Cable television master/slave decoder control
First Claim
1. A method of controlling the operation of slave decoders in a cable TV distribution system having a central control computer;
- in which each subscriber location having a slave decoder also has a master decoder;
in which there is a control message connection between each master decoder and its associated slave decoder(s); and
in which the central control computer can address each master decoder and each slave decoder, including the step of periodically sending from the central control computer a deauthorization message for all slave decoders, which message is preceded by an inhibit message directed to all master decoders, which inhibit message prevents the receipt of the deauthorize message by all slave decoders which are connected, by a control message connection, with a master decoder.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of controlling the operation of slave decoders in a cable television distribution system having a central control computer; in which each subscriber location having a slave decoder also has a master decoder; in which there is a control message connection between each master decoder and its associated slave decoder(s); and in which the central control computer can individually address each master decoder and each slave decoder. The method includes the steps of transmitting control messages for the slave decoders at the control message frequency for the master decoders. In response thereto, each master decoder will retransmit the control message to its associated slave decoders. Periodically, the central control computer sends deauthorize messages addressed to all slave decoders as a group; however, the deauthorization messages are preceded by an inhibit message addressed to all master decoders, thereby preventing the retransmission of the slave decoder deauthorization message to all slave decoders which are connected to a master decoder.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method of controlling the operation of slave decoders in a cable TV distribution system having a central control computer;
- in which each subscriber location having a slave decoder also has a master decoder;
in which there is a control message connection between each master decoder and its associated slave decoder(s); and
in which the central control computer can address each master decoder and each slave decoder, including the step of periodically sending from the central control computer a deauthorization message for all slave decoders, which message is preceded by an inhibit message directed to all master decoders, which inhibit message prevents the receipt of the deauthorize message by all slave decoders which are connected, by a control message connection, with a master decoder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- in which each subscriber location having a slave decoder also has a master decoder;
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7. A method of controlling the operation of slave decoders in a cable TV distribution system having a central control computer;
- in which each subscriber location having a slave decoder also has a master decoder; and
in which the central control computer can address each master decoder and each slave decoder, including the step of periodically sending from the central control computer a deauthorization message for all slave decoders, which message is preceded by an inhibit message directed to all master decoders, which inhibit message prevents the receipt of the deauthorized message by all slave decoders which are associated with a master decoder. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
- in which each subscriber location having a slave decoder also has a master decoder; and
Specification