Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
This invention relates to a presetting device by which
the channel selection of a television receiver or the like opera-
tion is performed automatically at -the designated times according
to a preset schedule.
In a conventional television receiver, the selection
and changing of the channels have been made by the viewer at each
time by reference to a television program carried in a newspaper
or according to his memory of the television program or by moni-
toring the pictures appearing on the screen by changing sequen-
tially the channels. Such a practice in selecting and changingthe channels, however, is disadvantageous in that the viewer tends
to miss a desired item or important item of the television pro-
gram, and also it i5 inefficient with the increasing periods of
time in which pictures of undesired telecasts are on the screen.
For attaining automatically this type of programming or
the like operation, there has been considered a method in which
a desired proyram is preset by inserting pins in punched holes
formed in a program board, or a method in which a desired program
is preset in a punched card and an apparatus operates accordin~
,~ 20 to the preset program upon reading the punched holes in the card
~ at the times specified by said holes. Although these methods are
"~ ~
widely being employed in the numerical control and sequence con-
trol of machine tools, etc., they are not applicable to domestic
electric appliances by reason of the facts that the programming `~
devices are complicated and large in size, and that the devices
can be handled
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only by skilled personnel. As programming devices for domestic
electric appliances, there are shown preset timers for radio
receivers, sequence timers for automatic washing machines and
electronic alarm clocks, but these devices have a limited use
mainly for time control only and their functions are simple.
There are also known timers capable of presetting a plurality of
times concurrently and channel selection timers for television
receivers which provide for automatic selection of channels in
a maximum time interval of about three hours, but these devices
suffer from the disadvantage that the functions thereof are
complicated and the sizes thereof are large, and therefore, they
are usable only for specific applications.
The present invention provides a presetting device
which eliminates the disadvantages of the conventional television
receiver described above and which enables the selection of
channels to be performed automatically according to a preset
program and facilitates the presetting operation.
The present invention aIso desirably provides a pre~
setting device of the character described above, in which means
for indicating channel numbers are provided on time pointer means
which indicate times at their set positions, whereby the construc- -
tion of the device is simplified.
The present invention further desirably provides a
presettiny device of the character described above, in which ~ ;
recording means for presetting the channel numbers therein is
provided separately from the time pointer means, whereby the
presetting operation is further facilitated. -
According to the present invention there is provided i~
a device for use with a television receiver or the like, in which
the time of receiving a telecast and the channel number of the
telecast are preset, whereby the telecast of the preset channel
can be automatically received at the present time. The device
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comprises a device for presetting a television prograM or the like
comprising a program board having a plurality of positions repre-
senting preselected prograrn times, a plurality oE time pointers
selectively movable to one of said positions to designate a
-- preselected program time, a plurality of separate recording means
; provided respectively one for each said time pointer, each said
recording means comprising means for selecting one of a plurality
I of preset channels which is to correspond to the time pointer
associated with that recording means and means for storing said
selected channel, clock means for sequentially generating time
signals representing the preselected program times a-t said
plurality of positions, said time pointers being arranged when
on a position receiving a time signal, to couple said time signal
to the respective associated recroding means, and each said re-
cording means being arranged to provide on receipt of such a sig-
nal, an output representative of the selected channel stored by
their storing means in the corresponding recording means.
i~ According to the device of the invention, when the time
pointer means respectively have once been set in selected tirne
positions, the device reads control information from the control
information re~ording means at each of the times corresponding to
the set positions of the time pointer means, and controls the
operation of an apparatus to be controlled thereby. The content
~ .
~' of the program preset by the device is obvious to the user as the
- program is established by the time pointer means set on a program
~ board and the recording means in which the control inforrnation is
. . .
set, and the handling of the device is easy as the device is of a
timing system. The device of the invention is usable for multiple
"
purposes as the cord used for the time pointer means may be op-
tional. The use of the subject device for the control of a tele-
vision receiver is advantageous in avoiding the casual missing of
a desired item of a television program and in eliminating the
trouble of the viewer repeatedly checking a television
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program carried in a newspaper, and further in preventing
children from looking at the telecast without any definite
purpose, which is advantageous from the point of view of
,
education. Further, the device of the invention serves as an ~ -
alarm clock. ~
The present invention will be further illustrated by ~- `
way of the accompanying drawings in which,
Fig. 1 is a frontal elevational view of a device of
this invention; -`
Fig. 2 i5 a block diagram showing the internal con-
struction of the device of Fig. l;
Fig. 3a and 3b are perspective views of the time
, :~
pointer means and the support block respectively o~ the device ;
of Fig. l; `-`
Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing another internal
construction; ` `
Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing still another `
internal construction;
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Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing still another
internal construction;
Fig, 7 is a perspective view showiny still another ~ "
~ internal construction;
_ Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of still another
embodiment of the device of this invention;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the internal
construction of the device of this invention; ~;
Figs. 10 to 12 are perpsective views of different
types of program setting pins respectively;
Figs. 13a and 13b are views showing another type of
program board; and
~; Fig. 14 is a view showing another way of using the
device.
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The present invention will be described hereunder
as applied to an automatic presetting device for a television
receiver.
In F.ig. 1, reference numeral 71 designates a main
body of the program presetting device; 72 a real time clock;
and 73 sliding type time pointer means which is slidable in the
longitudinal direction of a program board 74 in a slit 75 formed
in said program board. The program board 74 is provided with
time markings at a one-hour interval from 6:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.
For the selection of a program, two types of information must
be preset, that is, time information and channel information.
The selection of time is made by presetting the time pointer
`~ means 73 at the desired times, and the selection of the other
.. ~, .
information (the channel number in this case) is made by control
information recording means 76 provided each for each time pointer ;
means 73. Each time pointer means 73 and the corresponding
control information recording means 76 are electrically connected
with each other, and the cooperating time pointer means and
,i~ , .
` control information recording means are visually identified by
the same characters or color. When the real time of the clock
:: ~
~ 72 coincides with the time at which the time pointer means 73
,j is set, a signal is transmitted to the control information `~
recording means 76 corresponding to said time pointer means 73
and a channel corresponding to the control
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information stored in said recording means 76 is selected. The
control information recording means 76 are slide switches or
thumb wheel switches. While it has been stated that the times
which are designated by the time pointer means 73 are provided on '
the program board 74 at a one-hour interval, the interval of the
times may be changed freely as desired and in a time span other
than from 6:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Reference numeral 77 designates
a cable through which the channel information stored in the con-
trol information recording means 76 is transmitted to the tele-
vision receiver 78 after it has been converted into a control `
signal suitable for channel seléction.
In the illustration of Fig. l, there is shown a state
in which the clock 72 indicates 6:00 A.M. as the real time and
channel 8 is selected just at this time. The control signal for
channel selection may, for e~ample, be a voltage signal corres- '
ponding to the desired channel in the event that the tuner of the
television receiver 18 is an èlectronic tuner which selects the -
channels by the barrier capacity of a varactor diode. `In the
~;~ event that the tuner of the television receiver 78 is a detent
-~ 20 type tuner, a pulse signal adapted to control the rotation of the
tuner is used as the control signal for channel selection.
,
Fig. 2 shows the internal arrangement of channel infor- -
mation reader means. Reference numeral 81 designates a support
block to provide for smooth sliding movement of the time pointer
means 73, which is provided with contacts for detecting the time ;
pointer means 73 being in ~
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~ 635
coincidence with the time at which said time pointer means is to
be set. Reference numeral 82 designates a circuit which gener- ;
ates, in cooperation with the real time clock, time pulses at an
interval of 30 minutes or 1 houx, and 83 designates a distribution
circuit for sequentially distributing the time pulses. The sig-
nals transmitted sequentially from the distribution circuit 83,
when it co~.ncides with the time at which the time pointer means
73 is set, causes the control information recording means 76 to
generate an output representing the channel information preset ;~
in said recording means 76, and said channel information is
supplied to a conversion circuit 84 in which it is converted into ~ -
a control signal for channel selection. The converted signal is -
supplied to the television receiver through the cable 77 to cause
it to make a channel selecting operation.
Figs. 3a and 3b show in detail the construction of the
support block 81 in which the detection of coincidence between
the signals from the distribution circuit 83 and the designated - ~;
times i;s effected, and the construction of the time pointer means.
To the signal lines from the distribution circuit 83 are connected
the contacts 85 provided on the support block 81, and the~time
.~, . ~;.
pointer means 73 are provided with contacting portions for inti-
mate contact with said contacts 85 on the support block 81,
! respectively. When the electr1c contact is established between
the contact 85 and the time pointer means 73, or when the time
from the distribution circuit coincides with the time designated
by the time pointer means, the coincidence signal is transmitted
to the
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control signal recording means 76 and the selection ofthe channel
in the television receiver is effected as described above. The
sliding movement of the time pointer means 73 may be further
facilitated when oil or the like lubricant is disposed in an oil
receiving portion 86 of the support block 81.
Further embodiments of the invention are shown in Figs.
4, 5 and 6. In these embodiments, the time pointer means 73' are
of the photoelectric type, and the cooperating time pointer meàns
73' and control'information recording means 76 are provided with -
the same char~acters A, s, C .. Further, the time pointer
means 73' are provided with, as information codes, binary codes
for selecting the control information recording means 76. For
instance, the time pointer means 73' indicated in the Figures by
alphabet A is provided with a hole at the third bit position and
that indicated by alphabet B with a hole in thè second bit posi-
tion, thus A corresponding to a binary codè of 001, B to a binary
code 010 and so on. Reference numeral 87 designates lamps for
illuminating the information codes of the time pointer means 73';
: .
' 88 optical fibers for leading out the information codes; and 89
photosensor arrays. The time pointer means 73' are set in inti-
mate contact with the support hlock 81' and, when they are illumi-
` nated by the lamps 87 from the upper side, the information codes
', of said means propagate through the optical fibers and are trans-
mitted to the photosensor arrays 89 as light intensities, by which ;~
they are converted into electric signals and fed to the control
_ information recording means 76 through a control circuit 90. Figs.
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4, 5 and 6 show a state in which the read time is 6:30 A.M. and
the lamp 87 corresponding to the time is turned on and the chan-
nel information representative of channel 6 of the control in-
formation recording means 76 is being read. The large amount of
'~ optical fibers 88 connected to the support block 81' are bundled ,
for each bit and led to the corresponding photosensor arrays 89.
Therefore, the information codes of the time pointer means 73'
are all supplied to the common photosensor array 89 no matter àt ;~
which time positions they may be read. Namely, the bundles of
j 10 the optical fibers 88 serve as "or" elements of light. In the
case of Fig. 10, since the time pointer means 73' of A is provided ~,
with the through-hole at the third bit position, the binary code ,'
001 is detected at the photosensor array 89. The output of the ,
photosensor array passes in the control circuit 90 and-selects
the control information recording means 76 of A. Therefore, the
`; .
channel information representative of channel 6 is converted by , ,'
the conversion circuit 8~ into a control signal for channel'se,c~
tion and the channel is changed in response to said control sig-
nal. The through-holes provided in the time pointer means 73'
used in these embodiments are used as fixed memories which do not
disappear.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the optical fibers
88 are not fixed to the support block 81' as they are in the
embodiment of Fig. 10, but are connected directly with the time
pointer means 73', so that said optical fibers may move together
with the time pointer means 73' as said time pointer means slide
on the support ''
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1 block 81'. By connecting the optical fibers 88 directly
with the time pointer means 73' as stated, the number --
of the optical fibers can be substantially decreased ;
from that in the embodiment shown in Fig. 10.
6 i -
Fi~ shows an embodiment in which no optical
fibers are used. Namely~ the photosensor arrays 89
shown in Fig. ~ are embedded in the time pointer means
73' without providing them externally, for directly
receiving the ~ of the lamps 87, whereby more ~ ~
10 accurate electric signals can be obtained. ~;
Fig. ~ shows a further embodiment of the
invention in which are employed electros-tatic capacity
type control information recording means 8~ for the -~
selection of channels. The pulses successively trans~
15 mltted from the distribution circuit 83 are applied between `~
electrodes 91 and opposite electrodes 92 each made up of
. ~
three parts, and between these opposite electrodes are
-
; interposed the time pointer mèans ~ each consisting of
~;~ dielectrics of different dielectric constants put together
into a unitary piece. Therefore~ when the~pulse is
applied across the electrodes 91 and 92~ signals of
,;
different amplitudes generate~from the sectional
electrodes 92 according to the state of combination of ~ ~-
the dielectrics. By reading the signals by the control
circuit 9~ an output of 001~ for example~ ls obtalned
from the time pointer means 93 of A and the corresponding
control information recording means 76 is~selected by
said output signal~ whereby the channel information
representative of channel 6 is fed to the conversion
circuit 8~. The signal converted in the conversion
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1 circuit i.s transrn:it-ted to -the -telev:ision receiver through
the cable 77 to ch~lge the channel to channel 6.
While in the embodiments described hereinbefore,
the time pointer means are slidable horizontally on the
program board of the type for one day programming, the
device may be designed such that the time pointer means
are slidable ver-tically. Fur-ther, by arranging -the time
markings in a circular diagram on -the program board~ the
programming operation can be achieved more easily in
relation with the real time clock. ~t is also to be
unders-tood that the device may be modified for programming
!: over a period of one week.
~~he presetting device may be produced with a
i~
chime which is arranged to sound at a preset time con~
currently with the changing of the channel to a preset
channel. It is also possible to make an arrangement
such that the channel number appears on the picture screen
of the television receiver for a period of several seconds
after the channel has been changed. A clock having a
number of mechanical contacts may be used for the clock
82 and in this case the functlon of the distribution
circuit may be obtalned from the clock~ in addition to
the timing function.
Still ano-ther embodiment will be described
with reference to Fig. ~. In Fig. ~, reference numeral
101 designates a program board of the presetting device;
^ 102 a real time clock; 103 pin jack holes arranged along
a time marking row; 10~ presetting pins respectively ~-~
provided with channel information to be preset and adapted
30 to be inserted into said pin jack holes; 105 a cable for -~
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1 t~allslnittirlg control s:ignals; and 106 a television receiverprovided with means for changing channels in response
-to the control signals.
For the automatic channel selection, it is
5 necessary -to prese-t two pieces of informa-tion, that is, -
the time and the channel. In -this embodiment~ this is ~-
. ~ ,
achieved by inser-ting -the presetting pin 104 bearing ~-~
the code of the desired channel into the pin jack hole 103
at the posi-tion of the time at which said channel is
desired to be ob-tained. When the real time indicated by
the clock 102 arrives at the time corresponding to the
pin jack hole 103, -the channel designated by the pre-
setting pin 104 inserted into said pin jack hole is
selected. The presetting pins 104 of different types
15 are provided in -the same number as the number of channels -
receivable by the television receiver and each of them
has a channel number engraved on the head thereof~ In
this embodiment~ the time markings are provided at a one- ~ -
hour interval from 6:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M., but the
20 interval and time span may be changed freely as desired. - -;;~
For instance~ the time markings may be provided at a 15- -
minute intervals.
The channel information read from a specific
presetting pin 104 at a specific time is converted into
a suitable control signal for channel selection and
transmitted to the television receiver through the cable
105.
In Fig. ~, there is shown a state in which ~
the clock 102 shows the real time being 8:00 A.M. and the ;
channel has just been changed to channel 4 at said time.
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43~35i
1 'L'tle (~ontrol signal for channel selection which is to be
~- transmi-t-ted to t~le televisiorl receiver through the cable
~05 may be a voLtage signal corresponding to the desired
char~el in tile event when said teLevlsion receiver is
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~5 5 of a type having an electronic -tuner for channel se-
;' lection~ ancl may be a pulse signal in the event when said
- television receiver is of a type having a detent tuner.
. 9 ~;
Fig. ~ shows the internal arrangement of the
channel information reading means, in which reference
10 numeral 111 designates lamps for iLluminating the channel
information carried on the presetting pins lOL~
optical fibers for leading the channel information of the
presetting pins 104; ~ a fiber support plate; and 114
photosensor arrays. Each presetting pin 104 is provided
15 with the channel information in the form of a L~-bit binary ;~
code. For instance, the presetting pin lOL~ for presetting
channel 4 has a hole bored at the third bit position of
the pin as 4 (decimal number) = 0100 (binary number).
; When this presetting pin lOL~ is set in close contact
; 20 with the support plate 113 with its hole in register with
a hole formed in said support plate and illuminated from
the upper side by the lamp 111, the channel information
(code pattern) of the presetting pin 104 is transmitted ~`
~' through the fiber 112 to the photosensor array llL~ as a
25 light intensity and is converted into an electric signal.
9,
Reference numeral 115 designates time pulse generator
having a clock disposed therein and adapted to generate -~
in cooperation with the real time clock time pulses at ,~
a predetermined interval~ e.g. at an interval of 30
' 30 minutes or one hour. Reference numeral 116 designates
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1 a time pulse distrlbution circuit, which distributes
-thc tlme p~ses sequentially -to the lamps 111 to flash
them. Fig. ~ shows a s-ta-te in which the lamp llla
is ligh-ted at the real time of` 8:oo A.M. and the
prese-tt1ng pin 104 for channel l; is being read. ~he
large number of the optical fibers 112 connected to the ~-
suppor-t plate 113 are bundled for the respective rows
of bits and led to the corresponding photosensor arrays ~ ;
;` 114. Therefore, the channel information of the pre-
setting pin 104 read at any time position is supplied to
the common photosensor array 114. Namely~ the bundles
of o~tical fibers serve as "or" elements~ In the event
~h~
~u~the presetting pin 104 is for channel 4~ a code
signal of 0100 is detected by -the photosensor array 114 ~-
15 as a binary code. hn output of this photosensor array
114 is led to a channel control circuit 117 and, after ~ ~`
being converted into a control signal for channel section
therein~ transmitted to a television receiver through a
control cable 118 to set it for channel 4. It will be
understood that the indication of the presetting pin 104
of which the channel information is being read, may be
; made concurrently by suitably arranging the lamps 111.
- Fig. ~6 shows a type of presetting pin in an
enlarged scale. In this type of presetting pin~ the
- 25 binary code which is channel information is provided in `i-~
the form of drilled holes 121, for example, of a diameter
of 2 mm and a pitch of about 3 mm. Figs. 17 and 18 show
Pi'`~ ~ .
other types of presetting ~æs. The type of presetting -~
pin shown in Fig. ~7 has an illuminating lamp 122
disposed therein~ so that a llg~t pattérn according to
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;35
the channel information bits will appear from the interior through
holes 123 when a time pulse is applied thereto. Since the channel
number engraved on the pin is illuminated concurrently when the
~` lamp 122 is lighted, this type is advantageous in that the posi-
tive collation of the real time and the position of the pin being
read is ensured. The presetting pin of the type shown in Fig. 12
has a polygonal cross-section, so that it alone may be used for
setting a plurality of channels by changing the angular position
thereof. Reference numeral 124 in Fig. 12 designates through-
7 lo holes bored in the pin.
The presetting pins described above are of the type
which provides channel information in the form of a light signal.
There may be used presetting pins of the type in which bits are
provided, for example, in the form of white and black markings
in lieu of the holes in the types of presetting pins described
above, which markings will be xead by a reflector.
~ , While the presetting device of all the embodiments
described hereinbefore are designed for programming for one day,
i~ will be understood that they may easily be modified for pro-
gramming for a period of one week by adding week days thereto.
~n example of suah device i5 shown in Figs. 13a and 13b.
In the ~mbodiment shown in Figs. 13a and 13b, a light
receiving portion 133 including an illuminating light source 131
and optical fibers 132 is the same as that in the preceding em-
bodiments for one-day programming. The only difference is that
p~esetting pins 134 are supported on a ratary drum 135 of hepta-
gonal cross-section,
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which is turned one seventh of its full revolution every day to
-l complete one revolution in one week. Such construction enables
the presetting device to be provided economically as the illum-
:
inating light source and optical fibers can be used commonly for
all the days of a week.
. :
An arrangement may be made such that a chime sounds at
each time the channel is changed according to the preset program,
or the channel number appears on the television screen for a few
~,l seconds after the channel change, to ensure the acknowledgement
1 10 of the channel change by the viewer.
.. ~ .
Fig. 14 exemplifies the application o~ the presetting
device of the invention as a multiple purpose timer. In this
case, presetting pin~ 141 respectively bearing charactèrs A re-
presenting a radio set 151, B representing a television set 152,
~,~ C representing a rice cooker 152, D representing a washing
,~
machine 154, ~ , instead of channel numbers, are inserted in-
to the program board, whereby a plura:lity of the electric appli- ~ ~;
ances can be placed in operation according to the desired program,
either one after another or concurrently.
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