Method and apparatus for time shifting and controlling broadcast audio and video signals

Abstract

A method and apparatus for delaying the display of a portion of audio and video broadcast signals received from a remote location. Received broadcast video and audio signals are placed in a first-in/first-out storage queue to enable the control of the playback of the signals. Signals may be placed in the tail of the queue while previously received signals are simultaneously routed from the head of the queue to a television monitor. Passing the signals through the queue creates the delay. The system may be controlled either by input to the receiver from the broadcast facility or by remote or manual control by the user. The control functions that are available to the user are pause, play, fast forward and replay. The control from the broadcast facility is through the ability to “mark” segments of the video and audio program to be immune to the fast forward function, thus guaranteeing that those segments are viewed by the user.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for requiring sections of a recorded program to be played by a recording device comprising: 
 recording portions of said program on said recording device;    identifying sections of said portions of said program which are to be required to be played;    playing said program on said recording device; and    inhibiting said recording device from fast forwarding or skipping said identified sections.    
     
     
         2 . A method for playing back a recorded program comprising: 
 a) identifying sections of the recorded program which have been designating for required play;    b) commencing play back of said recorded program;    c) inhibiting the skipping or fast forwarding through of said identified sections.