Time programmable control system for a converter/VCR system

Claim 1

In combination: a converter for receiving a plurality of television signals at different channel frequencies, converting them to a single channel frequency and supplying said single channel frequency to an output; selection means in said converter for selecting among said different channel frequencies in response to remotely transmitted channel command signals; a VCR having an input coupled to the output of said converter and tuned to said single channel frequency for recording television signals therefrom; program means, including timer means, in said VCR for initiating and terminating recording by said VCR in response to a user programmed time schedule for said timer means; and user programmable remote transmitter means, including timer means, for automatically transmitting channel command signals to operate said selection means in said converter to convert user desired channel frequency signals to said single channel frequency at said output for recording by said VCR when said VCR is programmed by a user to correspond with said programmed time schedule.

Claim 5

The method of operating a video system including a remotely controllable converter tunable to a plurality of television signal channel frequencies and for converting them to a single channel frequency output, and a user programmable VCR, including timer means, coupled to the single frequency output of the converter comprising the steps of: providing a user programmable remote command signal transmitter, including timer means, adapted for controlling operation of said converter; programming said transmitter with events, comprising the time, desired channel frequencies and time duration information, for automatically operating said converter for converting the desired ones of said different television channel frequencies to said single channel frequency at the single frequency output of the converter; and programming said VCR with corresponding recording time and time duration information for said events.

Claim 6

The method of operating a video system including a remotely controllable converter tunable to a plurality of television signal channel frequencies and for converting them to a single channel frequency output, and a user programmable VCR, including timer means, coupled to the single frequency output of the converter comprising the steps of: providing a user programmable remote command signal transmitter, including timer means, adapted for controlling operation of said converter; programming said transmitter with events, comprising the time, desired channel frequencies and time duration information, for automatically operating said converter for converting the desired ones of said different television channel frequencies to said single channel frequency at the single frequency output of the converter; and programming said VCR with corresponding recording time and time duration information for said events.