Abstract: A television, such as an HDTV receiver, includes a plurality of signal inputs each of which is adapted to receive television signals comprising a plurality of channels and communicate the received television signals to a processor/tuner for selection of the various channels by a user for viewing on a display of the television. A channel search routine for the detection of channels in the television signal is accomplished on the currently designated signal input rather than on all signal inputs of the television. The channels detected during the search of the currently designated signal input are included in a channel list that is stored in memory of the television. A GUI is preferably used to initiate the channel search and is capable of displaying the detected channels relating to the currently selected signal input. Channel lists for each signal input are updated as the channels are detected.

Abstract: A system for initiating scheduled program processing functions such as program display, recording or playback, derives a time clock based on a current time reference indication produced by a particular broadcast source. The derived time clock is used in initiating scheduled processing functions for programs derived from the particular broadcast source and time clocks derived from sources other than the particular broadcast source are disregarded. The system displays a second time clock different to the derived time clock. In addition, the system forms a composite program guide from data from multiple broadcast sources to associate current time reference indications with their corresponding broadcast sources.

Abstract: A method for controlling a recording function of a video apparatus improves recording quality by preventing certain display functions of the apparatus from adversely affecting the resultant recording. A problem may arise in certain video signal processing apparatuses when the user selects a recording function after selecting a particular user-activated display function because the user-activated display function may result in the recording of the video signal in an undesired format, for example a different aspect ratio, or zoom mode. According to an exemplary embodiment, the present invention overcomes this problem by providing a method that includes the steps of detecting activation of a recording function of a video apparatus, and turning off a user-activated display function of the video apparatus responsive to the detection.

Abstract: In a digital television signal receiver, upon a signal disturbance of a digital television signal, system state information, with regard to the nature of the signal disturbance of the particular digital television channel is preferably automatically provided to a user as on-screen display representation or graphic thereof. The digital television signal receiver may further provide intervention options for user-guided recovery of the digital television signal that are preferably automatically provided as on-screen menu options.

Abstract: A digital television signal receiver (20) processes a digital television signal and auxiliary information contained in the digital television signal regardless of whether the auxiliary information is analog auxiliary information (36) or digital auxiliary information (34) and produces a television display signal (44) suitable for displaying the processed auxiliary information. In the case of the auxiliary information being closed caption information, the digital television signal receiver extracts and processes digital closed captioning information according to standard EIA-708 or extracts and processes analog closed caption information according to standard EIA-608. The television signal processing receiver thus allows the user the option of selecting a fallback method of obtaining captioning for a digital program signal if the digital program signal does not include digital closed captioning.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling access to programing that is available from multiple programming sources. One embodiment is an integrated terrestrial and satellite television system having a single password set such that a user can enter a single password to activate both satellite and terrestrial television components of the system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a video signal processing apparatus having a browser feature to protect a display device associated with the apparatus against the premature aging effects of screen burn due to an idle display when the browser feature is activated. The method includes the steps of detecting a first user input to a video apparatus, determining whether the first user input activates a browser feature of the video apparatus, and controlling the operation of the apparatus to reduce the screen burn. The operation can include setting a display parameter for the video apparatus to a first predetermined level responsive to determining that the first user input activates the browser feature, or determining an idle time and inactivating the browser feature if the idle time exceeds a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: An apparatus such as a television signal receiver controls an external device such as a digital recording/reproduction device via a digital data bus by remapping keys on a user input device. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes an input/output terminal operative to enable signal transfer between the television signal receiver and an external device via a digital data bus. A processor is operative to detect a first command signal of a first control protocol from a user input device, and to detect one of first and second modes of the television signal receiver. The processor detects the first mode in response to making a connection between the television signal receiver and the external device via the digital data bus, and detects the second mode in response to terminating the connection between the television signal receiver and the external device via the digital data bus.

Abstract: Screen bum on televisions having Internet browser capability is avoided by removing the conventional static icons such as toolbars and buttons from the default browser and replacing their functions with keyboard keys. The invention is especially useful in projection televisions and with keyboards which have keys assigned to browser functions. Favorite URLs can be mapped to a favorite key by holding down the favorite key while a favorite web page is displayed.

Abstract: An HDTV receiver coupled to a terrestrial antenna displays real-time signal strength of terrestrial digital television signals. A graphical user interface preferably displays various data relating to all terrestrial television signals in a scrollable grid format. The grid is displayed within an active video display of a selected television signal from the grid. Audio for the selected channel is also active. A list of all channels tuned or selected is maintained to aid in searching. Channel lists are updated during certain channel searches.

Abstract: A TV system that uses a single pixmap across multiple video rasters having different raster sizes. In general, the TV system uses at least two sets of headers to select different portions of a single pixmap to be displayed based on different raster sizes. Specifically, each of the headers in a header set points to a pixel line to select number of pixels for that pixel line. The number of the headers in a header set determines the height of the pixmap and the pixel number selection by a set of headers determines the width of the pixmap. In response to different displaying modes, the TV system selectively invokes one of the two header sets to select different portions of the single pixmap. By doing so, a single pixmap can be used across multiple video rasters having different raster sizes.

Abstract: A method by a television includes considering only IEEE-1394 compliant recording devices discovered by a television for selection as a default recording device; disabling a discovered IEEE-1394 compliant recording device from a recording operation when the discovered recording device is without a desired recording feature; selecting a single discovered recording device as a default recording device for recording output from the television; and selecting one of multiple discovered IEEE-1394 compliant recording devices according to a criteria, when a particular one of the multiple discovered recording devices has not been selected by a television user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing computer code updates through an integrated circuit card (smart card) interface. The smart card interface within a computer control device determines whether the card that is inserted into the smart card interface is either a memory card or a conventional smart card. Once the smart card interface has detected that the memory card has been inserted, the interface requests data from the card. The interface provides the computer code to the memory of the computer controlled device to update the computer code therein.

Abstract: An HDTV receiver coupled to a terrestrial antenna displays real-time signal strength of terrestrial digital television signals. A graphical user interface preferably displays various data relating to all terrestrial television signals in a scrollable grid format. The grid is displayed within an active video display of a selected television signal from the grid. Audio for the selected channel is also active.

Abstract: A data format employing multiple different headers associated with corresponding OSD content facilitates the implementation of an efficient and flexible OSD management and control system. Each header contains a unique display characteristic or set of display characteristics for the interpretation and presentation of an associated OSD pixel map. In using this system, the presentation or modification of an OSD involves the selection of the header, associated with the OSD, having the desired display characteristics to be used in presenting or modifying the OSD.

Abstract: Described is a TV system that uses a single pixmap across multiple video rasters having different raster sizes. In general, the TV system uses at least two headers to select different portions of a single pixmap to be displayed based on different raster sizes. Specifically, each of the two headers points to a single pixmap. In the TV system, the size of the central portion is fixed while the size of the sidepanel portion can be adjusted depending on the displaying mode. In response to different displaying modes, the TV system selectively invokes one of the two headers to select a respective portion to be displayed in the pixmap. By doing so, a single pixmap can be used across multiple video rasters having different raster sizes.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a channel entry is presented. In one embodiment, the receiving mode of an apparatus is first determined. A first channel entry format is then displayed, if it is determined that the apparatus in the first receiving mode. A second channel entry format is displayed, instead, if it is determined that the apparatus in the second receiving mode. Furthermore, the first channel entry format comprises a first and a second information portions and the second channel entry format comprises a third information portion.

Abstract: A consumer electronic apparatus includes at least a clock, and in some cases a microprocessor, which produces data, such as time-of-day or control parameters, which are stored in volatile memory. A power failure can cause this data to be lost. The data are stored in nonvolatile memory according to an algorithm during normal operation, so that they are available after a power failure. In one version, the parameters are stored at fixed intervals. In another version, the parameters are stored in response to a change. In yet another version, the parameters are stored in a manner which is distributed among plural memory locations to extend life.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for updating computer code in a computer controlled device overcome glitches in updating of the computer code. The present invention allows upgrading of the computer code via any upgrade channel or mechanism. In one form, back-up code corresponding to application code is stored in memory. Upon a power failure or other glitch in which the application code becomes corrupt, back-up code is utilized by the boot code to provide a version of the application code for operation of the computer controlled device. In one form, the upgrade is accomplished via a smart card.

Abstract: An apparatus and concomitant method for generating an OSD message by constructing an OSD bitstream defining a single field of OSD data. The OSD bitstream contains an OSD header and OSD data. An OSD unit retrieves pixel control information from the OSD header which is programmed by a processor of a decoding/displaying system. The OSD header contains information including various pointers, that are used to provide instructions as to the treatment of the OSD data. If a top field pointer and a bottom field pointer are set to an identical value in the OSD header, then the OSD unit will repeat each OSD line in the other field for an OSD region.