Custom installation television receiver with variable front panel configuration

• US 6,473,138 B1
• Filed: 07/29/1998
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Corporation Of America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Corporation Of America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Fenner, Knut T., Gioscia, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): NATNAEL, PAULOS M
• Application Number:
  US09/124,414
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.564, H04/N.5645, H04/N.572, 348/787, 348/788, 348/789, 348/825, 348/826, 348/832, 348/836, 348/839, 348/840-3, 312/7.1, 312/7.2, 312/265.6, 312/242, 312/245, 455/347, 455/348
• US Class Current: 348/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06

Abstract

A television receiver monitor intended to be built into a wall and used in connection with an audio/video entertainment center can be adapted to provide various visual aspects corresponding to the control capabilities of the user. When only a bezel surrounding the screen is visible, all controls are made through a control center unit of the audio/video entertainment center, so that the user must have a high degree of knowledge about the overall system, whereas when the bezel and a control panel are visible, the user need not extensively involve himself with the audio/video entertainment center except to control the audio portion of the program. When confronted with an unsophisticated or underage user, a speaker grill is provided in addition to the bezel and control panel, so that no interaction with the audio/video entertainment center is required by the user in order to enjoy a video and audio program.

Claims

1. A system for mounting a video monitor of an audio/video system having a viewing screen wherein the video monitor is mounted in a wall in a selected one of three modes, the system comprising:

a bezel for surrounding the viewing screen;

an elongated removable control panel arranged along the extent of a lowermost edge of said bezel; and

an elongated removable speaker panel arranged along the extent of a lowermost edge of said removable control panel, whereby upon selectively mounting said video monitor in the wall in a first mode of said three modes.only said bezel is used, in a second mode of said three modes only said bezel and said removable control panel are used, and in a third mode of said three modes said bezel, said removable control panel, and said removable speaker panel are used.

2. The custom installation kit of claim 1 wherein said audio/video system includes an audio/video control center and in said first mode operation of said monitor is controlled by said control center.

3. A system for use in installing in a wall a viewing screen of a video monitor in an audio/video system having a loudspeaker array and an audio/video control center, wherein the video monitor is selectively mounted in the wall in one of three modes said system comprising:

a bezel for surrounding a screen of the video monitor;

an elongated removable control panel arranged along the extent of lowermost edge of said bezel; and

an elongated removable speaker panel arranged along the extent of a lowermost edge of said removable control panel, whereby in a first selected mode of said three modes said removable control panel and said removable speaker panel are removed and said viewing screen and said bezel are visible and operation of said video monitor is controlled by said audio/video control center and audio material is provided over said loudspeaker array, in a second selected mode of said three modes only said removable loudspeaker panel is removed and said viewing screen, said bezel, and said removable control panel are visible and operation of said monitor is controlled by said removable control panel and the audio material is provided over said loudspeaker array, and in a third selected mode of said three modes said viewing screen, said bezel, said removable control panel, and said removable loudspeaker panel are visible and operation of said monitor is controlled by said removable control panel and the audio material is provided over said removable loudspeaker panel.