Broadcast channel substitution method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A signal substitution system at a viewer premises for substituting television signals in a channel on a distribution means with substitute television signals, said apparatus comprising at said viewer premises:
- means for receiving a plurality of television signals and for distributing said received plurality of television signals in a plurality of RF frequency separated channels on said distribution means;
means for receiving control signals directing the substitution of a specified first of said received television signals for the signals in a specified one of said plurality of frequency separated channels on said distribution means;
RF channel deletion apparatus responsive to said received control signals for deleting said specified frequency separated channel from said distribution means;
means for frequency converting said specified first received television signals to the frequency of said specified frequency separated channel; and
means for combining said frequency converted first television signals with the signals in the plurality of frequency separated channels on said distribution means.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Each of a plurality of households includes a channel substitution unit which receives a normal spectrum of television channel signals and at least one substitute channel signal. The substitution unit of each household, upon command from a control arrangement, replaces a channel of the normal television channel spectrum with the substitute channel and distributes the resulting spectrum, comprising the original normal spectrum of television channel signals with one substituted channel, over a distribution medium such as an in-house distribution cable.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A signal substitution system at a viewer premises for substituting television signals in a channel on a distribution means with substitute television signals, said apparatus comprising at said viewer premises:
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means for receiving a plurality of television signals and for distributing said received plurality of television signals in a plurality of RF frequency separated channels on said distribution means; means for receiving control signals directing the substitution of a specified first of said received television signals for the signals in a specified one of said plurality of frequency separated channels on said distribution means; RF channel deletion apparatus responsive to said received control signals for deleting said specified frequency separated channel from said distribution means; means for frequency converting said specified first received television signals to the frequency of said specified frequency separated channel; and means for combining said frequency converted first television signals with the signals in the plurality of frequency separated channels on said distribution means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 24)
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10. A signal substitution system for substituting television signals at a viewer premises comprising:
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an input communication path conveying a television distribution spectrum comprising a plurality of television signals in a plurality of frequency separated channels; a source of a substitute television signal; means for receiving control signals specifying one of said plurality of frequency separated channels on said communication path for substitution by said substitute television signal; means responsive to said control signals and said substitute television signal for modifying said television distribution spectrum on said communication path by deleting said specified frequency separated channel and replacing the one specified deleted frequency separated channel with a channel conveying said substitute television signal having the same frequency as the specified frequency separated channel; and means for conveying said modified television distribution spectrum comprising a plurality of frequency separated channels including the channel conveying said substitute television signal to at least one television receiver. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A television distribution system comprising:
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a communication path for conveying a plurality of normal television signals and at least one substitute television signal in a television signal spectrum of frequency separated channels on said communication path; means for conveying channel substitution control signals on said communication path, said channel substitution control signals specifying one of said frequency separated channels conveying normal television signals and comprising an address portion; plurality of individually addressable viewer premises apparatuses connected to said communication path, each viewer premises apparatus comprising; means for receiving said television signal spectrum comprising said plurality of frequency separated channels conveying normal television signals and said at least one substitute television signal; means for receiving said control signals; means responsive to the address portion of said received control signals for deleting said specified frequency separated channel and for substituting said substitute television signal in place of the normal television signal conveyed by the frequency separated channel specified in said control signals; and means for distributing via a communication path within said viewer premises said plurality of normal television signals in which said substitute television signal has been substituted for the normal television signals of the specified frequency separated channel. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of providing a plurality of television signals to television receivers in a viewer premises, said method comprising:
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providing to a viewer premises, a transmission line conveying a television signal spectrum comprising a plurality of normal television signals and a substitute television signal in frequency separated channels; connecting a channel substitution unit to said transmission line; transmitting on said transmission line, control signals specifying the frequency separated channel of one of said normal television signals to be substituted with said substitute television signal; receiving said control signals by said channel substitution unit; creating a first and a second representation of said television signal spectrum; substantially deleting in response to said control signals the specified frequency separated channel from said first representation of said television signal spectrum; selecting said substituted television signal from said second representation of said television signal spectrum; combining the television signals resulting from said deleting step and said selecting step to create a modified spectrum; and distributing said modified television signal spectrum on a signal distribution means within said viewer premises. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification