Signal processing apparatus and methods

A multimedia receiving apparatus for gathering information on use of signals comprising:

• a plurality of input ports for receiving multimedia signals;
• an output port;
• a processor operatively connected to said plurality of input ports and said output port;
• said processor programmed for:
• identifying a signal from at least one of said plurality of input ports;
• passing said signal from said processor to said output port, wherein a way the signal is passed from said output port is based on said step of identifying;
• communicating information on a use of said identified signal, wherein the use of said identified signal comprises information of the passing of said identified signal based on said step of passing.

A method for delivery of informative materials in a communications network having a transmitter station and a plurality of receiver stations, each of said receiver stations having a display, a processor and a storage device, and a user, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving at each of said plurality of receiver stations from said communications network a television program;
• receiving at each of said plurality of receiver stations from said communications network said informative materials in an encoded transmission, said informative materials that directly informs said user;
• decoding said informative materials in said encoded transmission at each of said plurality of receiver stations;
• storing said informative materials from said step of decoding at said storage device at of each of said receiver stations;
• recording the use of said informative materials at each of said plurality of receiver stations;
• and
• reporting the record of the use of said informative materials from said step of recording from each of said plurality of receiver stations to said transmitter station.

A method of gathering information on aggregate use of at least one of programming, data, equipment and a control signal at a receiver station, said receiver station having a processor and a controlled device, said receiver station transferring said gathered information to a remote station, said method comprising the steps of:

• (1) identifying said at least one of programming, data, equipment and a control signal;
• (2) monitoring aggregate use of said at least one of programming, data, equipment and a control signal at said receiver station;
• (3) storing a record of the aggregate use of said at least one of programming, data, equipment and a control signal from said step of monitoring;
• and
• (4) communicating information evidencing said aggregate use of said at least one of programming, data, equipment and a control signal from said step of storing a record from said receiver station to a remote station.

A method for gathering an identifying signal from a plurality of identifying signals generated by passing a control signal at a receiver station to at least one controlled device, said receiver station having an input and an output, a processor and a storage device, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a control signal at said receiver station;
• detecting said control signal at said receiver station;
• passing said control signal from a detector to said at least one controlled device, said control signal operating said controlled device;
• generating based on said step of passing said control signal, a plurality of signals that identify characteristics of said control signal in said step of passing, based on the control signal's content;
• selecting at least one identifying signal from said plurality of identifying signals based on said step of generating said identifying signals;
• and
• storing said at least one identifying signal based on said step of selecting said at least one identifying signal in said storage device.

A media receiving apparatus for gathering at least one identifying signal from a plurality of identifying signals comprising:

• input apparatus for receiving media signals;
• an output port;
• a storage device;
• a processor operatively connected to said input apparatus, said output port, and said storage device, said processor programmed for:
• receiving a media signal from said input apparatus;
• detecting a control signal from said media signal;
• passing said control signal from said media signal, to said output port, said output port transferring said control signal to an external device, said control signal operating said external device;
• generating said plurality of identifying signals that identify characteristics of said control signal from the step of passing said control signal;
• selecting said at least one identifying signal from said plurality of identifying signals from said step of generating said plurality of identifying signals;
• and
• storing said at least one identifying signal from said step of selecting at least one said identifying signal in said storage device.

A method for tracking results of a comparison of control signals at a receiver station in a communications network, said network having at least one transmitter station and at least one receiver station, said at least one receiver station having at least one processor, at least one storage device, and at least one input device adapted to receive user input, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving at said at least one input device at least one user input based on a request for user input;
• storing said at least one user input at said at least one storage device;
• receiving at said at least one receiver station at least one information transmission from said at least one transmitter station, said at least one information transmission including at least one processor instruction, said processor instruction comprising executable computer code that enables a processor to execute a function;
• comparing said received at least one processor instruction with said stored at least one user input based on said received at least one information transmission;
• authorizing processing at said at least one receiver station of said at least one processor instruction based on the result from said step of comparing;
• and
• tracking a result of said step of comparing, by recording an indication of said result at said at least one storage device and an indication of processing said at least one processor instruction.

A method of processing signals at a receiver station having a computer, a programmable controller, and an output device, said computer being programmed to store user data and communicate information based on said stored user data, said programmable controller being programmed to control said receiver station in response to processor code from a remote supplier, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving processor code;
• (b) detecting said processor code;
• (c) passing a portion of said processor code selectively to a first apparatus;
• (d) executing a portion of said processor code at said programmable controller;
• (e) controlling said computer in accordance with said processor code;
• and
• (f) storing information evidencing the step of passing a portion of said processor code selectively to a first apparatus and evidencing execution of a function performed by or initiated by said first apparatus in consequence of processor code having been passed selectively to said first apparatus.

A method of processing signals at a receiver station, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an information transmission at a receiver station, said information transmission including television programming and a plurality of embedded signals;
• detecting and identifying at least one of said plurality of embedded signals in said information transmission;
• selecting a controllable receiver station apparatus based on information within said at least one identified embedded signal;
• passing said at least one identified embedded signal to or within at least one reprogrammable device at said receiver station;
• controlling said controllable receiver station apparatus based on executable processor code within said at least one identified embedded signal;
• and
• monitoring information evidencing said step of controlling by storing information evidencing said step of passing and information evidencing said step of controlling.

A method of collecting and reporting the electronic distribution of data programming material in a communications network having a transmitter station and a receiver station, said transmitter station having an input device for inputting a command, a processor for distributing said data programming material and collecting billing records and a storage device to store said data programming material, said receiver station having apparatus to receive said billing records, said method comprising the steps of:

• inputting a command at said input device at said transmitter station;
• distributing said data programming material from said storage device at said transmitter station in response to said command from said step of inputting a command;
• creating a billing record comprising user specific data at said transmitter station to evidence use of said data programming material at said transmitter station, said billing record evidencing how said data programming material is used by a subscriber;
• transmitting said billing record from said step of creating a billing record to said receiver station over a data network;
• and
• receiving said billing record from said step of transmitting said billing record at said receiver station from said data network.

A method for collecting and reporting the electronic distribution of programming material in a communication network having a transmitter station and a plurality of receiver stations, said transmitter station having apparatus to collect data from said plurality of receiver stations, each at least one of said plurality of receiver stations having a processor for detecting identification signals and establishing local use of said programming material and a storage device to record said local use of said programming material, said method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting programming material from said transmitter station to a plurality of receiver stations;
• transmitting identification signals that correspond to said programming material transmitted in said step of transmitting programming material;
• and
• receiving automatically from each of said plurality of receiver stations, after local use at said plurality of receiver stations of said programming material transmitted in said step of transmitting programming material, data that reflect local use of said programming material,
• wherein said data include at least a portion of said program identification signals, and time information evidencing when the programming was used.

A method of processing signals at a receiver station, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an information transmission at a receiver station, said information transmission including television programming and a plurality of embedded signals;
• detecting and identifying at least one of said plurality of embedded signals in said information transmission;
• selecting a controllable receiver station apparatus based on information within said at least one identified embedded signal;
• passing said at least one identified embedded signal to or within at least one reprogrammable device at said receiver station;
• controlling said controllable receiver station apparatus based on instructions within said at least one identified embedded signal;
• and
• storing information evidencing said step of controlling,
• wherein the receiver station stores some information that evidences a second passing of said at least one identified embedded signal, and
• wherein a storage device stores data, programming, or one or more control signals and the evidence of said second passing is selected from the group consisting of:
• (a) two or more sources of an embedded signal, with at least one of said sources designating a storage device;
• and
• (b) two or more different times designating an embedded signal, with at least one of said times designating time shifting.

A method of collecting and reporting the electronic distribution of data programming material in a communications network having a transmitter station and a receiver station, said transmitter station having an input device for inputting a command, a processor for distributing said data programming material and collecting billing records and a storage device to store said data programming material, said receiver station having apparatus to receive said billing records, said method comprising the steps of:

• inputting a command at said input device at said transmitter station;
• distributing said data programming material from said storage device at said transmitter station in response to said command from said step of inputting a command;
• creating a billing record at said transmitter station to evidence use of said data programming material at said transmitter station;
• transmitting said billing record from said step of creating a billing record to said receiver station over a data network;
• receiving said billing record from said step of transmitting said billing record at said receiver station from said data network;
• storing said billing record from said step of creating a billing record at said transmitter station to accumulate a plurality of billing records;
• and
• transmitting said plurality of billing records in response to said accumulated plurality of billing records reaching a predetermined amount.