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Signal processing apparatus and methods

  • US 10,334,292 B1
  • Filed: 05/23/1995
  • Issued: 06/25/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1981
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of controlling a transmitter station, said transmitter station including a first programmable processor apparatus, said first programmable processor apparatus controlling equipment at said transmitter station, said method comprising:

  • inputting to said first programmable processor apparatus at said transmitter station a first control signal that designates at least one of image programming and sound programming;

    communicating, under control of said first programmable processor apparatus, said designated at least one of image programming and sound programming to a transmitter apparatus at said transmitter station;

    selecting at said transmitter station, under control of said first programmable processor apparatus, at least one executable code module for programming a second programmable processor apparatus at a remote receiver station, wherein, when executed, said selected at least one executable code module causes said second programmable processor apparatus at said remote receiver station to process pre-stored data stored at said remote receiver station, to perform a sequence of steps to provide a series of instances of information content for output locally at said remote receiver station upon command, and to identify subscriber data for electronic transmission to a location remote from said remote receiver station that uses a communication channel carrying only digital information during said electronic transmission, wherein said subscriber data comprises information for an order for a physical product identified in said designated at least one of image programming and sound programming, wherein said electronic transmission includes a unique identifier, and wherein said order for said physical product is modified as to at least one of quality and quantity of said order for said physical product based on previously stored subscriber preferences;

    communicating, under control of said first programmable processor apparatus, said selected at least one executable code module for programming said second programmable processor apparatus at said remote receiver station with a first command that is operative at said remote receiver station to cause said second programmable processor apparatus to store said selected at least one executable code module;

    receiving a second control signal at said transmitter station, said second control signal containing a sequence of commence outputting messages, each commence outputting message of said sequence of commence outputting messages containing a command addressed to said remote receiver station and operative at said remote receiver station to output to an output apparatus at said remote receiver station for a humanly observable period of time an instance of said series of instances of information content for output locally upon command;

    detecting at said transmitter station a control command;

    inputting to said first programmable processor apparatus at said transmitter station said control command;

    controlling, with said first programmable processor apparatus at said transmitter station and in response to said control command, a selective transfer device at said transmitter station to communicate to said transmitter apparatus at said transmitter station a second command operative at said remote receiver station to execute said selected at least one executable code module at said second programmable processor apparatus;

    communicating to said transmitter apparatus at said transmitter station said second control signal containing said sequence of commence outputting messages, wherein at least some commence outputting messages of said sequence of commence outputting messages are effective at said remote receiver station to output a plurality of instances of information content from said series of instances of information content, each instance of information content of said plurality of instances of information content having different information content from one another, outputted in a plurality of different humanly observable periods of time; and

    transmitting from said transmitter station to said remote receiver station (1) said designated at least one of image programming and sound programming, (2) said selected at least one executable code module with said first command, (3) said second command, and (4) said second control signal containing said sequence of commence outputting messages, whereby said remote receiver station is enabled to deliver to a human user at said output apparatus at said remote receiver station a locally customized presentation of said designated at least one of image programming and sound programming.

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