Wired broadcasting systems

• US 4,367,557 A
• Filed: 05/25/1979
• Issued: 01/04/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stern Telecommunications Corporation
• Original Assignee: Joseph Garodnick, Joseph L. Stern
• Inventors: Garodnick, Joseph, Stern, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Application Number:
  US06/042,524
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3, 455/4, 455/5, 455/6, 455/68, 455/70, 455/127, 455/343, 358/86, 358/114, 358/122, 340/534, 340/538, 340/310 R, 340/310 A, 340/825.06, 340/825.07, 340/825.52, 340/825.54, 340/825.56, 340/825.71
• US Class Current: 725/149
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/14 for the transfer of light or images, e.g. for video-surveillance, for television or from a computer screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/41 characterized by the control of the jamming activation or deactivation time control of jamming activation and deactivation time only for the purpose of alternating between jamming mode and target monitoring mode H04K3/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/166 Passage/non-passage of the television signal, e.g. jamming, band suppression scrambling and descrambling H04N7/167

Abstract

Subscriber access to the television transmissions of a cable TV system or other wired program transmission is governed by switching means in the remotely controlled unit to which the subscriber'"'"'s receiver is connected, which switching means is enabled or disabled in response to information coded on the power flow which energizes the controlled unit. The power to the controlled unit may be coded at the cable TV power supply in response to a separate modulated RF carrier signal transmitted to all power supply units from the cable television broadcast central station, or other central location. Stated in other words, a program control center generates binary coded instructions including address words which are conveyed in a wired signal transmission system to multiple subscriber stations by encoding in a special way the output of a power supply used to supply energization to portions of the system. Upon comparison of the addresses, each station addressed is directed remotely by the coded instructions to achieve any of a plurality of switching functions, including the selective connection of program materials to the subscriber'"'"'s outlet.

Claims

1. In apparatus for selectively addressing and controlling from a central station one or more power-consuming control devices associated with each of a plurality of power-consuming terminals remote from said central station to achieve one or more desired control functions at each of the remote terminals, wherein said power-consuming terminals are supplied with power from a common power unit, and a transmitter arrangement is adapted to transmit controlling signals from said central station to said power unit, each controlling signal being representative of a desired control function to be effected at one particular remote terminal coupled to said power unit, the combination comprising:

an encoder associated with said power unit for encoding in accordance with said controlling signals the power supplied from said power unit to said remote terminals,

a decoder at each remote terminal adapted to receive said encoded power and to derive therefrom power for energizing said decoder and said remote terminal control devices,

said decoder also being adapted to derive from said encoded power the particular signal representative of the desired control function for the respective terminal,

at least one of said control devices at said terminal being responsive only to said derived signal for performing said desired control function,

wherein said central station is a program source for a wired broadcast system having a cable system and said power-consuming devices are supplied by said power unit over said cable system, and

said terminals are included in tap devices for supplying one or more subscriber stations with said programs, and

said transmitter arrangement also transmits program signals from said central station to said subscriber stations via said power unit and under the control of said control devices.

2. Apparatus as claim 1 wherein said desired control functions include any one of:

connecting or disconnecting a subscriber station to or from its respective terminal,

permitting or inhibiting transmission of a particular program to a subscriber station,

jamming transmission of one or more programs to a subscriber station.

3. In apparatus for selectively addressing and controlling from a central station one or more power-consuming control devices associated with each of a plurality of power-consuming terminals remote from said central station to achieve one or more desired control functions at each of the remote terminals, wherein said power-consuming terminals are supplied with power from a common power unit, and a transmitter arrangement is adapted to transmit controlling signals from said central station to said power unit, each controlling signal being representative of a desired control function to be effected at one particular remote terminal coupled to said power unit, the combination comprising:

an encoder associated with said power unit for encoding in accordance with said controlling signals the power supplied from said power unit to said remote terminals,

a decoder at each remote terminal adapted to receive said encoded power and to derive therefrom power for energizing said decoder and said remote terminal control devices,

said decoder also being adapted to derive from said encoded power the particular signal representative of the desired control function for the respective terminal,

at least one of said control devices at said terminal being responsive only to said derived signal for performing said desired control function,

said apparatus including a plurality of such power units, and wherein said remote terminals are subdivided into groups, each group receiving power from a respective one of said power units and wherein

said transmitted signals are data signal words, each data word having an address portion representative of the location of a respective remote terminal and a command portion representative of the desired control function to be effected at that remote terminal,

each said data word also includes a power-unit address portion; and

each said power unit includes a power unit decoder responsive only to data words containing the address portion representative of its own power unit for enabling functioning of its power unit encoder only in response to reception of its respective data word address portion wherein

said terminal decoder is responsive only to data words having the address portion representative of its respective terminal for actuating said control devices, said

said control devices are responsive to only the data word command portion associated with said representative address portion, and wherein

said central station is a program source for a wired broadcast system, having a cable system and said power-consuming devices are supplied by said power units over said cable system, and

said terminals are included in tap devices for supplying one or more subscriber stations with said programs, and

said transmitter arrangement also transmits program signals from said central station to said subscriber stations via said power units and under the control of said terminal control devices.

4. In apparatus for selectively addressing and controlling from a central station one or more power-consuming control devices associated with each of a plurality of power-consuming terminals remote from said central station to achieve one or more desired control functions at each of the remote terminals, wherein said power-consuming terminals are supplied with power from a common alternating-current power unit, and a transmitter arrangement is adapted to transmit controlling signals from said central station to said power unit, each controlled signal being representative of a desired control function to be effected at one particular remote terminal coupled to said power unit, the combination comprising:

an encoder associated with said power unit for encoding in accordance with said controlling signals the power supplied from said power unit to said remote terminals,

a decoder at each remote terminal adapted to receive said encoded power and to derive therefrom power for energizing said decoder and said remote terminal control devices,

said decoder also being adapted to derive from said encoded power the particular controlling signal representative of the desired control function for the respective terminal,

at least one of said control devices at said terminal being responsive only to said derived signal for performing said desired control function, wherein

said encoder causes said power to shift between a first power frequency and a second power frequency in accordance with said transmitted signals,

said signals are in the form of binary data, and

said encoder produces for each binary "1" a single power cycle of said first power frequency and for each binary "0" a single power cycle of said second power frequency and of the same polarity,

said encoder also producing full cycles of power of said first frequency in the absence of any binary data,

said remote terminal decoder includes a circuit responsive to a cycle of said encoder power having a first duration for producing a first decoded signal and a cycle of a second duration for producing a second decoded signal,

said control devices being responsive to said first and second decoded signals.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said encoder includes

a direct voltage source,

a switching circuit for switching the output of said voltage source from either polarity to the other polarity to produce an alternating power source, and

a circuit associated with said switching circuit and initiating each of said single cycles in the same polarity in response to said transmitted signals.

6. An addressable tap device for use in a wired broadcast cable system for disseminating program materials from a central station to subscribers at any of a plurality of remote terminals included in said tap device and adapted to be coupled to respective controlled devices to achieve any of a plurality of desired control functions at each controlled device, said system including power-cunsuming units at differing locations along said cable system and at least one power-supply unit for supplying power to said power-consuming units, said supplied power from each power-supply unit being encoded in accordance with data signals each representative of a particular controlled device and of a particular set of desired control functions for the controlled device,

said tap device being adapted to be coupled to said cable system at a desired location interposed between said central station and one or more of said controlled devices and also being adapted to be energized by said supplied power;

said tap device comprising;

a decoder responsive to said coded supplied power for deriving power to energize said tap device and for deriving signals representative of desired control functions to be provided at the respective tap device, and

one or more further control devices responsive to said derived control function signals for determining the functions obtainable at one or more of said terminals included in the tap device,

said system further including means for transmitting said program materials to said taup device independently of transmission of said coded power, and

said further control devices including switching devices for controlling access by said subscribers to said program materials.

7. An addressable tap device as in claim 6 for a system wherein

said data signals encoded on said supplied power include a tap-address portion unique to each tap device and a command-signal portion for each subscriber, and

said decoder is responsive only to data signals having a tap-address portion representative of the respective tap device.

8. An addressable tap device as in claim 6 wherein:

said control devices are adapted selectively

(a) to connect or disconnect a subscriber as to all program materials,

(b) to connect or disconnect a subscriber as to predetermined program materials only, or

(c) to jam reception by the subscriber of predetermined program materials.

9. A cable system comprising:

a power cable;

a plurality of subscriber devices;

a source of a plurality of command signals;

a plurality of addressable tap devices coupled to said cable and each assigned an individual address, each tap device being adapted to be coupled to a group of one or more subscriber devices;

a controlling device included in each tap device and adapted to cause each coupled subscriber device to assume at least one functional condition in response to a respective predetermined command signal;

a power supply unit coupled to said cable and adapted to supply power for energizing said tap devices and their controlling devices, said power supply unit being adapted to provide alternating power with individual cycles of either of two fixed durations, in predetermined sequences of said cycles, certain of said sequences being representative of the addresses of individual tap devices and also being representative of particular command signals for determining the functional condition of said subscriber devices;

a decoder included in each said tap device and responsive to those of such sequences of power cycles which are representative of the address of said tap device and also representative of a command signal for a particular subscriber device coupled to said tap device, for causing said latter subscriber device to assume a functional condition corresponding to said command signal.

10. A cable system as in claim 9 for television programs, said system further including means for superimposing television program signals on said alternating power for transmission to said tap devices and thereby to said particular subscriber device in response to at least an appropriate one of said cycle combinations representative of said address and command signal.

11. A cable system as in claim 9 wherein said functional condition is at least one of:

(a) the state of operative connection between said subscriber device and said cable, including the connection and disconnection of said subscriber device to and from said cable;

(b) the state of transmission of particular programs to said subscriber device, including permitting and inhibiting said transmission;

(c) jamming of transmission of one or more programs to said subscriber device.

12. In a cable system in which supplied power is encoded by causing each full cycle of said encoded power to have one of several durations in accordance with signals representing the addresses and desired commands for a plurality of controlled devices, the invention comprising an addressable tap device adapted to be coupled to at least one of said controlled devices, said tap device including:

(a) a controlling device energized by said encoded power and responsive to said desired command signals to place at least one of said controlled devices in any of at least one functional condition corresponding to said commands; and

(b) a decoder energized by said encoded power and responsive only to encoded signals representing an address individual to said tap device, for supplying to said controlling devices signals representative of said command.

13. In a program-transmitting cable system having a cable, a plurality of power units coupled to said cable, a plurality of addressable tap devices also coupled to said cable, and at least one individual device adapted to be controlled by each tap device, the method comprising:

(a) encoding the power supplied by each said power unit with encoding signals each representing the address of an individual tap device, each encoding signal also representing a desired condition of at least one of said individual devices to be controlled by said individual tap device;

(b) receiving said encoded power at each tap device;

(c) causing said encoded power to energize said tap device;

(d) causing only that tap device having an address corresponding to the address portion of a particular encoded power signal to respond to that signal;

(e) causing the tap device thus responsive to the encoded signal to respond to the condition-representing portion of the encoded power signal having said latter address portion, to produce the desired corresponding condition of said controlled device.

14. In a subscriber cable television system for selectively addressing and controlling from a central station any of a plurality of subscriber devices to achieve any of a plurality of desired control functions at each subscriber device, said cable system including power-consuming units at different locations along said cable system and a power-supply unit for supplying power to said power-consuming unit, said supply power from said power-supply unit being encoded in accordance with data signals each representative of a particular group containing at least one of said subscriber devices and of a particular set of desired control functions for one of said group of subscriber devices, by causing each full cycle of said encoded power to have one of a plurality of durations in accordance with said data signals, the invention comprising a tap device adapted to be coupled to said cable system at a desired location between said central station and said group of subscriber devices, said tap device being also adapted to be energized by said supplied power, said tap device comprising:

a decoder responsive to said encoded supplied power for deriving therefrom power to energize said tap device and also for deriving signals from said encoded power representative of at least one desired control function to be provided for said group of subscriber devices coupled to said tap device, and

at least one controlling device responsive to said derived control-function signals for determining the control functions to be performed on a selected one of said group of subscriber devices.

15. An apparatus for selectively addressing and controlling in accordance with coding signals one or more power-consuming control devices associated with each of a plurality of remote power-consuming terminals to achieve one or more desired control functions at each of the remote terminals, wherein said power-consuming terminals are supplied with power from a common alternating-current power unit, each coding signal being representative of a desired control function to be effected at one particular remote terminal coupled to said power unit, said apparatus comprising

(a) an encoder associated with said power unit for causing individual cycles of said power to have either a first or a second duration in accordance with said coding signals, the encoded power being supplied to each remote terminal, and

(b) a decoder provided at each remote terminal receiving said encoded power and deriving therefrom power for energizing said decoder and said remote terminal control devices, said decoder also deriving from said encoded power the particular signal representative of the desired control function for the respective terminal and said control devices at said terminal being responsive only to said particular signal for performing said desired control functions.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said coding signals are in the form of data words, each data word having an address portion representative of the location of a respective remote terminal and a command portion representative of the desired control function to be effected at that remote terminal, said decoder is responsive only to data words having the address portion representative of its respective terminal for actuating said control devices, and said control devices are responsive to only the data word command portion associated with said representative address portion.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16 including a plurality of power units, wherein said remote terminals are subdivided into groups, each group receiving power from a respective one of said power units, and each said data word also includes a power-unit address portion and each said power unit includes a power unit decoder responsive only to data words containing the address portion representative of its own power unit for enabling functioning of its power unit encoder only in response to reception of its respective data word address portion.

18. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said control devices are controlled from a central station, and wherein said central station is a program source for a wired broadcast system, having a cable system and power-consuming devices supplied by said power unit over said cable system, and said terminals are included in taps for supplying one or more subscriber stations with said programs, and program signals are transmitted from said central station to said subscribers via said power unit and under the control of said terminal control devices.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said desired control functions include connecting or disconnecting a subscriber station from its respective terminal, and/or permitting or inhibiting transmission of a particular program to a subscriber, and/or jamming transmission of one or more programs to a subscriber.

20. An apparatus according to claim 18 including a transmitter arrangement comprising a source of pilot radio frequency and a modulator for producing said coding signals in the form of pulses of said pilot frequency of varying duration.

21. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said central station is a program source for a wired broadcasting system for disseminating programs to subscribers at said remote terminals and wherein said remote terminals are included in addressable taps each for supplying one or more subscriber stations with said programs, said system further including means for transmitting said programs to said taps independently of transmission of said coded power, said control devices including switching devices for controlling access by said subscribers to said programs.

22. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said coding signals are in the form of binary data, and said encoder produces for each binary "1" a single power cycle of said first duration and for each binary "0" a single power cycle of said second duration and of the same polarity, said encoder also producing full cycles of power of said first duration in the absence of any binary data.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said encoder includes a direct voltage source, a switching circuit for switching the output of said voltage source from either polarity to the other to produce an alternating power source, and a circuit initiating each of said single cycles in response to said coding signals with a switching operation to the same polarity, to cause all said single cycles to be of the same polarity.

24. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said single full cycles are sequential and said decoder comprises a monostable circuit responsive to the leading edge of each cycle for producing an output pulse of a predetermined duration, and a shift register supplied with said cycles produced by said encoder and shifted by said output pulse, whereby the data stored in said register represents said binary zeros and ones.

25. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said remote terminal decoder includes a circuit responsive to a cycle of said encoded power having said first duration for producing a first decoded signal element and a cycle of said second duration for producing a second decoded signal element, said control devices being responsive to said first and second decoded signal elements.

26. A power-consuming addressable tap device for use in a wired broadcast system having a program source at a central station, a cable system for distributing said program, and at least one alternating-current power-supplying unit along said cable system, wherein said power unit provides encoded power-containing coding signals representative of a desired control function to be effected at a particular remote terminal to be coupled to said cable system, said coding signals being also representative of the address of the particular remote terminal, said power unit providing a succession of full cycles of power, each cycle having either a first duration or a second duration to constitute said coding signals, said addressable tap device having its power requirements supplied by said encoded power, and comprising

(a) a decoder receiving said encoded power and deriving therefrom power for energizing said tap device,

(b) said decoder also deriving from the encoded power signals representative of the said control function for the particular terminal, and

(c) a control device responsive to said derived signal for effecting the said desired function at the particular remote terminal.

27. An addressable tap device as in claim 26, wherein said derived signals are in the form of binary data, and said decoder includes a circuit responsive to a full cycle of said encoded power having a first duration for producing a first type of binary bit (e.g., "0"), and responsive to a full cycle of said encoded power having a second duration for producing a second type of binary bit (e.g., "1"), and said control device is responsive to said first and second bit types.

28. An addressable tap device as in claim 27, wherein said decoder comprises a circuit responsive to the leading edge of each power cycle for producing an output pulse.