System and methods for monitoring TV viewing system including a VCR and/or a cable converter

• US 4,885,632 A
• Filed: 03/16/1988
• Issued: 12/05/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AGB Television Research
• Original Assignee: AGB Television Research
• Inventors: Richards, Stephen L., Boska, Joseph M., Mabey, Kent W.
• Primary Examiner(s): George, Keith E.
• Application Number:
  US07/168,651
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 358/84, 358/335, 360/37.1, 379/92, 455/2
• US Class Current: 725/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/32 Arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations, e.g. malfunction or breakdown of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/44 for identifying broadcast stations

Abstract

A system and methods are disclosed for monitoring a home TV viewing system which may include a TV, a VCR and one or more cable converters. The system obtains information for identifying the source of video displayed or being recorded, i.e., off-air antenna, satellite antenna, cable converter tuner, VCR, personal computer, video game, etc. The system also obtains information identifying the video path of the video being displayed and/or recorded. The system "fingerprints" video recorded by the VCR so that the played back video may be identified as having been previously recorded. The system may record the date and time of recording and the video source of the video being recorded. The system includes probe/detector devices which obtain signals related to the frequency to which the TV, VCR, and cable converter are tuned, and a higher level processor which receives and processes those signals to identify channel tuning of the TV, VCR, and cable converter. The probe/detector monitoring the VCR includes a lower level processor and circuitry which fingerprint a video signal being recorded by the VCR. The system generates timing signals to record and detect fingerprints in the vertical blanking interval of the TV signal. The system has multi-level processing, and may be programmed to include a number of down-loadable and up-loadable parameters. The system also includes an alphanumeric display and data entry unit for each TV being monitored, and provides for interactive information entry by TV viewers including guests and by an installer.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a television viewing system which includes a TV and a VCR coupled thereto, said monitoring system comprising:

first means for obtaining a signal related to the frequency of the channel to which a tuner in said television viewing system is tuned;

second means including a first programmed processor and associated memory for receiving said signal and processing it to obtain information related to the channel to which said tuner is tuned; and

third means including a second programmed processor and associated memory for generating a fingerprinting signal for recording in the vertical blanking interval of a TV signal tuned by said tuner and being recorded by said VCR, said third means comprising;

means coupled to receive a TV signal corresponding to said TV signal being recorded by said VCR;

means for receiving channel information from said second means and generating said fingerprinting signal including channel information encoded therein for recording by said VCR in the vertical blanking interval of said TV signal being recorded by said VCR; and

means for generating a timing signal related to the timing of said TV signal being recorded by said VCR, said timing signal being used to generate said fingerprinting signal in the vertical blanking interval of said TV signal being recorded by said VCR;

said system further comprising means for coupling said fingerprinting signal generated by said third means to a point in said VCR where it is mixed with said TV signal being recorded by said VCR and recorded therewith in the vertical blanking interval thereof.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said third means includes means for detecting said fingerprinting signal in a TV signal, said third means being coupled to receive a TV signal being played back by said VCR, said third means including means for generating a timing signal related to the timing of the TV signal being played back by said VCR, said timing signal being used by said means for detecting to detect said fingerprinting signal previously recorded with said TV signal recorded by said VCR.

24. The system according to claim 1 wherein said tuner is either that of said TV or said VCR.

25. The system according to claim 1 wherein said television viewing system includes a cable converter and wherein said tuner is that of said cable converter.

3. The system according to claim I wherein said third means is coupled to receive a TV signal played back by said VCR, said third means including means for detecting said fingerprinting signal in a TV signal, said timing signal generated by said timing signal generating means being used by said means for detecting to detect said fingerprinting signal in the vertical blanking interval of said TV signal played back by said VCR.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein said third means is coupled to the VIDEO OUT terminal of said VCR for receiving said TV signal being played back by said VCR and to a circuit point upstream of the video recording heads of said VCR at which said fingerprinting signal and said TV signal to be recorded may be mixed.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein said third means is coupled to the VIDEO IN terminal of said VCR and couples said fingerprinting signal thereto, said third means including means for preventing said VCR from switching signals to the record heads thereof due to coupling at said VIDEO IN terminal.

6. The system according to claim 3 wherein at least one of said programmed processors includes a real time clock for generating real time information, said third means including means for encoding said fingerprinting signal with information including said real time information supplied to said means for encoding.

7. The system according to claim 3 wherein said third means includes means for decoding said fingerprinting signal in said TV signal played back by said VCR to obtain said channel information therefrom.

8. The system according to claim 6 wherein said third means includes means for decoding a fingerprinting signal in said TV signal played back by said VCR to obtain said real time information therefrom.

9. A system for monitoring a television viewing system which includes a TV and a VCR coupled thereto, said monitoring system including:

first means including a first programmed processor and associated memory coupled to receive information relating at least to the channel to which a tuner in said television viewing system is tuned and provide a signal containing at least channel tuning information of said tuner;

second means including a second programmed processor and associated memory coupled to said VCR to receive a TV signal corresponding to a TV signal being recorded by said VCR and coupled to said first means to receive said signal which includes a least said channel tuning information, said second means generating a fingerprinting signal including channel tuning information for recording in the vertical blanking interval of said TV signal being recorded by said VCR, said second means including means for generating a timing signal related to the timing of said TV signal being recorded by said VCR, said timing signal being used to generate said fingerprinting signal in the vertical blanking interval of said TV signal being recorded by said VCR;

third means for coupling said fingerprinting signal generated by said second means to a point in said VCR upstream of video recording heads in said VCR where it is mixed with said TV signal being recorded by said VCR and recorded therewith in the vertical blanking interval thereof;

said second means being coupled to the VIDEO OUT terminal of said VCR to receive a TV signal played back by said VCR, said second means including means for detecting said fingerprinting signal in a TV signal, said timing signal generated by said timing signal generating means being used by said means for detecting to detect said fingerprinting signal in the vertical blanking interval of said TV signal played back by said VCR.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein said second means is coupled to the VIDEO IN terminal of said VCR and couples said fingerprinting signal thereto, said second means including means for preventing said VCR from switching signals to the record heads thereof due to coupling at said VIDEO IN terminal.

11. The system according to claim 9 including a real time clock for generating real time information, said second means being coupled to receive said real time information and including means for encoding said fingerprinting signal with real time information.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein said second means includes means for decoding said fingerprinting signal in said TV signal played back by said VCR to obtain said real time information therefrom.

13. The system according to claim 9 wherein said second means includes means for decoding said fingerprinting signal in a TV signal played back by said VCR to obtain said channel tuning information therefrom.

26. The system according to claim 9 wherein said tuner is either that of said TV or said VCR.

27. The system according to claim 9 wherein said television viewing system includes a cable converter and wherein said tuner is that of said cable converter.

14. A system for fingerprinting a TV signal being recorded by a video recorder/player comprising:

first means including a first programmed processor and associated memory for supplying one or more information signals which include information related to either or both the channel to which a tuner is tuned and real time information;

second means including a second programmed processor and associated memory for generating a fingerprinting signal to be recorded by said video recorder/player on the same tape as said TV signal being recorded by said video recorder/player, said second means being coupled to receive said information signal and a signal corresponding to said TV signal being recorded by said video recorder/player, said second means including means which cause said fingerprinting signal to be generated with said information relating to either or both the tuned channel or real time therein for recording in a predetermined time interval of said TV signal being recorded by said video recorder/player so as not to be apparent to a viewer; and

means for coupling said fingerprinting signal generated by said second means to a point in said video recorder/player where it is mixed with said TV signal being recorded by said video recorder/player and recorded therewith.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein said second means includes means for generating a timing signal related to timing of the TV signal being recorded by said video recorder/player, said timing signal being used to generate said fingerprinting signal in the vertical blanking interval of the TV signal being recorded by said video recorder/player.

16. The system according to claim 14 wherein said second means includes means for detecting said fingerprinting signal in a TV signal, said second means being coupled to receive a TV signal being played back by said video recorder/player, said second means including means for generating a timing signal related to timing of the TV signal being played back by said video recorder/player, said timing signal being used by said means for detecting to detect said fingerprinting signal previously recorded with said TV signal by said video recorder/player.

17. The system according to claim 15 wherein said second means is coupled to receive a TV signal played back by said video recorder/player, said second means including means for detecting said fingerprinting signal in a TV signal, said timing signal generated by said second means being used by said means for detecting to detect said fingerprinting signal in the vertical blanking interval of said TV signal.

18. The system according to claim 17 wherein said second means is coupled to a circuit point upstream of the video recording heads of said video recorder/player at which point said fingerprinting signal and a TV signal to be recorded may be mixed.

19. The system according to claim 17 wherein said video recorder/payer is a VCR and said second means is coupled to the VIDEO OUT terminal of said VCR for receiving a TV signal being played back by said VCR and to a circuit point upstream of the video recording heads of said VCR at which point said fingerprinting signal and a TV signal to be recorded may be mixed.

20. The device according to claim 19 wherein said second means is coupled to the VIDEO IN terminal of said VCR and couples said fingerprinting signal thereto, said second means including means for preventing said VCR from switching signals to the record heads thereof due to coupling at said VIDEO IN terminal.

21. The system according to claim 17 wherein said video recorder/player is a VCR and said second means includes means for encoding said fingerprinting signal with said information.

22. The system according to claim 21 wherein said second means includes means for decoding said fingerprinting signal in a TV signal played back by said VCR to obtain said information therefrom.

23. The system according to claim 14 wherein said second means includes means for decoding a fingerprinting signal played back by said video recorder/player to obtain said information therefrom.

28. The system according to claim 14 wherein said video recorder/player includes a tuner and is coupled in a television viewing system including a TV, and wherein said tuned tuner is that of said Tv or said video recorder/player.

29. The system according to claim 14 wherein said video recorder/player includes a tuner and is coupled in a television viewing system including a TV and a cable converter, and wherein said tuned tuner is that of said TV, video recorder/player or cable converter.

30. A system monitoring a television viewing system which includes a TV and a VCR coupled thereto, said monitoring system comprising:

first means for obtaining a signal related to the frequency of the channel to which a tuner is said television viewing system is tuned;

second means for receiving said signal and processing it to obtain information related to the channel to which said tuner is tuned; and

third means for generating a fingerprinting signal for recording in the vertical blanking interval of a TV signal tuned by said tuner and being recorded by said VCR, said third means comprising;

means coupled to the VIDEO OUT terminal of said VCR for receiving a TV signal corresponding to said TV signal being recorded by said VCR;

means for receiving channel information from said second means for generating said fingerprinting signal including channel information encoded therein for recording by said VCR in the vertical blanking interval of said TV signal being recorded by said VCR; and

means for generating a timing signal related to the timing of said TV signal being recorded by said VCR, said timing signal being used to generate said fingerprinting signal in the vertical blanking interval of said TV signal being recorded by said VCR;

said third means being coupled to the VIDEO IN terminal of said VCR for coupling said fingerprinting signal thereto, said third means including means for preventing said VCR from switching signals to the record heads thereof due to coupling at said VIDEO IN terminal of said third means.