US 4,388,644 A · Apparatus for monitoring a multichannel receiver

Abstract

A system for monitoring the operation of a multichannel receiver includes a channel monitor coupled to the sync separator of the receiver for collecting and transmitting channel information to a central collector station. The collector station selectively responds to one of a plurality of channel monitors to record, in sequential order, channel information. Each of the channel monitors is similar and includes a synchronizing pulse generator triggered by the vertical synchronizing pulse from a receiver to generate a match recognize pulse when a frequency coupled to the receiver from the monitor and the channel frequency have a preestablished relationship. To generate the match recognize pulse a counter provides signals to a tuning matrix that controls a frequency synthesizer or plurality of oscillators for generating the frequency coupled to the receiver for the match evaluation. Also, the counter activates a data encoder that provides channel information to the collector station. The collector station responds to the channel information and records incoming data for future evaluation of the operation of the multichannel receiver.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A method of monitoring the operation of a multichannel television receiver comprising the steps of:

(a) injecting a signal into the input of the television receiver in synchronism with the television signal being received by the television receiver on the channel to which the television receiver is tuned;
(b) varying the frequency of the injected signal among frequencies unique for each channel of the television receiver;
(c) detecting the presence of an injected signal at the output of the television receiver to thereby provide an indication of a predetermined relationship between the frequency of the injected signal and the frequency of the television signal to which the television receiver is tuned and thus the channel to which the television receiver is tuned;
and
(d) storing data related to the channel to which the television receiver is tuned for subsequent transmission to a location remote from the television receiver.

2 more elements

A method of monitoring the operation of a multichannel television receiver comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first signal related in frequency to the frequency of a first one of the channels of the television receiver being monitored;
(b) injecting the first signal into the tuner of a television receiver in synchronism with the television signal being received by the television receiver on the channel to which the television receiver is tuned;
(c) detecting the failure of the tuner of the television receiver to pass the first signal to thereby indicate that the frequency of the first injected signal is improperly related to the television signal to which the television receiver is tuned;
(d) providing a second signal related in frequency to the frequency of a second one of the channels of the television receiver being monitored;
(e) injecting the second signal into the tuner of the television receiver in synchronism with the television signal being received by the television receiver on the channel to which the television receiver is tuned;
(f) detecting the passage of the second injected signal by the tuner of the television receiver to thereby indicate that the frequency of the second signal is properly related to the frequency of the television signal to which the television receiver is tuned;
and
(g) storing data related to time and to the frequency of the second signal and thus the channel to which the television receiver is tuned for subsequent transmission to a location remote from the television receiver.

5 more elements

A system for monitoring the operation of a multichannel television receiver for the purpose of deriving data relating to the viewing habits of the television audience comprising:

means for detecting the on/off status of the television receiver;
means for injecting a signal into the input of the television receiver in synchronism with the television signal being received by the television receiver on the channel to which the television receiver is tuned, said means including:
means for preventing radiation of the injected signal from the antenna of the television receiver,
means for deriving a synchronization signal synchronously related to the sync drive signals of the television receiver at a time when the television receiver is synchronized to the television signal being received,
means for injecting the signal in a predetermined relationship to the horizontal and vertical blanking pulses of the video signal being received by the television receiver, said predetermined relationship being at a place in the television signal where the injected signal cannot be seen even if the amplitude thereof is greater than the amplitude of the video signal being received, and
means for varying the frequency of the injected signal among frequencies unique for each channel of the television receiver, said means including a plurality of oscillators each having an output signal unique to one channel of the television receiver;
means for detecting the presence of the injected signal at the output of the television receiver to thereby provide an indication of a predetermined relationship between the frequency of the injected signal and the frequency of the television signal to which the television receiver is tuned and thus the channel to which the television receiver is tuned;
clock means;
and
means for storing data related to time, the on/off status of the television receiver and the channel to which the television receiver is tuned for subsequent transmission to a location remote from the television receiver.

7 more elements

A method of monitoring the operation of a multichannel television receiver for the purpose of deriving data relating to the viewing habits of a television audience comprising the steps of:

(a) injecting a signal into the input of the television receiver in synchronism with the television signal being received by the television receiver on the channel to which the television receiver is tuned while preventing radiation of the injected signal from the antenna of the television receiver;
(b) deriving a synchronization signal synchronously related to the sync drive signals of the television receiver at a time when the television receiver is synchronized to the television signal being received;
(c) injecting the signal in a predetermined relationship to the horizontal and vertical blanking pulses of the video signal being received by the television receiver, the predetermined relationship being at a place in the video signal where the injected signal cannot be seen even if the amplitude thereof is greater than the amplitude of the video signal being received;
(d) varying the frequency of the injected signal among frequencies unique for each channel of the television receiver by selecting one of a plurality of oscillators each having an output signal unique to one channel of the television receiver;
(e) detecting the presence of the injected signal at the output of the television receiver to thereby provide an indication of a predetermined relationship between the frequency of the injected signal and the frequency of the television signal to which the television receiver is tuned and thus the channel to which the television receiver is tuned;
(f) providing a clock signal;
and
(g) storing data related to time, the on/off condition of the television receiver and the channel to which the television receiver is tuned for subsequent transmission to a location remote from the television receiver.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for monitoring a multichannel receiver

Life of this patent

Apparatus for monitoring a multichannel receiver

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31