Method and system for editing unwanted program material from broadcast signals

• US 4,750,213 A
• Filed: 06/09/1986
• Issued: 06/07/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Albert P. Novak
• Original Assignee: Albert P. Novak
• Inventors: Novak, Albert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US06/872,627
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 455/2, 455/67, 455/68, 455/69, 455/70, 358/84, 358/139, 358/908
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/908 Pause control, i.e. "commercial killers"

Abstract

An improved method and system for the editing of unwanted content from transmitted program material. The system may be operated manually or automatically and its program recognition means may be positioned either locally at the controlled receiver or in a remote location. The system also has expanded editing capability to allow coordinated control of accessory devices and may be programmed without the necessity of an initial reception of unwanted content at the controlled receiver. It also simplifies and improves the reliability of previously disclosed methods for automatic program identification.

Claims

1. A system for the editing of program material contained in broadcast signals, comprising in combination:

at least one editing control signal generation means comprising;

means for monitoring a selected unedited broadcast signal and generating an editing control signal which corresponds to the program content contained within said selected unedited broadcast signal being monitored;

transmitting means for transmitting said editing control signal;

at least one means for editing the content of said selected unedited broadcast signal being monitored, said editing means comprising;

an output normally connected to an input of said selected unedited broadcast signal, and which can be disconnected from said input of said selected unedited broadcast signal;

switching means for switching said output from being connected to said input and disconnected from said input;

and switch operation means to cause operation of said switching means to correspond to the program content contained within said selected unedited broadcast signal, and wherein said switch operation means comprises;

receiving means for receiving from said transmitting means said editing control signal and causing operation of said switching means to correspond to the information contained within said editing control signal being received pertaining to the program content contained within said selected unedited broadcast signal being monitored;

and means for at least one said editing control signal generation means to operate independently of the content of the signal at said output.

2. The System of claim 1 wherein said at least one editing control signal generation means comprises means for automatically monitoring a selected unedited broadcast signal and generating a segment of said editing control signal which corresponds to the program content contained within said broadcast signal being automatically monitored.

3. A system for the editing of program material contained in broadcast electrical signals according to claim 1, wherein said editing control generation means includes means for programming the operation of said editing control generation means as to allow editing to occur during the first and each subsequent monitoring of said broadcast signal being monitored.

4. A system for the editing of program material contained in broadcast signals, comprising in combination:

at least one editing control signal generation means comprising;

means for monitoring a selected unedited broadcast signal and generating an editing control signal which corresponds to the program content contained within said selected unedited broadcast signal being monitored;

transmitting means for transmitting said editing control signal;

at least one means for editing the content of said selected unedited broadcast signal being monitored, said editing means comprising;

at least one auxiliary control signal output for providing control of auxiliary equipment;

at least one output normally connected to a primary said selected unedited broadcast signal, and which can be alternately disconnected from said primary said selected unedited broadcast signal and connected to a secondary broadcast signal;

broadcast signal switching means for switching said output between said primary input and said alternate broadcast signal input;

auxiliary control signal switching means for adjusting said at least one auxiliary control signal output;

and switch operation means to cause operation of said auxiliary control switching means, and said broadcast signal switching means to correspond to the program content contained within said selected unedited broadcast signal, and wherein aid switch operation means comprises;

receiving means for receiving from said transmitting means said editing control signal and controlling operation of said auxiliary control signal switching means and said broadcast signal switching means with the information contained within said

editing control signal being received pertaining to the program content contained within said selected unedited broadcast signal being monitored;

and means for at least one said editing control signal generation means to operte independently of the content of the signal at said output.

5. A system for the editing of the content contained within broadcast signals comprising in combination:

at least one identification code;

at least one encoded editing control signal containing at

least one said identification code;

at least one monitoring-encoding means for automatically monitoring the content of a selected broadcast signal and encoding at least one said encoded editing control signal according to the content of said selected broadcast signal being monitored;

transmitting means for transmitting at least one said editing control signal to at least one external editing means, wherein said external editing means comprises;

at least one broadcast signal output, said broadcast signal output normally connected to a primary input consisting of said selected broadcast signal being monitored;

at least one switching means to disconnect said broadcast signal output from said primary input;

and at least one switch operation means to cause the operation of said switching means and thereby cause the editing of content from said selected broadcast signal;

wherein said switch operation means comprises;

at least one primary identification code;

programming means for selecting said primary identification code for storage within at least one memory means;

receiving means for receiving said encoded editing control signal, including said identification code contained therein;

processing means for comparing said identification code obtained from said encoded editing control signal being received with said primary identification code contained within said memory means and obtaining an enabling output from said processing means when said identification code being compared and said primary identification code being compared match within a predetermined degree;

and transmitting means for transmitting said enabling output to, and operating, said switch operation means.

6. A system for the editing of program material contained in broadcast electrical signals according to claim 5, wherein said monitoring-encoding means includes means for programming the operation of said monitoring-encoding means as to allow editing to occur during the first and each subsequent monitoring of said broadcast signal being monitored.

7. A system for the operation of an auxiliary device corresponding to the program material contained in broadcast signals, comprising in combination:

at least one enabling generation means comprising;

means for automatically monitoring a selected broadcast signal and automatically generating an enabling signal which corresponds to the program content contained within said selected broadcast signal being automatically monitored, and wherein said means for automatically monitoring and automatically generating said enabling signal includes;

means for deriving at least one signature corresponding to the program content contained within said selected broadcast signal being monitored;

memory means for storage of at least one selected signature therein;

means for comparing said signature corresponding to the said selected broadcast signal being monitored with said at least one selected signature in storage;

and means for generating said enabling signal, wherein the said enabling signal generated corresponds to the product of said comparison;

transmitting means for transmitting said enabling signal;

at least one means for controlling the operation of an auxiliary device, said means for controlling the operation of an auxiliary device comprising;

at least one auxiliary control signal output for providing control of said auxiliary device;

auxiliary control signal switching means for adjusting at least one said at least one auxiliary control signal output;

and switch operation means to cause operation of said auxiliary control switching means, to correspond to the program content contained within said selected broadcast signal, and wherein said switch operation means comprises;

receiving means for receiving from said transmitting means said enabling signal and controlling operation of said auxiliary control signal switching means with the information contained within said enabling signal being received pertaining to the program content contained within said selected broadcast signal being monitored.

8. The System of claim 7 where said at least one enabling signal generation means comprises means for manually monitoring a selected broadcast signal and generating said enabling signal which corresponds to the program content contained within said broadcast signal being manually monitored.