IP Library Granted Patent US 8,228,439
Granted Patent B2
US 8,228,439 · App. 11/546,439 · Granted Jul 24, 2012

Receiving apparatus and television receiver

Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,228,439
App. No.
11/546,439
Granted
Jul 24, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A television receiver having: an external input terminal to receive a non-RF signal from a first external device, the non-RF signal being a video and/or audio signal which is not modulated into a radio frequency signal; an RF input terminal to receive an RF signal from a second external device, the RF signal being generated by modulating a video and/or audio signal, and an external-input switching unit to perform switching selection to the non-RF signal received through the external input terminal, wherein the external-input switching unit is capable of tuning in a frequency of RF signal transferred through the RF input terminal to perform switching selection to a receiving channel when the detecting unit detects that an RF signal has been transferred through the RF input terminal.

Claims (28)

1. A television receiver comprising:

an antenna to receive a television broadcast RF signal from a television broadcast station;

an external input terminal to receive a non-RF signal from a first external device, the non-RF signal being a video and/or audio signal which is not modulated into a radio frequency signal;

an RF input terminal to receive an RF signal from a second external device, the RF signal being a video and/or audio signal which is modulated into a radio frequency signal;

a detecting unit to judge at a predetermined timing whether or not the RF signal is received by the RF input terminal;

an external-input switching unit to switch between the antenna, the external input terminal, and the RF input terminal;

a display screen including: a television output screen on which an image of the television broadcast RF signal received by the antenna is displayed; an external input terminal output screen on which an image of the non-RF signal received by the external input terminal is displayed; and an RF input terminal output screen on which an image of the RF signal received by the RF input terminal is displayed, wherein when the external-input switching unit switches to the antenna, the external input terminal, or the RF input terminal, the external-input switching unit switches to the television output screen, the external input terminal output screen, or the RF input terminal output screen, respectively;

a tuner to tune to the RF signal when the RF signal is received by the RF input terminal so as to specify a receiving channel of the RF signal;

a selecting unit with which a user selects whether or not to allow the external-input switching unit to activate a function of switching to the RF input terminal to a predetermined receiving channel; and

a channel selecting unit with which the user selects the predetermined receiving channel, the RF signal of which is received by the RF input terminal, wherein

when the detecting unit judges that the RF signal is received by the RF input terminal, and the external-input switching unit is allowed to activate the function of switching to the RF input terminal by the user with the selecting unit, the external-input switching unit switches to the RF input terminal, thereby switching to the RF input terminal output screen on which the image of the predetermined receiving channel of the RF signal is displayed, the predetermined receiving channel being specified by the tuner.

2. A receiving apparatus comprising:

an antenna to receive a television broadcast RF signal from a television broadcast station;

an external input terminal to receive a non-RF signal from a first external device, the non-RF signal being a video and/or audio signal which is not modulated into a radio frequency signal;

an RF input terminal to receive an RF signal from a second external device, the RF signal being a video and/or audio signal which is modulated into a radio frequency signal;

an external-input switching unit to switch between the antenna, the external input terminal, and the RF input terminal;

a display screen including: a television output screen on which an image of the television broadcast RF signal received by the antenna is displayed; an external input terminal output screen on which an image of the non-RF signal received by the external input terminal is displayed; and an RF input terminal output screen on which an image of the RF signal received by the RF input terminal is displayed, wherein when the external-input switching unit switches to the antenna, the external input terminal, or the RF input terminal, the external-input switching unit switches to the television output screen, the external input terminal output screen, or the RF input terminal output screen, respectively; and

a tuner to tune to the RF signal when the RF signal is received by the RF input terminal so as to specify a receiving channel of the RF signal when the RF signal is being received by the RF input terminal and a user has previously specified a predetermined receiving channel for the RF input terminal.

3. The receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising:

a detecting unit to judge at a predetermined timing whether or not the RF signal is received by the RF input terminal, wherein

when the detecting unit judges that the RF signal is received by the RF input terminal, the external-input switching unit switches to the RF input terminal, thereby switching to the RF input terminal screen on which the image of the receiving channel of the RF signal is displayed, the receiving channel which is specified by the tuner.

4. The receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising a selecting unit with which a user selects whether or not to allow the external-input switching unit to activate a function of switching to the RF input terminal.

5. The receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising a selecting unit with which a user selects whether or not to allow the external-input switching unit to activate a function of switching to the RF input terminal.

6. The receiving apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a channel selecting unit with which a user selects the receiving channel, the RF signal of which is received by the RF input terminal.

7. The receiving apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a channel selecting unit with which the user selects the receiving channel, the RF signal of which is received by the RF input terminal.

8. The receiving apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising a channel selecting unit with which the user selects the receiving channel, the RF signal of which is received by the RF input terminal.

9. The receiving apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a channel selecting unit with which the user selects the receiving channel, the RF signal of which is received by the RF input terminal.

10. The receiving apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the external-input switching unit includes an input switching key, and when the input switching key is pressed, the television screen, the external-input terminal screen, and the RF input terminal screen are switched in a predetermined order.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2006
From: TAKAGI, TOSHIHIRO; INUI, YASUHIRO
To: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 018732/0984 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2005-299163 · Oct 13, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20070085933A1 · Apr 19, 2007