(12) United States Patent
`Schultheiss
`
`USOO62.08384B1
`(10) Patent No.:
`US 6,208,384 B1
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Mar. 27, 2001
`
`(54) METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING
`INFORMATION TO A TELEVISION USINGA
`PERSONAL COMPUTER
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`(75) Inventor: Shetpe, stylis. New
`myrna Beacn,
`(73) Assignee: Douglas G. Brown, Cherryville, NC
`(US)
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`(21) Appl. No.: 08/678,772
`(22) Filed:
`Jul. 11, 1996
`9
`7
`(51) Int. Cl.' ....................................................... H04N 7/00
`(52) U.S. Cl. .......................... 348/552; 348/734; 348/906;
`345/327
`(58) Field of Search ..................................... assiss2.ssa
`348,734.6.7.10, 12, 13,723,906,359,142146.
`148; 340/825.69, 825.71; 455/6.1, 6.2,
`6.3, 1512, 1514, 557, 352, 66, 180.1,
`188.1, 186.1; 386/69; 345/327; 364/146,
`188, 189, 190; 395/326; H04N 7/00, 7/10
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(56)
`
`22 11/1987 Young - - - - -
`- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 S.
`2675 go it. - - -
`- - - i.
`5014,128
`5/1991 Chen et all -
`- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 358/160
`5,065.425
`(1/1991 Lecomte et al... 37993
`5,101,499
`3/1992 Streck et al........
`... 455/4
`5,138,649
`8/1992 Krisbergh et al. .
`... 379/56
`5,192,999
`3/1993 Graczyk et al. ....................... 358/85
`5,249,164
`9/1993 Koz. ................
`... 358/21 R
`5,251,301
`10/1993 Cook ...
`... 395/200
`529 3.
`E. al
`- - - - - s:
`5,339,095
`8/1994 Redford .....
`... 348/552
`5,359,367
`10/1994 Stockill ......
`5,396,546
`3/1995 Remillard ............................... 379/96
`
`aeeCK
`
`- - - -
`
`21 - -2
`
`
`
`5,421,030
`5,461,667
`5,485,221
`5,488,412
`
`5/1995 Baran .................................... 455/5.1
`10/1995 Remillard ............................... 379/96
`1/1996 Banker et al.
`348/563
`1/1996 Majeti et al. .......................... 34.8/10
`(List continued on next page.)
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`WO 96/17473
`6/1996 (WO).
`WO 97/48228
`12/1997 (WO).
`WO 97/48230
`12/1997 (WO).
`WO 97/49242
`12/1997 (WO).
`WO 98/03012
`1/1998 (WO).
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`U.S. Ser. No. 08/678,772, Schultheiss, filed Jul. 11, 1996.
`International Search Report, PCT/US99/00461, Apr. 28,
`1999.
`International Search Report, PCT/US97/12166, Nov. 11,
`1997.
`Primary Examiner Victor R. Kostak
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Myers Bigel Sibley &
`Sajovec
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`A personal computer is used to download and proceSS
`auxiliary Services which are intended for a television.
`Accordingly, information is provided to a television using a
`personal computer, so that the personal computer's process
`ing power and memory may be used rather than Stand-alone
`devices or a television memory. An external network inter
`
`face is provided in the computer, as well as a low power
`television transmitter or transceiver. A unified television/
`personal computer remote control provides personal com
`puter commands to the personal computer via radio fre
`quency signals. Television commands may be provided to
`the television directly using infrared Signals or indirectly
`through the personal computer using radio frequency Sig
`nals. When television commands are provided using radio
`frequency Signals, an infrared converter is provided for the
`television, to convert the radio frequency Signals to infrared
`signals.
`
`24 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`40
`
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`
`f
`NTERNI
`8
`
`SATELE
`18&
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`\ cos 27 t
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`208
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`O
`208 N
`Nics
`UHF
`1
`IR
`o, --> aros SE
`204
`Tw
`COMMANDS
`ity
`
`PERSONAL COMPUTER 2
`l
`22
`EXERNAL
`NEF 20
`MOTHER
`BOARD
`
`UHF
`
`MEMORY HIcic
`
`20
`
`. 2O2
`f
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`22
`SALE
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`c
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`O
`
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`US 6,208,384 B1
`Page 2
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`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`10/1996 Stretton et al. ...................... 379/110
`5,570,415
`2/1997 Davidsohn et al.
`... 348/14
`5,606.361
`5,619,251 * 4/1997 Kuroiwa et al. ...
`... 348/12
`5,636.211 * 6/1997 Newlin et al. .
`370/465
`5,648,781
`7/1997 Choi ..................................... 341/146
`
`
`
`5,675,390 * 10/1997 Schindler et al. ................... 34.8/552
`5,703,636
`12/1997 Cifaldi ................................... 348/14
`57O6.334
`1/1998 Balk et all
`379/67
`2
`- -2
`- - -
`5,760,824
`6/1998 Hicks, III ............................... 348/14
`
`* cited by examiner
`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 27, 2001
`
`Sheet 1 of 3
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`US 6,208,384 B1
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`
`
`
`
`O
`
`\ FIG,
`
`4
`
`40
`
`PERSONAL COMPUTER 2
`
`UHF
`
`70N
`
`EXTERNAL
`INTERFACE
`CARD
`
`INTERFACE
`CARD
`24
`
`NFRARED
`TRANS
`MITTER
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`64
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`66b
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`U.S. Patent
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`Mar. 27, 2001
`
`Sheet 2 of 3
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`US 6,208,384 B1
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`RECEME, PROCESS AND
`STORE ONLINE
`TELEVISION
`PROGRAM GUDE
`
`O2
`
`F IG. 2
`
`ACTIVATE GUIDE
`
`MANIPULATE
`GUDE
`
`SELECT
`TELEVISION
`PROGRAM
`
`O6
`
`08
`
`
`
`FIG. 3
`
`THURS; MARCH 14:10:00 a.m. (THRUMARCH 21; 9:00 p.m.)
`DD PREVIOUS X TV OBUSINESS OSCORES MAGAZINE
`TITLE
`4 TITLE
`TTLE
`6 TITLE
`TITLE
`TITLE
`9 NEXT
`
`SPECIAL
`
`PROGRAM
`
`X ALL
`
`MOVIES
`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 27, 2001
`
`Sheet 3 of 3
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`US 6,208,384 B1
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`001
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`EHITELIVS
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`991
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`1
`METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING
`INFORMATION TO A TELEVISION USINGA
`PERSONAL COMPUTER
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`This invention relates to television Systems and methods,
`and more particularly to remote control Systems and meth
`ods for television.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`The television (TV) has become ubiquitous in modern
`Society. As a result, many additional Services are being
`provided via television. One example of an additional Ser
`Vice which is being provided via television is an online
`television program guide, wherein television program
`Schedule information is displayed on a television for Search
`ing and Selection by a television viewer. Online television
`program guides are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,578 to
`Reiter et al. entitled “System for Electronically Controllably
`Viewing on a Television Updateable Television Program
`ming Information” and U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,357 to Hallen
`beck entitled “Method and Apparatus for Controlling a
`Television Program Recording Device” both of which are
`assigned to the assigned to the assignee of the present
`invention, the disclosures of both of which are hereby
`incorporated herein by reference. Other Services which are
`being provided or have been proposed in connection with
`television include interactive Video, Video games, online
`Stock quotation and/or banking, and Video-on-demand.
`As a result of the proliferation of additional television
`Services, a variety of accessory units, Such as cable televi
`Sion descramblers, Video game players, online television
`program guide receivers and Satellite television receivers
`have been marketed. Unfortunately, these accessory units
`may be costly and may limit consumer acceptance of the
`additional Services. AS an alternative to accessory units,
`additional computing power and memory have been
`included in the television itself, for use with online televi
`Sion program guides and the like. Unfortunately, the added
`computing power and memory may increase the cost of the
`television itself.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`It is therefore an object of the invention to provide
`improved methods and Systems for providing additional
`television Services.
`It is another object of the present invention to provide
`methods and Systems for providing additional television
`Services, without requiring costly add-on accessory units.
`It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
`methods and Systems for providing additional television
`Services, without requiring computing power and memory to
`be added within a television.
`These and other objects are provided, according to the
`present invention, by methods and Systems which provide
`information to a television using a personal computer. The
`invention Stems from the realization that a large amount of
`computer power and memory is typically already present in
`the home, in the form of a personal computer. Accordingly,
`a personal computer is used to download and proceSS
`auxiliary services which are intended for a television. The
`auxiliary Services need not be downloaded and processed by
`an auxiliary unit or by the television itself.
`In particular, according to the present invention, a per
`Sonal computer includes a housing containing therein a
`processor and memory. A computer display is responsive to
`the processor. An external network interface is also con
`tained in the housing, which obtains external information
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`US 6,208,384 B1
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`2
`from an external network, Such as cable television, Satellite
`television, or the internet, and Stores the external informa
`tion in the memory. A low power television transmitter is
`also contained in the housing, which is responsive to the
`processor, to transmit information which is Stored in the
`memory. A television remote control Sensor is also contained
`in the housing. The remote control Sensor is responsive to
`television remote control signals to control the processor and
`to manipulate data in the memory. Accordingly, information
`which is intended for a television may be downloaded into
`the personal computer via the external network interface and
`then transmitted to the television using the low power
`television transmitter. The television remote control Sensor
`may be used to control the television and also to provide
`commands to the personal computer to process the infor
`mation in the personal computer.
`In a first embodiment of the present invention, the per
`Sonal computer is used in combination with a unified
`television/personal computer remote control which trans
`mits remote control commands to a television in response to
`user inputs and which also transmits personal computer
`commands to the television remote Sensor in the housing in
`response to user inputs. The remote control commands
`which are transmitted to the television are preferably trans
`mitted using infrared frequencies while the remote control
`commands which are transmitted to the personal computer
`may use infrared frequencies but are preferably radio fre
`quencies (such as UHF) so that they may be transmitted
`from room to room without requiring direct line of Sight.
`In another embodiment according to the invention, the
`remote control may be a radio frequency (UHF) remote
`control, which transmits personal computer commands and
`television remote control Signals to the personal computer in
`response to user inputs. In this embodiment, a television
`interface unit may also be provided. The television interface
`unit includes a radio frequency receiver which receives
`television video Signals from the personal computer and
`which also receives television remote control commands
`from the personal computer. The television interface unit
`also includes a converter which is responsive to the radio
`frequency receiver and which converts the received televi
`Sion remote control commands into infrared television
`remote control commands. Accordingly, the remote control
`need not communicate directly with the TV, but may com
`municate with the TV via the personal computer. An all
`UHF remote control may thereby be provided which does
`not require line of Sight operation to the television or to the
`personal computer.
`The second embodiment of the present invention prefer
`ably includes a personal computer interface, a television
`interface and a wireleSS remote control. The personal com
`puter interface is adapted for use with a personal computer
`and includes a radio frequency transceiver which transmits
`and receives television remote control Signals and which
`also transmits television video signals which are generated
`in a personal computer. The television interface is adapted
`for use with a television. It includes a radio frequency
`receiver which receives television remote control signals
`and television Video signals from the personal computer
`interface. The television interface applies the received tele
`Vision Video Signals to a television for display and also
`converts the received television remote control Signals into
`infrared television remote control Signals.
`The wireleSS remote control includes a user interface
`which accepts user input commands to remotely control a
`television. The wireleSS remote control also includes a radio
`frequency transmitter which transmits radio frequency
`remote control Signals to a personal computer to remotely
`control a television in response to user input commands at
`the user interface. The personal computer interface may also
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`3
`relay received television remote control signals to the per
`Sonal computer for processing in the personal computer, and
`may receive television remote control Signals from the
`personal computer. The personal computer interface also
`receives personal computer commands from the radio fre
`quency transceiver and relays the personal computer com
`mands to a personal computer.
`In a preferred embodiment, the personal computer inter
`face is contained on a card which connects to a personal
`computer motherboard in a personal computer housing. Also
`in a preferred embodiment, the television interface also
`includes a radio frequency Switch which Switches the Video
`input to a television between the received television video
`Signals and an external video Source. Also preferably, the
`wireleSS remote control user interface also accepts user input
`commands to remotely control the personal computer. The
`UHF transmitter also transmits UHF personal computer
`control Signals to a personal computer, to remotely control
`a personal computer in response to user input commands at
`the user interface. An online television program guide or
`other television accessory Service may be implemented by
`Software which executes on the personal computer.
`Two embodiments of wireless remote controls may be
`provided according to the present invention. In a first
`embodiment, a remote control housing includes a user
`interface, a radio frequency transmitter and an infrared
`transmitter. The user interface accepts user input commands.
`The radio frequency transmitter transmits radio frequency
`remote control Signals in response to user input commands
`at the user interface. The infrared transmitter transmits
`infrared remote control Signals in response to user input
`commands at the user interface. The user interface prefer
`ably includes a plurality of keys, with the radio frequency
`transmitter being responsive to activation of at least one of
`the keys and the infrared transmitter being responsive to
`activation of at least one of the keys. The radio frequency
`transmitter and the infrared transmitter may both be respon
`Sive to activation of at least one of the keys.
`The user interface may also include a trackball, and the
`radio frequency transmitter may be responsive to activation
`and movement of the trackball. The user interface may also
`include a television program guide activation key, So that the
`radio frequency transmitter is responsive to activation of the
`television program guide activation key to transmit a com
`mand to a personal computer to activate a television pro
`gram guide in the personal computer, and the infrared
`transmitter is responsive to activation of the television
`program guide activation key to transmit a command to a
`television to tune into a television channel which will
`receive the television program guide from the personal
`computer.
`A Second embodiment of a wireleSS remote control
`includes a remote control housing, a user interface in the
`housing and a radio frequency transmitter in the housing.
`The user interface accepts user input commands to remotely
`control a personal computer and to remotely control a
`television. The radio frequency transmitter transmits radio
`frequency remote control Signals to remotely control a
`personal computer and to remotely control a television in
`response to user input commands at the user interface.
`Preferably, the user interface includes a plurality of keys,
`including personal computer remote control keys and tele
`Vision remote control keys. The radio frequency transmitter
`is responsive to activation of the personal computer keys to
`transmit personal computer remote control commands and is
`responsive to activation of the television remote control keys
`to transmit television remote control commands.
`A first method of interfacing a personal computer with a
`television includes the Steps of obtaining at the personal
`computer, external information from an external network
`
`4
`and Storing the external information in personal computer
`memory. Remote control signals are wirelessly received at
`the personal computer in response to user inputs at a wireleSS
`remote control. Information is wirelessly transmitted from
`the personal computer memory to a television in response to
`the user inputs which are wirelessly received at the personal
`computer. The information from the personal computer may
`also include television program Video signals for the tele
`Vision. The remote control Signals which are received at the
`personal computer may be infrared television remote control
`Signals or radio frequency Signals.
`In a Second method according to the present invention, a
`television is remotely controlled by accepting user input
`commands to remotely control a television, from a wireleSS
`remote control. Radio frequency remote control Signals are
`transmitted from the wireleSS remote control to a personal
`computer. The radio frequency remote control Signals are
`received at the personal computer. Television remote control
`Signals and television video Signals are transmitted from the
`personal computer to a television. The received television
`Video signals are applied to the television for display. The
`received television remote control Signals are converted into
`infrared television remote control Signals to control the
`television.
`Accordingly, the computer power and memory of the
`personal computer are used to provide additional Services
`and remote control for a television. Expensive add-on units
`and/or expensive televisions, which contain high powered
`computer processing and memory, are thereby rendered
`unneceSSary.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a system for
`providing information to a television using a personal com
`puter according to the present invention.
`FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating operations of the system
`of FIG. 1.
`FIG.3 illustrates an example of a television screen which
`may be used during the operations of FIG. 2.
`FIG. 4 illustrates a second embodiment of a system for
`providing information to a television using a personal com
`puter according to the present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`The present invention now will be described more fully
`hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
`which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown.
`This invention may, however, be embodied in many different
`forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodi
`ments Set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are pro
`Vided So that this disclosure will be thorough and complete,
`and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those
`skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements
`throughout.
`Referring now to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a system
`for providing information to a television using a personal
`computer is illustrated. As shown in FIG. 1, system 10
`includes a personal computer 12, a television 40 and a
`wireless remote control 50. Personal computer 12 includes
`a personal computer housing 14 and a motherboard 20. The
`motherboard may include a processor 20a thereon. A key
`board 28, display 30 and other conventional personal com
`puter hardware and software may be included. Memory 32,
`in the form of semiconductor memory (DRAM, SRAM,
`EEPROM, etc.), magnetic memory (floppy and hard disk
`drives), optical memory (CDROM) and other conventional
`memory may be provided.
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`Personal computer 12 also includes an external interface
`card 16 which may plug into motherboard 20 and which
`obtains external information from external networkS Such as
`cable TV network 18a, internet 18b and satellite TV network
`18c. Personal computer 12 also includes a PC interface card
`22 which may also plug into motherboard 20. PC interface
`card 22 includes a radio frequency (preferably UHF) trans
`mitter 24 and a remote control receiver 26. External inter
`face card 16 and PC interface card 22 may be combined into
`a single card.
`UHF transmitter 24 transmits information as UHF signals
`70 to TV 40. The UHF signals may be a conventional
`television program which is obtained from cable interface
`18a or satellite interface 18c, or may be internet data from
`internet interface 18b. This information may be passed
`directly to UHF transmitter 24 from external interface card
`16. Alternatively, some or all of this information may be
`stored in memory 32 and then transmitted to TV 40 under
`remote control or under control of the personal computer as
`will be described below. The design of the individual
`component parts of personal computer 12 are well known to
`those having skill in the art and need not be described in
`greater detail herein.
`Still referring to FIG. 1, wireless remote control 50
`includes a remote control housing 52 and a user interface in
`the housing which accepts user input commands. AS shown
`in FIG. 1, the user interface includes a plurality of keys 58
`and 62, a trackball 64 and trackball keys 66a and 66b, as will
`be described in detail below. However, it will be understood
`by those having skill in the art that other user inputs may be
`provided via touch Screen, Voice activation and the like.
`Wireless remote control 50 also includes a radio fre
`quency (preferably UHF) transmitter 54 which transmits
`UHF remote control signals 74 to personal computer 12 in
`response to user input commands at the user interface.
`Accordingly, UHF transmitter 24 and remote control
`receiver 26 may be combined into a Single radio frequency
`(UHF) transceiver. An infrared transmitter 56 in the housing
`52, transmits infrared remote control signals 72 to the
`television in response to user input commands at the user
`interface. In another embodiment, a UHF transmitter 54 is
`not included, and infrared commands 74 are transmitted to
`the personal computer. In this embodiment, the remote
`control receiver 26 in the personal computer is an infrared
`receiver.
`In the embodiment of FIG. 1, remote control 50 is capable
`of operating certain keys in the infrared mode and other keys
`in the UHF mode. Some keys may operate in both modes. In
`the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, top keys 58 operate both
`the UHF transmitter 54 and the infrared transmitter 56.
`Middle keys 62 operate the infrared transmitter only, and the
`trackball 64 and trackball keys 66a, 66b operate the UHF
`50
`transmitter 54 only. It will be understood that the positioning
`of the keys can vary, so that top keys 58 will also be referred
`to as “combined keys” and middle keys 62 will be referred
`to as “infrared keys”.
`The infrared keyS 62 are capable of emulating a broad
`range of conventional television remote control commands.
`In effect, these keys function as a “Smart remote” that is
`capable of either learning the television's remote control
`commands or being designed to be compatible with a
`particular television 40. The trackball and trackball keys 64,
`66a and 66b are used to communicate directly with the
`personal computer, for example to call up online television
`programming guide Software and manipulate the online
`television program guide by cursor movement on Screen.
`The combined keys 58 send both an infrared signal to the TV
`and a UHF Signal to the personal computer.
`65
`Operation of the system 10 of FIG. 1 in connection with
`an online television program guide will now be described.
`
`6
`The general concept of an online television program guide
`is described in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,751,578 and
`5,293,357 and will not be described in detail herein.
`Referring to FIG. 2, operations begin at Block 102 by
`receiving, processing and Storing online television program
`guide information. The information may be received from
`cable 18a, internet 18b, Satellite 18c or other external
`Systems via external interface card, and may be processed by
`the processor 20a on motherboard 20 and stored in memory
`32.
`At Block 104, the online television guide is activated, for
`example by user activation of one of the combined keys 58.
`Activation of the combined key sends a UHF signal 74 to
`remote control receiver 26 to activate the guide in the
`personal computer 12. An infrared signal 72 is also sent to
`the television 40 to Select the appropriate channel, Such as
`channel 2. Depressing another key of the combined keys 58
`may also turn the television back to the channel being
`Viewed and deactivate the online television guide Software
`in the computer.
`Referring to Block 106, the online television guide is
`manipulated. For example, after activating the online guide,
`a television screen as shown in FIG.3 may be displayed. The
`user may use the trackball 64 and trackball keys 66a and 66b
`to move a cursor on the Screen to Select a title to be viewed
`or to Select other options for the online guide. The trackball
`64 may be used to move the cursor on the Screen to an
`appropriate box. The left click key 66a may be used to
`activate the function and may be activated a Second time to
`return. Alternatively, if the left click key is activated on a
`title, the descriptions may be displayed. The click right key
`66b may be used to Select a channel and deactivate the guide.
`Finally, at Block 108, a television program is selected. In
`order to select the program, the trackball 64 and left click
`button 66a may be used to move and activate the cursor on
`the Screen. Upon Selection of a program, the personal
`computer Software Supplies the appropriate channel to tele
`vision 40 via UHF signal 70. The television may also need
`to be tuned to that channel by depressing the appropriate
`infrared key 62 for the channel, to thereby cause infrared
`command 72 to be transmitted to the television.
`Due to the long turn-on or “boot” time, it may desirable
`to leave the personal computer 12 online for instantaneous
`use with the television. Otherwise, there may be significant
`delays while the software is brought up. A shut-down
`function may be required if the user wants to disable the
`Software from the television room. Alternatively, the per
`Sonal computer user may turn off the online guide at the
`personal computer if desired. The trackball operates like a
`mouse on a personal computer, to enable the user to move
`the cursor to appropriate places on the television Screen and
`to activate the appropriate function. The trackball may
`reduce the number of keys on the remote control unit 50, and
`the user need not Search for Special functions on the remote
`control in a dimly lit room.
`Accordingly, the embodiment of FIG. 1 allows an inex
`pensive card or cards to be added to a personal computer, to
`thereby allow the personal computer to control television.
`Expensive add-on boxes need not be provided, which would
`merely duplicate the computing power and memory which is
`already available in the personal computer.
`The embodiment of FIG. 1 may require the user to
`Separately tune the television channel using infrared signal
`72, and Separately control the personal computer using UHF
`or infrared commands 74. In a second embodiment of the
`invention, described in FIG. 4, the personal computer may
`control tuning and other television functions using UHF
`television commands So that the user need not provide
`Separate commands to the television. However, the embodi
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`ment of FIG. 4 may require a separate television interface
`unit which converts received UHF television commands to
`infrared television commands.
`As shown in FIG. 4, system 100 includes a personal
`computer 12 as already described. However, PC interface
`card 22 includes a radio frequency (preferably UHF)
`transceiver, i.e. a UHF transmitter/receiver 24' which both
`receives UHF signals from remote control unit 50' and
`transmits UHF signals to television interface unit 200.
`Remote control unit 50' only includes a UHF transmitter 54
`but does not include an infrared transmitter. Activation of the
`combined keys 58, the conventional television keys 52 and
`the personal computer keys 64, 66a, 66b are all communi
`cated to the personal computer 12 via UHF signals. The
`television commands from keys 58 and 62 are communi
`cated as UHF television commands 74a, and the personal
`computer commands from keys 58 and keys 64, 66a and 66b
`are communicated as PC commands 74b.
`Still referring to FIG. 4, television interface 200 includes
`a television interface housing 202. A UHF receiver 204 in
`the housing receives television remote control signals 70b
`and television video signals 70a from the personal computer
`interface 22. The received television video signals are Sup
`plied to television 40 for display via video line 214, video
`switch 208 and UHF input 220. Video switch 208 may also
`be used to Switch between conventional cable 212a and
`satellite 212b. UHF receiver 204 also supplies the television
`commands to an infrared converter 206 via line 216. Infrared
`converter 206 converts the received television remote con
`trol signals into infrared television remote control signals
`218 for controlling the television in a conventional manner.
`Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4, the system 100 allows
`the computer to do more than just provide listings of data.
`The computer can Select a program from an online television
`program guide and also direct the TV Set to tune to the
`appropriate channel.
`Operations of the system 100 of FIG. 4 may proceed as
`already described in connection with FIG. 2. However, the
`remote control unit 50' has the ability to control the online
`guide via the personal computer and to control the television
`via the personal computer instead of remote controlling the
`television directly. Accordingly, when the guide is activated
`at Block 104, the UHF transmitter 54 can transmit an
`activate guide Signal and the personal computer can generate
`a Signal to activate the online television program guide
`within the personal computer and tune the television to the
`requisite channel. The guide may be manipulated as already
`described at Block 106. At Block 108, when a television
`program is Selected by moving the cursor on the television
`display, the personal computer provides the appropriate
`video signal 70a and appropriate TV commands 70b to tune
`the television.
`50
`For example, a “What's on Now?' key may send a UHF
`Signal to the personal computer interface card which com
`municates with the PC to activate the online television
`program guide and display the current time slot listings. The
`PC interface transmits the displayed listings to the television
`at low power and also instructs the television to Switch to the
`designated channel to view the program listings. After the
`Viewer Selects a program of interest using the trackball and
`trackball keys, the personal computer and the UHF trans
`ceiver 24' send a signal to the PC interface card which
`deactivates the listing display. A UHF signal is Sent to the
`television interface unit which translates the Signal to an
`infrared signal which is recognized by the TV and which
`changes the channel to the desired program. The program
`may be received via the cable, internet or Satellite interface
`18a, 18b, 18c respectively at the personal computer external
`interface card 16, or via the satellite or cable interface 212a,
`212b respectively of the television interface unit. For recep
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`tion by the personal computer, a television tuner card may
`need to be installed.
`Accordingly, the embodiment of FIG. 4 remotely controls
`the television by acce