Method and apparatus for reducing and restoring the effectiveness of a commercial skip system

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 9060182
SERIAL NO

13584569

Stats

ATTORNEY / AGENT: (SPONSORED)

Importance

Loading Importance Indicators... loading....

Abstract

See full text

A method and apparatus is disclosed which reduces or removes the effectiveness of commercial skip systems such as presently found in VCRs, PVRs, etc. which are designed to delete commercials from signal material upon playback of a previously recorded version of the signal material. In an embodiment, the effectiveness of the commercial skip system is reduced or removed by adding a flat field of selected signal level to active line portions of video lines of the signal material. Other embodiments modify the normal fade to black signal indicative of a commercial to provide a fade to non-black signal. In further embodiments, a fade to non-black signal is inserted in an overscan area of the signal picture. Still further embodiments modify audio signals or selected signals in the horizontal blanking interval which may be used in commercial skip systems to detect the presence of commercials.

Loading the Abstract Image... loading....

First Claim

See full text

Family

Loading Family data... loading....

Patent Owner(s)

  • ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION

International Classification(s)

  • [Classification Symbol]
  • [Patents Count]

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Quan, Ronald Cupertino, US 148 1682
Ryan, John O Woodside, US 85 3256
Wonfor, Peter El Granada, US 8 86

Cited Art Landscape

Load Citation

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cite Landscape

Load Citation

Maintenance Fees

Fee Large entity fee small entity fee micro entity fee due date
11.5 Year Payment $7400.00 $3700.00 $1850.00 Dec 16, 2026
Fee Large entity fee small entity fee micro entity fee
Surcharge - 11.5 year - Late payment within 6 months $160.00 $80.00 $40.00
Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unavoidable $700.00 $350.00 $175.00
Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unintentional $1,640.00 $820.00 $410.00