Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying programs such as television programs received from various sources detects the occurrence of predetermined events such as scene changes in a video signal and extracts a signature from the video signal. The signatures and the times of occurrence of the signatures are stored and subsequently compared with reference signatures to identify the program. The signatures may be compared in pairs to increase resolution, and the time interval between events or signatures may also be used to identify the program, either by themselves or in conjunction with the signatures.

Abstract: An electronic information dissemination system electronically distributes information such as bulk mailed letters, bills, and other information from one or more sources to each of a plurality of remote stations located in homes or businesses. The system includes individually addressable receiver/decoders at each remote station. Each receiver/decoder has information processing and memory for identifying its distinct address plus a "global" address common to the plurality of remote stations in the system. Information is gathered from various sources at a centrally located data handling station which encodes the data for transmission to the remote stations. The transmission path is provided by an existing communications network such as CATV or a switched telephone system.

Abstract: A technique is provided for monitoring the viewing habits of individuals in selected households. A stationary monitoring unit is provided which cooperates with a portable monitoring unit designed to be worn on the head of the individuals in such household. The stationary monitoring unit includes a transmitter for emitting an activating signal to a receiver on the portable monitoring unit. Such receiver senses the emitted activating signal only if the individual wearing it is looking at the television set. When the activating signal is sensed, it is used to activate a transmitter which emits a signal uniquely identifying the individual wearing it. This signal is emitted to stationary monitoring unit which includes circuitry for recognizing it and storing it in a recorder for later retrieval and analysis.

Abstract: A data transmitter unit (22) for transmitting data over conventional telephone lines (26) from a remote location (24) to a central location (28). The data transmitter unit (22) derives its operational power supply from the telephone lines (26) to which it is interconnected, thereby doing away with the requirement for a separate power supply. The transmitter unit (22) includes ring detect circuitry (46) for detecting a ring signal on the telephone line (26). The ring detect circuitry (46) cooperates with the stand by power supply (38) charged by a charging circuit (36) to energize a logic module (44) and analog converter circuitry (40, 42) which is interconnected to sensors (30, 32). The logic module (44) controls operation of a tone generator (48) which transmits frequency signals representative of the input received from the sensors (30, 32) over the telephone lines (20, 26) to a central location (28).

Abstract: A telephone care system has a line-checking arrangement connected to the line-seizing arrangement and an off-hook detector so as to activate the line-seizing arrangement and send a bad-line signal in the event that the off-hook detector does not provide an off-hook signal when the line has been seized. A preferred embodiment also uses a pilot light as a combined power-on and telephone line status indicator by causing the pilot light to blink in the presence of a bad-line signal. A preferred embodiment also utilizes the off-hook detector for the additional purpose of resetting an inactivity timer, which, on expiration of a predetermined interval of time, triggers an alarm call over the telephone wires.

Abstract: An external control unit for a CATV system has a CPU and a RAM with many kinds of memory maps. Reference data to be stored in the memory maps is transmitted from a central station. When a subscriber requests the tuning of a TV channel for a pay program to a converter tuner, the CPU in the external control unit can work, using the reference data.

Abstract: A workstation (10) for interfacing with a video conferencing network comprises a display (12) which has an internal camera (32) associated therewith. The camera (32) and various auxiliary devices such as a VCR (28) are input to a video switch (52) for selecting a video output. The video output is input to either a monitor (12) and/or to the network through an interface circuit (51). In addition, video can be received from a local processor (42). The monitor (12) operates at two video rates and can be switched therebetween by a CPU (48). The local processor (42) operates at a separate rate from the NTSC video of the monitor (12). A viewfinder (14) having a viewing surface smaller than the monitor (12) is provided as another output on the video switch (52) such that two displays can be received by the user at a given time. A microphone (34) and a speaker (64) are provided and controlled by an audio switch (54 ). This allows a full duplex audio path to exist between the network and the workstation (10).

Abstract: Digital signals of up to four different modes are produced for transmission over an unused television channel in an existing cable television transmission line. No more bandwidth is required than that normally required by a single existing television channel. The various modes of digital signals all include synchronizing signals and service bit signals which are used to address any of the numerous terminals at the receiving side to control access to the various modes of digital signals transmitted over the single channel. By controlling the transmission of the modes to have constant time intervals, which can be selected based upon different sampling times, high quality audio signals may be transmitted or/and data channels or monaural audio signals, all of which may be transmitted over the single cable television transmission line.

Abstract: A system for controlling a cable television network includes a headend, a plurality of addressable external control units having subscriber converters located off the subscribers' premises, and one or more subscriber devices located on the subscriber premises for communicating with associated external control units. The headend can selectively and rapidly poll the external control units for information on a general or on a priority basis. Information is transmitted to the headend from the external control units on any of a plurality of reverse communication channels under control of the head end. External control units use a two-part polling scheme to poll a plurality of associated drop cables, and individual subscriber devices attached to the drop cables. The polling rapidly identifies subscriber devices desiring to communicate with the external control unit.

Abstract: A control and switching device which is installed at a customer's computer (local) site and which links a remote terminal by modems over telephone lines to the system console, the TTO/TTI port and the ALM/IAC port of the host computer, and to a user terminal for remote diagnosis of hardware and software problems is disclosed. The device, which is coupled by separate lines to the modem at the local site, the system console, the user terminal the TTO/TTI port and the ALM/IAC port of the host computer includes a microprocessor a memory, various logic and control circuits and a three position keyswitch. The keyswitch provides a first level of security and limits the type of access allowed by a remote caller. When the switch is in a first position, the caller has no access to the host system. When the switch is in a second position, the remote caller can connect to the ALM/IAC port or communicate with the user terminal but cannot change configuration data.

Abstract: A device having a universal receiver transmitter, a modem, and a mode selector switch. The mode selector switch is used to switch the serial data side of the universal receiver transmitter between the modem and the host terminal whereby the universal modem receiver transmitter can be substituted into a host terminal where a universal receiver transmitter had been located, and the universal modem receiver transmitter can perform the function of the universal receiver transmitter or can perform as a universal receiver transmitter and modem, facilitating data format conversion between formats appropriate to the host terminals parallel data bus and a format appropriate for telephone line data transmission.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying repetitively broadcast programs, such as commercial advertisements broadcast on television and radio, detects the occurrence of predetermined events in a video signal and/or in an audio signal, detects a stability condition and extracts a signature from the video and/or audio signal. The signatures and the times of occurrence of the signatures are stored and subsequently compared with reference signatures to identify the program and its time of broadcast. The reference signatures may be obtained by identifying repetitively extracted, unidentified signatures and indexing a recording of the video and/or audio signals to enable the system user to identify the unidentified broadcast program and store the previously unidentified signatures as additional reference signatures in memory.

Abstract: A CATV addressable converter is provided with a multi-purpose bi-directional data port for transmitting and/or receiving serial digital data. A micro-computer provided within the converter is programmed to make the converter responsive to RF commands transmitted over a television distribution system by an addressing computer or to the digital command signals received from an external device through the data port. The micro-computer coordinates the exchange of data between the converter and the external device to implement several converter functions. The data port provides a means by which an external device can read or alter data stored in the converter memory. This facilitates testing during and after manufacture as well as converter installation and address assignment procedures. The converter port can also be used to establish a communication link between two or more converters. The resulting hard-wire link between the converters prevents a form of piracy prevalent in the CATV industry.

Abstract: A communication apparatus and method designed to interface with a standard, twelve key, dual tone, multiple frequency telephone, which allows easy, non-verbal entry of a message. Although particularly designed for use by the hearing and/or speech impaired with a dual tone telephone, the apparatus is equally adapted for use with practically any communication network where a keyboard with a limited number of keys is utilized and ambiguity resolution necessary. Generally speaking, the apparatus is connected to the earpiece of a receiving telephone and includes a tone pickup and decoder, a pre-programmed microcomputer and a message display panel. The message sender depresses a single key which corresponds to the alphabetic letter in the word being sent - because most keys on a telephone represent three letters, such a word is ambiguous when sent. The apparatus receives the ambiguous word and resolves the ambiguity in favor of a preprogrammed word which is displayed to the person receiving the message.

Abstract: A security system arrangement utilizing a standard PBX for monitoring a plurality of concurrently administrable guard tours. A control processor of the PBX administers the security monitoring processing operation. This processing operation monitors the activities of tour guards as the guards progress through one or more tours. In particular, a programmable memory defines a plurality of tours. Each tour comprises a finite list of sequentially defined checkpoints where each checkpoint is a designated conventional station set of the PBX. A security controller activates the security system by "dialing" the appropriate feature code at a central control facility, such as an attendant console. The security controller than selects one or more the available tours by "dialing" a tour code. Following the selection and activation of a tour, a tour guard "dials" a check-in code at each checkpoint and progresses sequentially through the checkpoints contained in the list comprising the selected tour or tours.

Abstract: A wireless phone system comprises a master phone unit connectable to a telephoneline, and a wireless phone receiver connectable to the master phone unit, the wireless phone receiver comprising a computer circuit for processing data as a computer, a wireless circuit for wirelessly transmitting information including the computer data, microphone means for inputting sound information, speaker means for outputing the sound information, and switching means for selecting whether the microphone means and the speaker means are connected with the computer circuit, or not. The master phone unit has a computer circuit.

Abstract: A telephonic data communications system provides verbal communication of data in remote computer systems. The major components of the systems are a plurality of channels and a data processor. Each channel includes a text-to-speech translator for translating digitally stored textual data into analogue speech signals corresponding to the verbal expression of the textual data; a telephone interface for establishing a telephonic connection with a caller; and an RS232 port for accessing a data base in a remote host computer system. The data processor includes software for controlling the communications protocols used by each channel, whereby each channel emulates a computer terminal suitable for communication with the remote computer system connected to that channel, and software for extracting selected data from the data received from the remote computer system.

Abstract: A switching apparatus is proposed which automatically switches between a telephone set connected to a telephone line and a terminal device for data communication in accordance with a signal sent through the telephone line. When an incoming call signal is detected, the telephone lines are engaged with the telephone set, and a response signal is sent out onto the telephone line. Thereafter, when a control signal or the like is received by the switching apparatus, the terminal device is automatically engaged with the telephone line. When the control signal is not sent to the switching apparatus, the called party can communicate with the calling party when the telephone set is set in the off-hook state.

Abstract: Letters and a space are assigned to numeric keys of a pushphone. A desired numeral, letter or space is transmitted by depressing a corresponding numeric key a predetermined number of times, and thereafter a specific symbol key is depressed. At a reception side, a transmitted letter is detected in accordance with the corresponding numeric key code and the data representing the number of times of depression of the corresponding numeric key. An alphanumeric character string is thus displayed.

Abstract: A data gathering system includes a plurality of remote units which are controlled from a central location. Each of the remote units is attached to a television receiver which is generally but not necessarily attached to a cable system. Each of the remote units can function to determine which of several TV modes is in use as well as to store TV channel selector data, data from an optical input device, and/or data input by viewers representative of the composition of the viewing audience. The data is stored for either later collection by a portable data collector, or for direct transmission to the central location. A video message for a TV viewer, such as a survey, may be transmitted from the central location and stored at the remote units, for later display on the TV receiver associated with the remote units. Substitution of alternate programming information may also be achieved by the central control point on selected of the remote units.