GB2382000A

GB2382000A - Transmitting data to a remote item via a television or VDU

Info

Publication number: GB2382000A
Application number: GB0210942A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Julian Nolan Gannaway; Peter Lockhart
Original assignee: Roke Manor Research Ltd
Current assignee: Roke Manor Research Ltd
Priority date: 2001-11-06
Filing date: 2002-05-14
Publication date: 2003-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 2022-05-14
Also published as: GB2382000B; GB0126570D0; GB0210942D0

Abstract

An apparatus 3 having means to receive data 14, originating from a remote terminal or broadcast transmitter 2, via a television or VDU 1, by modulation of ambient FM radio transmissions 4 by said data during normal operation of television/VDU and comprising means 3 to detect said modulated transmissions, and demodulate said signal to obtain said data.

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD TO TRANSMIT DATA FROM A TELEVISIONNDU TO A REMOTE ITEM

This invention relates to a method and apparatus allowing data to be received from a television/VDU terminal by a remote device.

There are many applications whereby it is advantageous for information to be able to be transmitted with a television signal, so that when received by the television receiver the information can be somehow transmitted to a remote device. An example of this is in the published patent application WO 01/26765 wherein data transmitted in a television broadcast is used to control the action of an interactive toy via a television receiver. This may be to control the speech of the interactive toy or movements that, e. g., an articulated toy can make.

The data used to control such a remote item like a toy is broadcast along with the normal television broadcast and this technique is well known. The television receiver has to additionally be equipped with transmitter means such as rf or infra-red transmitter to pass data on further to the interactive device.

The inventors have made a remarkable observation which has further been used as the basis for the current invention. It was noticed by the inventors that when looking at electromagnetic radiation emanating from a television, a very large signal was emitted from the television, at about 88MHz, which was originally considered strange as nothing in the television emits at such frequency. It was then determined that this was as a result of FM radio transmitters whose transmission had an illuminating effect such that the FM signal mixed with the television signal and remodulated within the television receiver, in an non-intentional"naturally occurring"fashion.

The invention makes use of this effect such that FM broadcast signals are used as a vector to efficiently extract data from TV signals for reception by a remote device.

The invention comprises an apparatus having means to receive data, originating from a remote terminal or broadcast transmitter, via a television or VDU, by modulation of ambient FM radio transmissions 1 ? y. said dataduring normal operation of television/VDU and comprising means to detect said modulated transmissions, and demodulate said signal to obtain said data.

Preferably the modulated transmissions are at VHF.

Preferably the means to detect said modulated transmissions comprises: antenna means to receive said modulated transmissions emanating from the television/VDU ; a high impedance coupled to said antenna; band pass filter means to provide a filtered version of the modulated signal; a local mixer and oscillator, and baseband detection means to allow said data to be detected and operated upon by said apparatus.

In a preferred embodiment the antenna means also receives said FM signal from a (local) broadcast transmitted and further includes means to mix said FM broadcast signal and said modulated emissions from the television/VDU bearing said data. The mixing means is preferably is a non-linear element.

The invention will now be described by means of example only and with reference to figure 1.

Figure 1 shows a television receiver 1 which receives a broadcast signal 2 from a television transmitter (not shown) which includes data which is used to control or is received by a remote device 3 (shown in the dotted line. This may be an interactive toy or some other electronic

111 zu household device. The remote device comprises means to receive the data in by means of ambient FM signal transmissions 4 from radio stations.

These FM transmissions are modulated by the television signal and consequent low frequency base band emissions 5 are emitted from the television naturally which incorporate the modulation. These are picked up by the remote device. The remote device incorporates an antenna 6 to receive the ambient FM transmissions as well as the base band emissions from the television set (which incorporate FM transmissions modulated by the television signal) which are s at VHF. A high impedance 7 is used to couple these two signals and the resultant coupled signal is then passed to a non-linear element 8, which further enhances the mixing of the FM signal and information bearing modulated signal from the television. The resultant mixed signal is then passed through a bandpass filter 9 so as to provide as filtered version of the modulated signal and then to a mixer 10 with a local oscillator 11 to provide an FM signal with data modulated pertaining to the control data to be utilised by the remote device. This data is then detected by a baseband detector 12, for input into the salient reception/control electronics 13of the remote device.

This efficient and inexpensive method enables a broadcaster to transmit data to a remote/mobile device. It may be used in applications such as downloading data to devices such as MP3 players, transmission of software updates, schedule information as well as remote control of items such as toys VCR's and domestic devices.

Instead of a television set receiving a broadcast signal included the (control) data, the invention also includes a VDU which is communication with any broadcast signal or signal via a wire such being connected via a computer to the Internet or some other device through which data is communicated.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An apparatus having means to receive data, originating from a remote terminal or broadcast transmitter, via a television or VDU, by modulation of ambient FM radio transmissions by said data during normal operation of television/VDU and comprising means to detect said modulated transmissions, and demodulate said signal to obtain said data.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said modulated transmissions are at VHF.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said means to detect said modulated transmissions comprises : (a) antenna means to receive said modulated transmissions emanating from the television/VDU ; (b) a high impedance coupled to said antenna; (c) band pass filter means to provide a filtered version of the modulated signal from b); (d) a local mixer and oscillator applied to the signal from (c) to provide an FM signal with said data; and (e) baseband detection means to allow said data to be detected and operated upon by said apparatus.
4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said antenna means also receives said FM signal from a (local) broadcast transmitted and further includes means to mix said FM broadcast signal and said modulated emissions from said television/VDU bearing said data.

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5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said mixing means is a non-linear element.
6. An apparatus having means to receive data originating from a remote terminal or broadcast transmitter, from a television or VDU, by modulation of ambient FM radio transmissions by said data during normal operation of televisionIVDU comprising: (a) antenna means to receive an FM signal from a local broadcast transmitted at VHF; (b) high impedance coupled to said antenna; (c) a non-linear element to mix said FM signal with said modulated transmissions emanating from said television receiver/VDU ; (d) band pass filter means to provide a filtered version of the modulated signal from c) to provide an FM signal modulated with said data; (e) a local mixer and oscillator applied to the signal from (c) to provide an FM signal with said data; and (f) baseband detection means to allow said data to be detected and operated upon by said apparatus.
7. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said apparatus is a toy or household appliance.
8. A method of transmitting data to a device, comprising (a). transmitting said data incorporated into a signal from a remote terminal or broadcast transmitter, (b). receiving said signal via a television or VDU;

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(c). detection by said device of naturally occurring modulation of ambient FM radio transmissions by said data during normal operation of television/VDU d) and subsequent demodulation.
9. An method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said modulated transmissions are at VHF.
10. A method as claimed in claims 9 or 10 which also includes the step of mixing said FM broadcast signal and said modulated emissions from said television NDU bearing said data.