Signal processing apparatus and methods
First Claim
1. A method for outputting programming for use with an interactive mass medium programming output apparatus comprising the steps of:
- receiving information to be used in characterizing a subscriber originated at a source external to said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus;
selecting information characterizing a subscriber in said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus by processing said information to be used in characterizing a subscriber;
storing said information characterizing a subscriber in said interactive mass medium program output apparatus;
receiving mass medium programming at said interactive mass medium output apparatus;
outputting simultaneously said mass medium programming and said information characterizing a subscriber, said output comprising audio or video content that prompts said subscriber for first input, said interactive mass medium output apparatus having an input device to receive said first input from said subscriber;
receiving said first input from said subscriber at said input device in response to simultaneously outputting said mass medium programming and said information characterizing a subscriber that prompts said subscriber, said first input indicating that said subscriber wants first user specific programming to be output in conjunction with said mass medium programming;
commencing a process required to enable said interactive mass medium output apparatus to output said first user subscriber specific programming based on said step of receiving first input, said process combining simultaneously said mass medium programming and a portion of local subscriber specific information;
completing said process; and
outputting said first user specific programming at said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus wherein said first user specific programming is personalized to said subscriber by including content based on said stored information characterizing a subscriber.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. A method for outputting programming for use with an interactive mass medium programming output apparatus comprising the steps of:
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receiving information to be used in characterizing a subscriber originated at a source external to said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus; selecting information characterizing a subscriber in said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus by processing said information to be used in characterizing a subscriber; storing said information characterizing a subscriber in said interactive mass medium program output apparatus; receiving mass medium programming at said interactive mass medium output apparatus; outputting simultaneously said mass medium programming and said information characterizing a subscriber, said output comprising audio or video content that prompts said subscriber for first input, said interactive mass medium output apparatus having an input device to receive said first input from said subscriber; receiving said first input from said subscriber at said input device in response to simultaneously outputting said mass medium programming and said information characterizing a subscriber that prompts said subscriber, said first input indicating that said subscriber wants first user specific programming to be output in conjunction with said mass medium programming; commencing a process required to enable said interactive mass medium output apparatus to output said first user subscriber specific programming based on said step of receiving first input, said process combining simultaneously said mass medium programming and a portion of local subscriber specific information; completing said process; and outputting said first user specific programming at said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus wherein said first user specific programming is personalized to said subscriber by including content based on said stored information characterizing a subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for combined medium programming delivery for use with an interactive combined medium programming output apparatus comprising the steps of:
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receiving information characterizing a subscriber originated at a source external to said interactive combined medium programming output apparatus; storing said information characterizing a subscriber in said interactive combined medium programming output apparatus; generating first subscriber specific information in said interactive combined medium programming output apparatus by processing said information characterizing a subscriber; outputting a first combined medium programming presentation after said steps of storing and generating at said interactive combined medium program output apparatus, said first combined medium programming presentation including audio or video content that prompts said subscriber for first input, a portion of said first combined medium programming presentation comprising audio or video of general interest output simultaneously at said interactive combined medium programming output apparatus with said first subscriber specific information, said interactive combined medium programming output apparatus having an input device to receive said first input from said subscriber; receiving said first input from said subscriber at said input device in response to said first combined medium programming presentation; commencing a process required to enable said interactive mass medium output apparatus to output a second combined medium programming presentation based on said step of receiving said first input, said process simultaneously combining video of general interest and a portion of local subscriber specific information; completing said process; and delivering said second combined medium programming presentation at said interactive combined medium programming output apparatus, said second combined medium programming presentation simultaneously including video of general interest and a portion of local subscriber specific information, said second combined medium programming presentation personalized to said subscriber by including content based on said stored information characterizing a subscriber and said first input. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for outputting programming for use with an interactive mass medium programming output apparatus, said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus including a first output device, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing information characterizing interests of a subscriber in said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus; receiving mass medium programming output at said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus; outputting said mass medium programming output, said mass medium programming output to be outputted for a first period of time, said first period of time including a specific moment after which local subscriber specific information is to be outputted, said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus having an input device to receive input from a local subscriber; prompting said local subscriber for said input, said prompting including audible or visual content, wherein said prompting is performed by said mass medium programming output before said specific moment; receiving said input from said local subscriber at said input device in response to outputting said mass medium programming output that prompts said local subscriber, said local input indicating that said local subscriber wants local subscriber specific information to be output simultaneously with said mass medium programming output; commencing a process required to enable said interactive mass medium output apparatus to output said local subscriber specific programming based on said step of receiving local input, said process requiring a second period of time to complete, said process simultaneously combining said mass medium programming output and a portion of local subscriber specific information; completing said process; and outputting, subsequent to performing said step of completing said process, a presentation of said local subscriber specific programming at said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus, wherein said local subscriber specific programming includes a portion of said mass medium programming output outputted simultaneously in conjunction with a portion of local subscriber specific information at said first output device and said portion of local subscriber specific information is personalized to said subscriber by including content based on said stored information characterizing interests of a subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A method for outputting programming for use with an interactive mass medium programming output apparatus having apparatus for selecting and communicating information, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing information characterizing interests of a subscriber in said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus; receiving mass medium programming at said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus; outputting said mass medium programming, including audible or visual content that prompts a local subscriber for input, said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus having an input device to receive said input from said a local subscriber; receiving said local input from said local subscriber at said input device in response to outputting said mass medium programming that prompts said local subscriber, said local input indicating that said local subscriber wants local subscriber specific programming to be output simultaneously in conjunction with said mass medium programming; selecting a first specific portion of said stored information to be used to characterize interests of a subscriber, said mass medium programming output apparatus including a plurality of different kinds of output apparatus; commencing a process to simultaneously combine said mass medium programming and said first specific portion of said stored information characterizing interests of a subscriber; completing said process; communicating said simultaneously combined mass medium programming and said selected first portion of said stored information to characterizing interests of a subscriber, to a specific one of said plurality of different kinds of output apparatus at a specific time based on said steps of selecting, commencing a process and completing said process; and outputting said local subscriber specific programming simultaneously in conjunction with a portion of said mass medium programming at said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus, wherein said local subscriber specific programming is personalized to said subscriber by including content based on said stored information characterizing interests of a subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for outputting programming for use with an interactive mass medium programming output apparatus comprising the steps of:
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storing information characterizing interests of a subscriber in said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus; receiving mass medium programming at said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus; outputting said mass medium programming, said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus having an input device to receive input from a local subscriber; prompting said local subscriber for input, said prompting performed in audio or video by said mass medium programming output, wherein said prompting comprises describing a subscriber consideration pertaining to local subscriber specific information; receiving local input from said local subscriber at said input device in response to outputting said mass medium programming that prompts said local subscriber, said local input indicating that said local subscriber wants said local subscriber specific information to be output simultaneously in conjunction with said mass medium programming; commencing a process required to enable said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus to output said local subscriber specific programming based on said step of receiving local input, said process combining simultaneously said mass medium programming and a portion of local subscriber specific information; completing said process; and outputting said local subscriber specific programming simultaneously in conjunction with a portion of said mass medium programming at said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus, wherein said local subscriber specific programming is personalized to said local subscriber by including content based on said stored information characterizing interests of a subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for outputting programming at an interactive mass medium programming output apparatus based on information communicated from a device that transmits first computer programming that controls the operation of a parallel processing computer system, said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus including a detector, computational apparatus that operate as a part of said parallel processing computer system, and a plurality of output devices, said method comprising the steps of:
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programming said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus with operating instructions that enable said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus to process said computer programming; storing information characterizing interests of a subscriber in said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus; receiving mass medium programming at said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus; outputting said mass medium programming output, including audible or visual content that prompts a local subscriber for input, said interactive mass medium output apparatus having an input device to receive said input from said local subscriber; receiving said local input from said local subscriber at said input device in response to outputting said mass medium programming output that prompts said local subscriber, said local input indicating that said local subscriber wants local subscriber specific programming to be output simultaneously in conjunction with said mass medium programming output; detecting said computer programming at said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus; passing said computer programming to said computational apparatus; executing said computer programming based on said step of receiving local input, said step of executing combining simultaneously a portion of said mass medium programming and said local subscriber specific programming; and outputting said local subscriber specific programming simultaneously in conjunction with a portion of said mass medium programming at said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus, wherein said local subscriber specific programming is personalized to said local subscriber by including content based on said stored information characterizing interests of a subscriber and includes at least a portion of said mass medium programming output and subscriber specific information outputted at least one of simultaneously and sequentially at a first one of said plurality of output devices. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for outputting programming for use with an interactive mass medium programming output apparatus, said interactive mass medium output apparatus includes a plurality of output devices, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing information characterizing interests of a subscriber in said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus; receiving mass medium programming at said interactive mass medium output apparatus; outputting said mass medium programming output, including audible or visual content that prompts a local subscriber for input, said interactive mass medium output apparatus having an input device to receive said input from said a local subscriber; receiving first local input from said local subscriber at said input device in response to outputting said mass medium programming output that prompts a first time said local subscriber, said local input indicating that said local subscriber wants first further programming outputted simultaneously in conjunction with said mass medium programming or a first product or first service acquired; storing further information characterizing interests of a subscriber in said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus based on said step of receiving first local input from said local subscriber; commencing a process required to enable said interactive mass medium output apparatus to advertise at least one of second further programming, a second product and a second service based on said step of receiving local input, said process combining simultaneously said mass medium programming and a portion of said stored local subscriber specific information; completing said process; and advertising said at least one of second further programming, a second product and a second service, said step of advertising personalized to said subscriber by simultaneously including content based on said step of storing further information characterizing interests of a subscriber and based on said mass medium programming. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A method for outputting programming for use with an interactive mass medium programming output apparatus, said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus including a computational apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing information characterizing interests of a subscriber in said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus; receiving mass medium programming at said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus, at least a portion of said mass medium programming received in a transmission transmitted from a remote transmitter station, said interactive mass medium-programming output apparatus having a detector for detecting a timing control signal; detecting said timing control signal in said transmission transmitted from said remote transmitter station; passing said timing control signal to said computational apparatus; outputting said mass medium programming, including audible or visual content that prompts a local subscriber for input, said interactive mass medium output programming apparatus having an input device to receive said input from said local subscriber; receiving local input from said local subscriber at said input device in response to outputting said mass medium programming that prompts said local subscriber, said local input indicating that said local subscriber wants local subscriber specific programming to be output simultaneously in conjunction with said mass medium programming; determining at said computational apparatus that specific output should occur based on said local input; selecting, at said computational apparatus and based on said step of determining, information characterizing an interest of said subscriber by selecting information characterizing said specific output from said stored information to be used in characterizing interests of a subscriber; causing said computational apparatus to communicate said selected information characterizing a value to an output device at a specific time in said selected information characterizing an interest of said subscriber at a specific time in response to said detected and passed timing control signal; outputting simultaneously said local subscriber specific programming and said mass medium programming at said interactive mass medium programming output apparatus, said local subscriber specific programming including a portion of said mass medium programming presented simultaneously at said interactive mass medium programming output device with said selected information characterizing an interest of said subscriber, wherein said local subscriber specific programming is personalized to said local subscriber by simultaneously including content based on said stored information to be used to characterize interests of a subscriber.
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62. A method for combined medium programming delivery for use at an interactive combined medium programming output station based on information communicated from a device that transmits first computer programming that controls the operation of a parallel processing computer system, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving over a network, mass medium programming including at least one of an image and a sound of general interest, originated at a source external to said interactive mass medium programming output station; programming said interactive combined medium program output station with operating instructions that enable said interactive combined medium programming output station to process said computer programming; storing information characterizing a subscriber in said interactive combined medium programming output station; outputting a first combined medium programming presentation after said step of storing at said interactive combined medium programming output station, said first combined medium programming presentation comprising said at least one of an image and a sound of general interest and first subscriber specific information, both said at least one of an image and a sound and said first subscriber specific information are output simultaneously at said interactive combined medium programming output station for use by a local subscriber, said interactive combined medium programming output station having an input device to receive input from said local subscriber; receiving input from said local subscriber at said input device in response to said first combined medium programming presentation; inputting said received input from said local subscriber to said parallel processing computer system; commencing a process required to enable said interactive combined medium programming output station to deliver said second combined medium programming presentation, said process combining simultaneously said mass medium programming including at least one of image and a sound of general interest and second subscriber specific information based on at least a portion of said stored information characterizing a subscriber and said input; completing said process; and delivering a second combined medium programming presentation at said interactive combined medium programming output station, said second combined medium programming presentation simultaneously including said mass medium programming including at least one of image and a sound of general interest and said second subscriber specific information based on at least a portion of said stored information characterizing a subscriber and said input.
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63. A method for combined medium programming delivery for use with interactive combined medium programming output apparatus based on information communicated from a device that transmits first computer programming that controls the operation of a parallel processing computer system, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving over a network, mass medium programming including at least one of an image and a sound of general interest, originated at a source external to said interactive mass medium program output station; programming said interactive combined medium programming output apparatus with operating instructions that enable said interactive combined medium programming output apparatus to process said computer programming; storing information characterizing each of a plurality of subscribers in said interactive combined medium programming output apparatus; outputting a plurality of first combined medium programming presentations after said step of storing at said interactive combined medium programming output apparatus, said plurality of first combined medium programming presentations each comprising said at least one of an image and a sound of general interest and first subscriber specific information, both said at least one of an image and a sound and said first subscriber specific information are simultaneously output at said interactive combined medium programming output apparatus for use by each of a plurality of local subscribers, said interactive combined medium programming output apparatus having a plurality of local input devices each to receive input from a different one of said plurality of local subscribers; receiving input from one local subscriber at one of said plurality of input devices in response to one of said plurality of first combined medium programming presentations; inputting said received input from said one local subscriber to said parallel processing computer system; commencing a process required to enable said interactive combined medium programming output station to deliver said second combined medium programming presentation, said process combining simultaneously said mass medium programming including at least one of image and a sound of general interest and a second subscriber specific information based on at least a portion of said stored information characterizing a subscriber and said input; completing said process; and delivering a second combined medium programming presentation at said interactive combined medium programming output apparatus, said second combined medium programming presentation simultaneously including said mass medium programming including at least one of image and a sound of general interest and a second subscriber specific information based on at least a portion of said stored information characterizing a subscriber and said input.
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Specification