Method of labelling a broadcast signal including transmitting a sequence of program labels

• US 5,469,207 A
• Filed: 12/27/1993
• Issued: 11/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: British Broadcasting Corporation
• Original Assignee: British Broadcasting Corporation
• Inventors: Chambers, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FAILE, ANDREW I
• Application Number:
  US08/174,190
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 455/171.1, 455/181.1, 455/352, 348/4-5, 348/7, 348/9-10, 348/460, 360/33.1, 358/335
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals

Abstract

A method of labelling a broadcast signal in which a predetermined pattern of special labels, preferably, a label for the next following program is transmitted repeatedly but irregularly at predetermined intervals prior to the program change to indicate that an event is to occur after a predetermined interval.

Claims

1. A method of labelling a broadcast signal, the method comprising:

transmitting a sequence of program labels indicative of the identity of the program being transmitted as said broadcast signal, said program labels being transmitted periodically; and

introducing into the sequence of program labels, at a pre-determined time prior to a change of program of said broadcast signal, a plurality of labels, different to those identifying the program being broadcast before said change of program, identifying a new program to be broadcast after the said change of program, said plurality of labels being transmitted at irregular intervals to form a predetermined pattern detectable by an apparatus for receiving said broadcast signal.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein transmission of said plurality of labels serves to indicate that a new program is to commence after said predetermined time.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein transmission of said plurality of labels serves to indicate that the program currently being transmitted is to end after said predetermined time.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein transmission of said plurality of labels serves to indicate that the program currently being transmitted is to be interrupted after said predetermined time.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein transmission of said plurality of labels serves to indicate that a program broadcast previously is to be resumed after said predetermined time.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the pattern defined by said plurality of labels is chosen to have an autocorrelation function having a single maximum.

7. A method of operating a broadcast receiver, the method comprising:

receiving a broadcast signal;

receiving a sequence of periodically transmitted program labels indicative of the identity of the program being transmitted as said broadcast signal;

detecting in said sequence of program labels a predetermined pattern of different labels identifying a new program to be transmitted as said broadcast signal;

and operating at least one function of said broadcast receiver, in response to detection of said predetermined pattern of different labels, at a predetermined time after detection thereof;

said predetermined pattern of different labels being transmitted at irregular intervals.