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V-Chip Technology Invented by
Professor Tim Collings
US Patent #5,828,204 and Canadian Patent #2,178,474
Collings’ First V-chip Prototype Developed
The first prototype of Tim Collings’ v-chip technology (a single informational scheme
blocking device) was developed and subsequently tested in 1991. Collings originally
dubbed the technology ViewControl™ and this name was abbreviated to the more
commonly known ‘v-chip’. (Because the elimination of excessive violence is one of the
v-chip technology’s capabilities, the ‘V’ in v-chip is often assumed to mean violence).
The name ViewControl™ was later changed to V.gis™.
V.gis™ V-Chip is recognized
Historic V-Chip Announcement
U.S. President Bill Clinton shows
V.gis™ V-Chip at Press Conference
In 1996
V-Chip Begins in U.S.
U.S. Vice-President Al Gore
With Tim Collings (V.gis™
Inventor) at the white house for
V-Chip Demonstration
September 30, 1998
Award for V-Chip
Tri-Vision CEO receives gold medal from
Prince Philip for Contribution to
technology and V-Chip
St. James Palace, London
England June 16, 2000
Collings’ V-chip Technology Supported by Canada & the US
In 1993, the head of the Canadian Radio-Television & Telecommunications Commission
(CRTC), Mr. Keith Spicer, had been impressed by Tim Collings' v-chip technology (a
single informational scheme blocking device) and met with top U.S. television network
executives and producers to express Canadian concerns about televised violence. The
response to his discussions about Collings’ new v-chip technology was favorable. At
this time, U.S. television networks began to air parental advisories immediately before
programs deemed to be violent.
U. S. Senator
Edward Markey
“Tim Collings has had
more to do with
demonstrating the Vice President Al Gore
power of the v-chip “I want to acknowledge the
technology than any technology inventor of he v-
person alive. And chip, Tim Collings. Thank you
anyone who was very much for your fine work.”
watching the v-chip
debate unfold over the
last three years now
believes that Tim
Collings deserves the
thanks of parents
everywhere”.
Collings Invited by G-7 to Present His V-chip Technology
By 1994, interest in Collings’ v-chip technology had spread to Europe. In June 1994, he
was invited to demonstrate the v-chip technology, which he had created to the
international conference on Violence on TV held at the Sorbonne in Paris. In 1995, he
was invited to demonstrate this v-chip technology at the G7 Summit & Technology
Exposition in Brussels, Belgium where former US Vice President Al Gore first viewed the
technology.
In 1997, he was invited to present his v-chip technology now capable of handling
multiple informational schemes to a follow-up G7 Summit on International Standards in
Brussels, Belgium and contributed to proposals and discussions of rating systems
formats and encoding means.
Tri-Vision Awarded Global V.gis™ Rights
On January 14, 1997, Collings awarded the exclusive, worldwide rights to his v-chip
technology and inventions to Tri-Vision Electronics Inc. This major announcement was
made at an international press conference in Toronto and covered by major national
Canadian and U.S. television and radio networks.
Collings’ V-chip Invention Commercialized
Tri-Vision and Professor Collings worked together to develop the first
commercial v-chip product, a Set-Top Decoder capable of handling
multiple informational schemes and able to operate alongside existing
television sets. Collings’ technology (V.gis™) was then unveiled at the
Canadian Cable TV Convention in Edmonton, Alberta, and the U.S.
Cable Convention in Nashville, Tennessee in 1997.
Use of V.gis™ V-chip Technology by TV Manufacturers
V.gis™ V-chip technology has been in consumer use since 1999. In North America
millions of TV sets are using V.gis™ V-chip system. Major U. S., Japanese and Korean
Television Manufacturers including Sharp, Sony, Sanyo, Hitachi, Ajinvision, Funai,
Orion, Hansol, Pioneer, Philips, Panasonic, JVC, Eastech, Cosmo, LG, Apex and
Samsung have licensed and are including V.gis™ V-chip technology in their TV sets.
Media Coverage of Tim Collings & His V-chip Invention
Professor Collings and his v-chip have been the subject of extensive media coverage
between 1989 and present in hundreds if not thousands of newspaper, radio and
television interviews involving the Globe & Mail, the Financial Post, CBC, CTV in
Canada and in the United states, Time Magazine, Larry King Live, the L.A. Times, USA
Today, US News and World Report, news stations CNN, FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS,
MSNBC, the New York Post, and the Wall Street Journal. He has also received
significant coverage in Europe and Asia.
Prof. Tim Collings Professional Background & Experience
Son and Grandson of civil engineers and fresh from a brief stint in semi-pro hockey in
Europe in 1983, Collings enrolled in Electrical Engineering at the University of Waterloo,
Ontario. He won the Descartes Scholarship at Waterloo as well as awards for top marks
in Math and Physics and was voted Valedictorian by his classmates. Collings graduated
first in his class from Waterloo with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Electrical
Engineering.
In 1986, he completed his Masters in Applied Science while working for SAF Drive
Systems in Stratford, Ontario. In 1989 he accepted a position at Simon Fraser University
in British Columbia where he invented the v-chip.
In 1996 Tim Collings joins Tri-Vision as Director and Chair, Research Committee
In the same year, Tim Collings wins one of Canada’s most significant awards for
innovation, the Principle Manning Award - for his V-Chip innovations.
And Tim Collings was bestowed the Gold Medal by The Science Council of British
Columbia as “Younger Inventor of 1996” in British Columbia’s premier science awards.
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