Patent US5886746A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5886746A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for channel scanning
Assignee: Gemstar Development LLC
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Filing: 1997-07-08
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Granted: 1999-03-23
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Expires: 2017-07-08
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and methods are provided for selecting channels on a television system by theme. A remote controller for the television system includes a plurality of theme keys, each theme key corresponding to one theme of a plurality of themes, apparatus for entering channel indicators corresponding to each theme, apparatus for storing the entered channel indicators corresponding to each theme, apparatus for accessing and transmitting to the television system each channel indicator corresponding to a first theme of the plurality of themes in sequence to control channel selection for the television system, if a first theme key corresponding to the first theme is pressed, apparatus for pausing a set period of time after accessing and transmitting a channel indicator before continuing to access and transmit channel indicators corresponding to the first theme in sequence, and apparatus for stopping the apparatus for accessing and transmitting from accessing and transmitting each channel indicator corresponding to a first theme of the plurality of themes in sequence, if the first theme key is pressed again.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry C. Yuen
- 👤 Elsie Y. Leung
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 01:26
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03J; H03J1/00; H03J1/0008; H03J1/0025; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/41; H04N21/422; H04N21/42204; H04N21/42206; H04N21/4221; H04N21/43; H04N21/431; H04N21/4312; H04N21/4316; H04N21/438; H04N21/4383; H04N21/4384; H04N21/47; H04N21/482; H04N21/4828; H04N21/80; H04N21/83; H04N21/84; H04N5/00; H04N5/44; H04N5/50; H03J2200/00; H03J2200/25
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for surfing a spectrum of television channels on which programs are telecast, the method comprising the steps of: tuning a television receiver to a given channel; displaying on a television screen a foreground field and a background field; inserting the program being telecast on the given channel in one of the fields; sequentially inserting programs being telecast on other channels in the other field; generating a full screen command signal; and displaying on the screen full frame the program being telecast on the other channel when the command signal is generated.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for surfing a spectrum of television channels on which programs are telecast, the method comprising the steps of: tuning a television receiver to a given channel; displaying on a television screen a foreground field and a background field; inserting the program being telecast on the given channel in one of the fields; sequentially inserting programs being telecast on other channels in the other field; generating a full screen command signal; and displaying on the screen full frame the program being telecast on the other channel when the command signal is generated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1, additionally comprising the step of generating a channel sequencing command signal and the sequentially inserting step inserts a program each time the channel sequencing command signal is generated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2, in which the sequentially inserting step inserts a program if the sequencing command signal is not generated after a set period of time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, in which the foreground field is a PIP window and the step of sequentially inserting the programs being telecast on other channels inserts the programs in the PIP window.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 2, in which the other field is a PIP window and the step of sequentially inserting programs being telecast on the other channels inserts the programs in the PIP window.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of surfing a spectrum of television channels that carry programs with a television receiver having a display monitor and a channel selector, the method comprising the steps of: storing in a memory a group of channels and time periods of the day when individual channels of the stored group are enabled for viewing; sequentially retrieving the enabled channels of the group during each time period; sequentially setting the channel selector to each of the retrieved channels; and sequentially displaying the programs on each of the retrieved channels on the monitor.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of surfing a spectrum of television channels that carry programs with a television receiver having a display monitor and a channel selector, the method comprising the steps of: storing in a memory a group of channels and time periods of the day when individual channels of the stored group are enabled for viewing; sequentially retrieving the enabled channels of the group during each time period; sequentially setting the channel selector to each of the retrieved channels; and sequentially displaying the programs on each of the retrieved channels on the monitor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 6, in additionally comprising the step of issuing sequential commands that control the retrieving, setting, and displaying steps.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 7, in which a hand held remote controller issues the commands responsive to manual inputs.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 8, in which a command is issued after a set period of time if no manual input occurs.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-22 | 2002-09-21 | 2003-03-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-22 | 2006-09-21 | 2007-03-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-22 | 2010-09-21 | 2011-03-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |