Abstract:
Multimode appliances with modules which have only TV and INTERNET modes of operation. The module can be controlled with a remote control or a wireless keyboard, both capable of generating signals in the electromagnetic portion of the spectrum. The module may be of the stand alone type, or it may be designed for mounting to an overhead structure such as a kitchen cabinet.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is related to and copending with U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/479,274 filed Jan. 5, 2000. The benefit of the filing date of the of the &#39;274 application is claimed.  
         [0002]    The &#39;274 application is entitled to the benefit of the filing date of provisional application No. 60/115,197 filed Jan. 6, 1999. The benefit of the filing date of the &#39;197 provisional application is also claimed.  
         [0003]    This application is also related to copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/516,247 filed Mar. 1, 2000. The &#39;247 application was copending with provisional application No. 60/174,964 filed Jan. 6, 2000, and that application was copending with provisional application No. 60/115,005 filed Jan. 6, 1999. The benefit of the filing dates of the &#39;247, &#39;964, and &#39;005 applications is also claimed. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention relates to novel, improved appliances which have a TV mode of operation and an INTERNET mode of operation.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Heretofore invented have been certain new and novel appliances with multiple, user-selectable operating modes. The appliances are capable of carrying out different ones of multiple functions. A function is called up by choosing the appropriate, user-selectable mode. Examples of the operating modes which different ones of the subject appliances have and the function of the appliance in each of these modes appear below.  
                                   Mode   Function                   TELEVISION   Allows the user to watch television.       CD   Allows the user to play a conventional audio (or           audio/visual) disk; in this mode the user can also play a           disk of the character described in U.S. Pat.           Nos. 5,724,102 and 5,801,784 to retrieve lessons on a           particular subject or information on performing a           task from the disk.       APPLIANCE   Gives the integrated module control over one or more           appliances - as examples only, a kitchen range,           refrigerator, central heating system, air conditioner, or           central vacuuming system. Also, diagnostic information           on the controlled appliance(s) may be gathered and made           available on the display screen of the appliance and at a           service or repair facility or a user&#39;s cell phone.       SECURITY   Allows one to visually identify and converse with a           person at an entry way, and to unlock a door at the           entry way, all from the location of the appliance;           the appliance can also be used in this mode to monitor           an area remote from the appliance -- a baby&#39;s bedroom,           for example.       INTERNET   Allows a user to log onto and browse the Internet and to           send e-mail messages.                  
 
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It has been found that there is a demand for appliances of the character disclosed in the above-cited &#39;274 and &#39;247 applications which have but two modes of operation—TV and INTERNET. It is suggested in the &#39;274 application that such appliances might be produced by disenabling unwanted modes of an appliance with those, and other, operating modes.  
           [0007]    Now invented, and disclosed herein, are appliances in which the same result—the provision of TV and INTERNET modes only—is achieved in a simpler, novel manner. This is advantageous from the viewpoint of manufacturing and service costs and for other reasons that will become apparent to the reader.  
           [0008]    Like their counterparts disclosed in the &#39;274 and &#39;247 applications, the appliances embodying the principles of the present invention are intended to be controlled by a keyboard or a remote control or both of these types of devices. These devices can also advantageously be made simpler than their previously disclosed counterparts because only two mode selection buttons or keys are needed.  
           [0009]    Another advantage of the novel appliances disclosed herein is that they may be produced in a countertop version or a version in which the appliance is mounted to an overhead structure such as an array of kitchen cabinets.  
           [0010]    Yet another significant advantage of the appliances disclosed herein is that they retain all of the important attributes and features of the appliances disclosed in the &#39;274 and &#39;247 applications.  
           [0011]    The objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be apparent to the reader from the foregoing and the appended claims and as the ensuing detailed discussion and description of the invention proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a generally pictorial view of: (a) a wireless appliance which has user-selectable TV and INTERNET modes of operation; (b) embodies the principles of the present invention; and (c) includes an integrated unit (or module) and two input devices—a remote control and a keyboard—for controlling the operation of the integrated unit, also in accord with the principles of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the FIG. 1 keyboard;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a plan view of the FIG. 1 remote control;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 shows, in block diagram form, the operating components of the FIG. 1 appliance;  
         [0016]    FIGS.  5 - 8  are flow diagrams showing mode selection options that a user of the FIG. 1 appliance may exercise;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9 is a flow diagram showing in more detail the operation of the FIG. 1 appliance operated when the option shown in FIG. 8 is exercised by a user;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 10 is a front view of a second appliance embodying the principles of the present invention; in this case the appliance is mounted to overhead cabinets;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the FIG. 10 appliance;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 12 is a side view of the FIG. 10 appliance showing how a display unit of the FIG. 10 appliance can be quickly folded up and out of the way against the integrated unit of the appliance; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 13 shows how the display unit is first rotated and then folded up against the integrated unit so that the screen of the display unit is protected by the casing of that unit. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]    One currently representative and important application of the present invention is the provision of appliances which are designed for use in a kitchen. A system or appliance suitable for this (and other) applications of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 and identified by reference character  20 .  
         [0023]    The major components of system  20  are: an integrated unit (or module)  22 , a remote control  24 , and a waterproof keyboard  26 . This keyboard is employed by a system user with system  20  in its INTERNET mode of operation in sending e-mail messages, to reach web sites which cannot be accessed by clicking on a link from a home page of controlled context, and to carry out other functions as described in copending application Ser. No. 08/707,623 filed Dec. 17, 1999. Remote control  24  can be similarly used except for composing e-mail messages, a limitation imposed by the lack of character keys.  
         [0024]    Integrated unit  22  includes a television unit  28  which has a CRT (cathode ray tube) screen  30  (or a LED or other display) housed in a cabinet  32 . Conventional onboard controls  34  for television  28  are located on the front panel  36  of cabinet  32 .  
         [0025]    The operating components of integrated unit  22  and ancillary items activated in different operating modes of system  20  are depicted schematically in FIG. 4 and collectively identified by reference character  38 .  
         [0026]    These components include: a video switch/display driver unit  40  and an audio switch/speaker driver unit  42 . Video signals appearing on I/O line  44  (which may be coupled to a VCR or DVD player, for example) or on cable/antenna line  46  are processed by a television controller/digital tuner unit  48  and routed to video and audio units  40  and  42  when appliance  20  is operated in the TV mode to provide a visual display on screen  30  and to produce audible sound by speakers  50  and  52 .  
         [0027]    In the INTERNET mode of operation of appliance  20 , incoming signals appearing on one of the Ethernet, USB, and phone line connections  54 ,  56 , or  58  are processed by an Internet controller  60  with the controller generated signals being routed to video and audio switch/driver units  40  and  42 .  
         [0028]    The display/driver units  40  and  42 , television controller/digital tuner  48 , and Internet controller  60  are located on a main controller board  62  and are powered by a D.C. power supply fed by a 120V a.c. line  64 . The main controller board is mounted on the chassis  66  of appliance  20 .  
         [0029]    Ethernet connection  54  allows appliance  20  to be networked with other, compatible devices such as additional appliances of the character disclosed herein, a scanner, or a printer, to name but a few. The Ethernet connection also lets appliance  20  be connected to the Internet via a DSL or other broad bandwidth link.  
         [0030]    USB connection or port  56  is provided so that ancillary devices which support this type of connection can be connected to appliance  20 . Such devices include, but are not limited to, printers, scanners, external modems and hard drives, data back-ups, etc. Phone line  58  is used for dial-up connections to the Internet.  
         [0031]    Preferred remote controls and keyboards such as those identified by reference characters  24  and  26  communicate with integrated unit  22  of appliance  20  by signals in the infrared portion of the magnetic spectrum.  
         [0032]    Referring now to FIG. 3, the TELEVISION and INTERNET modes of operation are selected by the user of appliance  20  with push button mode controls  78  (TV) and  80  (NET) of remote control  24 , and the integrated unit  22  of the appliance is turned on and off with ON-OFF push button control  82 .  
         [0033]    Remote control  24  also has a numerical keypad  84  with push buttons {circle over ( 1 )} through {circle over ( 0 )} and two groups of push buttons respectively identified by reference characters  86  and  88 . The push buttons of group  86  are employed in the TELEVISION (TV) mode of operation. They function in the same manner as conventional television controls:  
         [0034]    The controls in group  86  are: volume UP and DOWN buttons  90  and  92 , channel UP and DOWN buttons  94  and  96 , and mute button  98 . Channels can also be selected with keypad buttons {circle over ( 1 )}-{circle over ( 0 )}.  
         [0035]    Considering then the buttons in group  88 , HOME button  100  is used in the INTERNET mode of operation of appliance  20  to return an appliance user to a home page. STOP and PAUSE buttons  102  and  104  are also used in the INTERNET mode of operation, typically when streaming video or streaming audio or other downloading of a file is involved. The STOP button  102  returns the system user to the beginning of the file. The PAUSE button  104  stops the downloading operation at the point where the downloading operation is when the button is pushed. Pushing button  104  a second time causes the downloading to continue from the point where it was interrupted.  
         [0036]    UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT buttons  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  are used with appliance  20  in its INTERNET mode of operation to move a cursor  114  (see FIG. 1) around screen  30  of module  22 . GO button  116  is pressed to “click on” and select an option pointed to by cursor  114 .  
         [0037]    Also available with appliance  20  in its INTERNET mode of operation are SCROLL UP, SCROLL DOWN, SCROLL LEFT, and SCROLL RIGHT buttons  117 ,  118 ,  119 , and  120 . The SCROLL buttons are used to shift a displayed website page up, down, left, or right to bring into view a part of a page which is too large to fit on screen  30 .  
         [0038]    Pressing OPTIONS button  121  brings a menu of choices up on screen  30 . With appliance  20  in the INTERNET mode the choice might be:  
         [0039]    Dial Hang-up (connects appliance  20  to and disconnects the appliance from the Internet)  
         [0040]    Refresh  
         [0041]    Go To  
         [0042]    Set-up  
         [0043]    Done (Exit from the menu)  
         [0044]    A representative menu of choices with appliance  20  operating in the TV mode is:  
         [0045]    Video Set-up (brightness, contrast, color, etc.)  
         [0046]    Audio Set-up (bass, treble, stereo or mono)  
         [0047]    Auto Channel Program  
         [0048]    Channel Add  
         [0049]    Video Input (antenna, cable)  
         [0050]    Done  
         [0051]    Choices are made by using buttons  106  . . .  112  to move cursor  114  to the desired choice and then clicking on GO button  116 .  
         [0052]    Also found in control group  88  are BACK and NEXT buttons  122  and  123 . These buttons are used only in the Internet mode of operation of appliance  20 . One surfing the Internet can use BACK button  122  to step back through linked pages that have been brought up on screen  30 . NEXT button  123  is used to step forward through pages that have previously been brought up.  
         [0053]    Additional details of remote control  24  are found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,254 which is hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0054]    Referring now to FIG. 4, keyboard  26  is of the character described above and disclosed in the above-cited, &#39;247 application.  
         [0055]    The keyboard has the above-discussed keys of remote control  24  except for numerical keypad  84 . Instead keyboard  26  has the customary row  141  of numbers {circle over ( 1 )} through {circle over ( 0 )}. The same reference characters have been used to identify the common controls in FIG. 3 (remote control) and FIG. 4 (keyboard).  
         [0056]    Keyboard  26  also has both character and function keys akin to those found on a conventional keyboard. The character keys—collectively identified by reference character  142 -may be those constituting a conventional QWERTY key set. The function keys include Tab, Caps Lock, Left-hand Shift, Right-hand Shift, Control, Alt, Escape, Delete, Space, Enter (Return), and Backspace keys  144  . . .  164  as well as On/Off key  166 .  
         [0057]    Additional details of keyboard  26  appear in copending application Ser. No. 09/466,103 which is hereby incorporated in this application by reference.  
         [0058]    Infrared signals peculiar to the activated push buttons (remote control  24 ) or keys (keyboard  26 ) are transmitted to an IR receiver  168  on main controller board  62 . Receiver  168  transmits appropriate digital commands to Internet controller  60  and television controller/digital tuner  48 .  
         [0059]    FIGS.  5 - 9  disclose different operating schemata for appliance  20 . With the appliance on and in the INTERNET mode, a user may surf to any page on the worldwide web. The user may then elect to watch TV. To do so, he/she presses TV mode button  78  on remote control  24  or keyboard  26 . This results in appliance  20  going into the TV mode.  
         [0060]    Later, the user may decide to return to the web. In the FIG. 5 scenario, the appliance user wises to go to his/her homepage. This is done simply and directly by pressing HOME button  100 . This causes appliance  20  to go back into the INTERNET mode and call up the home page.  
         [0061]    One of the significant features of the present invention is that a user can, with appliance  20  in the INTERNET mode, switch to the TV mode and then back to the INTERNET mode such that the web page that was up when the user switched out of the INTERNET mode will be returned to. How this is accomplished is shown in FIG. 6.  
         [0062]    Again, the scenario is that appliance  20  is turned on and in the INTERNET mode, allowing the user to surf to any page on the web as in the FIG. 5 scenario. Also, as in that scenario, the user can elect to watch TV by pressing TV button  78 . Appliance  20  thereupon goes into the TV mode, maintaining connections with the web page that was up when the user left the INTERNET mode. To reenter the INTERNET mode at the same page, the user presses INTERNET button  80  instead of HOME button  100 . This causes appliance  20  to go back into the INTERNET mode at the same web page that was up when the user switched out of the INTERNET mode.  
         [0063]    [0063]FIG. 7 deals with the scenario which starts with appliance  20  turned off and the user wishing to operate the appliance in the INTERNET mode. This may be accomplished directly by pressing INTERNET button or key  80 . The unit will stay in the INTERNET mode until the appliance is turned off or the TV mode is selected.  
         [0064]    In the scenario depicted in FIG. 8, appliance  20  is turned off, and the user presses ON-OFF button  82 . This causes the appliance to come on in the default, TV mode. The appliance remains in that mode until the user turns off the appliance or selects the INTERNET mode.  
         [0065]    What happens when appliance  20  is turned on and the mode buttons  78  and  80  pressed is shown in more detail in FIG. 9. When the appliance is powered up, it comes on in the default, TV mode as just discussed; and the channel to which the TV unit  28  is set appears on screen  30 . If INTERNET mode button  80  is not pressed, the appliance remains in the TV mode.  
         [0066]    If, instead, INTERNET mode button  80  is pressed, appliance  20  switches to the INTERNET mode; and, if a dial-up Internet service provider is being used, starts dialing the provider&#39;s telephone number. A status message appears at this point on screen  30 . This will typically successively indicate that the provider&#39;s number is being dialed, that the user&#39;s account is active, that the user&#39;s password has been accepted, and that appliance  20  is connected to the Internet. This last message will continue to be displayed until the user disconnects from the Internet by turning appliance  20  off or pressing TV mode button  78 . In the latter instance, screen  30  will continue to display the Internet disconnected message while appliance  20  will switch to the TV mode of operation, and the channel to which TV unit  28  is tuned will be reached.  
         [0067]    The appliance  20  shown in FIG. 1 and discussed above has a free-standing integrated unit or module  22  and is intended to be supported on a kitchen counter or other horizontal surface. FIGS.  10 - 13  illustrate a second TV/INTERNET appliance  170  which is instead designed to be mounted to overhead cabinets such as those collectively identified by reference character  172  in FIG. 10.  
         [0068]    TV  28  displays the channel last selected when TV mode button  78  or ON-OFF button  82  of remote control  24  or ON-OFF button  166  of keyboard  26  is pressed.  
         [0069]    Appliance  170  includes an integrated unit (or module)  174  and a display unit  176  with a flat screen  178 . The display unit is supported from module  174  by a universal type coupling  180 . Commands and data can be inputted to module  174  by remote control  24  or keyboard  26 . Audio speaker units  184  and  186  are located at opposite ends of module cabinet  168 . The operating components of appliance  170  may duplicate those illustrated in FIG. 2 and described above except that appliance  170  has IR receivers on both the integrated unit  174  of the appliance (reference character  190 ) and the display unit (reference character  192 ).  
         [0070]    It was pointed out above that a universal-type coupling mechanism, identified by reference character  180 , is used to connect the display unit  176  of appliance  170  to integrated unit  174 . This allows the display unit to be tilted and rotated to face a viewer (arrow  194 , FIGS. 12 and 13). Furthermore, pivot mechanism  180  allows display unit  176  to be folded up against the module with the screen  178  of the display unit exposed (arrow  196 , FIG. 12) (which is the easiest and fastest) or with the display unit first rotated (arrow  198 , FIG. 13) and then folded upwardly (arrow  200 , FIG. 13) so that the back panel  202  of the display unit housing  196  covers the screen  178  of the display unit, protecting the screen from damage.  
         [0071]    Universal pivot mechanism  180  includes a clutch (not shown) which retains the display unit screen  178  in the orientation to which it is adjusted by a user or other viewer. This is important because a flat screen, which screen  178  is, must be viewed head-on or nearly head- on for the displayed image to be satisfactorily seen.  
         [0072]    For additional details on the universal mechanism  180  and other components of appliance  170 , the reader is referred to copending application Ser. No. 09/516,427 which is hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0073]    The invention may be embodied in many forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. For example, while the input devices described above operate at IR frequencies, this is not a requisite; and devices operating in the radio or other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum can instead be employed. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.