Television receiver location identification

We claim:

1. A system for broadcasting and receiving location specific data comprising

a transmitter operable to transmit a succession of information segments containing information of potential interest to subsets of users of the general broadcast system, said transmitter being operable to broadcast generally said information segments;

means for inserting a variable location designation code into at least one of said information segments, whereby the information segments may be associated with at least one of a designated point, area and volume to which the variable location designation code relates;

at least one receiver, operable to decode the successive information segments including the location designation codes thereof, the receiver being coupled to a memory for storing a variable location selection code, identifying at least one of a selected point, area and volume that may overlap said at least one designated point, area and volume for respective said information segments;

wherein the receiver comprises an input means coupled to the memory for loading said location selection code, whereby the location selection code is changeable, means for comparing the location selection code loaded in the memory to the location designation code decoded from the successive information segments, and for identifying an overlap, and means for processing selected ones of the information segments as a function of said overlap.

2. The system for broadcasting and receiving location specific data according to claim 1, wherein the information segments are encoded in at least one of audio, video, digital data, subcarrier data, and data embedded in the one of said audio or video signal.

3. The system for broadcasting and receiving location specific data according to claim 2, wherein the digital data is encoded in the vertical blanking interval of a video signal.

4. The system for broadcasting and receiving location specific data according to claim 1, wherein the transmission is effected over a community cable distribution system.

5. The system for broadcasting and receiving location specific data according to claim 1, wherein the transmission is effected as an over-the-air broadcast system.

6. The system for broadcasting and receiving location specific data according to claim 1, wherein the transmission is effected over a data network.

7. The system for broadcasting and receiving location specific data according to claim 1, wherein the transmission is effected over a common carrier.

8. The system for broadcasting and receiving location specific data according to claim 1, wherein said means for inserting said location designation code in the information segments is functionally coupled to a plurality of receivers forming a subnetwork of a larger broadcast network.

9. The system for broadcasting and receiving location specific data according to claim 1, further comprising conversion means associated with at least one of the transmitter and receiver, the conversion means being operable to translate at least one of the location designation code and the location selection code between two representations of location, such that said at least one of the location designation code and the location selection code can be inserted and stored, respectively, in different formats, and converted to a same format for comparison.

10. The system for broadcasting and receiving location specific data according to claim 9, wherein said conversion means is operable to translate between absolute and relative geographic coordinates.

11. The system for broadcasting and receiving location specific data according to claim 9, further comprising a memory, wherein said conversion means is operable to translate between alternate codes and geographic coordinates.

12. The system for broadcasting and receiving location specific data according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is operationally coupleable to a position reporting device including at least one of a lateral position encoding unit and an altitude encoding unit.

13. The system for broadcasting and receiving location specific data according to claim 12, wherein the geographic reporting unit comprises at least one of a Global Positioning System unit and a Long Distance Radio Navigation System (LDRAN) unit.

14. A method for processing location specific data transmitted on a general broadcast system, comprising:

transmitting a succession of information segments containing information of potential interest to subsets of users of the general broadcast system;

transmitting at least one location designation code containing information designating at least a geographical point to which one of said information segments relates, the location designation code being variable and the information segments relating, respectively, to a plurality of different geographical points;

encoding in a data processor at least a point of interest to a user of the general broadcast system, using at least one geographical coordinate which defines at least one location selection code;

receiving the information segments at a receiver coupled to the data processor, and comparing the location selection code with the location designation code via the data processor to determine an overlap thereof, the overlap identifying at least one particular information segment from the succession of information segments as an information segment of interest; and,

processing the information segment of interest for presentation to the user.

15. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 14, comprising representing at least one of the location designation code and the location selection code by an alternate code representing a location.

16. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 15, further comprising including in said alternate code at least one of a street address, a telephone number, a postal code, a block designation, a political subdivision and an informal geographic subdivision.

17. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the location selection code and the location designation code specifies a region having an area, and determining said overlap by at least a part of the other of said at least one of the location selection code and the location designation code falling in the region.

18. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 14, further comprising accepting input from the user to the data processor for at least partly defining the location selection code, whereby the location selection code is variable.

19. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 14, further comprising filtering the information segment and rejecting information segments which are not of interest.

20. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 14, comprising at least one of preferentially storing and preferentially displaying to the user the information segment as a function of a relationship between the location designation code and the location selection code.

21. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 14, comprising transmitting the location designation code to align with the information segments in real time, and further comprising said receiving, comparing and processing of the information segment in real time.

22. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 14, comprising transmitting the location designation code for an information segment prior to transmission of the information segment to which the location designation code refers, and referencing the information segment to the location designation code when receiving, comparing and processing the information segment.

23. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 14, comprising defining more than one location of interest for at least one of the location designation code and the location selection code.

24. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 14, comprising at least partly defining at least one of the location designation code and the location selection code as a border of a region.

25. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 24, wherein the at least one of the location designation code and the location selection code defines a plurality of borders bounding the respective region.

26. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 14, wherein each of the information segments has an individual location designation code.

27. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 14, wherein the location selection code identifies a plurality of locations, and further comprising prioritizing processing of information segments based upon a function of a relationship between the location designation code and the location selection code, for preferentially processing information segments referring to at least one of said locations over others of said locations.

28. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 14, wherein the at least one information segment represents a localized hazard warning.

29. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 14, wherein the at least one information segment represents a localized offer of an opportunity.

30. A method for processing location specific data transmitted on a general broadcast system, comprising:

transmitting a succession of information segments containing information of potential interest to subsets of users of the general broadcast system;

transmitting at least one location designation code containing information designating at least a geographical point to which one of said information segments relates;

encoding in a data processor at least a point of interest to a user of the general broadcast system, using at least one geographical coordinate which defines at least one location selection code;

receiving the information segments at a receiver coupled to the data processor, and comparing the location selection code with the location designation code via the data processor to determine an overlap thereof defining at least one particular information segment as an information segment of interest; and,

processing the information segment of interest for presentation to the user; and,

employing an identification of lateral position and elevation for at least one of the location designation code and the location selection code.

31. A method for processing location specific data transmitted on a general broadcast system, comprising:

transmitting a succession of information segments containing information of potential interest to subsets of users of the general broadcast system;

transmitting at least one location designation code containing information designating at least a geographical point to which one of said information segments relates;

encoding in a data processor at least a point of interest to a user of the general broadcast system, using at least one geographical coordinate which defines at least one location selection code;

receiving the information segments at a receiver coupled to the data processor, and comparing the location selection code with the location designation code via the data processor to determine an overlap thereof defining at least one particular information segment as an information segment of interest; and,

processing the information segment of interest for presentation to the user; and,

operating a position reporting device at least temporarily to determine a code representing a location of the user, and entering said code into the data processor to at least partly define said location selection code.

32. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 31, wherein the position reporting device comprises at least one of a geographic reporting unit operable to determine longitude and latitude, and an altitude sensing unit operable to determine elevation.

33. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 32, wherein the altitude sensing unit comprises a barometer for providing an air pressure reading to the input means, and further comprising transmitting a normalized ambient pressure in at least one of said information segments, and converting said air pressure reading to an elevation as a function of said air pressure reading and said normalized ambient pressure.

34. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 32, wherein the geographic reporting unit comprises at least one of a Global Positioning System unit and a Long Distance Radio Navigation System (LDRAN) unit.

35. The method for processing location specific data according to claim 31, wherein the receiver is movable and further comprising sensing the location of the user at least intermittently to at least partly define a varying location selection code.

36. An apparatus for location specific processing of generally broadcast data, the data including successive information units containing respective location designation codes that are variable among the successive information units, comprising:

means for receiving successive information units, coupled to a memory operable to store a location selection code;

an input means coupled to the memory for loading said location selection code;

means for comparing the location selection code from the input means with the location designation codes of the successive information units as received by said means for receiving, and identifying an overlap;

means for processing selected ones of the information units as a function of said overlap.

37. The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the input means includes switch means for manual operation by a user.

38. The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the input means comprises an automatic location sensor.

39. The apparatus according to claim 38 wherein the automatic location sensor is associated with a mobile unit, and is operable to update said location selection code.

40. The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the input means is coupleable to a position reporting device comprising at least one of a geographic reporting unit operable to determine longitude and latitude, and an altitude sensing unit operable to determine elevation.

41. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the geographic reporting unit comprises at least one of a Global Positioning System unit and a Long Distance Radio Navigation System (LDRAN) unit.

42. The apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising conversion means being operable to translate at least one of the location designation code and the selection code between two representations of location, whereby the location designation code and the selection code are compared after conversion using a same format.

43. The apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said conversion means is operable to translate between absolute and relative geographic coordinates.

44. The apparatus according to claim 42, further comprising a memory, wherein said conversion means is operable to translate between alternate codes and geographic coordinates.

Description Submit all comments and votes

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention

This invention relates to encoding an identification of a receiving unit associated with a television, radio or other receiver, or terminal coupled to an information distribution network, to enable the receiver or terminal to select desired data from a generally broadcast stream of information and/or programming. This form of receiver or terminal may include a data processor incorporated in a receiver for showing audio and/or video information, or may be a separate unit, the typical application being a separate set top interface unit which is coupled between the source of a television broadcast signal (e.g., via cable) and a television for displaying the video and audio information on a selected channel.

2. Prior Art

In the past, a set-top unit was rendered distinct from other set-top units coupled to a distribution network, if it was distinct at all, by a unique serial number ("unique ID"), such as discussed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,404--Bullock et al, by assignment of a unique frequency or other dedicated channel means, as discussed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,477--Lovett, or by another aspect which allows the set-top unit to process information directed to it and to ignore information directed to other set-top units on the distribution network. Alternatively, the set-top unit could be provided with decryption means which was lacking in other units, thereby distinguishing at least a subset of set-top units such as subscribers to a premium cable channel or the like. This uniqueness of the set-top unit allowed for services such as pay-for-play, subscription services, and digital information subscriptions to be directed by unique ID, frequency, and the like to the paying subscribers, while other subscribers who declined such services could remain coupled to the network but could not process the respective signal.

However, if services need to distributed according to a class of subscribers other than those addressed by their unique identifiers, channels or hardware, it is not readily possible to distinguish among the set-top units such that some can decode the broadcast and others ignore it. For example, there is no way to use pre-ordained distinctions of this type as a means to direct broadcast messages to classes of subscribers based on selected locations, unless the locations are cross referenced to the unique identifier or the like, which is cumbersome. For information services, video messages and various other uses, it would be desirable to allow a user of a set-top unit to filter information from the service based upon proximity of the user to the service, or based on the user's selection of a location which may be or may include an area remote from the unit, which otherwise is of interest to the user. Examples of other locations of interest could include, for example, a place of business, a travel destination or route, the location of a loved one, or other location.

The present invention provides a means for identifying a television receiver or the like based on location, and also for encoding other location information, whereby generally broadcast messages or programming can be filtered and processed by only the users having an interest in the information due to proximity. In this respect, the encoding of information applies both to location specific digital information contained in the broadcast, and location selection information which is preferably input to the system by the user, including but not limited to the location of the receiver itself.

Transmission of digital information over existing carriers as a supplement to conventional broadcasting has been available for many years. Examples are such systems as TeleText and closed captioning. These systems all use custom decoders to make a limited amount of specific information available to users having a custom decoder. The information is broadcast to all receivers, but only the subscribers can use it. Typically the amount of data transmitted is limited by the fact that the digital information is embedded in a single channel with the general broadcast. For example, TeleText and closed captioning are typically encoded during the vertical retrace period of the video signal. A single line of text characters, or at most a screen of text characters, are stored and displayed.

Alternative methods for limiting access to information and/or the ability to process the information include the use of entitlement messages (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,866--Williams), unique message identification (U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,372--McCalley), frequency multiplexing (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,677,686--Hustig and 4,450,477--Lovett), and encryption (U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,921--Guillou). Although these devices permit selection of a subset of users who can use a generally broadcast message, their application to filtering information based upon arbitrary locations or ranges of locations are limited due to the need to define locations and to convert such information into the very different methods by which the users are rendered distinct from one another.

Limitations of the prior art techniques for distinguishing users with respect to selected locations or proximities are inherent in the type of distinguishing techniques used. For example, when entitlement messages are used, an entitlement message for every receiver must be transmitted at least once before the message, thus requiring considerable bandwidth to enable receipt of public safety and information broadcasts which are to be sent to a large group of users. Unique message identification requires transmission of multiple copies of the same information, each copy possessing a unique ID or addressing code for decoding by one user. Frequency multiplexing requires modulation and broadcast of information on multiple channel frequencies, which is useful for distinguishing relatively large groups but cannot be applied practically to distinguish users down to useful differences in location, even assuming that local multiplexing and frequency conversion equipment is provided to accomplish the encoding. Encryption also requires either broadcasting multiple copies of the same information encrypted with the various keys possessed by the receivers, or addressed broadcasting of new encryption keys to individual users every time a different subset of users is to be selected. Moreover, known location distinctions are limited to the location of the receiver and are inapplicable to arbitrary ranges of proximity, selection via a plurality of geographic locations and/or areas of interest, and the like, which would enable generally broadcast information to be filtered for geographically pertinent information.

It is known to attempt to activate receivers in the event of an emergency broadcast (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,955--Belcher). However, such systems provide no selectivity based upon the location of the receiver, which is activated in a general broadcast mode. It is also known to attempt to limit processing of information to particular subscribers having a certain zip code or state code (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,404--Bullock et al). However, these invariable geographic definitions lack the versatility of arbitrarily defined areas, and the specificity of more localized location identifications that could render an information distribution system useful for local commercial offers and the like.

Providing for selective broadcast using any of the methods of frequency multiplexing, encryption, message identification and the like, requires that the broadcaster maintain a catalog of all of the relevant receiver frequencies, encryption codes, or unique IDs. This catalog is limited to the location of the receiver. An inaccurate catalog can result in customer dissatisfaction with respect to general services at a minimum. When public safety information is broadcast, omission of customers can result in personal injury, property loss, or even fatalities. In addition to social responsibility issues, the broadcaster who attempts to define a subset of specific users at risk may provide a false sense of security. On the other hand, a set-top unit that can determine its own location (by a variety of methods) or can respond to a designation of arbitrary locations, immediately and accurately receives the geographically targeted information which the user requires.

According to the present invention, a processor is coupled between a receiver operable to display, record or play back information, and monitors digital information encoding location identifiers in a general broadcast signal. This arrangement allows the generally broadcast information to be filtered for locations in a variety of ways, and these ways preferably are embodied in applications routines to which users have access. There is currently no system capable of selectively providing user services based on user definable geographic locations in the manner discussed herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to enable identification of receivers to selectively process generally broadcast data or programming, by means of encoding arbitrary position information respecting one or both of the content of the generally broadcast information and the area of interest of a user of the receiver. In this context, a "receiver" is construed to include a variety of tuner-equipped devices such as television receivers, VCRs, cable interface boxes and the like, whereby a signal is selected.

According to a preferred embodiment, a set-top receiver such as a cable interface device or the like includes a processor, or at least a comparator, which is encoded at least with its own geographic location, e.g., via latitude, longitude, and preferably altitude. The receiver is coupled to an input means enabling the location to be changed and stored in a memory coupled thereto. The input means can include switch means operable by the user. This information can be rendered accurate to a few meters. The position of the receiver, and presumably the user thereof, is used by the associated digital information processor to determine the relevance of generally broadcast information which it receives. This information preferably includes digital information and may include, for example, offers of commercial services that are location specific, public or legal notices targeted to a specific area, public safety and emergency information notices, and many other forms of information which the end user may wish to examine. Similar information which applies to locations in which the user is not interested can be ignored by the processor.

To a large extent, position information is applied to a certain area by encoding and/or calculating X and Y borderlines in one or more polygons defining an area of interest. According to the invention, normal spatial coordinates such as latitude and longitude are preferably extended to include altitude. This is of particular interest for concerns such as emergency weather information because flood warnings, icing conditions and rain/snow boundaries are often related to altitude. For example, a flood warning may be of grave importance to a user at a low elevation adjacent to a river or other watercourse, but may be of less importance to someone whose latitude/longitude coordinates are even closer to the watercourse, but whose elevation precludes any danger under the circumstances.

The geographic position and altitude of the area (or volume) of interest can be defined more or less specifically, depending on the information which is being sifted by the data processor. For many types of messages, a general area designation may suffice. Preferably, however, the geographic definition can be made quite specific, which renders the invention useful for information which may apply for a limited area such as a neighborhood, a city block, or even a particular residence. Furthermore, the user is not limited to an area of interest definition which includes the location of the receiver, and additionally can select information at a range of distances from the receiver, at a location remote from the receiver, along a route between arbitrary points, and the like.

The invention overcomes problems with known receiver selection or access controlling systems to enable a wide variety of uses of broadcast information which is most usefully interpreted by its geographical relevance to the subscriber. It is possible according to the invention to selectively target geographical areas with messages relevant to that area without requiring complex time or frequency multiplexing. The end users have control of the geographic definition and can arrange to see, store or otherwise process only messages relevant to selected geographic areas without having to process messages which are outside their area of interest. Alternatively, the user can choose to process all the messages. The processor can be arranged to control the receiver, to monitor general broadcast information in the background, and then to activate the receiver, switch channels, store information, generate an alarm, or otherwise to alert the user to messages of interest which may appear in the generally broadcast information.

It is an object of the invention to transmit considerable information with a minimum usage of broadcast bandwidth because additional bandwidth is not required to separate messages geographically or to address specific users, for example by unique or semi-unique encoding (e.g., political jurisdiction or subdivision, address, telephone number, zip code, receiver serial number) which must be cross referenced to stored data to determine longitude, latitude and/or altitude information. Nevertheless, such definitions of areas can be included, preferably as alternatives for designating an area of interest.

It is possible to transmit considerable information without use of secondary multiplexing equipment (for example as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,477--Lovett) to keep the information separated. A plurality of geographic areas of interest, each being arbitrarily selected by the user, can be designated. The user of the receiver, rather than only the broadcaster, has the ability to define which geographic area or areas are of interest to the user.

Inasmuch as geographic information is the basis of selection, broadcasts which are usefully interpreted by geographic location of the receiver need only be broadcast with their geographic information attached, rather than having to broadcast separately by unique ID or entitlement code to individual receivers known to be located in a given area, or to have to broadcast the same information on a plurality of frequencies simultaneously, or to have to broadcast uniformly to all receivers in a general broadcast.

The set-top unit of the invention can preferably monitor multiple locations for broadcasts, enabling subscribers to monitor information not only for their home, but a plurality of alternate locations, including such locations as their workplace, locations of other family members (for example, to monitor emergency weather information for an elderly family member), routes to be traversed, or simply to monitor breaking news. The set top unit preferably supports multiple regions simultaneously, or a single location, and can respond to different input messages with different priorities as a function of user selections.

Transmission of information to a set-top unit can be by any broadcast method. Presently available methods include, for example, cable, radio broadcast, fiber-optic or other information transmission channels, digital and analog signals, or hybrids of both, private carriers and common carriers, and other broadcast methods. The invention is applicable to U.S. television standards (e.g., NTSC), European or other national or international television standards (e.g., PAL or SECAM), emerging television standards including high-definition TV (HDTV) and digital TV, information media which are not directly coupled to television standards such as computer information networks and displays, and to non-visual transmissions such as audio-only channels.

Encoded programming as well as accompanying digital information can be broadcast wholly or partly on dedicated digital channels, transmitted during the vertical blanking interval of a composite video signal as currently used for TeleText or closed captioning, or otherwise encoded on a subcarrier of a video or audio channel or on another channel operating simultaneously.

According to a preferred arrangement, the geographic filtering of digital data is accomplished by data transmitted over ordinary cable television distribution lines, using the existing cable industry infrastructure.

At least the following classes of services are facilitated using the location identification features of the invention, and additional classes of information should be apparent from this exemplary list:

Public safety services such as hazardous weather alerts, hazardous condition alerts (e.g., chemical spills), and crisis information distribution;

Public information services such as employment services, consumer information services, legislative information services, traffic and transit information services, and health information services;

Commercial information services such as classified advertising, product information and targeted marketing services;

Personal information services such as "want ads" (as exemplified by "situations wanted", "services available", "services needed", "wants-to-sell", "wants-to-buy", "missing pets", and similar uses);

Geographically specific information services, such as neighborhood concern groups, regional political groups, and the like.

According to the invention, information which is broadcast contains location information. This location information is used to filter out messages whose relevance is determined, at the option of the end user, to be of no interest. Alternatively or in addition, the information can be prioritized based upon distance, and displayed, stored or otherwise processed preferentially as a function of priority. One or both of the user and the broadcaster specifies one or more geographic regions by defining polygons and/or points. A data processor associated with the set top unit can define polygons around point, distances from points and the like to automate the geographic definitions and priorities. The intersection of polygons or polygons and points, as determined by the data processor, determines whether particular information is selected or ignored. This allows the user to make decisions based upon considerations of proximity, and appropriately and usefully to select information from a generally broadcast program or data stream. This information normally includes a great deal of information which is of no interest to the user, interspersed with information which is of interest, and by use of the data processor and the encoding procedure discussed herein, useful and desired data is readily and automatically separated from the chaff.

The invention provides a programmable receiver system to use location information embedded in a general broadcast or transmitted in connection with a general broadcast. By encoding and comparing locations and regions of interest, i.e., including not only points of interest but also linear routes, plural points and regions surrounding the points, the processor filters the received information to provide the end user with only the information of interest based on the user's selection of geographic constraints.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

There are shown in the drawings certain exemplary embodiments of the invention as presently preferred. It should be understood that these embodiments are examples only, and are subject to variations in accordance with the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims. In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a graphic illustration showing a variety of techniques in which an area of interest is defined according to the invention, surrounding one or more designated geographic points.

FIG. 2 is a graphic illustration of an alternative embodiment relying on absolute and relative coordinates.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of containment tests undertaken by the processor according to the invention, for determining the intersection or non-intersection of points and/or regions.

FIG. 4 is a graphic illustration of an alternative embodiment comprising more than two dimensions, in particular illustrating altitude as a further dimension used to define intersecting points and/or volumes.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustration showing the processing of data according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the transmitter, means for inserting, receiver, memory, input means, comparing means and processing means of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing the steps of transmitting, encoding, receiving, comparing and processing of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Any means of transmitting data along a channel may constitute an acceptable delivery mechanism for information. This includes, for example, fiber optic cable, telephony or other point-to-point transmission, coaxial, twisted-pair, or other cabling point-to-point or broadcast, microwave, UHF, or direct satellite reception. Existing LAN and WAN transmission, including concepts such as using unused network capacity to broadcast such data in the background over any existing network, also apply. While all of these are applicable to the invention, a particularly advantageous application is by use of existing cable TV and so called "wireless cable" TV. These systems are in place, provide multi-channel distribution capability, and sufficient bandwidth to transmit a great deal of information in video, audio and digital form.

According to a currently preferred method, geographic information is encoded to define a geometric property, which may have two or more dimensions, generally designated herein as a "region". At a minimum, the region has no extension in any dimension, being a single point. This point designation can be employed to designate, for example, the location of a provider of goods or services in a commercial ("classified ad") broadcast.