The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 12, 1997
Filed:
Dec. 01, 1992
David B Lett, Duluth, GA (US);
Scott L Hamilton, Duluth, GA (US);
Kinney C Bacon, Lawrenceville, GA (US);
Michael Raley, Lilburn, GA (US);
Scientific-Atlanta, Inc., Norcross, GA (US);
Abstract
An auxiliary device control for a subscriber terminal includes a four wire ribbon cable defining a bidirectional communication and data interface from the terminal to one or more auxiliary devices. A communication and data protocol for the bidirectional transfer of instructions, status, and data over the interface includes an address field, command or reply field, data length field, and checksum field transmitted at 9600 baud. In a preferred implementation, the auxiliary device to be controlled is an IR peripheral controller which can tune a VCR, and switch it on and off. Several transactions in the communications and data protocol are used to effect the operation where a control VCR command and reply transaction cause the control of the tuning and recording of the VCR. A set-up VCR command and a brand reply transaction is used to provide information to configure the controller with brands and model of the VCRs. A program event code command and a program event timer reply transaction provide for the automatic recording of a program event based on an event code listed in a television schedule. A channel map command and a reply transaction provide for the downloading of the local cable system channel line up into the controller.