Patent US3580852A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4420769A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4420769A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Device for the automatic editing, at the receiver, of unwanted program material from broadcast electrical signals
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1978-03-22
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Granted: 1983-12-13
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Expires: 1998-03-22
Abstract
Abstract A device which monitors information contained in broadcast electrical signals and which, when attached to or combined with the circuitry of a television, radio or other receiver, will automatically prevent reception of unwanted material.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert P. Novak
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 23:56
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04H; H04H60/00; H04H60/35; H04H60/37; H04H60/09; H04H60/13
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
A system for the elimination of predetermined video/audio program information from broadcasted video/audio signals comprising, in combination: a video/audio signal source; a video/audio signal; a video/audio signal output normally connected to said video/audio source; a switch to disconnect said output from said source; and switch operation means to cause blanking of unwanted video/audio signal information from said video/audio signal output by providing the operation of said switch correlative to the information contained within said video/audio signal and wherein said switch operation means includes a video/audio signal sampling/conversion means for sampling a content of the video/audio signal, and converting the video/audio signal samples into data bits representing digital words; a memory means adapted to store digital words therein; programming means for storing selected digital words within said memory means; a comparator means for comparing the output of said video/audio signal sampling means with said memory to obtain an enabling output from said comparator means when said digital words generated by said video/audio signal sampling/conversion means match; transmitting means for routing said enabling output to, and operating, said switch.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
177 words
A system for the elimination of predetermined video/audio program information from broadcasted video/audio signals comprising, in combination: a video/audio signal source; a video/audio signal; a video/audio signal output normally connected to said video/audio source; a switch to disconnect said output from said source; and switch operation means to cause blanking of unwanted video/audio signal information from said video/audio signal output by providing the operation of said switch correlative to the information contained within said video/audio signal and wherein said switch operation means includes a video/audio signal sampling/conversion means for sampling a content of the video/audio signal, and converting the video/audio signal samples into data bits representing digital words; a memory means adapted to store digital words therein; programming means for storing selected digital words within said memory means; a comparator means for comparing the output of said video/audio signal sampling means with said memory to obtain an enabling output from said comparator means when said digital words generated by said video/audio signal sampling/conversion means match; transmitting means for routing said enabling output to, and operating, said switch.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said video/audio signal sampling/conversion means is coupled to timing means, arranged to cause selected portions of said video/audio signal to be sampled by said video/audio signal sampling means and unselected portions of said video/audio signal not to be sampled.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said timing means includes synchronization means for synchronization of the selection of said video/audio signal portions to the content of said signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said system is used in connection with television signals, said synchronization means being a vertical deflection pulse component of said signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said timing means and said comparator means are capable of multiphase operation, and wherein phase switching means is coupled thereto to intercoordinate said multiphase operation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 3 said synchronization means being a pulse generated by signal monitoring means adapted to generate said pulse in time with an equaling of said signal to a predetermined value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising self-adjusting datum means relative to which said data bits are generated by said video/audio sampling/conversion means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 7 wherein said self-adjusting datum means is coupled to said video/audio signal sampling means to derive said datum from information contained within the signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said video/audio signal sampling/conversion means is coupled to timing means, arranged to cause selected portions of said video/audio signal to be sampled by said signal sampling means and unselected portions of said video/audio signal not to be sampled.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 9 wherein said timing means includes synchronization means for synchronization of the selection of said signal portions to the content of said signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said system is used in connection with television signals, said synchronization means being the vertical deflection pulse component of said signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said timing means and said comparator means are capable of multiphase operation, and wherein phase switching means is coupled thereto to intercoordinate said multiphase operation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 10 said synchronization means being a pulse generated by signal monitoring means adapted to generate said pulse in time with an equaling of said video/audio signal to a predetermined value.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
78 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said memory means includes sub-storage divisions is arranged with said programming means to store selected digital words of like groups within like memory divisions; wherein each memory division relates to a corresponding position of said switch; wherein said memory means said comparator means said enabling output and said transmitting means are arranged to cause the operation of said switch in correlation to the word group for which a given match is obtained.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 14 wherein said video/audio signal sampling/conversion means is coupled to timing means, arranged to cause selected portions of said video/audio signal to be sampled by said signal sampling means and unselected portions of said video/audio signal not to be sampled.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said timing means includes synchronization means for synchronization of the selection of said video/audio signal portions to the content of said video/audio signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 16 wherein said system is used in connection with television signals, said synchronization means being the vertical deflection pulse component of said signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 16 wherein said timing means and said comparator means are capable of multiphase operation, and wherein phase switching means is coupled thereto to intercoordinate said multiphase operation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 16 said synchronization means being a pulse generated by signal monitoring means adapted to generate said pulse in time with an equaling, of said video/audio signal, to a predetermined value.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 14 further comprising self-adjusting datum means relative to which said data bits are generated by said video/audio sampling/conversion means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 20 wherein said self-adjusting datum means is coupled to said video/audio signal sampling means to derive said datum from information contained within video/audio the signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 21 wherein said video/audio signal sampling conversion means is coupled to timing means, arranged to cause selected portions of said video/audio signal to be sampled by said signal sampling means and unselected portions of said signal not to be sampled.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 22 wherein said timing means includes synchronization means for synchronization of the selection of said video/audio signal portions to the content of said signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 23 wherein said system is used in connection with television signals, said synchronization means being the vertical deflection pulse component of said signal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 23 wherein said timing means and said comparator means are capable of multiphase operation, and wherein phase switching means is coupled thereto to intercoordinate said multiphase operation.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 23 said synchronization means being a pulse generated by signal monitoring means adapted to generate said pulse in time with an equaling, of said video/audio signal, to a predetermined value.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system for the elimination of unwanted program information from signals specified in claim 1 wherein said video/audio signal source is the output of a detector arranged for the reception of transmitted video/audio material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system for the elimination of unwanted information from signals specified in claim 27 wherein said video/audio signal is the video/audio signal obtained at said detector output.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system for the elimination of unwanted information from signals specified in claim 1 wherein said video/audio signals are characterized as television programming.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system for the elimination of predetermined video/audio program information from broadcasted video/audio signals according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined video/audio program information is unwanted commercial announcements.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 30 wherein said commercial announcements are characterized as repetitive.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-12-12 | 1987-06-13 | 1987-12-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-12-12 | 1991-06-13 | 1991-12-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-12-12 | 1995-06-13 | 1995-12-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |