Patent ID: 6195501
Filing Date: 2001-02-27
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A system for remotely programming a video cassette recorder that has a remote receiver, the video cassette recorder being coupled to a television receiver, comprising:a computer located external to the video cassette recorder, the computer includes a computer monitor to display a graphical user interface, and a first decoder to receive a broadcast signal and separate a control data signal having program information from the broadcast signal, the computer to display the program information on the graphical user interface to allow user selection of the program information, the computer includes a second decoder which decodes the broadcast signal so that a broadcast video image is displayed on the computer monitor, the computer further includes a wireless transmitter to transmit a first VCR control signal in response to the user selection of the program information; anda transceiver located external to the computer and the video cassette recorder, the transceiver to receive the first VCR control signal and, responsive thereto, to wirelessly transmit a second VCR control signal to the remote receiver of the video cassette recorder to control the video cassette recorder.