Signal processing apparatus and methods

• US 8,112,782 B1
• Filed: 06/02/1995
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• 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): ORTIZ CRIADO, JORGE L
• Application Number:
  US08/460,817
• Time in Patent Office: 6,094 Days
• Field of Search: 455/2, 455/3.1, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/6.1, 348/2, 348/6, 348/7, 348/9
• US Class Current: 725/135
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/071 containing electro-optic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/14 for monitoring programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/30 by a single channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/18 Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/21 Billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/41 for identifying broadcast space, i.e. broadcast channels, broadcast stations or broadcast areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/00 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/00 Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD] real-time bi-directional transmission of motion video data H04N7/14 ; broadcast or conference over packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/20 Servers specifically adapted for the distribution of content, e.g. VOD servers; Operations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21 : Server components or server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 : comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 : Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 : Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2351 : involving encryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/236 : Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream multiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23892 : involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 : Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25 : Management operations performed by the server for facilitating the content distribution or administrating data related to end-users or client devices, e.g. end-user or client device authentication, learning user preferences for recommending movies maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 : Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 : Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41 : Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4117 : for generating hard copies of the content, e.g. printer, electronic paper interfaces to printers G06F3/12; printing data G06K15/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 : home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 : external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 : involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 : embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 : providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 : Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 : Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4307 : Synchronising the rendering of multiple content streams or additional data on devices, e.g. synchronisation of audio on a mobile phone with the video output on the TV screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 : of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/432 : Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 : by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 : Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4353 : involving decryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 : Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 : Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 : Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4385 : Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 : involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 : Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• 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 21/45 : Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 : involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 : Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• 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 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 : End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 : Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4888 : for displaying teletext characters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63 : Control signaling related to video distribution between client, server and network components; Network processes for video distribution between server and clients or between remote clients, e.g. transmitting basic layer and enhancement layers over different transmission paths, setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet between remote STB's; Communication protocols; Addressing real-time session protocols H04L65/1101; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/633 : Control signals issued by server directed to the network components or client management of faults, events, alarms in data networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/818 : OS software
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 : involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/46 : for receiving on more than one standard at will deflecting circuits of multi-standard receivers H04N3/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 : Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/084 : with signal insertion during the horizontal blanking interval only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/14 : Systems for two-way working H04N7/12, H04N7/173 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/24 : Systems for the transmission of television signals using pulse code modulation H04N21/00 takes precedence

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 signal processing in a network, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first signal including a control signal to a transmitter station in said network;

controlling said transmitter station in said network in response to said control signal, said controlling including;

selecting information generally applicable to a plurality of receiver stations for output in mass medium programming;

selecting data relating to said mass medium programming and having a relationship to an area served by said transmitter station;

incorporating said selected data into one or more control instructions; and

transmitting one or more second signals including said selected information and said one or more control instructions;

controlling a first receiver station in said network on the basis of said transmitted one or more second signals, including;

communicating data included in said one or more control instructions to a processor;

selecting, by processing receiver specific information at said processor, at least some of said data to complete or supplement said mass medium programming;

storing said least some of said data; and

outputting at one or more output devices a presentation including said mass medium programming and first output information content, said first output information content serving to complete or supplement said mass medium programming and being based on said at least some of said data;

controlling said first or a second receiver station on the basis of said transmitted one or more second signals, including;

receiving information of the reaction of a user to said presentation;

generating second output information content by processing said received information of the reaction of a user; and

outputting said generated second output information content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of outputting said second output information content is to a transmitter at said first or said second receiver station, said method further comprising the step of transmitting said generated output information content to a remote receiver station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of outputting said second output information content is to a user, said method further having at least one step from the group consisting of:

displaying said generated second output information content at a video monitor;

emitting audio on the basis of said generated second output information content; and

printing said generated second output information content.

4. A method of processing signals in a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first signal including a control signal at a transmitter station;

selecting information generally applicable to a plurality of receiver stations for output in mass medium programming in response to said control instruction;

selecting data relating to said mass medium programming and having a relationship said plurality of receiver stations served by said transmitter station;

incorporating said selected data into one or more control instructions effective to cause one or more receiver stations to;

(a) store, a first time, said data transmitted from said transmitter station,

(b) select and store, by processing receiver specific information at a second time, at least some of said data which is effective to complete or supplement said mass medium programming,

(c) output at one or more output devices a presentation including said mass medium programming and first output information content, said first information content based on said data stored a second time and output to complete or supplement said mass medium programming,

(d) receiver a reaction of a user to said presentation,

(e) generate second output information content by processing said received reaction, and

(f) output said generated second output information content; and

transmitting one or more second signals including said mass medium programming and said one or more control instructions.

5. A method of processing signals in a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first signal including a control signal at a transmission station;

generating one or more second signals in response to said control signal, said second signals including generally applicable mass medium programming and one or more control instructions which are effective at one or more receiver stations to;

(a) present said generally applicable mass medium programming and first receiver specific output information content which is effective to complete or supplement said generally applicable mass medium programming, and

(b) output second receiver specific information content based on a user reaction to a presentation of said generally applicable mass medium programming and said first receiver specific output information content; and

transmitting said one or more second signals.

6. A method of processing signals in a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first signal;

receiving an instruct signal which is effective to cause a transmission station to incorporate information into one or more second signals based on said first signal, said second signals including generally applicable mass medium programming and one or more control instructions which are effective to;

(i) enable a receiver station to present said mass medium programming and first receiver specific output information content which supplements or completes said mass medium programming, and to

(ii) output second receiver information content based on a user reaction to said presentation of said mass medium programming and said first output information content;

receiving a transmitter control signal which operates at said transmitter station to communicate said one or more second signals to a transmitter; and

transmitting said one or more second signals.

7. A method of enabling a television or radio programming storage device to deliver programming, said storage device comprising one or more storage locations capable of storing television or radio programming, a transmission device capable of communicating television or radio programming to or from said one or more storage locations, and a processor capable of controlling at least one of said transmission device and at least one of said one or more storage locations to receive, store, or communicate television or radio programming, comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal including generally applicable television or radio programming, said television or radio programming having an identification datum and a programming element which is incomplete as regards a class of data;

communicating said signal including said generally applicable television or radio programming to at least one of said one or more storage locations;

storing said signal including said generally applicable television or radio programming at said at least one of said one or more storage locations;

storing one of an intermediate generation set and a program instruction set at said television or radio programming storage device, said one of an intermediate generation set and a program instruction set including at least some portion of a control signal which designates at least one of said incomplete programming element and said class of data and which upon command is operative to complete said incomplete programming element,

whereby said television or radio programming storage device is enabled to deliver a complete programming presentation including said generally applicable television or radio programming and user specific content based on user input.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said class of data designates programming distributor data, said method further comprising the step of:

receiving and storing said programming distributor data.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said class of data designates user data, said method further comprising the step of:

receiving and storing said user data.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said control signal comprises sequentially transmitted control instructions, said method further comprising the step of:

receiving and storing at least two control instructions in a specific order with information designating a time period.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said sequentially transmitted control instructions comprise a message stream, said method further comprising the step of:

receiving and storing instructions which are effective to instruct said processor to process at least one message of said message stream.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said one of said intermediate generation set and said program instruction set operates to generate said control signal by processing information of said class of data, said method further comprising the step of:

receiving and storing generally applicable information of said control signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said generally applicable information of said control signal comprise at least some of a processor instruction, said method further comprising the step of:

receiving and storing one of assembly language code and a signal word to be assembled.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said generally applicable information of said control signal comprise higher language code and said one of said intermediate generation set and said program instruction set operates to generate said control signal by completing a module including said higher language code, said method further comprising the step of:

receiving and storing instructions which operate to perform at least one of the functions of compiling and linking said one of said module and said higher language code.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein in response to a specific control instruction said processor is organized to generate a user specific datum as part of a series of user specific data, and a processor interrupt signal is inputted to said processor to enable the communication of at least one specific user specific datum to an output device at a specific time, said method further comprising the step of:

receiving and storing at least-some of said specific control instruction and said interrupt signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said interrupt signal is inputted to said processor in response to a first control instruction and said interrupt signal causes said processor to clear a specific memory location and place said generated user specific datum at the specific memory location to form a subsequent output, said method further comprises the step of:

receiving and storing said first control instruction.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a second control instruction causes said processor to cease communicating at least one receiver specific datum to said output device and to commence generating said series of user specific data,

said method further comprising the step of:

receiving and storing said second control instruction.

18. The method of claim 7, wherein a control program causes a controller operatively connected to said storage device to control at least one peripheral device, said method further comprising the step of:

receiving and storing said control program.

19. The method of claim 7, wherein a user specific datum is placed at a memory location operatively connected to said processor and is not automatically communicated to an output device when placed at said memory location,

said method further comprising the step of:

receiving and storing a control instruction which is effective to instruct the processor to output said memory location to said output device.

20. The method of claim 7, wherein said storage device comprises a memory and wherein said television or radio programming and said one of said intermediate generation set and said program instruction set are stored on said memory.

21. The method of claim 7, wherein said storage device comprises a network.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said user input is communicated to a transmission station in said network.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said user input is received at an ultimate receiver station in said network.

24. The method of claim 7, wherein said storage device comprises a transmitter station.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said user input includes a schedule, said method further comprising the step of storing said schedule.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of detecting said user input in one of a television signal and a radio signal.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of detecting said user input in a signal received from a satellite.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of detecting said user input in a telephone signal.

29. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of receiving comprises tuning.

30. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of communicating is performed by one of a computer and a switch.

31. A method of signal processing in a network, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting, at a transmitter station, mass medium programming to be completed;

selecting, at said transmitter station, first data, said first data to serve as a basis for completing said mass medium programming to be completed;

communicating said selected first data to said transmitter station in at least one control signal, said at least one control signal effective in said network to output (i) said mass medium programming to be completed and (ii) information that completes said mass medium programming to be completed, said output based on a subscriber reaction to said mass medium programming to be completed; and

transmitting said selected mass medium programming to be completed, said first data, and said at least one control signal.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said mass medium programming to be completed and said information are outputted at least one receiver station in said network, said method further comprising the step of transmitting at least one of a video program, audio program, print program, and television program to serve as part of said mass medium programming to be completed.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

generating, at said transmitter station, second data; and

communicating, at said transmitter station, said generated second data in said at least one control signal.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

placing, at said transmitter station, said generated second data into higher language code; and

generating machine language code based on said higher language code and said generated second data.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

placing, at said transmitter station, said selected first data into higher language code; and

generating machine language code based on said higher language code and said placed first data.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

selecting at least a segment of one of a television program, radio program, print program, and combined medium program; and

controlling a selective transfer device to communicate said selected at least a segment of one of a television program, radio program, print program, and combined medium program to at least one of a processor and an output device.

37. A method of signal processing to deliver complete mass medium programming in a network having a plurality of receiver stations, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at least one of said plurality of receiver stations, at least one signal transmitted from a remote one of a broadcast transmitter station and a cablecast transmitter station, said at least one of said plurality of receiver stations having a processor that is able to control the selection of mass medium programming to be completed;

selecting, under control of said processor of said at least one of said plurality of receiver stations, mass medium programming to be completed based on information included in said at least one signal;

storing at least some of said selected mass medium programming to be completed;

outputting said selected mass medium programming to be completed at said at least one of said plurality of receiver stations;

processing a subscriber reaction to said selected mass medium programming to be completed at said at least one of said plurality of receiver stations; and

outputting said complete mass medium programming at said at least one of said plurality of receiver stations on the basis of said stored at least some of said selected mass medium programming to be completed.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said received at least one signal is one of a television signal and a radio signal, said method further comprising the step of detecting at least one control instruction in said received at least one signal.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein said received at least one signal is one of a multichannel broadcast signal and a multichannel cablecast signal, said method further comprising the steps of:

selecting at least a portion of said multichannel signal in which to detect at least one control instruction; and

transferring said selected at least a portion of said multichannel signal to at least one of a control signal detector and a digital detector.