United States Patent
`
`1191
`
`Harvey et a1.
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`4,694,490
`
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`[54] SIGNAL PROCESSING APPARATUS AND
`METHODS
`
`[76]
`
`Inventors:
`
`John C. Harvey, 333 E. 57th St., New
`York, NY. 10022; James W.
`Cuddihy, 523 E. 14th St., New York,
`N.Y.V 10009
`
`[21] App]. No.: 317,510
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Nov. 3, 1981
`
`Int. c1.4 .......................... H04K 9/00; H04N 7/08
`[51]
`
`[52] US. Cl.
`.................. 380/20; 380/9;
`380/10; 380/54; 358/142; 358/143
`[58] Field of Search ................... 455/4, 26, 30, 32—34,
`455/37, 70; 358/147, 142, 146, 143, 183, 86,
`122; 364/521
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`3,668,307
`6/1972 Face et a1.
`....................... 358/114
`3,684,823
`8/1972 McVoy .............. 455/70
`
`3,833,757
`9/1974 Kirk, Jr. et a1.
`....... 455/4
`
`3,845,391 10/ 1974 Crosby ............... 455/26
`
`.. 358/142
`6/1975 Kimura .
`3,891,792
`3,987,398 10/1976 'Fung .................... 455/4
`
`.
`4,138,726
`2/1979 Girault et a1.
`364/521
`
`4,218,698
`8/1980 Bart et a1.
`.....
`358/183
`4,264,925 4/ 1981 Freeman et al
`358/ 143
`4,310,854
`1/1982 Baer ..............
`358/143
`4,337,480
`1/ 1982 Bourassin et a1.
`358/ 183
`
`4,347,532
`8/1982 Korver ..........
`358/183
`4,381,522 4/ 1983 Lambert .................................. 455/4
`
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Darby & Darby
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Apparatus and methods for automatically controlling
`programming transmissions and presentations on televi-
`sion and radio equipment and monitoring the program—
`ming transmitted and presented. (“Programming” here
`means everything transmitted over television or radio
`intended for communication of entertainment or to
`instruct or inform.) The Apparatus can handle pro-
`gramming transmitted either over-the-air (hereinafter,
`“broadcast”) or over hard-wire (hereinafter, “ca-
`blecast”). The apparatus receive transmissions from as
`many as one hundred or more channels that are sequen-
`tially scanned by one or more scanners/switches that
`transfer the transmissions to one or more receiver/de-
`coders that identify signals in the programming and
`separate the signals from the programming transmis-
`sions. The signals may then be transferred through one
`or more decrypters. The separated and possibly wholly
`or partially decrypted signals are then transferred
`through one or more processors and buffers to external
`equipment and/or data recorders. The data recorders
`are adapted to output data to remote sites on predeter-
`mined instructions. In all these functions, the apparatus
`are governed by one or more controllers. The methods
`co-ordinate and instruct equipment in the transmission
`and presentation of radio and television programming,
`especially in multi-media and multi-channel presenta-
`tions, and in certain other functions;
`
`Primary Examiner—Salvatore Cangialosi
`
`13 Claims, 22 Drawing Figures
`
`.5iGi‘ALfBQEE3fl‘l1 _ .- _-..»_____
`
`Oth'er Inputs
`
`8
`CHANNELI ® RADIO SIGNAL
`CABLE
`
`BUFFER/COM
`TRANS.
`:
`PARATOR
`1
`
`
`TV SIGNAL — _
`1
`I
`I
`DECODER(FIG.2A)A I
`l
`1
`,
`1
`1
`'
`1
`1
`1
`1
`:
`1....... 1,..........1
`I
`1
`1
`1
`'
`I
`I 1— ————————————J
`SIGNAL
`1
`1
`1
`I r ___________
`PROCESSOR
`
`i
`H111
`OR MONITOR
`OSCILLATOR
`1
`I
`a
`
`
`
`
`FREQUENCY
`:
`————-I I
`I
`I
`i1
`______ .1 L
`gh$§§fifid
`'
`H'HIF—-‘
`""""I
`m
`
`
`:
`i
`1——ql||||I1 36---] -1
`/
`----- BUFFER
`l
`6
`.
`PRAM
`_
`1
`I
`AUTO
`CONTROLLER 1
`i.
`COMPARATOR I
`
`DIGITAL
`1
`DIALER READ ONLY
`‘
`I
`2‘
`RECORDER
`1
`MEMORY
`I
`
`|
`TELEPHONE
`I
`I
`CONNECTION
`J
`TELEPHONE OR OTHER DATA
`TRANSFER NETWORK
`OTHER INPUTS
`
`3
`
`A
`
`.
`
`24
`
`'0
`DECRYPTER
`
`i
`'
`|
`1
`IJ’ACK
`IPORTSTO
`1151M
`'
`/
`
`,
`
`mum
`INPUTS
`
`AMAZON EX. 1025
`
`US Patent No. 9,124,950
`
`Amazon v. CustomPIay
`
`Page 1
`
`Page 1
`
`AMAZON EX. 1025
`Amazon v. CustomPlay
`US Patent No. 9,124,950
`
`

`

`U. S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15,1987
`
`Sheet 1 of 14
`
`4,694,490
`
`mp:¢z_
`
`”$5.8
`
`_
`
`_____
`
`mOH<m<QEOo
`
`u\Etamuuuuu
`
`Ewfifia>m_ImoEjamo
`
`
`
`fl20:8228_MZOIamImF
`
`mmomoomm
`
`:55E
`
`________49:285:26“________
`
`motzozmo
`
`memmmooma\ézoa
`
`ézmmfixm._0558._5S2
`5.150%lllllll
`
`
`
`EN.9“:mmooomo
`
`__
`
`_o.mézoa99E_-532_Qm_Flllllf
`llllllllllllllllllllllofllllllll,l
`_moEmE._EEESQ
`
`-2035;qumz<E_awwEEooomo£98
`335550P.O_h_$38053205
`
`4mzz<zo
`
`I_<20_m>._.
`
`
`
`
`
`whiz.”Expo“.03thmumngmh
`
`<._.<MIPOmomzozmmlfih
`
`0::
`
`Page 2
`
`Page 2
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U. S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet2 of 14
`
`4,694,490
`
`_I
`
`
`
`”.8855___ES:$23850
`
`<NHOE
`
`
`
`mmooomou_<zo_m>._.
`
`_
`
`"
`
`_mm
`_88504
`4555ézgmm4I“Boommzm.<Zn.
`
`moBmEoE>flomm
`
`4555___we».:2:052_S___om
`IIIIII.__.lllllllllll_.
`
`
`
`mOHUMHmQ
`
`
`4<Hmzoo_#§E
`mozéoozmodzzéo
`
`£331333mzoES:
`
`Hmwmmkémo
`
`>ozm30mmn.
`
`>ozm30mmm
`
`
`
`ome._.<
`
`___...__
`
`
`
`IIIIIIIII«ugLI+IIIanIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
`
`
`
`Jomkzoo+3m2_
`
`20.2582
`
`Page 3
`
`Page 3
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U. S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet 3 of 14
`
`4,694,490
`
`8a:no.3
`
`om.oE
`
`:EE
`
`zo_._.<_2mo.._z_[5.5.200
`
`m
`v
`
`43.65
`
`mOHomfiwo
`
`._.Dn_z_
`
`Aomhzoo
`
`zo_._.<SEOn_z_
`
`
`
`mmooomo._<zw_mmeHO
`
`AmI._.<n:
`
`mmimowm
`
`$523050
`
`mmrho
`
`_I||ll
`l—9»
`
`1.3.55
`
`mOHQm‘rmo
`
`mmooomo
`
`055.
`
`o_o<m
`
`mmeomm
`
`*mtnoma
`
`mm.o_u._
`
`
`
`mmooomo._<zo_m99E
`
`aI._.<E
`
`Page 4
`
`Page 4
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U. S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15,1987
`
`Sheet4 of 14
`
`4,694,490
`
`
`
`SE....39820:...
`
`zo_Sm_Ema
`
`55$
`
`
`
`mmm_..=._a.2<zo_.5m_m._.
`
`[ma$.01...
`
`m._.Dn_z__|
`
`mmimomm
`
`>H
`
`
`
`mo._.<._zoo—2mm
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ozEESo$5313zo_Sm_Em5<MO_“—
`
`._<o_._.mm>7.1:er_.lllllllI‘mE::$%...
`.}
`lllllll\VA_TILmw
`
`.mwa528%.a.meoz,8628%20.25
`memmmnuomn.#2059mm5.1E3Ejdzm
`
`
`mm_m_._n__2<m><>>om22
`
`.EonNEOI
`
`mm_oz30..
`
`
`
`O_Q:<.mOwe;
`
`zo_m_>m2m...
`
`nm2mpm>m
`
`
`
`.mm>_mumm
`
`..
`
`
`
`mommmooma.._<20_mIIIIIIII[EBmmrhomoMZOImm—lmtmmzho:.9“:
`
`
`
`
`
`_oz__2<moommIll
`
`hm
`
`
`
`
`
`F;xmozfimzmmEmOmmz’uE._mz<ms_Hafiz:
`
`Page 5
`
`Page 5
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U. S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15,1987
`
`Sheets of14
`
`4,694,490
`
`FIG. 3B
`ABLE SYSTEM HEAD END
`
`__ _LC
`
`_.________—_.-—>
`——-.—-—‘—-———————->
`
`.9.___TTDuAI7_R7IRNF._/.._EMEDEmR_T___DD8DRYSE_V__OA
`_.|.m__\AIHIS_XH8II_I.82__15RCLG”I.
`VCL____REPVO___Rm._2_I!7_
`lOAD_CE_
`
`,:
`
`Page 6
`
`CONTROLLER
`8 COMPUTER
`
`TELEPHONE OR
`OTHER DATA
`TRANSFER
`NETWORK 98
`
`Page 6
`
`
`
`

`

`U. S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`6teehS
`
`mozéooz
`
`mm259%
`
`4,mm
`4,Susana.:.9“:4.:25po9$8885mm:20mézoaézoa
`
`
`W<20$25a.mzozanE
`pm$2235
`.aa?M_I32528zgswmkmabmmEm1111111
`
`
`
`
`5642532
`
`
`
`mml!xmoghmzmmmmz<mh
`
`Page 7
`
`
`
`moEEzmwEmma;
`
`
`
`”.3qu
`
`._<zo_m>H
`
`
`
`dzzfia$205.223508%
`
`$9342.52mOH<mmzmomwn_n__m._.m
`
`
`.52qu$880
`
`
`595ézoaézem32%E
`
`3m.9“:
`
`ma
`
`)
`
`N0
`
`0
`
`E)
`
`O0
`
`0
`
`umGE
`
`I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
`
`Page 7
`
`
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 15,1987
`
`Sheet7 of14
`
`4,694,490
`
`FIG. 4A
`
`
`
`
`
`PROGRAMING
`
`QGNAL
`
`
`DECRYPTOR
`
`PROCESSOR
`
`
`ORINTERRUPT
`
`(HG.1)
`
`MEANS
`
`PROGRAMING
`
`PRSEGE%%%R
`(HG.1)
`
`DECRYPTOR
`
`OR INTERRU PT
`
`MEANS
`
`
`
`$GNAL
`
`
`PROCESSOR
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`PROGRAMING
`DECRYPTOR
`OR INTERRUPT
`MEANS
`
`(HG.H
`
`Page8
`
`Page 8
`
`

`

`U. S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15,1987
`
`Sheet8 ofl-4
`
`4,694,490
`
`FIG. 40
`
`
`PROGRAMING
` SIGNAL
`
`._ _.
`DECRYPTOR
`
`
`FJRIOI'QIEGS SIC-IR
`OR INTERRUPT
`
`‘
`MEANS
`
`
`
`
`
`PROGRAMING
`DECRYPTOR
`OR INTERRUPT
`MEANS
`
` MULTI-CHANNEL
`
`CABLE
`
`TRANSMISSION
`FACILITY
`
`II?
`
`
`
`
`
`CABLE
`TUN
`CABLE
`
`
`
`ER CONVERTER
`CONVERTER
`
`
`
`BOX
`BOX
`
`
`SIGNAL
`
`HS
`II8
`PROCESSOR
`
`(FIG. 1)
`
`
`
`PROGRAMING‘
`PROGRAMING
`
`DECRYPTOR
`DECRYF’TOR
`
`
`
`OR INTERRUPT
`OR INTERRUPT
`
`MEANS
`MEANS
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Page 9
`
`Page 9
`
`

`

`U. S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15,1987
`
`Sheet 9 of 14
`
`4,694,490
`
`:52.m:
`
`[\
`E
`
`\——_——-——_-
`
`
`
`$880$880I11111\dzzqzoiaz5mg
`
`_
`
`Om._,mm.
`
`a:llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllE885m.mV—H_.m.4<zo_m>9
`
`
`
`xomE393EENSZS
`
`\llll
`
`lllllll
`
`._<zw_m
`
`mOmmmoomn.
`
`:.9“:
`
`_
`
`m4m<o
`
`mmttm>zoo
`
`xom
`
`'lllllll"
`
`"F:Q2.
`
`.3
`
`05$.
`
`mmooomo
`
`E
`
`Page 10
`
`090Owe;
`
`a___
`
`._<Zo_m>.r
`
`mmooomo
`
`o55>wo
`
`‘__n
`
`
`
`13205mmIHO
`
`mwooomo
`
`AUN.2mv
`
`.95:2
`
`mmHDQ—zoo
`
`amor:$535
`
`
`
`
`
`mmooomommnmz<mp4<zoa
`
`"£5sz
`
`ézem$3$18
`
`mmzpomomzozmwap_mm.mm><4m
`
`Page 10
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U. S. Patent
`
`Sep.15, 1987
`
`Sheeth Ofl4 4,694,490
`
`MULTI-CHANNEL CABLE TRANSMISSION FIG 6A
`
`
`
`
`
`CABLE
`SIGNAL
`
`PROCESSOR
`CONVERTER
`
`
`BOX
`
`
`ONE TV CHANNEL
`
`
`
`20!
`
`0 TV SET 0
`MONITOR Tv SIGNALI
`OECOOER
`OR ,
`204 PROCESSOR (FIG. 2A)
`
`I
`,
`.
`I
`I
`
`I
`l
`I
`I
`I
`I
`
`—
`
`206
`
`I
`
`FURNACE
`
`CONDITIONING
`SYSTEM
`
`
`
`. CLOSING
`
`
`
`
`WINDOW
`
`
`OPENING a
`
`
`
`FIG. GB
`
`200
`
`
`SIGNAL
`PROCESSOR
`
`(FIG. 1)
`
`
`
`
`
`
`TELEPHONE OR
`OTHER DATA
`TRANSFER
`
`
`
`
`
`
`MONITOR
`RADIO
`OR
`DECODER -
`
`
`(FIG. 28)
`PROCESSOR
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`TV SIGNAL
`MONITOR
`DECODER
`.OR
`
`
`
`
`
`(FIG. 2A)
`
`
`
`203
`
`Page 11
`
`Page 11
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 15,1987
`
`Sheetll Of14 4,694,490
`
`FIG. 6C
`
`MULT I-CHANNEL CABLE TRANSMISSION
`
`222
`
`223
`
`200
`
`4
`
`2I
`
`20I
`
`CABLE
`CONVERTER TUNER
`BOX
`
`SIGNAL
`-— PROCESSOR
`.
`
`
`
`—
`.
`
`CABLE
`TUNER CONVERTER
`.
`BOX
`
`:
`ONE
`OIGITAL I
`OATA
`I
`CH.
`:
`
`I
`'
`I
`I
`_______ J
`'— —————————————— J
`.
`I
`
`I
`I
`i
`
`ONE
`TV
`C“
`
`‘ — _
`
`MONITOR Tv SIGNAL
`OR
`OECOOER
`
`MICROCOMPUTER wPRIiZESSORflI
`
`
`
`
`TV SIGNAL I
`MONITOR
`
`OECOOER
`
`
`PROCESSOR
`(FIG 2A)
`
`202
`
`0 TV SET 0
`
`I I I
`
`I
`
`VIDEO
`RECORDER/PLAYER
`
`22I
`
`PRINTER
`
`2I8
`
`Page 12
`
`Page 12
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 15,1987
`
`Sheet12 of14 4,694,490
`
`MULTI-CHANNEL CABLE TRANSMISSION
`
`222
`
`223
`
`CABLE
`CONVERTER TUNER
`BOX
`
`— —
`
`200
`
`
`
`SIGNAL
`
`PROCESSOR
`(FIG. I)
`
`
`
`- —,
`I
`
`-
`
`FIG; 6D
`
`20l
`
`CABLE
`CONVERTER
`BOX
`
`_ECRYPTER .OCAL
`INPUT
`
`22|
`
`-' I NET‘
`0
`
`w RK
`
`MONOIROR TS/EcsclggR
`1
`iPROCESSOR (A)F.IG2 I
`
`—
`
`IOTHER SIGNAL MONITOR
`22(FIG. 2C)
`PROCESSOR
`
`DECODER
`
`OR
`
`CONTROL
`
`I
`_I
`
`— —- - —
`
`0 TV SET 0 202
`
`FIG. 6E
`
`
`SIGNAL
`PROCESSOR
`
`
`
`VIDEODISC
`SYSTEM
`
`SIGNAL
`
`STRIPPER
`
`SIGNAL GENERATOR
`
`
`
`COMPUTER
`WITH INPUT
`MEANS
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`229
`
`230
`
`231
`
`PRINTER OR OTHER
`RECEIVER‘ MEANS
`
`22'
`
`Page 13
`
`Page 13
`
`

`

`U.S. Patént
`
`Sep. 15,1987
`
`Sheet13 ofl4 4,694,490
`
`FIG 6F MULTICHANNEL CABLE SYSTE
`
`EARTH
`STATION
`
`’
`
`25'
`SATELLITE
`RECEIVER
`CI RCUITRY
`
`—
`
`F _______ k—I
`“—4
`I
`I
`L———— —— .
`_\252
`II
`
`I
`
`'I
`I
`I
`.
`
`I
`
`TELEPHONE
`-
`NETWORK
`
`
`
`>
`
`MATRIX _
`SW?“ =
`III-III..-
`
`'
`
`Page 14
`
`SWITCH CONTRDIL
`INSTRUCTIONS I
`I
`225
`I
`I
`J
`DECRYPTER
`,
`
`I
`
`I
`
`;J
`
`
`
`
`
`
`SIGNAL
`STRIPPER
`
`SIGNAL
`GENERATOR
`
`II
`
`"""
`
`TELEVISION
`
`-
`
`I
`I
`,_______ _.JI
`I Pr}:-:“}:{—_'_’_l
`I
`2I7
`I
`I
`RECORDER/
`.
`PLAYER
`I
`255
`
`RECORDER/
`
`
`
`256
`
`COMPUTER
`MEMORY
`
`
`
`
`
`— —— — _-
`
`.—
`
`I I
`
`I
`I
`I {I
`I
`
`I‘-
`
`_______ _
`
`///
`
`//
`
`Page 14
`
`

`

`U. S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheetl4 of14 4,694,490
`
`
`
`lllllllllCIIIIIIIIIIIIIXHIIIIIIIIIIOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIImmllllllllll_J_OIIIII_IlllllllllllllTIIHHIIIIIIHHIJ_2HHIIIIIIIIIIIIIllllllllllllllAMHWIHIIIIIIIJ__{IIIIIIIIHHHIIIIIIIIIIIHHHMHHHIIIIIIIIIIIII
`
`
`
`
`III._____nmIIIIIIHHHIIIIIuIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIJI“____H.
`
`
`)IIII.:MQSu1--mu.____:
`NEVUIIIIII-I2______:
`
`
`
`SCW
`
`HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIImCFIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII::_:SO(IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.____Du,._____P.Wmfl¢‘_:_::
`
`FIG. 66
`
`202
`
`HHIIIIIIIIHIIIIIHHIIIIHIIHHHHHIIIIIIIIIMI""“I|.lI.||_8m_%_____66RE5.ENE_ImyHm_t:O_5_m0mm_____%LTI.O_PaO_if2AU.9nlu2OIIEII.__CD.mDfl____
`_R_fl_I,olE_WNW_%T2IIHEE2W_TOM.I/ISR__ninM_PRW__IIII;
`ONAII.::LIR.RIIIHHHHIIHHHHH
`
`tttttttttI_::OOE_mm20:02.52.IIIIIIIIL.nI.mpIwofizbwmmém
`
`
`
`
`ouHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.J_IIIIIIIIIIIIHHIIIIIIIIIIIIM
`
`
`
`........Lt.WIIIIIIIIIIIHIIHHHHHHIIL
`
`Page 15
`
`Page 15
`
`
`

`

`1
`
`SIGNAL PROCESSING APPARATUS AND
`METHODS
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`At the present time, vast amounts of programing are
`transmitted through various media throughout
`the
`United States which programing is handled with signifi-
`cant degrees of manual processing as different, discrete
`units of programing transmitted on single channel sys-
`tems. Broadcasters and cablecasters transmit program-
`ing with the expectation that viewers in one place tune
`to only one channel at a time.
`On occasion and on a limited scale, the co-ordination
`of two media and two channels has occurred. Such
`co-ordination has taken the form of stereo simulcasts
`where one local television station broadcasts a program,
`generally of classical music, and simultaneously, a local
`radio station broadcasts the same music in stereo. But
`such simulcasts require significant degrees of manual
`processing at both the points of origination and recep-
`tion.
`
`Today great potential exists for a significant increase
`in the scope and scale of multi-media and multi-channel
`presentations. This increase is desirable because it will
`increase variety and add substantially to the richness of
`presentations as regards both entertainment and the
`communications of ideas and information.
`This potential arises out of two simultaneous, inde-
`pendent trends. One is the development and growth of
`the so-called cable television industry whose member
`companies deliver locally not one but many channels of
`programing. The other is the widespread and growing
`ownership of computers, especially microcomputers in
`homes.
`It is the object of this invention to unlock this poten-
`tial by the development of means and methods which
`permit programing to communicate with equipment
`that is external to television and radio receivers, particu-
`larly computers and computer peripherals such as print-
`ers.
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`It is the further purpose of this invention to provide
`means and methods to process and monitor such trans-
`missions and presentations at individual receiver sites
`and to control, in certain ways, the use of transmitted
`programing and the operation of certain associated
`equipment. Such receiver sites may be stations or sys-
`tems that intend to retransmit the programing, or they
`may be end users of the programing. The present inven-
`tion contemplates that certain data may be encrypted
`and that certain data collected from such processing
`and monitoring will automatically be transfered to a
`remote geographic location or locations.
`In the prior art, there have been attempts to develop
`systems to control programing and systems to monitor
`programing, but the two have been treated as separate
`systems, and each has had limited capacity.
`As regards control systems, cueing systems and
`equipment now exist that transmit instructions to oper-
`ating equipment at receiver sites by means of tone sig-
`nals that are carried, in television transmissions, in the
`audio portion and may be heard by the human ear. Such
`systems and devices are used to turn on equipment such
`as videotape players and recorders that have been man-
`ually loaded and to tell such equipment how long to
`run. Such systems operate by transmitting operating
`signals that precede and follow programing and are
`called “headers” and “trailers” respectively. The use of
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`4,694,490
`
`2
`headers and trailers limits prior art in that headers and
`trailers
`can become
`separated from programing,
`thereby hampering automatic operations. Such prior art
`techniques have lacked the capacity to process the pro-
`graming in various ways including to instruct receiver
`end equipment what specific programing to select to
`play or record other than that immediately at hand,
`how to load it on player or recorder equipment, when
`and how to play it or record it other than immediately,
`how to modify it, what equipment or channel or chan-
`nels to transmit it on, when to transmit it, and how and
`where to file it or refile it or dispose of it. (Within televi-
`sion studios that are original transmitters of program-
`ing, certain systems and equipment do exist for certain
`automatic co-ordination of players, loaders, and other
`equipment; however, manual instructions still must be
`given, on site, for the co-ordination of such equipment
`which instructions are transmitted electronically on
`hardwire channels that are strictly separate from the
`channels on which the programing is transmitted and
`such instructions are never broadcast.) Such prior art
`systems and equipment have lacked the capacity to
`automatically coordinate multi-channel and multi-
`media presentations. They have lacked the capacity to
`decrypt encrypted processing signals. They have lacked
`the capacity to monitor whether receiver-end equip-
`ment are following instructions properly.
`As regards monitoring systems, various systems and
`devices have been developed to determine what pro-
`graming is played on television. One such system for
`monitoring programs is described in U.S. Pat. No.
`4,025,851 to Haselwood, et al. Another that monitors by
`means of audio codes that are only “substantially inaudi-
`ble” is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,391 to Crosby.
`Recently devices, called addressable converters, have
`been developed that facilitate so-called pay-per-view
`marketing of programing by monitoring what individ-
`ual television receivers tune to and either permitting or
`preventing the tuners to tune to given frequencies satis-
`factorily. Such prior art techniques and equipment have
`been limited to monitoring single broadcast stations,
`channels or units and have lacked the ability to monitor
`multimedia presentations. They have been able to moni-
`tor only the audio or the video portion of television
`transmissions. They have been able either to monitor
`what is transmitted over one channel or what is re-
`ceived by one or more receivers but not both. They
`have lacked the capacity to record and transfer infor-
`mation simultaneously. They have been unable to de-
`crypt encrypted signals. They have been able to moni-
`tor only single signal word types or word lengths that
`are placed, within the transmissions, in locations that
`are unvarying and unvariable. They have lacked the
`capacity to compare, assemble, and/or evaluate multi-
`word, multi-location signals. Except in the possible case
`of addressable converters, they have been unable to
`distinguish the absence of signals or signal words in
`transmissions. They have lacked the capacity to com-
`municate processing instructions to external equipment
`as described in the paragraph above. It is the object of
`the present invention to overcome these and other defi-
`ciencies of the prior art.
`(The term “signal unit” hereinafter means one com-
`plete signal instruction or information message unit.
`Examples of signal units are a unique code identifying a
`programing unit, or a unique purchase order number
`identifying the proper use .of a programing unit, or a
`
`Page 16
`
`Page 16
`
`

`

`3
`general instruction identifying whether a programing
`unit is to be retransmitted immediately or recorded for
`delayed transmission. The term “signal word" hereinaf-
`ter means one full discrete appearance of a signal as
`embedded at one time in one location on a transmission.
`Examples of signal words are a string of one or more
`digital data bits encoded together on a single line of
`video or sequentially in audio. Such strings may or may
`not have predetermined data bits to identify the begin-
`nings and ends of words. Signal words may contain
`parts of signal units, whole signal units, or groups of
`partial or whole signal units or combinations.)
`It is a further object of the present invention to pro-
`cess and monitor signals on numerous channels by se-
`quentially scanning each channel in a predetermined
`manner which manner may be varied. It is also an ob-
`ject of the present invention to prevent unauthorized
`use of signals and programing by permitting signal en-
`cryption, the variation of word numbers, word lengths,
`word compositions, and/or word locations. It is also an
`object of this system to process different signal words in
`different ways. It is also an object of the present inven-
`tion to provide a record of signals that may be trans-
`ferred to a geographically distant location on command
`or predetermined instruction.
`Other objects of this invention will appear from the
`following descriptions and the appended claims.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention consists ‘of methods and appa-
`ratus with several forms.
`One method provides a technique whereby a broad-
`cast or cablecast transmission facility can duplicate the
`operation of a television studio automatically through
`the use of instruction and information signals embedded
`in programing either supplied from a remote source or
`sources or prerecorded. The programing may be deliv-
`ered to the transmission facility by any means including
`broadcast, hard-wire, and manual means. The transmis-
`sion facility may transmit a single channel or multiple
`channels of programing. The method includes a moni-
`toring technique to construct a record for each trans-
`mitted channel that duplicates the log that the Federal
`Communications Commission requires broadcast sta-
`tion operators to maintain. The method permits the
`transfer of such records to a predetermined site or sites
`in a predetermined fashion or fashions.
`Another method has application at receiver sites such
`as private homes or public places like theaters, hotels,
`brokerage offices, etc., whether commercial establish-
`ments or not. This method provides
`techniques
`whereby, automatically, single channel, single medium
`presentations, be they television, radio, or other elec-
`tronic transmissions, may be recorded, co-ordinated in
`time with other programing previously transmitted and
`recorded, or processed in other fashions. Multimedia
`presentations may be co-ordinated in time and/or in
`place as, for example, when real-time video programing
`is co-ordinated with presentations from a microcom-
`puter working with data supplied earlier. This method
`provides techniques whereby the timing and fashion of
`the playing, processing, and co-ordination of a presenta-
`tion or presentations may be determined at the time and
`place of transmission or of presentation, either in whole
`or in part, either locally or remotely, or a combination
`of these factors. The method provides monitoring tech-
`niques to develop data on patterns of viewership and to
`permit the detemination of specific usage at individual
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`4o
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`4,694,490
`
`4
`receiving sites for various purposes including, for exam-
`ple,
`the billing of individual customers. The method
`provides techniques whereby unauthorized use of pro-
`graming and/or of signals may be prevented.
`These techniques employ signals embedded in pro-
`grams. The advantage of such embedded signals, as
`compared to header and trailer signals,
`is that they
`cannot become separated inadvertantly from the pro-
`graming and, thereby, inhibit automatic processing, that
`they can convey signals to equipment that must switch
`manners or modes of operation during transmissions of
`individual units of programing, and that they can be
`monitored. (The techniques described here may use
`headers and trailers from time to time.) The embedded
`signals may run and repeat continuously throughout the
`programing or they may run only occasionally or only
`once. They may appear in various and varying loca-
`tions. In television they may appear on one line in the
`video portion of the transmission, or on a portion of one
`line, or on more than one line, and will probably lie
`outside the range of the television picture displayed on
`a normally tuned television set. In television and radio
`they may appear in a portion of the audio range that is
`not normally rendered in a form audible to the human
`ear. In television audio, they are likely to lie between
`eight and fifteen kilohertz. Signals may also be transmit-
`ted on frequencies outside the ranges of television and
`radio. Different and differing numbers of signals may be
`sent in different and differing word lengths and loca-
`tions.
`
`The present invention provides a method for obscur-
`ing the meaning of the signals to prevent unauthorized
`use of the signals and of their associated programing.
`Their meanings may be obscured through encryption so
`that apparatus described below are necessary to decrypt
`them. In addition, the pattern of the composition, tim-
`ing, and location of the signals may vary in such ways
`that only receiving apparatus that are preinformed re-
`garding the patterns that obtain at any given time will
`be able to process the signals correctly. Both the ar-
`rangement of signal units in signal words and the loca-
`tions, timings, and lengths of signal words in individual
`transmissions or groups of transmissions may vary in
`fashions that can only be interpreted accurately by ap-
`paratus that are preprogramed with the keys to such
`variations.
`
`The present invention also provides a method for
`identifying attempts to make unauthorized use of signals
`and the programing associated with signals.‘ When an
`apparatus finds that signal words fail to appear in places
`and at times when and where they are expected, the
`apparatus may automatically contact one or more re-
`mote sites and may or may not disable the flow of pro-
`graming in one or more ways.
`The present invention contemplates signal processing
`apparatus comprising a device or devices that can selec-
`tively scan transmission channels as directed. The chan-
`nels may convey television, radio, or other transmission
`frequencies. The input transmissions may be received
`by means of antennas or from hard-wire connections.
`The scanners/switches, working in parallel or series or
`combinations, transfer the transmissions to receiver/-
`decoder/detectors that identify signals encoded in pro-
`graming transmissions and convert the encoded signals
`to digital information; decryptors that may convert the
`received information, in part or in whole, to other digi-
`tal information according to preset methods or patterns;
`and one or more processor/monitors and/or buffer/-
`
`Page17
`
`Page 17
`
`

`

`5
`comparators that organize and transfer the information
`stream. The processors and buffers can have inputs
`from each of the receiver/detector lines and evaluate
`information continuously. From the processors and
`buffers, the signals may be transferred to external equip-
`ment such as computers, videotape recorders and play-
`ers, etc. And/or they may be transferred to one or more
`internal digital recorders that receive and store in mem-
`ory the recorded information and have connections to
`one or more remote sites for further transmission of the 10
`
`5
`
`recorded information. The apparatus has means for
`external communication and an automatic dialer and
`can contact remote sites and transfer stored information
`as required in a predetermined fashion or fashions. The
`apparatus has a clock for determining and recording 15
`time as required. It has a read only memory for record-
`ing permanent operating instructions and other infor-
`mation and a programmable random access memory
`controller (“PRAM controller”) that permits revision
`of operating patterns and instructions. The PRAM con- 20
`troller may be connected to all internal operating units
`for full flexibility of operations.
`Signal processing apparatus that are employed in
`specific situations that require fewer functions than
`those provided by the basic apparatus described above 25
`may omit one or more of the specific operating elements
`described above.
`'
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`35
`
`45
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of 30
`signal processing apparatus.
`FIG. 2A is a block diagram of a TV signal decoder
`apparatus.
`FIG. 2B is a block diagram of a radio signal decoder
`apparatus.
`FIG. 2C is a block diagram of an other signal decoder
`apparatus.
`FIGS. 3A 3B and 3C are a block diagram of signal
`processing apparatus and methods as they might be used
`in an intermediate transmission facility, in this case a 40
`cable system head end.
`FIG. 4A is a block diagram of a signal processor and
`a programing decryptor or other interrupt means with
`signals input to the signal processor before programing
`decryption. Also included is a local input.
`FIG. 4B is a block diagram of a signal processor and
`a decryptor/interrupter with signals input to the signal
`processor in programing after programing decryption.
`FIG. 4C is a block diagram of a signal processor and
`a decryptor/interrupter with signals input both before 50
`and after programing decryption.
`FIG. 4D is a block diagram of a signal processor and
`a multiple decrypter/interrupters in series, with signals
`input both before and after programing decryption.
`FIG. 4E is a block diagram of a signal processor and 55
`multiple decryptor/interruptors and with signals from
`one channel needed for decryption of a second channel.
`FIG. 5 is a block diagram of signal processor appara-
`tus monitoring various programing and viewership pat-
`terns.
`FIG. 6A is a block diagram of signal processor appa-
`ratus and methods used to instruct and inform external
`equipment governing the environment of the local re-
`ceiver site.
`FIG. 6B is a block diagram of signal processor appa- 65
`ratus and methods used to co-ordinate a multi-media,
`multi-channel presentation and monitor such viewer-
`ship.
`
`60
`
`4,694,490
`
`6
`FIG. 6C is a block diagram of signal processor appa-
`ratus and methods used to organize the reception of
`selected information and programing and to co-ordinate
`multi-media, multi-channel presentations in time.
`FIG. 6D is a block diagram of another example of
`multi-media, multi-channel co-ordination. In this case,
`the co-ordintation of video and print.
`FIG. 6E is a block diagram of signal processing tech-
`niques co-ordinated with programing decryptions tech-
`niques to facilitate electronic distribution of copy-
`righted materials while discouraging pirating and unau-
`thorized copying.
`.
`FIGS. 6F and 66 comprise a block diagram of signal
`processor apparatus and methods as they might be used
`at a consumer receiver site.
`FIG. 6H shows the relationship of FIGS. 3A, 3B, and
`3C.
`
`FIG. 61 shows the relationship of FIGS. 6F and 6G.
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`The Signal Processor Apparatus
`A signal processor apparatus for simultaneous use
`with a cablecast input that conveys both television and
`radio programing and a broadcast television input is
`shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the input signals are the
`entire range of frequencies or channels transmitted on
`the cable and the entire range of broadcast television
`transmissions available to a local television antenna of
`conventional design. The cable transmission is input
`simultaneously to switch 1 and mixer 2. The broadcast
`transmission is input to switch 1. Switch 1 and mixers 2
`and 3 are all controlled by local oscillator and switch
`control 6. The oscillator, 6, is controlled to provide a
`number of discrete specified frequencies for the particu-
`lar radio and television channels required. The switch,
`1, acts to select the broadcast input or the cablecast
`input and passes transmissions to mixer 3 which, with
`the controlled oscillator, 6, acts to select a television
`frequency of interest that is passed at a fixed frequency
`to a TV signal decoder, 30.
`Decoder 30 is shown more fully in FIG. 2A. In the
`decoder, 30, the frequency passes first through filter 31
`which defines the particular channel of interest to be
`analyzed. The television channel signal is then transmit-
`ted to a standard amplitude demodulator, 32, which
`uses standard demodulator techniques well known in
`the art to define the television base band signal. This
`base band signal is then transmitted through separate
`paths to three separate detector devices. These separate
`detectors are designed to act on the particular fre-
`quency ranges in which the encoded information may
`be found. The first path, designated A, inputs to a stan-
`dard line receiver, 33, well known in the art. This line
`receiver, 33, detects the existance of an embedded signal
`or signals in one or more of the lines normally used to
`define a television picture. It receives and detects only
`that portion or portions of the overall video transmis-
`sion and passes this line portion or portions to a digital
`detector, 34, which acts to decode the encoded signal
`information in the line portion or portions. The base
`band signal is also inputted through path B to an audio
`demodulator, 35, which further inputs 3 high pass filter,
`36, and a digital detector, 37. The digital detector, 37,
`through standard detection techniques well known in
`the art, determines whether a particular signal is present
`in the transmission in a predetermined fashion. Path C
`inputs the separately defined transmission to a digital
`
`Page 18
`
`Page 18
`
`

`

`4,694,490
`
`7
`detector, 38. Detectors, 34, 37, and 38, line receiver, 33,
`and high pass filter, 36, all operate in predetermined
`fashions which fashions may be changed by external
`controller, 20 (referring to FIG. 1),
`to be described
`below.
`If one returns to FIG. 1, one sees that the three sepa-
`rate lines of information outputted from TV signal de-
`coder, 30, are then gated to a buffer/comparator, 8,
`which also receives other inputs from the other separate
`receivers comprising similar filters, demodulators, and
`decoders for other channels of interest.
`One such other path is that from mixer 2. Mixer 2 and
`the controlled oscillator, 6, act to select a radio fre-
`quency of interest which is inputted to a radio signal
`decoder, 40, shown in FIG. 2B. The frequency passes
`first through standard radio receiver circuitry, 41, well
`known in the art, a radio decoder, 42, and a standard
`digital detector, 43. All operate in p