System for monitoring and control of home entertainment electronic devices

• US 4,907,079 A
• Filed: 09/28/1987
• Issued: 03/06/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Teleview Rating Corporation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Teleview Rating Corporation Incorporated
• Inventors: Turner, Lester, Primosch, Herbert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/101,750
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 358/84, 358/181, 455/2, 379/92, 381/42
• US Class Current: 725/11
• 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 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84

Abstract

The invention networks a conventional and unmodified television receiver, television monitor, stereo amplifier, VCR'"'"'s, video disc player, etc. and communicates via telephone lines with any remote central computer. The viewer provides channel selection commands or other programming commands to a microprocessor through an infrared channel selection unit. A motion detector detects entry or exit of viewers from the viewing location to monitor viewing behavior during a program. The microprocessor interactively communicates with the viewer through speech input and output modules and alphanumeric displays which are combined with the video signal and displayed on the television or monitor screen. A VCR tuner and TV tuner within the system provide audio and video signals for the conventional television monitor or television receiver. An AM and FM radio tuner may also be included. Each tuner is tunable by the microprocessor. The video and/or audio signals from each tuner and form the user'"'"'s own video tape players and disc players are coupled to the input side of an audio switch and a video switch. The switches are microprocessor controlled so that the audio and video program from any source may be coupled to any output or display device at the viewing location. The system allows networking of audiovisual communication units for programmable control and for communication with a remote computer to monitor use of each audiovisual unit. The system also allows interactive user communication.

Claims

1. An electronic system for monitoring and controlling bidirectional communication of conventional broadcast formatted audio and audio visual information without communicating any channel information between a remote source and users at a viewing/listening location comprising:

a microprocessor;

a digital memory coupled to said microprocessor;

channel selection means coupled to said microprocessor for communicating programming information to said microprocessor from users at said viewing/listening location;

a television tuner coupled to and tunable by said microprocessor;

a VCR tuner coupled to and simultaneously tunable by said microprocessor with said television tuner;

audio switching means coupled to and controlled by said microprocessor, said audio switching means further coupled to said television tuner and VCR tuner;

video switching means coupled to and controlled by said microprocessor, said video switching means also coupled to said television tuner and VCR tuner;

a character generation means coupled to and controlled by said microprocessor, said character generation means for generating an alphanumeric signal as provided from said microprocessor and combining said alphanumeric signal into a video signal for display;

a plurality of conventional and unmodified audio and video units for generating an audio and video display respectively, said plurality of units being selectively coupled through said audio switching means and video switching means subject to microprocessor control to said television tuner and VCR tuner, said television tuner and VCR tuner being activated and tuned in response to commands provided to said microprocessor through said channel selection means, interactive communication being provided between said microprocessor and said users at said listening/viewing location through said character generator means and at least one of said plurality of audio and video units as selectively switched through said audio switching means and video switching means as appropriate,

communication interface means coupled to said microprocessor for communicating with said remote source via telephone lines, said microprocessor communicating at least near real time information with respect to utilization of said plurality of audio and video units at said viewing/listening location to said remote source through said communication interface means; and

speech input means for receiving audible speech commands from said users at said viewing/listening location and generating a corresponding signature signal, said microprocessor means receiving said signature signal from said speech input means and analyzing said signature signal for comparison to a prerecorded corresponding signature signal, said microprocessor then generating a correlation factor between said signature signal received from said speech input means against said recorded signature signal to identify a source of said audible speech commands in said viewing/listening location,

whereby said plurality of audio and video units at said viewing/listening location are networked without any requirement of unique design in said units or modification of said units.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said prerecorded signature denotes a viewer'"'"'s/listener'"'"'s identity.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising motion detection means coupled to said microprocessor, said motion detection means for detecting direction of movement within said viewing/listening location across a predetermined boundary line so that ingress and egress by said users from said viewing/listening location can be determined during operation of said plurality of audio and video units.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising a speech output means coupled to said microprocessor, said speech output means for generating an audible speech signal corresponding to programmed information within said microprocessor.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a radio tuner coupled to and tunable by said microprocessor, said radio tuner generating an audio signal, said audio signal being coupled through said audio switching means to at least one of said plurality of audio units for audible reproduction within said viewing/listening location.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a VCR signal detector means coupled to said video switching means and said microprocessor, said VCR signal detector means for detecting a VCR video signal from said VCR tuner and said plurality of video units to generate a digital signal coupled to said microprocessor indicative of a video signal within said system other than in said television tuner.