TELEVISION RECEIVER CUT-IN DEVICE

• US 3,639,686 A
• Filed: 04/25/1969
• Issued: 02/01/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Adtel Products Incorporated, Test Marketing Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Harold R. Walker, Ira Kamen
• Inventors: Walker, Harold R., Kamen, Ira
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stout, Donald E.
• Application Number:
  US04/819,232
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 325/392,466,64,5.1 178/5.6,5.8R
• US Class Current: 725/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A market-testing television system which may be utilized with present day television systems and is capable of selecting specific sections of a general audience listening to a conventional channel and providing an auxiliary program for the selected sections.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in combination with TV receiving means whose tuner is preset at a predetermined signal frequency, for remotely selecting portions of a general TV receiving audience to view an auxiliary program, the apparatus comprising:

a. a first means for receiving information signals at a selected channel frequency;

b. a second means for receiving auxiliary information signals and control signals, said control signals in part containing a representation of a signal frequency to be interrupted;

c. comparison means for generating an output when said control signal coincides with a channel identifying signal obtained from said first means;

d. switching means for choosing said auxiliary information signal in response to said comparison output and in the absence of said output, choosing said information signal; and

e. means for converting the information signals and the auxiliary information signals to a predetermined signal frequency and connected to the output of the switching means, said converting means having its output connected to the conventional input of the TV receiving means whereby the TV receiving means receives either the information signals or the auxiliary information signals.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said information signals are radiofrequencies comprising:

a. a first amplitude modulated video signal; and

b. a first frequency modulated audio signal contained in a first subcarrier.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein the auxiliary information signals and control signals are radiofrequencies other than said information radiofrequencies, comprising:

a. a second amplitude modulated video signal;

b. a second frequency modulated audio signal contained in a second subcarrier; and

c. a third subcarrier incorporating the coded information.

4. The apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said third subcarrier coded information signal comprises signal tones for frequency modulating said third subcarrier.

5. The apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein said third subcarrier coded information signal comprises digital pulses for frequency modulating said third subcarrier.

6. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said first means for receiving said information signals comprises:

a. a first antenna;

b. a multichannel tuner having an IF output at the selected frequency connected to said switching means and a second output from which said channel identifying signal is obtained; and

c. a first transmission line connecting said first antenna to said multichannel tuner.

7. The apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein said second means for receiving said auxiliary information signals and control signals comprises:

a. a second antenna;

b. a single-channel tuner having an IF output frequency;

c. a seconD transmission line connecting said second antenna to said single-channel tuner;

d. a receiver connected to the output of said single-channel tuner for receiving said control signals; and

said comparison means includes a decoder for energizing said switching means, connected to the output of said receiver and having a second input connected to the second output of said information receiving means, said decoder having an output which energizes said switching means only when said receiver output and said second input are in coincidence.

8. The apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said second input from said information receiving means is mechanical.

9. The apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said second input from said information receiving means is electrical.

10. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said first means for receiving said information signal comprises:

11. The apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein said second means for receiving said auxiliary information signals and control signals comprises:

a. second antenna;

b. a single-channel tuner having an IF output frequency;

c. a second transmission line connecting said second antenna to said single-channel tuner;

d. a receiver connected to the output of said single-channel tuner for receiving said control signals;

e. a demodulator for demodulating said control signals into a second digital pulse code group;

f. an occupation address module for converting the viewer'"'"''"'"'s occupation into a third pulse code group; and

g. said comparison means having said first, second and third pulse code groups as an input and having its output connected to said switching means, said comparison means having an output sufficient to energize said switching means when said first, second and third pulse code group are in coincidence.

12. The apparatus as described in claim 11 wherein said occupation address module includes a multiplicity of modules each capable of transforming personal viewer data into a pulse code group and being connected to the input of said comparison means.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said switching means is an electromechanical device.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said switching means is a solid state device.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for converting said information signals and said auxiliary information signals comprises:

a. amplifying means for amplifying the output of said switching means;

b. an oscillator;

c. mixing means for the conventional mixing of said amplified signal and said oscillator signal for generating a fixed frequency signal; and

d. filter means for eliminating the unselected signals emanating from said mixing means.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and said second transmission lines are utilized in common.

17. The apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said coded information is amplitude modulated on said third subcarrier.

18. In combination, a TV receiving means and an apparatus for remotely selecting portions of a general TV viewing audience to view an auxiliary program, said combination comprising:

a. tuning means in said TV receiver preset at a predetermined signal frequency;

b. a first means for receiving information signals on a selected signal frequency;

c. a second means for receiving auxiliary information signals and control signals, said control signals in part containing a representation of a signal frequency to be interrupted;

d. comparison means for generating an output when said control signal coincides with a channel identifying signal obtained from said first means;

e. switching means for choosing said auxiliary information signal in response to said comparison output and in the absence of said output, choosing said information signal; and

f. means for converting the information signals and the auxiliary information signals to a predetermined signal frequency and cOnnected to the output of the switching means, said converting means having its output connected to the conventional input of the TV receiving means whereby the TV receiving means receives either the information signals or the auxiliary information signals.