Bi-directional communication system, display apparatus, base apparatus and bi-directional communication method

A base apparatus being connected to receive a television signal or Internet data supplied thereto and to transmit to a physically separate and remotely located display device an information signal representing said television signal or Internet data, said base apparatus comprising:

• a signal reception unit for receiving an operation signal transmitted from said display apparatus and representing user-selected operations performable at said base apparatus;
• a selection unit responsive to said received operation signal to select said television signal or said Internet data to produce said information signal;
• a transmission unit to transmit said information signal to said display device;
• a communication unit for transmitting user-generated information received from said display device to a communication network;
• and
• a nonvolatile memory for storing identifying information that identifies at least the television signal received immediately prior to a power interruption to supply to said display device the television signal identified by said stored identifying information upon resumption of said power.

A bi-directional communication system comprising a display apparatus and a base apparatus,

• the display apparatus comprising:
• a user-operable selector unit operable by a user for producing a selection signal;
• a storage unit for storing control panel image data containing base apparatus controlling information;
• an image readout unit for reading out from said storage unit and in response to said selection signal the control panel image represented by said control panel image data;
• a display unit for displaying said read out control panel image comprising a plurality of display items corresponding to user selectable operations;
• an input unit for detecting user-generated operation inputs associated with said displayed control panel image items to form an operation signal corresponding to the detected operation inputs and representing operations performable at said base apparatus;
• a transmission unit for transmitting said operation signal to said base apparatus;
• a receiving unit for receiving from said base apparatus an information signal;
• a processing unit for processing said received information signal for display by said display unit;
• and
• a first nonvolatile memory for storing said information signal received immediately prior to a power interruption and for providing said stored information signal for display upon resumption of said power;
• the base apparatus comprising:
• a signal reception unit for receiving said operation signal transmitted from said display apparatus;
• a selection unit responsive to said received operation signal to select a television signal or Internet data supplied to said base apparatus to produce said information signal representative of the selection;
• a transmission unit to transmit said information signal to said display device;
• a communication unit for transmitting user-generated information received from said display device to a communication network;
• and
• a second nonvolatile memory for storing identifying information that identifies at least the television signal received immediately prior to said power interruption to supply to said display device the television signal identified by said stored identifying information upon resumption of said power.