Television/telephone system with automatic dialing

Abstract

A television receiver incorporating telephone interface circuitry permitting the viewer to remotely place outgoing calls by recalling a selected number from memory is disclosed. An infrared link is used for remotely answering incoming calls, initiating outgoing calls and programming a nonvolatile memory with a plurality of preferred telephone numbers for future use. The nonvolatile memory circuit is accessed by means of a microcomputer in response to user-initiated, remotely generated commands. The television receiver's display performs a user interactive function in displaying television/telephone mode operation information, the contents of user-accessed locations in the nonvolatile memory and the telephone number being stored in memory during the programming mode of operation. The microcomputer controls not only the telephone mode of operation of the system, but also television operation in generating digital tune words in response to a channel number entry and providing these tune words to an indirect frequency synthesis type of television receiver tuner. The contents of the nonvolatile memory may be updated, or changed, as desired by user selection of appropriate controls followed by entry of the new telephone number which is presented on the video display as it is entered for user verification. The video display is then cleared upon return to the television mode of operation or upon television receiver turn-off.