Television remote control system

Apparatus adapted to be retro-fitted to a television for electronically controlling the selecting of channels and the ON/OFF functions thereof, the television including a tuner, the television's tuner being tuned to a predetermined unused channel and the television being turned ON, comprising, in combination:

• a hand control comprising transmitter means operable to transmit a sonic signal;
• a control unit comprising:
• a varactor tuner;
• converter means coupled to said varactor tuner for converting the output signals thereof to signals having the frequency corresponding to the frequency of the unused channel to which the television tuner is tuned, said signals having the frequency to which the television tuner is tuned being coupled to the television tuner;
• channel display means operated to provide an indication of the channel to which said varactor tuner is tuned;
• receiver means responsive to said sonic signals transmitted by said transmitter means;
• circuit means comprising a tuning voltage selector circuit for selectively coupling tuning voltages to said varactor tuner to tune the same to the respective ones of said plurality of different channels, and a sequencing circuit operated responsive to the receipt by said receiver means of said sonic signals transmitted by said transmitter means for controlling the operation of said tuning voltage selector circuit to sequentially selectively couple the tuning voltages to said varactor tuner to progressively tune said varactor tuner to each of said plurality of different channels in a step-by-step fashion;
• said sequencing circuit further comprising time delay means operated each time said varactor tuner is tuned to one of said plurality of different channels to inhibit further operation of said sequencing circuit for a pre-established time interval whereby a pause is provided after the varactor tuner is tuned to a channel before the varactor tuner is tuned to the next channel;
• and
• a manually operable channel selector switch means for operating said circuit means, whereby the television can be both remotely and manually selectively tuned to a channel by operating the transmitter means and the channel selector switch means.