WO2002047389A1

WO2002047389A1 - Appliance with tv and internet modes of operation

Info

Publication number: WO2002047389A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/046395
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert G. Harrison; Robert D. Lamson
Original assignee: Icebox, Llc
Priority date: 2000-12-05
Filing date: 2001-12-05
Publication date: 2002-06-13
Also published as: AU2002227213A1; WO2002047389A9; US20020080273A1

Abstract

Multimode appliances (22) with modules which have only TV and INTERNET modes of operation. The module can be controlled with a remote control (24) or a wireless keyboard (26), both capable of generating signals in the electromagnetic portion of the spectrum. The module may be of the stand alone type, or it may be designed for mounting to an overhead structure such as a kitchen cabinet.

Description

APPLIANCE WITH TV AND INTERNET MODES OF OPERATION

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to and claims the benefit of the filing date of the following identified U.S. patent applications, which are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Patent Application No. 09/534,233, entitled "Multimode Apparatus With Communication And Control Features," filed 24 March 2000, which claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 09/516,427, entitled "Flat Screen Appliances, filed 1 March 2000;" U.S. Patent Application No. 09/516,427 ("'427 application"), entitled "Flat Screen

Appliances," filed 1 March 2000, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/174,964, filed 6 January 2000, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/511,005, filed 6 January 1999, and U.S. Patent Application No. 09/478,922, entitled "Operating System Upgrading," filed 6 January 2000; U. S . Patent Application No . 09/478, 922, entitled "Operating System Upgrading," filed 6 January 2000, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/1115,008 filed 6 January 1999, and U.S. Patent Application No. 09/479,274, entitled "Appliance With Multiple Modes of Operation," filed 5 January 2000;

U.S. Patent Application No. 09/479,274 ("'274 application"), entitled "Appliance With Multiple Modes of Operation," filed 5 January 2000, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/115,197 filed 6 January 1999, and U.S. Patent Application No. 09/465,671, entitled "Keyboard II," filed 17 December 1999;

U.S. Patent Application No. 09/465,671, entitled "Keyboard II," filed 17 December 1999, which claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 09/466,103, entitled "Keyboard I," filed 17 December 1999, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/115,006, filed on 6 January 1999, and U.S. Patent Application No. 09/116,785, entitled "Integrated Units With Diagnostic Capabilities," filed on 16 July 1998;

U.S. Patent Application No. 09/116,785, entitled "Integrated Units With Diagnostic Capabilities," filed on 16 July 1998, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/052,703, filed on 16 July 1997, and U.S. Patent Application No. 09/116,825, entitled "Integrated Units With Home Security and Monitoring Capabilities," filed on 16 July 1998;

U.S. Patent Apphcation No. 09/116,825, entitled "Integrated Units With Home Security and Monitoring CapabiUties," filed on 16 July 1998, which claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 09/046,947, entitled "Appliances With Internet Access," filed 23 March 1998;

U.S. Patent Apphcation No. 09/046,947, entitled "Appliances With Internet Access," filed 23 March 1998, which claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Apphcation No. 08/985,815, entitled "Integrated Entertainment Education Instruction Control Units," filed 5 December 1997;

U.S. Patent Apphcation No. 08/985,815, entitled "Integrated Entertainment Education Instruction Control Units," filed 5 December 1997, which claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 08/781,459, entitled "Devices For Adding An Information Retrieval Mode of Operation To Television Sets," filed 10 January 1997;

U.S. Patent Apphcation No. 08/781,459, entitled "Devices For Adding An Information Retrieval Mode of Operation To Television Sets," filed 10 January 1997, which claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Apphcation No. 08/621,638, entitled "Systems In Which Information Can Be Retrieved From An Encoded Laser Readable Disc," filed on 26 March 1996; and

U.S. Patent Apphcation No. 08/621,638, entitled "Systems In Which Information Can Be Retrieved From An Encoded Laser Readable Disc," filed on 3 March 1996 and issued on 3 September 2001 as U.S. Patent No. 5,724,102, which is a divisional of U.S. Patent Apphcation No. 08/569,310, entitled "Systems With A Remote Control In Which Information Can Be Retrieved From An Encoded Laser Readable Disc," filed 8 Dec. 1995, which is a continuation of U.S. Patent Apphcation No. 08/505,969, filed 24 July 1995, now abandoned.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to novel, improved appliances which have a TV mode of operation and an INTERNET mode of operation. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore invented have been certain new and novel applications with multiple, user-selectable operating modes. The apphcations are capable of carrying out different ones of multiple functions. A function is called up by choosing the appropriate, user- selectable mode. Examples of the operating modes which different ones of the subject applications have and the function of the application in each of these modes appear below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been found that there is a demand for appliances of the character disclosed in the above-cited '274 and '427 apphcations which have but two modes of operation - TV and INTERNET. It is suggested in the '274 apphance that such appliances might be produced by disenabling unwanted modes of an appliance with those, and other, operating modes. Now invented, and disclosed herein, are apphances in which the same result - the provision of TV and INTERNET modes only - is achieved in a simpler, novel manner. This is advantageous from the viewpoint of manufacturing and service costs and for other reasons that will become apparent to the reader. Like their counterparts disclosed in the '274 and '427 apphances, the appliances embodying the principles of the present invention are intended to be controlled by a keyboard or a remote control or both of these types of devices. These devices can also advantageously be made simpler than their previously disclosed counterparts because only two mode selection buttons or keys are needed. Another advantage of the novel appliances disclosed herein is that they may be produced in a countertop version or a version in which the appliance is mounted to an overhead structure such as an array of kitchen cabinets.

Yet another significant advantage of the apphances disclosed herein is that they retain all of the important attributes and features of the apphances disclosed in the '274 and '427 appliances.

The objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be apparent to the reader from the foregoing and the appended claims and as the ensuing detailed discussion and description of the invention proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a generally pictorial view of: (a) a wireless appliance which has user- selectable TV and INTERNET modes of operation; (b) embodies the principles of the present invention; and (c) includes an integrated unit (or module) and two input devices - a remote control and a keyboard - for controlling the operation of the integrated unit, also in accord with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows in block diagram form, the operating components of the FIG. 1 apphance;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the FIG. 1 remote control;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the FIG. 1 keyboard; FIGS. 5 - 8 are flow diagrams showing mode selection options that a user of the

FIG. 1 appliance may exercise;

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram showing in more detail the operation of the FIG. 1 apphance operated when the option shown in FIG. 8 is exercised by a user; FIG. 10 is a front view of a second apphance embodying the principles of the present invention; in this case the apphance is mounted to overhead cabinets; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the FIG. 10 apphance;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the FIG. 10 apphance showing how a display unit of the FIG. 10 apphance can be quickly folded up and out of the way against the integrated unit of the apphance; and

FIG. 13 shows how the display unit is first rotated and then folded up against the unit so that the screen of the display unit is protected by the casing of that unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION One currently representation and important apphcation of the present invention is the provision of apphance which are designed for use in a kitchen. A system or apphance suitable for this (and other) apphances of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 and identified by reference character 20.

The major components of system 20 are: an integrated unit (or module) 22, a remote control 24, and a waterproof keyboard 26. This keyboard is employed by a system user with system 20 in its INTERNET mode of operation in sending e-mail messages, to reach web sites which cannot be accessed by clicking on a link from a home page of controlled context, and to carry out other functions as described in copending apphcation No. 08/707,623 filed 17 December, 1999. Remote control 24 can be similarly used except for composing e-mail messages, a hmitation imposed by the lack of character keys.

Integrated unit 22 includes a television unit 28 which has a CRT (cathode ray tube) screen 30 (or a LED or other display) housed in a cabinet 32. Conventional onboard controls 34 for televisions 28 are located on the front panel 36 of cabinet 32. The operating components of integrated unit 22 and ancillary items activated in different operating modes of system 20 are depicted schematically in FIG. 2 and collectively identified by reference character 38.

These components include: a video switch/driver driver unit 40 and an audio switch/speaker driver unit 42. Video signals appearing on I/O line 44 (which may be coupled to a VCR or DVD player, for example) or on cable/antenna line 46 are processed by a television controller/digital tuner unit 48 and routed to video and audio units 40 and 42 when apphance 20 is operated in the TV mode to provide a visual display on screen 30 and to produce audible sound by speakers 50 and 52. In the INTERNET mode of operation of appliance 20, incoming signals appearing on one of the Ethernet, USB, and phone line connections 54, 56, or 58 are processed by an Internet controller 60 with the controller generated signals being routed to video and audio switch/driver units 40 and 42. The display/driver units 40 and 42, television controller/digital tuner 48, and

INTERNET controller 60 are located on a main controller board 62 and are powered by a D.C. power supply fed by a 120V a.c. line 64. The main controller board is mounted on the chassis 66 of apphance 20.

Ethernet connection 54 allows apphance 20 to be networked with other, compatible devices such as additional appliances of the character disclosed herein, a scanner, or a printer, to name but a few. The Ethernet connection also lets appliance 20 be connected to the INTERNET via a DSL or other broad bandwidth link.

USB connection or port 56 is provided so that ancillary devices which support this type of connection can be connected to apphance 20. Such devices include, but are not limited to, printers, scanners, external modems and hard drives, data back-ups, etc. Phone line 58 is used for dial-up connections to the INTERNET.

Preferred remote controls and keyboard such as those identified by reference characters 24 and 26 communicate with integrated unit 22 of apphance 20 by signals in the infrared portion of the magnetic spectrum. Referring now to FIG. 3, the TELEVISION and INTERNET modes of operation are selected by the user of apphance 20 with push button mode controls 78 (TV) and 80 (NET) of remote control 24, and the integrated unit 22 of the apphance is turned on and off with ON-OFF push button control 82.

Remote control 24 also has a numerical keypad 84 with push buttons 1 through 0 and two groups of push buttons respectively identified by reference characters 86 and 88. The push buttons of group 86 are employed in the TELEVISION (TV) mode of operation. They function in the same manner as conventional television controls:

The controls in group 86 are: volume UP and DOWN buttons 90 and 92, channel UP and DOWN buttons 94 and 96, and mute button 98. Channels can also be selected with keypad buttons 1 - 0.

Considering then the buttons in group 88, HOME button 100 is used in the INTERNET mode of operation of appliance 20 to return an apphance user to a home page. STOP and PAUSE buttons 102 and 104 are also used in the INTERNET mode of operation, typically when streaming video or streaming audio or other downloading of a file is involved. The STOP button 102 returns the system user to the beginning of the file. The PAUSE button 104 stops the downloading operation at the point where the downloading operation is when the button is pushed. Pushing button 104 a second time causes the downloading to continue from the point where it was interrupted.

UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT buttons 106, 108, 110, and 112 are used with apphance 20 in its INTERNET mode of operation to move a cursor 114 (see FIG. 1) around screen 30 of module 22. GO button 116 is pressed to "click on" and select an option pointed to by cursor 114. Also available with apphance 20 in its INTERNET mode of operation are

SCROLL UP, SCROLL DOWN, SCROLL LEFT, and SCROLL RIGHT buttons 117, 118, 119, and 120. The SCROLL buttons are used to shift a displayed website page up, down, left, or right to bring into view a part of a page which is too large to fit on screen 30. Pressing OPTIONS button 121 brings a menu of choices up on screen 30. With apphance 20 in the INTERNET mode the choice might be:

Dial Hang-up (connects apphance 20 to and disconnects the apphance from the Internet)

Refresh Go To

Set-up

Done (Exit from the menu)

A representation menu of choices with appliance 20 operating in the TV mode is:

Video Set-up (brightness, contrast, color, etc.) Audio Set-up (bass, treble, stereo or mono)

Auto Channel Program

Channel Add

Video Input (antenna, cable)

Done Choices are made by using buttons 106 . . . 112 to move cursor 114 to the desired choice and then clicking on GO button 116.

Also found in control group 88 are BACK and NEXT buttons 122 and 123. These buttons are used only in the Internet mode of operation of apphance 20. One surfing the Internet can use BACK button 122 to step back through linked pages that have been brought up on screen 30. NEXT button 123 is used to step forward through pages that have previously been brought up.

Referring now to FIG. 4, keyboard 26 is of the character described above and disclosed in the above-cited, '427 apphcation.

The keyboard has the above-discussed keys of remote 24 except for numerical keypad 84. Instead keyboard 26 has the customary row 140 of numbers 1 through 0. The same reference characters have been used to identify the common controls in FIG. 3 (remote control) and FIG. 4 (keyboard). Keyboard 26 also has both character and function keys akin to those found on a conventional keyboard. The character keys - coUectively identified by reference character 142 - may be those constituting a conventional QWERTY key set. The function keys include Tab, Caps Lock, Left-hand Shift, Right-hand Shift, Control, Alt, Escape, Delete, Space, Enter (Return), and Backspace keys 144...164 as weU as On/Off key 166. Additional details of keyboard 26 appear in copending apphcation No. 09/466, 103 , previously incorporated herein by reference.

Infrared signals peculiar to the activated push buttons (remote control 24) or keys (keyboard 26) are transmitted to an IR receiver 168 on main controUer board 62. Receiver 168 transmits appropriate digital commands to Internet controUer 60 and television controUer/digital tuner 48.

FIGS. 5-9 disclose different operating schemata for apphance 20. With the appliance on and in the INTERNET mode, a user may surf to any page on the worldwide web. The user may then elect to watch TV. To do so, he/she presses TV mode button 78 on remote control 24 or keyboard 26. This results in appliance 20 going into the TV mode.

Later, the user may decide to return to the web. In the FIG. 5 scenario, the apphance user wishes to go to his/her homepage. This is done simply and directly by pressing HOME button 100. This causes appliance 20 to go back into the INTERNET mode and caU up the home page. One of the significant features of the present invention is that a user can, with apphance 20 in the INTERNET mode, switch to the TV mode and then back to the INTERNET mode such that the web page that was up when the user switched out of the INTERNET mode will be returned to. How this is accomphshed is shown in FIG. 6. Again, the scenario is that apphance 20 is turned on and in the INTERNET mode, aUowing the user to surf to any page on the web as in the FIG. 5 scenario. Also, as in that scenario, the user can elect to watch TV by pressing TV button 78. Apphance 20 thereupon goes into the TV mode, maintaining connections with the web page that was up when the user left the INTERNET. To reenter the INTERNET at the same page, the user presses INTERNET button 80 instead of HOME button 100. This causes apphance 20 to go back into the INTERNET at the same web page that was up when the user switched out of the INTERNET mode.

FIG. 7 deals with the scenario which starts with appliance 20 turned off and the user wishing to operate the apphance in the INTERNET mode. This may be accomphshed directly by pressing INTERNET button or key 80. The unit will stay in the INTERNET until the appliance is turned off or the TV mode is selected.

In the scenario depicted in FIG. 8, apphance 20 is turned off, and the user presses ON-OFF button 82. This causes the apphance to come on in the default, TV mode. The appliance remains in that mode untU the user turns off the appliance or selects the INTERNET mode.

What happens when appliance 20 is turned on and the mode buttons 78 and 80 pressed is shown in more detail in FIG. 9. When the apphance is powered up, it comes on in the default, TV mode as just discussed; and the channel to which the TV unit 28 is set appears on screen 30. If INTERNET button 80 is not pressed, the apphance remains in the TV mode.

If, instead, INTERNET button 80 is pressed, appliance 20 switches to the INTERNET mode; and, if a dial-up Internet service provider is being used, starts dialing the provider's telephone number. A status message appears at this point on screen 30. This whl typically successively indicate that the provider's number is being dialed, that the user's account is active, that the user's password has been accepted, and that apphance 20 is connected to the Internet. This last message will continue to be displayed until the user disconnects from the Internet by turning apphance 20 off or pressing TV mode button 78. In the latter instance, screen 30 whl continue to display the Internet disconnected message while apphance 20 will switch to the TV mode of operation, and the channel to which TV unit 28 is tuned wUl be reached.

The apphance 20 shown in FIG. 1 and discussed above has a free-standing integrated unit or module 22 and is intended to be supported on a kitchen counter or other horizontal surface. FIGS. 10-13 Ulustrate a second TV/INTERNET apphance 170 which is instead designed to be mounted to overhead cabinets such as those coUectively identified by reference character 172 in FIG. 10.

TV 28 displays the channel last selected when TV mode button 78 or ON-OFF button 82 of remote control 24 or ON-OFF button 166 of keyboard 26 is pressed.

Appliance 170 includes an integrated unit (or module) 174 and a display unit 176 with a flat screen 178. The display unit is supported from module 174 by a universal type coupling 180. Commands and data can be inputted to module 174 by remote control 24 or keyboard 26. Audio speaker units 184 and 186 are located at opposite ends of module cabinet 168. The operating components of apphance 170 may duplicate those Ulustrated in FIG. 2 and described above except that apphance 170 has IR receivers on both the integrated unit 174 of the apphance (reference character 190) and the display unit (reference character 192).

It was pointed out above that a universal-type coupling mechanism, identified by reference character 180, is used to connect the display unit 176 of appliance 170 to integrated unit 174. This aUows the display unit to be tUted and rotated to face a viewer (arrow 194, FIGS. 12 and 13). Furthermore, pivot mechanism 180 allows display unit 176 to be folded up against the module with the screen 178 of the display unit exposed (arrow 196, FIG. 12) (which is the easiest and fastest) or with the display unit first rotated (arrow 198, FIG. 13) and then folded upwardly (arrow 200, FIG. 13) so that the back panel 202 of the display unit housing 196 covers the screen 178 of the display unit, protecting the screen from damage.

Universal pivot mechanism 180 includes a clutch (not shown) which retains the display unit screen 178 in the orientation to which it is adjusted by a user or other viewer. This is important because a flat screen, which screen 178 is, must be viewed head-on or nearly head-on for the displayed image to be satisfactorUy seen.

For additional detaUs on the universal mechanism 180 and other components of Appliance 170, the reader is referred to copending application No. 09/516,427, previously incorporated herein by reference. The invention may be embodied in many forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. For example, while the input devices described above operate at IR frequencies, this is not a requisite; and devices operating in the radio or other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum can instead be employed. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. AU changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. An appliance which only has an INTERNET mode of operation and a TV mode of operation, comprising: a means for connecting the apphance to the Internet and concomitantly displaying a predetermined worldwide web home page; a means for accessing and displaying a web page hnked to said home page when in the INTERNET mode; and a means for switching the apphance between the INTERNET mode and the

TV mode, said accessing and displaying means being operably configured to access and display the web page when the apphance is switched out of and then back to the INTERNET mode.

2. The apphance in claim 1, wherein the switching means further comprising a means for selectively accessing the worldwide web home page when the apphance is switched from the TV mode to the INTERNET mode.

3. The apphance in claim 1, further comprising a channel selection means for selectively connecting the apphance to one of a plurality of TV channels, and wherein said channel selection means is operably configured to reconnect the apphance to the one TV channel when the apphance is switched out of the TV mode to the INTERNET mode and then back to the TV mode.

4. An appliance which comprises: an integrated unit having a display screen and having only TV and INTERNET operating modes; and an input device operably configured to transmit data to said integrated unit via at least one signal in a selected part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

5. The apphance as defined in claim 4, wherein the selected part is in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

6. The apphance in claim 4, wherein the input device is a remote control.

7. The apphance in claim 4, wherein the input device is a keyboard.

8. The apphance in claim 4, wherein the input device has a ON/OFF control operably configured to selectively switch the apphance to one of an OFF state and an ON state, a TV control operably configured to selectively switch the appliance to the TV mode, and an INTERNET control operably configured to switch the apphance to the INTERNET mode.

9. The apphance in claim 8, wherein said appliance is operably configured to switch to the INTERNET mode when the application is in an off state and when selectively prompted via the INTERNET control.

10. The apphance in claim 8, wherein said appliance is operably configured to switch to the TV mode when the apphcation is in an off state and when selectively prompted via the TV control.

11. The apphance in claim 8, wherein said appliance is operably configured to switch to the TV mode when the apphcation is in an off state and when selectively prompted via the ON/OFF control.

12. The apphance in claim 8, wherein said appliance is operably configured to access a web page when in the INTERNET mode and to re-access the web page when prompted to switch out of the INTERNET mode via said TV control and then to switch back to the INTERNET mode.

13. The apphance in claim 8, wherein said appliance further comprises a home control operably configured to selectively prompt the appliance to access a predetermined worldwide web home page.

14. The appliance in claim 13, wherein, when the apphance is in TV Mode, the prompt from the home control causes the apphance to switch to the INTERNET mode.

15. The apphance in claim 8, wherein the apphance has a means for selectively connecting to one of a plurahty of channels when in the TV mode, and the apphance is operably configured to re-connect to the one channel when switched from the TV mode to the INTERNET mode and then back to the TV mode.

16. The apphance as defined in claim 4, wherein said input device comprises: a BACK control and a NEXT control operably configured to prompt the appliance to move backwards and forwards, respectively, through a plurahty of Internet web pages previously accessed by the apphance when in INTERNET mode; a first set of LEFT, RIGHT, UP and DOWN controls operably configured to prompt the apphance to display a respective portion of a web page relative to the display screen when in INTERNET mode; a second set of LEFT, RIGHT, UP and DOWN buttons operably configured to prompt the apphance to move a cursor in a respective one of a plurahty of directions about the display screen when in the INTERNET mode; and a GO control operably configured to prompt the apphance to access a web page indicated by the cursor and to display the web page on the display screen.

17. The apphance in claim 4, wherein said input device further comprises an OPTIONS control operably configured to prompt the appliance to display on the screen a menu of choices available to a user of the apphance, said OPTIONS control being usable in both the TV and INTERNET modes of operation of the apphance.

18. The apphance in claim 4, wherein said input device further comprises a

STOP control operably configured to prompt the apphance when in the INTERNET mode of operation to terminate the downloading of an Internet file.

19. The appliance in claim 4, wherein said input device further comprises a PAUSE control operably configured to prompt the appliance when in the INTERNET mode of operation to stop downloading a web file and to cause the downloading of the file to resume when downloading has previously been stopped.

20. The apphance in claim 4, wherein the input device further comprises a numerical keypad.

21. The apphance in claim 4, in which the integrated unit is configured to be mounted to an overhead structure.

22. The apphance in claim 4, wherein the integrated unit further comprises: a video switch/display driver; an audio switch/speaker driver; an INTERNET controUer operatively connected to the video switch/display driver and the audio switch/speaker driver; and a television controUer/digital tuner operatively connected to the video switch/display driver and the audio switch/speaker driver.

23. The appliance in claim 22 in which the television controUer/digital tuner has a connection for a television cable or antenna and the Internet controller has Ethernet, USB, and phone line connections.