Receiver access interface to service components in television channel

• US 4,908,859 A
• Filed: 01/22/1988
• Issued: 03/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cable/Home Communication Corporation, MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Walker, Gordon K., Hobza, James M., Katznelson, Ron D., Bennett, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/147,167
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 380/10, 380/13, 380/20, 380/34, 358/349, 358/86, 375/1, 455/3, 455/6
• US Class Current: 380/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

A receiver interface system for enabling an operator to access different types of services in a like manner, wherein the services contain different combinations of service components received by a receiver in different portions of one or more different frequency channels, such as television channels. The system includes a plurality of separate interface channels for carrying different types of services containing different combinations of the service components; switching means for selecting a said service, wherein the switching means is coupled to the interface channels for accessing the respective interface channels in a like manner; and a decoder coupled to the receiver and the interface channels for accessing the components of said selected service received by the receiver in different portions of one or more different frequency channels to provide said selected service on the interface channel carrying the selected service. The decoder includes a service definition table defining access to different combinations of the service components by each of a plurality of the separate interface channels to thereby define access to different types of services by the separate interface channels; and a channel configuration map defining access to the frequency channels by the separate interface channels for enabling the different combinations of service components for each of the services to be accessed in accordance with the service definition table. The service definition table may include means for defining access to different service components located in the same portion of a given frequency channel at different times and/or may define access to different service components located in the following portions of the given frequency channel with respect to a television signal received over the given frequency channel: the video information interval, the horizontal blanking interval, the vertical blanking interval and the subcarrier of the given frequency.

Claims

1. A receiver interface system for enabling an operator to access different services in a like manner, wherein some of the different services contain different types of combinations of one or more service components received by a receiver in different portions of one or more different frequency channels, comprising

a plurality of separate interface channels for carrying different services containing different combinations of the service components;

switching means for selecting a said service, wherein the switching means is coupled to the interface channels for accessing the respective interface channels in a like manner; and

a decoder coupled to the receiver and the interface channels for accessing the components of said selected service received by the receiver in different portions of one or more different frequency channels to provide said selected service on the interface channel carrying the selected service, wherein the decoder includes

a service definition table defining access to different combinations of the service components by each of a plurality of the separate interface channels, including access to different types of combinations of the service components by some of the separate interface channels, to thereby define access to different services by the separate interface channels; and

a channel configuration map defining access to the frequency channels by the separate interface channels for enabling the different combinations of service components for each of the services to be accessed in accordance with the service definition table.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising

a service-to-channel map defining which services are provided on which interface channels.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the service definition table includes means for defining access to different service components located in the same portion of a given said frequency channel at different times.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the service definition table includes means for defining access to different service components located in all or some of the following portions of a given said frequency channel with respect to a television signal received over said frequency channel:

the video information interval, the horizontal blanking interval, and the vertical blanking interval.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the service definition table includes means for defining access to different service components located in all or some of the following portions of a given said frequency channel with respect to a television signal received over said frequency channel:

the video information interval, the horizontal blanking interval, the vertical blanking interval and the subcarrier of the given frequency.

6. A receiver having an interface system for enabling an operator to access different types of services in a like manner, wherein some of the services contain different types of combinations of one or more service components received in different portions of one or more different frequency channels, comprising

means for receiving a plurality of service components in different portions of each of a plurality of different frequency channels;

a plurality of separate interface channels for carrying different types of services containing different combinations of said service components;

switching means for selecting a said service, wherein the switching means is coupled to the interface channels for accessing the respective interface channels in a like manner; and

a decoder coupled to the receiver and the interface channels for accessing the components of said selected service received by the receiver in different portions of one or more different frequency channels to provide said selected service on the interface channel carrying the selected service, wherein the decoder includes

a service definition table defining access to different combinations of the service components by each of a plurality of the separate interface channels, including access to different types of combinations of the service components by some of the separate interface channels, to thereby define access to different services by the separate interface channels; and

a channel configuration map defining access to the frequency channels by the seprate interface channels for enabling the different combinations of service components for each of the services to be accessed in accordance with the service definition table.

7. A receiver according to claim 6, further comprising

a service-to-channel map defining which services are provided on which interface channels.

8. A receiver according to claim 6, wherein the service definition table includes means for defining access to different service components located in the same portion of a given said frequency channel at different times.

9. A receiver according to claim 6, wherein the service definition table includes means for defining access to different service components located in all or some of the following portions of a given said frequency channel with respect to a television signal received over said frequency channel:

the video information interval, the horizontal blanking interval, and the vertical blanking interval.

10. A receiver according to claim 6, wherein the service definition table includes means for defining access to different service components located in all or some of the following portions of a given said frequency channel with respect to a television signal received over said frequency channel:

the video information interval, the horizontal blanking interval, the vertical blanking interval and the subcarrier of the given frequency.

11. A receiver interface system for enabling an operator to access different services in a like manner, wherein some of the services contain different types of combinations of one or more service components received by a receiver in different portions of a frequency channel, comprising

a plurality of separate interface channels for carrying different types of services containing different combinations of said service components;

switching means for selecting a said service, wherein the switching means is coupled to the interface channels for accessing the respective interface channels in a like manner; and

a decoder coupled to the receiver and the interface channels for accessing the components of said selected service received by the receiver in different portions of one or more different frequency channels to provide said selected service on the interface channel carrying the selected service, wherein the decoder includes

a service definition table defining access to different combinations of the service components by each of a plurality of the separate interface channels, including access to different types of combinations of the service components by some of the separate interface channels, to thereby define access to different services by the separate interface channels; and

a channel configuration map defining access to the frequency channels by the separate interface channels for enabling the different combinations of service components for each of the services to be accessed in accordance with the service definition table.

12. A system according to claim 11, further comprising

a service-to-channel map defining which services are provided on which interface channels.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the service definition table includes means for defining access to different service components located in the same portion of said frequency channel at different times.

14. A system according to claim 11, wherein the service definition table includes means for defining access to different service components located in all or some of the following portions of said frequency channel with respect to a television signal received over said frequency channel:

the video information interval, the horizontal blanking interval, and the vertical blanking interval.

15. A system according to claim 11, wherein the service definition table includes means for defining access to different service components located in all or some of the following portions of said frequency channel with respect to a television signal received over said frequency channel:

the video information interval, the horizontal blanking interval, the vertical blanking interval and the subcarrier of the given frequency.