Apparatus and method using compressed codes for recorder preprogramming

Claims

We claim:

1. A system for programming and automatically recording video signals, by a video recorder, under control of sets of channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands, the system comprising:

an input for receiving compressed coded indications, each compressed coded indication comprising one or more alphanumeric characters and each compressed coded indication incorporating the data represented in a set of individual channel, day, time-of-day and program length commands, wherein said compressed coded indications have a length that is less than the length of the concatenation of said individual channel, day, time-of-day and program length commands represented by such compressed coded indications; and

a decoder for decoding and expanding said compressed coded indications into sets of individual channel, day, time-of-day and program length commands for control of the video recorder.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said input comprises a keyboard.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising the video recorder which includes said decoder.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said video recorder further includes said input.

5. The system of claim 1 comprising a remote transmitter which includes said input.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising the video recorder which includes said decoder.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said video recorder comprises

a second input for receiving compressed coed indications, each representative of, and compressed in length from, a set of individual channel, day, time-of-day and length commands.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein said remote transmitter further comprises means for transmitting said compressed coded indications to said decoder.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein said remote transmitter further includes said input.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said remote transmitter further comprises means for transmitting said individual channel, day, time-of-day and length commands to said video recorder.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said remote transmitter further comprises

means for generating, from each of said sets of individual channel, date, time-of-day and length commands, a set of control commands comprising control commands for:

selection of a channel of video signals for recording,

starting recording of a selected channel of video signals, and

stopping recording of a selected channel of video signals.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said remote transmitter further comprises

means for generating, from each of said sets of individual channel, data, time-of-day and length commands, a set of control commands comprising control commands for:

selection of a channel of video signals for recording according to such individual channel commands,

starting recording of a selected channel of video signals according to such date and time-of-day commands, and

stopping recording of a selected channel of video signals according to such time-of-day and length commands.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said remote transmitter further comprises

means for transmitting said control commands generated by said means for generating control commands.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising

a channel selector for selecting a channel of video signals operative responsive to said control commands for selection of a channel comprising

a receiver which receives said control commands for selection of a channel, transmitter by said means for transmitting.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said channel selector comprises a cable box.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said video recorder comprises:

means for recording video signals operative responsive to said control commands for starting recording and said control commands for stopping recording; and

a second receiver which receives said control commands for starting recording and said control commands for stopping recording transmitted by said means for transmitting.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said channel selector comprises a cable box.

18. The system of claim 13

wherein said video recorder comprises

means for recording video signals operative responsive to control commands for starting recording and said control commands for stopping recording; and

a receiver which receives said control commands for starting recording and said control commands for stopping recording transmitted by said means for transmitting.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said video recorder further comprises:

a channel selector for selecting a channel of video signals operative responsive to said control commands for selection of a channel; and

wherein said receiver receives said control commands for selection of a channel transmitted by said means for transmitting.

20. The system of claim 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 or 19 wherein said remote transmitter comprises a universal remote controller.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said universal remote controller is capable of learning protocols of transmit commands of different remote controllers with which said universal remote controller interfaces.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein said universal remote controller comprises:

means for storing a plurality of protocol sets of transmit signals for said control commands; and

means for selecting protocol sets of transmit signals for particular sets of said control commands.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein said universal remote controller further comprises:

means for transmitting simultaneously in at least two of the forward, backward, left, right, upward and downward directions.

24. The system of claim 1 comprising:

a clock for providing an output as a function of time, and

wherein said decoder comprises means for generating said channel, day, time-of-day and length commands as a function of the output of the clock.

25. A method of programming and automatically recording video signals, by a video recorder, under control of sets of channel, date, time-of-day and length commands, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving compressed coded indications, each compressed coded indication comprising one or more alphanumeric characters and each compressed coded indication incorporating the data represented in a set of individual channel, day, time-of-day and program length commands, wherein said compressed coded indications have a length that is less than the length of the concatenation of said individual channel, day, time-of-day and program length commands represented by such compressed coded indications; and

decoding and expanding said compressed coded indications into sets of individual channel, day, time-of-day and program length commands for control of the video recorder.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said step of receiving compressed coded indications comprises the step of receiving said compressed coded indication through a keyboard.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein said step of decoding and expanding comprises performing said step of decoding and expanding in said video recorder.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said step of receiving compressed coded indications comprises the step of receiving such coded indications in said video recorder.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein said step of receiving compressed coded indications comprises the step of receiving the coded indications in a remote transmitter.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said step of decoding and expanding comprises performing said step of decoding and expanding in said video recorder.

31. The method of claim 25:

wherein said step of decoding and expanding comprises performing said step of decoding and expanding in a video recorder and

wherein said step of receiving compressed coded indications comprises the step of receiving compressed coded indications in either a remote transmitter or said video recorder.

32. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of transmitting said compressed coded indications by said remote transmitter.

33. The method of claim 29

wherein said step of receiving compressed coded indications comprises the step of receiving compressed coded indications in a remote transmitter and