Interactive video method and apparatus
Patent 4807031 Issued on February 21, 1989. Estimated Expiration Date: 
October 20, 2007. 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 20, 2007. 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. 07/112713 filed on 10/20/1987US Classes:348/460, DIVERSE DEVICE CONTROLLED BY INFORMATION EMBEDDED IN VIDEO SIGNAL348/473, Including additional information398/118OPTICAL COMMUNICATION OVER FREEE SPACEExaminersPrimary: Groody, James J.Assistant: Parker, Michael D. Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassesG09B 5/00 (20060101)G09B 5/06 (20060101) H04N 7/08 (20060101) H04N 7/00 (20060101) A63H 30/00 (20060101) A63H 30/04 (20060101) A63F 9/00 (20060101) AbstractMethod and apparatus for in-band, video broadcasting of commands to interactive devices are described. Control data are encoded by subliminally modulating, prior to the remote, composite video broadcast of video program material, a selected sequence of video image fields. The resulting modulated video fields within the viewing area of a television, each having alternately, proportionately raised and lowered luminance horizontal scan lines, are monitored by a light sensitive device positioned adjacent the user's television screen. A semirigid, twisted pair cable connects the device to nearby receiver/transmitter electronics that discriminate the binary data from the program material and amplitude modulate a high frequency infrared (IR) carrier with the data. Interactive devices, e.g. educational aids or action toys, within range of the wireless IR transmission detect energy in this frequency range, decode the commands embedded in the control data, and selectively execute predetermined actions in response to the data-encoded broadcast. In a proposed modification, low radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation emanating from the television's raster scan electronics is coupled by a conventional RF antenna to the receiver electronics, which identically discriminate the binary data, from the program material, for transmission to the interactive devices.Other References
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