Rca Licensing Corporation

Thomson Licensing

Thomson Licensing S.a.

Thomson Consumer Electronics Inc.

John Frederick Teskey

William John Testin

Mike Arthur Derrenberger

Hugh Boyd Morrison

Robert Joseph Logan

Steven Charles Rhoads

Michael D Landis

Joseph W Forler

Thomas H Hamilton

Jill Suzanne Allen

Michael Eugene Willcox

Joseph Wayne Forler

Michael David Landis

A multi-tuner signal receiving apparatus enables signal distribution in a household and/or business dwelling, and can be effectively controlled by users via one or more remote control devices. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a plurality of tuners and a controller including a memory for storing association data indicating an association between a remote control device and a first one of the tuners. The controller causes the first tuner to tune to a particular channel responsive to a control signal from the remote control device selecting the particular channel.

Method for controlling a multi-tuner signal receiving apparatus

A system and a method is disclosed which allows both advertisement and program information to be shown on a channel banner, while user changes channel. In another embodiment, an 'advertisement channel' is inserted into an active channel list (e.g., scan list), so that when a user is changing channel, a selected ad will be displayed. In yet another embodiment, a method for tracking and collating advertisement display activity in a video system supporting composite display of image data associated with different multimedia functions and advertisements is disclosed.

Advertisement and tracking in a television apparatus

A universal remote control and a method for programming a universal remote control allows a user to quickly and easily identify a set of remote control signal formats that include a desired signal format and then individually test the signal formats in the identified set to identify the desired signal format. A reference code, or other identification information, associated with the desired signal format. In the code search mode of operation, the present universal remote control generates and transmits one of a plurality of sets of signal formats stored in a memory circuit (RAM,ROM) in response to the user pressing a first control key ( ). The user repeatedly presses the first control key and observes the controlled device to identify a set of signal formats that includes the desired signal format. After the desired set of signal formats is identified, the user presses either a second or a third control key ( ) to individually transmit each signal format in the identified set of signal formats. The user repeatedly presses the second and third control keys and observes the controlled device to identify the desired signal format.

Remote control code search method and apparatus

A system for processing audio and video components of a television signal provides for automatic control of closed caption signal display in response to the status of an audio muting feature. The system includes an operating mode in which enabling audio muting also enables the closed caption display and disabling muting disables generation of the closed caption display.

Automatic display of closed caption information during audio muting

A channel number data entry system for a television receiver employing a numeric keyboard allows the selection of cable channels having channel numbers greater than 99, without the use of a separate ENTER or 100s key. Specifically, if a predetermined unused or invalid channel number, such as 00, is entered, then the on-screen display message 1.sub.-- is generated, and a three digit channel entry mode is enabled. If a valid and used two digit channel number is entered, then a two digit channel entry mode is enabled. In both modes, the desired channel is tuned upon receipt of the final digit of the channel number.

Three digit channel entry system

A receiver includes a video switch operated by a controller for selecting antenna or auxiliary (baseband) video signals for display. When placed in a 'VCR' operating mode the controller first selects the auxiliary input for display. If a video signal is not present at the auxiliary input the controller causes the switch to select the output of a tuner thereby providing an automatic signal search to locate the VCR signal which may be applied to either of the antenna and auxiliary inputs. An extension of the search includes tuning the tuner to channel 3 and, if no signal is found, tuning the tuner to channel 4. Upon failure to find an active video signal on either channel the tuner is returned to the last channel received prior to selecting the VCR mode of operation thereby releaving the user of both mode selection and channel selection requirements for locating the VCR signal.

TV receiver with automatic RF/baseband signal

A television receiver cable of tuning either 'air' channels in an 'air' tuning mode or 'cable' channels in a 'cable' tuning mode includes apparatus for automatically selecting the tuning mode. The auto-tuning mode apparatus operates in conjunction with apparatus for automatically programming a memory for storing tuning information for tunable channels. When the auto-programming mode is selected, the receiver is caused to operate in the cable tuning mode and a search is conducted for active cable channels. If a predetermined number of active cable channels is located, the receiver remains in the cable tuning mode and the memory is programmed with tuning information for all of the cable channels. If the predetermined number of cable channels is not located, the receiver is caused to operate in the air tuning mode and the memory is programmed with tuning information for all of the air channels.

Growing community of inventors

Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

John Frederick Teskey