Blocking television commercials and providing an archive interrogation program

摘要

An apparatus and method is disclosed for blocking specific television commercials from the viewer's television based upon the characteristics of the television commercial. In the method, characteristics from a first signal containing a television commercial received at a television are determined. The characteristics may include video and/or audio characteristics, and the characteristics may define a signature. Characteristics from a second signal, also containing the television commercial, are also received and are compared to the first signature. Upon recognizing the second signal, the television commercial is blocked.