Geographic black-out method for direct broadcast satellite system

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 5036537
SERIAL NO

07036159

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ATTORNEY / AGENT: (SPONSORED)

Importance

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Abstract

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Television programs are broadcast to a plurality of receiver units in various geographic areas. Each unit has a memory for storage of a designation code representative of its location and a memory for the storage of a blackout tier indication. Prior to the transmission of the program to be blacked out, each unit is separately addressed and provided with a message including a designation code for storage. Then, a globally addressed message provides all receiver units having a selected designation code with a blackout tier indication for storage. A program tier indication is transmitted along with the program to be blacked out. Each unit, upon receiving the transmitted program, compares the transmitted program tier indication and the blackout tier indication in its memory. All receiver units having a stored blackout tier indication which matches the program tier indication are simultaneously prevented from displaying the program to be blacked out.

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION (GIC-4)101 TOURNAMENT DRIVE HORSHAM PA 19044

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Jeffers, John M Downsview, CA 4 987
Knight, Stephen P Markham, CA 1 305
Mundy, S Wayne Brampton, CA 2 625

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