Use of transmitter assigned phantom channel numbers for data services
AssigneeZenith Electronics Corporation
InventorMichael E. Long
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A video communication system includes a microprocessor for operating a tuner to select desired television channels in response to the input of corresponding channel numbers. A video data application program is Stored in a memory that is accessible to the microprocessor for providing an on-screen display generator with the video data program information for display. The microprocessor identifies the video data application program by a phantom channel number and when that channel number is input by the user, the microprocessor decodes it and accesses the memory location of the video data application program and activates the on-screen display generator.
Claims7
A method of operating a video communication system comprising:
- at a transmitter:
- assigning channel numbers to broadcast television channel signals;
- assigning a phantom channel number to a preselected video data program;
- at a receiver:
- using a microprocessor to select the broadcast television channel signals in:response to the input of the channel numbers corresponding to the broadcast television channel signals;
- using the microprocessor to access a memory containing the preselected video data program in response to the input of the phantom channel number identifying the video data program;
- and
- operating an on-screen display generator to generate a video display corresponding to the accessed preselected video data program in the memory.
The method of operating a video communication system comprising:
- at a transmitter:
- assigning channel numbers to broadcast television channel signals;
- assigning a phantom channel number to a preselected video data program;
- at a receiver:
- tuning the broadcast television channel signals in response to the input of the channel numbers corresponding to the broadcast television channel signals;
- accessing a memory containing the preselected video data program in response to the input of the phantom channel number identifying the preselected video data program;
- and
- generating a video display corresponding to the accessed preselected video data program in the memory.
In combination:
- a television tuner;
- a microprocessor for controlling tuning of said television tuner to broadcast television channel signals in response to inputs of channel numbers;
- a memory accessible to said microprocessor;
- a video data application program identified in said memory by a transmitter assigned phantom channel number different from said channel numbers;
- on-screen displays means for developing a video display from said video data application program;
- and
- decoding means in said microprocessor responsive to the input of said transmitter assigned phantom channel number for decoding said transmitter assigned phantom channel number and accessing said memory to cause said on-screen display to display the output of said video data application program.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.