Method and apparatus for qam tuner sharing between dtv-pvr and cable-modem aplication
First Claim
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1. A set-top box (STB) in a subscriber unit of a combined digital television and communication system, the STB comprising:
- a controller; and
a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) based tuner operatively controlled by the controller to selectively enable shared use of the QAM based tuner between the following two functions;
tuning to a digital television frequency; and
providing a downstream cable-modem link.
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Abstract
A set-top box (STB) in a subscriber unit of a combined digital television and communication system is described. The STB includes a controller and a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) based tuner operatively controlled by the controller to selectively enable shared use of the QAM based tuner between the following two functions: tuning to a digital television frequency; and providing a downstream cable-modem link. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A set-top box (STB) in a subscriber unit of a combined digital television and communication system, the STB comprising:
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a controller; and
a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) based tuner operatively controlled by the controller to selectively enable shared use of the QAM based tuner between the following two functions;
tuning to a digital television frequency; and
providing a downstream cable-modem link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A set-top box (STB) in a subscriber unit of a combined digital television and communication system, the STB comprising:
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a first quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) based tuner operative to tune to a digital television program for enabling viewing of the digital television program by a user of the subscriber unit;
a controller; and
a second QAM based tuner operatively controlled by the controller to selectively enable shared use of the second QAM based tuner between the following two functions;
recording the digital television program; and
providing a downstream cable-modem link.
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15. A combined digital television and communication system comprising:
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a headend operative to broadcast digital television programs;
a broadband communication network operative to transmit a downstream cable-modem application; and
a multiplicity of subscriber units, each comprising;
a first QAM based tuner operative to tune to a first digital television program of said digital television programs broadcast by said headend;
a decompressor operatively associated with said first QAM based tuner and operative to decompress said first digital television program prior to displaying of the first digital television program on a display;
a controller;
a second QAM based tuner operatively controlled by the controller to selectively enable shared use of the second QAM based tuner between the following two functions;
tuning to a second digital television program of said digital television programs broadcast by said headend for recording said second digital television program, and tuning to the downstream cable-modem application;
a cable-modem operative to enable use of the downstream cable-modem application when said second QAM based tuner is tuned to said downstream cable-modem application; and
a storage device operative to store said second digital television program when said second QAM based tuner is tuned to said second digital television program. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for use with a set-top box (STB) in a subscriber unit of a combined digital television and communication system, the method comprising:
selectively enabling shared use of a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) based tuner between the following two functions;
tuning to a digital television frequency; and
providing a downstream cable-modem link.- View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for use with a set-top box (STB) in a subscriber unit of a combined digital television and communication system, the method comprising:
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tuning a first QAM based tuner to a digital television program for enabling viewing of the digital television program by a user of the subscriber unit; and
selectively enabling shared use of a second QAM based tuner between the following two functions;
recording the digital television program; and
providing a downstream cable-modem link. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification