Apparatus for detecting recorded data in a video tape recorder for audience rating purposes

Claim 1

Apparatus for detecting recorded and reproduction states of a video tape recorder for supplying audience rate data therefrom, comprising: a meter connected to a video tape recorder; a first pickup coil coupled to the video tape recorder for detecting an audio intermediate frequency signal from said video tape recorder; a second pickup coil coupled to the video tape recorder for detecting an erase signal from said video tape recorder; means including a first terminal on said meter connected to an antenna terminal of said video tape recorder for supplying boosted television signals to the video tape recorder; means including a second terminal on said meter connected with an external input terminal of said video tape recorder for supplying video and audio signals to the video tape recorder; means including a third terminal on said meter connected to an external output terminal of said video tape recorder for receiving video and audio signals from said video tape recorder; means including a fourth terminal on said meter connected to said first pickup coil for receiving audio intermediate frequency signals from said video tape recorder; means including a fifth terminal on said meter connected to said second pickup coil for receiving erase signals from said video tape recorder; said means for supplying boosted television signals to the video tape recorder comprising a booster boosting television signals input from an external antenna and supplying the boosted signals to said first terminal and to a tuner in said meter; said tuner supplying output video intermediate frequency signals and channel data; video intermediate frequency detecting automatic gain control means for receiving the output signals from said tuner and producing output video signals; audio intermediate frequency amplifying audio demodulating means receiving said video signals from said video intermediate frequency detecting automatic gain control means and producing output audio signals at said second terminal and output audio intermediate frequency signals; data generating means for generating calendar data consisting of year, month, day, hour and minute and for memorizing channel data produced by said tuner; video signal adding means coupled to said data generating means for supply of channel and calendar data therefrom to said second terminal during the vertical flyback line erasing period of the video signal input from said video intermediate frequency detecting automatic gain control means; a second audio intermediate frequency amplifying audio demodulating means for receiving and amplifying video tape recorder audio intermediate frequency signals at said fourth terminal; tuner scanning controlling means receiving the outputs of said first and second audio intermediate frequency amplifying audio demodulating means for scanning said outputs and selecting stations on said tuner which coincide with selected stations on the video tape recorder and supplying the channel data to said data generating means; data extracting means for extracting and memorizing channel and calendar data from said video signal input at said third terminal; data comparing means receiving channel and calendar data from said extracting means, and channel and calendar data from said data generating means for comparing both data and, when they coincide producing an output signal representing reproduced information; recorded picture detecting means processing the erase signal of said video tape recorder at said fifth terminal and detecting recorded picture information; and transmitter means for receiving recorded picture information from said recorded picture detecting means, reproduced information from said data comparing means and channel and calendar data from said data generating means and delivering the same as audience rate data to a telephone circuit.