US4864429A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for providing transmitter-controlled actuation of equipment at the receiving end of a communications system
Assignee: Deutsche Thomson Brandt GmbH
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Filing: 1987-04-06
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Granted: 1989-09-05
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Expires: 2007-04-06
Abstract
Abstract A system for providing transmitter-controlled actuation of equipment at the receiving end of a communications system by using an identification signal transmitted for the entire duration of a broadcast and characterizing this broadcast. If the equipment has not been started by the identification signal and if the device is actuated at the beginning or during the broadcast, the further operation of the equipment in a predetermined operating mode is controlled using the identification signal. The equipment at the receiving end may be a broadcast receiver, particiularly a television or radio receiver, or an audio or video recorder. In a particular embodiment, the identification signal is stored when a record or "quick start" key of a VCR is manually actuated, and recording continues until the current identification signal is no longer the same as the stored signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Norbert Eigeldinger
- 👤 Rolf Laskus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 22:09
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/78; H04N5/782; H04N7/00; H04N7/08; H04N7/087; H04N7/088; H04N7/0887
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
A device for providing transmitter-controlled actuation of equipment at the receiving end of a communications system in which an identification signal is employed to characterize a broadcast, comprising: first means, at the receiving end, for starting the equipment without relying on the identification signal, and second means, at the receiving end and operable when the equipment has been started by the first means, for controlling the further operation of the equipment in a predetermined operating mode by using the identification signal, the second means including a memory, third means for initially storing only initially received data corresponding to at least a portion of the identification signal in the memory when the equipment is started by the first means, and fourth means for comparing the stored data with the corresponding data of a subsequently received identification signal and, for the entire time that the stored data coincides with the corresponding data in the subsequently received identification signal, causing the equipment to be operated in the predetermined operating mode.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
167 words
A device for providing transmitter-controlled actuation of equipment at the receiving end of a communications system in which an identification signal is employed to characterize a broadcast, comprising: first means, at the receiving end, for starting the equipment without relying on the identification signal, and second means, at the receiving end and operable when the equipment has been started by the first means, for controlling the further operation of the equipment in a predetermined operating mode by using the identification signal, the second means including a memory, third means for initially storing only initially received data corresponding to at least a portion of the identification signal in the memory when the equipment is started by the first means, and fourth means for comparing the stored data with the corresponding data of a subsequently received identification signal and, for the entire time that the stored data coincides with the corresponding data in the subsequently received identification signal, causing the equipment to be operated in the predetermined operating mode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the fourth means comprises means for keeping the equipment at the receiving end in the predetermined operating mode only as long as the stored data coincide with the corresponding data of the subsequently received identification signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the third means comprises at least one switch which is actuated when the equipment is started by the first means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the equipment at the receiving end is a recording device, and wherein the predetermined mode of operation is the recording mode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device according to claim 4, wherein the first means comprises a key for quickly initiating the recording mode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the equipment at the receiving end comprises means for receiving a broadcast signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 6, wherein the signal is a television signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 4, wherein the recording device is a VCR.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
174 words
A circuit for controlling an entertainment apparatus which is responsive to a received signal having a sequence of program segments, the receives signal including an identification signal portion which characterizes each program segment as long as the respective program segment lasts and which changes when one program segment is followed by the next program segment, the entertainment apparatus having first and second states and having manually operable control means for shifting the entertainment apparatus from the first state to the second state, said circuit comprising: first means for initially storing at least part of the identification signal portion of only the initially received signal when the control means is manually operated to shift the entertainment apparatus from the first state to the second state; and second means for comparing the at least part of the identification signal portion stored in the first means with a corresponding at least part of the identification signal portion of a subsequently received signal, and for returning the entertainment apparatus to the first state when a program segment ends.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
174 words
A circuit for controlling an entertainment apparatus which is responsive to a received signal having a sequence of program segments, the receives signal including an identification signal portion which characterizes each program segment as long as the respective program segment lasts and which changes when one program segment is followed by the next program segment, the entertainment apparatus having first and second states and having manually operable control means for shifting the entertainment apparatus from the first state to the second state, said circuit comprising: first means for initially storing at least part of the identification signal portion of only the initially received signal when the control means is manually operated to shift the entertainment apparatus from the first state to the second state; and second means for comparing the at least part of the identification signal portion stored in the first means with a corresponding at least part of the identification signal portion of a subsequently received signal, and for returning the entertainment apparatus to the first state when a program segment ends.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
The circuit of claim 9, wherein the first name comprises a memory, a switch which is actuated when the control means is manually operated, and means for storing at least part of the identification signal portion of the received signal in the memory when the switch is actuated.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
The circuit of claim 10, wherein the second means comprises a comparator having an input port which receives the contents of the memory and another input port which receives the corresponding at least part of the identification signal portion of the subsequently received signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
The circuit of claim 9, wherein the second means comprises a comparator having an input port which receives the at least part of the identification signal portion stored in the first means and another input port which receives the corresponding at least part of the identification signal portion of the subsequently received signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The circuit of claim 9, wherein the entertainment apparatus comprises means for recording information carried by the received signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The circuit of claim 13, wherein the received signal is a video signal and the means for recording is a VCR.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
172 words
A circuit for controlling an apparatus for recording information carried by a received signal having a sequence of program segments, the received signal including an identification signal portion which characterizes each program segment as long as the respective program segment lasts and which changes when one program segment is followed by the next program segment, the apparatus having a recording mode and a non-recording mode and having a record key which is manually operable to shift the apparatus from the nonrecording mode to the recording mode, comprising: first means for storing at least part of the identification signal portion of only the initially received signal when the record key is manually operated to shift the apparatus from the non-recording mode to the recording mode; and second means for comparing the at least part of the identification signal portion stored in the first means with a corresponding at least part of the identification signal portion of the received signal, and for returning the apparatus to the non-recording mode when a program segment ends.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
172 words
A circuit for controlling an apparatus for recording information carried by a received signal having a sequence of program segments, the received signal including an identification signal portion which characterizes each program segment as long as the respective program segment lasts and which changes when one program segment is followed by the next program segment, the apparatus having a recording mode and a non-recording mode and having a record key which is manually operable to shift the apparatus from the nonrecording mode to the recording mode, comprising: first means for storing at least part of the identification signal portion of only the initially received signal when the record key is manually operated to shift the apparatus from the non-recording mode to the recording mode; and second means for comparing the at least part of the identification signal portion stored in the first means with a corresponding at least part of the identification signal portion of the received signal, and for returning the apparatus to the non-recording mode when a program segment ends.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
The circuit of claim 15, wherein the first means comprises a memory, a switch which is actuated when the record key is manually operated, and means for storing at least part of the identification signal portion of the received signal in the memory when the switch is actuated.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
The circuit of claim 16 wherein the second means comprises a comparator having an input port which receives the contents of the memory and another input port which receives the corresponding at least part of the identification signal portion of the subsequently received signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
53 words
The circuit of claim 15, wherein the second means comprises a comparator having an input port which receives the at least part of the identification signal portion stored in the first means and another input port which receives the corresponding at least part of the identification signal portion of the subsequently received signal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The circuit of claim 15, wherein the received signal is a video signal and the apparatus for recording information is a VCR.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4225884A
Cited
US4635112A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-09-04 | 1993-03-06 | 1993-09-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-09-04 | 1997-03-06 | 1997-09-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-09-04 | 2001-03-06 | 2001-09-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |