United States Patent
`Harveyetal.
`
`115)
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`4,694,490
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`[54] SIGNAL PROCESSING APPARATUS AND
`METHODS
`
`[76]
`
`Inventors:
`
`John C. Harvey, 333 E. 57th St., New
`York, N.Y. 10022; James W.
`Cuddihy, 523 E. 14th St., New York,
`N.Y. 10009
`[21] Appl. No.: 317,510
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Nov. 3, 1981
`
`Inte C14 ceccecsssssssessssssesee HO04K 9/00; HO4N 7/08
`[51]
`
`G52] U.S. Cle secscccsscsclsssssssssessesttssssssssee 380/20; 380/9;
`380/10; 380/54; 358/142; 358/143
`[58] Field of Search oo... 455/4, 26, 30, 32-34,
`455/37, 70; 358/147, 142, 146, 143, 183, 86,
`122; 364/521
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`3,668,307
`6/1972 Faceet al. cevsssssssssssseusessiseee 358/114
`3,684,823
`8/1972 MCVOY -..rsescssescrsssersterssseentie 455/70
`
`3,833,757
`9/1974 Kirk, Jr. et al.
`.sesssscsessssesseeee 455/4
`
`3,845,391 10/1974 Crosby .....cescscecescerserensssenes 455/26
`
`6/1975 Kimura .
`~- 358/142
`3,891,792
`
`3,987,398 10/1976 Pung oeseecssesseeesenseneseeseeeeeens 4553/4
`2/1979 Girault etal. .
`. 364/521
`4,138,726
`
`wa 358/183
`4,218,698
`8/1980 Bart et al.
`.....
`4,264,925
`4/1981 Freeman et al
`... 358/143
`4,310,854
`1/1982 Baer «iss
`wo» 358/143
`
`4,337,480
`1/1982 Bourassin et al.
`-. 358/183.
`. 358/183
`4,347,532
`8/1982 Korver........
`4,381,522 4/1983 Lamberto...cccseecssssseeeenseee 455/4
`
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Darby & Darby
`
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`Apparatus and methods for automatically controlling
`programming transmissions and presentations on televi-
`sion and radio equipment and monitoring the program-
`ming transmitted and presented. (“‘Programming” here
`means everything transmitted over television or radio
`intended for communication of entertainment or to
`instruct or inform.) The Apparatus can handle pro-
`gramming transmitted either over-the-air (hereinafter,
`“broadcast”) or over hard-wire (hereinafter,
`“‘ca-
`blecast”). The apparatus receive transmissions from as
`many as one hundred or more channels that are sequen-
`tially scanned by one or more scanners/switches that
`transfer the transmissions to one or more receiver/de-
`coders that identify signals in the programming and
`separate the signals from the programming transmis-
`sions. The signals may then be transferred through one
`or more decrypters. The separated and possibly wholly
`or partially decrypted signals are then transferred
`through one or more processors and buffers to external
`equipment and/or data recorders. The data recorders
`are adapted to output data to remote sites on predeter-
`.
`:
`:
`‘i
`minedinstructions. In all these functions, the apparatus
`are governed by one or more controllers. The methods
`co-ordinate and instruct equipment in the transmission
`and presentation of radio and television programming,
`especially in multi-media and multi-channel presenta-
`tions, and in certain other functions:
`
`Primary Examiner—Salvatore Cangialosi
`
`13 Claims, 22 Drawing Figures
`
`Other Inputs
`SIGNALPROCESSOR,
`---~----~---- 5
`40
`MULTI-
`2
`1
`CHANNEL|
`RADIO SIGNAL
`8
`|
`
`CABLE
`|
`DECODER(FIG 28)
`{
`TRANS.
`|
`I
`BUFFER/COM-
`|
`!
`PARATOR
`TV SIGNAL
`|__7
`”
`|
`I
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`3
`|
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`|
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`iPORTS TO
`fod EE eee eee |\proccccnccnot
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`DIALER [READ ONLYF
`|
`|
`| [~2!|RECORDERMEMORY
`
`
`
`TELEPHONE
`,
`|
`CONNECTION
`j
`TELEPHONE OR OTHER DATA
`TRANSFER NETWORK
`OTHER INPUTS
`
`DECRYPTER
`
`-
`
`AMAZON EX. 1025
`Amazon v. CustomPlay
`
`US Patent No. 9,380,282
`
`Page 1
`
`Page 1
`
`AMAZON EX. 1025
`Amazon v. CustomPlay
`US Patent No. 9,380,282
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet 1 of 14
`
`4,694,490
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet 2 of 14
`
`4,694,490
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`Page 3
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`Page 3
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet 3 of 14
`
`4,694,490
`
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`
`
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`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`.
`
`Sheet 4 of 14
`
`4,694,490
`
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`Page 5
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet 5 of 14
`
`4,694,490
`
`eeeeefeef|]|
`
`FIG. 3B
`ABLE SYSTEM HEAD END
`
`__ Lo
`
`75
`
`MATRIX
`SWITCH
`
`——_—_oe
`ee ee ee
`
`t| | |
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`VIDEO
`RECORDER &
`PLAYER
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`TV SIGNAL
`DECODER(FIG.2A)
`
`CODE
`READER
`aed
`
`CABLE
`PROGRAM
`CONTROLLER
`& COMPUTER
`
`73
`
`TELEPHONE OR
`OTHER DATA
`TRANSFER
`NETWORK 98
`
`Page 6
`
`Page 6
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet 6 of 14
`
`4,694,490
`
`
`
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`Page 7
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`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet7 of 14
`
`4,694,490
`
`FIG. 4A
`
`
`
`PROGRAMING
`SIGNAL
`
`DECRYPTOR
`
`PROCESSOR
`
`OR INTERRUPT
`
`(FIG. 1)
`
`MEANS
`
`
`FIG. 4B
`
`SIGNAL
`PROCESSOR
`(FIG.
`
`PROGRAMING
`DECRYPTOR
`OR INTERRUPT
`MEA
`
`1)
`
`
`
`FIG. 4C
`
`
`
`SIGNAL
`PROCESSOR
`(FIG. 1)
`
`Page 8
`
`Page 8
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet8 of14
`
`4,694,490
`
`FIG. 4D
`
` SIGNAL
`
`
`PROGRAMING
`_—
`DECRYPTOR
`rerelGa.
`OR INTERRUPT
`
`MEANS
`
`,
`
`
`
`PROGRAMING
`DECRYPTOR
`OR INTERRUPT
`MEANS
`
`
`
`
`
`
`MULTI-CHANNEL
`CABLE
`TRANSMISSION
`FACILITY
`
`
`
` ER [CONVERTER
`
`SIGNAL
`
`PROCESSOR
`(FIG. 1)
`
`
`
`PROGRAMING
`PROGRAMING
`
`DECRYPTOR
`DECRYPTOR
`
`
`OR INTERRUPT
`OR INTERRUPT
`
`
`MEANS
`MEANS
`
`BOX
`
`
`
`Page 9
`
`Page 9
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet 9 of 14
`
`4,694,490
`
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`Page 10
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet 10 of 14 4,694,490
`
`MULTI-CHANNEL CABLE TRANSMISSION FIG. 6A
`
`
`
`ONE TV CHANNEL
`
`
`SIGNAL
`CABLE
`
`PROCESSOR
`CONVERTER
`
`(FIG. 1)
`BOX
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`
`
`
`
`201
`
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`203
`208
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`
`
`FIG. 6B
`
`200
`
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`SYSTEM
`
`| | | | | |
`
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`| | | ||
`
`|
`
`206)
`
`FURNACE
`
`
`
`Wy
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`TELEPHONE OR
`OTHER DATA
`
`TRANSFER
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`
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`
`204
`~-
`203
`|;
`
`Page 11
`
`SIGNAL
`PROCESSOR
`(FIG. 1)
`
`Page 11
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet 11 of 14 4,694,490
`
`FIG. 6C
`
`MULTI-CHANNEL CABLE TRANSMISSION
`
`
`
`4
`
`
`
`
`
`500|903 200 21 20!
`
`
`
`CABLE
`SIGNAL
`CABLE
`
`CONVERTER|TUNER }/—-»TUNER] CONVERTER}x——- PROCESSOR
`
`BOX
`(FIG. 1)
`|
`|
`BOX
`
`
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`
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`
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`ONE
`Ny
`CH.
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`DECODER
`
`(FIG.2A) ;
`
`215
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`||
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`216
`|
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`MEANS
`
`VIDEO
`|RECORDER/ PLAYER
`
`
`
`MONITOR|TV_SIGNAL
`OR
`DECODER
`PROCESSOR|(FIG. 2A)
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Page 12
`
`Page 12
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet 12 of 14 4,694,490
`
`223
`
`200
`
`
`
`
`204
`
`FIG. 6D
`MULTI-CHANNEL CABLE TRANSMISSION
`
`
`
`
`CONVERTER TUNER} ——+PROCESSOR |e- CONVERTER
`SIGNAL
`(FIG. 1)
`|
`BOX
`
`
`|
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`304
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`
`|
`
`221
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`(FIG. 2C)
`PROCESSOR
`
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`
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`Oo TV SET OF
`
`202
`
`227
`
`“7
`
`228
`
`FIG. 6E
`
`
`————---—--—--—---4
`
`SIGNAL
`PROCESSOR
`(FIG. 1)
`
`
`
`
`MICRO
`
`COMPUTER
`WITH INPUT
`
`MEANS
`
`
`
` PRINTER OR OTHER
`
`RECEIVER’ MEANS
`
`[L-22l
`
`Page 13
`
`Page 13
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet 13 of 14 4,694,490
`
`222
`
`FIG. 6F MULTICHANNEL CABLE SYSTE
`250,
`
`200
`
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`7
`
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`
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`TELEVISION
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`PLAYER
`
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`
`AUDIO
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`Page 14
`
`p-—>|
`
`|
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`
`| |
`
`Page 14
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 15, 1987
`
`Sheet14 of 14 4,694,490
`
`FIG. 6G
`
`202
`
`(200
`
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`INPUT
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`Page 15
`
`
`

`

`1
`
`4,694,490
`
`SIGNAL PROCESSING APPARATUS AND
`METHODS
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`5
`
`Atthe present time, vast amounts of programing are
`transmitted through various media throughout
`the
`United States which programing is handled with signifi-
`cant degrees of manual processing as different, discrete
`units of programing transmitted on single channel sys-
`tems. Broadcasters and cablecasters transmit program-
`ing with the expectation that viewers in one place tune
`to only one channel at a time.
`Onoccasion and on a limited scale, the co-ordination
`of two media and two channels has occurred. Such
`co-ordination has taken the form of stereo simulcasts
`whereonelocaltelevision station broadcasts a program,
`generally of classical music, and simultaneously, a local
`radio station broadcasts the same music in stereo. But
`such simulcasts require significant degrees of manual
`processing at both the points of origination and recep-
`tion.
`Today great potential exists for a significant increase
`in the scope andscale of multi-media and multi-channel
`presentations. This increase is desirable because it will
`increase variety and add substantially to the richness of
`presentations as regards both entertainment and the
`communications of ideas and information.
`This potential arises out of two simultaneous, inde-
`pendenttrends. One is the development and growth of
`the so-called cable television industry whose member
`companies deliver locally not one but many channels of
`programing. The other is the widespread and growing
`ownership of computers, especially microcomputers in
`homes.
`It is the object of this invention to unlock this poten-
`tial by the development of means and methods which
`permit programing to communicate with equipment
`that is external to television and radio receivers, particu-
`larly computers and computer peripherals such asprint-
`ers.
`
`It is the further purpose of this invention to provide
`means and methods to process and monitor such trans-
`missions and presentations at individual receiver sites
`and to control, in certain ways, the use of transmitted
`programing and the operation of certain associated
`equipment. Such receiver sites may be stations or sys-
`tems that intend to retransmit the programing, or they
`maybe end users of the programing. The present inven-
`tion contemplates that certain data may be encrypted
`and that certain data collected from such processing
`and monitoring will automatically be transfered to a
`remote geographic location or locations.
`In the prior art, there have been attempts to develop
`systems to control programing and systems to monitor
`programing, but the two have been treated as separate
`systems, and each has had limited capacity.
`As regards control systems, cueing systems and
`equipment now exist thattransmit instructions to oper-
`ating equipment at receiver sites by means oftonesig-
`nals that are carried, in television transmissions, in the
`audio portion and maybe heard by the human ear. Such
`systems and devices are used to turn.on equipment such
`as videotape players and recorders that have been man-
`ually loaded and to tell such equipment how long to
`run. Such systems operate by transmitting operating
`signals that precede and follow programing and are
`called “‘headers” and“trailers” respectively. The use of
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`headers andtrailers limits prior art in that headers and
`trailers
`can become
`separated from programing,
`thereby hampering automatic operations. Such prior art
`techniques have lacked the capacity to process the pro-
`graming in various ways including to instruct receiver
`end equipment what specific programing to select to
`play or record other than that immediately at hand,
`how to load it on player or recorder equipment, when
`and howto play it or record it other than immediately,
`how to modify it, what equipment or channel or chan-
`nels to transmit it on, when to transmit it, and how and
`wheretofile it or refile it or dispose of it. (Within televi-
`sion studios that are original transmitters of program-
`ing, certain systems and equipment doexist for certain
`automatic co-ordination of players, loaders, and other
`equipment; however, manualinstructions still must be
`given, on site, for the co-ordination of such equipment
`which instructions are transmitted electronically on
`hardwire channels that are strictly separate from the
`channels on which the programing is transmitted and
`such instructions are never broadcast.) Such prior art
`systems and equipment have lacked the capacity to
`automatically coordinate multi-channel and multi-
`media presentations. They have lacked the capacity to
`decrypt encrypted processing signals. They have lacked
`the capacity to monitor whether receiver-end equip-
`ment are following instructions properly.
`Asregards monitoring systems, various systems and
`devices have been developed to determine what pro-
`graming is played on television. One such system for
`monitoring programs is described in U.S. Pat. No.
`4,025,851 to Haselwood,et al. Another that monitors by
`meansof audio codesthat are only “substantially inaudi-
`ble” is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,391 to Crosby.
`Recently devices, called addressable converters, have
`been developed that facilitate so-called pay-per-view
`marketing of programing by monitoring what individ-
`ual television receivers tune to and either permitting or
`preventing the tuners to tune to given frequencies satis-
`factorily. Such prior art techniques and equipment have
`been limited to monitoring single broadcast stations,
`channels or units and have lacked the ability to monitor
`multimedia presentations. They have been able to moni-
`tor only the audio or the video portion of television
`transmissions. They have been able either to monitor
`what is transmitted over one channel or what is re-
`ceived by one or more receivers but not both. They
`have lacked the capacity to record and transfer infor-
`mation simultaneously. They have been unable to de-
`crypt encrypted signals. They have been able to moni-
`tor only single signal word types or word lengths that
`-are placed, within the transmissions, in locations that
`are unvarying and unvariable. They have lacked the
`capacity to compare, assemble, and/or evaluate multi-
`word,multi-location signals. Except in the possible case
`of addressable converters, they have been unable to
`distinguish the absence of signals or signal words in
`transmissions. They have lacked the capacity to com-
`municate processing instructions to external equipment
`as described in the paragraph above.It is the object of
`the present invention to overcomethese and other defi-
`ciencies of the priorart.
`(The term “signal unit” hereinafter means one com-
`plete signal instruction or information message unit.
`Examples of signal units are a unique code identifying a
`programing unit, or a unique purchase order number
`identifying the proper use .of a programing unit, or a
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`general instruction identifying whether a programing
`unit is to be retransmitted immediately or recorded for
`delayed transmission. The term “signal word”hereinaf-
`ter means one full discrete appearance of a signal as
`embeddedat one timein one location on a transmission.
`Examples of signal words are a string of one or more
`digital data bits encoded together on a single line of
`video or sequentially in audio. Such strings may or may
`not have predetermined data bits to identify the begin-
`nings and ends of words. Signal words may contain
`parts of signal units, whole signal units, or groups of
`partial or whole signal units or combinations.)
`It is a further object of the present invention to pro-
`cess and monitor signals on numerous channels by se-
`quentially scanning each channel in a predetermined
`manner which manner maybe varied.It is also an ob-
`ject of the present invention to prevent unauthorized
`use of signals and programing by permitting signal en-
`cryption, the variation of word numbers, word lengths,
`word compositions, and/or wordlocations. It is also an
`object of this system to process different signal wordsin
`different ways. It is also an object of the present inven-
`tion to provide a record of signals that may be trans-
`ferred to a geographically distant location on command
`or predeterminedinstruction.
`Other objects of this invention will appear from the
`following descriptions and the appended claims.
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention consists of methods and appa-
`ratus with several forms.
`One method provides a technique whereby a broad-
`cast or cablecast transmission facility can duplicate the
`operation of a television studio automatically through
`the use ofinstruction and information signals embedded
`in programing either supplied from a remote source or
`sources or prerecorded. The programing may bedeliv-
`ered to the transmission facility by any means including
`broadcast, hard-wire, and manual means. The transmis-
`sion facility may transmit a single channel or multiple
`channels of programing. The method includes a moni-
`toring technique to construct a record for each trans-
`mitted channel that duplicates the log that the Federal
`Communications Commission requires broadcast sta-
`tion operators to maintain. The method permits the
`transfer of such records to a predeterminedsite or sites
`in a predetermined fashion or fashions.
`Another methodhasapplication at receiver sites such
`as private homes or public places like theaters, hotels,
`brokerage offices, etc., whether commercial establish-
`ments or not. This method provides
`techniques
`whereby, automatically, single channel, single medium
`presentations, be they television, radio, or other elec-
`tronic transmissions, may be recorded, co-ordinated in
`time with other programing previously transmitted and
`recorded, or processed in other fashions. Multimedia
`presentations may be co-ordinated in time and/or in
`place as, for example, whenreal-time video programing
`is co-ordinated with presentations from a microcom-
`puter working with data supplied earlier. This method
`provides techniques whereby the timing and fashion of
`the playing, processing, and co-ordination of a presenta-
`tion or presentations may be determinedat the time and
`place of transmission or of presentation, either in whole
`or in part, either locally or remotely, or a combination
`of these factors. The method provides monitoring tech-
`niques to develop data on patterns of viewership and to
`permit the detemination of specific usage at individual
`
`4
`receiving sites for various purposes including, for exam-
`ple,
`the billing of individual customers. The method
`provides techniques whereby unauthorized use of pro-
`graming and/orofsignals may be prevented.
`These techniques employ signals embedded in pro-
`grams. The advantage of such embeddedsignals, as
`compared to header andtrailer signals,
`is that they
`cannot become separated inadvertantly from the pro-
`graming and, thereby, inhibit automatic processing,that
`they can convey signals to equipment that must switch
`manners or modesof operation during transmissions of
`individual units of programing, and that they can be
`monitored. (The techniques described here may use
`headers andtrailers from time to time.) The embedded
`signals may run and repeat continuously throughout the
`programing or they may run only occasionally or only
`once. They may appear in various and varying loca-
`tions. In television they may appear on oneline in the
`video portion of the transmission, or on a portion of one
`line, or on more than one line, and will probably lie
`outside the range ofthe television picture displayed on
`a normally tunedtelevision set. In television and radio
`they may appearin a portion of the audio range that is
`not normally rendered in a form audible to the human
`ear. In television audio, they are likely to lie between
`eight andfifteen kilohertz. Signals mayalso be transmit-
`ted on frequencies outside the ranges of television and
`radio. Different and differing numbersof signals may be
`sent in different and differing word lengths and loca-
`tions.
`The present invention provides a method for obscur-
`ing the meaning of the signals to prevent unauthorized
`use of the signals and of their associated programing.
`Their meanings maybe obscured through encryption so
`that apparatus described below are necessary to decrypt
`them. In addition, the pattern of the composition, tim-
`ing, and location of the signals may vary in such ways
`that only receiving apparatus that are preinformed re-
`garding the patterns that obtain at any given time will
`be able to process the signals correctly. Both the ar-
`rangementof signal units in signal words and the loca-
`tions, timings, and lengths of signal wordsin individual
`transmissions or groups of transmissions may vary in
`fashions that can only be interpreted accurately by ap-
`paratus that are preprogramed with the keys to such
`variations.
`The present invention also provides a method for
`identifying attempts to make unauthorized use ofsignals
`and the programing associated with signals. When an
`apparatusfindsthat signal words fail to appearin places
`and at times when and where they are expected, the
`apparatus may automatically contact one or more re-
`mote sites and may or maynotdisable the flow of pro-
`graming in one or more ways.
`Thepresent invention contemplatessignal processing
`apparatus comprising a device or devices that can selec-
`tively scan transmission channels as directed. The chan-
`nels may conveytelevision, radio, or other transmission
`frequencies. The input transmissions may be received
`by meansof antennas or from hard-wire connections.
`The scanners/switches, working in parallel or series or
`combinations, transfer the transmissions to receiveér/-
`decoder/detectors that identify signals encoded in pro-
`graming transmissions and convert the encodedsignals
`to digital information; decryptors that may convert the
`received information, in part or in whole, to other digi-
`tal information according to preset methodsor patterns;
`and one or more processor/monitors and/or buffer/-
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`4,694,490
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`6
`FIG.6C is a block diagram of signal processor appa-
`ratus and methods used to organize the reception of
`selected information and programing and to co-ordinate
`multi-media, multi-channel presentations in time.
`FIG. 6D is a block diagram of another example of
`multi-media, multi-channel co-ordination. In this case,
`the co-ordintation of video andprint.
`FIG.6Eis a block diagram ofsignal processing tech-
`niques co-ordinated with programing decryptions tech-
`niques to facilitate electronic distribution of copy-
`righted materials while discouraging pirating and unau-
`thorized copying.
`.
`FIGS. 6F and 6G comprise a block diagram ofsignal
`processor apparatus and methodsas they might be used
`at a consumerreceiversite.
`FIG. 6H showstherelationship of FIGS. 3A, 3B, and
`3c.
`FIG.6J showsthe relationship of FIGS. 6F and 6G.
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`5
`comparators that organize and transfer the information
`stream. The processors and buffers can have inputs
`from each of the receiver/detector lines and evaluate
`information continuously. From the processors and
`buffers, the signals may be transferred to external equip-
`ment such as computers, videotape recorders and play-
`ers, etc. And/or they maybe transferred to one or more
`internal digital recorders that receive and store in mem-
`ory the recorded information and have connections to
`one or more remotesites for further transmission of the
`recorded information. The apparatus has means for
`external communication and an automatic dialer and
`can contact remotesites and transfer stored information
`as required in a predetermined fashion or fashions. The
`apparatus has a clock for determining and recording
`time as required. It has a read only memoryfor record-
`ing permanent operating instructions and other infor-
`mation and a programmable random access memory
`controller (“PRAM controller”) that permits revision
`of operating patterns and instructions. The PRAM con-
`troller may be connectedto all internal operating units
`for full flexibility of operations.
`Signal processing apparatus that are employed in
`specific situations that require fewer functions than
`those provided by the basic-apparatus described above
`may omit one or moreof the specific operating elements
`described above.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of
`signal processing apparatus.
`FIG. 2A is a block diagram of a TV signal decoder
`apparatus.
`FIG. 2B is a block diagram of a radio signal decoder
`apparatus.
`FIG.2C is a block diagram of an other signal decoder
`apparatus.
`FIGS. 3A 3B and 3C are a block diagram of signal
`processing apparatus and methodsas they might be used
`in an intermediate transmission facility, in this case a
`cable system head end.
`FIG.4Ais a block diagram ofa signal processor and
`a programing decryptor or other interrupt means with
`signals input to the signal processor before programing
`decryption. Also included is a local input.
`FIG.4B is a block diagram of a signal processor and
`a decryptor/interruptor with signals input to the signal
`processor in programing after programing decryption.
`FIG.4C is a block diagram of a signal processor and
`a decryptor/interruptor with signals input both before
`and after programing decryption.
`FIG.4Dis a block diagram of a signal processor and
`a multiple decrypter/interrupters in series, with signals
`input both before and after programing decryption.
`FIG.4E is a block diagram of a signal processor and
`multiple decryptor/interruptors and with signals from
`one channel needed for decryption of a second channel.
`FIG.5 is a block diagram of signal processor appara-
`tus monitoring various programing and viewershippat-
`terns.
`FIG.6A is a block diagram of signal processor appa-
`ratus and methodsused to instruct and inform external
`equipment governing the environment ofthe local re-
`ceiversite.
`FIG.6B is a block diagram of signal processor appa-
`tatus and methods used to co-ordinate a multi-media,
`multi-channel presentation and monitor such viewer-
`ship.
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`The Signal Processor Apparatus
`A signal processor apparatus for simultaneous use
`with a cablecast input that conveys both television and
`radio programing and a broadcast television input is
`shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the input signals are the
`entire range of frequencies or channels transmitted on
`the cable and the entire range of broadcast television
`transmissions available to a local television antenna of
`conventional design. The cable transmission is input
`simultaneously to switch 1 and mixer 2. The broadcast
`transmission is input to switch 1. Switch 1 and mixers.2
`and 3 are all controlled by local oscillator and switch
`control 6. The oscillator, 6, is controlled to provide a
`numberof discrete specified frequencies for the particu-
`lar radio and television channels required. The switch,
`1, acts to select the broadcast input or the cablecast
`input and passes transmissions to mixer 3 which, with
`the controlled oscillator, 6, acts to select a television
`frequency of interest that is passed at a fixed frequency
`to a TV signal decoder, 30.
`Decoder 30 is shown morefully in FIG. 2A. In the
`decoder, 30, the frequency passesfirst through filter 31
`which defines the particular channel of interest to be
`analyzed. The television channel signalis then transmit-
`ted to a standard amplitude demodulator, 32, which
`uses standard demodulator techniques well known in
`the art to define the television base band signal. This
`base band signal is then transmitted through separate
`paths to three separate detector devices. These separate
`detectors are designed to act on the particular fre-
`quency ranges in which the encoded information may
`be found. Thefirst path, designated A, inputs to a stan-
`dard line receiver, 33, well known in the art. This line
`receiver, 33, detects the existance of an embeddedsignal
`or signals in one or moreofthe lines normally used to
`define a television picture. It receives and detects only
`that portion or portions of the overall video transmis-
`sion and passesthis line portion or portions to a digital
`detector, 34, which acts to decode the encoded signal
`information in the line portion or portions. The base
`band signal is also inputted through path B to an audio
`demodulator, 35, which further inputs a high passfilter,
`36, and a digital detector, 37. The digital detector, 37,
`through standard detection techniques well known in
`the art, determines whethera particular signalis present
`in the transmission in a predetermined fashion. Path C
`inputs the separately defined transmission to a digital
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`4,694,490
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`7
`detector, 38. Detectors, 34, 37, and 38, line receiver, 33,
`and high pass filter, 36, all operate in predetermined
`fashions which fashions may be changed by external
`controller, 20 (referring to FIG. 1),
`to be described
`below.
`If one returns to FIG. 1, one sees that the three sepa-
`rate lines of information outputted from TV signal de-
`coder, 30, are then gated to a buffer/comparator, 8,
`whichalso receives other inputs from the other separate
`receivers comprising similar filters, demodulators, and
`decoders for other channels of interest.
`Onesuch otherpath is that from mixer 2. Mixer 2 and
`the controlled oscillator, 6, act to select a radio fre-
`quency of interest which is inputted to a radio signal
`decoder, 40, shown in FIG. 2B. The frequency passes
`first through standard radio receiver circuitry, 41, well
`knownin the art, a radio decoder, 42, and a standard
`digital detector, 43. All operate in predetermined fash-
`ions that may be changed by external controller, 20
`(referring to FIG. 1). As FIG. 1 shows, the radio signal
`detector outputs to buffer/comparator8.
`(The signal processor apparatus described here is
`configured to receive broadcast TV transmissions and
`cablecast TV and radio transmissions. Wereit desirable
`to process signals in other transmissions such as-broad-
`cast microwavetransmissions or cablecast transmissions
`on other than standard TV andradio frequencies, the
`mixers and switches would be appropriately recon-
`figured and one or more other signal decoders as de-
`scribed in FIG. 2C would be added. As FIG. 2C shows,
`the desired frequencies would pass through appropriate
`other receiver circuitry, 45, well known in the art, and
`an appropriat