TV schedule system and process

• US 4,706,121 A
• Filed: 05/06/1986
• Issued: 11/10/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Patrick Young
• Inventors: Young, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parker, Michael D.
• Application Number:
  US06/860,077
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 358/142, 358/146, 358/147, 358/191.1, 358/189, 358/84, 358/85, 358/86, 455/181, 455/186, 340/825.22
• US Class Current: 348/27
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 15/006 for operating at a number of different times cigar or cigarette receptacles or boxes with means for limiting the frequency of smoking A24F15/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals

Abstract

A system (90) controls a television receiver (126) to allow user selection of broadcast programs from schedule information. A data processor (110) is connected to receive the schedule information from an FM receiver (94), decoder (98) and data demodulator (102). A user remote control transmitter 116-remote receiver (118) combination supplies user selection inputs to the data processor (110). The data processor (110) selects programs from the schedule information based on the user inputs. The schedule information for the selected programs is stored in a memory (111), and is used by the data processor (110) to control a programmable TV tuner (132) to provide the broadcast signals for the selected programs to the TV receiver (126) at the time of broadcast. The system (90) can also be used to control a VCR (150) for unattended recording of the selected programs.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a television receiver to allow user selection of broadcast programs from schedule information, which comprises a data processor, a first input means for the schedule information connected to said data processor, a second user selection input means connected to said data processor, said data processor being configured to select programs from the schedule information based on user inputs, storage means connected to receive the schedule information for programs selected by said data processor, and a programmable tuner for connection to the television receiver, said programmable tuner being connected to receive control signals from said data processor at a time of a selected broadcast for causing said programmable tuner to supply broadcast signals for the selected program to the television receiver, said data processor being configured to supply an actuating signal to a program recorder at the time of a broadcast program selected by said data processor and to supply the broadcast signal for the selected program to said program recorder, said system being configured to allow said television receiver to receive a different program than the broadcast signal for the selected program supplied to said program recorder.

2. The system of claim 1 additionally comprising a video display generator connected to receive signals from said data processor for generating a video display from the schedule information and the user selections on the television receiver, and a video switcher connected to receive video display signals from said video display generator, broadcast program signals from said programmable tuner and control signals from said data processor for selecting between the video display signals and the broadcast program signals for supplying to the television receiver.

3. The system of claim 2 in which said data processor and said video display generator are further configured to display names of program services in the schedule information.

4. The system of claim 2 in which said data processor and said video display generator are further configured to present a preselected portion of the schedule information for the user selection.

5. The system of claim 1 in which the schedule information is also broadcast and said first input means comprises a broadcast signal receiver connected to supply the broadcast schedule information to said data processor.

6. The system of claim 5 in which said broadcast signal receiver is a frequency modulation receiver configured to receive the broadcast schedule information independently of the broadcast programs, said first input means includes a data demodulator connected to supply the schedule information to said data processor, said frequency modulation receiver being connected to supply the broadcast schedule information to said data demodulator.

7. The system of claim 5 in which the schedule information is broadcast in an otherwise unused portion of a television program broadcast, said programmable tuner includes said broadcast signal receiver, said first input means includes a data demodulator connected to supply the schedule information to said data processor, and said programmable tuner is connected to supply the schedule information portion of the television program broadcast to said data demodulator.

8. The system of claim 1 in which said data processor is further configured to supply an actuating signal to a program recorder at the time of a broadcast program selected by said data processor and to supply the broadcast signal for the selected program to said program recorder.

9. The system of claim 1 additionally comprising a video display generator connected to receive signals from said data processor for generating a video display from the schedule information and the user selections on the television receiver, and a video switcher connected to receive video display signals from said video display generator, broadcast program signals from said programmable tuner and control signals from said data processor for selecting between the video display signals and the broadcast program signals for supplying to the television receiver, and in which the schedule information is also broadcast and said first input means comprises a broadcast signal receiver connected to supply the broadcast schedule information to said data processor.

10. The system of claim 9 in which said data processor is further configured to provide signals to said video display generator for presenting a plurality of user selection menus on the television receiver, and said second user selection input means includes a plurality of keys for making selections from the menus for choosing programs from the schedule information.

11. The system of claim 1 in which said programmable tuner receives both the schedule information and the broadcast signals for the selected programs, said programmable tuner being connected as part of said first input means.

12. A system for controlling a television receiver to allow user selection of broadcast programs from schedule information, which comprises a data processor, a first input means for the schedule information connected to said data processor, a second user selection input means connected to said data processor, said data processor being configured to select programs from the schedule information based on user inputs, storage means connected to receive the schedule information for programs selected by said data processor, and a programmable tuner for connection to the television receiver, said programmable tuner being connected to receive control signals from said data processor at a time of a selected broadcast for causing said programmable tuner to supply broadcast signals for the selected programs to the television receiver, said data processor being configured to provide signals to said video display generator for presenting a plurality of user selection menus on the television receiver, and said second user selection input means includes a plurality of keys for making selections from the menus for choosing programs from the schedule information, said data processor being configured to allow combinations of the menu selections for choosing programs from the schedule information.

13. A system for controlling a television receiver to allow user selection of broadcast programs from schedule information, which comprises a data processor, a first input means for the schedule information connected to said data processor, a second user selection input means connected to said data processor, said data processor being configured to select programs from the schedule information based on user inputs, storage means connected to receive the schedule information for programs selected by said data processor, and a programmable tuner for connection to the television receiver, said programmable tuner being connected to receive control signals from said data processor at a time of a selected broadcast for causing said programmable tuner to supply broadcast signals for the selected programs to the television receiver, said data processor being configured to supply an actuating signal to a program recorder at the time of a broadcast program selected by said data processor and to supply the broadcast signal for the selected program to said program recorder, said data processor being configured to receive an input signal for determining whether the television receiver is operating at the time of the broadcast program selected by said data processor and to supply the actuating signal to said program recorder unless the television receiver is operating.

14. A system for controlling a television receiver to allow user selection of broadcast programs from schedule information, which comprises a data processor, a first input means for the schedule information connected to said data processor, a second user selection input means connected to said data processor, said data processor being configured to select programs from the schedule information based on user inputs, storage means connected to receive the schedule information for programs selected by said data processor, and a programmable tuner for connection to the television receiver, said programmable tuner being connected to receive control signals from said data processor at a time of a selected broadcast for causing said programmable tuner to supply broadcast signals for the selected programs to the television receiver, said data processor being configured to supply an actuating signal to a program recorder at the time of a broadcast program selected by said data processor, said data processor being connected to a remote controller for said program recorder to supply control signals to said remote controller for recording of the selected program.

15. A system for controlling a television receiver to allow user selection of broadcast programs from schedule information, which comprises a data processor, a first input means for the schedule information connected to said data processor, a second user selection input means connected to said data processor, said data processor being configured to select programs from the schedule information based on user inputs, storage means connected to receive the schedule information for programs selected by said data processor, and a programmable tuner for connection to the television receiver, said programmable tuner being connected to receive control signals from said data processor at a time of a selected broadcast for causing said programmable tuner to supply broadcast signals for the selected programs to the television receiver, said data processor being configured to supply an actuating signal to a program recorder at the time of a broadcast program selected by said data processor and to supply the broadcast signal for the selected program to said program recorder, the broadcast signals including end of program information for at least programs of uncertain duration, and said data processor being configured to terminate recording by the program recorder in response to the end of program information.

16. A system for controlling a television receiver to allow user selection of broadcast programs from schedule information, which comprises a data processor, a first input means for the schedule information connected to said data processor, a second user selection input means connected to said data processor, said data processor being configured to select programs from the schedule information based on user inputs, storage means connected to receive the schedule information for programs selected by said data processor, and a programmable tuner for connection to the television receiver, said programmable tuner being connected to receive control signals from said data processor at a time of a selected broadcast for causing said programmable tuner to supply broadcast signals for the selected programs to the television receiver, the schedule information including linking information to identify multiple programs of a single series and said data processor being configured to select the multiple programs of the single series on the basis of the linking information in response to user selection of one of the programs in the single series.

17. A system for controlling a television receiver to allow user selection of broadcast programs from schedule information, which comprises a data processor, a first input means for the schedule information connected to said data processor, a second user selection input means connected to said data processor, said data processor being configured to select programs from the schedule information based on user inputs, storage means connected to receive the schedule information for programs selected by said data processor, and a programmable tuner for connection to the television receiver, said programmable tuner being connected to receive control signals from said data processor at a time of a selected broadcast for causing said programmable tuner to supply broadcast signals for the selected programs to the television receiver, said data processor being configured to receive an input signal for determining whether the television receiver is operating prior to the time of a broadcast program selected by said data processor, said system further comprising an alarm connected to receive an actuating signal from said data processor, and said data processor being configured to provide the actuating signal to said alarm unless the television receiver is operating when said data processor checks the television receiver for operation.

18. A process for controlling the presentation of broadcast programs to a television receiver, which comprises supplying program schedule information to a data processor, supplying user program selection criteria to the data processor, combining user selection criteria, selecting those programs meeting the combined user selection criteria for viewing from the program schedule information in the data processor, storing information identifying the selected programs, and using the stored information to tune the television receiver to the selected programs.

19. The process of claim 18 in which the television receiver is used as a display by the data processor for presenting messages to the user during the process.

20. The process of claim 19 in which names of program services are displayed in the schedule information.

21. The process of claim 19 in which only a preselected portion of the schedule information is presented for the user selection.

22. The process of claim 18 in which at least some of the user selection criteria are supplied to the data processor by presenting a menu from the data processor on a display and allowing the user to select an item from the menu.

23. The process of claim 18 further comprising the steps of checking for a conflict between a selected program and a previously selected program and providing an indication to the user of such conflict.

24. The process of claim 18 in which the program schedule information is supplied to the data processor by broadcast.

25. The process of claim 24 in which the program schedule information is supplied as a separate broadcast from the program broadcasts.

26. The process of claim 24 in which the television receiver is used as a display by the data processor for presenting messages to the user during the process.

27. The process of claim 26 in which at least some of the user selection criteria are supplied to the data processor by presenting a menu from the data processor on a display and allowing the user to select an item from the menu.

28. The process of claim 27 further comprising the steps of checking for a conflict between a selected program and a previously selected program and providing an indication to the user of such conflict.

29. The process of claim 28 further including the steps of providing linking information to identify multiple programs of a single series and selecting the multiple programs of the single series on the basis of the linking information in response to user selection of one of the programs in the single series.

30. The process of claim 29 additionally comprising the steps of using the data processor to turn on a broadcast program recording device for a selected broadcast program and recording the selected broadcast program on the program recording device.

31. The process of claim 24 in which the program schedule information and the programs are broadcast together, the process additionally comprising the step of separating the program schedule information from the programs for supplying the program schedule information to the data processor.

32. A process for controlling the presentation of broadcast programs to a television receiver, which comprises supplying program schedule information to a data processor, supplying user program selection criteria to the data processor, using the user selection criteria to select programs for viewing from the program schedule information in the data processor, storing information identifying the selected programs, using the stored information to tune the television receiver to the selected programs, using the television receiver as a display by the data processor for presenting messages to the user during the process, including time remaining for a program being broadcast.

33. A process for controlling the presentation of broadcast programs to a television receiver, which comprises supplying program schedule information to a data processor, supplying user program selection criteria to the data processor, using the user selection criteria to select programs for viewing from the program schedule information in the data processor, storing information identifying the selected programs, using the stored information to tune the television receiver to the selected programs, turning on a broadcast program recording device for a selected broadcast program, recording the selected broadcast program, and supplying a different program broadcast signal to the television receiver than the broadcast signal for the selected program supplied to the program recording device.

34. A process for controlling the presentation of broadcast programs to a television receiver, which comprises supplying program schedule information to a data processor, supplying user program selection criteria to the data processor, using the user selection criteria to select programs for viewing from the program schedule information in the data processor, storing information identifying the selected programs, using the stored information to tune the television receiver to the selected programs, turning on a broadcast program recording device for a selected broadcast program, recording the selected broadcast program, broadcasting end of program information for at least programs of uncertain duration, and terminating recording by the program recording device in response to the end of program information.

35. A process for controlling the presentation of broadcast programs to a television receiver, which comprises supplying program schedule information to a data processor, supplying user program selection criteria to the data processor, using the user selection criteria to select programs for viewing from the program schedule information in the data processor, storing information identifying the selected programs, using the stored information to tune the television receiver to the selected programs, turning on a broadcast program recording device for a selected broadcast program, recording the selected broadcast program, determining whether the television receiver is operating at the time of the selected broadcast program and turning on the recording device and recording the selected broadcast program unless the television receiver is operating.

36. A process for controlling the presentation of broadcast programs to a television receiver, which comprises supplying program schedule information to a data processor, supplying user program selection criteria to the data processor, using the user selection criteria to select programs for viewing from the program schedule information in the data processor, storing information identifying the selected programs, using the stored information to tune the television receiver to the selected programs, turning on the program recording device, and recording the selected program by supplying control signals to a remote controller for the program recording device.

37. A process for controlling the presentation of broadcast programs to a television receiver, which comprises supplying program schedule information to a data processor, supplying user program selection criteria to the data processor, using the user selection criteria to select programs for viewing from the program schedule information in the data processor, storing information identifying the selected programs, using the stored information to tune the television receiver to the selected programs, providing linking information to identify multiple programs of a single series and selecting the multiple programs of the single series on the basis of the linking information in response to user selection of one of the programs in the single series.

38. A process for controlling the presentation of broadcast programs to a television receiver, which comprises supplying program schedule information to a data processor, supplying user program selection criteria to the data processor, using the user selection criteria to select programs for viewing from the program schedule information in the data processor, storing information identifying the selected programs, using the stored information to tune the television receiver to the selected programs, determining whether the television receiver is operating prior to the time of a broadcast program selected by the process and providing an alarm signal to the user unless the television receiver is operating when the television receiver is checked for operation.

39. A system for controlling a television receiver to allow user selection of broadcast programs from schedule information, which comprises a data processor, a first input means for the schedule information connected to said data processor, a second user selection input means connected to said data processor, said data processor being configured to select programs from the schedule information based on user inputs, storage means connected to receive the schedule information for programs selected by said data processor, and a programmable tuner for connection to the television receiver, said programmable tuner being connected to receive control signals from said data processor at a time of a selected broadcast for causing said programmable tuner to supply broadcast signals for the selected programs to the television receiver, a video display generator connected to receive signals from said data processor for generating a video display from the schedule information and the user selections on the television receiver, and a video switcher connected to receive video display signals from said video display generator, broadcast program signals from said programmable tuner and control signals from said data processor for selecting between the video display signals and the broadcast program signals for supplying to the television receiver, the schedule information also being broadcast, said first input means comprising a broadcast signal receiver connected to supply the broadcast schedule information to said data processor, said data processor being configured to provide signals to said video display generator for presenting a plurality of user selection menus on the television receiver, said second user selection input means including a plurality of keys for making selections from the menus for choosing programs from the schedule information, said data processor being configured to allow combinations of the menu selections for choosing programs from the schedule information.

40. The system of claim 39 in which the schedule information includes linking information to identify multiple programs of a single series and said data processor is further configured to select the multiple programs of the single series on the basis of the linking information in response to user selection of one of the programs in the single series.

41. The system of claim 40 in which said data processor is further configured to supply an actuating signal to a program recorder at the time of a broadcast program selected by said data processor.

42. A system for controlling a recording device to allow user selection of broadcast programs from schedule information, which comprises a data processor, a first input means for the schedule information connected to said data processor, a second user selection input means connected to said data processor, said data processor being configured to select programs from the schedule information based on user inputs, storage means connected to receive the schedule information for programs selected by said data processor, a programmable tuner for connection to the recording device, said programmable tuner being connected to receive control signals from said data processor at a time of a selected broadcast for causing said programmable tuner to supply broadcast signals for the selected programs to the recording device, and a television receiver, said system being configured to allow said television receiver to receive a different program than the broadcast signal for the selected program supplied to said recording device.

43. The system of claim 42 additionally comprising a display means connected to receive signals from said data processor for generating a display from the schedule information and the user selections on said display means.

44. The system of claim 43 in which said data processor and said display means are further configured to present a preselected portion of the schedule information for the user selection.

45. The system of claim 43 in which the schedule information is broadcast and said first input means comprises a broadcast signal receiver connected to supply the broadcast schedule information to said data processor.

46. The system of claim 45 in which said broadcast signal receiver is a frequency modulation receiver configured to receive the broadcast schedule information independently of the broadcast programs, said first input means includes a data demodulator connected to supply the schedule information to said data processor, said frequency modulation receiver being connected to supply the broadcast schedule information to said data demodulator.

47. The system of claim 45 additionally comprising a television receiver, and in which the schedule information is broadcast in an otherwise unused portion of a television program broadcast, said programmable tuner includes said broadcast signal receiver, said first input means includes a data demodulator connected to supply the schedule information to said data processor, and said programmable tuner is connected to supply the schedule information portion of the television program broadcast to said data demodulator.

48. The system of claim 43 in which said data processor is further configured to provide signals to said display means for presenting a plurality of user selection menus on said display means and said second user selection input means includes a plurality of keys for making selections from the menus for choosing programs from the schedule information.

49. The system of claim 48 in which said data processor is further configured to allow combinations of the menu selections for choosing programs from the schedule information.

50. The system of claim 42 in which said programmable tuner receives both the schedule information and the broadcast signals for the selected programs, said programmable tuner being connected as part of said first input means.

51. A system for controlling a recording device to allow user selection of broadcast programs from schedule information, which comprises a data processor, a first input means for the schedule information connected to said data processor, a second user selection input means connected to said data processor, said data processor being configured to select programs from the schedule information based on user inputs, storage means connected to receive the schedule information for programs selected by said data processor, a programmable tuner for connection to the recording device, said programmable tuner being connected to receive control signals from said data processor at a time of a selected broadcast for causing said programmable tuner to supply broadcast signals for the selected programs to the recording device, said data processor being connected to a remote controller for said recording device to supply control signals to said remote controller for powering on said recording device, starting and stopping recording of the selected program and powering off said recording device.

52. A system for controlling a recording device to allow user selection of broadcast programs from schedule information, which comprises a data processor, a first input means for the schedule information connected to said data processor, a second user selection input means connected to said data processor, said data processor being configured to select programs from the schedule information based on user inputs, storage means connected to receive the schedule information for programs selected by said data processor, a programmable tuner for connection to the recording device, said programmable tuner being connected to receive control signals from said data processor at a time of a selected broadcast for causing said programmable tuner to supply broadcast signals for the selected programs to the recording device, the broadcast signals including end of program information for at least programs of uncertain duration, and said data processor being configured to terminate recording by the recording device in response to the end of program information.

53. A system for controlling a recording device to allow user selection of broadcast programs from schedule information, which comprises a data processor, a first input means for the schedule information connected to said data processor, a second user selection input means connected to said data processor, said data processor being configured to select programs from the schedule information based on user inputs, storage means connected to receive the schedule information for programs selected by said data processor, a programmable tuner for connection to the recording device, said programmable tuner being connected to receive control signals from said data processor at a time of a selected broadcast for causing said programmable tuner to supply broadcast signals for the selected programs to the recording device, the schedule information including linking information to identify multiple programs of a single series and said data processor being configured to select the multiple programs of the single series on the basis of the linking information in response to user selection of one of the programs in the single series.

54. A system for controlling receipt of broadcast television programs to allow user selection of broadcast programs from broadcast schedule information, which comprises a data processor, a programmable tuner configured to receive both the broadcast programs and the broadcast schedule information connected to said data processor, means connected between said programmable tuner and said data processor for separating the broadcast schedule information from the broadcast programs and supplying the broadcast schedule information to said data processor, a user selection input means connected to said data processor, said data processor being configured to select programs from the schedule information based on user inputs, storage means connected to receive the schedule information for programs selected by said data processor, said programmable tuner being connected to receive control signals from said data processor at a time of a selected broadcast for causing said programmable tuner to supply signals for the selected broadcast programs to at least one signal receiver for the selected broadcast programs.

55. The system for controlling receipt of broadcast television programs of claim 54 in which said at least one signal receiver comprises a recording device.

56. The system for controlling receipt of broadcast television signals of claim 55 in which said at least one signal receiver additionally comprises a television, and said system additionally comprises a means for switching between said recording device and said television for receiving the signals for the selected broadcast programs.