Method and apparatus for video signal encoding, decoding and monitoring
First Claim
1. An encoding system for monitoring video program material including:
- a source video program signal stream arranged as a sequence of frames, each of said frames comprising a plurality of scan lines;
an encoding means for generating a unique monitoring code, for applying the monitoring code to the source video program signal stream, and for encoding the source video program signal stream, said encoding means including a synchronized insertion means for applying the monitoring code to the source video program signal stream, said monitoring code having a repeating, program-identifying code portion common to all frames and a frame-identifying code portion unique to each frame of said sequence of frames; and
receiver means for determining reception information independent of the content of said monitoring code, and for associating said reception information with specified ones of said frames using said monitoring code.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Unique digital codes are encoded on a video signal, the codes are retrieved at receivers and precise information concerning the time of occurrence, length, nature and quality of a monitored broadcast at a frame by frame level, is generated. The codes are inserted on scan lines of the video, and vary either on a field-to-field or frame-to-frame basis. The code has a repeating first part having a unique program material identifier indicating the time, date and place of encoding, and has a second portion that varies in a predetermined non-repeating sequence which varies along the entire length of the tape, thereby uniquely identifying each frame of the video program material. Also encoded upon successive frames is a cyclic counter code with a count corresponding to the sequence of the identifier data on successive frames. When the video signal is processed by a receiver, the first portion identifier data from the various frames is mapped into selected memory locations in accordance with the count of the frame as determined by the second portion. Odd and even fields are encoded with complementary bit sequences to assist in processing the encoded data. Whenever the frame sequence is interrupted a data packet is generated representative of the condition encountered. The data packets are accumulated in log files in a memory in the receiver. The log files are transmitted to a data center, as is a copy of the encoded tape. Reports concerning the broadcast are generated.
566 Citations
74 Claims
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1. An encoding system for monitoring video program material including:
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a source video program signal stream arranged as a sequence of frames, each of said frames comprising a plurality of scan lines; an encoding means for generating a unique monitoring code, for applying the monitoring code to the source video program signal stream, and for encoding the source video program signal stream, said encoding means including a synchronized insertion means for applying the monitoring code to the source video program signal stream, said monitoring code having a repeating, program-identifying code portion common to all frames and a frame-identifying code portion unique to each frame of said sequence of frames; and receiver means for determining reception information independent of the content of said monitoring code, and for associating said reception information with specified ones of said frames using said monitoring code. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An encoding/decoding system for monitoring video program material including:
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source recorder/player means for providing a source video program signal stream as a sequence of frames, each said frame comprising a plurality of scan lines; encoding means for generating a monitoring code, for applying the monitoring code to the source video program signal stream, and for uniquely encoding each frame to generate an encoded video program signal stream of the sequence of frames; said encoding means including synchronized insertion means for applying the monitoring code to each frame of the sequence of frames, said monitoring code having a repeating, program-identifying code portion common to all frames, and a frame-identifying code portion unique to each frame; decoding means for registering said encoded video program signal stream and for detecting said monitoring code included on each frame of said sequence of frames; and receiver means for receiving a broadcast program signal corresponding to said encoded video program signal stream, for determining reception information independent of said monitoring code, for associating said reception information with specified ones of said frames, and for determining the presence or absence of frames. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An encoding method for monitoring video program material including the steps of:
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generating a monitoring code uniquely identifying each frame of a sequence of frames; synchronously applying the monitoring code to a video program signal stream to produce an encoded video program signal stream; recording said encoded video program signal stream on a recorder/player means as a seance of frames, each frame comprising a plurality of scan lines; and receiving said encoded video program signal stream and determining, independent of the content of said monitoring code, reception information which is associated with specified ones of said frames using said monitoring code. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An encoding/decoding method for monitoring video program material including the steps of:
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registering a first video program signal stream as a sequence of frames, each frame comprising a plurality of scan lines, said plurality of scan lines comprising interlaced odd and even scan lines; generating a monitoring code having a repeating, program-identifying code portion common to all frames, and a frame-identifying code portion unique to each frame; inserting said monitoring code in said first video program signal stream; receiving a broadcast program signal corresponding to said first video program signal stream and generating a second video program signal stream corresponding to said broadcast program signal; determining reception information independent of the content of said monitoring code and the presence or absence of each frame; determining one of said even scan lines as an encoded even scan line containing said monitoring code, and one of said odd scan lines as an encoded odd scan line adjacent to said encoded even scan line and containing the logical component of said monitoring code; storing digitally in a scan line memory a predetermined subset of said plurality of scan lines for each frame, said subset of scan lines including the encoded odd and even scan lines; isolating said monitoring code in the subset of said plurality of scan lines stored digitally in said scan line memory; and associating said reception information with specified ones of said frames of said second video program signal stream. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. An encoding/decoding method for monitoring video program material including the steps of:
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recording, on a program recorder/player means, a video program signal stream as a sequence of frames, each frame comprising a plurality of scan lines; generating, by means of an encoder, a monitoring code having a repeating, program-identifying code portion common to all frames of said seance of frames, and a frame-identifying code portion unique to each of said frames; applying the monitoring code to said seance of frames to produce an encoded video program signal stream; receiving a broadcast program signal corresponding to said encoded video program signal stream and determining reception information independent of the content of said monitoring code; and detecting said monitoring code included on each frame of the sequence of frames, and associating said reception information with specified ones of said frames using said monitoring code. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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Specification