Abstract:
A signal received by a television over a communication medium is interrogated for the presence of a remotely transmitted ping. The television is operated in response to detection of the presence of the ping in the received signal. The television is locked against use in response to failing to detect the presence of the ping in the received signal.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]    The technical field of the present disclosure relates to the detection of television theft. 
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]    Televisions are frequently used in facilities to which the public has ready access. For example, televisions are provided in hotels and motels so that their guests may enjoy entertainment and may receive information about services offered by the hotels and motels. The theft of televisions from such facilities has not historically been a significant problem due in large part to the weight of the televisions. However, with the advent of flat screen televisions, the weight of televisions has, been materially reduced. As a result, theft of televisions has been on the increase. 
         [0003]    Accordingly, deterrence of television theft is needed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0004]    Features and advantages of a television theft deterrence arrangement will become more apparent from a detailed consideration of the drawings in which; 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a television equipped to deter theft; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of a ping that can be used in connection with the television of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart representing operations of a ping detector of the television of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart representing; alternative operations of a ping detector of the television of  FIG. 1 ; and, 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment of a television equipped to deter theft. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a system  10  includes a head end  12  and a television  14  coupled to one another by a communication medium  16 . As explained below, the television  14  is equipped to deter its theft. 
         [0011]    The head end  12 , for example, may be a server located in a facility in which the television  14  is also located. Alternatively, the head end  12  may be a receiver, a server, and/or other processing equipment that is located in the facility and that receives a satellite feed to supply television programs and other content to the television  14 . Other alternatives are possible. 
         [0012]    The communication medium  16  may be a cable that couples the head end  12  to the television  14 . Alternatively, the communication medium  16  may be a wireless channel that couples the head end  12  to the television  14 . Other alternatives are possible. 
         [0013]    The head end  12  intermittently transmits a ping  18  over the communication medium  16  to the television  14 . For example, the ping  18  may be transmitted periodically such as daily, hourly, or otherwise. Alternatively, the ping  18  may be transmitted aperiodically so as make its unauthorized replication more difficult. 
         [0014]    The television  14  includes a ping detector  20  that is arranged so that, if it does not receive the ping  18  as expected, the ping detector  20  locks the television  14  so as to prevent any further use of the television  14 . For example, the ping detector  20  can be arranged to lock the television  14  off to prevent users from turning the television  14  on. Alternatively, the ping detector  20  may be arranged to display a screen on the television  14  to inform the user that the user is not authorized to operate the television  14  and to otherwise prevent the television  14  from displaying video and/or audio. In order to avoid locking of the television  14  when the ping  18  is not transmitted by the head end  12  or received by the television  14  due to events, such as power interruptions, that are not related to theft, the ping detector  20  may be arranged; to lock the television  14  only when a predetermined number (such as three) of consecutive pings  18  are not received and detected. 
         [0015]    The ping  18  may be an in-band ping or an out-of-band ping. In the case of an out-of-band ping, the ping  18 , for example, may be a signal including a predetermined frequency or mixture of frequencies and/or having a predetermined duration that is detectible by the ping detector  20 . If an out-of-band signal is used, a tuner other than the television&#39;s tuner may be required to tune to the out-of-back signal. If an in-band ping is used, the television&#39;s tuner can be used to tune the in-band signal. 
         [0016]    in the case of either an out-of-band ping or an in-band ping, the ping  18 , for example, may have the construction shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the ping  18  is a private data packet having a packet identification (PID) portion  18 A and a code portion  18 B. The PID portion  18 A allows the ping detector  20  to identify the ping  18  as a ping. The code portion  18 B may include a code comprising meaningful characters and may be used for any purpose. For example, the code in the code portion  18 B may be used to identify a particular facility. Thus, if the television  14  is moved to an unauthorized facility that happens to have a pinging system, the ping detector  20  will not recognize the code in the pings transmitted by the unauthorized facility and will lock the television  14 . 
         [0017]    The code portion  18 B of the ping  18  may be programmable by the head end  12 . Thus, by configuring the television  14  to appropriately respond to the differently programmed code portions  18 B increased operational multiple tiers of service, such as the display of different screens on the television  14 , disabling of different functions of the television  14 , and/or permitting access only to a menu of location service offerings, as determined by the particular code in the code portion  18 E. Additionally or alternatively, authorization for programs could be provided during periods of time set by the code in the code portion  18 B. Still additionally or alternatively, codes in the code portion  18 B could be used to designate corresponding locations in which the system  10  is used. Other uses for the code in the code portion  18 B are possible. 
         [0018]    The code portion  18 B of the ping  18  may also be provided with security. This security could be used to protect against using the code in the code portion  18 B to effect unauthorized changes to the tiered services or false authorizations to programs. Security can be provided, for example, by encrypting or scrambling the code in the code portion  18 B based on an initialization parameter such as the location number. 
         [0019]    In one embodiment, the ping detector  20  is firmware or a hardwired circuit that provides the functions as described above. In another embodiment, the ping detector  20  is software that provides the functions as described above. In this latter embodiment, the ping detector  20 , for example, may include a processor that executes the software, which is stored in a memory to which the processor is coupled. 
         [0020]    The detection process, either implemented as software or by a circuit or firmware, may be represented by the flow chart of  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the ping detector  20  determines at  30  whether it has detected the ping  18 . If the ping detector  20  detects the ping  18 , the ping detector  20  resets a ping timer at  32 . This ping timer keeps track of the amount of elapsed time since the ping detector  20  detected the last ping. The determination at  30  is made on an intermittent basis and should preferably be made more than once during the time out period of the ping timer. After the ping timer is reset at  32 , a ping failure count variable i is reset such as to zero at  34  and flow returns to  30  to await the next determination. 
         [0021]    If the ping detector  20  does not detect the ping  18  at  30 , the ping detector  20  at  36  determines whether the ping timer has timed out. If not, flow returns to  30  to await the next determination. If the ping detector  20  at  36  determines that the ping timer has timed out, the ping failure count variable i is incremented by one at  38  and the ping detector  20  at  40  determines whether the ping failure count variable i has reached a count threshold Th. 
         [0022]    If the ping detector  20  at  40  determines that the ping failure count variable i has not reached the count threshold Th, the ping detector  20  resets the ping timer at  42  and flow returns to  30  to await the next determination. However, if the ping detector  20  at  40  determines that the ping count failure variable i has reached the count threshold Th, the ping detector  20  at  44  locks the television  14  in any manner such as those discussed above. 
         [0023]    In this manner, a predetermined number of consecutive pings must be missed before the television  14  is locked. However, if it is desired to lock the television  14  when just one ping is missed, then either the count threshold Th can be set to one or blocks  32 ,  34 ,  38 ,  40 , and  42  can be bypassed or eliminated. 
         [0024]    In the case where the ping  18  includes the code portion  18 B, the detection process may be represented by the flow chart of  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the ping detector  20  determines at  50  whether it has detected the ping  18  (such as by use of the PID). If the ping detector  20  detects the ping  18 , the ping detector  20  determines at  52  whether the code in the code portion  18 B of the ping  18  is correct, e.g., matches a code stored in the ping detector  20 . If the ping detector  20  determines at  52  that the code in the code portion  18 B of the ping  18  is correct, the pine detector at  54  resets a ping timer. As before, this ping timer keeps track of the amount of elapsed time since detection of the last ping. The determination at  50  is made on an intermittent basis and should preferably be made more than once during the time out period of the ping timer. After the ping timer is reset at  54 , a ping failure count variable i is reset such as to zero at  36  and flow returns to  50  to await the next determination. 
         [0025]    If the ping detector  20  does not detect the ping  18  at  50 , the ping detector  20  at  58  determines whether the ping timer has timed out. If not, flow returns to  50  to await the next determination. If the ping detector  20  at  58  determines that the ping timer has timed out, the ping detector  20  at  60  increments the ping failure count variable i by one. The ping detector  20  at  62  determines whether the ping failure count variable i has reached a count threshold Th. 
         [0026]    If the ping detector  20  at  62  determines that the ping failure count variable i has not reached the count threshold Th, the ping detector  20  resets the ping timer at  64  and flow returns to  50  to await the next determination. However, if the ping detector  20  at  62  determines that the ping failure count variable i has reached the count threshold Th, or if the ping detector determines at  52  that the code in the code portion  18 B of the ping  18  is not correct, the ping detector  20  at  66  locks the television  14  in any manner such as those as discussed above. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , a system  100  includes a head end  102  and a television  104  coupled to one another by a communication medium  106 . As explained below, the television  104  is equipped to deter its theft. 
         [0028]    The head end  102 , for example, may be a server located in a facility in which the television  104  is also located. Alternatively, the head end  102  may be a receiver, a server, and/or other processing equipment that is located in the facility and that receives a satellite feed to supply television programs and other content to the television  104 . Other alternatives are possible. 
         [0029]    The communication medium  106  may be a cable that couples the head end  102  to the television  104 . Alternatively, the communication medium  106  may be a wireless channel that couples the head end  102  to the television  104 . Other alternatives are possible. 
         [0030]    The head end  102  transmits a ping  108  over the communication medium  106  to the television  104 . For example, the ping  108  may be transmitted periodically such as daily, hourly, or otherwise. Alternatively, the ping  108  may be transmitted aperiodically according to predetermined pattern so as make its unauthorized replication more difficult. 
         [0031]    The television  104  includes a tuner  110  that provides a tuned output to a demultiplexer  112 . The demultiplexer  112  routs video in the tuned output from the tuner  110  to a video processor  114 , and the demultiplexer  112  routs audio in the tuned output from the tuner  110  to an audio processor  116 . The video processor  114  supplies video to a television display, and the audio processor  116  supplies audio to one or more speakers. 
         [0032]    A television controller  118  controls the tuner  110 , the demultiplexer  112 , the video processor  114 , and the audio processor  116  in order to display selected programs and/or information to the user. The user controls the television controller  118  by use of an input device  120 . The input device  120 , for example, is a remote control unit and/or a switch pad located on the chassis of the television  104 . 
         [0033]    The television controller  118  is programmed or arranged according to  FIG. 3  or  4  to detect the ping  108  so that, if the television controller  118  does not detect the ping  18  as expected, the television controller  118  locks the television  104  so as to prevent any further use of the television  104 . For example, the television controller  118  can be arranged to lock the television  104  off to prevent users from operating the television  104 . For this purpose, the television controller  118  may be arranged to disabling the tuner  110  or the demultiplexer  112  or an on/off switch. Alternatively, the television controller  118  may be arranged to display a screen on the television  104  to inform the user that the user is not authorised to operate the television  104  and to otherwise prevent the television  104  from displaying video and/or audio. In order to avoid locking of the television  104  when the ping  108  is not transmitted by the head end  102  or received by the television  104  due to events such as power interruptions that are not related to theft, the television controller  118  may be arranged to lock the television  104  only when a predetermined number (such as three) of consecutive pings  108  are not received and detected. 
         [0034]    The ping  108  may be an in-band ping or an out-of-band ping. In the case of an out-of-band ping, the ping  108 , for example, may be a signal having a predetermined frequency or mixture of frequencies and a predetermined duration that is detectible by the television controller  118 . 
         [0035]    In the case of either an out-of-band ping or an in-band ping, the ping  108 , for example, may have the construction shown in  FIG. 2  and may be used by the television controller  118  in a similar manner as described above. 
         [0036]    In one embodiment, the television controller  118  is firmware or a hard wired circuit that provides the functions as described above. In another embodiment, the television controller  118  is software that provides the functions as described above. In this latter embodiment, the television controller  118 , for example, may be a processor that executes the software, which is stored in a memory to which the processor is coupled. 
         [0037]    The software or the firmware of hard wired circuit may be represented by the flow chart of  FIG. 3  or  FIG. 4 . 
         [0038]    If desired, the facility within which the television is used may place a sign in the vicinity of the television to alert users that the television can be used only within the facility and that the television will not operate outside of the facility. 
         [0039]    Certain modifications of the present invention have been discussed above. Other modifications of the present invention will occur to those practicing in the art of the present invention. 
         [0040]    For example, as discussed above, the code portion  18 B may be used for any purpose such as for identifying a particular facility. The code in the code portion  18 B, however, may include a code comprising meaningless characters. 
         [0041]    Also, the time out period tested at  36  and  58  may be constant or may be variable. In the latter case of a variable time out period, the time between pings may likewise be variable. 
         [0042]    Additionally, as discussed above, the ping may be a signal either including a predetermined frequency or mixture of frequencies or an ID portion and a code portion. In the case of ping including an ID portion and a code portion, the code portion may contain a code linking the television to a facility. However, in the case of ping including a predetermined frequency or a mixture of frequencies, the predetermined frequency or a mixture of frequencies may be uniquely selected so as to link the television to a facility. 
         [0043]    Accordingly, the description of the present invention is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention. The details may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the exclusive use of all modifications which are within the scope of the appended claims is reserved.