Signal processing apparatus and methods

A method of controlling a video presentation at least one receiver station of a plurality of receiver stations, said method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a signal from an origination transmitter to a remote intermediate transmitter station, said signal including video and discrete signals for providing an instruct signal at said at least one receiver station, said instruct signal being operative at said at least one receiver station to instruct said at least one receiver station to at least one of generate and output a locally generated portion of said video presentation based on data specific to a user of said receiver station for display coordinated with said video, said data specific to a user being stored at said at least one receiver station prior to organizing information included in said discrete signals to provide said instruct signal, said locally generated portion including at least some information content that does not include any information from any of said signals, said at least some information content being subsequently displayed;
• and
• transmitting at least one control signal from said origination transmitter to said remote intermediate transmitter station before a specific time, wherein said at least one control signal is effective at said remote intermediate transmitter station to control communication of said video and said instruct signal to said at least one receiver station.

A method of controlling a video presentation at least one receiver station of a plurality of receiver stations, wherein at least one organized signal comprises information content of separate ones of a plurality of discrete signals and said at least one organized signal is operative to instruct a processor at said at least one receiver station to deliver a locally generated image for display in conjunction with video, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving said video at a transmitter station;
• delivering said video to a transmitter;
• receiving a first discrete signal and a second discrete signal of said plurality of discrete signals at said transmitter station, wherein said first discrete signal includes information for organizing with information included in said second of said plurality of discrete signals to provide said at least one organized signal, and wherein said at least one organized signal instructs said at least one receiver station to one of generate and output said locally generated image for display coordinated with said video, said locally generated image being based on user specific data, said user specific data being stored at said at least one receiver station prior to said organizing to provide said at least one organized signal, said user specific data being based on information supplied by a user of said at least one receiver station;
• transferring said first discrete signal and said second discrete signal to said transmitter;
• and
• transmitting said video, said first discrete signal and second discrete signal to said at least one receiver station.

The method of 15, further comprising the steps of:

• receiving an additional signal that is effective to enable said at least one receiver station to respond to said organized signal;
• transferring said additional signal to said transmitter;
• and
• transmitting said additional signal to said at least one receiver station.

A method for receiving and processing remotely originated and user specific data for use with a video apparatus, said video apparatus having an audio receiver and a video output device for displaying a video presentation comprising a locally generated image and an image received from a remote video source, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving said user specific data at said video apparatus, said user specific data being specific to a user of said video apparatus;
• contacting a remote data source after said step of receiving said user specific data;
• receiving from said remote data source based on said step of contacting said remotely originated data to serve as a basis for displaying said video presentation;
• executing processor instructions to process said remotely originated data and said user specific data at said video apparatus in order to generate said locally generated image, said locally generated image including at least some information content that does not include any information from said remote video source and said remote data source;
• receiving, at said audio receiver, audio which describes information displayed in said video presentation;
• simultaneously displaying said locally generated image and said image received from said remote video source at said video output device, wherein said at least some information content of said locally generated image is displayed;
• and
• outputting said audio at said video apparatus before ceasing to display said locally generated video image.

A method of outputting a video presentation at a receiver station, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving at least one information transmission at said receiver station, said at least one information transmission including a first discrete signal and a second discrete signal;
• detecting said first discrete signal and said second discrete signal in said at least one information transmission;
• passing said detected at least one first discrete signal and said second discrete signal to at least one processor;
• organizing information included in said at least one first discrete signal with information included in said second discrete signal to provide an organized signal at said receiver station;
• generating an image in response to said organized signal by processing at least one user specific subscriber datum, said at least one user specific subscriber datum being stored at said receiver station prior to said step of organizing and based on information supplied by a user of said receiver station, said generated image including at least some information content that does not include any information from said discrete signals;
• and
• outputting said video presentation to said user, said video presentation comprising, firstly, a video image and, secondly, a coordinated display using said generated image and said video image, wherein said at least some information content of said generated image is displayed.

A method of outputting a video presentation at a receiver station, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving at least one information transmission at said receiver station, said at least one information transmission including a first discrete signal and a second discrete signal;
• detecting said first discrete signal and said second discrete signal in said at least one information transmission;
• passing said detected at least one first discrete signal and said second discrete signal to at least one processor;
• organizing information included in said at least one first discrete signal with information included in said second discrete signal to provide an organized signal at said receiver station;
• generating an image by processing at least one user specific subscriber datum, said at least one user specific subscriber datum being stored at said receiver station prior to said step of organizing and based on information supplied by a user of said receiver station, said generated image including at least some information content that does not include any information from said discrete signals;
• and
• outputting said video presentation to said user based on said organized signal, said video presentation comprising, firstly, a video image and, secondly, a coordinated display using said generated image and said video image, wherein said at least some information content of said generated image is displayed.