Patents by Inventor Timothy D. Rea

Timothy D. Rea has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method and apparatus for television signal scrambling using vertical sync replacement
    Patent number: 6477253
    Abstract: A method and device for scrambling video signals for broadcast in a proprietary television system includes modifying the vertical or horizontal synchronization pulses of the video signal to prevent unauthorized viewers from properly displaying the programming content. Preferably, the vertical sync pulses are removed from the signal prior to broadcast and replaced with horizontal sync pulses. A descrambler used with the receiving television uses the manner in which the false horizontal sync pulses were inserted into the video signal to recreate a sufficient approximation of the vertical sync pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy D. Rea, Alfred W. Stufflet, Kevin T. Chang