Abstract: A television apparatus is operable to display table of content information from one or more peripheral devices interconnected to the television apparatus via a digital serial bus regardless of whether the television apparatus is currently tuned to the peripheral device. Particularly, table of content information is provided on a per peripheral device basis upon user request. The present invention allows the user to move through tracks of the displayed table of contents and play them, delete them, etc. The user will also be able to cycle through serial bus peripheral devices through the use of an input key on the remote, offering him easy access to multiple tables of contents, and giving the user an easy way to find a desired track. If the user has reached the last serial bus peripheral device in the serial bus list and attempts to input again, the display is wrapped back around to the first serial bus peripheral device.

Abstract: An external device such as a digital recording/reproduction device may be controlled via a digital data bus using auto-play and/or auto-pause functions. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for controlling an external device includes detecting initiation of one of a disconnection from the external device and a connection to the external device, providing a pause command signal to the external device via a digital data bus if the initiation of the disconnection from the external device is detected, and providing a play command signal to the external device via the digital data bus if the initiation of the connection to the external device is detected.

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: 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: An apparatus such as a television signal receiver controls a digital recording device via a digital data bus to enable sub-channel recording and playback. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a processor that is operative to process signals representing a plurality of sub-channels to generate digital data for a first one of the sub-channels. The digital data includes program data and identification data for the first sub-channel. An input/output terminal is operative to provide the digital data to a digital recording device via a digital data bus.

Abstract: In a receiver coupled to a recording device that includes a digital storage medium, there is provided a method for providing trick mode operations for sub-channels of multiplexed streams stored on the digital storage medium. A trick mode command specifically directed to a particular sub-channel of a multiplexed stream is sent to the recording device. Frame data corresponding to the particular sub-channel is received from the recording device. Trick mode data for the particular sub-channel is extracted from the frame data.

Abstract: A method for selective control of a device for recording output from a viewing apparatus includes sending output for recording from a viewing apparatus to a recording device selected automatically by the viewing apparatus, responsive to the viewing apparatus being enabled for automatically selecting the recording device; and maintaining recording the output to a recording device designated by the viewing apparatus, responsive to the viewing apparatus being disabled from automatically selecting a recording device.

Abstract: A method and a personal video recorder (400) for time-shifting a presentation of multimedia content using a personal video recorder. A first stream of multimedia content is received on a first channel and stored to a data store (448) associated with the personal video recorder. After a channel change request has been received, a second stream of multimedia content can be received on a second channel correlating to the channel change request. This second content stream can be stored to the data store while retaining the first stream of multimedia content in the data store. During playback and trick mode operation, the multimedia presentation can seamlessly transition between the first and second streams of multimedia content.

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: A method and apparatus enables a user to assign a given key on an input device to any specific device on a data bus network connected to the apparatus, and thereby enables the user to quickly select the specific device for control using the given key. According to an exemplary embodiment, the method includes steps of enabling a user to assign a key on an input device of the apparatus to a device on the data bus network that is indirectly connected to the apparatus, and enabling the user to select the device for control responsive to an input of the assigned key.

Abstract: Screen burn 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 apparatus having a memory and an operating system running a plurality of applications that are controlled by user signals, means to register the user signals required by each application, means to receive user signals, and means to send each received user signal to the application registered to require that signal. A method of passing user signals to a plurality of applications running with an operating system comprising receiving from each application information on user signals required by that application; saving in a memory the required user signals associated with each application; receiving a user signal from a user interface device; retrieving from the memory applications that require the received user signal; and sending the received user signal to each of the retrieved applications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus enables users to specify analog connections for devices on a data bus network such as an IEEE 1394 network in a convenient, time-efficient manner. According to an exemplary embodiment, the method includes steps of enabling an on-screen display comprising a list of devices connected to the digital data bus network requiring analog connections to the apparatus, and enabling a user to specify the analog connections responsive to the on-screen display.