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Abstract

A universal remote control unit for controlling a television and videocassette recorder including a data input mechanism securable to a telephone line for receiving signals from an external supplier representing television programing schedule items; a display mechanism for displaying television programing schedule items and television and videocassette operating functions in a hierarchy of textual and scrollable selection lists; a user-operable selector mechanism for allowing a user to scroll through the lists and then select television programing schedule items or television and videocassette functions; another user-operable selector mechanism for allowing a user to generate billing signals signifying a payment to be made in response to the receipt of the television programming schedule items from the external supplier; a data output mechanism securable to a telephone line for transmitting the billing signals representing a payment made to the external supplier; a processor mechanism for controlling operations; and a transmitter mechanism responsive to the processor mechanism for generating and transmitting via free space remote scheduling signals for subsequent receipt by the television and videocassette recorder for scheduling and controlling each of their operations.

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First Claim