Abstract:
A method of controlling a television receiver, and which includes receiving, via an input unit, an automatic channel setting command for automatically setting channels; searching, via a processor, television broadcast channels including television airwave and cable channels and media sources different than the television airwave and cable channels; and assigning, via the processor, preset channels to the television broadcast channels and assigning non-preset channels to the media sources found in the searching step.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0097398 filed on Oct. 13, 2009 in Korea, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a method and corresponding apparatus for assigning channel numbers to multiple media sources. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Televisions reproduce and display data received broadcast providers and also reproduce and display data received from a Blu-ray disk (BD) player, a DVD player, set top box, etc. Thus, users can watch their favorite television program while it is being currently broadcast or can watch their favorite program at a later data if the program has been previously recorded. The BD player and DVD player also allow users to play music recorded on a disc such as a CD. 
         [0006]    In addition, each of the different components associated with the television such as the BD player has its own remote controller for controlling operations related to its own functions. When a surround sound system is additionally included with the television, there can be as many as three or four separate remote controllers that have to be individually operated. The operation of the multiple components associated with the television is often cumbersome and difficult, especially for older people. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to address the above-noted and other problems. 
         [0008]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and corresponding apparatus for automatically setting a channel for multiple media sources connected to a television receiver including broadcast airwaves, contents stored on an external device and Internet contents provided from a network provider to allow a viewer to use the general functions of the television receiver by simply manipulating a channel up/down key on the remote controller associated with the television receiver. Thus, users and especially elderly people can more easily use the multiple functions provided with the television receiver. 
         [0009]    To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention provides in one aspect a method of controlling a television receiver, and which includes receiving, via an input unit, an automatic channel setting command for automatically setting channels; searching, via a processor, television broadcast channels including television airwave and cable channels and media sources different than the television airwave and cable channels; and assigning, via the processor, preset channels to the television broadcast channels and assigning non-preset channels to the media sources found in the searching step. 
         [0010]    In another aspect, the present invention provides a television receiver including an input unit configured to receive an automatic channel setting command for automatically setting channels; and a processor configured to search television broadcast channels including television airwave and cable channels and media sources different than the television airwave and cable channels, and to assign preset channels to the television broadcast channels and assigning non-preset channels to the media sources found while searching. 
         [0011]    Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings, which are given by illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a television receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an overview illustrating connections among a television receiver, a supplementary service providing server, and a PC according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating a method of registering contents in the PC according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  includes overviews of display screens illustrating a contents registration display screen on the PC according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is an overview of a display screen illustrating personal folders on the supplementary service providing server according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating a method of displaying assigned contents on the TV according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a method of automatically setting a channel according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8   a  is a channel main table illustrating stored channel setting information according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8   b  is a frequency table illustrating stored signal frequencies with respect to broadcast channels according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 8   c  is a source table illustrating stored detailed information regarding channels with respect to a contents storage folder of a storage device, an external input signal providing device, and a contents registration folder within a server according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is a flow chart illustrating a method of reproducing contents based on channel configuration information according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 10   a  is an overview of a display screen illustrating reproducing a stored photo image when a user selected channel is a stored photo image reproducing channel according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10   b  is an overview of a display screen illustrating reproducing stored music when a user selected channel is a stored music reproducing channel according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 10   c  is an overview of a display screen illustrating reproducing stored video when a user selected channel is a stored video reproducing channel according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 11  is a partial overview of a remote controller for implementing a caption magnification function according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 12  is a flow chart illustrating a method of magnifying a caption according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 13   a  is an overview of a display screen illustrating designating a magnification region according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0030]      FIG. 13   b  is an overview of a display screen illustrating magnifying and displaying a portion of a screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0031]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
         [0032]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a television receiver  2  according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the television receiver  2  includes a TV signal processing unit  10 , a microprocessor  30 , an infrared ray receiver  40 , a network adaptor  50 , and a hard disk driver (HDD)  60 . 
         [0033]    The TV signal processing unit  10  receives a television broadcast signal such as a digital television broadcast signal of an ATSC standard, and restores an image signal included in the broadcast signal. As shown, the TV signal processing unit  10  includes a tuner  12 , a demodulation and channel decoder  14 , a transport demultiplexer  16 , a PSI/PSIP processor  18 , a voice decoder  20 , and an image decoder  22 . 
         [0034]    Further, the tuner  12  selects a broadcast signal of one channel selected by the user from among a plurality of broadcast signals input via an antenna or a cable network. The demodulation and channel decoder  14  demodulates the broadcast signal transferred from the tuner  12 , performs an error-correction-decoding on the demodulated signal, and outputs a transport stream (TS). In addition, the transport demultiplexing unit  16  demultiplexes the TS to separate a video PES (Packetized Elementary Stream) and an audio PES and extracts PSI/PSIP (Program and System Information Protocol) information. The PSI/PSIP processor  18  receives the PSI/PSIP information from the transport demultiplexing unit  16 , parses the received PSI/PSIP information, and stores the parsed information in a memory  32  or a register, so that the microprocessor  30  can reproduce a broadcast based on the information. 
         [0035]    Further, the voice decoder  20  depacketizes the audio PES to extract an audio ES and decodes the extracted audio ES to output a digital audio bit stream. The audio bit stream is also converted into an analog audio signal by a digital-to-analog converter, amplified by an amplifier, and then output via a speaker. In addition, the image decoder  22  depacketizes the video PES to extract a video ES and parses the video ES to extract extended/user data and MPEG-2 video bit stream, for example. Also, the image decoder  22  provides the extended/user data to the microprocessor  30 , decodes the MPEG-2 video bit stream to restore an image signal, and outputs the restored signal to a display unit  26 . The decoding process of the voice decoder  20  and the image decoder  22  may be performed based on a packet ID (PID) checked by the PSI/PSIP processing unit  18 . 
         [0036]    Further, the microprocessor  30  controls an overall operation of the television receiver  2 . In particular, the microprocessor  30  controls a signal processing procedure of the TV signal processing unit  10 , an HTTP requesting and responding through the network interface  50 , reading and displaying contents stored in the HDD  60 , and receiving and displaying of an external input signal from external devices such as a DVD player  70  and a Blu-ray disk (BD) player  72 . The operation of the microprocessor  30  and the television receiver may also be controlled by selecting buttons on a manipulation panel or by a signal of a remote controller  42  input via the infrared ray receiver  40 . 
         [0037]    In addition, the network adaptor  50  enables the television receiver  2  to be connected to the Internet, and may be implemented by, for example, an optical network unit (ONU) or an Ethernet adaptor. The television receiver  2  also stores an address of a supplementary service providing server operated by a receiver manufacturer or a provider affiliated with the receiver manufacturer as an initial connection address. Thus, for the Internet connection, the television receiver  2  can be automatically connected with the supplementary service providing server to access various contents provided by the server. One example of the supplementary service providing server is ‘myLGtv (http://www.myLGtv.com).’ 
         [0038]    Further, the HDD  60  allows the user to store photo images, video, or music files therein that can be later reproduced. Also, the HDD  60  can be used for recording a broadcast program. In particular, the HDD  60  can temporarily store a currently received broadcast program so that the user can view it again a later time by using a so-called ‘time machine’ or time shifting function. A USB storage device  62  can also be detachably attached to the television receiver  2  so as to allow the user to reproduce photo images, video or music files which are not stored in the HDD  60 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 1  also illustrates the DVD player  70  and the BD player  72 , which are generally not included in the television receiver  2 , but rather are separate elements. In more detail, the DVD player  70  can be connected with the television receiver through an external input terminal and used to reproduce a DVD. Similarly, the BD player  72  can be connected with the television receiver through an external input terminal and used to reproduce a BD. Other various external input signal providing devices may also interwork with the television according to an HDMI standard or any other schemes. 
         [0040]    In such a television receiver  2  according to an embodiment of the present invention, the user can set contents of the external input signal providing device such as the DVD player  70  and the BD player  72 , Internet contents that are accessible via the network adaptor  50 , and a broadcast signal as channels. The user can then select a particular channel using a channel up/down key on the remote control, for example. 
         [0041]    A supplementary service providing server  90  will now be described in more detail with reference to  FIG. 2 . In particular,  FIG. 2  is an overview illustrating an Internet connection environment of the television receiver  2  with the supplementary service providing server  90 , which as discussed above, may be operated by a receiver manufacturer or a provider affiliated with the receiver manufacturer, and provides contents to the television receiver  2 . The television receiver  2  is also set to automatically connect with the supplementary service providing server  90  when an Internet connection is attempted. Further, the user of the television receiver  2 , the user&#39;s family or relatives, etc. can also connect to the supplementary service providing server  90  through the Internet by using a data terminal  92  such as a PC and register contents such as a photo image, video, text, or a combination of contents. The registered contents can then be accessed through the Internet via the television receiver  2 . 
         [0042]    The process of registering contents will now be described in more detail with reference to  FIG. 3 . As shown, when the user wants to register contents, the user first accesses the supplementary service providing server  90  using the PC  92  (step  100 ). Next, the user selects contents to be registered via a contents registration menu. For example,  FIG. 4  includes overviews of contents registration display screens. In particular, the left side of  FIG. 4  illustrates a contents registration display screen including a photo image, video and text that the user can register on the server  90 . Namely, the user can click a photo window present at the left side of an upper portion of the screen to upload a photo image, click a video clip window present at the right side of the upper portion of the screen to upload a video or a video clip, and click a message window present at a lower side of the screen to input a text message (step  102 ). The photo image, video and text can also be displayed in separate screens. 
         [0043]    After the contents have been uploaded, the supplementary service providing server  90  preferably requests identification information regarding a TV viewer who is to receive the corresponding contents, and in response to the request, the user inputs identification information (step  104 ). In one embodiment, the identification information can be a phone number of the TV viewer. Also, the supplementary service providing server  90  requests the user provide a name of the contents, a folder name, etc., and in response to the request, the user inputs the requested contents name and folder name (step  106 ). The supplementary service providing server  90  then stores the corresponding contents in a folder of the TV viewer designated by the user. 
         [0044]    In addition, such contents registration may be performed by several PC users for a single TV. For example, children may register contents individually in order to deliver information to their parents. In more detail, for example, a TV viewer having two sons and one daughter can have registered contents as shown in  FIG. 5  including three folders with the names of ‘eldest son’, ‘second son’, and ‘daughter’ in an upper ‘my menu’ folder. Each folder can then contain contents registered by the children. 
         [0045]      FIG. 4  also illustrates a child registering contents and then a parent reviewing the registered contents. As shown in the left side of  FIG. 4  and as discussed above, the child registered contents including a photo, a video clip and a text message that is to be viewed at a later time by their parent. As shown in the right side of  FIG. 4 , the user (parent) can view the registered contents. For example,  FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating a method of viewing or using the registered contents. 
         [0046]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , when the user of the television receiver  2  presses an Internet access key, for example, a ‘myLGtv’ key on the remote controller  42 , the television receiver  2  is connected to the supplementary service providing server  90 , and the supplementary service providing server  90  displays an initial screen image provided (step  120 ). In this state, when the user selects a designated menu item, for example, ‘my menu’ (Yes in step  122 ), the supplementary service providing server  90  recognizes the television receiver  2  based on an IP address and displays the content of the ‘my menu’ folder with respect to the corresponding user (step  124 ). In this instance, when the television receiver  2  first attempts a connection to the ‘my menu’ folder, the supplementary service providing server  90  can request the identification information with respect to the TV viewer. The identification information can be stored in the memory  32  and used for an automatic authentication in a next session. 
         [0047]    Then, when the user selects an item in the folder (Yes in step  126 ), the selected item is executed (step  128 ). Namely, when the selected item is a folder, the selected folder is opened, and when the selected item is a URL with respect to contents, an http request with respect to the selected URL is transmitted to the supplementary service providing server  90  and contents received in response to the http request are displayed on the screen of the television receiver  2 . As described above, when a parent TV viewer requests contents which have been registered by their daughter, the contents registered by the daughter are displayed on the screen as shown at the right side in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0048]    As mentioned above, the television receiver illustrated in  FIG. 1  can reproduce the contents stored in the internal storage device such as the HDD  60  or the USB storage device  62 , reproduce an image signal transferred from the external device such as the DVD player  70  and the BD player  72 , or download and reproduce the contents registered in the external supplementary service providing server  90 , as well as receive and reproduce a broadcast signal. In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, all the contents can be assigned as channels such that the user can view contents by simply manipulating the channel up/down key. 
         [0049]    In more detail,  FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a method of automatically setting a channel according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the microprocessor  30  continuously monitors whether or not an automatic channel setting command is input (step  150 ). For example, the user can manipulate a button provided on an outer surface of the television receiver  2  or the remote controller  42  to request contents are assigned channels. 
         [0050]    When the microprocessor  30  determines the automatic channel setting command is input (Yes in step  150 ), the microprocessor  30  searches broadcast channels in an order of an antenna and a cable, for example. Then, whenever a channel having a signal strength larger than a certain reference value is discovered according to the search result, the microprocessor  30  stores the broadcast channel in a channel main table as shown in  FIG. 8   a  and stores a frequency with respect to each channel in a frequency table as shown  FIG. 8   b  (step  152 ). 
         [0051]    Next, the microprocessor  30  searches a folder storing photo image/video/music contents files in the HDD  60  and/or the USB storage device  62 , checks attributes of the files stored in the searched folder, stores information regarding each folder in the channel main table as shown in  FIG. 8   a , and stores accurate position information regarding contents of each folder in a source table as shown in  FIG. 8   c , thus performing a channel registration process (step  154 ). In addition, the microprocessor  30  searches an external device connected to the television receiver  2 , stores information regarding each of searched devices in the channel main table as shown in  FIG. 8   a  and stores port information regarding each device in the source table as shown in  FIG. 8   c , thus performing a channel registration process (step  156 ). 
         [0052]    The microprocessor  30  also connects to the supplementary service providing server  90  through the Internet to check a personalized menu stored in the server  90 , stores information regarding each menu as shown in the channel main table in  FIG. 8   a , and stores accurate URL regarding each menu in the source table of  FIG. 8   c , thus performing a channel registration process (step  158 ). Also, when performing the steps  152  to  158 , the microprocessor  30  can prompt the user to determine whether to perform a corresponding step before performing each step. 
         [0053]    Thus, through such channel setting process, the channel main table in  FIG. 8   a , the frequency table in  FIG. 8   b , and the source table in  FIG. 8   c  are created. In this state, the viewer can switch to broadcast channels, view contents stored on different devices, etc. by pressing the channel up/down key. That is, the assigned channels can include channels having different physical properties such as a broadcast signal channel, a storage device contents channel, an external input signal channel, an Internet contents channel, and the like. 
         [0054]    Next,  FIG. 9  is a flow chart illustrating a method of reproducing contents based on channel configuration information according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, when the viewer presses a channel up key or a channel down key (Yes in step  180 ), the microprocessor  90  determines a changed channel number according to the key input (step  182 ). Then, the microprocessor  30  determines whether or not the changed channel is an airwaves channel or a cable channel (step  184 ). If the microprocessor  30  determines the changed channel is an airwaves channel or a cable channel (Yes in step  184 ), the microprocessor  30  checks a signal frequency of the corresponding channel with reference to the frequency table of  FIG. 8   b , and controls the TV signal processing unit  10  to receive a signal of the checked frequency and restores an image. Also, the microprocessor  30  stops reading data from the internal storage device such as the HDD  60  and the USB storage device  62  and releases the Internet connection with respect to the supplementary service providing server  90 . 
         [0055]    The microprocessor  30  also controls a switch  24  in  FIG. 1  to connect the image decoder  22  and a display unit  26  to display the image decoded by the image decoder  22  on the display unit  26  (step  186 ). Meanwhile, if the changed channel is determined not to be an airwaves or cable channel (No in step  184 ), the microprocessor  30  determines whether or not the changed channel is a channel for reproducing contents stored in the storage device (step  188 ). If the changed channel is determined to be a channel for reproducing stored contents (Yes in S 188 ), the microprocessor  30  checks a position of a folder with respect to the corresponding channel in the HDD  60  or the USB storage device  62  with reference to the source table of  FIG. 8   c , and sequentially reproduces the contents in the folder (step  190 ). The microprocessor  30  also controls the switch  24  to release the connection between the image decoder  22  and the display unit  26  and switch to receive a signal from the microprocessor  30  to allow reproduced contents to be displayed on the display unit  26 . 
         [0056]    Also, if the changed channel is determined not to be a stored contents reproducing channel (No in step  188 ), the microprocessor  30  determines whether or not the changed channel is a channel for reproducing an image signal transferred from an external device (step  192 ). If the changed channel is determined to be a channel for reproducing an image signal transferred from an external device (Yes in step  192 ), the microprocessor  30  checks the external device with respect to the corresponding channel with reference to the source table of  FIG. 8   c . Namely, the microprocessor  30  checks whether or not the external device is the DVD player  70  or the BD player  72 . Subsequently, the microprocessor  30  drives the checked device to output a signal, receives the output signal, and displays the signal on the display unit  26  (step  194 ). 
         [0057]    If the changed channel is determined not to be a channel for reproducing an image signal transferred from an external device (No in step  192 ), the microprocessor  30  determines whether or not the changed channel is an IP channel, namely, a channel for reproducing contents registered to the supplementary service providing server  90  (step  196 ). If the changed channel is determined to be an IP channel (Yes in step  196 ), the microprocessor  30  checks a URL with respect to the corresponding channel with reference to the source table of  FIG. 8   c , transmits an http request with respect to the corresponding URL to the supplementary service providing server  90 , and displays contents received in response to the http request on the display unit  26  (step  198 ). Meanwhile, if the changed channel is determined not to be an IP channel (No in step  196 ), the microprocessor  90  outputs an error message or guidance message indicating that there is no registered channel, and end the process. 
         [0058]    Accordingly, when the channel selected by the user through the channel up/down key is a broadcast signal channel (channels  6  to  13  in  FIG. 8   a ), a broadcast signal of the corresponding channel is selected and a broadcast image is reproduced, and when the channel selected by the user is a stored contents reproducing channel, contents in the folder of the HDD  60  or the USB storage device  62  mapped to the corresponding channel number are reproduced. For example, when channel  14  is selected, photo images stored in the HDD  60  are displayed on the screen as shown in  FIG. 10   a . When channel  15  is selected, music stored in the HDD  60  is displayed on the screen as shown in  FIG. 10   b . The music can also be played. Also, when channel  16  is selected, video or video clips stored in the HDD  60  are displayed on the screen as shown in  FIG. 10   c.    
         [0059]    In addition, if the channel selected by the user is an external input signal reproducing channel, an external device with respect to the corresponding channel is checked with reference to the source table of  FIG. 8   c  and a signal from the device is reproduced. When the channel selected by the user is an IP channel, a URL with respect to the corresponding channel is checked with reference to the channel main table of  FIG. 8   a  and the source table of  FIG. 8   c , and contents with respect to the corresponding URL is received and displayed. 
         [0060]    In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the user can magnify a portion of contents displayed on the screen of the television receiver  2 . To implement this function, the remote controller  42  of the television receiver  2  according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a region magnification key  200  as shown in  FIG. 11 . The remote controller  42  also includes four direction keys  202  to  208  provided near the region magnification key  200  in order to set a magnification region. 
         [0061]    Next,  FIG. 12  is a flow chart illustrating a method of magnifying a caption of display contents according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the microprocessor  30  determines whether or not the region magnification key  200  is selected (e.g., continuously applied) (step  220 ). When the region magnification key  200  is selected (Yes in step  220 ), the microprocessor  30  pauses a screen image displayed on the display unit  26  and stores a broadcast image signal and a voice signal decoded from then on in the HDD  60  (step  222 ). The microprocessor  30  also temporarily halts or stops a stored contents channel or an IP channel, a request for contents data file with respect to the corresponding channel and a receiving process, and for an external input channel, the operation of a corresponding external device is temporarily stopped. 
         [0062]    Subsequently, the microprocessor  30  displays a guidance message instructing the user to designate a corner point at a region desired to be magnified (step  224 ). For example, the user can designate one corner point of a magnification region by using the four direction keys  202  to  208  and complete designation of the corner point by pressing a region setting key. In particular, the region magnification key  200  can be commonly used as the region setting key. Thus, the microprocessor  30  monitors whether or not the region setting key has been selected or input (step  226 ). 
         [0063]    When the region setting key has been selected (Yes in step  226 ), the microprocessor  30  displays a guidance message instructing the user designate the opposite corner point of the magnification region (step  228 ). Again, the user can designate the opposite corner point of the magnification region using the four direction keys  202  to  208  and complete designation of the magnification region by pressing the region setting key. 
         [0064]    The microprocessor  30  thus monitors whether or not the region setting key has been selected (step  230 ). When the region setting key has been selected (Yes in step  230 ), the microprocessor  30  magnifies the region defined by the two corner points input in steps  226  and  228  and displays the magnified region on the screen (step  232 ).  FIG. 13   a  illustrates an example of designating a magnification region, and  FIG. 13   b  illustrates an example of a corresponding magnified screen. 
         [0065]    Upon checking the content of the magnified screen image, the user can press a function return key to return to the original screen image. Here, the region magnification key  200  may be commonly used as the function return key. The microprocessor  30  then monitors whether or not the function return key is selected (step  234 ). When the function return key is selected (Yes in step  234 ), the current screen image is returned to the original screen image (step  236 ). Also, when the screen image magnification is made while a broadcast image is being reproduced, an image stored in the HDD  60  may be reproduced starting from a point of time when the region magnification key  200  is first pressed or an image decoded at a current time point may be reproduced according to a user selection. 
         [0066]    Further, for a stored contents channel, an external input channel, or an IP channel, preferably, an image is reproduced starting from the time point at which the region magnification key  200  is first pressed. The partial screen image magnification function is also useful when a portion of a screen image or a video clip, as well as a caption including an open caption and a closed caption, is desired to be magnified to be viewed. 
         [0067]    As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.