Subscriber station for providing multiple services to a subscriber

• US 4,367,548 A
• Filed: 04/10/1980
• Issued: 01/04/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tambert, John, Cotten, Whitworth W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): ORSINO JR, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US06/138,991
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 370/1, 370/3, 370/4, 455/3, 455/4, 455/5, 455/606, 455/608, 455/610, 455/612, 455/617, 358/86, 179/2 TV
• US Class Current: 398/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/22 Adaptations for optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0001 using optical switching

Abstract

In order to provide multiple services to a subscriber from a telephone central office, receiving and transmitting cables, preferably each being a single fiber optic strand, are coupled between the subscriber and the central office. Multiple signals, such as telephone signals, television signals, digital data, and FM radio signals are multiplexed onto the receiving cable. These signals are demultiplexed at the subscriber station to allow individual utilization of the services by the subscriber. Control of the services is allowed by transmitting control signals such as telephone control signals and television and FM radio channel selection signals over the transmitting cable, along with the telephone conversations and data. Further, alarm signals can be sent over the respective cables for purposes of monitoring fire, health, and security.

Claims

1. A subscriber station for multiplexed communication with a telephone central office which provides one or more television channels unrelated to the telephone signals in addition to telephone service, comprising:

a single fiber optic receiving cable coupled between said subscriber station and said telephone central office;

a single fiber optic transmitting cable coupled between said subscriber station and said telephone central office;

a fiber optic receiver for receiving light television signals from said telephone central office for at least one selected television channel and light telephone signals frequency division multiplexed on said receiving cable, wherein the fiber optic receiver converts the received light signals into radio frequency electrical signals;

a radio frequency splitter coupled to the output of said fiber optic receiver for separating the television signals from the telephone signals;

a modem coupled to the radio frequency splitter to receive telephone signals from the radio frequency splitter;

a universal asynchronous receive-transmit circuit coupled to the modem to transmit and receive signals between said modem and said universal asynchronous receive-transmit device;

a telephone interface circuit coupled to said universal asynchronous receive-transmit device and to the output of said radio frequency splitter for receiving telephone signals from both the universal asynchronous receive-transmit device and said radio frequency splitter and providing the signals to a telephone coupled to the output of the telephone interface circuit;

a radio frequency summer coupled to the output of the telephone interface circuit and the output of the modem; and

a fiber optic transmitter coupled to the output of said radio frequency summer for converting the radio frequency signals to light telephone signals for transmission to the telephone central office.

2. A subscriber station according to claim 1 further comprising means for transmitting television channel selection signals on the transmitting cable to select a desired television channel at said central office wherein said television channel selection signals are frequency division multiplexed onto said transmitting cable along with said telephone signals.

3. A subscriber station according to claim 1, wherein the received telephone signals include dial tone signals, ring signals, busy tone signals, on-hook signals, and voice signals.

4. A subscriber station according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted signals include on/off hook signals, dial signals, and voice signals.

5. A subscriber station according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal includes a fire alarm signal.

6. A subscriber station according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal includes a security alarm signal.

7. A subscriber station according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal includes a health alarm signal.

8. A subscriber station according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal includes a remote meter reading signal.

9. A subscriber station according to claim 1, wherein the received signal includes an FM radio channel.

10. A subscriber station according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal includes an FM radio channel selection signal.

11. A subscriber station according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal includes a digital data signal and the received signal includes a digital data signal wherein the subscriber station includes means for converting the received digital data signal to dot matrix signals for display on a selected television channel.

12. A subscriber station according to claim 1, further comprising means to transmit a television channel selection signal on the transmitting cable to select a desired television channel at said central office, wherein said signals provided on said transmitting cable are frequency division multiplexed thereon.