Memory tuning system with different speeds in program and operate modes

Claim 2

A television tuning system having counting means, generating sequential channel number information for tuning all channels, coupled to read/write memory means accessed by said channel number information and having a plurality of addressable locations for storage and recall of signals related to selected channel number information, said tuning system having a program mode for storage of said signals and an operate mode for recall from said memory means of said signals to cause tuning to channels corresponding to the addresses of individual locations of said memory means, including: mode selection means for establishing either of said two modes; and sequence control means, coupled to said counting means and responsive to said mode selection means, for changing the counting speed of said counting means to produce different access speeds for said memory locations in said two modes.

Claim 3

The television tuning system of claim 1 wherein said sequence control means includes means for producing counting pulses at a predetermined frequency.

Claim 4

The television tuning system of claim 2 wherein said sequence control means further includes means for altering the frequency of counting pulses produced in response to the mode established by said mode selection means.

Claim 5

The television tuning system of claim 3 further including means communicating to a viewer the channel number corresponding to generated channel number information indicative of system tuning.

Claim 6

The television tuning system of claim 4 further including signal generation means coupled to said memory means for generating and storing said signals related to selected channel number information.

Claim 7

The television tuning system of claim 5, wherein said means for altering the frequency produces counting pulses at a lower rate in said program mode than in said operate mode.

Claim 8

The television tuning system of claim 6, wherein said counting pulse rate in said program mode is predetermined to provide sufficient access time between individual memory locations for a viewer to recognize and select channel number information based on the communicated channel number.

Claim 9

The television tuning system of claim 7, wherein the counting pulse rate in said operate mode is at least 100 times the counting pulse rate in said program mode so that in said operate mode said counting means can completely cycle and return to a selected channel number in the same period of time as normal access of an adjacent memory location in said program mode.

Claim 10

The television tuning system of claim 8, wherein said sequence control means further includes means operating only in said operate mode for sensing whenever preselected channel number information is generated by said counting means and interrupting said generation of counting pulses.

Claim 11

A television tuning system comprising: two speed counting means generating sequential channel numbers for tuning all channels; memory means coupled to said counting means, accessed by said channel numbers, and having a separate addressable location for storage and recall of signals related to each selected channel number; said tuning system having a program mode for storage of said signals in said memory means and an operate mode for recall of said signals from said memory means to cause tuning to channels corresponding to said addressable locations of said memory means; clock means generating timing pulses at regular intervals; means coupled to said clock means and said two speed counting means for deriving counting pulses at two different rates; mode selection means for establishing either of said two modes; logic means controlling said means deriving counting pulses responsive to said mode selection means for supplying said counting means with counting pulses at a lower rate in said program mode than in said operate mode; means coupled to said two speed counting means communicating to the viewer the channel number generated; and means operable in said program mode and coupled to said memory means to generate and store signals related to selected channel numbers.

Claim 12

A television tuning system comprising: two speed counting means generating sequential channel numbers for tuning all channels; memory means coupled to said counting means, accessed by said channel numbers, and having a separate addressable location for storage and recall of signals related to each selected channel number; said tuning system having a program mode for storage of said signals in said memory means and an operate mode for recall of said signals from said memory means to cause tuning to channels corresponding to said addressable locations of said memory means; clock means generating timing pulses at regular intervals; means coupled to said clock means and said two speed counting means for deriving counting pulses at two different rates; mode selection means for establishing either of said two modes; logic means controlling said means deriving counting pulses responsive to said mode selection means for supplying said counting means with counting pulses at a lower rate in said program mode than in said operate mode; means coupled to said two speed counting means communicating to the viewer the channel number generated; and means operable in said program mode and coupled to said memory means to generate and store signals related to selected channel numbers.