Signal processing apparatus and methods

• US 7,784,082 B1
• Filed: 05/23/1995
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• 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): Moore, Jr., Michael J
• Application Number:
  US08/447,974
• Time in Patent Office: 5,572 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1- 13, 348/385, 348/388, 348/389, 348/460, 348/468, 348/552, 348/563, 348/564, 348/569, 348/906, 348/907, 455/2, 455 31- 63, 455/7, 379/88, 379/89, 379/92, 379/96, 379/100, 379/101, 379/122, 379/130, 358/296, 358/305, 358/310, 358/402, 358/407, 358/434, 358/436
• US Class Current: 725/134
• 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 controlling the outputting of mass medium program material at a subscriber station, said subscriber station including an output device, a memory, a receiver, and a processor, wherein said output device is capable of presenting mass medium program material, said receiver has a signal output coupled as an input to the processor, said processor has an output operatively connected to a control input of said memory, and said memory is operatively connected to said output device for communicating mass medium program material to said output device, said method comprising the steps of:

storing mass medium program material and subscriber data, said subscriber data designating a subject of interest of a subscriber;

receiving an instruct-to-generate signal;

generating a schedule by processing said subscriber data in response to said instruct-to-generate signal;

controlling said memory to communicate said mass medium program material to said output device in accordance with said schedule; and

presenting said communicated mass medium program material at said output device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said mass medium program material includes at least one of video and audio and said subscriber station further includes a switch operatively connected to said receiver, said method further comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal from a remote station, said signal including said at least one of video and audio; and

controlling said switch to communicate said signal to one of said memory and said processor.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

analyzing said subscriber data to value information included in said mass medium program material;

selecting at least a portion of said mass medium program material based on said step of analyzing; and

communicating said selected portion of said mass medium program material to said memory.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said instruct-to-generate signal designates a plurality of units of said mass medium program material, and said memory includes a plurality of memory locations, said method further comprising the step of:

communicating selected portions of said mass medium program material to at least one specific memory location of said plurality of memory locations.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of controlling said memory to communicate said mass medium program material is commenced in response to an output control signal, said method further comprising the step of:

detecting said output control signal in an information transmission communicated from a remote transmitter station.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing a module at said subscriber station in response to said instruct-to-generate signal; and

inputting to a remote station data of subscriber choice in accordance with said module, said data of subscriber choice communicating a response by said subscriber to a combined medium presentation including said communicated mass medium program material.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said output device is capable of outputting television programming and said subscriber station presents at least a portion of said mass medium program material at said output device with said television programming, said method further comprising the steps of:

receiving from one of a remote broadcast and a cablecast transmitter station an information transmission including channels of programming, said information transmission including said television programming and said instruct-to-generate signal;

communicating said television programming from said receiver to said output device;

detecting a plurality of instruct signal types in a code portion of said information transmission, said instruct-to-generate signal being of a first instruct signal type;

communicating said instruct-to-generate signal to said processor; and

controlling said memory to store and output said mass medium program material based on one or more signals of a second instruct signal type.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing a module at said subscriber station in response to said control signal; and

communicating one or more data of subscriber choice to a remote station in accordance with said module, said one or more data of subscriber choice input by said subscriber in response to a combined medium programming presentation which includes said designated unit of mass medium program material.

8. A method of communicating subscriber station information from a subscriber station to at least one remote station, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) storing subscriber data at a subscriber station;

(2) receiving at said subscriber station at least one instruct signal which is used to generate a schedule and output mass medium program material in accordance with said schedule;

(3) generating subscriber specific data, said generating at said subscriber station directed by instructions from said at least one instruct signal;

(4) receiving one of a viewer'"'"'s and a participant'"'"'s response to a mass medium presentation at said subscriber station, said mass medium presentation including said mass medium program material; and

(5) transferring said subscriber specific data from said subscriber station to at least one remote station based on said step of receiving.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

storing a software module at said subscriber station;

executing said software module in response to said at least one instruct signal;

accessing said stored subscriber data under control of said software module; and

storing at least one of meter information and monitor information evidencing processing of said software module, said at least one of said meter information and said monitor information is communicated to a remote station site.

10. A method for information delivery for use with an interactive image output apparatus, said interactive image output apparatus having at least one output device for outputting said information and an input device for receiving input from a subscriber, said method comprising the steps of:

outputting a presentation that explains at least one receiver specific datum, said presentation including a first sequence of images;

making an offer during said step of outputting with respect to said information;

receiving input from said subscriber at said input device in response to said offer, said interactive image output apparatus having a transmitter for communicating data to a remote site;

communicating said data to said remote site, said interactive mass medium output apparatus and said remote site comprising a network having a plurality of transmitter stations;

one of generating and assembling, in said network, at least one message which operates at said interactive image output apparatus to generate a schedule and to output a second sequence of images in accordance with said schedule, said interactive image output apparatus having a receiver for receiving a signal from a remote station; and

delivering said information to said at least one output device based on said at least one message.

11. A method of controlling the outputting of mass medium program materials at a subscriber station in a broadcast or cablecast distribution system, said broadcast or cablecast distribution system having a transmitter station and one or more subscriber stations, each of said one or more subscriber stations including a receiver, a processor, and an output device, said broadcast or cablecast distribution system having a computer for storing data and controlling communication of mass medium program materials, said method comprising the steps of:

storing mass medium program material and a subscriber datum, said subscriber datum designating a subject of interest to a subscriber;

detecting a control signal, said control signal designating a unit of mass medium program material;

selecting said subscriber datum in response to said control signal;

generating at least some of a schedule by processing said selected subscriber datum in response to said control signal, said generated at least some of a schedule including at least one of the group of;

(1) a time to communicate said designated unit of mass medium program material;

(2) a device from which to communicate said designated unit of mass medium program material; and

(3) a device to which to communicate said designated unit of mass medium program material;

communicating said designated unit of mass medium program material at said one or more subscriber stations under processor control based on said schedule; and

outputting said communicated unit of mass medium program material at said one or more subscriber stations.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said unit of designated mass medium program material includes at least one of video and audio and said step of communicating includes:

tuning the receiver at said subscriber station to receive said at least one of video and audio; and

controlling a selective transmission device at said subscriber station to communicate said at least one of video and audio to the output device at said subscriber station.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein an information transmission including said mass medium program material includes a second control signal and said step of communicating includes:

outputting at least one of the receiver and a first memory at said subscriber station to at least one of the output device at said subscriber station and a second memory based on said second control signal.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of communicating said designated unit of mass medium program material under processor control includes controlling a storage device at said subscriber station to play said designated unit of mass medium program material according to said schedule, said method further comprising the steps of:

tuning a receiver in said broadcast or cablecast distribution system to receive said designated unit of mass medium program material;

communicating said designated unit of mass medium program material to a specific memory location in said broadcast or cablecast distribution system; and

controlling said storage device to store said designated unit of mass medium program material.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said subscriber station includes at least one of (1) a plurality of storage devices and (2) a plurality of memory locations and said step of communicating includes organizing programming stored at said subscriber station to play according to said schedule, said programming including said designated unit of mass medium program material.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said stored subscriber datum is at least part of a subscriber budget, analysis, recommended plan, or solution to a problem, said method further comprising the steps of:

analyzing said stored subscriber datum to value information received in said broadcast or cablecast distribution system; and

selecting said designated unit of mass medium program material based on said step of analyzing.