System for distributing broadcasting material and identifying segment data

• US 5,659,877 A
• Filed: 01/03/1995
• Issued: 08/19/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ishiguro, Mamoru, Yokota, Masato, Enomoto, Mitsutaka, Yamauchi, Shingo
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Application Number:
  US08/367,759
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/3.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 455/3.2, 455/18, 455/53.1, 348/7, 348/4, 348/8
• US Class Current: 725/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/40 Arrangements for broadcast specially adapted for accumulation-type receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/51 specially adapted for satellite broadcast systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/09 Arrangements for receiving desired information automatically according to timetables
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/79 characterised by transmission among broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 Television signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A system for distributing broadcasting material a source station transmits a material signal representing a series of broadcasting material segments, together with a segment data signal containing segment data, such as the absolute start frame number of each segment and the number of frames in each segment. Each of a number of branch stations receives the transmitted material segments and the segment data signal, records the broadcasting material segments, and then files away the broadcasting material segments, for example in a cart machine, in accordance with the received segment data. The transmission may be by way of an artificial satellite, and it is unnecessary for the transmission from the satellite to the branch stations to be synchronised with the transmission from the source station to the satellite.

Claims

1. A system for distributing broadcasting material, comprising:

a source station comprising transmitting means for transmitting a composite signal having a series of broadcasting material segments preceded by a segment data signal, said segment data signal containing segment data representing the position and length of each of said broadcasting material segments in the series; and

a plurality of branch stations, each said branch station comprising receiving means for receiving the transmitted composite signal with the supplied segment data signal, recording means for recording the broadcasting material segments on a recording medium, and filing means for filing each of the broadcasting material segments recorded by the recording means on said recording medium at a location specified by the segment data contained in the segment data signal, said broadcasting material segments to be rebroadcast simultaneously by said plurality of branch stations.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

the transmitting means comprises an encoder for generating said composite signal from the broadcasting material segments and the segment data signal, and means for transmitting the composite signal; and

each said receiving means comprises a decoder for decoding the segment data signal from the composite signal.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said transmitting means is adapted to transmit the composite signal to each said branch station via an artificial satellite.

4. A system as set forth in claim 3, wherein a transmission from said source station to said satellite is not synchronized with a transmission from said satellite to each said branch station.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

said transmitting means has a first channel for transmitting the broadcasting material segments and a second channel for supplying the segment data signal separately from the broadcasting material segments; and

each said receiving means has a first reception channel for receiving the broadcasting material segments and a second reception channel for receiving the segment data signal.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said first channel transmits the broadcasting material segments to each said branch station via an artificial satellite.

7. A system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein said second channel supplies the segment data signal to each said branch station via a land line.

8. A system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein said second channel supplies the segment data signal to each said branch station via a recording medium transportable between the source station and that branch station.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the segment data signal contains an identity code for each broadcasting material segment in the series and timing data representing the timing of each broadcasting material segment in the series.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the timing data represents a frame number for each broadcasting material segment in the series.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein said source station further comprises means for recording at least the broadcasting material segments to be transmitted and for reproducing the recorded broadcasting material segments for transmission by said transmitting means.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the recording means of each said branch station comprises a buffer video tape recorder.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein said filing means of each said branch station comprises a video cassette recorder for recording at respective times onto respective video cassettes said broadcasting material segments recorded by said recording means, and an apparatus for storing said plurality of video cassettes with each said respective broadcasting material segment thereon and for loading selected ones of said cassettes into said video cassette recorder, said respective times and said respective video cassettes being specified by said segment data signal.

14. A branch station according to claim 1, wherein said recording means comprises a buffer video tape recorder.

15. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said broadcasting material segments are filed at a plurality of locations with each said location being specified by said segment data signal.

16. A branch station for a broadcasting material distribution system having a central source station and a plurality of branch stations, each said branch station comprising:

receiving means for receiving a composite signal having a series of broadcasting material segments preceded by a segment data signal, said segment data signal containing segment data specifying the position of each of said broadcasting material segments in said series and a length of each of said broadcasting material segments in said series;

recording means for recording the received broadcasting material segments on a recording medium; and

filing means for separately filing each of the broadcasting material segments recorded by the recording means on said recording medium at a location specified by the segment data contained in the segment data signal, said broadcasting material segments to be rebroadcast simultaneously by said plurality of branch stations.

17. A branch station according to claim 16, wherein:

the broadcasting material segments and the segment data signal are received as a composite signal; and

said receiving means comprises a decoder for decoding the segment data signal from the composite signal.

18. A branch station according to claim 16, wherein said receiving means receives said composite signal from an artificial satellite.

19. A branch station as set forth in claim 18, wherein a transmission from said satellite to said branch station is not synchronized with a transmission from said central source station to said satellite.

20. A branch station according to claim 16, wherein said receiving means has a first channel for receiving the broadcasting material segments and a second channel for receiving the segment data signal.

21. A branch station according to claim 20, wherein said first channel receives the broadcasting material segments from an artificial satellite.

22. A branch station according to claim 20 or 21, wherein said second channel receives the segment data signal on a land line.

23. A branch station according to claim 20 or 21, wherein said second channel receives the segment data signal on a transportable recording medium.

24. A branch station according to claim 16, wherein the segment data signal contains an identity code for each broadcasting material segment in the series and timing data representing the timing of each broadcasting material segment in the series.

25. A branch station according to claim 24, wherein the timing data represents a frame number for each broadcasting material segment in the series.

26. A branch station according to claim 16, wherein said filing means comprises a video cassette recorder for recording at respective times onto respective video cassettes said broadcasting material segments recorded by said recording means, and an apparatus for storing said plurality of video cassettes with each said respective broadcasting material segment thereon and for loading selected ones of said cassettes into said video cassette recorder said respective times and said respective video cassettes being specified by said segment data signal.

27. A branch station as set forth in claim 16, wherein said filing means files said broadcasting material segments at a plurality of locations with each said location being specified by said segment data signal.

28. A central source station for use in a broadcasting material distribution system having a plurality of rebroadcasting branch stations, said central source station comprising transmitting means for transmitting a composite signal, having a series of broadcasting material segments and a segment data signal inserted into a vertical blanking period of said broadcasting material segments, to said plurality of rebroadcasting branch stations, said segment data signal containing segment data for identifying each broadcasting material segment in the series and a length of each broadcasting material segment in the series;

wherein said segment data signal also comprises data which identifies locations in a recording medium at said rebroadcasting branch stations, said rebroadcasting branch stations having means for recording said broadcasting material segments at said locations in said recording medium.

29. A branch station for a broadcasting material distribution system having a central source station and a plurality of branch stations, each said branch station comprising:

a receiver for receiving a composite signal having a segment data signal and a plurality of broadcasting material segments, said segment data signal specifying a position of each broadcasting material segment and a length of each broadcasting material segment and said broadcasting material segments being comprised of video signals and audio signals;

a decoder for receiving said composite signal and for separating said segment data signal from said broadcasting material segments;

a controller for receiving said segment data signal from said decoder; and

a recorder for recording said broadcasting material segments on a recording medium at locations specified by said controller in accordance with said segment data signal;

wherein said branch station rebroadcasts said broadcasting material segments simultaneously with other branch stations.