Signal processing apparatus and methods

A method of signal processing in a network including a transmission station, a receiver station and a remote station physically distinct from said receiver station, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal at a transmission station;
• generating a plurality of messages, one or more of said plurality of messages being effective to enable a receiver station to automatically generate a portion of a television signal by processing data received in an information segment in said plurality of messages when received at the receiver station, to enable said receiver station to assemble a signal record by processing contents of a message segment, and to enable said receiver station to transmit to said remote station data received in a plurality of said messages;
• and
• transmitting said plurality of messages from said transmission station to said receiver station.

A method of signal processing at one of a transmitter station and a first receiver station, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal to be transmitted;
• receiving an instruct signal which is effective to:
• generate a plurality of messages at said first receiver station, wherein at least one of said plurality of messages being effective to enable a second receiver station to generate some portion of a television signal by processing data received in an information segment, assemble a signal by processing contents of a message segment, and transmit to a remote station data received in said plurality of messages;
• receiving a transmitter control signal from a remote source which operates at said transmitter station to communicate said instruct signal and said signal to a transmitter;
• and
• transmitting said signal, said instruct signal and said transmitter control signal.

A method of programming a plurality of processors in a communications network having at least one transmitter station and a plurality of receiver stations, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating a plurality of different elements or fields, each element or field comprising an instruction to identify a structure, format or composition of information included in a message;
• organizing a plurality of message components in a sequence including code to be directed to said plurality of processors, said sequence including said plurality of different elements or fields, said plurality of message components in said sequence with said code and said plurality of different elements or fields comprising the message;
• embedding said message into an information transmission including one or more of (1) a message stream, (2) video, and (3) audio;
• transmitting said information transmission to said plurality of receiver stations;
• detecting said message at one or more of said plurality of receiver stations;
• controlling said plurality of receiver stations based on said message, said step of controlling comprising:
• (1) processing one or more first elements or fields in said message to determine a structure of said message;
• (2) processing one or more second elements or fields in said message to locate a processor instruction in said message;
• (3) processing one or more third elements or fields in said message to determine a format of said information included in said message;
• and
• (4) directing said code to at least one of said plurality of processors;
• and
• programming said plurality of processors with different processor instructions based on said message.

A method of composing and transmitting a message in order to program a plurality of processors at a receiver station, said method comprising the steps of:

• selecting code to be directed to said plurality of processors;
• generating one or more first elements or fields to identify a structure of said message;
• generating one or more second elements or fields to identify one or more processor instructions in said message;
• generating one or more third elements or fields to identify a data format in said message;
• organizing said selected code in sequence with a plurality of message components, said sequence including said generated first, second and third elements or fields, said selected code organized in said sequence with said plurality of message components and said generated first, second, and third elements or fields comprising said message;
• and
• embedding said organized sequence into an information transmission, said information transmission including one or more of (1) a message stream, (2) video, and (3) audio;
• and
• transmitting said information transmission.

A method of programming a plurality of processors at a receiver station including:

• receiving an information transmission including code and a control signal;
• detecting said code and said control signal;
• controlling said plurality of receiver stations based on said control signal, said step of controlling comprising:
• (1) processing one or more first elements or fields in said control signal to determine a data structure;
• (2) processing one or more second elements or fields in said control signal to invoke a predetermined processor instruction;
• (3) processing one or more third elements or fields in said control signal to determine a data format;
• and
• (4) directing said code to said plurality of processors;
• and
• programming different ones of said plurality of processors with different processor instructions based on said code.

A method of programming a plurality of processors at a receiver station including:

• receiving an information transmission including code and a control signal, said code comprises at least some of an operating system;
• detecting said code and said control signal;
• controlling said plurality of receiver stations based on said control signal, said step of controlling comprising:
• (1) processing one or more first elements or fields in said control signal to determine a data structure;
• (2) processing one or more second elements or fields in said control signal to invoke a predetermined processor instruction;
• (3) processing one or more third elements or fields in said control signal to determine a data format;
• and
• (4) directing said code to said plurality of processors;
• selecting at least one of said plurality of processors to program;
• programming different ones of said plurality of processors with different processor instructions based on said code, and
• storing said at least some of an operating system at a memory operatively connected to said selected at least one of said plurality of processors.

A method of signal processing comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal including a plurality of messages, said messages having different data formats;
• detecting a message having a plurality of segments;
• identifying at least one of said plurality of segments on the basis of a header;
• determining the length of each individual segment of said at least one of said plurality of segments by processing a predetermined message field;
• transferring data included in each message to a plurality of processors with at least two of said plurality of processors processing different portions of said message;
• and
• generating a portion of a television signal by processing information included in said plurality of messages.

A method of processing information by delivering a plurality of messages to at least one of a plurality of receiver stations from a transmitter station, comprising the steps of:

• receiving said plurality of messages, said plurality of messages having different data formats and including a length token or format field;
• receiving a control signal from a remote source which, when processed by a processor at said transmitter station, causes said transmitter station to communicate for transmission said plurality of messages to a transmitter associated with said transmitter station according to a schedule;
• and
• transmitting said plurality of messages from said transmitter associated with said transmitter station, said at least one of a plurality of receiver stations receiving said plurality of messages, identifying at least one of a plurality of message segments of at least one of said plurality of messages, and determining a length or format of at least one of said message segments by processing said length token or format field.

A method of composing and transmitting an information transmission including a message stream to program and control a receiver station, said receiver station having one or more processors and a memory operatively connected to said one or more processors, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating a first message including multiple elements of fixed length, said first message including an information segment including an instruction set;
• generating a second message including multiple elements of fixed length, said second message comprising a command;
• firstly embedding said first message in said information transmission;
• subsequently embedding said second message in said information transmission, said first message firstly and said second message subsequently being embedded in said message stream;
• and
• transmitting said information transmission, said information transmission causing said at least one processor of said one or more processors of said receiver station to be programmed with processor instructions based on at least one of said first message and said second message.

A method of processing information by delivering a plurality of messages to at least one of a plurality of receiver stations, comprising the steps of:

• (1) receiving said plurality of messages, said plurality of messages having different data formats;
• (2) receiving a control signal which, when processed by a processor at a transmitter station, causes the transmitter station to communicate said plurality of messages to a transmitter;
• and
• (3) transmitting said plurality of messages at specific times according to a schedule, said plurality of messages effective to cause said at least one of a plurality of receiver stations to generate some portion of a video or audio signal by processing data received in an information segment of at least one of said plurality of messages, to process a portion of the data received in the information segment based on an element or field which operates at at least one of a plurality of receiver stations to identify a data structure or format of at least one of said plurality of messages, and to determine whether a condition exists at said receiver station based on said processing of the portion of the data received.

A method of signal processing comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal including a plurality of embedded messages, said messages having different data formats;
• detecting a message having a plurality of segments;
• identifying one or more message segments on the basis of a header;
• generating some portion of a television signal by processing data received in an information segment;
• transferring said portion of a television signal to a television monitor for display;
• assembling a signal record by processing contents of a message segment;
• and
• transmitting to a remote station data received in a plurality of said messages.

A method of controlling a specific processor in a communications network having at least one transmitter station and one or more receiver stations, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating a first digital sequence specifying a control function of a plurality of control functions executable by the specific processor;
• generating a second digital sequence specifying a condition which must exist;
• organizing said first and second digital sequences into a command, said command including an element or field which operates at said receiver station to identify a data structure or format;
• embedding said command into an information transmission including one or more of (1) a message stream, (2) video, and (3) audio;
• transmitting said information transmission to said one or more receiver stations;
• detecting said command at said one or more receiver stations;
• processing a portion of said detected command based on said element or field;
• determining whether said condition exists at said receiver station based on said step of processing said portion;
• executing said control function of the plurality of control functions executable by the specific processor if said condition exists at said receiver station;
• and
• controlling said specific processor in accordance with said control function.

A method of processing information by delivering a plurality of messages to at least one of a plurality of receiver stations, said method comprising the steps of:

• (1) receiving said plurality of messages, said plurality of messages having different data formats;
• (2) receiving a control signal from a remote source which, when processed by a processor at a transmitter station, causes the transmitter station to communicate said plurality of messages to a transmitter, said plurality of messages communicated to the transmitter at specific times according to a schedule;
• and
• (3) transmitting said plurality of messages, wherein said plurality of messages is effective to cause said at least one of a plurality of receiver stations to generate assemble at least a portion of a television signal based on the plurality of messages and to control a plurality of devices.

A method of processing information by delivering a plurality of messages to at least one of a plurality of receiver stations, said method comprising the steps of:

• (1) receiving said plurality of messages, said plurality of messages having different data formats;
• (2) receiving a control signal from a remote source which operates at a transmitter station to communicate said plurality of messages to a transmitter, said control signal comprising a schedule;
• and
• (3) transmitting said plurality of messages, wherein said plurality of messages is effective to cause said at least one of a plurality of receiver stations to generate at least a portion of a television signal and to control a plurality of devices.

A method of processing information by delivering a plurality of messages to at least one of a plurality of receiver stations, comprising the steps of:

• receiving said plurality of messages, said plurality of messages having different data formats;
• receiving a control signal from a remote source which, when processed by a processor at a transmitter station, causes the transmitter station to communicate said plurality of messages to a transmitter according to a schedule;
• transmitting said plurality of messages, said at least one of a plurality of receiver stations receiving said plurality of messages, identifying one or more of a plurality of segments of at least one of said plurality of messages, and determining a length of a message segment by processing at least one of a token, field, and distinctive signal;
• and
• enabling said at least one of a plurality of receiver stations to process user input based on the content of said plurality of segments.

A method of programming a plurality of processors in a communications network having at least one transmitter station and a plurality of receiver stations, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating a message including multiple elements of both fixed and variable length, including a plurality of variable length elements, each variable length element including at least one instruction and having at least one of an internal length token, and a following end of file signal;
• embedding said message into an information transmission including one or more of a message stream, video, and audio;
• transmitting said information transmission to said plurality of receiver stations;
• receiving said information transmission at said plurality of receiver stations;
• detecting said message in said information transmission;
• processing one or more portions of said detected message, said one or more portions including control information;
• selecting said plurality of variable length elements in said detected message on the basis of said processing of said portions;
• directing to a first processor information included in a first of said plurality of variable length elements;
• directing to a second processor information included in a second of said plurality of variable length elements;
• and
• programming said first and second processors to process in accordance with different instructions included in said message.

A method of programming a plurality of processors in a communications network having at least one transmitter station and a plurality of receiver stations, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating a message including multiple elements of both fixed and variable length, including a plurality of variable length elements, each variable length element including at least one instruction and having at least one of an internal length token, and a following end of file signal, said message includes operating system instructions;
• embedding said message into an information transmission including one or more of a message stream, video, and audio;
• transmitting said information transmission to said plurality of receiver stations;
• transmitting to at least one of said plurality of receiver stations an identifier designating at least one of said first and second processors;
• receiving said information transmission at said plurality of receiver stations;
• detecting said message in said information transmission;
• processing one or more portions of said detected message, said one or more portions including control information;
• selecting said plurality of variable length elements in said detected message on the basis of said processing of said portions;
• directing to said first processor information included in a first of said plurality of variable length elements;
• directing to a second processor information included in a second of said plurality of variable length elements;
• and
• programming said first and second processors to process in accordance with different instructions included in said message;
• wherein said first and second processors are different from each other.

A method of composing and transmitting a message stream in order to program a plurality of processors at a receiver station, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating at least one fixed length message element including specific cadence information which operates at said receiver station to execute one or more preprogrammed operating instructions;
• generating a plurality of variable length message elements, each variable length element including at least one instruction and having at least one of an internal length token, and an associated signal designating a file, said plurality of variable length message elements including instructions directed to different ones of said plurality of processors;
• organizing said generated at least one fixed length message element and said generated plurality of variable length message elements in a sequence, said at least one fixed length message element and said generated plurality of variable length message elements in said sequence comprising said message stream;
• embedding said message stream into an information transmission including at least one of a graphic, video, and audio;
• and transmitting said information transmission.

A method of programming a plurality of processors at a receiver station including:

• receiving an information transmission including an embedded message, said message including multiple elements of both fixed and variable length, including a plurality of variable length elements, each variable length element including at least one instruction and having at least one of an internal length token, and an associated signal designating a file, said message including cadence information in a specific sequence, said cadence information including said at least one of an internal length token
• detecting said message in said information transmission;
• processing said cadence information at a control processor;
• selecting said plurality of variable length elements in said detected message on the basis of said cadence information;
• directing information included in a first of said plurality of variable length elements to a first processor;
• directing information included in a second of said plurality of variable length elements to a second processor;
• and
• programming said first and second processors to process in accordance with different instructions included in said message.