Home communication method and apparatus

摘要

Redeemable shopping coupons for products or information printouts in categories preferred by a consumer are printed in the consumer's premises when made available by a manufacturer or advertiser through the coupon and information service. Data identifying either or both product and information category and printout content are broadcast in conjunction with regular television programs and received in decoder-printer units in the homes of consumers subscribing to the service. If received product or information category data matches pre-programmed category data stored in the subscriber's unit, a printer in the unit is activated to generate a printout containing the received coupon data or other information. Operation of the subscriber's unit requires no interaction through the unit with the broadcasting service nor does operation of the unit affect operation of the subscriber's television set.