System and method for monitoring broadcast signals
View Patent ↗An integrated real-time display is provided that includes video images and a graphical representation of the transmission path, where each video image is associated with a point along the graphical representation of the transmission path. A number of monitoring points, which correspond to critical points along the transmission path are identified. The points may be selected for technical reasons or economic reasons. The graphical representation of the transmission path can be a logical representation showing the logic blocks along the transmission path or a physical representation showing the devices along the transmission path.
1. A method for monitoring a television broadcast signal, comprising:
identifying a plurality of monitoring points along a transmission path for the television signal, wherein each monitoring point corresponds to a point along the transmission path and is selected for at least one of technical and economic reasons, wherein the monitoring points include a monitoring point associated with a revenue function, and wherein the revenue function is responsive to a change in state of the associated monitoring point;
providing a plurality of video images corresponding to the monitoring points, each of the video images corresponding to a video signal at each of the monitoring points, wherein the video signal and corresponding video images are acquired and provided in real time;
providing a graphical representation of the transmission path including a plurality of functional blocks for generating the television signal;
providing an integrated real-time output on a display device; and
in response to detecting an error, automatically switching between devices or automatically reconfiguring the transmission path to correct the error, wherein the output provides a single display showing the video images and the graphical representation of the transmission path, wherein each video image is associated with a point along the graphical representation of the transmission path, and wherein at least two of the video images correspond to an input and an output of one of the functional blocks in the graphical representation of the transmission path.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring point associated with a revenue function is associated with a revenue function selected from the following: closed captioning, v-chip, television ratings, advertising, and localized programming.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical representation of the transmission path comprises a logical representation of the transmission path.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the logical representation includes a plurality of logic blocks and providing an integrated real-time output further comprises:
in response to receiving a selection of one of the logic blocks, providing additional information about the selected logic block.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical representation of the transmission path comprises a physical representation of devices used along the transmission path.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the physical representation includes a plurality of devices and providing an integrated real-time output further comprises:
in response to receiving a selection of one of the devices, providing additional information about the selected device.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a log of at least one of the video signals.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each video image is displayed on the display device in relation to the point along the graphical representation of the transmission path.
9. A system for monitoring a television broadcast signal, comprising:
a plurality of devices connected to form a transmission path for the television signal, wherein each device receives or generates a video signal;
a plurality of monitoring points along the transmission path, wherein each monitoring point corresponds to a point along the transmission path and is selected for at least one of technical and economic reasons, wherein the monitoring points include a monitoring point associated with a revenue function, and wherein the revenue function is responsive to a change in state of the associated monitoring point; and
a display device for providing an integrated real-time output, wherein the output provides a single display showing a plurality of video images corresponding to the video signals at the monitoring points, wherein the video signals and corresponding video images are acquired and provided in real time, wherein each video image is associated with a point on a graphical representation of the transmission path including graphical representations of the plurality of devices, wherein at least two of the video images correspond to an input and an output of one of the graphical representations of the devices in the graphical representation of the transmission path, and wherein in response to detecting an error, the error is corrected by automatically switching between devices or reconfiguring the transmission path.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the graphical representation of the transmission path comprises a logical representation of the transmission path.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the graphical representation of the transmission path comprises a physical representation of the devices along the transmission path.
12. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
an input device for allowing a user to obtain additional information about one of the devices associated with one of the video images.
13. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a communication device for sending an alert to a user when an error is detected in one of the video images or devices.
14. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a video recorder for creating a log of at least one of the video signals.
15. A method for monitoring a television broadcast signal, comprising:
receiving a plurality of video signals corresponding to a plurality of monitoring points along a transmission path for the television signal, wherein each monitoring point corresponds to a point along the transmission path and is selected for at least one of technical and economic reasons, wherein the monitoring points include a monitoring point associated with a revenue function, and wherein the revenue function is responsive to a change in state of the associated monitoring point;
receiving a graphical representation of the transmission path which identifies each monitoring point and includes a plurality of functional blocks for generating the television signal;
providing an integrated real-time output on a display device, wherein the output provides a single display showing video images corresponding to the video signals and the graphical representation of the transmission path, wherein the video signals and corresponding video images are acquired and provided in real time, wherein each video image is associated with a point along the graphical representation of the transmission path, wherein at least two of the video images correspond to an input and an output of one of the functional blocks in the graphical representation of the transmission path;
providing an alert if an error is detected in any one of the video images; and
in response to detecting the error, automatically switching between devices or reconfiguring the transmission path to correct the error.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the revenue function is selected from the following:
closed captioning, v-chip, television ratings, advertising and localized programming.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the alert comprises an alert that indicates a severity level of the error.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein providing an alert comprises sending a message to a user.
19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising generating a log of at least one of the video signals.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the graphical representation of the transmission path comprises a logical representation of the transmission path.
21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the graphical representation of the transmission path comprises a physical representation of devices along the transmission path.