Apparatus for detecting recorded data in a video tape recorder for audience rating purposes

• US 4,792,864 A
• Filed: 06/27/1986
• Issued: 12/20/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Video Research Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Video Research Ltd.
• Inventors: Watanabe, Fumio, Itoh, Yoshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardillo, Raymond F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Young, W. R.
• Application Number:
  US06/879,800
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 358/335, 358/84, 358/141, 358/142, 358/257, 360/6, 360/10.1, 360/14.3, 360/33.1, 369/59
• US Class Current: 386/234
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/28 Indicating or preventing prior or unauthorised use, e.g. cassettes with sealing or locking means, write-protect devices for discs write-protect devices for tapes G11B23/042, G11B23/08714; dummy cassettes for locking in the drive G11B33/005
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3054 Vertical Interval Time code [VITC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/006 with video camera or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9206 the additional signal being a character code signal

Abstract

A system is disclosed for detecting the recording data of a video tape recorder, which is enabled to detect data concerning the time and channel a program played back was recorded at and through, by adding both calendar data such as the date and time and channel data indicating a channel to be recorded in the recording operation of the video tape recorder and by extracting the above-specified data in the playback operation.

Claims

1. Apparatus for detecting recorded and reproduction states of a video tape recorder for supplying audience rate data therefrom, comprising:

a meter connected to a video tape recorder;

a first pickup coil coupled to the video tape recorder for detecting an audio intermediate frequency signal from said video tape recorder;

a second pickup coil coupled to the video tape recorder for detecting an erase signal from said video tape recorder;

means including a first terminal on said meter connected to an antenna terminal of said video tape recorder for supplying boosted television signals to the video tape recorder;

means including a second terminal on said meter connected with an external input terminal of said video tape recorder for supplying video and audio signals to the video tape recorder;

means including a third terminal on said meter connected to an external output terminal of said video tape recorder for receiving video and audio signals from said video tape recorder;

means including a fourth terminal on said meter connected to said first pickup coil for receiving audio intermediate frequency signals from said video tape recorder;

means including a fifth terminal on said meter connected to said second pickup coil for receiving erase signals from said video tape recorder;

said means for supplying boosted television signals to the video tape recorder comprising a booster boosting television signals input from an external antenna and supplying the boosted signals to said first terminal and to a tuner in said meter;

said tuner supplying output video intermediate frequency signals and channel data;

video intermediate frequency detecting automatic gain control means for receiving the output signals from said tuner and producing output video signals;

audio intermediate frequency amplifying audio demodulating means receiving said video signals from said video intermediate frequency detecting automatic gain control means and producing output audio signals at said second terminal and output audio intermediate frequency signals;

data generating means for generating calendar data consisting of year, month, day, hour and minute and for memorizing channel data produced by said tuner;

video signal adding means coupled to said data generating means for supply of channel and calendar data therefrom to said second terminal during the vertical flyback line erasing period of the video signal input from said video intermediate frequency detecting automatic gain control means;

a second audio intermediate frequency amplifying audio demodulating means for receiving and amplifying video tape recorder audio intermediate frequency signals at said fourth terminal;

tuner scanning controlling means receiving the outputs of said first and second audio intermediate frequency amplifying audio demodulating means for scanning said outputs and selecting stations on said tuner which coincide with selected stations on the video tape recorder and supplying the channel data to said data generating means;

data extracting means for extracting and memorizing channel and calendar data from said video signal input at said third terminal;

data comparing means receiving channel and calendar data from said extracting means, and channel and calendar data from said data generating means for comparing both data and, when they coincide producing an output signal representing reproduced information;

recorded picture detecting means processing the erase signal of said video tape recorder at said fifth terminal and detecting recorded picture information; and

transmitter means for receiving recorded picture information from said recorded picture detecting means, reproduced information from said data comparing means and channel and calendar data from said data generating means and delivering the same as audience rate data to a telephone circuit.