Pay per view television control device

• US 4,325,078 A
• Filed: 11/20/1979
• Issued: 04/13/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Telemine Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: The Telemine Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Cohen, Leonard, Seaton, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buczinski, S. C.
• Application Number:
  US06/095,973
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 358/84, 358/115, 358/117, 455/171
• US Class Current: 380/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3433 the counter having monetary units
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing limited access to broadcast television programming in a CATV System wherein each television subscriber is provided with a converter for converting broadcast television signals into signals suitable for reception and display by a conventional television receiver and means for disabling the converter from producing TV compatible signals selectively activated by a switching device. A magnetic card reader reads the data on a program card inserted by the subscriber and compares it with a reference data record stored in a memory to determine if the program card is valid for the program sought to be viewed. If the card is valid a timer is actuated to cause the switching device to enable reception of the broadcast program while obliterating the data on the program card so that the card cannot be reused. The reference data record may be variable with time so that a program card will only be effective for enabling program viewing during a predetermined time period.

Claims

1. Apparatus for providing limited access to television programs comprising

a reader having an input for receiving a record medium on which there is recorded data including representations of a pre-determined period of time for said access and an output at which there are generated electrical signals corresponding to the data recorded on said medium,

a reference signal generator having an output at which there are generated pre-determined electrical signals corresponding to a reference data record, said reference signal generator including timing means for continuously generating signals indicative of elapsed time from a pre-determined reference time, said output comprising said elapsed time signals,

a comparator for comparing the output signals of said reader with the output signals of said signal generator and having an output at which there is generated a validity signal indicative of a correspondence between said reader and reference signal generator output signals, and

a switching device having an "On" state and an "Off" state and being responsive to said comparator for being in said "On" state only during the occurrence of said validity signal, said switch means enabling access to said television programs when in said "On" state and preventing access when in said "Off" state.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means responsive to said validity signal for altering the data on said record medium when actuated.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said record medium comprises a magnetizable surface and said reader comprises a magnetic head.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said altering means comprises means for generating a magnetic field in the vicinity of said reader.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising a sensor for sensing the presence of said record medium at the input of said reader, said altering means being responsive to said sensor for being actuable only when said record means is received at the input of said reader.

6. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 through 5 wherein said reference record includes a clock means for generating output signals indicative of current time so that access to a television program can be enabled only during a time period limited by the data on said record medium.

7. A method of obtaining access to a television program and comprising:

applying a record medium containing data including a representation of a pre-determined period of time for said access stored thereon to the input of a data reader,

comparing signals representative of said record medium data with reference signals including signals indicative of elapsed time from a pre-determined reference time,

enabling access to the television program only in response to a pre-determined correspondence between said record medium data representative signals and said reference signals, and

causing said data record to be altered after said data is read thereby preventing said record means from again being used to provide access to a program before enabling data is again recorded thereon.