Patent ID: 7805738

Claim:
A method of processing a signal in a system comprising a transmitter station and a receiver station, said method comprising the steps of: inputting said signal to said transmitter station, a portion of said signal causing a receiver station to gather statistics on programming availability, use or usage, said signal including a first identifier; inputting a transmission schedule associated with said signal, said schedule including a second identifier, a time at which to transmit said signal, and at least one of a frequency and an output network on which to transmit said signal; automatically comparing using a processor at said transmitter station said first identifier and said second identifier; transmitting said signal to said receiver station according to said schedule based on said step of automatically comparing and said schedule; selecting said portion of said signal at said receiver station; and inputting said selected portion of said signal to a processor at said receiver station, said processor at said receiver station controlling gathering statistics on programming availability, use or usage.