Signal processing apparatus and methods

A method of communicating signals in a network, said network including an origination station, at least one intermediate station that receives and transmits said signals, and at least one subscriber station, said network having automatic control apparatus and one or more detectors operatively connected to said automatic control apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an information transmission that includes television programming and a first embedded identifier;
• detecting, at said one or more detectors, said first identifier embedded in said information transmission;
• inputting said detected first identifier to said automatic control apparatus;
• storing, under control of said automatic control apparatus and based on said detected first identifier, said television programming at a first storage location, said first storage location at a selected one of said at least one intermediate station, said television programming including video and audio;
• transferring, under control of said automatic control apparatus and based on said detected first identifier, said television programming from said first storage location to a second storage location at said at least one intermediate station, based on information about a storage device;
• storing said television programming at said second storage location to enable said at least one intermediate station to communicate said television programming from said second storage location to said at least one subscriber station;
• communicating a second identifier from said origination station to said at least one intermediate station, said second identifier identifying said television programming stored at said second storage location;
• detecting, at said at least one intermediate station, said second identifier communicated from said origination station;
• and
• communicating said television programming from said second storage location to said at least one subscriber station based on said second identifier.

A method of processing signals at an automated storage device comprising the steps of:

• receiving one of a broadcast and cablecast transmission, said one of a broadcast and cablecast transmission including an embedded signal;
• demodulating said one of a broadcast and cablecast transmission;
• detecting said embedded signal on said one of a broadcast and cablecast transmission;
• inputting said detected signal to automatic control apparatus that controls said automated storage device;
• selecting information stored at a first storage location, under control of said automatic control apparatus and in response to said detected signal;
• selecting a second storage location of a plurality of storage locations under control of said automatic control apparatus and based on said detected signal and information about said automated storage device, said plurality of storage locations being at said automated storage device;
• and
• transferring said selected information from said first storage location to said second storage location based on said embedded signal and information about said automated storage device, thereby providing a remote computer access to said selected information, said first storage location and said second storage location being capable of being controlled by said automatic control apparatus to store and output said selected information.

Automated storage apparatus for storing and communicating programming, said automated storage apparatus comprising:

• a receiver for receiving and communicating an information transmission, said information transmission including said programming and an identifier;
• a first storage device for storing and communicating said programming and said identifier;
• a second storage device for storing and communicating said programming and said identifier;
• a transmitter for communicating said programming to a plurality of remote subscriber stations;
• a switch with inputs operatively connected to said receiver, said first storage device and said second storage device and outputs operatively connected to said first storage device, said second storage device, and said transmitter;
• detector apparatus operatively connected to said receiver, said first storage device and said second storage device and said inputs of said switch for detecting said identifier;
• an input device for inputting a programming requirement signal;
• and
• automatic control apparatus operatively connected to said input device, said first storage device, said second storage device, said switch, and said detector apparatus for controlling said first storage device to store and communicate said programming and said identifier, controlling said second storage device to store and communicate said programming and said identifier, and controlling said switch to communicate said programming and said identifier from one or more of said inputs to one or more of said outputs, said automatic control apparatus being programmed to:
• respond to said programming requirement signal;
• select a storage device from a plurality of storage devices to store said programming, said plurality of storage devices including said first storage device and said second storage device;
• control said switch to transfer said programming to said selected storage device;
• and
• control said selected storage device to store said programming at a location based on information about the storage device and communicate said programming and said identifier;
• and control said switch to communicate said programming to said transmitter based on said programming requirement signal.

A method for identifying television programming at an automated storage device having automatic control apparatus that controls a selection and storage of a television signal at said automated storage device and is capable of identifying said television programming on a basis of information stored at said storage device, said automated automatic control apparatus operatively connected to a digital detector, said method comprising the steps of:

• inputting to said automatic control apparatus a programming requirement signal that identifies said television programming;
• receiving said television signal, said television signal containing said television programming and embedded digital data identifying said television programming and identifying at least one of a beginning and an end of said television programming;
• detecting, at said digital detector, said embedded digital data identifying said television programming and identifying at least one of a beginning and an end of said television programming in said received television signal;
• inputting from said digital detector to said automatic control apparatus said detected embedded digital data identifying said television programming and identifying at least one of a beginning and an end of said television programming in said received television signal;
• selecting, under control of said automatic control apparatus, said television signal by comparing at least a portion of said detected embedded digital data to information contained in said programming requirement signal;
• communicating, under control of said automatic control apparatus, said television signal to said automated storage device based on said step of selecting said television signal;
• storing, under control of said automatic control apparatus, said television signal at said automated storage device, said stored television signal containing said television programming and said embedded digital data identifying said television programming and identifying said at least one of a beginning and an end of said television programming;
• and
• enabling said automated storage device to identify said television programming on said basis of information stored with said television programming at said automated storage device.

A method for identifying television programming at an automated storage device, wherein said automated storage device has automatic control apparatus operatively connected to a digital detector and is capable of identifying programming stored at said automated storage device by processing identification information associated with said programming stored at said automated storage device, said method comprising the steps of:

• inputting to said automatic control apparatus a programming requirement signal that specifies said television programming;
• receiving a television signal, said television signal containing said television programming and embedded digital data identifying said television programming and identifying a beginning and an end of said television programming;
• detecting, at said digital detector, said embedded digital data identifying said television programming and identifying the beginning and the end of said television programming in said received television signal;
• inputting from said digital detector to said automatic control apparatus said detected embedded digital data identifying said television programming and identifying the beginning and the end of said television programming in said received television signal;
• identifying and selecting, under control of said automatic control apparatus, said television signal by comparing at least a portion of said detected embedded digital data to information contained in said programming requirement signal;
• processing information stored at said automated storage device in order to locate available storage space at which to store said identified and selected television signal;
• locating said available storage space based on said step of processing;
• communicating, under control of said automatic control apparatus, said television signal to said located available storage space based on said step of identifying and selecting;
• and
• storing, under control of said automatic control apparatus, said television signal at said available storage space based on information stored at said automated storage device, said stored television signal containing said television programming and said embedded digital data identifying said television programming and identifying the beginning and the end of said television programming, thereby to enable said automated storage device to identify said television programming stored in said automated storage device on a basis of identification information stored in said automated storage device.

An automated storage apparatus for processing signals, said automated storage apparatus comprising:

• a programming storage device capable of storing 1) at least one of audio programming and video programming and 2) an identifier signal;
• a first input device for inputting said at least one of audio programming and video programming and said identifier signal;
• a second input device for receiving a programming requirement signal;
• a selective transfer device operatively connected to at least one of said first input device and said second input device and said programming storage device;
• a first signal detector operatively connected to said programming storage device for detecting signals stored in said programming storage device;
• a second signal detector operatively connected to said first input device for detecting said identifier signal;
• a communicator, operatively connected to said programming storage device, for communicating said at least one of audio programming and video programming to a subscriber;
• an automatic control apparatus operatively connected to said first input device, said first signal detector, said second signal detector, and said communicator, wherein said automatic control apparatus is programmed to perform the following steps:
• receiving said identifier signal from said second signal detector;
• receiving said programming requirement signal from said first input device;
• selecting said at least one of audio programming and video programming based on said step of receiving said identifier signal;
• receiving storage information from said first signal detector, said storage information designating programming stored at said programming storage device;
• selecting at least one of a plurality of storage locations at said programming storage device based on said step of receiving said storage information;
• controlling said selective transfer device to transfer said at least one of audio programming and video programming to said selected at least one of a plurality of storage locations at said programming storage device and controlling said programming storage device to store said at least one of audio programming and video programming at said selected at least one of a plurality of storage locations at said programming storage device;
• controlling said programming storage device to store said identifier signal;
• causing said first signal detector to detect said identifier signal;
• processing said identifier signal received from said first signal detector as part of said storage information;
• and
• controlling said programming storage device to output said stored at least one of audio programming and video programming from said selected at least one of a plurality of storage locations at said programming storage device to said communicator based on said step of receiving said programming requirement signal, and whereby said communicator is caused to communicate said at least one of audio programming and video programming to said subscriber.

A method of communicating at least one of video signals and audio signals in a network including an origination automated storage device that transmits signals, at least one intermediate automated storage device that receives and selectively transmits signals and operates automatically under control of processor apparatus, and a subscriber automated storage device that receives signals from said at least one intermediate automated storage device, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing at least one of video programming and audio programming at a first storage location in said network;
• transferring, automatically under control of said processor apparatus, said at least one of video programming and audio programming from said first storage location to a second storage location based on a detected first identifier;
• storing, automatically under control of said processor apparatus, said at least one of video programming and audio programming at said second storage location to enable a selected one of said at least one intermediate automated storage device to communicate said stored at least one of video programming and audio programming from said second storage location to said subscriber automated storage device;
• communicating a programming identification signal from said origination automated storage device to said selected one of said at least one intermediate automated storage device, said programming identification signal identifying said at least one of video programming and audio programming stored at said second storage location;
• detecting, at said selected one of said at least one intermediate automated storage device, said programming identification signal communicated from said origination automated storage device;
• and
• communicating, automatically under control of said processor apparatus, said at least one of video programming and audio programming identified by said programming identification signal from said second storage location to said subscriber automated storage device based on said step of detecting said programming identification signal.

A method of communicating at least one of television signals and radio signals in a network including a plurality of in-network automated storage devices, said plurality of in-network automated storage devices including an origination automated storage device that transmits signals, at least one intermediate automated storage device that receives and selectively transmits signals, said plurality of in-network automated storage devices controlled by automatic control apparatus, and a plurality of subscriber automated storage devices that receive signals from said at least one intermediate automated storage device, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing, under control of said automatic control apparatus, at least one of television programming and radio programming at a first storage location at a first automated storage device of said plurality of in-network automated storage devices, said at least one of television programming and radio programming including at least audio;
• transferring, under control of said automatic control apparatus, said at least one of television programming and radio programming from said first storage location of the first automated storage device to a second storage location of said first automated storage device under control of said automatic control apparatus and based on a detected first identifier that identifies content of said at least one of television programming and radio programming;
• and
• storing, under control of said automatic control apparatus, said at least one of television programming and radio programming at said second storage location, based on said detected first identifier, to enable selective transmission of said at least one of television programming and radio programming from said first automated storage device to a second automated storage device of said plurality of in-network automated storage devices under control of said automatic control apparatus and based on said detected first identifier.

A network of automated storage devices comprising:

• an origination automated storage device including a transmitter for transmitting at least one of television programming and radio programming with programming control and identification signals, said at least one of television programming and radio programming including at least audio;
• a plurality of intermediate automated storage devices for receiving, processing and selectively retransmitting based on embedded control and identification signals said at least one of television programming and radio programming with the programming control and identification signals received from said origination automated storage device, each of said plurality of intermediate automated storage devices including:
• (a) a receiver for receiving said at least one of television programming and radio programming with the programming control and identification signals from said origination automated storage device;
• (b) a signal detector for detecting the programming control and identification signals;
• (c) a plurality of programming storage devices for storing said at least one of television programming and radio programming;
• and
• (d) a computer operatively connected to said receiver, said signal detector and said plurality of programming storage devices, said computer programmed to perform the following steps:
• (1) selecting said at least one of television programming and radio programming received by said receiver based on the programming control and identification signals detected by said signal detector;
• (2) routing the selected at least one of television programming and radio programming to a first of said plurality of programming storage devices based on instructions from said detected programming control and identification signals;
• (3) controlling said first of said plurality of programming storage devices to store the selected at least one of television programming and radio programming on said first of said plurality of programming storage devices based on instructions from said detected programming control and identification signals;
• (4) transferring the selected at least one of television programming and radio programming from said first of said plurality of programming storage devices to a second of said plurality of programming storage devices based on said received programming control and identification signals and information about the first of said plurality of programming storage devices;
• (5) controlling said second of said plurality of programming storage devices to store the selected at least one of television programming and radio programming on said second of said plurality of programming storage devices based on instructions from said detected programming control and identification signals;
• and
• (6) communicating the selected at least one of television programming and radio programming from said second of said plurality of programming storage devices to a subscriber automated storage device based on instructions from said detected programming control and identification signals, wherein the subscriber automated storage device comprises a receiver for receiving programming.

A method of communicating television program material to at least one receiver station including at least one of a broadcast and cablecast television receiver, a television monitor, a control signal detector, a processor operatively connected to said television monitor, said processor programmed to detect and operate under control of at least one instruct control in at least one of a broadcast and cablecast transmission, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a television program at a transmitter station and delivering said television program to a transmitter;
• receiving at least one control signal at said transmitter station, said at least one control signal at said at least one receiver station operates to select and control communication of a datum which identifies information included in said television program;
• transferring said at least one control signal from said transmitter station to a transmitter;
• and
• transmitting said television program and said at least one control signal from said transmitter station to said at least one receiver station.

A method of controlling a network, said network comprising a remote intermediate transmitter station and at least one receiver station, with said remote intermediate transmitter station including at least one intermediate transmitter for transmitting a signal, a plurality of selective transfer devices each operatively connected to said at least one intermediate transmitter for communicating said signal, a receiver for receiving said signal from outside said network, an instruction detector, and a controller capable of controlling at least one of said plurality of selective transfer devices, and with said remote intermediate transmitter station adapted to (1) detect at least one instruction, (2) control communication of at least one signal in response to said at least one instruction, and (3) deliver said at least one signal to said at least one intermediate transmitter, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving said signal outside said network, said signal having at least one first instruction that outputs said signal from a first storage location and stores said signal at a second storage location;
• receiving at least one second instruction outside said network, said at least one second instruction that controls communication of said signal;
• and
• transmitting said signal and said at least one second instruction to said network before a specific time.

A method of controlling a network having a remote intermediate transmitter station and at least one receiver station, with said remote intermediate transmitter station including at least one intermediate transmitter for transmitting at least one signal, a plurality of selective transfer devices each operatively connected to said at least one intermediate transmitter for communicating said at least one signal, a receiver for receiving said at least one signal from outside said network, an instruction detector, and a controller capable of controlling at least one of said plurality of selective transfer devices, and with said remote intermediate transmitter station receiving said at least one signal, at least one first instruction, and at least one second instruction, said at least one detected method comprising the steps of:

• programming said remote intermediate transmitter station to control communication of and deliver said at least one signal at said at least one intermediate transmitter in response to at least one detected instruction, said at least one detected instruction instructs a controller to control said selective transfer devices;
• programming said remote intermediate transmitter station to detect said at least one first instruction and said at least one second instruction in an embedded signal;
• and
• programming said network to detect and respond to an instruction which is operative in said network to output said at least one signal from a first storage location and store said at least one signal at a second storage location before a specific time.

A method of processing signals at at least one station that receives programming, said at least one station including a computer for controlling communication of said programming, said method comprising the steps of:

• inputting at least one automation control instruction, said at least one automation control instruction controlling communication of said programming;
• inputting identification information and said programming;
• storing said programming at said at least one station;
• identifying said programming at said at least one station, based on said identification information;
• and
• storing said automation control instruction with said programming at said at least one station, to enable said computer to subsequently control communication of said programming in accordance with said at least one automation control instruction.

A method of communicating programming to at least one receiver station, said at least one receiver station including one of a broadcast programming receiver and a cablecast programming receiver, an output device, a control signal detector, a processor operably connected to said output device, and with said at least one receiver station adapted to detect and operate under control of at least one control signal, said method of communicating comprising the steps of:

• receiving said programming to be transmitted at a transmitter station and delivering said programming to a transmitter;
• receiving and storing said at least one control signal at said transmitter station, said at least one control signal at said at least one receiver station operating to identify and control communication of said programming;
• transferring said at least one control signal to said transmitter;
• and
• transmitting from said transmitter station an information transmission including said programming and said at least one control signal.