Apparatus and method using compressed codes for television program record scheduling

Claims

We claim:

1. An apparatus for using compressed codes for recorder preprogramming that comprises:

a television receiver;

means for entering into said television receiver compressed codes each having at least one digit and each representative of, and compressed in length from, the combination of channel, time-of-day, date and length commands for a programs;

said television receiver comprising:

means for decoding each compressed code into the combination of channel, date, time-of-day and length commands,

means for storing said combination of channel, date, time-of-day and length commands,

a clock with an output as a function of time,

means for reordering said combinations of channel, time-of-day, date and length commands in said means for storing into temporal order, and

means for comparing the date and time-of-day commands of the temporally earliest in time combination in said means for storing to the output of the clock for a predetermined relation;

means for recording;

means for transmitting record on commands to said means for recording after the predetermined relation is found to exist according to the date and time-of-day commands of said temporally earliest in time combination, wherein said means for transmitting is compounded to said television receiver;

means for channel selection;

wherein said means for transmitting transmit channel select commands to said means for channel selection after the predetermined relation is found to exist according to the channel command of said temporally earliest in time combination wherein said means for transmitting is coupled to said television receiver; and

wherein said means for transmitting transmit record off commands to said means for recording following an elapsed time interval corresponding to the length command of said temporally earliest in time combination.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for entering comprises a television remote controller.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for entering comprises controls coupled to said television receiver.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for channel selection comprises a cable box.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for channel selection comprises a satellite receiver.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for recording comprises a video cassette recorder.

7. The apparatus for using compressed codes for recorder preprogramming of claim 1 which further comprises means for substituting a local channel number for a channel number in at least one said channel command.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for selecting a periodicity for repeating the operation of said means for.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a means for warning a user that said clock output will compare within a preset time to said date and time-of-day commands of said temporally earliest in times combination.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for transmitting comprises at least one infrared transmitter.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said means for transmitting further comprises a plurality of infrared transmitters positioned on said television receiver to transmit simultaneously in a plurality of directions.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said infrared transmitter is enclosed in a dome mounted on said television receiver.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a mouse wherein said infrared transmitter is enclosed in said mouse and wherein said mouse is attached via a cable to said television receiver and wherein said mouse is placed near said means for recording.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a mouse wherein said infrared transmitter is enclosed in said mouse and wherein said mouse is attached via a cable to said television receiver and wherein said mouse is placed near said means for channel selection.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a miniature mouse wherein said infrared transmitter is enclosed in said miniature mouse and wherein said miniature mouse is attached via a cable to said television receiver and wherein said miniature mouse is placed near said means for recording.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a miniature mouse wherein said infrared transmitter is enclosed in said miniature mouse and wherein said miniature mouse is attached via a cable to said television receiver and wherein said miniature mouse is placed near said means for channel selection.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 that further comprises:

means for advancing time-of-day commands decoded from a compressed code by a predetermined time interval; and

means for retarding time-of-day commands decoded from a compressed code by a predetermined time interval.

18. The apparatus for using compressed codes for recorder preprogramming of claim 1 that further comprises:

means for storing a plurality of protocol sets of record the channel select transmit signals coupled to said means for transmitting;

means for selecting one of said protocol sets of record transmit signals; and

means for selecting one of said protocol sets of channel select transmit signals.

19. An apparatus for using compressed codes for recorder preprogramming that comprises:

a video cassette recorder;

means for entering into said video cassette recorder compressed codes each having at least one digit and each representative of, and compressed in length from, the combination of channel, time-of-day, date and length commands for a program;

said video cassette recorder comprising:

means for decoding each compressed code into the combination of channel, date, time-of-day and length commands,

means for storing said combinations of channel, date, time-of-day and length commands,

a clock with an output as a function of time,

means for recording said combinations of channel, time-of-day, date and length commands in said means for storing into temporal order, and

means for comparing the date and time-of-day commands of the temporally earliest in time combination in said means for storing to the output of the clock for a predetermined relation;

wherein said video cassette recorder begins recording after the predetermined relationship is found to exist according to the date and time-of-day commands of sa