Scientific-atlanta, Inc.

Jay C McMullan, Jr

David J Naddor

Randolph J Schaubs

Donald R Huntley

Anthony John Wasilewski

Gregory S Durden

Robert J Beyers, Ii

Douglas J Hoder

Lamar E West, Jr

Luis A Rovira

Ray T Haman, Jr

Robert J Edwards

David B Burleson

Emory L McGinty, Jr

John A Kennedy

Jesse M Still

Charles R Bramhall

William Edgar Wall, Jr

Donovan S White

Robert O Banker

Lee R Johnson

Michael P Harney

Paul Borsetti, Jr

William Bradford Thatcher, Jr

John T Filion

Rdy T Haman, Jr

An apparatus and method is described for transmitting, receiving and communicating program data signals which are combined with digital data signals. Preferably, the present invention compresses 30 digital audio signals, multiplexes them with title, track, artist, record label, year, etc., program information, and transmits the combined signals via satellite to a receiving station. The receiving station demultiplexes the signals and sends them via a cable distribution system to a subscriber's digital music tuner. This tuner further demultiplexes and decodes the signals so that the digital audio signals may be converted to analog and output for listening, while the corresponding data signals are communicated to the subscriber. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the program data signals are transmitted to a remote control receiver where they are displayed. The system described in the present invention may be used for transmitting video, software or games with program data to subscribers.

Method and apparatus for communicating different types of data in a data

A communications system for the delivery of digital data programs to a remote location includes a transmitter for transmitting a signal having the digital data programs and a communications terminal located at the remote location. The communications terminal includes a control circuit including authorizing circuitry responsive to authorization data for authorizing the communications terminal to access authorized ones of the digital data programs in one of a first and a second authorization mode. For example, automatic authorization modes for game play may comprise an arcade mode and a rental mode, simulating manual access methods i.e. paying for play at a video arcade or for rental of games from a video game store. Moreover, new games may be accessed without charge by the game player if authorized according to a free service authorization map. Furthermore, parents may limits game play to children prior to a particular time of day such as bed-time or to a maximum playtime limit according to a secret downloadbale password known only to the parents. A game player may only read and not write authorization and control data.

Secure authorization and control method and apparatus for a game

A headend method and apparatus for a digital transmission system is provided which includes inputs for receiving first and second program information from first and second program sources and inputs for receiving first and second control information from first and second control sources. The first and second program information is applied to a switching circuit and a switch control controls the switching circuit to output channels of program information comprising combinations of the first and second program information for output to a subscriber. Processing circuitry allows for selectively providing the first and second control information to the channels output from the switching circuit.

Headend processing for a digital transmission system

A system and method for disabling the output of a data transmission system when a relatively high error rate is detected in the transmitted signal. The error muting technique of the invention functions as the digital equivalent of a leaky integrator with hysteresis. In particular, the signal quality of the received data transmission is monitored, and a predetermined value is added to an accumulator or error counter when an error is detected. This value varies depending upon the nature of the detected error such that more serious errors are given greater error values. The error counter is also decremented by one or some other amount at a programmable time interval in accordance with the maximum acceptable error rate. The error count (accumulator sum) is continuously compared to a programmable error threshold, and if the threshold is exceeded, the output of the data transmission system is disabled, or in the case of a digital audio transmission system, is muted. Once disabled or muted, the output is not reenabled or unmuted until the error counter is decremented all the way down to a lower limit such as zero. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the error counter is decremented at a different rate when the output of the data transmission system has been disabled or muted so that the system may be more or less rapidly returned to normal operation.

Digital audio data muting system and method

A method of controlling the allocation of a population of remote units among a plurality of groups of remote units is provided. Each remote unit has a digital identifier respectively associated therewith. A maximum and a minimum average number of remote units per group is fixed. The remote units are assigned to the groups of remote units in accordance with the respective digital identifiers. The average number of remote units per group is then determined as remote units are assigned thereto. Next, the average number of remote units per group is compared to the fixed maximum number of remote units per group. The above steps are repeated while the average number of remote units per group is less than or equal to the fixed maximum number of remote units per group. The number of groups is changed such that the average number of remote units per group is between the fixed maximum and minimum number of remote units per group if the average number of remote units per group exceeds the maximum number of remote units per group.

Method and apparatus for RF data transfer in a CATV system

A method and apparatus for generating and collecting viewing statistics in a cable television system is provided. For example, data relating to television channels being viewed at remote terminals may be generated by each remote terminal and then collected by a system manager. A system manager transmits one or more record times downstream to one or more remote terminals indicating a future point in time at which the terminal is to record the viewing statistics. The remote terminals store the one or more record times in memory and when the record time matches the current real time, the remote terminals store in memory the viewing statistics. Thereafter, in response to a polling signal from the system manager, the set top terminals transmit the previously recorded viewing statistics along with a time code corresponding to the time at which the viewing statistics were recorded upstream to the system manager, and the system manager processes this information accordingly. In one embodiment, the viewing statistics are generated from status information within each remote terminal. In another embodiment, the viewing statistics are generated from user inputs to each remote terminal. In one embodiment, several collection slots exist in each remote terminal for receiving and maintaining more than one record time at a time. In another embodiment, the system manager transmits record times and polling signals for each particular collection slot independently from and at different times than the other collection slots.

Method and apparatus for generating and collecting viewing statistics

A method of transferring a data message from a remote unit to a central location is provided. A plurality of data channels is selected for transmitting the data message from the remote unit to the central location. At least one random transmit time is generated for transmitting the data message for each of the plurality of data channels. The data message is transmitted over the plurality of data channels at the transmit times. An apparatus for transferring a data message from a remote unit to a central location is also provided.

Cable television radio frequency subscriber data transmission apparatus

A method for automatically selecting optimum frequencies for transmitting data from remote terminals upstream to a system manager is provided. The system manager initially selects a set of frequencies from a larger set of available frequencies and transmits a command downstream to each remote terminal indicating which frequencies to use. Each remote terminal transmits data messsages on each selected frequency in response to addressed commands generated by the system manager. The system manager receives and counts the data messages on each of the frequencies, and after a statistically significant number of messages are received, removes from use the frequency with the lowest number of data messages received. This frequency is replaced with either (1) a previously untried frequency, or if all frequencies have been tried, (2) a previously tried frequency with the highest number of data messages received. In a preferred embodiment, new frequencies are removed from use and added to use only when the number of data messages received and the received signal level on a particular frequency falls within certain predetermined ranges. In another embodiment, the transmission level for a particular frequency is recalibrated when the number of data message received and the received signal level falls within other predetermined ranges. In a further embodiment, two or more sets of optimum frequencies are automatically chosen for different times during the day and the system manager is able to immediately switch between these sets at the appropriate times.

Automatic frequency selection in a bi-directional cable television system

Automatic level calibration apparatus for transmitting data from a cable television terminal to the headend of a cable television system comprises programmable transmitter apparatus of the terminal, programmable receiving apparatus at the headend and a calibration controller. Responsive to an addressed command from the headend, the programmable transmitter apparatus returns a sequence of levels at a particular calibration frequency. The programmable receiver apparatus determines an indication of the received signal strength of each of the levels of the sequence of levels. The controller determines an optimum level for transmissions from the terminal.

System for data channel level control

A cable television radio frequency data processor for receiving and processing data transmitted from a cable television terminal to the headend of a cable television system comprises a plurality of data receivers for receiving the returned data, detectors associated with each receiver for providing an indication of received signal strength and a data processor. The data processor responsive to the data receivers eliminates redundant data and collects statistics on data throughput and, responsive to the detectors, collects statistics on received signal strength. The data processor then may initiate recalibration of transmit signal levels or an appropriate selection of data transmit channels as required.

Cable television radio frequency data processor

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for providing a cable TV system with the ability to issue information from a system manager, determine whether the information is intended for a set top designed to receive out-of-band information or in-band information, send the information to the appropriate circuitry. Reformatting of some information is necessary and is performed by a format translator. For in-band information, information may be sent over one or more of a plurality of data streams. Certain types of information are sent over one or more data streams based on the type of information and characteristics of the data streams. It is further disclosed that for efficiency, similar information intended for several addresses is grouped together in a database manager so that the information may be sent to plural addresses at one time. Scramblers are employed with the capability of inserting data onto nonscrambled channels.

Growing community of inventors

Doraville, GA, United States of America

Jay C McMullan, Jr