Method and apparatus for audio-visual interface for the display of multiple levels of information on a display

US5594509A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Apple Computer Inc. · US

Inventors

• Fabrice Florin · Mill Valley, US
• Michael Buettner · Burlingame, US
• Glenn Corey · San Rafael, US
• Janey Fritsche · Mill Valley, US
• Peter Maresca · Palo Alto, US
• Peter Miller · Los Altos Hills, US
• Bill Purdy · San Anselmo, US
• Stuart Sharpe · San Francisco, US
• Nick West · San Francisco, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 22, 1993
• Grant date: Jan 14, 1997
• Expiry date: Jun 22, 2013

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04N21/47
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An interactive audio-visual (A/V) transceiver is advantageously coupled to a television and/or telephone (T/T) cable, a TV, a video recorder (VCR), and other A/V devices. The A/V transceiver switches data between a program/service provider and the connected A/V devices. In one embodiment, the transceiver includes three primary modules, a main module including a CPU, a system bus, system memory, an infra-red (IR) control unit, an audio-visual bus, an A/V decoder, an A/V processor, and an A/V encoder, an A/V connect module including a number of tuner/demodulators and a switch, and an optional CD ROM module. The A/V transceiver hardware is complemented with an operating system and software program which supports the functions provided in the A/V user interface. Additionally, a remote control device is provided to communicate with the A/V transceiver to interactively manage selection of program and service sources, selection program and service offerings from any selected source, viewing of selected program offerings, and interaction with selected service offerings. The remote control device is advantageously provided with a basic A/V control button group, an interactive control button…