer.

Claims

1. A computer system with remote television display comprising:

a computer for generating an output signal and for receiving an input signal;

an external television broadcast source for transmitting a first multichannel television signal;

a signal converter for receiving the output signal from the computer and converting the output signal to a first television channel signal, the signal converter being arranged to receive the first multichannel television signal from the television broadcast source, the signal converter outputting at least part of the first multichannel television signal and the first channel television signal as a second multichannel television signal, the signal converter including means for enabling a user to select television signals to be transmitted therethrough and for attenuating at least one input channel frequency so as to prevent signals having the selected input channel frequency from being output from the signal converter;

at least one television in a local network for receiving the second multichannel television signal and displaying at least one channel of the second multichannel television signal, the local network connecting the signal converter to the computer and to the at least one television, the signal converter being connected to the external television broadcast source outside of the local network; and

at least one input device located remote from the computer for transmitting the input signal to the computer.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the signal converter includes a remote control signal receiver for receiving remote control signals from the at least one input device for controlling the signal converter.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the signal converter comprises a signal processing device for converting the output signal from the computer into a channel frequency which can be received by and displayed on the at least one television.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the signal converter includes a comb filter for preventing signals output from the computer from being transmitted back out to the television broadcast source.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the means for selecting television signals comprises a notch filter controllable via input signals input via the input device to the computer so as to allow a user to select a desired channel frequency to be attenuated by the notch filter.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises a radio frequency signal transmitting device.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises at least one of a remote transmitting keyboard and a remote transmitting pointer.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device is adapted to transmit signals to the computer to control the signal converter so as to display output signals from the computer on at least one desired channel of the at least one television.

9. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device is adapted to output signals for selecting at least one channel frequency of the second multichannel television signal that is to display the output signals from the computer.

10. A computer system with remote television display comprising:

a computer for generating an output signal and for receiving an input signal;

an external television broadcast source for transmitting a first multichannel television signal;

a signal converter for receiving the output signal from the computer and converting the output signal to a first television channel signal, the signal converter being arranged to receive the first multichannel television signal from the television broadcast source, the signal converter outputting at least part of the first multichannel television signal and the first channel television signal as a second multichannel television signal, the signal converter including means for selecting television signals to be transmitted therethrough and for attenuating at least one input channel frequency so as to prevent signals having the selected input channel frequency from being output from the signal converter;

at least one television in a local network for receiving the second multichannel television signal and displaying at least one channel of the second multichannel television signal, the local network connecting the signal converter to the computer and to the at least one television, the signal converter being connected to the external television broadcast source outside of the local network; and

at least one input device located remote from the computer for transmitting the input signal to the computer, the at least one input device arranged to allow a user to select at least one channel on which the output signals from the computer are to be displayed on at least one selected television, the selection of the at least one channel selected by a user via the at least one input device.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the signal converter includes a remote control signal receiver for receiving remote control signals from the at least one input device for controlling the signal converter.

12. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the signal converter includes a comb filter for preventing signals output from the computer from being transmitted back out to the television broadcast source.

13. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the means for selecting television signals comprises a notch filter controllable via input signals input via the input device to the computer so as to allow a user to select a desired channel frequency to be attenuated by the notch filter.

14. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the at least one input device comprises a radio frequency signal transmitting device.

15. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the at least one input device comprises at least one of a remote transmitting keyboard and a remote transmitting pointer.

16. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the at least one input device is adapted to transmit signals to the computer to control the signal converter so as to display output signals from the computer on at least one desired channel of the at least one television.

17. A computer system with remote television display comprising:

a computer for generating a plurality of output signals from multitasking software and for receiving an input signal, the plurality of output signals each separately generated from multitasking software;

an external television broadcast source for transmitting a first multichannel television signal;

a signal converter for receiving the output signals from the computer and converting each output signal to a separate television channel signal, the signal converter being arranged to receive the first multichannel television signal from the television broadcast source, the signal converter outputting at least part of the first multichannel television signal and at least part of each separate television channel signal as a second multichannel television signal, the signal converter including means for selecting television signals to be transmitted therethrough and for attenuating at least one input channel frequency so as to prevent signals having the selected input channel frequency from being output from the signal converter;

at least one television in a local network for receiving the second multichannel television signal and displaying at least one channel of the second multichannel television signal, the local network connecting the signal converter to the computer and to the at least one television, the signal converter being connected to the external television broadcast source outside of the local network; and

at least one input device located remote from the computer for transmitting the input signal to the computer, the at least one input device arranged to select a channel for displaying the output signals from the computer on at least one selected channel of at least one selected television.