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Methods and apparatus for audio-visual interface for the display of multiple program categories    
United States Patent5621456   
Link to this pagehttp://www.wikipatents.com/5621456.html
Inventor(s)Florin; Fabrice (Mill Valley, CA); Buettner; Michael (Burlingame, CA); Corey; Glenn (San Rafael, CA); Fritsche; Janey (Mill Valley, CA); Maresca; Peter (Palo Alto, CA); Miller; Peter (Los Altos Hills, CA); Purdy; Bill (San Anselmo, CA); Sharpe; Stuart (San Francisco, CA); West; Nick (San Francisco, CA)
AbstractAn 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 group, an auxiliary control button group and a numeric key pad to facilitate control of the transceiver. The interactive control button group includes an info button, a list button, a categories button, a pix button, a mark button, a jump button, and a pointing device consisting of up, down, left, and right arrow buttons, and a center select button.
   














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Drawing from US Patent 5621456
Methods and apparatus for audio-visual interface for the display of multiple program categories - US Patent 5621456 Drawing
Methods and apparatus for audio-visual interface for the display of multiple program categories
Inventor     Florin; Fabrice (Mill Valley, CA); Buettner; Michael (Burlingame, CA); Corey; Glenn (San Rafael, CA); Fritsche; Janey (Mill Valley, CA); Maresca; Peter (Palo Alto, CA); Miller; Peter (Los Altos Hills, CA); Purdy; Bill (San Anselmo, CA); Sharpe; Stuart (San Francisco, CA); West; Nick (San Francisco, CA)
Owner/Assignee     Apple Computer, Inc. (Cupertino, CA)
Patent assignment
All assignments
Publication Date     April 15, 1997
Application Number     08/082,056
PAIR File History     Application Data   Transaction History
Image File Wrapper   Patent Term   Fees
Litigation
Filing Date     June 22, 1993
US Classification     725/43 704/275 725/45 725/52 725/58 725/60 725/61 725/104
Int'l Classification     H04N 007/173
Examiner     Peng; John K.
Assistant Examiner     Grant; Chris
Attorney/Law Firm     Blakely, Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman
Address
Parent Case    
Priority Data    
USPTO Field of Search     348/7 348/10 348/12 348/13 348/734 348/906 348/563 348/564 348/565 348/566 348/567 348/1 348/2 455/4.2 455/2
Patent Tags     methods audio-visual interface display of multiple program categories
   
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 U.S. References
 
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5410326
Goldstein
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Ikezaki
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Market Size
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$5B - $10B
$2B - $5B
$500M - $2B
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$10M - $100M
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Market Share
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2 - 4.99%
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5 - 9.99%
2 - 4.99%
1 - 1.99%
< 1%
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0.0%
 
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