Patent GB-1271131-A (GB)
Title: Information distribution system
Inventor: REGUNBERG JEROME
IPC: H04N1/113
Filed: 1969-05-13
Abstract: 1,271,131. Facsimile system J. REGUNBERG. 13 May, 1969. No. 24438/69. Heading H4F. Mass distribution of printed publications e.g. newspapers, is effected by televisiontechniques by transmitting together with the information of an original document, control signals representing the commencement and termination of transmission, and each subscribers reception set, when switched on to a selected channel and after the reception of the control signal indicating the commencement of transmission of the content of a page of the original document, prints a copy thereof on a selected side of a sheet of paper, this print-out automatically stopping when the control signal indicating the termination of transmission is received. The use by the subscriber of the system is automatically recorded and billed. By leaving the receiver in a standby condition the subscriber is notified of the availability of unscheduled information such as an extra edition of a newspaper. Transmission of a document is normally repeated continuously so that a subscriber may switch on for reception at any time, the actual print out only starting when the next start control signal is received. The print out which is preferably xerographic is effected on both sides of each sheet of paper without changing the orientation of the sheet, the sheets being stored until the complete newspaper has been printed and then folded and bound. Details.-At the transmitter the proof of  each page of the document is scanned by a television camera or flying spot scanner and the resulting video signal is recorded for repeated transmission on a video tape together with the control signals which either comprise digital codes or tone signals. Transmission may be wireless or via lines. Billing information may be recorded on a meter at the receiver or transmitted to a central station. Control signals are also transmitted which advise a subscriber that the broadcast station is in the process of transmitting an already-started publication and that therefore the subscriber will have to wait to the start of the next broadcast of that publication. The control signals also transmit page size information, information relating to binding and dispersing of the printed page, and information indicating that extra or special information is available. Printing may be effected by first forming images of the two pages that are on the same side of a double leaf, fixing these images, and forming images of the next two pages on the other side of the double leaf which are then fixed. Alternatively both sets of images may be formed on both sides before they are all fixed. The xerographic print-out may be effected by forming the images for one side of the sheet on one half of a CRT and those for the other side on the other half of the CRT, the respective images being projected sequentially on to the respective sides of the sensitive paper. Alternatively the images on the face of the CRT may be sequentially projected on to the respective sides of the sensitive paper by means of a controllable optical deflector e.g. a tiltable mirror, and xerographic copier drums. Two CRT may be used, one for each side of the sheets of paper, lenses or optical fibres being used. Instead of using the optical image for producing the electrostatic images the electron beams may be used directly. A line scan CRT may be used with the sheet continuously moving past it.