Apparatus and method for injecting an ancillary signal into a low energy density portion of a color television frequency spectrum

• US 5,629,739 A
• Filed: 03/06/1995
• Issued: 05/13/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ACNielsen Corporation (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Dougherty, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US08/399,187
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 348/1, 348/473, 348/486, 348/4
• US Class Current: 348/486
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/31 using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/081 the additional information signals being transmitted by means of a subcarrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An ancillary signal is injected into a program signal within the frequency band normally occupied by the program signal alone. The program signal includes a modulated carrier having a carrier frequency and a low energy density portion of the frequency band. The ancillary signal is selectively added at an injection frequency within the lower energy density portion of the frequency band so that the injection frequency is locked to the carrier frequency and to the frequency of a local oscillator.

Claims

1. A method for compatibly transmitting and receiving both a program signal and an ancillary signal within a frequency band normally occupied by the program signal alone, the program signal including a modulated carrier having a carrier frequency and a low energy density portion of the frequency band, the method comprising the following steps:

receiving the program signal; and

,

selectively adding the ancillary signal at an injection frequency within the lower energy density portion of the frequency band so that the injection frequency is locked to the carrier frequency.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selectively adding the ancillary signal comprises the step of selectively adding the ancillary signal at an injection frequency within the lower energy density portion of the frequency band so that the injection frequency is also locked to the frequency of a local oscillator.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selectively adding the ancillary signal comprises the step of modulating the ancillary signal on the carrier so that the injection frequency is locked to the carrier frequency.

4. A system for compatibly transmitting and receiving both a program signal and an ancillary signal within a frequency band normally occupied by the program signal alone, the program signal including a modulated carrier having a carrier frequency and a low energy density portion of the frequency band, the system comprising:

a receiver which is arranged to receive the program signal, wherein the receiver has a local oscillator producing a local oscillator frequency; and

,

a signal injector which is arranged to selectively add the ancillary signal at an injection frequency within the lower energy density portion of the frequency band so that the injection frequency is locked to the local oscillator frequency.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the signal injector is arranged to selectively add the ancillary signal at an injection frequency within the lower energy density portion of the frequency band so that the injection frequency is also locked to the carrier frequency.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the signal injector comprises a mixer which is arranged to mix the injection frequency with the carrier frequency so that the injection frequency is locked to the local oscillator frequency.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the first mixer comprises:

a video carrier reconstruction circuit having the modulated carrier signal as an input and having an unmodulated, reconstructed video carrier signal as an output; and

,

a code-adding mixer arranged to mix an injection signal at a predetermined baseband injection frequency with the unmodulated, reconstructed video carrier signal to produce the intermediate frequency injection signal.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the video carrier reconstruction circuit comprises a video carrier filter, wherein the video carrier filter is arranged to receive the modulated carrier signal as an input and to produce a modulated video carrier signal as an output.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the code-adding mixer comprises a sideband-stripping filter selectively passing a lower sideband frequency component of the intermediate frequency injection signal produced by the code-adding mixer and not passing an upper sideband frequency component thereof.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the code-adding mixer further comprises an encoder being arranged to modulate the intermediate frequency injection signal with a digital code, the digital code including a time datum.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the code-adding mixer further comprises an encoder being arranged to modulate the intermediate frequency injection signal with a digital code, the digital code including time and channel data.

13. The system of claim 6 wherein the tuner has a channel-select signal as an output, and wherein the second mixer comprises:

an up converting mixer arranged to mix the local oscillator signal with the intermediate frequency injection signal to produce an ancillary signal; and

,

an output filter tunable in response to the channel select signal, wherein the output filter has the ancillary signal as an input and produces as an output the RF ancillary signal at a frequency which is equal to the algebraic difference between a frequency of the local oscillator signal and a frequency of the intermediate frequency injection signal.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the RF ancillary signal has an amplitude, wherein the received television program signal has an amplitude, and wherein the output filter comprises an attenuator arranged to match the amplitude of the RF ancillary signal to the amplitude of the received television program signal.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the video carrier reconstruction circuit comprises a video carrier filter, wherein the video carrier filter is arranged to receive the modulated carrier signal as an input and to produce a modulated video carrier signal as an output.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the code-adding mixer comprises a sideband-stripping filter selectively passing a lower sideband frequency component of the intermediate frequency injection signal produced by the code-adding mixer and not passing an upper sideband frequency component thereof.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the code-adding mixer further comprises an encoder being arranged to modulate the intermediate frequency injection signal with a digital code, the digital code including a time datum.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the code-adding mixer further comprises an encoder being arranged to modulate the intermediate frequency injection signal with a digital code, the digital code including time and channel data.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the RF ancillary signal has an amplitude, wherein the received television program signal has an amplitude, and wherein the output filter comprises an attenuator arranged to match the amplitude of the RF ancillary signal to the amplitude of the received television program signal.

7. A system for compatibly transmitting and receiving a television program signal and an RF ancillary signal, wherein the television program signal is in a predetermined RF frequency band, and wherein the television program signal has a modulated video carrier signal and a low energy density portion of the frequency band, the system comprising:

a tuner arranged to receive the television program signal, the tuner having as outputs a local oscillator signal and a modulated carrier signal;

a first mixer arranged to mix an injection signal at a predetermined baseband injection frequency with a signal representative of the modulated carrier signal to produce an intermediate frequency injection signal;

a second mixer arranged to mix the local oscillator signal with the intermediate frequency injection signal to produce the RF ancillary signal; and

,

a coupler arranged to couple the RF ancillary signal into the received television program signal.

20. The system of claim 7 wherein the coupler comprises a directional coupler.

21. The system of claim 7 wherein the second mixer comprises:

an up converting mixer arranged to mix the local oscillator signal with the intermediate frequency injection signal to produce an ancillary signal; and

,

an output filter having the ancillary signal as an input and producing as an output the RF ancillary signal at a frequency which is equal to the algebraic difference between a frequency of the local oscillator signal and a frequency of the intermediate frequency injection signal.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the RF ancillary signal has an amplitude, wherein the received television program signal has an amplitude, and wherein the output filter comprises an attenuator arranged to match the amplitude of the RF ancillary signal to the amplitude of the received television program signal.

23. A method of injecting an RF ancillary signal into a low energy density portion of a channel normally occupied by a color television program signal having a modulated video carrier, a chrominance subcarrier, and the low energy density portion, the method comprising the steps of:

a) tuning the color television program signal so as to produce a local oscillator signal and a modulated carrier signal as outputs;

b) mixing an injection signal at a predetermined injection frequency with a signal representative of the modulated carrier signal to produce an output injection signal;

c) mixing the local oscillator signal with the output injection signal to produce the RF ancillary signal; and

,

d) coupling the RF ancillary signal into the color television program signal.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of mixing an injection signal comprises the steps of:

reconstructing the modulated carrier signal as an unmodulated, reconstructed video carrier signal; and

,

mixing an injection signal at a predetermined injection frequency with the unmodulated, reconstructed video carrier signal to produce the output injection signal.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the reconstructing step comprises the step of filtering the modulated carrier signal to produce a modulated video carrier signal.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of mixing an injection signal at a predetermined injection frequency with the unmodulated, reconstructed video carrier signal comprises the steps of:

passing a lower sideband frequency component of the output injection signal produced by the code-adding mixer; and

,

blocking an upper sideband frequency component of the output injection signal produced by the code-adding mixer.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of mixing an injection signal at a predetermined injection frequency with the unmodulated, reconstructed video carrier signal comprises the further step of modulating the output injection signal with a digital code, wherein the digital code includes a time datum.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of mixing an injection signal at a predetermined injection frequency with the unmodulated, reconstructed video carrier signal comprises the further step of modulating the output injection signal with a digital code, wherein the digital code includes time and channel data.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of tuning the color television program signal comprises the step of tuning the color television program signal so as to produce a channel-select signal, and wherein the step of mixing the local oscillator signal with the output injection signal comprises the steps of:

mixing the local oscillator signal with the output injection signal to produce an ancillary signal; and

,

filtering the ancillary signal in response to the channel select signal to produce the RF ancillary signal at a frequency which is equal to the algebraic difference between a frequency of the local oscillator signal and a frequency of the output injection signal.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the RF ancillary signal has an amplitude, wherein the received color television program signal has an amplitude, and wherein the step of filtering the ancillary signal comprises the step of attenuating the RF ancillary signal so that the amplitude of the RF ancillary signal matches the amplitude of the received color television program signal.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the reconstructing step comprises the step of filtering the modulated carrier signal to produce a modulated video carrier signal.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the step of mixing an injection signal at a predetermined injection frequency with the unmodulated, reconstructed video carrier signal comprises the steps of:

passing a lower sideband frequency component of the output injection signal produced by the code-adding mixer; and

,

blocking an upper sideband frequency component of the output injection signal produced by the code-adding mixer.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the step of mixing an injection signal at a predetermined injection frequency with the unmodulated, reconstructed video carrier signal comprises the further step of modulating the output injection signal with a digital code, wherein the digital code includes a time datum.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the step of mixing an injection signal at a predetermined injection frequency with the unmodulated, reconstructed video carrier signal comprises the further step of modulating the output injection signal with a digital code, wherein the digital code includes time and channel data.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein the RF ancillary signal has an amplitude, wherein the received color television program signal has an amplitude, and wherein the step of filtering the ancillary signal comprises the step of attenuating the RF ancillary signal so that the amplitude of the RF ancillary signal matches the amplitude of the received color television program signal.

36. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of mixing the local oscillator signal with the output injection signal comprises the steps of:

mixing the local oscillator signal with the output injection signal to produce an ancillary signal; and

,

filtering the ancillary signal to produce the RF ancillary signal at a frequency which is equal to the algebraic difference between a frequency of the local oscillator signal and a frequency of the output injection signal.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the RF ancillary signal has an amplitude, wherein the received color television program signal has an amplitude, and wherein the step of filtering the ancillary signal comprises the step of attenuating the RF ancillary signal so that the amplitude of the RF ancillary signal matches the amplitude of the received color television program signal.

38. A broadcast tuning measurement method in which an RF ancillary channel recognition signal is added to a television program signal received at a predetermined channel frequency within a sampled dwelling unit, wherein the RF ancillary channel recognition signal is subsequently read from the television program signal at a viewing site, the method comprising the steps of:

a) tuning the television program signal so as to produce a local oscillator frequency and a video carrier signal as outputs;

b) providing an injection signal at a predetermined frequency which is selected to be in a low energy density part of a channel;

c) combining the video carrier signal with the injection signal to form a carrier/injection signal;

d) combining the carrier/injection signal with the local oscillator frequency to form the RF ancillary channel recognition signal; and

,

e) coupling the RF ancillary channel recognition signal into the television program signal.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the sampled dwelling unit has a plurality of encoding locations and wherein at least steps c)-e) are performed at each of the encoding locations.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the step of tuning the television program signal comprises the steps of:

tuning the television program signal to produce a modulated carrier signal as an output; and

,

filtering the modulated carrier signal so as to produce the video carrier signal.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the step of combining the video carrier signal with the injection signal comprises the steps of:

passing a lower sideband frequency component of the carrier/injection signal; and

,

blocking an upper sideband frequency component of the carrier/injection signal.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the step of combining the video carrier signal with the injection signal comprises the further step of modulating the output injection signal with a digital code, wherein the digital code includes a time datum.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein the step of combining the video carrier signal with the injection signal comprises the further step of modulating the output injection signal with a digital code, wherein the digital code includes time and channel data.

44. The method of claim 40 wherein the step of tuning the television program signal comprises the step of tuning the television program signal so as to produce a channel-select signal, and wherein the step of combining the carrier/injection signal with the local oscillator signal comprises the steps of:

combining the carrier/injection signal with the local oscillator signal to produce an ancillary signal; and

,

filtering the ancillary signal in response to the channel select signal to produce the RF ancillary channel recognition signal at a frequency which is equal to the algebraic difference between a frequency of the local oscillator signal and a frequency of the carrier/injection signal.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the RF ancillary channel recognition signal has an amplitude, wherein the received television program signal has an amplitude, and wherein the step of filtering the ancillary signal comprises the step of attenuating the RF ancillary channel recognition signal so that the amplitude of the RF ancillary channel recognition signal matches the amplitude of the received television program signal.

46. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of tuning the television program signal comprises the steps of:

tuning the television program signal to produce a modulated carrier signal as an output; and

,

filtering the modulated carrier signal so as to produce the video carrier signal.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein the step of combining the video carrier signal with the injection signal comprises the steps of:

passing a lower sideband frequency component of the carrier/injection signal; and

,

blocking an upper sideband frequency component of the carrier/injection signal.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the step of combining the video carrier signal with the injection signal comprises the further step of modulating the output injection signal with a digital code, wherein the digital code includes a time datum.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein the step of combining the video carrier signal with the injection signal comprises the further step of modulating the output injection signal with a digital code, wherein the digital code includes time and channel data.

50. The method of claim 47 wherein the RF ancillary channel recognition signal has an amplitude, wherein the received television program signal has an amplitude, and wherein the step of filtering the ancillary signal comprises the step of attenuating the RF ancillary channel recognition signal so that the amplitude of the RF ancillary channel recognition signal matches the amplitude of the received television program signal.

51. The method of claim 38 wherein the step of combining the carrier/injection signal with the local oscillator signal comprises the steps of:

combining the carrier/injection signal with the local oscillator signal to produce an ancillary signal; and

,

filtering the ancillary signal to produce the RF ancillary channel recognition signal at a frequency which is equal to the algebraic difference between a frequency of the local oscillator signal and a frequency of the carrier/injection signal.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the RF ancillary channel recognition signal has an amplitude, wherein the received television program signal has an amplitude, and wherein the step of filtering the ancillary signal comprises the step of attenuating the RF ancillary channel recognition signal so that the amplitude of the RF ancillary channel recognition signal matches the amplitude of the received television program signal.