Television channel indicator common to vhf and uhf and easily programmable to locally available channels

Claim 2

In a television receiver tunable to a plurality of channels, a channel indicator comprising: a units digits display device having a plurality of display elements in segmented configuration capable of displaying 10 units digits of channel numbers by selective energization of its display elements; a tens digits display device having a plurality of display elements in segmented configuration capable of displaying 10 tens digits of channel numbers by selective energization of its display elements; a units digits matrix for controlling the units digits display device to display said units digits; a tens digits matrix for controlling the tens digits display device to display said tens digits; a tuning mechanism for tuning said receiver to any one of said channels; and switch means actuated by said tuning mechanism for actuating said matrices for causing such display devices to display the channel number of the channel to which the receiver is tuned by said tuning mechanism.

Claim 3

A channel indicator as in claim 1 in which the switch means comprises: A switch array including: switches associated with channel numbers up to channel nine for actuating the units digits matrix; and switches associated with channels above channel nine for actuating both the units and tens digits matrices;

Claim 4

A channel indicator as in claim 2 in which the switch means includes: means for de-energizing the tens digits display device for channel numbers up to channel nine.

Claim 5

A channel indicator as in claim 2 in which said matrices are subtractive matrices including: means for energizing all of the display elements of the corresponding display devices; and second means responsive to said switch means for selectively de-energizing selected ones of the display elements so energized to display digits requiring less than all of said elements.

Claim 6

A channel indicator as in claim 4 in which the display elements are anode-cathode elements and in which the switch means comprises: a switch array including switches associated with the channel numbers for selectively short circuiting said anode-cathode elements.

Claim 7

A channel indicator as in claim 5 in which the switch means includes: means for de-energizing the tens digits display device for channel numbers up to channel nine.

Claim 8

In a television receiver tunable to VHF channels and a limited number of the 70 UHF channels, a channel indicator for both VHF and UHF channels readily programmable to a limited number of channels comprising: a units display device having seven anode-cathode display elements in segmented figure ''''8'''' configuration capable of displaying 10 units digits of channel numbers by selective energization of its anode-cathode display elements; a tens digits display device having seven anode-cathode display elements in segmented figure ''''8'''' configuration capable of displaying 10 tens digits of channel numbers by selective energization of its anode-cathode display elements; means for energizing all of said anode-cathode elements; a units digits matrix for selectively deenergizing anode-cathode elements of the units digits display device to display said units digits; a tens digits matrix for selectively deenergizing anode-cathode elements of the tens digits display device to display said tens digits; a tuning mechanism for tuning said receiver to any one of said channels; and switch means actuated by said tuning mechanism for actuating said matrices for causing such display devices to display the channel number of the channel to which the receiver is tuned by said tuning mechanism.

Claim 9

In a television receiver tunable to VHF channels and a limited number of the 70 UHF channels, a channel indicator for both VHF and UHF channels readily programmable to a limited number of channels comprising: a units display device having seven anode-cathode display elements in segmented figure ''''8'''' configuration capable of displaying 10 units digits of channel numbers by selective energization of its anode-cathode display elements; a tens digits display device having seven anode-cathode display elements in segmented figure ''''8'''' configuration capable of displaying 10 tens digits of channel numbers by selective energization of its anode-cathode display elements; means for energizing all of said anode-cathode elements; a units digits matrix for selectively deenergizing anode-cathode elements of the units digits display device to display said units digits; a tens digits matrix for selectively deenergizing anode-cathode elements of the tens digits display device to display said tens digits; a tuning mechanism for tuning said receiver to any one of said channels; and switch means actuated by said tuning mechanism for actuating said matrices for causing such display devices to display the channel number of the channel to which the receiver is tuned by said tuning mechanism.

Claim 10

A channel indicator as in claim 7 in which the switch means comprises: a switch array including: switches associated with VHF channel numbers up to channel nine for actuating the units digits matrix; and switches associated with channels above VHF channel nine for actuating both the units and tens digits matrices.

Claim 11

A channel indicator as in claim 7 in which the switch means includes: means for de-energizing the tens digits display device for channel numbers up to channel nine.

Claim 12

A channel indicator as in claim 7 in which the switch means comprises: a switch array including switches associated with the channel numbers for selectively short circuiting said anode-cathode elements.

Claim 13

A channel indicator as in claim 1 further comprising: terminal means to interconnect said switch means to said digits matrices; said terminal means comprising a plurality of terminals connected to each of said display elements; said switch means comprising a plurality of switch elements; whereby said plurality of display elements may be selectively interconnected to said plurality of switch elements in varying combinations.

Claim 14

A channel indicator as in claim 11 wherein said switch elements are linked in pairs with one element of each pair being electrically connected to said units digits matrix and the other element of each pair being electrically connected to said tens digits matrix.

Claim 15

A channel indicator as in claim 11 wherein said switch element has one contact connected to both of said digits matrices and two diodes are provided, one between said units digits matrix and said contact and one between said tens digits matrix and said contact to isolate the matrices from each other.

Claim 16

A channel indicator as in claim 11 wherein said switch elements each comprise a transistor.