System and methods for monitoring TV viewing system including a VCR and/or a cable converter
US4885632A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 16, 1988 |
| Grant date | Dec 5, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 16, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04H60/44
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and methods are disclosed for monitoring a home TV viewing system which may include a TV, a VCR and one or more cable converters. The system obtains information for identifying the source of video displayed or being recorded, i.e., off-air antenna, satellite antenna, cable converter tuner, VCR, personal computer, video game, etc. The system also obtains information identifying the video path of the video being displayed and/or recorded. The system "fingerprints" video recorded by the VCR so that the played back video may be identified as having been previously recorded. The system may record the date and time of recording and the video source of the video being recorded. The system includes probe/detector devices which obtain signals related to the frequency to which the TV, VCR, and cable converter are tuned, and a higher level processor which receives and processes those signals to identify channel tuning of the TV, VCR, and cable converter. The probe/detector monitoring the VCR includes a lower level processor and circuitry which fingerprint a video signal being recorded by the VCR. The system generates timing signals to record and detect fingerprints in the vertical bl…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.