Signal processing apparatus and method

• US 7,774,809 B1
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1981
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Personalized Media Communications, LLC
• Original Assignee: Personalized Media Communications, LLC
• Inventors: Harvey, John Christopher, Cuddihy, James William
• Primary Examiner(s): Park, Chan S
• Application Number:
  US08/487,397
• Time in Patent Office: 5,543 Days
• Field of Search: 455/2, 455/3.1, 455/3.2, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 348/1, 348/2, 348/3, 348/4, 348/6, 348/8, 348/12, 348/13, 725 27- 38, 725/49, 380210-212, 380/218, 709245-247, 370/270
• US Class Current: 725/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/818 OS software

Abstract

A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc. At receiver stations, signals in received transmissions and from local inputs (225, 218, 22) cause control processors (200) and computers (205) to automate connection and operation of converters (201), tuners (215), decryptors (224), recorder/players (217), computers (205), furnaces (206), etc. Processors (71, 200) meter and monitor availability and usage of programming.

Claims

1. A method of delivering audio or video mass medium programming to at least one subscriber in a network, said network having at least one programming origination station and a subscriber station, said subscriber station for receiving programming from an intermediate transmission station and outputting information to said at least one subscriber at an output device, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting, from said at least one programming origination station, said audio or video mass medium programming to said intermediate transmission station;

transmitting, from said at least one programming origination station, to said intermediate transmission station control information associated with said audio or video mass medium programming;

controlling said intermediate transmission station based on determining the composition of said control information, said step of controlling comprising;

storing said audio or video mass medium programming for retransmission at said intermediate transmission station;

generating a program instruction set at said intermediate transmitter station;

linking said program instruction set to said audio or video mass medium programming at said intermediate transmission station; and

transmitting said audio or video mass medium programming and said program instruction set from said intermediate transmission station to said subscriber station;

receiving said audio or video mass medium programming and said program instruction set at said subscriber station;

controlling said subscriber station by processing said program instruction set, said step of controlling comprising;

selecting at least one of (i) a storage device and (ii) an output device as a destination device at said subscriber station; and

communicating said audio or video mass medium programming to said selected destination device for delivery to said at least one subscriber.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of programming a computer to control the communication of said audio or video mass medium programming according to a predetermined characteristic, said predetermined characteristic applying to one of:

(a) said intermediate transmission station, and (b) said subscriber station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said audio or video mass medium programming comprises television programming, said method further comprising the step of controlling a selective transfer device to communicate said television programming from said receiver to said destination device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said selective transfer device comprises a computer and said step of controlling said subscriber station comprises performing a computation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said subscriber station is an ultimate receiver station and a portion of said audio or video mass medium programming is outputted at said ultimate receiver station as sound, said method further comprising the step of

transmitting to said ultimate receiver station a control signal which causes said sound to be outputted at a specific time.

6. A method of delivering audio or video mass medium programming to at least one subscriber in a network, said network including at least one programming origination station and a subscriber station, said subscriber station for receiving audio or video mass medium programming from said intermediate transmission station and outputting information to said at least one subscriber at an output device based on said received audio or video mass medium programming, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving said audio or video mass medium programming and control information at said intermediate transmission station from said at least one programming origination station;

generating at said intermediate transmitter station a program instruction set that includes information that designates said audio or video mass medium programming based on determining the composition of said control information, said program instruction set for execution at said subscriber station to select at least one of (i) a storage device and (ii) an output device as a destination device, and communicate said audio or video mass medium programming to said selected destination device for delivery to said at least one subscriber;

linking said audio or video mass medium programming and said program instruction set at said intermediate transmission station; and

transmitting said audio or video mass medium programming and said program instruction set from said intermediate transmission station to said subscriber station.

7. A method of communicating audio or video mass medium programming in a communications network, said communications network including at least one origination station and a plurality of intermediate transmission stations, each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations having a receiver, at least one selective transmission device operatively connected to said receiver for transferring programming to a transmitter, an automatic control unit operatively connected to said selective transmission device, a detector operatively connected to said automatic control unit for detecting at least one signal, and said automatic control unit being programmed to perform in a station specific fashion, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting from said at least one origination station to said plurality of intermediate transmission stations a plurality of units of audio or video mass medium programming, said plurality of units of programming including a plurality of retransmission control signals;

transmitting said at least one signal for comparison from said at least one origination station to said plurality of intermediate transmission stations;

receiving said plurality of units of audio or video mass medium programming at each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations;

detecting said plurality of retransmission control signals at each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations; and

receiving said at least one signal for comparison at each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations;

passing said retransmission control signals and said at least one signal for comparison to said automatic control unit at each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations;

comparing, under control of said automatic control unit at each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations, said at least one signal for comparison with programming schedule information stored at each of said plurality of intermediate stations in accordance with said plurality of retransmission control signal;

storing, at each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations, at least one unit of said plurality of units of audio or video mass medium programming based on the result of said step of comparing; and

retransmitting, at each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations, at least unit some of said plurality of units of audio or video mass medium programming, said at least some of said plurality of units of audio and video mass medium programming retransmitted at times determined by said automatic control unit processing said plurality of retransmission control signals; and

said at least some of said plurality of units of audio and video mass medium programming retransmitted in an order determined by said automatic control unit processing said plurality of retransmission control signals, two of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations retransmitting said plurality of units of audio or video mass medium programming independently at said determined time and in said determined order in accordance with said automatic control unit programmed to perform in said station specific fashion, wherein each of said determined times and said determined orders are different for each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations includes a plurality of selective transmission devices and said automatic control unit is programmed with selective transmission device information including at least one of operating speeds of said plurality of selective transmission devices, connections of said plurality of selective transmission devices, and capacities of said plurality of selective transmission devices, said method further comprising the step of

transmitting from said at least one origination station an instruct signal for instructing said automatic control unit at least one of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations to use said selective transmission device information to perform at least one of

(1) storing different units of said at least one unit of audio or video mass medium programming at different selective transmission devices of said plurality of selective transmission devices and

(2) storing at least two units of said at least one unit of audio or video mass medium programming in a specific order.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein each said automatic control unit is programmed to control a storage device, said method further comprising the step of

instructing different intermediate transmission stations of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations to store and retransmit different units of said said plurality of units of audio or video mass medium programming.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said automatic control unit of each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations is programmed to control a switch, said method further comprising the step of instructing different intermediate transmission stations of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations to control said switch to communicate a specific unit of said plurality of units of audio or video mass medium programming at least one of different times and or on different channels.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations retransmits programming on a plurality of channels, said method further comprising the step of instructing different intermediate transmission stations of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations to transmit a specific unit of said at I act onc unit plurality of units of audio or video mass medium programming on different channels.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least one signal for comparison identifies said at least one unit of audio or video mass medium programming, said method further comprising the step of

causing different intermediate transmission stations of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations to retransmit said identified at least one unit of audio or video mass medium programming at least one of different times and on different channels based on said at least one signal for comparison.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least one signal for comparison and said retransmission control signals comprise at least one schedule, said method further comprising the step of

programming at least one of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations to select and retransmit said at least one unit of audio or video mass medium programming in accordance with said at least one schedule.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein a portion of said plurality of retransmission control signals instruct said plurality of intermediate transmission stations to retransmit programming immediately, said method further comprising the step of

selecting said at least one unit of audio or video mass medium programming to immediately as a result of said step of comparing.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein said automatic control unit of each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations is programmed to organize a portion of said at least one unit of audio or video mass medium programming in a specific order, said method further comprising the step of

causing different intermediate transmission stations of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations to organize said portion of said at least one unit of audio or video mass medium programming in different orders.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein said automatic control unit of each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations is programmed to insert at least one of a data and control instruction in said at least one unit of audio or video mass medium programming, said method further comprising the step of

causing different intermediate transmission stations of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations to insert at least one of

(i) different data of said at least one of a data and control instruction and

(ii) a different control instruction of said at least one of a data and control instruction in said at least one unit of audio or video mass medium programming.

17. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of documenting the transmission of a specific unit of said plurality of units of audio or video mass medium programming at specific intermediate transmission stations of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations.

18. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of transmitting at least one datum from each of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations to a remote data collection station.

19. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of transmitting said at least one signal for comparison and said plurality of retransmission control signals from a first of said plurality of intermediate transmission stations.