Retriggerable sleep timer with user-prompting mode operation

• US 5,153,580 A
• Filed: 01/16/1990
• Issued: 10/06/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RCA Thomson Licensing Corporation
• Original Assignee: RCA Thomson Licensing Corporation
• Inventors: Pollack, Jeremy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weissman, Peter S.
• Application Number:
  US07/465,833
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.25, 340/309.15, 340/309.4, 340/326, 340/328, 340/329, 341/176, 358/194.1, 358/188, 358/22, 455/600, 455/603, 455/231, 455/352, 455/353, 455/355, 359/142, 359/148
• US Class Current: 340/309.9
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers

Abstract

A sleep timer function for consumer electronics equipment automatically turns off the equipment after a predetermined time interval. During the final two minutes of the sleep time interval, the sleep timer circuitry gradually decreases the volume or provides a visual indication that automatic turn off is imminent. The reception of any modulated infrared (IR) signal, transmitted from any source, during the timer period is interpreted by the sleep timer function controller as an indication that the use is still awake. In response, the controller resets the count of the sleep timer to the maximum period, thus deferring the automatic turn off of the equipment.

Claims

1. Apparatus for automatically removing operating power from a consumer electronics unit, comprising:

a source of standby power;

a source of operating power having a control input;

remote control receiver means for receiving, and detecting the presence of, a remote control signal modulated with data, said modulated remote control signal being one of a first type and a second type;

control means coupled to said source of standby power, to said remote control receiver means for decoding said data from said first type of said modulated remote control signal, said control means being unable to decode said second type of modulated remote control signal, and to said control input of said source of operating power for controlling said source of operating power in response to said data;

timer means, coupled to said control means, for timing a predetermined time interval and generating a signal indicative of the expiration of said predetermined time interval, said timer means being capable of being reset by said control means;

signal processing circuitry, coupled to said control means and to said source of operating power, for processing signals of said consumer electronics unit; and

means for providing an indication to a user that automatic removal of operating power from said consumer electronics unit is enabled;

wherein

said control means, during said predetermined time interval, causes said indicating means to produce said indication that said automatic removal of operating power is enabled and, in response to said detection of said presence of said modulated remote control signal of either of said first and second types from any source by said remote control receiver means during said predetermined time interval, resets said timer means to begin timing said predetermined time interval again, said timer means, at the expiration of said predetermined time interval, applies said signal indicative of the expiration of said predetermined time interval to said control means, and said control means, in response thereto, causes said source of operating power to cease supplying power to said signal processing means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said signal processing means includes video processing means and said means for providing an indication to a user that automatic removal of operating power from said consumer electronics unit is enabled is an on-screen display means for generating a visual display when said timer means is timing said predetermined time interval.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for providing an indication to a user that automatic removal of operating power from said consumer electronics unit is enabled is an illumination means for indicating when said timer means is timing said predetermined time interval.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further including controlled power receptacle means for selectively applying AC power to external devices connected thereto.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said predetermined time interval is fixed.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein data relating to said predetermined time interval is entered by a user.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further including real time clock means for keeping time of day, and providing signals indicative of time of day to said control means;

said timer means being enabled by said control means to time said predetermined time interval during only a predetermined portion of a day.

8. Apparatus for automatically removing operating power from a consumer electronics unit, comprising:

a source of standby power;

a source of operating power having a control input;

data input means for receiving data entered by a user;

control means coupled to said source of standby power, to said data input means for decoding said data, and to said control input of said source of operating power for controlling said source of operating power in response to said data;

said control means including timer means, coupled to said control means, for timing a predetermined time interval and generating a signal indicative of the expiration of a said predetermined time interval, said timer means being capable of being reset under control of said control means;

means for providing an indication to a user that automatic removal of operating power from said consumer electronics unit is enabled; and

signal processing circuitry, coupled to said control means and to said source of operating power, for processing signals of said consumer electronics unit;

wherein

said control means, during said predetermined time interval, causes said indicating means to produce an indication that said automatic removal of operating power is enabled and, in response to the reception of said data during said predetermined time interval, resets said timer means to begin timing said predetermined time interval again irrespective of any information corresponding to said data, said timer means, at the expiration of said predetermined time interval, applies said signal indicative of the expiration of said predetermined time interval to said control means, and said control means, in response thereto, causes said source of operating power to cease supplying power to said signal processing means; and

further including

real time clock means for keeping time of day, and providing signals indicative of time of day to said control means;

said timer means being enabled by said control means to time said predetermined time interval during only a predetermined portion of a day.

9. Apparatus for use in a television receiver for automatically removing operating power from television signal processing circuitry of said television receiver, comprising:

a source of standby power;

a source of operating power having a control input;

remote control receiver means for receiving an IR remote control signal modulated with data in accordance with any of a plurality of formats, and for demodulating a remote control signal modulated in accordance with a predetermined one of said plurality of formats, said remote control receiver means producing one of said demodulated signal and a signal indicative of the reception of an IR remote control signal modulated in accordance with any format other than said predetermined one of formats;

control means coupled to said source of standby power, to said remote control receiver means for receiving said one of said demodulated signal and said indicative signal therefrom, and to said control input of said source of operating power for controlling said source of operating power in response to the reception of said one of said demodulated signal and said indicative signal;

timer means, coupled to said control means, for timing a predetermined time interval and generating a signal indicative of the expiration of said predetermined time interval, said timer means being capable of being reset under control of said control means;

said signal processing circuitry, being coupled to said control means and to said source of operating power, for processing said television signals of said television receiver; and

means for providing an indication to a user that automatic removal of operating power from said signal processing circuitry is enabled;

wherein

said control means, during said predetermined time interval, causes said indicating means to produce said indication that said automatic removal of operating power is enabled and, in response to said one of said demodulated signal and said indicative signal during said predetermined time interval, regardless of any information content of said demodulated signals, resets said timer means to begin timing said predetermined time interval again, said timer means, at the expiration of said predetermined time interval, applies said signal indicative of the expiration of said predetermined time interval to said control means, and said control means, in response thereto, causes said source of operating power to cease supplying power to said signal processing means.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for providing an indication includes audio signal processing means, and said control means causes the volume of said audio signals to be automatically gradually decreased substantially to zero during said predetermined time interval.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said signal processing circuitry includes video processing means and said means for providing an indication to a user that automatic removal of operating power from said consumer electronics unit is enabled is an on-screen display means for generating a visual display when said timer means is timing said predetermined time interval.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for providing an indication to a user that automatic removal of operating power from said consumer electronics unit is enabled is an illumination means for indicating when said timer means is timing said predetermined time interval.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 further including controlled power receptacle means for selectively applying AC power to external devices connected thereto.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said predetermined time interval is fixed.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said predetermined time interval is entered by a user.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 further including

real time clock means for keeping time of day, and providing signals indicative of time of day to said control means;

said timer means being enabled by said control means to time said predetermined time interval during only a predetermined portion of a day.