Signal processing apparatus and methods

A method of controlling, at an intermediate television transmission station, a transmission of television programming to a subscriber station, said intermediate television transmission station comprising a computer for controlling the transmission of said television programming, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving at said intermediate television transmission station on different channels, first units of said television programming, to be communicated to said subscriber station, said first units of said television programming originating from one or more remote television programming sources;
• loading a plurality of second units of said television programming, to be communicated to said subscriber station, onto a local programming transmission source located at said intermediate television transmission station;
• receiving at said intermediate television transmission station a plurality of signals originating from said one or more remote television programming sources, each of said signals designating a unit of said first units and said second units;
• prior to receiving said first units of said television programming at said intermediate television transmitter station, receiving and storing at said computer a programming schedule, said programming schedule originating from a one or more sources separate from said one or more remote television programming sources and designating a time and an output frequency for transmitting each of said designated units to said subscriber station:
• comparing said each of said signals to data in said programming schedule stored at the intermediate television transmission station, said data identifying said unit of said first units and said second units, and said output frequency and said time, to be used in transmitting said identified unit to said subscriber station;
• selecting and locating, in response to each of said signals and said step of comparing, said unit designated by each of said signals from said first units and said second units;
• automatically selecting and storing at least one of said designated units at a selected storage device at said intermediate television transmission station based on said signals and said programming schedule;
• and
• automatically transmitting said located unit to said subscriber station on said output frequency and at said time according to said stored programming schedule.

An apparatus located at an intermediate television transmission station for controlling a transmission of units of television programming to a plurality of subscriber stations, said apparatus comprising:

• a first receiver that receives multiple units of television programming and identifiers on different channels, said multiple units of television programming originating from one or more television programming sources;
• a second receiver that receives a programming schedule prior to said first receiver receiving said multiple units of television programming said programming schedule including information originating from one or more sources different from the one or more television programming sources and designating for at least one unit of said multiple units of television programming:
• (a) a time to transmit to said plurality of subscribers stations;
• and
• (b) a transmission path to be used for transmitting said at least one unit of said multiple units of television programming to said plurality of subscribers stations;
• a schedule storage device that stores said programming schedule;
• a television programming storage device that stores said at least one unit of said multiple units of television programming and said identifiers;
• a switch having inputs operatively connected to said first receiver and said television programming storage device, said switch having one or more outputs operatively connected to one or more of said transmission path;
• a computer operatively connected to said switch and said television programming storage device, said computer having access to said programming schedule, said computer selecting said at least one unit of said multiple units of television programming based upon said identifiers and said programming schedule, and
• said computer controlling said switch and controlling said television programming storage device to automatically transmit said at least one unit of said multiple units of television programming from said television programming storage device to said plurality of subscriber stations at said time and on said transmission path according to said programming schedule.

A method of controlling at an intermediate television transmission station a transmission of television programming to a subscriber station, said intermediate television transmission station having a computer for controlling the transmission of said television programming, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving multiple units of said television programming on different channels, said multiple units of said television programming originating from one or more remote television programming sources;
• receiving a signal from one or more remote sources, the signal identifying at least one of received multiple units of said television programming;
• selectively storing a plurality of units of said received multiple units of television programming on a local programming transmission source of said transmission of television programming;
• receiving and storing, prior to receiving said multiple units of said television programming, a programming schedule, said programming schedule including information originating from one or more sources separate from said one or more remote television programming sources, said programming schedule designating for at least one of said multiple units of television programming:
• (a) an output transmission path to be used in transmitting to said subscriber station said at least one of said multiple units of television programming;
• and
• (b) time for transmitting to said subscriber station said at least one of said multiple units of television programming;
• detecting said signal;
• passing said detected signal to said computer;
• identifying that said detected signal is a predetermined signal based on said programming schedule;
• and
• automatically transmitting said at least one of said multiple units of television programming from said intermediate television transmission station to said subscriber station in said transmission in response to said step of identifying and on said output transmission path and at said time according to said programming schedule.

A method of controlling at an intermediate television transmission station a transmission of units of television programming to a subscriber station, said intermediate television transmission station having a computer for controlling the transmission of units of said television programming, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving said units of television programming on different channels at said intermediate television transmission station, said units of television programming originating from one or more remote television programming sources;
• receiving a control signal transmitted from said at least one remote television programming source, said control signal identifying at least one unit of said received units of television programming;
• selecting and storing said at least one unit of said received units of television programming in response to said control signal;
• identifying an input path based on said control signal;
• prior to receiving said units of television programming, receiving and storing at the intermediate television transmission station a programming schedule, said programming schedule information originating from one or more sources separate from said one or more remote television programming sources, said programming schedule designating for said stored at least one unit of said received units of television programming:
• (a) a transmission path to be used for transmitting said at least one stored unit of said received units of television programming to said subscriber station;
• and
• (b) a time said at least one stored unit of said received units of television programming is to be transmitted to said subscriber station;
• and
• automatically transmitting said at least one stored unit of said received units of television programming from said intermediate television transmission station to said subscriber station at said time and over said transmission path according to said programming schedule.

A method of controlling a transmission of units of television programming to a subscriber station from a television transmission station comprising the steps of:

• receiving, at said television transmission station on different channels, a first plurality of said units of television programming, said first plurality of said units of television programming originating from a one or more remote television programming sources;
• storing a second plurality of said units of said television programming on a local programming transmission source of an information transmission at said television transmission station;
• receiving a plurality of signals from a remote source, each of said signals designating a unit of said units of television programming;
• receiving and storing, at a computer at said television transmission station, a programming schedule, said programming schedule received prior to receiving said first plurality of said units of television programming, said programming schedule including information originating from one or more separate sources from said remote television programming sources, and designating for at least one unit of said units of television programming:
• (a) an output data path to be used in transmitting said at least one unit of said units of television programming to said subscriber station;
• and
• (b) a time for transmitting said at least one unit of said units of television programming to said subscriber station;
• selecting and storing said at least one unit of said units of television programming based upon at least one of said plurality of received signals;
• and
• automatically transmitting said information transmission containing said at least one stored unit of said units of television programming to said subscriber station at said time and on said output data path designated by said programming schedule.

An apparatus for controlling transmission of units of television programming to a subscriber station, said apparatus comprising:

• one or more receivers that receive a first plurality of said units of said television programming and a plurality of signals on a plurality of channels, each of said plurality of signals designating a unit of said units of television programming and originating from one of a plurality of remote programming sources;
• a television programming storage device that stores a second plurality of units of said television programming;
• a switch having inputs operatively connected to said one or more receivers and said television programming storage device, said switch having one or more outputs operatively connected to one or more output paths;
• an input device that receives and stores a programming schedule prior to said one or more receivers receiving said first plurality of said units of said television programming, said programming schedule including information originating from one or more sources separate from the plurality of remote programming sources and designating for at least one unit of said units of television programming:
• (a) a time to transmit said at least one unit of said units of television programming to said subscriber station;
• and
• (b) one of said one or more output paths to be used for transmitting said at least one unit of said units of television programming to said subscriber station;
• and
• a computer operative connected to said switch and said television programming storage device, said computer receiving said programming schedule from said input device, said computer:
• (a) automatically selecting said at least one unit of said units of television programming by processing said plurality of signals in accordance with said stored_programming schedule from said first plurality of units of television programming and said second plurality of units of television programming;
• and
• (b) configuring said switch to automatically transmit said selected at least one unit of said units of television programming to said subscriber station at said time and on said one of said one or more output paths according to said stored programming schedule.

A method for identifying and broadcasting or cablecasting television programming in a television transmission station that comprises storage means capable of storing at least one unit of television programming, and unit identification information identifying each unit of said television programming, wherein said television transmission station also comprises a plurality of broadcast or cablecast transmission means, internal transfer means capable of transferring said television programming from said storage means to at least one selected broadcast or cablecast transmission means, control means for comparing identification information with schedule information, and controlling said internal transfer means, with each of said broadcast or cablecast transmission means capable of transmitting said television programming over an output transmission path, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a television transmission comprising units of television programming transmitted on different channels from one or more remote television programming sources and selectively storing the units of television programming at said storage means;
• inputting, at said television transmission station prior to receiving a television transmission, said schedule information that identifies a time for broadcast or cablecast and an output transmission path for broadcast or cablecast of a stored unit of television programming;
• storing said schedule information that identifies the time for broadcast or cablecast and the output transmission path for broadcast or cablecast of said stored unit of television programming;
• locating, at said television transmission station, identification information in said television transmission that identifies said stored unit of television programming, said television transmission including television programming;
• and
• determining that said identification information identifies said stored unit of television programming based on the schedule information, thereby to enable said television transmission station to broadcast or cablecast said stored unit of said television programming;
• automatically broadcasting or cablecasting said stored unit of said television programming over said output transmission path at said time according to the stored schedule information to at least one receiver station.

A method of controlling the transmission of television programming at a television transmission station, said television transmission station having a computer controlling the transmission of television programming, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving units of television programming on different channels, said units of television programming originating from one or more remote television programming sources, each unit of said units of television programming including an embedded control instruction;
• storing said units of television programming with said embedded control instructions at a television programming storage device;
• prior to receiving said units of television programming, inputting to said computer and storing at said computer a programming schedule including information originating from one or more sources separate from said one or more remote television programming sources and indicating for each unit of said units of television programming a time and an output transmission frequency to be used in transmitting each said unit of said units of television programming to a subscriber station;
• outputting each unit of said stored units of television programming from said television programming storage device, each unit of said stored units of programming having said control instruction embedded therein;
• detecting said control instruction in each unit of said stored units of television programming outputted from said television programming storage device;
• and
• automatically transmitting each unit of said stored units of television programming outputted from said television storage device to said subscriber station on said output transmission frequency at said time indicated by said programming schedule in response to detecting said control instruction.

A method of transmitting television programming from an intermediate television transmission station to a subscriber device at a television subscriber station, said intermediate television transmission station having a computer controlling a transmission of television programming, said subscriber station having a computer for controlling the transmission of received television programming to said subscriber device located at said television subscriber station, said method comprising the steps of:

• embedding a control instruction in a unit of television programming received at the intermediate television transmission station from a television programming source, said control instruction providing instruction as to the transmission of said unit of television programming to said subscriber device at said television subscriber station;
• automatically transmitting, based on said embedding step, said unit of television programming with said embedded control instruction from said transmission station to said television subscriber station at a frequency and on a communication path and at a time in accordance with a schedule previously received and stored at said intermediate television transmission station, said schedule originating from a source separate from said television programming source, wherein the schedule designating said unit of television programming said frequency and on said communication path and at said time;
• said step of transmitting thereby enabling said television subscriber station to receive said unit of television programming and enabling said television subscriber station computer to detect said control instruction embedded in said unit of television programming, and enabling said television subscriber station computer to automatically transmit said unit of television programming to said subscriber device in accordance with said control instruction.

An apparatus located at a television transmission station for controlling the transmission of television programming, said apparatus comprising:

• a programming storage device that stores and outputs an information transmission comprising television programming and control instructions embedded in said information transmission, wherein said television programming comprises a plurality of units received on different channels and originated from one or more remote television programming sources;
• a switch operatively connected to said programming storage device, said switch comprising a plurality of output paths, with each output path capable of transmitting said information transmission to a subscriber station, said switch connecting said programming storage device to selected output paths;
• a detector operatively connected to said programming storage device that detects the presence of said control instructions embedded in said information transmission;
• a first computer that receives a programming schedule including information originated from one or more sources separate from the one or more remote television programming sources and stores the programming schedule prior to receiving said information transmission, said computer enabling response to said control instructions, said programming schedule designating:
• (a) scheduled identification information designating said television programming;
• (b) an output path to be used for transmitting said television programming to said subscriber station;
• and
• (c) a time of transmission of said television programming to said subscriber station if said television programming is to be transmitted to said subscriber station;
• and
• a second computer operatively connected to said programming storage device, said switch, said detector, and said first computer, said second computer configures said switch to automatically communicate said television programming from said programming storage device to said output path at said time according to said programming schedule.

An apparatus for controlling a communication of television programming, said apparatus comprising:

• a switch comprising at least one input communication path and a plurality of output communication paths;
• a plurality of programming recorder/players connected to said switch for recording and playing said television programming, said switch connecting said programming recorder/players selectively to at least one path of said plurality of output communication paths, wherein said television programming comprises a plurality of units received on different channels and originated from one or more remote television programming sources;
• a detector operatively connected to a selected one of said plurality of programming recorder/players for detecting control instructions stored at said selected programming recorder/player;
• an input device for receiving control signals originating from one or more sources different from the one or more remote television programming sources and storing the control signals at the apparatus prior to said apparatus receiving said television programming, the control signals designating for selected units of television programming:
• a time for transmitting each unit of the selected units to a subscriber station;
• and
• a channel for transmitting each unit of the selected units to the subscriber station;
• a transmitter, operatively connected to said at least one path of said plurality of output communication paths, for automatically transmitting the selected units of television programming to said subscriber station on said channels and at said time according to the control signals;
• and
• a computer operatively connected to said plurality of programming recorder/players, said switch, said transmitter and said detector, said computer controlling said selected programming recorder/player to locate and play selected television programming stored at said selected programming recorder/player, said computer configuring said switch to connect said selected programming recorder/player to said at least one path of said plurality of output communication paths, with said computer controlling said selected programming recorder/player and said switch in response to said control instructions and said control signals and to output said selected television programming at said subscriber station.

An apparatus for controlling a transmission of television programming, said apparatus comprising:

• a switch having at least one transmission input path and at least one transmission output path;
• a plurality of programming storage devices connected to said switch for storing and outputting said television programming, said switch connecting said storage devices selectively to said at least one transmission output path, wherein said television programming comprises a plurality of units received on different channels originating from one or more remote television programming sources;
• a receiver that receives schedule information originating from one or more sources separate from the remote television programming sources and stores said schedule information at said apparatus prior to receiving units of television programming at the apparatus, the schedule information designating for the television programming:
• a time for transmitting selected units of television programming to an addressable subscriber station;
• and
• said at least one transmission output path for transmitting the selected units of television programming to the addressable subscriber station;
• a transmitter, operatively connected to said at least one transmission output path, for transmitting said selected units of television programming to said addressable subscriber station at said time and over said at least one transmission output path;
• a computer operatively connected to said storage devices, said transmitter, and said switch, said computer controlling a selected storage device to locate and output selected television programming stored at said selected storage device, said computer controlling said switch to connect said selected storage device to said at least one transmission output path connected to said transmitter, with said computer controlling said selected storage device, said transmitter and said switch in response to a control instruction to transmit selected television programming to at least one of an addressable remote station and one of said plurality of programming storage devices for a scheduled transmission to said addressable remote station using said at least one transmission output path;
• and
• a detector operatively connected to said computer, said detector detecting said control instruction in an information transmission transmitted from a source different from a source of said television programming and inputting said control instruction to said computer.

An apparatus for controlling a transmission of television programming in response to control instructions, said apparatus comprising:

• a switch comprising an input path for receiving an information transmission and an output path for transmitting said information transmission to a remote station, said information transmission comprising television programming and control instructions, wherein said television programming comprises a plurality of units received on different channels originating from one or more remote television programming sources;
• a programming storage device operatively connected to said switch for receiving, storing and transmitting said information transmission;
• an input device for receiving control signals originating from one or more sources separate from the one or more remote television programming sources and for storing the control signals at the apparatus prior to said apparatus receiving said information transmission, said control signals designating for the television programming:
• a time for transmitting the television programming to said remote station;
• and
• a frequency for use in transmitting the television programming to said remote station;
• a computer operatively connected to said switch, said programming storage device and said input device for receiving said control instructions from said programming storage device and controlling said switch to receive television programming from said storage device for transmission to said remote station;
• and the computer transmits television programming to said remote station in response to said control instructions and at said time over said frequency according to said control signals.

A television transmission station apparatus for storing and communicating television programming, said television transmission station apparatus comprising:

• a storage device that stores and outputs units of information comprising television programming and control instructions, wherein said television programming comprises a plurality of units received on different channels and originated from one or more remote television programming sources;
• an input device that receives control signals originating from one or more sources separate from the remote television programming sources and stores the control signals at said apparatus prior to said storage device storing said units of information, wherein said control signals designate for each unit of a plurality of selected units of television programming:
• a time for transmitting the selected units of television programming to a receiver station;
• and
• an output path for transmitting the selected units of television programming to the receiver station;
• a transmitter connected to said storage device that communicates said selected units of television programming to said receiver station over at least one channel;
• a decoder operatively connected to said storage device that detects said control instructions in said units of information;
• a first controller operatively connected to said decoder that controls the detection of said control instructions by said decoder;
• and
• a second controller operatively connected to said first controller, said storage device and said input device that controls said storage device to automatically output said selected units of television programming to said transmitter using said output path and at said time in said control signals in response to said control instructions to communicate said selected units of television programming to said receiver station.

A television transmission station apparatus for storing and transmitting television programming, said apparatus comprising:

• a storage device that stores and outputs units of information comprising units of television programming and control instructions, wherein said television programming comprises a plurality of units received on different channels and originated from one or more remote television programming sources;
• an input device that receives control signals originating from a one or more sources separate from the one or more remote television programming sources and stores the control signals at the television transmission station apparatus prior to said storage device storing said units of information, said control signals designating for each unit of a plurality of selected units of television programming:
• a time for transmitting the selected units of television programming to a receiver station;
• and
• an channel for transmitting the selected units of television programming to the receiver station;
• a plurality of transmitters operatively connected to said storage device, with each of said plurality of transmitters capable of transmitting said selected units of television programming to said receiver station, said plurality of transmitters capable of transmitting said selected units of television programming on a plurality of different channels;
• a decoder operatively connected to said storage device that locates and identifies said control instructions;
• a controller operatively connected to said decoder that controls the locating and identifying of said control instructions;
• and
• a computer operatively connected to said controller, said decoder, said plurality of transmitters and said input device, said computer receiving said control instructions and said control signals, said computer determining the identity of said selected units of television programming based upon said control instructions, and said computer controlling said storage device based upon said control instructions and said control signals to output said selected units of television programming to at least one of said plurality of transmitters for transmission to said receiver station at said time and on said channel based on said control signals.

A method of communicating signals in a network comprised of an origination station that transmits said signals, at least one intermediate station that receives and retransmits said signals, and at least one ultimate receiver station that receives said signals from one or more intermediate stations, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving at at least one intermediate station a plurality of signals transmitted from said origination station on different channels from said origination station, with at least one of said received signals being designated for delayed retransmission, said at least one of said received signals including audio and a control instruction;
• receiving and storing, prior to receiving said at least one of said received signals designated for delayed retransmission, at said at least one intermediate station control signals, wherein said control signals designate:
• a designated time for retransmitting each received signal to said at least one ultimate receiver station;
• and
• a designated order for retransmitting each received signals to said at least one ultimate receiver station;
• determining at least one of a designated time and a designated order for retransmitting each received signal based on said control signals;
• storing at said intermediate station one or more of said received signals designated for delayed transmission in response to said control instruction and said control signals;
• and
• retransmitting each of said received signals from said intermediate station to an ultimate receiver station at said designated time and in said designated order for display at said ultimate receiver station, said retransmitting to said ultimate receiver station based on an address associated with said ultimate receiver station;
• wherein said control instruction comprises (I) control instruction information for controlling the storing of said received signals at said intermediate station and (2) signal identification information.

A method of communicating signals from an intermediate transmission station, said intermediate transmission station comprising a plurality of transmitters and a computer for controlling the communication of information, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an information transmission originating from at least one remote source, said information transmission comprising a plurality of signals received on different channels;
• receiving and storing, prior to receiving said information transmission, schedule information, said schedule information originating from one or more sources separate from said at least one remote source and designating for at least one of said plurality of received signals:
• an output communication path for communicating or transmitting said received signal to a viewer device, each of said transmitters transmitting over one or more output communication paths;
• and
• a time for communicating said received signal to said viewer device;
• storing at least a portion of said information transmission;
• comparing at least a portion of said plurality of signals to said received schedule information to automatically select at least one of said plurality of signals;
• determining said output communication path designated for said at least one of said plurality of signals based on said step of comparing;
• selecting at least one of said plurality of transmitters at said intermediate transmission station, said selected transmitter transmitting over said output communication path designated for said selected at least one of said plurality of signals;
• automatically transferring said selected at least one of said plurality of signals to said selected transmitter for transmittal to an ultimate receiver station;
• and
• automatically transmitting said selected at least one of said plurality of signals from said intermediate transmission station to said viewer device at said designated time and over said designated output communication path using said selected transmitter.

A method of communicating signals at a transmission station, said transmission station having a receiver or input device for receiving or inputting programming, at least one storage device for storing received or inputted programming, a transmitter and a computer for controlling said receiving, storing, processing, and transmitting of programming, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving, either via said transmission station receiver or said input device, a unit of programming originating from one or more remote sources;
• identifying an identification signal contained in said unit of programming, said identification signal identifying said unit of programming;
• storing, based on said identified identification signal, at a storage location said received unit of programming with said identification signal, said unit of programming including audio;
• prior to receiving said unit of programming, receiving and storing schedule information at said transmission station, said schedule information originating from one or more sources different from a source originating said unit of programming, said schedule information designating for said unit of programming:
• (a) a time to transmit said unit of programming to a receiver station;
• and
• (b) a frequency for transmitting said unit of programming to said receiver station;
• determining a storage location of said unit of programming based on said identification signal and said schedule information;
• transmitting automatically said stored unit of programming to said receiver station at said time and on said frequency-based on said said schedule information.