Method of and system for identification and verification of broadcasted program segments

• US 4,931,871 A
• Filed: 06/14/1988
• Issued: 06/05/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marci R. Baron
• Original Assignee: Robert A. Kramer
• Inventors: Kramer, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shepperd, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parker, Michael D.
• Application Number:
  US07/206,294
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 358/84, 358/86, 358/142, 358/143, 358/144, 358/145, 358/146, 358/147, 358/198, 370/76, 375/91, 455/2, 455/49, 455/53, 455/67
• US Class Current: 348/460
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/14 for monitoring programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/31 using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/081 the additional information signals being transmitted by means of a subcarrier

Abstract

A method of and system for identification and verification of TV and/or radio broadcasted program segments involving use of subaudible codes which are mixed with the convention audio in the program segments. Individual program segments, which may include commercial message segments, have at the beginning thereof a preamble code (such as a predetermined number of cycles of 40 Hz.), a program segment identification code (which may consist of a series of alphanumeric characters) and a postamble code (such as a given number of cycles of 40 Hz.). The program segment codes may consist of a series of mark and space signals (such as presence and absence of 40 Hz. signals). A plurality of broadcast stations are monitored, the codes recovered and data sets defined, stored and later sent to a central location for reconciliation and/or compilation.

Claims

1. A system for identification and verification of broadcasted program segments, the system comprising:

a plurality of broadcasting stations for broadcasting signals which include program segments having a subaudible preamble code, respective subaudible program segment identification codes, following each preamble code occurrence and a subaudible postamble code following each program segment identification code occurrence;

at least one monitoring station for receiving the broadcasted signals, said monitoring station including (a) means for generating date-indicating and time-indicating signals, (b) respective channels responsive to the broadcasted signal from each respective broadcasting station for recovering each received preamble code, each received respective program segment identification code and each received postamble code and (c) means for providing respective broadcast station-identification signals;

means at the monitoring station for storing data signal representations of each recovered preamble code, recovered respective program segment identification codes and recovered postamble code, the date-indicating and time-indicating signals, and the station-identifying signals for each channel; and

means at the monitoring station for sending the stored data signal representations to a central station, the central station being provided with means for receiving data from a plurality of monitoring station to compile and/or to reconcile same.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of broadcasting stations include television stations and standard radio broadcasting stations.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the standard radio broadcasting stations include frequency modulation broadcast stations and amplitude modulation broadcast stations.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the broadcast stations are those of a cable distribution network.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the subaudible program segment identification codes consist of respective series of alphanumeric characters.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the alphanumeric characters are formed by a series of mark signals and space signals, defined respectively by presence and absence of a 40 Hz. subaudible tone.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the subaudible preamble code consists of a predetermined number of cycles of 40 Hz. and wherein the subaudible postamble code consists of a given number of cycles of 40 Hz.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the subaudible preamble code consists of a predetermined number of cycles of 40 Hz. and wherein the subaudible postamble code consists of a given number of cycles of 40 Hz.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein respective said program segment identification codes are repeated during periods of time between the preamble code and postamble code, whereby it may be determined if program segments have been transmitted in the entirety.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the program segments are commercial message segments.

11. In a system for identification and verification of broadcasted program segments from a plurality of broadcasting stations,

at least one monitoring station for receiving broadcasted signals from said broadcasting stations, said monitoring station including (a) means for generating date-indicating and tie-indicating signals, (b) respective channels responsive to respective broadcasted signals from respective broadcasting stations for recovering a subaudible preamble code, respective subaudible program segment identification codes and a subaudible postamble code, and (c) means for providing respective broadcast station-identification signals;

means at the monitoring station for storing data signal representations of each recovered preamble code, recovered respective program identification codes and postamble code, the date-indicating and time-indicating signals, and the station-identifying signals for each channel; and

means at the monitoring station for sending the stored data signal representations to a central station, the central station being provided with means for receiving data from a plurality of monitoring stations to compile and/or to reconcile same.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the subaudible program segment identification codes consist of respective series of alphanumeric characters.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the alphanumeric characters are formed by a series of mark signals and space signals, defined respectively by presence and absence of a 40 Hz. subaudible tone.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the subaudible preamble code consists of a predetermined number of cycles of 40 Hz. and wherein the subaudible postamble code consists of a given number of cycles of 40 Hz.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the subaudible preamble code consists of a predetermined number of cycles of 40 Hz. and wherein the subaudible postamble code consists of a given number of cycles of 40 Hz.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein respective said program segment identification codes are repeated during periods of time between the preamble code and postamble code, whereby it may be determined if program segments have been transmitted in the entirety.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein at least some of the program segments are commercial message segments.

18. In a system for identification and verification of broadcasted program segments from a plurality of broadcasting stations,

at least one monitoring station for receiving broadcasted signals from said broadcasting stations, said monitoring station including (a) means for generating date-indicating and time-indicating signals, (b) respective channels responsive to respective broadcasted signals from respective broadcasting stations for recovering a subaudible preamble code, respective subaudible program segment identifications codes of each program segment received therefrom and a subaudible postamble code, and (c) means for providing respective broadcast station-identification signals;

and

means at the monitoring station for storing data signal representations of each recovered preamble code, recovered program segment, postamble code, identification codes, the date-indicating and time-indicating signals, and the station-identifying signals for each channel.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the subaudible program segment identification codes consist of respective series of alphanumeric characters.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the alphanumeric characters are formed by a series of mark signals and space signals, defined respectively by presence and absence of a 40 Hz. subaudible tone.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein the subaudible preamble code consists of a predetermined number of cycles of 40 Hz. and wherein the subaudible postamble code consists of a given number of cycles of 40 Hz.

22. The system according to claim 18, wherein the subaudible preamble code consists of a predetermined number of cycles of 40 Hz. and wherein the subaudible postamble code consists of a given number of cycles of 40 Hz.

23. The system according to claim 18, wherein respective said program segment identification codes are repeated during periods of time between the preamble code and postamble code, whereby it may be determined if program segments have been transmitted in the entirety.

24. The system according to claim 18, wherein at least some of the program segments are commercial message segments.

25. In a system for identification and verification of broadcasted program segments from a plurality of broadcasting stations,

at least one monitoring station for receiving broadcasted signals from said broadcasting stations, said monitoring station including (a) means for generating date-indicating and time-indicating signals, (b) respective channels responsive to respective broadcasted signals from respective broadcasting stations for recovering subaudible program segment identification codes consisting of respective series of alphanumeric characters therefrom, and (c) means for providing respective broadcast station-identification signals;

and

means at the monitoring station for storing data signal representations of recovered program segment and identification codes, and date-indicating and time-indicating signals, and the station-identifying signals for each channel; and

wherein the alphanumeric characters are formed by a series of mark signals and space signals, defined by presence and absence of a 40 Hz. subaudible tone.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein each of the respective series of alphanumeric characters consists of a respective series of four letters and four numerals.

27. In a system for identification and verification of broadcasted program segments from a plurality of broadcasting stations,

at least one monitoring station for receiving broadcasted signals from said broadcasting stations, said monitoring station including (a) means for generating date-indicating and time-indicating signals, (b) respective channels responsive to respective broadcasted signals from respective broadcasting stations for recovering a preamble code, program segment identification codes and a postamble code therefrom, respective said program segment identification codes being repeated during periods of time between the preamble code and the postamble code whereby it may be determined if the respective program segments have been transmitted in the entirety, and (c) means for providing respective broadcast station-identification signals;

and

means at the monitoring station for storing data signal representations of each recovered preamble, postamble and program segment identification codes, the date-indicating and time-indicating signals, and the station-identifying signals for each channel.

28. Method of identification and verification of broadcasted program segments, the method comprising:

providing program segments having a subaudible preamble code, respective subaudible program segment identification codes and a subaudible postamble code;

broadcasting the program segments from a plurality of broadcast stations;

receiving at a monitoring location broadcasted signals, including the program segments, from the plurality of broadcast stations;

deriving from the received broadcast signals the preamble code, the respective program segment identification codes and the postamble code;

providing at the monitoring location respective broadcast station identification signals;

generating at the monitoring location respective date-indicating and time-indicating signals;

storing at the monitoring location signals representing the preamble code, the respective program segment identification codes and the postamble code when received, each broadcast station identification signal from which each program segment was received each time it is received therefrom and the date-indicating and time-indicating signals each time a program segment is received; and

sending the stored signals as data to a central point which also receives data from other monitoring locations for compilation and/or reconciliation.

29. Method of identification and verification of broadcasted program segments, the method comprising:

providing program segments having a subaudible preamble code, respective subaudible program segment identification codes and a subaudible postamble code;

receiving at a monitoring location broadcasted signals, including the program segments, from a plurality of broadcast stations;

deriving from the received broadcast signals the preamble code, the respective program segment identification codes and the postamble code;

providing at the monitoring location respective broadcast station identification signals;

generating at the monitoring location respective date-indicating and time-indicating signals;

storing at the monitoring location signals representing the recovered preamble code, the respective program segment identification codes and the postamble code, when received, each broadcast station identification signal from which each program segment was received each time it is received therefrom and the date-indicating and time-indicating signals each time a program segment is received; and

sending the stored signals as data to a central point which also receives data from other monitoring locations for compilation and/or reconciliation.

30. Method of identification and verification of broadcasted program segments, the method comprising:

providing program segments containing commercial messages and having a subaudible preamble code, respective subaudible program segment identification codes and a subaudible postamble code;

receiving at a monitoring location broadcasted signals, including the program segments, from the plurality of broadcast stations;

deriving from the received broadcast signals the preamble code, the respective program segment identification codes and the postamble code;

providing at the monitoring station respective broadcast station identification signals;

generating at the monitoring location respective date-indicating and time-indicating signals; and

storing at the monitoring location data signals representing the preamble code, the respective program segment identification codes and the postamble code when received, each broadcast station identification signal from which each program segment was received each time it is received therefrom and the date-indicating and time-indicating signals each time a program segment containing a commercial message is received.

31. Method of identification and verification of broadcasted program segments, and method comprising:

providing program segments having respective subaudible program segment identification codes and a postamble code;

receiving at a monitoring location broadcasted signals, including the program segments, from the plurality of broadcast stations;

deriving from the received broadcast signals the respective program segment identification codes and the postamble code;

providing at the monitoring station respective broadcast station identification signals;

generating at the monitoring location respective date-indicating and time-indicating signals; and

storing at the monitoring location data signals representing the respective program segment identification codes when received, the postamble code, each broadcast station identification signal from which each program segment was received each time it is received therefrom and the date-indicating and time-indicating signals each time a program segment is received.

32. In a system for identification and verification of broadcasted program segments from a plurality of broadcasting stations,

at least one monitoring station for receiving broadcasted signals from said broadcasting stations, said monitoring station including (a) means for generating date-indicating and time-indicating signals, (b) respective channels responsive to respective broadcasted signals from respective broadcasting stations for recovering subaudible program segment identification codes consisting of respective series of alphanumeric characters therefrom, and (c) means for providing respective broadcast station-identification signals;

and

means at the monitoring station for storing data signal representations of the recovered program segment and identification codes, and date-indicating and time-indicating signals, and the station-identifying signals for each channel; and

wherein the alphanumeric characters are formed by a series of mark and space signals, defined by the presence and absence of a tone, having a frequency below the range of human hearing.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein each of the respective series of alphanumeric characters consists of respective series of four letters and four numerals.