Signal processing apparatus and methods

• US 7,849,479 B1
• Filed: 05/23/1995
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• 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:
  US08/447,447
• Time in Patent Office: 5,677 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.3, 348/6, 348/7, 348/9, 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 communicating and controlling receiving and presenting video or audio mass medium programming in a network, said method comprising the steps of:

inputting to a computer at an intermediate television transmission station data related to said video or audio mass medium programming;

receiving a first downloadable code related to said video or audio mass medium programming to and at least one comparison signal at said intermediate television transmission station from an originating television transmission station;

detecting the presence of said first downloadable code and said at least one comparison signal at said intermediate television transmission station and passing said detected first downloadable code to said computer;

generating at said intermediate television transmission station a second downloadable code by processing said inputted data based on determining the contents of said first downloadable code;

comparing said at least one comparison signal with stored information at said intermediate television transmission station; and

transmitting said video or audio mass medium programming and said second downloadable code to at least one receiver station based on a result of said comparison;

wherein said at least one receiver station receives and displays said video or audio mass medium programming along with information having a predetermined relationship to said video or audio mass medium programming to supplement said video or audio mass medium programming by processing said generated second downloadable code at said at least one receiver station.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting a portion of said first downloadable code in said second downloadable code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one receiver station generates a portion of said information having a predetermined relationship to said video or audio mass medium programming to supplement said video or audio mass medium programming by processing stored data, said method further comprising the step of transmitting data to be stored at said at least one receiver station.

4. A method of communicating signals in a television communications network, said television communications network including at least one origination station and a plurality of intermediate television transmission stations, each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations having a receiver, at least one signal generator operatively connected to said receiver, a transmitter, an automatic control unit operatively connected to said at least one signal generator, and a detector operatively connected to said at least one signal generator, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving in each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations an information transmission, including at least one generation instruction related to television programming and at least one signal for comparison from said at least one origination station;

detecting in each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations said at least one generation instruction and said at least one signal for comparison;

passing in each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations said at least one generation instruction and said at least one signal for comparison to said automatic control unit;

generating in each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations a respective generated signal in accordance with said at least one generation instruction;

comparing, under control of said automatic control unit at each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations, said at least one signal for comparison with stored information; and

transferring in each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations said respective generated signal and said television programming to at least one respective receiver station based on a result of said step of comparing, wherein a first of said respective generated signals when generated by a first of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations is different from a second of said respective generated signals when generated by a second of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations,

wherein said at least one respective receiver station receives and displays said television programming along with information having a predetermined relationship to said television programming to supplement said television programming by processing said respective generated signal received at said at least one respective receiver station.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one generation instruction instructs each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations to generate microprocessor instructions, said method further comprising the step of including said microprocessor instructions in said respective generated signal at each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of at least one of compiling and linking said microprocessor instructions.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said automatic control unit at each of said plurality of intermediate television stations is programmed to respond to said at least one generation instruction at different times at different of said plurality of intermediate television stations.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein at least a portion of said information transmission includes video or audio mass medium programming, said method further comprising the steps of:

receiving a control signal which operates at each of said plurality of intermediate transmitter stations to transmit said video or audio mass medium programming from each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said video or audio mass medium programming comprises audio.

10. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of transmitting from a second origination station a control signal which is effective to cause at least one of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations to store a second generation instruction and a second signal for comparison.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of transmitting said second generation instruction from said second origination station.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein said automatic control unit in each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations is programmed to control a switch, said switch adapted to communicate said information transmission transmitted from said at least one origination station, said method further comprising the step of transmitting an instruction from said at least one origination station which causes at least one of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations to control its switch.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations transmits video or audio mass medium programming, said method further comprising the step of transmitting said video or audio mass medium programming from said at least one origination station to said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a second information transmission transmitted from each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations includes said video or audio mass medium programming, said method further comprising the step of including said respective generated signal in said information transmission at each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of including comprises embedding at least a portion of said respective generated signal in the normal transmission location of said video or audio mass medium programming.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said video or audio mass medium programming comprises audio.

17. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations generates control signals and wherein at least one receiver station outputs a video presentation in accordance with said control signals.

18. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations generates control signals, wherein at least one receiver station outputs a first portion of audio in accordance with said control signals, said method further comprising the step of transmitting a second portion of audio to be output with said first portion of audio.

19. A method of communicating and controlling at least one of the reception and presentation of television programming in a network, said network including a programming origination station, an intermediate television transmission station, and at least one subscriber station, said intermediate television transmission station including a receiver and a transmitter, and said at least one subscriber station including at least one output device, said method comprising the steps of:

storing computer program code at said intermediate television transmission station related to first television programming;

inputting to a computer at said intermediate television transmission station data related to said first television programming;

receiving a first control signal and a comparison signal at said intermediate television transmission station from said programming origination station;

detecting said first control signal at said intermediate television transmission station and passing said first control signal to said computer;

executing said stored computer program code in response to determining the composition of said first control signal;

generating at said intermediate television transmission station downloadable computer program code by processing said data based on determining the contents of said stored computer program code;

comparing said comparison signal with stored information at said intermediate television transmission station; and

transmitting said generated downloadable computer program code to said at least one subscriber station based on a result of the comparison;

receiving said first television programming at said intermediate television transmission station from said programming origination station; and

transmitting a third control signal and said first television programming from said intermediate television transmission station to said at least one subscriber station;

said generated downloadable computer program code controlling said at least one subscriber station to receive second programming and display said second programming along with said first television programming at said at least one output device, wherein said third control signal instructs said at least one subscriber station to execute said generated downloadable computer code.

20. A method of communicating signals in a television communications network, said television communications network including at least one origination station and a plurality of intermediate television transmission stations, each of said intermediate television transmission stations having a receiver, at least one signal generator operatively connected to said receiver, a transmitter, an automatic control unit operatively connected to said at least one signal generator, and a detector operatively connected to said automatic control unit, wherein each said automatic control unit is programmed to perform in a station-specific fashion, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting information content of at least one first signal from said at least one origination station to each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations, said information content of at least one first signal including at least one generation instruction related to television programming;

transmitting information content of at least one transmission control signal from said at least one origination station to each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations;

receiving at each one of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations said information content of at least one first signal;

detecting, at each one of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations, said at least one generation instruction;

receiving, at each one of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations, said information content of at least one transmission control signal;

passing, at each one of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations, said at least one generation instruction to said automatic control unit;

generating, at each one of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations, in accordance with said generation instruction, information content of a second signal;

including, at each one of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations, said information content of a second signal in said second signal; and

transmitting from each intermediate television transmission station of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations to at least one respective receiver station in accordance with said information content of at least one transmission control signal said second signal, such that the transmission time of said second signal when transmitted from a first of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations is different from the transmission time of said second signal when transmitted from a second of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations,

wherein said at least one respective receiver station receives and displays said television programming along with information having a predetermined relationship to said television programming to supplement said television programming by processing said second signal received at said at least one respective receiver station.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said at least one generation instruction instructs each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations to generate microprocessor instructions and said automatic control unit is programmed with data of at least one of (i) at least one formula and (ii) at least one item to be generated.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of at least one compiling and linking said microprocessor instructions.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said automatic control unit of each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations is programmed to respond to said at least one generation instruction at a different time.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said at least one first signal .contains video or audio mass medium programming, said method further comprising the steps of:

communicating said video or audio mass media programming to said transmitter based on receipt of said at least one transmission control signal; and

retransmitting said video or audio mass medium programming from each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations at a time that is different at each intermediate television transmission station.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said video or audio mass medium programming includes audio.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of transmitting from a second origination station an instruct signal that causes at least one of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations to store a second generation instruction and a second transmission instruction.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of transmitting said second generation instruction from said second origination station.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations further has a switch and ai said automatic control unit that is programmed to control said switch.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein each of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations retransmits programming, said method further comprising the step of transmitting said programming from said at least one origination station to said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said programming includes said second signal.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein at least a portion of said second signal is embedded in the normal transmission location of said programming.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said programming includes audio.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein a retransmission control signal instructs said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations to retransmit immediately, said method further comprising the step of selecting at least one of said at least one generation instruction and said at least one transmission instruction to store and retransmit.

34. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of transmitting at least one of a signal for comparison and at least one retransmission control signal from a first one of said plurality of intermediate television transmission stations.