The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 20, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 09, 1998
Lester L. Jarrell, Lakeside, CA (US);
ADcom Information Services, Inc., Deerfield Beach, FL (US);
Abstract
A display interface device and method for determining a currently tuned-to channel of a set-top converter box having an electronic display that indicates the currently tuned-to channel via seven-segment display elements in response to drive signals provided thereto by the set-top converter device. The display interface device includes an electrical connection to the electronic display and a controller. The controller receives the drive signals over the electrical connection and generates information representative of the currently tuned-to tuned channel for use by downstream components. The information representative of the tuned channel may be output as an ASCII value representative of the currently tuned-to channel. The display interface may be part of a viewership metering system when used in conjunction with a viewership collection meter to determine viewer habits.