Method and apparatus for encoding and storing audio/video information for subsequent predetermined retrieval

Apparatus for presenting preselected program materials and message materials for transmission and retrieval by a user including:

• means for encoding the program materials and the message materials with signals identifying the respective materials and identifying when message material is to be inserted relative to program material;
• a receiver for receiving and storing the encoded materials in real time;
• the receiver including means for subsequently retrieving the stored preselected program and message materials while determining which stored preselected message materials to insert relative to the program materials in response to a respective signal;
• and
• means for supplying the encoded program materials, the message materials and the signals to the receiver at preselected time periods for storage in real time.

A method of transmitting preselected program materials and preselected message materials to a user, comprising the steps of:

• encoding the preselected program and message materials with identification signals;
• transmitting in real time the preselected program and message materials together with the identification signals;
• storing the received materials and signals
• retrieving the preselected program materials subsequently;
• determining preselected message materials, and
• inserting the preselected message materials relative to the program materials if authorized in response to the identification signals.

A method of transmitting preselected program materials and preselected message materials to a user, comprising the steps of:

• encoding the preselected program and message materials with identification signals;
• transmitting in real time the preselected program and message materials together with the identification signals;
• storing the received materials and signals;
• retrieving the preselected program materials subsequently;
• determining preselected message materials;
• inserting the preselected message materials relative to the program materials if authorized in response to the identification signals wherein the step of encoding includes:
• encoding the program materials with program break flag signals determinative of the occurrence of breaks in and about program materials, and of a preselected message material for the respective break;
• and
• encoding the message materials with message code flag signals determinative of the following message material and the time of day and date the message material is to be inserted.

A method of transmitting preselected program materials and preselected message materials to a user, comprising the steps of:

• encoding the preselected program and message materials with identification signals;
• transmitting in real time the preselected program and message materials together with the identification signals;
• storing the received materials and signals;
• retrieving the preselected program materials subsequently;
• determining preselected message materials;
• inserting the preselected message materials relative to the program materials if authorized in response to the identification signals wherein:
• the step of storing includes storing a user service code which identifies the message materials preselected by the user;
• and
• the step of retrieving includes retrieving the user service code to determine if a message material is to be inserted.

A method of transmitting preselected program materials and preselected message materials to a user, comprising the steps of:

• encoding the preselected program and message materials with identification signals;
• transmitting in real time the preselected program and message materials together with the identification signals;
• storing the received materials and signals;
• retrieving the preselected program materials subsequently;
• determining preselected message materials;
• inserting the preselected message materials relative to the program materials if authorized in response to the identification signals wherein the step of retrieving further includes:
• comparing the stored message material identification signal with the stored program material identification signal;
• and
• retrieving the stored message material if the message material and program material identification signals match.

A method of transmitting preselected program materials and preselected message materials to a user comprising the steps of:

• encoding the preselected program and message materials with identification signals;
• transmitting in real time the preselected program and message materials together with the identification signals
• storing the received materials and signals;
• retrieving the preselected program materials subsequently;
• determining preselected message materials;
• inserting the preselected message materials relative to the program materials if authorized in response to the identification signals;
• wherein the program and message materials may be audio or video programs or alphanumeric text.

A method of transmitting preselected program materials and message materials to a user, comprising the steps of:

• identifying the preselected program materials and message materials with respective identification signals;
• transmitting the preselected program and message materials together with their respective identification signals for storage in real time;
• retrieving in non-real time the stored preselected program materials;
• determining message materials interspersed relative to program materials in response to the identification signals;
• and
• retrieving in non-real time message materials if authorized interspersed relative to the program materials.

A method of transmitting preselected program materials and message materials to a user, comprising the steps of:

• identifying the preselected program materials and message materials with respective identification signals;
• transmitting the preselected program and message materials together with their respective identification signals for storage in real time;
• retrieving in non-real time the stored preselected program materials;
• determining message materials interspersed relative to program materials in response to the identification signals;
• retrieving in non-real time message materials if authorized interspersed relative to the program materials;
• and
• providing a user service code that controls presentation of the message materials.

A method of transmitting preselected program materials and message materials to a user, comprising the steps of:

• identifying the preselected program materials and message materials with respective identification signals;
• transmitting the preselected program and message materials together with their respective identification signals for storage in real time,
• retrieving in non-real time the stored preselected program materials;
• determining message materials interspersed relative to program materials in response to the identification signals;
• retrieving in non-real time message materials if authorized interspersed relative to the program materials;
• encoding the program materials with program break codes which indicate the insertion of message materials relative to the program materials;
• encoding the message materials with message codes which identify the message materials to be inserted wherein the step of retrieving message materials includes;
• determining in response to the program break codes a point in or about the program materials where a message material is to be inserted;
• and
• determining in response to the program break codes and message codes the number of message materials as well as the time of day and date each message material is to be inserted.

A method of transmitting preselected program materials and message materials to a user, comprising the steps of:

• identifying the preselected program materials and message materials with respective identification signals;
• transmitting the preselected program and message materials together with their respective identification signals for storage in real time;
• retrieving in non-real time the stored preselected program materials;
• determining message materials interspersed relative to program materials in response to the identification signals;
• retrieving in non-real time message materials if authorized interspersed relative to the program materials;
• encoding the program materials with program break codes which indicate the insertion of message materials relative to the program materials;
• encoding the message materials with message codes which identify the message materials to be inserted wherein:
• a program break code comprises multiple bytes identifying the occurrence of breaks in and about the program materials;
• and
• a message code comprises multiple bytes identifying the message and the time of day, the date and the frequency that the message is to be inserted.