Patent ID: 7797718

Claim:
A television (TV) comprising a display screen, a circuit coupled to the screen, a command input coupled to the circuit and adapted to receive user input TV specific commands, a plurality of input and output ports coupled to the circuit, the plurality of ports including enabling the coupling of first and second sets of audio-video (AV) input devices to the circuit, wherein the plurality of ports include one or more ports enabling communication with the second set of AV input devices over a bidirectional bus and wherein the first set of AV input devices being incapable of communicating over the bidirectional bus, and a control system operating on the circuit and adapted to translate user input TV specific commands to device specific messages to drive the first set of AV input devices via IR signals and drive the second set of input devices via signals communicated over a bidirectional bus when such devices are coupled to the circuit, wherein the control system is adapted to generate a graphical user interface (GUI) displayable on the display screen and coupled to a UI module, the GUI including a device selection menu comprising a plurality of icons corresponding to the plurality of internal AV input devices and external AV input devices when such devices are coupled to the television outputs, and wherein the control system is adapted to direct an audio and/or video signal from a first source device of the plurality of input AV devices to a sink device of the plurality of input AV devices via device specific output messages transmitted from the control system to the plurality of input AV devices while directing a signal from a second source device of the plurality of input AV devices to the television, wherein the first and second source devices and the sink device include one or more analog AV devices selected from the plurality of input AV devices coupled to the circuit.