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CATV Pay system

  • US 4,486,773 A
  • Filed: 05/24/1982
  • Issued: 12/04/1984
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1981
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A two-way CATV system comprising a central equipment unit, a plurality of television receiver sets each disposed with a terminal unit and a wired two-way transmission line provided between the central equipment and each of the terminal units, in which said central equipment unit comprises means for generating a television signal, means for inputting a read out instruction for viewing charge to each of the terminal units and outputting the viewing charge in a visible form in accordance with a viewing charge signal supplied thereto, means for mixing the television signal from the generating means with the read out instruction signal for the viewing charge from an input/output means and means for transmitting the signal mixed in the mixing means to the transmission line and extracting the charge signal sent thereto via the transmission line and supplying the same to the input/output means, and wherein each of said terminal units comprises means for extracting the read out instruction signal for the viewing charge from the mixed signal supplied thereto via the transmission line and transmitting the viewing charge signal supplied thereto to the transmission line, selection means for selecting the television signal to be received by a corresponding television receiver set, means for measuring the time period during which a pay television program is selected by the selection means and calculating the viewing charge corresponding to the time period, memory means for storing the charge data signal calculated in the calculation means, means for reading out the viewing charge signal stored in the memory means and supplying the same to the extraction means when the read out for the viewing charge is demanded by the read out instruction signal for the viewing charge extracted in the extraction means, and means for sending the television signal that is selected by the selection means among the television signals supplied from the extraction means to the corresponding television receiver set in a receivable form.

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