System and method for modifying broadcast signals in closed circuit systems

A system for modifying a first television signal to produce at least one second television signal, the system comprising:

• a control unit;
• and
• a memory unit coupled to the control unit;
• wherein the control unit receives a first television signal, which includes a series of screen signals contained within a signal bandwidth, said signal bandwidth including excess bandwidth not containing screen signals, said screen signals including at least one first commercial signal;
• wherein the excess bandwidth includes additional information relating to at least one of an alternate commercial signal and a command signal;
• wherein the control unit processes the additional information and, if the additional information relates to the alternate commercial signal, stores the processed additional information in the memory unit;
• and
• wherein the control unit produces the second television signal based upon the first television signal in response to the additional information.

A system for modifying a first television signal to allow for the display of locally-targeted commercial messages, the system comprising:

• a control unit;
• means for modifying the first television signal, wherein the modifying means is coupled to the control unit;
• and
• a memory unit coupled to the control unit;
• wherein the control unit receives the first television signal, which includes a series of screen signals, excess bandwidth, and a detectable event;
• wherein the control unit detects the detectable event indicating the presence of the excess bandwidth;
• wherein the control unit provides control signals to the modifying means, the control signals including information concerning at least one of a locally-targeted commercial message and command message;
• and
• wherein the control signals cause the modifying means to embed the information into the excess bandwidth of the first television signal following detection of the detectable event, so that the first television broadcast signal is modified to form a second television broadcast signal containing the control signals in the excess bandwidth.

A method of modifying a first television broadcast signal to produce at least one second television signal, the method comprising:

• receiving a first television signal from a broadcasting source, wherein the first television broadcast signal includes a plurality of information signals including at least one program signal and at least one first commercial signals;
• monitoring for a detectable event within the first television signal, wherein the detectable event occurs between two of the information signals;
• substituting an alternate commercial signal for the at least one first commercial signals to produce a second television signal;
• and
• outputting the second television signal.

A method of modifying a first television signal to produce a second television signal, the method comprising:

• receiving a first television signal from a broadcasting source, wherein the first television signal includes a plurality of information signals including at least one first program signal and at least one first commercial signal;
• receiving additional information contained within the first television signal, wherein the additional information includes at least one of a command and information concerning at least one first alternate commercial signal;
• substituting the at least one first alternate commercial signal for the at least one first commercial signal to produce a second television signal;
• and
• outputting the second television signal for receipt by at least one video display.

A method of modifying a first television signal to produce a second television broadcast signal embedded with additional information, the method comprising:

• receiving at a first device a first television signal from a broadcasting source, wherein the first television signal includes a plurality of screen signals contained within a signal bandwidth, said signal bandwidth including excess bandwidth not containing screen signals;
• embedding additional information in the excess bandwidth within the first television signal to generate a second television signal, wherein the additional information includes at least one of a command and information concerning at least one alternate commercial signal;
• and
• outputting at least one of the second television broadcast signal and a signal based upon the second television signal for receipt by a second device.