Telephone access display system with remote monitoring
First Claim
1. An apparatus for the remote viewing of selected video program material at viewer remote receiving locations, comprising:
- a) a television broadcasting device for providing a television signal for transmission to said remote locations over a single common channel;
b) a device for providing program signals to said television broadcasting means;
c) a least one selectable source of video program materials;
d) a selection device for generating a video program selection signal from a viewer remote receiving location with such selection being made through a telephone system keypad;
e) a dedication device for generating a dedication message from a viewer corresponding to a video program selected by a viewer; and
f) a programmed data processor, coupled to said at least one selectable source of video program materials, said dedication device and said device for providing program signals, for responding to telephonically transmitted selection and dedication signals from a remote location and for providing control signals to said at least one selectable source of video program materials in accordance with the desired video program selected by a viewer such that the selected video program and the corresponding dedication message generated from said dedication device are coupled by said device for providing program signals to said television broadcasting means for transmission over the single common channel to all of the viewer remote receiving locations viewing the single common channel irrespective of whether the viewers at such locations have selected any video program material so that a viewer at a remote receiving location may tune a television receiver at that location to the single common channel in order to sequentially view all of the selected video programs and corresponding dedications transmitted by said television broadcasting device over the single common channel.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of using a programmed data processor to operate a video information selection system wherein a viewer can select video information to be displayed on a common channel of the television monitors of all viewers. The viewer accesses the data processor by use of a telephone keypad and selects video information to be broadcast by inputting a digital code. The data processor processes the signal generated, retrieves the video information from memory and places it on queue to be broadcast. A plurality of such slave video information selection systems can be remotely controlled, monitored and operated by a host programmed data processor at a location remote from the slave video information selection systems.
399 Citations
49 Claims
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1. An apparatus for the remote viewing of selected video program material at viewer remote receiving locations, comprising:
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a) a television broadcasting device for providing a television signal for transmission to said remote locations over a single common channel; b) a device for providing program signals to said television broadcasting means; c) a least one selectable source of video program materials; d) a selection device for generating a video program selection signal from a viewer remote receiving location with such selection being made through a telephone system keypad; e) a dedication device for generating a dedication message from a viewer corresponding to a video program selected by a viewer; and f) a programmed data processor, coupled to said at least one selectable source of video program materials, said dedication device and said device for providing program signals, for responding to telephonically transmitted selection and dedication signals from a remote location and for providing control signals to said at least one selectable source of video program materials in accordance with the desired video program selected by a viewer such that the selected video program and the corresponding dedication message generated from said dedication device are coupled by said device for providing program signals to said television broadcasting means for transmission over the single common channel to all of the viewer remote receiving locations viewing the single common channel irrespective of whether the viewers at such locations have selected any video program material so that a viewer at a remote receiving location may tune a television receiver at that location to the single common channel in order to sequentially view all of the selected video programs and corresponding dedications transmitted by said television broadcasting device over the single common channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A remote viewing system, comprising:
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a television broadcasting device for providing a television signal for transmission to viewer remote receiving locations over a single common channel; a control station including; a) a device for providing video program material signals to said television broadcasting means; b) at least one selectable source of video program materials; c) a selection device for generating a video program selection signal from a viewer remote receiving location with such selection being made through a telephone system keypad; and d) a first programmed data processor coupled to said at least one selectable source of video program materials and said device for providing video program signals to said television broadcasting device, said first programmed data processor being responsive to a video program selection signal transmitted from a remote location for providing control signals to said at least one selectable source of video program materials in accordance with the desired video program material selected by a viewer such that the selected video program material is coupled by said device for providing video program signals to said television broadcasting device for transmission over the single common channel to all of the viewer remote receiving locations viewing the single common channel irrespective of whether the viewers at such locations have selected any video program material so that a viewer at a remote receiving location may tune a television receiver at that location to the single common channel in order to sequentially view all of the selected video program materials transmitted by said television broadcasting device over the single common channel; and a remotely located monitoring and controlling device, including a second programmed data processor, for coupling to said first programmed data processor for two-way communication between said first and second programmed data processors for monitoring and controlling the operation of said control station by providing instructions for operating said control station directly to said first programmed data processor. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for the remote viewing of selected video program material at viewer remote receiving locations, comprising:
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a) a television broadcasting device for providing a television signal for transmission to said remote locations over a single common channel; b) a plurality of selectable sources of program material having video and audio portions; c) a selection device for generating a video program selection signal from a viewer remote receiving location with such selection being made through a telephone system keypad; d) a switching device connected to said plurality of selectable sources of program materials, for selectively switching video and audio portions of the program materials to said television broadcasting device; e) a programmed data processor coupled to said plurality of selectable sources of program materials and said switching device, said programmed data processor being responsive to selection signals transmitted from a remote location for providing control signals to said at least one selectable source of program materials and to said switching device in accordance with the desired program material selected by a viewer such that selected video portions from one selectable source and selected audio portions from another source are transmitted to said television broadcasting device for broadcast over the single common channel to all of said viewer remote receiving locations viewing the single common channel irrespective of whether the viewers at such locations have selected any program material so that a viewer at a remote receiving location may tune a television receiver at that location to the single common channel in order to sequentially view all of the selected program materials broadcast by said television broadcasting means over the single common channel. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for the remote viewing of selected video program material at viewer remote receiving locations comprising:
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a) providing at a control station at least one selectable source of video program materials; b) telephonically transmitting video program selection signals and corresponding dedication message signals from a remote location to the control station; c) receiving at the control station the transmitted selection signals and corresponding dedication message signals; d) retrieving from the at least one selectable source of video program materials the selected video program selected by a viewer. e) transmitting the selected video program and the corresponding dedication message by means of a television broadcasting device over a single common channel to all of the viewer remote receiving locations viewing the single common channel irrespective of whether the viewers at such locations have selected any video program material; f) tuning a television receiver at a remote viewing location to the single common channel; and g) sequentially viewing all of the selected video programs and the corresponding dedication messages transmitted by the television broadcasting device over the single common channel. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for the remote viewing of selected program material at viewer remote receiving locations, comprising:
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a) providing at a control station at least one selectable source of video program materials; b) transmitting a video program selection signal from a viewer at a remote receiving location to the control station using a telephone keypad; c) receiving at the control station the transmitted selection signal; d) retrieving from the at least one selectable source of video program materials the selected video program; e) transmitting selected video program material to a television broadcasting device remotely located from the control station; f) transmitting the selected video program over a single common channel to all of the viewer remote receiving locations viewing the single common channel irrespective of whether the viewers at such locations have selected any video program material; g) tuning a television receiver at a remote receiving location to the single common channel; h) sequentially viewing all of the selected video program materials transmitted by said television broadcasting device over the single common channel; and i) remotely monitoring and controlling the operation of the control station during the steps a-e. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method for remote viewing of selected video program material at viewer remote receiving locations, comprising:
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a) providing at a control station a plurality of selectable sources of program material having video and audio portions; b) transmitting program material selection signals from a viewer at a remote receiving location to the control station; c) receiving at the control station the transmitted selection signals; d) retrieving from the at least one selectable source of program materials the program material selected by a viewer; e) transmitting selected video portions from one selectable source and selected audio portions from another selectable source to a television broadcasting means remotely located from the control station; f) transmitting the selected video and audio portions over a single common channel to all of the viewer remote receiving locations viewing the single common channel irrespective of whether the viewers at such locations have selected any program material; g) tuning a television receiver at a remote viewing location to the single common channel; and h) sequentially viewing all of the selected program materials transmitted by the television broadcasting means over the single common channel. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification