Applications for information transmitted in the vertical retrace interval of a television signal

Claim 1

In a television signal processing system wherein the television signals include image representative information and a plurality of accompanying segments of supplementary information including program identification information, and a listing of program title information and program source information, the supplementary information being encoded during vertical blanking intervals of the broadcast signal with at least the program identification information being disposed within vertical blanking intervals of related image-representative information and further being included within said listing, signal processing apparatus comprising: tuning means for selectively receiving television signals transmitted by individual program sources, the received signals including image-representative information and accompanying segments of supplementary information, first signal decoder means for decoding said listing and said included program identification information, memory means for storing and retrieving at least said program title information and included program identification information decoded by said first signal decoder means, a first controller means coupled to said first decoder means for selectively transferring said segments of supplementary information among said memory means, said first decoder means and said first controller means, second signal decoder means for decoding said program identification information disposed within blanking intervals of related image-representative information, said first controller means, upon initial reception of signals from an individual program source by said tuning means, sequentially causing said second signal decoder means to decode said program identification information accompanying related image-representative information, thereafter causing said first signal decoder means to identify the same program identification information within said listing and to store at least program title information of said listing in said memory means, said first controller means thereafter transferring said program title information from said memory means for display thereof along with related image-representative information.

Claim 11

A method of processing television signals wherein the television signals include image-representative information and a plurality of segments of accompanying supplementary information including program identification information hav­ing a time component, and a listing including program title information and program source information, the supplementa­ry information being encoded during vertical blanking inter­vals of the television signal with at least the program iden­tification information being disposed within vertical blank­ing intervals of related image-representative information and further being included within the listing, the method comprising: tuning a television signal processor for selectively re­ceiving signals transmitted by an individual program source, the received signals including said image-representative in­formation and accompanying segments of supplementary informa­tion, decoding said listing and said included program identifi­cation information, storing said decoded listing and included program identi­fication information for subsequent retrieval, decoding said program identification information disposed within blanking intervals of related image-representative information, comparing said last-named program identification informa­tion with said included program identification information to identify matching information, and displaying at least program title information accompany­ing said included indentification information upon identify­ing matching program indentification information.

Claim 12

A method of processing television signals wherein the television signals include image-representative information and a plurality of segments of accompanying supplementary information including program identification information hav­ing a time component, and a listing including program title information and program source information, the supplementa­ry information being encoded during vertical blanking inter­vals of the television signal with at least the program iden­tification information being disposed within vertical blank­ing intervals of related image-representative information and further being included within the listing, the method comprising: tuning a television signal processor for selectively re­ceiving signals transmitted by an individual program source, the received signals including said image-representative in­formation and accompanying segments of supplementary informa­tion, decoding said listing and said included program identifi­cation information, storing said decoded listing and included program identi­fication information for subsequent retrieval, decoding said program identification information disposed within blanking intervals of related image-representative information, comparing said last-named program identification informa­tion with said included program identification information to identify matching information, and displaying at least program title information accompany­ing said included indentification information upon identify­ing matching program indentification information.