CODING ARRANGEMENTS FOR MULTIPLEXED MESSAGES

• US 3,585,290 A
• Filed: 01/29/1968
• Issued: 06/15/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert F. Sanford
• Original Assignee: Robert F. Sanford
• Inventors: Sanford, Robert F.
• Application Number:
  US04/701,441
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• US Class Current: 348/478
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/087 with signal insertion during the vertical blanking interval only

Abstract

Apparatus for extending the range of use of a television message system of the type wherein auxiliary message signals are multiplexed with regular program signals during the vertical blanking interval thereof, at a rate of one signal line per message per field of program information. Coding arrangements assign to each transmitted message a code signal of predetermined frequency and a predetermined time within the vertical blanking interval in which the message signals are to be inserted, and further condition selective recording of such auxiliary information upon receipt of message signals having a scheduled frequency and a scheduled interval location.

Claims

1. For use in conjunction with a television message system of the type wherein message representative line scan video signals are developed by an auxiliary video pickup device and sequentially multiplexed with regular television program video signals developed by a primary video pickup device during the vertical blanking interval thereof at a rate of one line scan signal per message information per field of program information and wherein said message information includes message category information identifying the message as to content, apparatus comprising:

first means responsive to said message category information for producing output signals assigning each of said line scan signals a predetermined position within said vertical blanking interval, and a predetermined category code signal identifying said line scan signal, second means responsive to said output signals from said first means for inserting a category code signal into an earlier horizontal interval of said vertical blanking interval so as to identify a plurality of message line signals inserted in later vertical blanking intervals, and third means responsive to said output signals from said first means for inserting said line scan signals having the same identifying category code frequency but different horizontal interval positions into their predetermined position within said vertical blanking interval according to a predetermined schedule, said second and third means operable to increase the message transmission capabilities of the system to a number equal to the number of unique code signals utilized, multiplied by the number of vertical blanking intervals utilized for message line insertion.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said category code signals identifying said message representative line scan signals as to type is also assigned to predetermined position within said vertical blanking interval.

3. Apparatus as defiNed in claim 2 wherein each of said category code signals is assigned the same predetermined position within said vertical blanking interval.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said category code signals comprises a burst of energy of predetermined frequency.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said category code signals comprises a burst of energy of predetermined frequency which is assigned an earlier position in said vertical blanking interval than is assigned to said message representative line scan signals.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said message informations is classified according to its respective subject matter and wherein said first means includes:

means for detecting said message information classifications;

means for generating said line scan signals representative of said message informations;

means coupled to said detecting means for generating said category code signals identifying said line scan signals according to said classifications;

means for multiplexing said line scan signals and said category code signals into predetermined portions of said vertical blanking interval; and

means coupled to said detecting means for gating predetermined ones of said line scan signals and said category code signals to said multiplexing means in accordance with said classification to be inserted into the vertical blanking interval thereby.

7. A system as defined in claim 1 and further comprising:

motor control means, and logic control circuit means coupled to said motor control means and to said first means for moving said message information across the field of view of said auxiliary pickup device when the corresponding identifying code frequency is being inserted into said vertical blanking interval and for preventing the moving of said message information when a noncorresponding code frequency is being generated and inserted into said vertical blanking interval.

8. For use in conjunction with a television message system of the type wherein message representative line scan video signals developed by an auxiliary video pickup device are classified according to their respective subject matter and sequentially multiplexed with regular television program video signals developed by primary video pickup device during the vertical blanking interval thereof at a rate of one line scan signal per message information per field of program information and are displayed at said rate by a cathode-ray tube, apparatus comprising;

first means responsive to said message information for assigning to each of said line scan signals a predetermined position within said vertical blanking interval blanking interval and a predetermined category code signal identifying said line scan signals as to type, said first means including;

means for detecting message information classifications, means for generating line scan signals representative of message information, means coupled to said detecting means for generating category code signals which comprise a burst of energy of predetermined frequency and which identify said line scan signals according to said classifications, means for inserting said code signals in the same predetermined position in said vertical blanking interval during an earlier horizontal interval of said blanking interval, means for multiplexing said line scan signals into predetermined ones of the remaining later horizontal intervals of said vertical blanking interval, means coupled to said detecting means for gating predetermined ones of said line scan signals and said category code signals to said multiplexing means in accordance with said classification to be inserted into the vertical blanking interval thereby, and second means for recording that line scan signal occupying a blanking interval position and having an identifying code signal which corresponds to the message information selected for viewing according to a schedulE of message categories, said second means including;

means for detecting said category code signals and for providing an output indication thereof when said signals correspond to category code signals selected for viewing according to a schedule of message categories, means responsive to said output indications for generating a gating signal which is substantially time coincident with that portion of said vertical blanking interval into which are multiplexed those line scan signals selected for viewing according to said message signals, means for coupling said multiplex signals to said cathode-ray tube to be displayed thereby, and means for coupling said gating signal to said cathode-ray tube to intensify the electronic beam thereof during the time of application of said gating signal to said tube.

9. Receiving apparatus for a television message system of the type wherein the transmitted signal is a sequentially multiplexed signal including primary program image signals, and auxiliary message image signals and category code signals identifying said image signals as to type included within predetermined portions of the vertical blanking interval of said program signals comprising;

first means for receiving said multiplexed signals, second means for displaying message image signals corresponding to a preselected code signal being present in each multiplexed signal, third means for coupling said received multiplexed signals to said second means, fourth means responsive to said preselected code signal being present within said vertical blanking interval and selected according to a schedule of message informations for energizing said second means to display those auxiliary message signals associated with the presence of said identifying code within said blanking interval, and fifth means for providing a substantially permanent record of said displayed auxiliary message information, wherein said fifth means initiates the permanent recording of said auxiliary message information upon initial receipt thereof and terminated said permanent recording a predetermined time interval after complete receipt of said message information.

10. Receiving apparatus for a television message system of the type wherein the transmitted signal is a sequentially multiplexed signal including primary program image signals, and auxiliary message image signals and category code signals identifying such image signals as to type included within predetermined portions of the vertical blanking interval of said program signals comprising:

first means for receiving said multiplexed signals, second means including an electronic beam display device for displaying message image signals corresponding to a preselected code signal being present in each multiplexed signal, third means for coupling said received multiplexed signals to said second means, and fourth means responsive to said preselected code signal being present within said vertical blanking interval and selected according to a schedule of message informations, said fourth means including means for generating a pulse signal in response to the presence of said preselected code signal within said vertical blanking interval for energizing said second means to intensify said electron beam substantially at a time when said auxiliary signal is coupled to said display device thereby to display those auxiliary message signals associated with the presence of said identifying code within category code.