Restricted information distribution system apparatus and methods
First Claim
1. A system for distributing signals containing display information, said system including an encoder for transmitting particular portions of display information, a plurality of decoders for receiving the display information and generating the particular portions of display information, and a transmission channel connecting the encoder to the plurality of decoders, wherein the system further comprises:
- means for comparing received display information to previously received display information and for determining relative changes in display information, said means including a memory containing previously received display information and a comparator responsive to the memory and received display information so that the update data corresponds to the determined changes in display information; and
is characterized in that the encoder comprises;
means for providing encoded update data for particular portions of display information to be positioned in a relevant video screen;
a signal generator having a first message stream followed by a second message stream,the first message stream including a plurality of first information identification codes corresponding to update data for each portion of display information and a plurality of display identification codes each corresponding to one of the plurality of decoders, each of the first information identification codes being associated with at least one display identification code thereby to form information identification code - display identification code sets indicative of the particular portions of display information each decoder is authorized to receive,the second message stream including associated sets of first information identification codes and the corresponding update data;
and wherein each decoder is further characterized by;
a memory device for storing transmitted display information capable of being displayed on a video screen;
means for associating the decoder with one of the display identification codes;
first means for recognizing the one display identification code in a first message stream and for storing in the memory device each first information identification code associated with the one recognized display identification code; and
second means for recognizing a first information identification code in a second message stream corresponding to a stored first information identification code and for receiving and storing the update data associated with the recognized first information identification code, thereby to update the stored portion of display information in the memory device corresponding to the recognized first information identification code.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for securely providing restricted display information having an encoder-transmitter for transmitting selected update data using information identification codes as enabling reception keys and a plurality of uniquely identified decoder-receivers for receiving the update data for display on a video screen. Authorized decoders are provided with enable reception keys so that subsequently transmitted data having an information identification code matching a reception key at a decoder-receiver may be received for subsequent display on the video screen. Symbolic signaling is used so that enabling a decoder-receiver with a reception key also provides display coordinate information for displaying the update data in the proper relative display location for the video screen of that enabled decoder, so that the update data subsequently transmitted is displayed using that display coordinate information. Tile messaging and cellular micrographic transmission techniques are used to reduce the volume of data transmitted to changed display information (update data), wherein cells of characters are transmitted as one byte of data and cells of pixel data are transmitted a plurality of bytes of data. Each decoder-receiver may have a plurality of video screens separately and uniquely identified such that encoded update data and other messages are transmitted for specific video screens. The system includes multiplexing display information and television signals from different sources and transmitting the multiplexed signals to the decoder-receivers for selectively displaying different combinations of display information and/or television signals on different video screens.
631 Citations
150 Claims
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1. A system for distributing signals containing display information, said system including an encoder for transmitting particular portions of display information, a plurality of decoders for receiving the display information and generating the particular portions of display information, and a transmission channel connecting the encoder to the plurality of decoders, wherein the system further comprises:
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means for comparing received display information to previously received display information and for determining relative changes in display information, said means including a memory containing previously received display information and a comparator responsive to the memory and received display information so that the update data corresponds to the determined changes in display information; and
is characterized in that the encoder comprises;means for providing encoded update data for particular portions of display information to be positioned in a relevant video screen; a signal generator having a first message stream followed by a second message stream, the first message stream including a plurality of first information identification codes corresponding to update data for each portion of display information and a plurality of display identification codes each corresponding to one of the plurality of decoders, each of the first information identification codes being associated with at least one display identification code thereby to form information identification code - display identification code sets indicative of the particular portions of display information each decoder is authorized to receive, the second message stream including associated sets of first information identification codes and the corresponding update data; and wherein each decoder is further characterized by; a memory device for storing transmitted display information capable of being displayed on a video screen; means for associating the decoder with one of the display identification codes; first means for recognizing the one display identification code in a first message stream and for storing in the memory device each first information identification code associated with the one recognized display identification code; and second means for recognizing a first information identification code in a second message stream corresponding to a stored first information identification code and for receiving and storing the update data associated with the recognized first information identification code, thereby to update the stored portion of display information in the memory device corresponding to the recognized first information identification code. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for distributing securely signals containing restricted display information, said system including an encoder for transmitting particular portions of display information, a .plurality of decoders for receiving the display information and generating the particular portions of display information, and a transmission channel connecting the encoder to the plurality of decoders, characterized in that the encoder comprises:
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means for comparing display information to previously received display information and for determining changes in display information; means for providing update data corresponding to the determined changes in a particular portion of the display information and display coordinates for positioning the update data in a relevant display location for the particular portion of display information; a signal generator having a first message stream and a second message stream, the first message stream including a plurality of information identification codes corresponding to update data for each portion of display information, a plurality of display coordinates corresponding to positioning each update data in the relevant display location for the portion of display information, and a plurality of display identification codes each corresponding to one of the plurality of decoders, each of the information identification codes being associated with at least one display identification code and display coordinates thereby to form information identification code - display identification code - display coordinate sets indicative of the relevant display location of the update data for a particular portion of display information each decoder video screen is authorized to receive, the second message stream including associated sets of information identification codes and the corresponding update data; and
wherein each decoder is further characterized by;a memory device for storing the transmitted display information capable of being displayed on a video screen; means for associating the decoder with one of the display identification codes; first means for recognizing the one display identification code in a first message stream and for storing in the memory device each information identification code and display coordinate associated with the one recognized display identification code; and second means for recognizing an information identification code in a second message stream corresponding to a stored information identification code and for receiving and storing the update data associated with the recognized information identification code in the memory using the previously received display coordinates for that update data, thereby to update the stored portion of display information. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for distributing securely signals containing restricted display information, said system including an encoder for transmitting particular portions of display information, a plurality of decoders for receiving the display information and generating the particular portions of display information, and a transmission channel connecting the encoder to the plurality of decoders, characterized in that the encoder comprises:
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means for comparing display information to previously received display information and for determining changes in display information; means for providing update data corresponding to the determined changes in a particular portion of the display information and display coordinates for positioning the update data in a relevant display location for the particular portion of display information; a signal generator having a first message stream, a second message stream, and a third message stream, the first message stream including a plurality of first information identification codes corresponding to each portion of display information and a plurality of display identification codes each corresponding to one of the plurality of decoders, each of the first information identification codes being associated with at least one display identification code thereby to form first information identification code - display identification code sets indicative of the relevant display location of each of the particular portions of display information each decoder is authorized to receive, the second message stream including the plurality of first identification codes, a plurality of second information identification codes corresponding to update data for a particular portion of display information, and a plurality of display coordinates corresponding to positioning each said update data in a relevant display location for a particular portion of display information, each of the second information identification codes being associated with one information identification code and one display coordinate thereby to form first information identification code - second information identification code - display coordinate sets indicative of the relevant display location of the update data for each particular portion of display information each decoder is authorized to receive, the third message stream including associated sets of the second information identification codes and the corresponding update data; and
wherein each decoder is further characterized by;a memory device for storing the transmitted display information capable of being displayed on a video screen; means for associating the decoder with one of the display identification codes; first means for recognizing the one display identification code in a first message stream and for storing in the memory device each first information identification code associated with the one recognized display identification code; second means for recognizing a first information identification code in a second message stream corresponding to a stored first information identification code and for storing the second information identification code and the display coordinates associated with the recognized first information identification code; third means for recognizing a second information identification code in a third message stream and for receiving the update data associated with the recognized second information identification code and storing the received update data in the memory device using the previously received display coordinates for that update data, thereby to update the stored portion of display information. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for distributing signals containing display information in a system including an encoder for transmitting particular portions of display information, a plurality of decoders for receiving the particular portions of display information and a transmission channel connecting the encoder to the plurality of decoders, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of:
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providing encoded update data for particular portions of display information to be positioned in a relevant display location for the particular portion of display information including the steps of, for each portion of display information, comparing received display information to previously received display information and determining relative changes in display information so that the encoded update data corresponds to the determined changes in display information; generating a first message stream including a plurality of first information identification codes corresponding to update data for particular portions of display information and a plurality of display identification codes each corresponding to one of the plurality of decoders, each of the first information identification codes being associated with at least one display identification code thereby to form information identification code - display identification code sets indicative of the particular portions of display information each decoder is authorized to receive, generating a second message stream following the first message stream including associated sets of first information identification codes and the corresponding update data; associating each decoder with one of the unique display identification codes; and
, for each decoder,recognizing the one display identification code in a first message stream and storing in a memory device of the decoder each first information identification code associated with the one recognized display identification code; and recognizing a first information identification code in a second message stream corresponding to a stored first information identification code, receiving and storing the update data in the second message stream associated with the recognized first information identification code, thereby to update the stored portion of display information in the memory. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for distributing securely signals containing restricted display information in a system including an encoder for transmitting particular portions of display information, a plurality of decoders for receiving the particular portions of display information, and a transmission channel connecting the encoder to the plurality of decoders, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of:
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comparing, for each portion of display information, received display information to previously received display information, determining relative changes in display information and providing update data corresponding to the changed display information and display coordinates for positioning the update data in a relevant display location for updating the particular portion of display information; generating a first message stream including a plurality of information identification codes corresponding to update data for each portion of display information, a plurality of display coordinates corresponding to positioning each update data in the relevant display location for the portion of display information, and a plurality of display identification codes each corresponding to one of the plurality of decoders, each of the information identification codes being associated with at least one display identification code and display coordinates thereby to form information identification code - display identification code - display coordinate sets indicative of the relevant display location of the update data for a particular portion of display information each decoder is authorized to receive; generating a second message stream including associated sets of information identification codes and the corresponding update data; receiving the first and second message streams at each decoder and, for each decoder, associating the decoder with one of the display identification codes; recognizing the one display identification code in a first message stream and storing in a memory device of the decoder each information identification code and display coordinate associated with the one recognized display identification code; and recognizing an information identification code in a second message stream corresponding to a stored information identification code, receiving and storing the update data associated with the recognized information identification code in the memory device using the previously received display coordinates for that update data, thereby to update the stored portion of display information. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for distributing securely signals containing restricted display information in a system including an encoder for transmitting particular portions of display information, a plurality of decoders for receiving the particular portions of display information, and a transmission channel connecting the encoder to the plurality of decoders, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of:
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comparing, for each portion of display information, received display information to previously received display information, determining relative changes in display information, and providing update data corresponding to the changed display information and display coordinates for positioning the update data in a relevant display location for updating the particular portion of the display information displayed; generating a first message stream including a plurality of first information identification codes corresponding to each portion of display information and a plurality of display identification codes each corresponding to one of the plurality of decoders, each of the first information identification codes being associated with at least one display identification code thereby to form first information identification code - display identification code sets indicative of the relevant display location of each of the particular portions of display information each decoder is authorized to receive; generating a second message stream including the plurality of first identification codes, a plurality of second information identification codes corresponding to update data for a particular portion of display information, and a plurality of display coordinates corresponding to positioning each said update data in a relevant display location for a particular portion of display information, each of the second information identification codes being associated with one information identification code and one display coordinate thereby to form first information identification code - second information identification code - display coordinate sets indicative of the relevant display location of the update data for each particular portion of display information each decoder is authorized to receive; generating a third message stream including associated sets of the second information identification codes and the corresponding update data; receiving the first, second and third message streams at each decoder and, for each decoder, associating the decoder with one of the display identification codes; recognizing the one display identification code in a first message stream and storing in a memory device of the decoder each first information identification code associated with the one recognized display identification code; recognizing a first information identification code in a second message stream corresponding to a stored first information identification code and storing the second information identification code and the display coordinates associated with the recognized first information identification code in the memory device; recognizing a second information identification code in a third message stream, receiving the update data associated with the recognized second information identification code, and storing the received update data in the memory using the previously received display coordinates for that update data, thereby to update the stored portion of display information. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A system for distributing signals containing display information including financial market information and realtime television program information signals comprising:
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a transmitter including means for providing a first signal corresponding to received financial market information; means for receiving television program information signals and information for transmitting the television program information signals in a time period corresponding to a picture frame of television program information signals; a multiplexor for receiving the television program information signals and the first signals and for providing multiplexed signals having a plurality of transmission lines of a predetermined line time and a time length corresponding to the time period and containing first signals and television program information signals during the same transmission line time, wherein at least one of said transmission lines includes an active video portion of a field transmission line and first signals in the active video portion; a plurality of receivers for receiving the multiplexed signals including financial marker information and television program information signals wherein each receiver further comprises; a demultiplexor for receiving the multiplexed signals and separating the first signals and television program information signals; a memory for storing the received first signals whereby the memory contains the financial market information capable of being displayed on a video screen; a receiver signal generator for providing the television program information signals for display; and a transmission channel connecting the transmitter to the plurality of receivers. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A method for distributing signals containing display information including financial market information and realtime television program information signals comprising:
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receiving financial market information for visual display from a first source and providing a first signal corresponding to the received financial market information; receiving television program information signals and information for transmitting the television program information signals in a time period corresponding to a picture frame of television program information signals from a second source; multiplexing the television program information signals and the first signals and providing multiplexed signals having a plurality of transmission lines of a predetermined line time and a time length corresponding to the time period and containing first signals and television program information signals during the same transmission line time wherein at least one of the transmission lines includes an active video portion of a field transmission line and first signals in said active video portion; transmitting the multiplexed signals to a plurality of receivers and, for each receiver, demultiplexing the multiplexed signals and separating the first signals and television program information signals; and storing the received first signals in a memory device which contains the financial market information capable of being displayed on a video screen. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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79. The method of transmitting display information including alphanumeric characters suitable for display on a pixel-based video screen comprising the steps of:
- defining the pixel-based display area as a plurality of cells arranged in rows and columns, each cell having a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, each cell having a preselected location relative to an origin, and each pixel in each cell having a preselected location relative to a cell origin;
selecting the cell dimensions to correspond to the dimensions of a normal-sized alphanumeric character of display information; providing each alphanumeric character to be displayed with a unique byte of data representing that character; providing the display information in digital form so that there is one or more bits of data for each pixel; processing the digital display information to identify each display cell containing an alphanumeric character and replacing the bits of data for each pixel in said identified display cell with the byte of data corresponding to the identified alphanumeric character; and transmitting the processed digital display information so that one byte of data per cell is transmitted for each identified cell containing an alphanumeric character and one or more digital signals per pixel are transmitted for each cell not containing an alphanumeric character. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96)
- defining the pixel-based display area as a plurality of cells arranged in rows and columns, each cell having a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, each cell having a preselected location relative to an origin, and each pixel in each cell having a preselected location relative to a cell origin;
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97. Apparatus for transmitting display information including alphanumeric characters suitable for display on a pixel-based video screen comprising:
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a pixel-based display area organized as a plurality of cells arranged in rows and columns, wherein each cell includes a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns and has a preselected location relative to an origin, and each pixel in each cell has a preselected location relative to a cell origin, the cell dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of a normal-sized alphanumeric character of display information; means for providing each alphanumeric character to be displayed with a unique byte of data representing that character; means for providing the display information in digital form so that there is one or more bits of data for each pixel; means for processing the digital display information to identify each display cell containing an alphanumeric character and replacing the bits of data for each pixel in said identified display cell with the byte of data corresponding to the identified alphanumeric character; and means for transmitting the processed digital display information so that one byte of data per cell is transmitted for each identified cell containing an alphanumeric character and one or more digital signals per pixel are transmitted for each cell not containing an alphanumeric character. - View Dependent Claims (98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110)
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111. Apparatus for identifying changes in successive frames of video signals for updating an image display of the video signals comprising:
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means for separating the video signals into successive frames of display information, each frame having a vertical sync pulse and a plurality of horizontal sync pulses; means for providing each frame of display information as a plurality of pixels organized in a plurality of cells, each cell having a plurality of pixels; a first memory containing a first pixel map corresponding to the pixels of the image display; and a comparator for comparing the pixels of one frame of display information to the corresponding pixels of the preceding frame of display information and the first pixel map, one cell at a time, the output of the comparator indicating when the corresponding pixels of the one frame are the same as the pixels in the preceeding frame and different from the pixels in the first pixel map; and means for determining whether a cell contains pixel change data based on the indicated changed pixels of the cell. - View Dependent Claims (112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129)
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130. A method for identifying changes in successive frames of video signals for updating an image display of the video signals comprising:
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(a) separating the video signals into successive frames of display information, each frame having a vertical sync pulse and a plurality of horizontal sync pulses; (b) providing each frame of display information as a plurality of cells, each cell having a plurality of pixels; (c) creating and maintaining a first pixel map corresponding to the pixels of the image display; (d) comparing the pixels of one frame of display information to the corresponding pixels of the preceding frame of display information and the first pixel map one cell at a time; (e) indicating changes in the display information when the corresponding pixels of the one frame and the preceding frame are the same and are different from the corresponding pixels in the first pixel map; and (f) determining whether a cell contains pixel change data based on the indicated changed pixels of the cell. - View Dependent Claims (131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150)
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Specification