Method and system for subscription television billing and access
US4225884A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 30, 1978 |
| Grant date | Sep 30, 1980 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 30, 1998 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N2007/1739
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A subscription television system and method in which billing information regarding programs actually viewed by a subscriber of the system is accumulated over non-dedicated telephone lines. A scrambled television program signal containing a block of television program material, a program identification code unique to the block of program material, and a program category code, is broadcast. The codes are preferably included in the vertical retrace interval of the video portion of the program signal and the transmitted program signal is selectively received at a subscriber station and selectively unscrambled to permit viewing of the block of program material being transmitted in response to subscriber action indicating acceptance for viewing of the block of program material. The received program category code is compared with a locally generated category code to determine whether the program is acceptable for viewing. The program identification code is detected and stored for subsequent transmission in response to the subscriber action indicating acceptance for viewing of the received block of program material. The program identification code stored at the subscriber station is select…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.