Television apparatus for simultaneous decoding of auxiliary data included in multiple television signals

• US 6,055,023 A
• Filed: 12/19/1996
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing Dtv
• Original Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics Incorporated (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Forler, Joseph Wayne, Maze, Kenneth Wayne, Rumreich, Mark Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, TUNG T
• Application Number:
  US08/769,329
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 348/553, 348/554, 348/563, 348/564, 348/565, 348/568, 348/468, 348/486, 348/484, 348/589, 348/588, 348/598, 348/606
• US Class Current: 348/553
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0355 for discrimination of the binary level of the digital data, e.g. amplitude slicers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals

Abstract

Television apparatus includes first and second auxiliary data decoders for simultaneously extracting auxiliary data from respective first and second television signals to produce first and second auxiliary data. The data decoders can selectably extract data from one or more auxiliary data intervals, e.g., one or more line intervals during vertical blanking within a television signal. The first and second auxiliary data is coupled to a controller such as the main microprocessor of the television system. The second auxiliary data is coupled to the controller via an auxiliary data buffer and an I² C serial data bus. The television signal from which the second auxiliary data is extracted can be provided by a second television signal source such as a second tuner or an external signal source (e.g., video cassette recorder, video disk player, and the like).

Claims

1. Television apparatus comprising:

a first decoder for decoding first auxiliary information included in a first television signal for determining rating content of television programming included in said first television signal; and

a second decoder for decoding second auxiliary information included in a second television signal for determining rating content of television programming included in said second television signal.

2. The television receiver of claim 1 further comprising:

means responsive to said first and second television signals for producing an output signal representing a video image having a first image region representing video information included in said first television signal and having a second image region representing video information included in said second television signal.

3. The television receiver of claim 2 further comprising a controller for controlling functions of said television receiver and a serial data bus for transferring data serially according to an I² C protocol between said controller and said means for producing said output signal;

wherein said second decoder produces binary data representative of said second auxiliary information;

said means for producing said output signal comprises a buffer for storing said binary data;

said data being transferred from said buffer to said controller via said serial data bus.

4. Television apparatus comprising:

means responsive to first and second television signals for producing an output signal representing a video image having a first image region representing video information included in said first television signal and having a second image region representing video information included in said second television signal;

a first decoder for decoding first auxiliary information included in said first television signal for determining rating content of television programming included in said first television signal; and

a second decoder for decoding second auxiliary information included in said second television signal for determining rating content of television programming included in said second television signal.

5. The television apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a data buffer, coupled to an output of said second decoder, for buffering said second auxiliary information.

6. The television apparatus of claim 5 wherein said data buffer further comprises:

a first character buffer;

a second character buffer;

a character reference circuit; and

a control circuit, coupled to said first character buffer, said second character buffer and said character reference circuit.

7. Television apparatus comprising:

means responsive to first and second television signals for producing an output signal representing a video image having a first image region representing video information included in said first television signal and having a second image region representing video information included in said second television signal;

a first decoder for decoding first auxiliary information included in said first television signal for determining rating content of television programming included in said first television signal;

a second decoder for decoding second auxiliary information included in said second television signal for determining rating content of television programming included in said second television signal;

a data buffer, coupled to an output of said second decoder, for buffering said second auxiliary information, said data buffer having a first character buffer, a second character buffer, a character reference circuit, a control circuit, coupled to said first character buffer, said second character buffer and said character reference circuit and

an invalid data buffer for buffering an invalid data signal that identifies second auxiliary data within said first and second character buffers that is invalid.

8. The television apparatus of claim 7 wherein said first and second character buffers and said invalid data buffer each comprise:

a plurality of series connected buffer flip flops arranged as a first in, first out memory;

a plurality of output flip flops, where each input terminal of each output flip-flop is coupled to a respective output terminal of each of said buffer flip-flops in said plurality of series connected buffer flip-flops; and

a plurality of serial bus registers coupled to an output terminal of each of said output flip-flops.

9. The television apparatus of claim 8 wherein said control circuit comprises:

a first control signal generator for generating a shift signal for each horizontal line within said second television signal that contains second auxiliary data, where said shift signal indicates an end of each such horizontal line, said shift signal is coupled to said first character buffer, said second character buffer, and said invalid data buffer; and

a second control signal generator for generating a read signal in response to a microprocessor requesting the second auxiliary data, said read signal is coupled to said first character buffer, said second character buffer, and said invalid data buffer.

10. A television receiver comprising:

a video signal processor for processing first and second television signals for producing an output signal representing a video image having a first image region representing video information included in said first television signal and having a second image region representing video information included in said second television signal;

a controller for controlling operation of said television receiver; and

an I² C serial data bus for communicating data between said controller and said video signal processor;

wherein

said controller comprises a first decoder for decoding first auxiliary information included in a first television signal to produce first binary data indicating a first rating content of television programming included in said first television signal;

said video signal processor comprises a second decoder for decoding second auxiliary information included in a second television signal to produce second binary data indicating a second rating content of television programming included in said second television signal, and a data buffer for buffering said second binary data;

said second binary data being communicated from said buffer to said controller via said serial data bus.

11. The receiver of claim 10 wherein said data buffer further comprises:

a first character buffer;

a second character buffer;

a character reference circuit; and

a control circuit, coupled to said first character buffer, said second character buffer and said character reference circuit.

12. A television receiver comprising:

a video signal processor for processing first and second television signals for producing an output signal representing a video image having a first image region representing video information included in said first television signal and having a second image region representing video information included in said second television signal;

a controller for controlling operation of said television receiver;

an I² C serial data bus for communicating data between said controller and said video signal processor;

wherein

said controller comprises a first decoder for decoding first auxiliary information included in a first television signal to produce first binary data indicating a first rating content of television programming included in said first television signal;

said video signal processor comprises a second decoder for decoding second auxiliary information included in a second television signal to produce second binary data indicating a second rating content of television programming included in said second television signal, and a data buffer for buffering said second binary data; and

said second binary data being communicated from said buffer to said controller via said serial data bus, said buffer having a first character buffer, a second character buffer, a character reference circuit, a control circuit, coupled to said first character buffer, said second character buffer and said character reference circuit and an invalid data buffer for buffering an invalid data signal that identifies second auxiliary data within said first and second character buffers that is invalid.

13. The receiver of claim 12 wherein said first and second character buffers and said invalid data buffer each comprise:

a plurality of series connected buffer flip flops arranged as a first in, first out memory;

a plurality of output flip flops, where each input terminal of each output flip-flop is coupled to a respective output terminal of each of said buffer flip-flops in said plurality of series connected buffer flip-flops; and

a plurality of serial bus registers coupled to an output terminal of each of said output flip-flops.

14. The receiver of claim 13 wherein said control circuit comprises:

a first control signal generator for generating a shift signal for each horizontal line within said second television signal that contains second auxiliary data, where said shift signal indicates an end of each such horizontal line, said shift signal is coupled to said first character buffer, said second character buffer, and said invalid data buffer; and

a second control signal generator for generating a read signal in response to a microprocessor requesting the second auxiliary data, said read signal is coupled to said first character buffer, said second character buffer, and said invalid data buffer.