초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for verifying the proper airing of television programs having a digital identification code recorded on a preselected scan line which is not normally visible to the television viewer. A plurality of television channels are automatically simultaneously monitored by a primary mo

A method and apparatus for verifying the proper airing of television programs having a digital identification code recorded on a preselected scan line which is not normally visible to the television viewer. A plurality of television channels are automatically simultaneously monitored by a primary monitoring system at a site 30 within the reception area and broadcast encoded programs are identified and timed and appraised as to their audio and video signal quality. The information generated is stored locally for later comparison with centrally stored 62 information specifying the programs that should have been aired. Each of the channels is sequentially monitored for a preselected fixed time interval, which depends on the number of channels being monitored, under the control of a programmable sequential controller 54. A secondary monitoring system is provided for use as a backup or for monitoring cable channels. Means 74 responsive to a code recorded in the program signal are provided for locally recording the final portion of the program.

대표청구항 ▼

In a method for automatically idnetifying and verifying the proper transmission of bought airings of television programs having a composite signal including a video information signal each having a unique identification code recorded in a preselected line of the video information signal which progra

In a method for automatically idnetifying and verifying the proper transmission of bought airings of television programs having a composite signal including a video information signal each having a unique identification code recorded in a preselected line of the video information signal which programs are transmitted at various times over a plurality of channels for reception within a geographical area, the improvement comprising the steps of: (a) receiving the composite signals of said plurality of channels; (b) periodically scanning said channels at a predetermined repetition rate with each channel being sampled for a preselected time interval in each period to detect the presence of one of said identification codes, said time interval being determined as a function of the number of channels being monitored and the length of said period; (c) separating each of said identification codes from the composite signals received on said channels; (d) detecting the color burst and audio quality for the composite signals including an identification code; (e) generating a time signal and a channel identification signal; (f) forming and storing verified airings information for each transmission of each of said programs including information specifying the identification code, time, duration, channel, and color burst and audio quality of said program.