Computer interface extension system and method

摘要

A system is disclosed which permits the user interface of a PC to be extended to the location of a remote television (TV) receiver such that video and audio signals generated by the PC may be viewed and heard on the remote TV receiver, and users at the TV receiver may control the operations of the PC through input devices located at the TV receiver. Through the disclosed interface extension system, video signals and accompanying audio signals, if any, generated by the PC are transmitted locally to a receiver coupled to the remote TV receiver. In a further embodiment, the interface extension system is used to provide multiple simultaneous interactive sessions to more than one user under the independent control of individual users located at each of several video displays, e.g. TV receivers. In that embodiment, data received from input devices located at each video display is tagged to identify the session on the PC which is controlled thereby. The disclosed interface extension system may include a multiple instruction program for providing macro-level control over the operations of the PC from the TV receiver location. In still another embodiment, the interface extension system can be used in conjunction with TV signal processing circuitry to provide related data signals accessed by the PC for display upon a television receiver in conjunction with a television signal which contains an embedded address through which the related data is accessed.