Signal processing apparatus and methods
DC CAFC
First Claim
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1. A method of outputting a multimedia presentation at a receiver station adapted to receive a plurality of signals, said method comprising the steps of:
- receiving said plurality of signals including at least two media which include a first medium received in a digital data channel from a source external to said receiver station;
storing information from said first medium in a storage medium at a computer at said receiver station;
determining content, through use of processor instructions resident on said computer at said receiver station, of each medium received after said first medium in said plurality of signals, wherein determining content of each medium comprises;
processing an identifier which identifies said content of each of said medium;
comparing said processed identifier to a predetermined identifier, wherein said predetermined identifier is determined at a time prior to receiving said plurality of signals;
coordinating, through use of processor instructions resident on said computer at said receiver station, a presentation using said information with a presentation of a medium comprising an identifier that matches said predetermined identifier based on said step of determining content; and
outputting and displaying said multimedia presentation to a user at said receiver station based on said step of coordinating such that said presentation using said information has a predetermined relationship to said content of said medium comprising an identifier that matches said predetermined identifier and said content of said medium comprising an identifier that matches said predetermined identifier explains a significance of said presentation using said information.
1 Assignment
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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.
912 Citations
56 Claims
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1. A method of outputting a multimedia presentation at a receiver station adapted to receive a plurality of signals, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving said plurality of signals including at least two media which include a first medium received in a digital data channel from a source external to said receiver station; storing information from said first medium in a storage medium at a computer at said receiver station; determining content, through use of processor instructions resident on said computer at said receiver station, of each medium received after said first medium in said plurality of signals, wherein determining content of each medium comprises; processing an identifier which identifies said content of each of said medium; comparing said processed identifier to a predetermined identifier, wherein said predetermined identifier is determined at a time prior to receiving said plurality of signals; coordinating, through use of processor instructions resident on said computer at said receiver station, a presentation using said information with a presentation of a medium comprising an identifier that matches said predetermined identifier based on said step of determining content; and outputting and displaying said multimedia presentation to a user at said receiver station based on said step of coordinating such that said presentation using said information has a predetermined relationship to said content of said medium comprising an identifier that matches said predetermined identifier and said content of said medium comprising an identifier that matches said predetermined identifier explains a significance of said presentation using said information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of outputting a multimedia presentation at a receiver station adapted to process a plurality of signals, said plurality of signals including first and second media of said multimedia presentation, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a subset of said plurality of signals from a source external to said receiver station, each signal of said subset of said plurality of signals including an identifier, wherein said subset of said plurality of signals comprises a plurality of said plurality of signals; receiving said second medium in a digital data channel from a source external to said receiver station, wherein said second medium is not included in said subset of said plurality of signals; controlling a microcomputer at said receiver station, through execution of processor instructions, to; process each identifier of each signal of said subset of said plurality of signals, compare each processed identifier to a predetermined identifier, wherein said predetermined identifier is determined at a time prior to receiving said plurality of signals and identifies content of said first medium, process only a signal of said subset of said plurality of signals that includes an identifier that matches said predetermined identifier to provide said first medium of said multimedia presentation, identify content of said second medium, generate information based on said second medium based on identifying said content of said second medium, and coordinate presentation of said first medium and said information based on said second medium; and outputting and displaying said multimedia presentation to a user at said receiver station based on said step of controlling such that content of said first medium has a predetermined relationship to said information based on said second medium and said content of said first medium explains a significance of said information based on said second medium. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method of outputting a multimedia presentation at a receiver station, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a first medium including a television program in a first channel of a multichannel cable transmission; comparing, using a processor, first information, wherein said first information comprises at least one user response to displayed content of said television program, stored at said receiver station to second information corresponding to content of said television program to determine whether to receive, from a source different from that of said first medium, in a second channel of said multichannel cable transmission and present a second medium based on third information, wherein said third information is related to but different from both said first information and said second information; coordinating, using said processor, presentation, based on said determination to receive said second medium, of said television program of said multimedia presentation with presentation of said second medium of said multimedia presentation; and outputting and displaying said television program of said multimedia presentation only at a first output device at said receiver station, and outputting and displaying said second medium only at a second output device at said receiver station. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method of outputting a multimedia presentation at a receiver station adapted to receive a plurality of media, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, at said receiver station, at least two of said plurality of media from different sources, a first medium of said plurality of media being received in a plurality of signals and a second medium of said plurality of media being received in a digital data channel from a remote transmitter station; identifying, using a processor, content of a first medium of said at least two of said plurality of media processing each signal of said plurality of signals, each signal of said plurality of signals including an identifier, and comparing each processed identifier to a predetermined identifier, said predetermined identifier being determined prior to receiving said plurality of media and identifying content of said first medium; processing only a signal of said plurality of signal that includes an identifier that matches said predetermined identifier to provide said first medium; storing said first medium at said receiver station; and identifying content of said second medium; processing, based on said content of said second medium, said second medium to generate information based on said second medium; outputting and displaying said multimedia presentation, said multimedia presentation comprising a coordinated presentation of information included in said first medium and said generated information based on said second medium, said information included in said first medium having a predetermined relationship to said generated information based on said second medium and said information included in said first medium explaining a significance of said generated information based on said second medium. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of outputting a multimedia presentation at a receiver station having an output device, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a plurality of signals from a source external to said receiver station; identifying, using a processor, content of a first medium to be output in said multimedia presentation by; processing said plurality of signals, each of said plurality of signals including an identifier, and comparing each said identifier with a predetermined identifier, said predetermined identifier determined prior to receiving said plurality of signals and identifying content of said first medium; processing only a signal of said plurality of signal that includes an identifier that matches said predetermined identifier to provide said first medium; processing a control signal at said receiver station that causes execution of processor instructions to process data received in a second medium from an external source to create a series of discrete video images, wherein said second medium is not included in said plurality of signals; causing a video image of said series of discrete video images to be output and displayed subsequent to said step of identifying; and combining said outputted video image into said multimedia presentation at said output device based on said step of causing to be output, said multimedia presentation comprising said first medium and said outputted video image of said series of discrete video images, said first medium having a predetermined relationship to said series of discrete video images and said first medium explaining a significance of said video image of said series of discrete video images. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of outputting a multimedia presentation at a receiver station, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a first signal comprising a television program from a remote transmitter station; outputting and displaying content of said television program received in said first signal only at a first output device at said receiver station; receiving a user response to said displayed content of said television program from said step of outputting; comparing, using a processor, said user response to information corresponding to content of said first signal at said receiver station; tuning, under control of said processor, said receiver station to receive, from a source different from that of said first signal, a second signal only when a match between said user response and said content of said first signal is determined to exist in said step of comparing; and outputting and displaying information included in said second signal only at a second output device at said receiver station, said information included in said second signal related to but different from information included in said first signal; wherein said multimedia presentation comprises said information included in said first signal and said information included in said second signal. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A multimedia presentation apparatus comprising:
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at least one receiver that receives a plurality of signals from a source external to said multimedia presentation apparatus, said plurality of signals including at least two media which include a first medium received in a digital data channel; a microcomputer that stores information from said first medium in a storage medium at said receiver station, determines content of each received medium received after said first medium in said plurality of signals and coordinates a presentation using said information with a presentation of a second medium based on said microcomputer determining content of said second medium by processing an identifier which identifies said content of each of said medium received after said first medium and comparing said processed identifier to a predetermined identifier, wherein said predetermined identifier is determined at a time prior to receiving said plurality of signals and said second medium includes an identifier that matches said predetermined identifier; and at least one output device operatively connected to said at least one receiver and said microcomputer that outputs and displays a multimedia presentation to a user at said multimedia presentation apparatus based on said coordinating such that said presentation using said information has a predetermined relationship to said content of said second medium and said content of said second medium explains a significance of said presentation using said information. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A multimedia presentation apparatus comprising:
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a receiver that receives a subset of a plurality of signals from an external source, each signal of said subset of said plurality of signals including an identifier, wherein said plurality of signals including includes a first medium and a second medium of a multimedia presentation and said subset of said plurality of signal comprises a plurality of said plurality of signals; a microcomputer that identifies content of said first medium by processing each identifier of said subset of said plurality of signals and comparing each processed identifier to a predetermined identifier, wherein said predetermined identifier is determined at a time prior to receiving said plurality of signals and identifies content of said first medium, that processes only a signal of said subset of said plurality of signals that includes an identifier that matches said predetermined identifier, that receives said second medium in a digital data channel transmitted from a source external to said multimedia presentation apparatus, wherein said second medium is not included in said subset of said plurality of signals, that identifies content of said second medium, that generates information based on said second medium based on said identifying content of said second medium and that executes processor instructions that coordinate presentation of said first medium and said information based on said second medium such that content of said first medium has a predetermined relationship to said information based on said second medium and said content of said first medium explains a significance of said information based on said second medium; and an output device that outputs and displays said coordinated presentation of said first medium and information from said second medium. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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41. A multimedia presentation apparatus comprising:
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a receiver that receives a first medium including a television program in a first channel of a multichannel cable transmission; a microcomputer that stores first information including at least one user response to displayed content of said television program, compares said first information to second information corresponding to content of said television program to determine whether to receive, from a source different from that of said first medium, in a second channel of said multichannel cable transmission and present a second medium based on third information, wherein said third information is related to but different from both said first information and said second information, and coordinates presentation, based on said determination to receive said second medium, of said television program with presentation of said second medium; a first output device that outputs and displays only said television program; and a second output device that outputs and displays only said second medium. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. A multimedia presentation apparatus comprising:
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a first receiver that receives a plurality of signals; a second receiver that receives a second medium in a digital data channel from a source external to said multimedia presentation apparatus; a microcomputer that identifies content of a first medium by processing each signal of said plurality of signals, each signal of said plurality of signals including an identifier, and comparing each said identifier to a predetermined identifier, said predetermined identifier determined prior to receiving said plurality of signals and identifying content of said first medium, that identifies content of said second medium, that controls storage of said first medium, and that controls, based on said identifying content of said second medium, generation of information based on said second medium by processing said second medium, that controls coordinating a multimedia presentation comprising information included in said first medium and said generated information based on said second medium, said information included in said first medium having a predetermined relationship to said generated information based on said second medium and said information included in said first medium explaining a significance of said generated information based on said second medium; and an output device that outputs and displays said multimedia presentation. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46)
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47. A multimedia presentation apparatus comprising:
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a receiver that receives a plurality of signals from a source external to said multimedia presentation apparatus; a microcomputer that identifies content of a first medium by processing said plurality of signals, each of said plurality of signals including an identifier, and comparing each said identifier with a predetermined identifier, said predetermined identifier determined prior to receiving said plurality of signals and identifying content of said first medium, that processes only a signal of said plurality of signal that includes an identifier that matches said predetermined identifier, that creates a series of discrete video images by executing processor instructions to process a control signal and data received in a second medium from an external source, wherein said second medium is not included in said plurality of signals, and then that causes a video image of said series of discrete video images to be output and displayed; an output device at which said video image is combined into said multimedia presentation, said multimedia presentation comprising said first medium and said video image, said first medium having a predetermined relationship to said series of discrete video images and said first medium explaining a significance of said video image of said series of discrete video images. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
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51. A multimedia presentation apparatus comprising:
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a first receiver that receives a first signal including television programming from a remote transmitter station; a first output device that outputs and displays only content of said television programming; a second receiver that receives a second signal, information included in said second signal being related to but different from information included in said first signal; a second output device that outputs and displays only said information of said second signal a microcomputer that receives a user response, based on outputting said first signal, to said displayed content of said television programming, that compares said user response to information corresponding to content of said first signal, and that controls tuning of said second receiver to receive said second signal, from a source different from that of said first signal, only when a match between said user response and said content of said first signal is determined to exist; wherein said apparatus presents a multimedia presentation comprising said information included in said first signal and said information included in said second signal. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification
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Litigation Data
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Current AssigneePersonalized Media Communications, LLC
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Original AssigneePersonalized Media Communications, LLC
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InventorsHarvey, John Christopher, Cuddihy, James William
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Primary Examiner(s)PAPPAS, PETER
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Application NumberUS08/487,526Time in Patent Office5,501 DaysField of Search348 1- 12, 348/468, 455/2, 455/3.11, 455/3.3, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.3, 358/86US Class Current455/39CPC Class CodesG01R 1/071 containing electro-optic el...G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisementsH04H 20/14 for monitoring programmesH04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneo...H04H 20/30 by a single channelH04H 2201/70 characterised in that recei...H04H 40/18 Arrangements characterised ...H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device con...H04H 60/21 Billing for the use of broa...H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. en...H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording ...H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring...H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring...H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of...H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast timeH04H 60/41 for identifying broadcast s...H04H 60/94 Telephonic networks for acc...H04K 1/00 Secret communicationH04N 21/00 Selective content distribut...H04N 21/20 Servers specifically adapte...View All
