Cable television with controlled signal substitution
Patent 4331974 Issued on May 25, 1982. Estimated Expiration Date: 
October 21, 2000. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
October 21, 2000. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesInventorsAssigneeApplicationNo. 06/199256 filed on 10/21/1980US Classes:725/34, Specific to individual user or household348/729, Television receiver adapted to receive radio broadcast or in combination with radio receiver725/116, Control process725/131, Receiver (e.g., set-top box)725/14By passively monitoring receiver operationExaminersPrimary: Orsino, Joseph A.Assistant: Coles, Edward L. Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassH04N 7/173 (20060101)AbstractA signal substitution system for cable television applies substitute television program signals in at least one substitute channel to the transmission cable along with singal substitution control signals. The signal substitution control signals include a plurality of different terminal command signals and a plurality of different event command signals, each of the terminal command signals including a respective panelist address signal for identifying a respective panelist receiving station, and each of the event command signals including a normal channel identification signal for identifying a normal channel into which a substitute television program is to be switched. A controller at each panelist receiving station responds to the signal substitution control signals by selectively switching a substitute television program into a normal channel. The controller includes a generator of a local panelist address signal and a substitute channel selector for producing a substitute channel select signal corresponding to a substitute channel. A first comparator compares the received panelist address signal of each terminal command signal with the local panelist address signal and produces a first match signal when the signals match. A second comparator compares the received normal channel identification signal with a channel select signal selected by the viewer and produces a second match signal when the signals match. In response to the first and second match signals a substitute channel is substituted for the channel selected by the viewer for a period determined by the signal substitution control signals.Other References
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