Cable television transmission control system

• US 4,418,424 A
• Filed: 03/16/1981
• Issued: 11/29/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kajita, Harumasa, Higashi, Toru, Kawamoto, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US06/244,327
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 364/514, 455/3-6, 455/67, 455/86, 455/355, 179/2 A, 179/1 VL, 179/175.3 R, 179/175.31 R, 340/825.3, 358/86
• US Class Current: 725/149
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/04 Control of transmission; Equalising

Abstract

A control system for a cable television transmission line which has functions of collecting and controlling data. Information is collected by generating an instruction and transmitting same to a microcomputer by space communication. Furthermore, the operating conditions of a remote cable television line amplifier can be changed by generating an instruction from the microcomputer.

Claims

1. A cable transmission control system comprising:

a line amplifier installed between coaxial cables for amplifying signals transmitted through said coaxial cables;

a remote control box which is wirelessly coupled to said line amplifier for receiving data with respect to the operating conditions of said line amplifier and for checking said line amplifier based on said operating conditions and for transmitting control instructions to adjust said line amplifier;

a receiver for receiving said control instructions from said control box;

a microcomputer which is connected to said receiver for deciphering said control instructions transmitted by said control box and received by said receiver, and for collecting data with respect to operating conditions from the input and output of said line amplifier, and for generating control data for controlling said line amplifier;

a control means which is connected to said line amplifier and said microcomputer for controlling said line amplifier according to said control data; and

a transmitter which is connected to said microcomputer for transmitting said collected data from said microcomputer to said remote control box by propagation through space.

2. A cable television transmission system according to claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises an optical detector and said transmitter comprises an optical emitter, wherein data communication between said remote control box and said receiver and said transmitter is performed by light propagation through space.

3. A cable television transmission control system according to claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises an electromagnetic wave detector and said transmitter comprises an electromagnetic wave emitter, wherein data communication between said remote control box and said receiver and said transmitter is performed by electromagnetic wave propagation through space.

4. A cable television transmission control system according to claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises an ultrasonic wave detector and said transmitter comprises an ultrasonic wave emitter, wherein data communication between said remote control box and said receiver and said transmitter is performed by ultrasonic wave propagation through space.

5. A cable transmission control system, comprising:

a line amplifier installed between coaxial cables for amplifying signals transmitted through said coaxial cables;

a remote control box which is wirelessly coupled to said line amplifier for receiving data with respect to the operating conditions of said line amplifier and for checking said line amplifier based on said operating conditions and for transmitting control instructions to adjust said line amplifier;

a receiver for receiving said control instructions transmitted from said remote control box;

a pair of directional couplers which are respectively coupled to input and output terminals of said line amplifier, for respectively detecting levels of said signals transmitted through said coaxial cables at said input and output terminals of said line amplifier;

a power supply which is connected to said line amplifier for supplying a source voltage to said line amplifier;

a microcomputer connected to a switch means for selectively connecting to said receiver, said pair of directional couplers and said power supply for deciphering said control instructions from said receiver, and for collecting data generated by said pair of directional couplers and said power supply; and

for generating control data for controlling said line amplifier and said power supply, and for outputting said collected data from said pair of directional couplers and said power supply;

a control means which is connected to said microcomputer and said line amplifier for controlling said line amplifier according to said control data; and

a transmitter which is connected to said microcomputer for transmitting said collected data from said microcomputer to said remote control box by propagation through space;

wherein said line amplifier is remotely controlled by operating said remote control box, so as to control said data transmitted therefrom.

6. A cable television transmission control system according to claim 5, wherein said control means comprises:

a gain control means for controlling said line amplifier'"'"'s gain according to said control data; and

a slope control means for controlling a ratio of high frequency output level and low frequency output level in a bandwidth of said signals transmitted through said coaxial cables at said output terminal of said line amplifier.

7. A cable television transmission control system according to claim 5, further comprising a detection means for detecting said data from said pair of directional couplers and for supplying said detected data to said microcomputer.

8. A cable television transmission system according to claim 5, further comprising an address switch coupled to said microcomputer, for identifying said line amplifier.

9. A cable television transmission system according to claim 5, wherein said receiver comprises an optical detector and said transmitter comprises an optical emitter, wherein data communication between said remote control box and said receiver and said transmitter is performed by light propagation through space.

10. A cable television transmission control system according to claim 5, wherin said receiver comprises an electromagnetic wave detector and said transmitter comprises an electromagnetic wave emitter, wherein data communication between said remote control box and said receiver and said transmitter is performed by electromagnetic wave propagation through space.

11. A cable television transmission control system according to claim 5, wherein said receiver comprises an ultrasonic wave detector and said transmitter comprises an ultrasonic wave emitter, wherein data communication between said remote control box and said receiver and said transmitter is performed by ultrasonic wave propagation through space.