CA1205177A - Television receiver with multiple input terminals - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A television receiver is provided with two or more input terminals for receiving respective RF input signals from an antenna and an auxiliary device, such as a personal computer or a video game. The antenna may receive a plurality of broadcast signals having different frequencies characteristic of respective channels and such broadcast signals are applied to the receiver at a first input terminal. An auxiliary signal which also has a characteristic frequency may be received from the auxiliary device at a second input terminal which is located on a front panel of the cabinet of the receiver for improved ease of connecting and disconnecting the auxiliary device. For selecting either one of such broadcast signals received at the first input terminal or the auxiliary signal from the second input terminal, the television receiver has a plurality of manually actuable channel selecting switches and a manually actuable second terminal selecting switch mounted on the cabinet of the receiver, and the receiver is tuned for the signal frequency corresponding to the actuated switch. An interlock arrangement insures that only one switch at a time is actuated and enables the operator to select a channel or the auxiliary device in a single actuation. The television receiver may have additional input terminals for receiving similarly selected external signals each having a characteristic frequency, from, for example, a directional antenna or a dish antenna receiving a satellite telecommunications broadcast.

Description

~5~77 S01~54 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field Of The Invention This invention relates generally to television receivers and, more particular~y, is directed ~o a television receiver ~or receiving an input signal from ~ither an antenna or ~n auxiliary device.

~9~ , With the growing popularity of personal computers and vid~o games, it has become desirable to con~ect the person21 computer or video game to a conventional ~elevision rece:i.Yer so that the picture tube o the receiver may serve as a disp:lay device for the video game or personal computer.
In this way, the extra ~xpense and wasted ~p~ce of providing a ~eparate picture tube or CRT for the personal computer or video game are ~voided. In addition0 the availab.ility of di.sh antennas has made ~ossible the direct reception of satellite ~elecommunications broadcasts in individual homes, pxovlded the dish antenna may be conveniently connected to the televi6ion receiver.
A conventional television receiver according to the pri~r art has a ~ingle input terminal for connection to ~n antenna. The antenna receives a plurality of RF
~roAdcast channel ~ignals oorresponding to different televi~ion ~tations, or ~hannels, and one of the broadcast ~ignal~ i~ selected for display on the picture tube by ~elsctive actuation of the pu~hbuttons or a dial mounted on the r~ceiver ~or easy ~cces~, A tuning ~tage in the ~elevision receiver responds to a~ua~ion of a push-button, for ~xample, in r~sponse to a ~hara~teri~tic tuning volt~ge provided by actuation of the push-button, for tuning the r~ceiver to a part.icular ~hannel~

-2-~2C1 ~77 To use the television receiver as a aisplay device for a video game, ~or example, the output cable of the video ~am~ must be connected ~o ~he ~elevision re~eiver thr~ugh thQ input te~ninal of the latter and one of the channel-~electing push-buttons must be actuated to tune the receiver ~or the RF frequency characteristic of the video game output~ In order ~o avoid the necessity of physically ~isconnectinq the antenna and a~taching the output cable of ~he video game to t.he television receiver every time it is ~esi~ed to change from one to the other, an external or auxiliary switGhing device has been proposed as an accessory ~ terposed between the receiver input terminal and the antenna and video game or persvnal eomputer. In one condi~ion of the switching device, khe antenna is connected t.o the receiver input terminal and one of the channel~
selecting push-buttons on the receiver may be actuated to select the televis.ion signal ~eing broadcast by the ~espective channel for display on the CRT. In another condi~.ion o~ the auxiliary ~witching device established by actuation of a condition-selecting push-button or actuating knob on the switching device, the output cable o the video ~rne or personal computer ~s ~onnected to the receiver input te~n.inal, ~nd ~nother of the channel~selecting push-buttons, for examplP, ~ne associated with a channel not received at the location of the television receiver, is actuated ko tune the receiver ~or the frequency of the output o~ the video game or ~omputer.
Nowe~er, ~he operation o~ this prior art apparatus-.
presents distinct disadvantages. ~his apparatus employs ~witches or push~buttons on two separate object~ hat i5 ~2~5~7~7 ~01854 ~he channel-selecting push-button~ on ~he television receiver and the ~ondition-selecting push-button or knob on the ~witching device. Change-over from wa~ching a ~articulax TV station to playing a video game requires operation of the condition selecting push~button on the te~i.nal switching device or acces~ory, and al~o actuation Df the one of the channel selecting push~buttons correspondlng to tuning for the xequency of ~he video game ou~put. Similarly, ehange-over from playing the video game ~o .recei~ing a desired station or channel on the television receiver xequires first that the condition-selecting push~buttvn of the switching device be operated to eonnect the ancenna with the receiver input terminal an~l then one of t~e ~hannel-selecting push-buttons must b2 opexated to select the desired channel~ Thus, two operations are ne~essary in changing over from one to the other of the display of the video game and the display of the desired channel.
Additionally, ~ince the prior art apparatus requires ~wo independent devices or housings, ~hat is, ~he television receiver and the ~witching ~evice ~r a~cessory, the resulting combination may be unsightly and may take up more space than a user wishes to employ ~or that purpose.
Al~o, it m.ight be necessary, in some in~tances, to install the switching devire at a distance from the television reeeiver~ ~nd the resulting inconvenience to the user in walking back and forth betw~en the two is likely to create consumex dlssatisfaction.
These same di6a~van~ages apply to the ~hange-over from wat~hing a p~rticular TV ~tation to viewing a ~ignal . ~2~5~77 S0185~

from a dixection~l antenna employed for removing ~host images or from a di~h antenna for receiving a satellite telesommunications broad~ast~
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this lnvention to pro~ide a ~elevision receiver that avoids the above-des~ribed difficulties encounterea with the prior art~
More particularly, it i~ an object of this .inventi-~n to provide a television receiver which may selectively receive an input signal from either a ~onven~ionRl antenna ox an auxiliary device, such as a vide~
game or personal computer, or from an additional antenna, wi.thout employing an external switchins device or accessory.
It is a further object of this invention to pxo~Yide a television receiver having a plurality of input ~e~.minals adapted for connection to an antenna and to an ~lu~iliary device, such as, ~ video game or computer and a terminal selector mounted on the cabinet of the television rec~iver itself for selecting one of the input terminals.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a television receiver with a plurality of input terminals, a~ aforesaid, and in which the input terminal adapted for co.nnection to an auxiliary device is located ~n a fxont panel of the cabinet o~ the receiver.
It is another objec~ of this invention to provide a ~elevision receiverS ~s aforesai~ in which ~hange~over between display of a televi~ion picture being broadcast on a 8elec$ed channel and display of the output of a video game or computer ~an be simply effected, for example, by ~t.uation of a single push-button or the li~e.

~2~S~77 It i~ yet a further object of this inventi~n to provide J un~fied television receiver and input terminal lector which is at ractive and easily set up and op~rated.
In a~cordance with an aspect of this invention, a television receiver includes at least two input terminals for receiving respective input ~ignals, an antenna connQcted to a first of these erm.inals for applying an antenna input ~ignal thereto~ a second of these ~nput terminals being located on a ~ront panel of $he cabinet of the receiver and adapted o:c connection to an auxiliary input device~ such as, a video game or a comput2r, or xeceiving an auxiliary input s.ignal from the latter, inp~t terminal selection means fox selec~.ing one of these ~erminals as a selected terminal, and contxol means cooperating with the terminal ~election means for tuning the receiver to pre~ent a d.isplay cor~e3ponding to an input ~ignal applied to ~he selected te~ninal.
~ he above, and other objectsr features and advantages of the invention will be apparent in the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of the invention, which is to be read ~n connection with the accompany.ing drawinys.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE Dn~wlNGs Fig. 1 is a ~chematic ~ide elevational view of a televi~ion receiver and ~epaxate switch~ng device according to the prior art;
Fig. 2 is a ~chematic Eide elevational view of a televi~ion receiver accor~ing ~o ~ first embodiment of the present invention;

~ 77 S01854 Fig. 3 is a schematic front elevational view of the television receiver o Fig~ 2;
~ ig. 4 is a circuit diagram shown a principal part of the television receiver of Fig. 2;
Fi~. 5 i6 a cixcuit diagram showing a principal part in a modification of the television receiver of Fig. 2 ~ccording to thi~ invention;
Fig. 6 is a schematic side elevational view of a televis.ion xecei~er according to a second emb~diment of the presPnt inven~ion; ~nd Fig. ~ is a circuit diagram ~howing a principal part of the television receivex of Fig, 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Before proceeding with a detailed description of ~he invention, ~eference will be made to Fig. l as showing ~n arrangemellt according to tlle prior ar~ for selectively ,~pplyin~ a plurali~y of inputs to a television receiver 1 havin~ a single input terminal 2. In such priox art arrangement, a 6witching device 3 is provided apart from, or as an external accessory ~or television receiver l and has an output terminal 3a con~e~ted to the-television re~eiver 1 via a ca~le 4 connected to input t~rminal 2. The antenna switching device 3 ~urther has two input terminals 5 and 6.
A conv~ntional an~enna 7 for receiving ~roadcast signal~ on different channels or stations is conne~ted to switching device 3 through input terminal 5, while an auxiliary input device, ~hown ~s a video game 8, is connected ~o inpu~
terminal 6 of ~wi~hing de~rice 3 ~ia an output cable 9. A
condition selecting but~on (n~t illustrated~ on switching devi~e 3 is actuable to ~eleet ~ither input terminal 5 or ~ 5~7 S01854 lnput terminal 6, that i8, either an antenna input signal or game input signal, respectively, for co~nection through output 3a t~ receiver input terminal 2. The signal xeceived at input terminal 2 is transmitted to ~uner 10 by collventi~nal means~ The television receiver 1 also has a CR~ 11 and a number of channel ~electing push-buttons (not illustrated) corresponding ~o the various television ~tations ~r ohannel~. It will be appreciated that the push-buttons are ~ele~t.ively ac~uable to tune the receiver ~or the RF frequencies with which television signals are broadcast in the respective channels~ Further, one ~f the ~ush buttons~ prefei-ably one corresponding to a channel whi~h ic not receivable a~ the location of the ~elevision receiver, is actuable o tune the receiver for the RF
:r~quency o~ the output rom the video yame 8 or other ~uxilia.ry input device.
In the operation of this prior art arrangement, :receiver 1 may be used as a conventional television receiver when the condition-selecting push-button is in the position to ~elect input terminal S of ~wit~hing device 3. In such case, any antenna input or broadcast slgnal received by antenna 7 may be displayed on CRT ll by operation of the appropriate channel ~election push-~utton to tune the receiver accordinglyO Alternatively, the ~ondition ~electing button may be moved to ~elect input terminal 6 which receive~ the output ~ignal from video game 8. In that ~ase, the one of the channel-~electing push-buttons whi~h is operable for tuning the receiver 1 to the RF ~requency of the output ~rom video game ~.must also be actuated.
Sim.ilarly~ change-over rom ~isplaying ~he auxiliary ~ignal from video game 8 to displaying a broadcast television ~ignal ~rom a selected channel or station requires first the astu~tion of the condition selecting button on switching devlce 3 for again applying the antenna signal to input term:inal ~ ~nd then the further actuation of one o~ the pu~hobuttons for ~electing the desired channel. If the television xeceiYer 1 and switching device 3 are remote from each other, the actuation of push-buttons on both the rec iver and ~witching device can prove quite inconvenient.
Further 9 the provision o switchin~ device 3 as an accessory or separ~te component external from khe television receiver oan result in a eluttered or unsightly appearance and in an undesirable increase in the space required therefor.
Frequently~ in order to avoid such unsightly appearance, the switchin~ device 3 is often disposed in back oF the receiver 1~ but that only adds to the inconvenience involved in chan~ln~over ~rom one input sign~l source to ~nother.
Referxing now to Fig. ?, in which elements corresponding to those described above with reference to the prior art arxangement of Fig. l ar4 identified by ~he ~ame reference numerals, i~ will be seen that a television receiver 1~ acoording to an embodiment of this invention has a ~RT 11 ~or displaying a ~elected one of input signals appliea to input terminals 2a and 2b. More particularly, input terminal 2a, shvwn disposed at the back of receiver lA, i~ ~dapted t~ be conne~ted to an antenna 7 ~or re~eiving broadca~ 6ignal~ therefrom, and input terminal 2b i5 adapte~ ~o be connected by cable 9 ~o video game 8 for receiving the output signal from the latterO In ~ccordance with th~ invention, input terminal 2b is located on a front ~5~ S01854 panel 12 of receiver lA ~o ~ha~ the video game 8 or other auxiliary input device may be readily connected or disconnected~
Mounted at the front of television ~eceiver lA is a channel selector assembly 13 shown to inclu~e a plurality of VHF channel selecting push buttons 13a-131 a~d a UHF
channel selecting push-button 13m, which are ~electively actuable or depressible for tuning the receiver to a respective channel. Also on the front panel 12 is an on-off powe~ switch 14~
Additionally, on the front panel 12 of receiver lA
is arl input terminal selectox 15, shown in the form of a push~button, which is operable to select input terminal 2b by manual actuation in the same manner that a particulax ch~nnel is ~elected so that the receiver is tuned to the cha.racteristic frequency corresponding to the signal from ~he auxiliary device. I~ w.ill J of course, be understood that more than two input terminals could be provided on a television receiver according to the present invention, and in a ~econd embodiment discussed hereinafter,selectors are provided to select any one of these additional input tenminal~0 The terminal ~elector 15 i5 desirahly ~ocated at the frQnt of television receiver lA adjacent or near to channel ~el~ctor assembly 13 ~o as to form a unified ~election panel therewith, ss may be ~een in ~ig. 3/ The selection panel further inclu~es a volume control 17.- The chan~el ~ele~ting push-buttons 13a-13m and the ~elec~or 1~
eont.rol the tuning of the television receiver lA to display 5~7 either a televi~ion ~ignal broadcast on a particular channel or the ouput o the video game 8.
Input terminals 2a and ~b are both connected to a ~witching circuit 16, which provides the me~ns by which a selected signal from either of the terminals is transmitted to.~ conventional tuning stage or tuner 10 and also provides an appropriate control voltage ~c to the tuner 10 for tuning the receiver to display the selected signal~ More particularly, ~he tuner or tuning ~tage 10 (Fig. 2) may include, for example, a varactor (no~ shown), that is, an analog voltage controlled variable xeactance device, ~uch as, a variable capacitance diode, employed as the tuning elemen~, and the control voltage Vc therefor is obtained ~y means of a potentiometer array.
In the embodiment vf this invention ~own in Fig.
~, ~uch a potentiometer array is provided ;n the channel selectQr assembly comprised of tuning voltage ~ections, of which sections 18a and 18m~ which ~orrespond to the channel ~electing push-button~ 13a and 13m, respectively, and an additional tuning voltage ~ection 18T associated with ~elector 15, are illutrated. Of course, one tuning voltage ~ection .is provided for each channel represented in t~e assembly 13.
~ he tuning voltage sections 18aO..18m~ 18T are shown to be ~imilar ln ~onstruction and are ~omprised respectively of selecting ~witche~ 19a l9m, l9T, and 20a...20m, 20~, potentiome~er~ 21a...21m, 21T, respectiv~ly, and visual indicator~ 22a...22m, 22T, respec~ively, for example, in the form of neon.lights or LEDs. Tuning vol~age~

3ection~ lBa,..18m, 18T further include triple po~e change over ~witches 23a.O~23m, and ~3T, respectively, ~or ~Z~77 ~185 connection to l~ne~ and U ~orresponding to the ~re~uency ba~ds for low ~requency ~hannels 1-3, high frequen~y ~hannels 4-13, and UHF, re~pectively.. Thes~ lines L, ~ ~nd U ~re connected to the tuner 10 by conventional ~ircuitry (not illu~trated) and ~re conventionally u~ed, ~ith the control voltage Ve to provide ~road tuning ~apability to the recei~er over a wide range Df ~requencies, ~ ince the tuning voltage ~ect~ons 18a.~.18m and 18T (and the remaining, unillustra~d ~ections eorreRponding ~o the other channels) ~re ~imi~ar, ~nly the interconnections and operation~ of ~witches 19a, 20a, poten~i~meter 21aO visual indicator 22a and ch~n~e-over ~wi~ch ~3a in ~ection 18a will be described in detail, and it will be understood that the interconnections and operations of the corresponding ~omponents in the other ~ections are generally the same.
In ~uning voltage ~ection 18a/ normally open ~witches 19a And 20a are construc~ed or g~nge~ to opèn ~nd clo~e ~ogether. The resistance element 24~ o~ po~en~iometer 21~ i~ connected between ~ te ~ inal 25 ~onnec~ed to ~ ~ource of oper~ting voltage ~Vp (whi~h ~ay be~33V) an~ ~ t~rminal 26 connected ~o ground. ~hs visual indicator 22a i~
~onnected ~n ~eries with switch 20a between a termin~l 27 ~onnected to a ~uitable ~our~e of operati~g voltage ~VN ~nd ~ terminal ~onnected to line U, ~ or ~, a~ ~ppxopria~e for the ~elected ~ha~nel.
Upon the ~imul~neou~ closing of ~he ~ormaliy open ~witches l9a and 20 , a suitabl~ predetermin~a ~uning voltay. Vc ~s obtained a~ ~he ~ov~ble tap of po~ent~omete~

~12-~Z~ 7 2~a ~nd txansmitted through ~losed switch 19a for ~pplic~tion as a control voltage ~o tuner lO (not ~llustrated in Fig. 4) through terminal 28, so that the r -tuner 10 tunes the television receiver lA for a ~orresponding RF input signal. ~he closing of switch 20a c~uses energi~ing of visual indicator 22a for displaying the information that the television receiver is tuned for the ~hannel ~o which the section 18a corresponds. Of course, the pot ntiometers 21a, 21m, 21T have their respective mov~ble taps positioned so that different control voltages will ~e applied to tuner lO upon the ~elective closing of the swi~ches of the respective tuning ~ections. For ~ mple~ the potentiometers 21a, 21m desixably have their movable taps positioned so that the control voltages applied t~ ~uner 10 upon the closing of their respective switches will result in the tuning of receiver lA for the RF
~re~uænci~s at which television ~ignals ~re broadcast in the vario~ c~annels. Accordingly, the switches l9a...19m and 20a.~.20m ~onstitute channel selection switehes~ in that the clusing of any one pair of switches i5 effective to cau~e tuning of the receiver lA for the respective broadcast channel~ ~hese ~hannel ~election switches are suitably actuable ~rom their normally open or inoperative positions to their closed or operative positions for ~electing the respective channels in response to the selective depressing or operation of push-buttons 13a...13m, respectively.
~ n the other hand~ witches l9T and 20T~ having ~he ~ame structure as jus~ di cussed, operate ~o ~une the receiver lA to di~play the au~iliary input signal. It will be appxt?ri~ted that the movable tap of potentiometer 21T is ~5~
~01854 posi~ioned ~o that, when ~witche~ l9T and 20~ are closed, the tuning or control voltage applied from potentiometer 21T
to tuner 10 will re~ult ~n the tuning of receiver lA for the ~F freguency of the ~utput from video game B.
The input ~ignal6 from terminals 2a and 2b are selectively tran~mitted to the tuner 10 through change-over ~witch~ 29 nd 30, which ~re in~luded in ~witching ~ireuit 16. ~hen input terminal 2a has been ~el~cted by t~e actua~ion of one of the ~ha~nel ~electing pushbuttons ~3a, 13m, ehange-over wit~h 30 is 6uitably opened ~nd ~hange-~ver ~wi~ch 29 i~ cl~sed in addition to the respectiYe ~witches in the tuning ~e~tion lBa...18m associated with the selec~ed ~hannel. ~he input ~ignal received by the antenn~ i~ then tran~mitted through ~losed 6witch 29 ~o a terminal 31 and then to the tuner lO as is the appr~priate control volt~ye Vc through terminal 28.
Al~ernat-vely, when ~elector 15 i~ ~ctuated 30 that input tenminal 2b is ~elected to transm~t the ~ignal frGm the vi~e~ game 8~ change-over 0wltch 29 i~ opened and change-~ver ~witch 30 i~ closed along with the ~witches in tuning section 18T and the ~uxiliary i~put ~ignal and the ~pprop~iate control volta~e Yc are transmitted to the tuner 10 through terminals 31 ~nd 28 resp~c~ively. Also in~uded in ~wit~hing circuît 16 ~re con~en~er~ 32 and 33 which ~erve a~ in~ulators ~or ~he ~h~t ~has~ o~ the r~ceiver, ~ he ~hann~l ~electing pushbutton~ 13a...13m ~nd the ~elec or 15 ~re sui~ably constru~t~ ~o ~h~ only one will ~e ~c~iva~e~ at any one time ~nd ~o ~hat ~he a~ivation of one will au~oma~ic~lly resul~ in the deact~v~tion of the other~. An example of an appropri~te ~e~han~sm for this purpose ~8 the ~nterlock mechaD~m ~i~elo~ed and claimed ~n ~ppl~can~ op~n~ing application Serial ~o.436~l52 , ~led S~p~ember 7, 19~3, ~n~ ~s~igned ~o the g~me ~3signee.

~a2~S~7~

~ 54 Such interlock mecnanism retains any one of the selection interl~ck ~echani6m re~a~ns ~ny one of the selection pushbutt~ns in its closed or operative p~sition upon the actuation thereof to 8uch operative position, and releafies ~ previ~usly A~tuated ~alection pushbutton for return to its n~rmal open or inoperative position in re~ponse to the a~tuatlon of any other one of the 8election pushbuttons to its closed or operative position. Thus, the interlock mecha~ism i~ effective to provide for the Dperation of only ~ne ~ the ~electic~n pushbuttons ~ anv one time while the ~ther 8election push~uttons remain in~perative.
The operation~ o~ ~he ~elevision receiver lA . .
acc~rding to the embodiment ~f this invention described ~bove with reference to Fiqs. 2, 3 and 4 will be ~ummarized as follows: .
With one ~f the chann~l 6election pushbuttons 13a...13m initially actuated ~o that ~witch 29 is closed and switch 30 1G open, RP ~ignal~ received by antenna 7 and appli~d to input ~enninal 2a are ~upplied through switch 30 to terminal 31 ~nd thenee ~o the RE input o~ tuner 10. Upon the manual actu~ti on or depre~ion of any one o~ ~he ~hannel selecting pu~h-buttc~ns 13aO..13m~ the ~orresponding ~hannel ~election switches l~a...l9m, 20a..O20m are actuated to their closed po~itic~n~ $c~r ~au~ q ~ corre~p~nding tunislg voltage to be ~pplied ~rom ~he respectiv~ poten~iometer 21a,.. 21m to tuner 10 ~ ~hat the CRT 11 of re~iver will ~isplay the ~riaeo pvrtion of the televi~ion ~nal being broadca~t e~n the re6pe~t~v~ ~hannel. ~imult~n@o~sly, ~the s:orresponding one of the vl~ual ~r.di~t~rs 22a. ~ . 22m will ~e energi2ed fDr ~ndi¢a~ing ~he chann~l to whirh the --15~

~ 't . ~2~77 S01854 television receiver is tuned. The activatea ch~nnel ~election ~witches l9a.~.19m, 20a~..20m, moved to their closed positions, will be reta.ined ther2at by the interlock mechanism unti.l ~uch time as another of the channel sel~cting push-buttons 13a, 13m is depressed or actuated, whereupon the channel selection ~witches corresponding to the newly actuated push-button will be closed, and the previously closed channel selection switches will be released by the interlock mechanism for return to their normal open or inoperative position.
In the ~ame manner, upon the manual actuation of the ~elector 15 and the resultin~ closing of ~electi~n switches l9T, 20T to their closed positions, any one of ~he ehanne~ ~election switches previously held in it5 closed or opexative position i~ released for return to its inoperative or open positionO Switch 29 is opened and switch 30 is cl~ed~ by means vf conventional connections ~schematically indieated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4), ~o that the RF
~ignal from the auxilliary device i5 transmitted to the tuner. With ~election switches l9T, 20T in their closed or operative positions, the resulting tun~ng or ~ontrol voltage applied from potentiometer 21T ~o tuner 10 is effective to cause tuning of receiver lA for the frequency of the RF
output from the auxiliary device or video game 8 then being applied ~hrough terminal 2b and ~witch 30 ~o terminal 31 and thence to the RF inpu~ of ~uner 10. ~hus; the ou~put of V~d0 game 8 can then be displayed on C~T ll.
It will be ~ppreciated tha~ ~he change-over o~
receiver lA ~c~ording to this invention from the display of a television siqnal being broadc~st on a selected ~hannel to ~he ~i~play of the ~utput of video game 8 conven.iently ~ S01~54 r~quires only the actuation of a ~ingle control member, that ls, the actuation of selector 15 by the operator of the television receiver. Thereafter, when it is desired to xetu.rn ~he television receiver lA to the displaying of the television signal ~eing broadcast on a ~elected channel, it ie.again only necessary to actua~e a single control member.
More spe~ifically, the depressing or actuation of any one of ~he channel selecting push-buttons 13a, 13m for closing the re~pectiv~ channel ~election switches cause the int2rlock mechanism to release selection switch 19~, 20T or .return from their operative or elosed po~ition to their nonmal open positio.n and to close switch 29 and open switch 30 to cause ~he sonnection of input terminal 2a through terminal 31 to th~ RF .input of tuner 10.
An alternative change-~ver circuit in place of switches 29 and 30 in switching circuit 16 for tran~mitting ~he RF signal from either the antenna 7 or the auxiliary de~ice 3 is ~hown in Fig. 5~ In the ~witching circuit 16 of Fig. 5, a high fxequen~y relay 34 is now employed in pl~ce of the switches 29 and 30 of the embodiment sh~wn in ~ig. 4~ ~he relay 34 is excited or no~ dependent on the posi~ion of a ~witch 35 whi~h~ when ~losed, provide~ the exciting current for operation of the relay 34~ Switch 35 is interc~nnected ~nd operated in accordance with activation of ~he cha~nel selecting push but~ons 13a...13m and selector 15 by any ~uitable means gnot illustrated) sueh that ~witch 35 ~s ~pen when one of the ~hannel electing pushbutton~
13a..013m is actuated. ~lterna~ively, ~wi~b 35 ~s closea when ~ele~tor 15 i8 actuated. As a result, the exciting cur~en~ is ~upplied through ~wi~ch 35 t~ relay 34 only when 1~

L7~7 selector 15 is actuated, i.e. when input terminal 2b is to be connected to the tuner 10.
~elay 34 has a eommon ~erminal 36 which is connected to the RF ~ignal input o the tuner through a ~~~
tenminal 37. A change-over ~erminal 38 is connected to the :input terminal 2a, while another change-over terminal 39 is ~onnected ~o input terminal 2b. The relay 34 is so cnnstruc~ed that, when it is unexcited, that is, upon oactuation of one of the pushbuttons 13a.0~13m, the common term.inal 36 is connected to change~over terminal 38, so that a path exi~ts fox transmitting an RF signal from the antenna 7 through terminals 2a, 38, 36 and 37 to the tuner 10.
.~lternati~ely, when relay 34 is excited in r4sponse t~
actuati~n of selectox 15, ~he common terminal 36 is connected to change-over terminal 39, so that a path now extends ~rom ~ideo game 8 through terminal~ 2b, 39, 3~, 37 to ~..rarl~mi~ the RF signal from the video game to the tuner 10 .
Additionally, in this construction of ~witching circuit 161~ a diode 40 i~ c~nn~cted in parallel ~ith re~ay 34 fo~ protection of the ~ircuit ~ainst voltage spikes. A
light emitting diode tLED) 41 is also provided in parallel with relay 34 for providing a visual indication of whether ~he auxiliary device 8 ha~ been selected. That is, when ~w.itch 35 is closed in re~ponse to a~tuation of the ~elector 15, ~he exci~ing ~urren~ ~lso ~erve~ ~o illuminate ~he LED
41, A resis~or 42 ~8 provided for regulating ~h~s ourren~
~o the ~D 41.
A further development of ~ ~elevision re~eiver lA
~ccording to the present in~ention is ~hown in Figures ~ and 7. ~he stru~ture o~ ~hi~ embodimen~ i~ similar to ~he -lR-3S~L77 .

SOlB5~

embodiment EhowD in Figs. 2-4 7 and ~orre~p~nding parts have been given ~he ~ame re~erence ~umeral~. Detail2d de~cription of the ~tructure and operation of those parts of the emb~diment of ~is~. 6 and 7 whi~h nre ~dentical to parts o~ the ~mbodiment ~hown in Figs. 2-4 will ~ot ~e repeated here. It ~ay be 6een ~n ~ig. 6 that the receiver 1~1 has four inpu~ tenminals 2a, 2b, 2c, 2~, with input terminal 2a being $or the antenna 7, ~nd ~nput terminal 2b being ~or the video game 8, and again located on the front panel 12 of ~he r~ei~e~ lAl for easy acc~ss. ~pu~ ~erminal 2~ is adapted to r~ceive an ~F ~ignal from ~ directional antenna 43, whi~h may advantageously be ~mployed to eliminate gho~t signals from the CRT ~i~play. Input terminal 2d is adapted to receive an RF 6ignal cc~rresponding to a ~atellite telecommunications broadcast received at ~ dish antenna 44.
Thi ~ignal from di~h antenna 44 is converted by a converter 45 into an RF signal ~ontaining the video ~ign~is with a frequency ~orresponding to that of an uno~cupi*d ~hannel.
Further~ ~s shown, a 6witching circuit 16" i~ ~onnected be~ween ~ll four input ter~in~l~ 2a, 2b~ 2G and 2~ and ~he tuner 10.
On the front panel 12 oP the television receiver lA , ~n ~adition ~o the channel s~lection push buttons 13a...13m and the ~elec~or 15, two ~ditional inpu~ terminal s~lectors 46, 47 ~r~ provid~d ~n ~e ~onm of push-buttons aetuable for the ~ele~on o~ input terminals 2~, 2d re3pectively.
~ he ~uning ~ircuit for ~i6 embod~ment, ~ ~een ~n ~ag. 7, ~e ~imilar ~n con~truc~on t~ th~t ~hown ~n ~ig. 4.
In Pig. 7, however, two ~diti~nal tun~ng volt~ge ~e~tions lBR ~n~ 1~S are provided 80 tha~, ~hen sele~tor ~6 or ~7 ~8 ~tuate~ to 8elect the ~ignal re~eiv~ ~t input terminals 2c or 2d, re~pec~iv~ly, ~wit~h~ 19~ 20R or l9S, 20S ~re , .. . .
.

~2~ 77 ~01854 cl~sed ~ that an appropri~te control voltage, correspondinggo that o~ a chosen, unoc~upiea channel, will be tr~n~mi~ted to the tuner 10, in the ~me manner as ~iscusced $n the '~
previou~ embodime~t. ~urther, tw~ ~dditional ~witches 48, 49, ~imilar to switches 29 ~n~ 30~ are provided in ~witching circuit 16'' for ~electing the input ~ignal which i~
tran~mitted to terminal 31. More particul~rly, when selector 46 or 47 i~ a~tuated, the ~nput RF ~gnal from the ~elected terminal 2c or 2d will be transmitted to the tuner 10 in addition to the contr~l voltage khrough t~rminal 28.
Of ~ur~e, it will be understood that selector~ 46, 47 are connected with an interl~c~ mechanism in ~he ~ame manner as selector 15, ~o that only one ~hannel ~electing push button 13a...13m or ~elector 15, 46, 47 will be in its opera$ive or close~ position at any time, and that the actuati~n of any push button 13a, 13m or 6elector 15~ 46, 47 will ~utomati~ally r~sult in the deact~vation of any previously actuated push ~utton or ~elect~r. I~ will al~o be appreciated that~ while ~our input terminals ~re utilize~ in ~he smb~diment of ~igs. 6-7, ad~i~ional input ~erminals ~ay be providea without requiring ~ny ~hanje in ~he ~asi~
$itructure ~nd operati~n of the xeceiver lAlo In t~is embodiment~ input terminal 2b isi again on the front panel 12 of the receiver IA for e~sy ~onnec~ion o.
the video ~am~ B, ~io ~hat ~any dif~erent gamei~i, or ~
personal Gompu~r, ~y be ~lternatively operated ~ith a ~i8play on CR~ owev~rO $nput ~rminali~i 2c ~na 2d ~re sh~wn located at ~he rear ~ tbe receiv~r lAl becau~ie of ~he relatively permanent na ur~ of their ~ntenna conne~ions.
will ~e ~ppre~i~ted th~t, i~ desired, ad~iti~nal i~put ~S~7 S01854 tenminals may be l~cated on the front panel 12 of the receiver lA1 when it is important to provide f~r easy access and eonnection, as in the case of input terminal 2b.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that, in the various described embodiments of thi~ invention, change-over of the television receiver between the condition for displaying a broadcast television signal or other input applied to terminal 2a and the condition for di~playing the output of a video game or other auxiliary device applied to inpu~ terminal 2b, can be conveniently and simply effected at ~he telPvision receiver itself. Further, since switching access~ries independent of the television receiver are not employed for effecting the foregoing change-over, a deslrably uncluttered appearance of the receiver is a~hi.eved .
Although illustxative embodiments of ~he invention h~ve b2en ~escribed in detail herein with reference to accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that warious changes and modifications may be ef~ected therein by one ~killed in ~he art without departlng from the 8~0pe OX spirit of the invention as ~efined in the appended claims.

~21-

Claims (13)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A television receiver, comprising:
at least a first input terminal for receiving at least one broadcast antenna input signal, and a second input terminal adapted for separable connection to an auxiliary input device generating an auxiliary non-broadcast input signal;
said second input terminal located on a front portion of said television receiver remote from said first input terminal for convenient interchanging of said auxiliary input device;
input terminal selection means for selecting one of said first and second input terminals as a selected terminal; and control means operably coupled with said terminal selection means for tuning said receiver to present a display corresponding to said broadcast or auxiliary non-broadcast input signal applied to said selected terminal.

2. A television receiver according to claim 1;
further comprising a video game separably connected to said second input terminal as said auxiliary input device.

3. A television receiver according to claim l;
wherein said first input terminal is adapted to receive a plurality of broadcast antenna input signals corresponding to a plurality of channels.

4. A television receiver according to claim 3;
herein said input terminal selection means includes channel selection means having a plurality of states respectively representing said channels, and auxiliary selection means having at least two states respectively corresponding to said at least first and second input terminal; and said control means includes tuning means for tuning said receiver to a selected one of said broadcast antenna input signals and said auxiliary non-broadcast input signal in response to the state of said channel selecting means and the state of said auxiliary selection means.

5. A television receiver according to claim 4;
wherein said channel selection means includes a plurality of manually actuatable channel selection switch assemblies respectively corresponding to said channels and each having operative and inoperative positions, and said auxiliary selection means including a manually actuatable input selection switch assembly also having operative and inoperative positions, said input selection switch assembly causing said tuning means to tune the receiver to said auxiliary input signal in said operative position of said input selection switch assembly.

6, A television receiver according to claim 5;
wherein said manually actuatable selection switch assemblies are mounted at a front wall of said television receiver.

7. A television receiver according to claim 5;
wherein said selection switch assemblies have respective push buttons for actuating the same.

8. A television receiver according to claim 1;
further comprising an additional antenna input terminal for receiving an input broadcast signal from a directional antenna.

9. A television receiver according to claim 1;
further comprising an additional antenna input terminal for receiving an input broadcast signal from a satellite telecommunications broadcast receiving antenna.

10. A television receiver according to claim 1;
wherein said input terminal selection means further includes signal transmission means connected to said input terminals for transmitting signals received at the respective input terminals, and switching means for selectively operably coupling to said control means only the signal transmission means connected to a selected one of said antenna and first input terminals in response to the selection of said one terminal by said input terminal selection means.

11. A television receiver according to claim 10;
wherein said switching means includes a relay.

12. A television receiver according to claim 1:
further comprising a plurality of visual indicators for providing an identifying display in response to operation of said input terminal selections means.

13. A television receiver according to claim 12;
wherein said visual indicators are neon lights.