Use-related billing for pay TV
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for billing viewers for viewing programs offered by a pay TV service, comprising:
- means for encoding a programming signal, to be broadcast by a pay TV program signal source, with a code signal;
means for broadcasting said encoded programming signal;
means, at a viewer location, for detecting said encoded programming signal as a result of the viewer being tuned to a program offered by the pay TV service;
means for decoding said encoded programming signal to derive the code signal therefrom;
means for determining a duration of time during which the viewer was tuned to programs offered by the pay TV service; and
means for combining said determined duration of time with a designated billing rate corresponding to said decoded code signal to derive a use-based billed amount for the pay TV service.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Technique for billing viewers for use of pay TV based on duration of viewing rather than a flat fee. A code signal is broadcast together with a programming signal. The encoded programming signal is received while a viewer is tuned to a selected program and decoded to derive a code therefrom which is used for determining a duration of time during which the viewer was tuned to that program. The thusly determined duration of time is combined with a designated billing rate to derive a use-based billed amount.
37 Citations
38 Claims
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1. Apparatus for billing viewers for viewing programs offered by a pay TV service, comprising:
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means for encoding a programming signal, to be broadcast by a pay TV program signal source, with a code signal;
means for broadcasting said encoded programming signal;
means, at a viewer location, for detecting said encoded programming signal as a result of the viewer being tuned to a program offered by the pay TV service;
means for decoding said encoded programming signal to derive the code signal therefrom;
means for determining a duration of time during which the viewer was tuned to programs offered by the pay TV service; and
means for combining said determined duration of time with a designated billing rate corresponding to said decoded code signal to derive a use-based billed amount for the pay TV service. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for billing viewers for viewing programs offered by a pay TV service, comprising:
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encoding a programming signal, to be broadcast by a pay TV program signal source, with a code signal;
broadcasting said encoded programming signal;
detecting, at a viewer location, said encoded programming signal as a result of the viewer being tuned to a program offered by the pay TV service;
decoding said encoded programming signal to derive the code signal therefrom;
determining a duration of time during which the viewer was tuned to programs offered by the pay TV service; and
combining said determined duration of time with a designated billing rate corresponding to said decoded code signal to derive a use-based billed amount for the pay TV service. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for providing discounts on use-based bills to viewers of pay TV, comprising:
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broadcasting a programming signal that has been encoded with a code signal;
detecting, at a viewer location, said encoded programming signal as a result of the viewer being tuned to a program by pay TV;
decoding said encoded programming signal to derive the code signal therefrom;
determining a duration of time during which the viewer was tuned to programs offered by pay TV to derive therefrom a use-based billed amount; and
providing a use-based discount to the viewer for pay TV services. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. Apparatus for providing discounts on use-based bills to viewers of pay TV, comprising:
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means for broadcasting a programming signal that has been encoded with a code signal;
means for detecting, at a viewer location, said encoded programming signal as a result of the viewer being tuned to a program offered by pay TV;
means for decoding said encoded programming signal to derive the code signal therefrom;
means for determining a duration of time during which the viewer was tuned to programs offered by pay TV to derive therefrom a use-based billed amount; and
means for providing a use-based discount to the viewer for pay TV services. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for providing audience monitoring information based on data obtained to generate use-based bills to viewers of pay TV, comprising:
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broadcasting a programming signal that has been encoded with a code signal comprising at least one code respectively associated with programs;
detecting, at a viewer location, said encoded programming signal as a result of the viewer being tuned to a selected program;
decoding said encoded programming signal to derive the code signal therefrom;
determining a use-based billed amount for pay TV services; and
determining from the at least one code in the decoded code signal the pay TV programs to which the viewer was tuned.
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36. A method for providing audience monitoring information based on data obtained to generate use-based bills to viewers of pay TV, comprising:
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broadcasting a programming signal that has been encoded with a code signal comprising at least one code respectively associated with a program signal source;
detecting, at a viewer location, said encoded programming signal as a result of the viewer being tuned to a selected program;
decoding said encoded programming signal to derive the code signal therefrom;
determining a use-based billed amount for pay TV services; and
determining from the at least one code in the decoded code signal the pay TV program signal source to which the viewer was tuned.
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37. Apparatus for billing viewers for viewing programs offered by pay TV, comprising:
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means at a viewer location for detecting, as a result of the viewer being tuned to a selected program, a programming signal encoded with a code signal associated with pay TV programs;
means for decoding said encoded programming signal to derive the code signal therefrom;
means for determining a duration of time during which the viewer was tuned to programs offered by pay TV; and
means for combining said determined duration of time with a designated billing rate corresponding to said decoded code signal to derive a use-based billed amount.
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38. A method for billing viewers for viewing programs offered by pay TV, comprising:
detecting, at a viewer location and as a result of the viewer being tuned to a selected program, a programming signal encoded with a code signal associated with pay TV programs;
Specification