Method and system for enabling television commerical monitoring using a marking signal superimposed over an audio signal
First Claim
1. A system for enabling television commercial monitoring from audio and video signals of a television broadcast signal received by a selected signal receiver comprising:
- (a) first triggering means connected with the signal receiver and responsive to the television broadcast signal for generating a first output triggering signal when a video signal from the television broadcast signal reaches a selected video signal threshold level;
(b) second triggering means connected with the signal receiver and responsive to the television broadcast signal for generating a second output triggering signal when an audio signal from the television broadcast signal reaches a predetermined audio signal threshold level;
(c) circuit means connected with the first and second triggering means for combining the first and second triggering signals; and
(d) signal generator means responsive to the first and second triggering signals for generating a marking signal when the combined first and second triggering signals reach a selected activating threshold level when the broadcast signal fades at a television commercial, the signal generator means including actuator means having an input for receiving the combined first and second triggering signals to detect when the combined first and second triggering signals reach the selected activating threshold level and having an output for providing an actuating signal when the activating threshold is reached, the signal generator means being responsive to the actuating signal for generating the marking signal with a selected format to enable the marking signal and the audio signal of the television broadcast signal to be simultaneously recorded on a selected recording medium so that the marking signal is superimposed over at least a portion of the audio signal without interfering with the recorded audio signal to mark the location of the television commercial on the recording medium without deleting the television commercial from the recording medium so as to enable subsequent location and monitoring of the television commercial recorded on the recording medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for detecting and marking television commercials is provided. A first comparator is utilized for comparing the television video signal to an adjustable reference voltage and for generating a triggering signal when a video signal is not present at the comparator input. A second comparator compares the television audio signal to a second adjustable reference voltage to provide a triggering signal when an audio signal is not present at the comparator input. The outputs from the two comparators are supplied to a one-shot timer mechanism which is adapted to generate an output signal of a predetermined time period only upon the simultaneous absence of an audio and video signal, thus signifying a fade break in the television broadcast signal. The timed output signal from the timer mechanism is connected to a low frequency oscillator which generates a low frequency output signal upon being actuated by the output from the timer mechanism.
99 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for enabling television commercial monitoring from audio and video signals of a television broadcast signal received by a selected signal receiver comprising:
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(a) first triggering means connected with the signal receiver and responsive to the television broadcast signal for generating a first output triggering signal when a video signal from the television broadcast signal reaches a selected video signal threshold level; (b) second triggering means connected with the signal receiver and responsive to the television broadcast signal for generating a second output triggering signal when an audio signal from the television broadcast signal reaches a predetermined audio signal threshold level; (c) circuit means connected with the first and second triggering means for combining the first and second triggering signals; and (d) signal generator means responsive to the first and second triggering signals for generating a marking signal when the combined first and second triggering signals reach a selected activating threshold level when the broadcast signal fades at a television commercial, the signal generator means including actuator means having an input for receiving the combined first and second triggering signals to detect when the combined first and second triggering signals reach the selected activating threshold level and having an output for providing an actuating signal when the activating threshold is reached, the signal generator means being responsive to the actuating signal for generating the marking signal with a selected format to enable the marking signal and the audio signal of the television broadcast signal to be simultaneously recorded on a selected recording medium so that the marking signal is superimposed over at least a portion of the audio signal without interfering with the recorded audio signal to mark the location of the television commercial on the recording medium without deleting the television commercial from the recording medium so as to enable subsequent location and monitoring of the television commercial recorded on the recording medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for enabling television commercial monitoring from audio and video signals of a television broadcast signal received by a selected signal receiver comprising:
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(a) first triggering means connected with the signal receiver and responsive to the television broadcast signal for generating a first output triggering signal when a video signal from the television broadcast signal reaches a selected video signal threshold level; (b) second triggering means connected with the signal receiver and responsive to the television broadcast signal for generating a second output triggering signal when an audio signal from the television broadcast signal reaches a predetermined audio signal threshold level; (c) circuit means connected with the first and second triggering means for combining the first and second triggering signals; and (d) signal generator means responsive to the first and second triggering signals for generating a marking signal when the combined first and second triggering signals reach a selected activating threshold level when the broadcast signal fades at a television commercial, the signal generator means including a signal generator for producing the marking signal and actuator means having an input for receiving the combined first and second triggering signals to detect when the combined first and second triggering signals reach the selected activating threshold level and having an output for providing an actuating signal to the signal generator when the activating threshold is reached, said actuator means including timed actuating means responsive to the combined first and second triggering signals for producing the actuating signal for a predetermined time period to actuate the signal generator to produce the marking signal for said predetermined time period and with a selected format to enable the marking signal to be recorded with at least one of the audio and video signals of the television broadcast signal on a selected recording medium to mark the location of the television commercial on the recording medium without deleting the television commercial from the recording medium so as to enable subsequent location and monitoring of the television commercial recorded on the recording medium. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification