General Instrument Corporation

Tocom Corporation

Other

Tocum, Incorporated

Carl F Schoeneberger

Allan B Bundens

John G Campbell

Richard M Fogle

John R Lemburg

Richard A Blake

An addressable cable television control-system controls television program and data signal transmission from a central station to a plurality of user stations. The data signals include both control and text signals in video line format which are inserted on the vertical interval of the television signals, thereby freeing all channels for transmission of both television and data signals. Moreover, full-channel teletext data in video line format may be transmitted on dedicated text channels with the modification of only head end processors. An intelligent converter at each remote user location uses the data signals to control access to the system on the basis of channel, tier of service, special event and program subject matter. The converter uses a graphics display generator to generate display signals for the presentation of the text data on the television receiver and for the generation of predetermined messages for the viewer concerning access, emergencies and other functions. The converter processes vertical interval text data and selected full-channel text data, both transmitted in video line format. The keyboard of the subscriber provides a number of different functional inputs for the subscriber to interface with the system. The converter also includes apparatus for interfacing with two-way interactive data acquisiton and control systems.

Addressable cable television control system with video format data

A data communications system utilizes computer control at central and remote locations to provide general data acquisition and control functions as part of a cable television network. The data system includes a central data processor communicating with a plurality of remote data processors, each of which in turn interrogates, monitors and controls a plurality of groups of remote terminal unit. Each terminal unit includes a variety of security monitoring devices as well as other data generating apparatus useful in process control and data retrieval functions. Each terminal unit communicates with its remote data processor concerning the status of the security devices and receives commands from the remote data processor to carry out data acquisition and control functions including controlling access to the cable television network by the terminals. The remote data processors communicate with the terminal units utilizing both time and frequency division multiplexing in a frequency shift key mode. Communication between the remote data processor and the home terminals is preferably on the coaxial cable utilized for transmitting commercial programming for the television network. The central data processor includes a minicomputer interfacing with input/output devices and external data links. Each remote data processor includes a microcomputer having input/output devices attached thereto and interfacing between the minicomputer and the remote terminal units.

Data communications system

An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding a television signal are disclosed in which the horizontal sync pulses and the first section of the video signal are inverted, and the inverted horizontal sync pulses and video signals are reduced in amplitude by a predetermined amount.

Video encoder/decoder system

A data communications system provides for the transmission of television signals from a central station to a plurality of remote user stations and the transmission of security data from the user stations back to the central station. The downstream television signals and upstream security data are processed through a plurality of remote hub stations, each servicing several of the remote user terminal stations. The remote hub stations convert downstream television control data and programming signals for reception by the users serviced by that station. The remote hub station also receive security monitoring data transmitted from each user station and generate additional security data for the central station. In one embodiment, the remote hub processing station includes a plurality of converters, each transmitting downstream on a separate dedicated communication link to a remote user station. Each dedicated link also transmits security data upstream from the remote user station to the remote hub processing station. A logic unit at the remote hub station controls the operation of the converters and processes the upstream security data for transmission to the central station. In said embodiment, each user station includes a data separator unit connected to the dedicated communication link from the remote hub processing station for directing downstream television signals to the user's television receiver and directing upstream security data to the logic of the remote hub processing station. The security data is generated at each user station by a plurality of security monitoring devices each providing an alarm status signal to an arming control panel which generates the security data to be transmitted upstream. Another embodiment eliminates the converters at the remote hub processing station in favor of a plurality of splitters transmitting the television signals to the users. Transmission of the signals from the remote hub station to the user stations is carried out by using conventional RF, baseband or optic modulation techniques and may include conventional crosspoint switching techniques.

Remote hub television and security systems

A data communications terminal is provided for interfacing with a central data processing system to handle a variety of data acquisition and control functions including the minitoring and control of security devices and pay television receivers. The terminal includes a microcomputer unit for receiving and processing data from the central processing system and from remote units which generate data signals in response to abnormal conditions. A data reception and transmission unit include a radio frequency modem for converting data to and from a frequency modulated format and a data converter for changing the serial bit data to parallel word data. An identification unit provides data to the microcomputer regarding the identification of the terminal which can be compared to the address portion of the incoming data from the central processing system. Data generating means are provided for generating and transmitting response data to the microcomputer for transmission to the central processing system. An address decode unit identifies and actuates the various element in this system. The remote data terminal functions in an 'interrupt' mode with relation to the central data system so that it communicates with the central data system only when abnormal conditions are detected. Otherwise, the terminal handles its own internal monitoring and control functions. Transmission of data to and from the terminal is preferably along coaxial cable. When used in conjunction with a television receiver, the same coaxial cable may be used for the transmission of television signals to the receiver. In this mode, the terminal includes a television port unit which is activated by the microcomputer to enable access by the receiver to the cable television network in response to appropriate authorization data from the microcomputer.

Growing community of inventors

Carrollton, TX, United States of America

Carl F Schoeneberger