Remote hub television and security systems

Claim 2

In a data communication system in which data including television signals are transmitted from a central station to a plurality of remote user stations and data including security information are transmitted from the remote user stations to the central station, the combination comprising: (a) a remote hub processing station in communication with and located remote from the central station and the plurality of user stations, having: (1) splitter means for splitting the television signals transmitted by the central station into a plurality of television signals, one for each of the remote user stations, (2) a plurality of signal processing means in communication with said splitter means, one signal processing means for processing each of said split television signals for reception by a remote user's station, (3) transceiver means for receiving from the central station data associated with the television signals and for transmitting to the central station data associated with said remote user stations, (4) logic means in communication with said transceiver means, the plurality of signal processing means and the remote user stations for generating tuning control data representative of tuning signals from the remote user stations for transmission to the signal processing means and for generating security data representative of security signals from the remote user stations for transmission to the transceiver means, and (b) a plurality of remote user means in communication with said remote hub processing station, each remote user means being located at one of said remote user stations and having: (1) data separator means in communication with said logic means and one of the signal processing means for receiving the television signals from the signal processing means, and for transmitting the security signals and the tuning signals to the logic means, (2) a plurality of security monitoring devices, each having an alarm means for selectively generating an alarm signal representative of the status of the security monitoring device, and (3) security arming means connected to each of said security monitoring devices for generating the security signals representative of the alarm signals for transmission to the frequency separator means.

Claim 3

The system of Claim 1 wherein each of said signal processing means comprises a converter means for tuning one of said split television signals to a frequency compatible with a remote user's television receiver.

Claim 4

The system of Claim 2 wherein said converter means further comprises modulation means for modulating said television signal to an RF frequency for reception by said television receiver.

Claim 5

The system of Claim 2 wherein said data separator means at the user station comprises an RF modulator for modulating said television signal to an RF frequency for reception by said television receiver.

Claim 6

The system of Claim 1 wherein said frequency separator means is connected to one of the signal processing means by a common communications link and wherein the television signals and the security data are transmitted on said common communications link.

Claim 7

The system of Claim 5 wherein the television signals are transmitted to the data separator means at radio frequencies and the security data are transmitted to the signal processing means at a frequency substantially different from the frequency of the television signals.

Claim 8

The system of Claim 5 wherein the communications link is a coaxial cable.

Claim 9

The system of Claim 1 wherein the communications link is a fiber plurality of optic lines.

Claim 10

The system of Claim 2 wherein said converter means further comprises fiber optic modulation means for modulating said television signal to an optic frequency for transmission to the remote user station.

Claim 11

The system of Claim 9 wherein said data separator means comprises a separate fiber optic demodulator receiving the downstream television signals on one fiber optic line from the remote hub station, an RF modulator connected between said fiber optic demodulator and the user television receiver and a fiber optic modulator connected on another fiber optic line for directing upstream security data from said security arming means to the remote hub station.

Claim 12

The system of Claim 1 wherein said transceiver comprises a data receiver for receiving downstream RF/data on coaxial cable and a data transmitter for transmitting RF/data upstream on said coaxial cable.

Claim 13

The system of Claim 1 wherein said transceiver comprises a telephone dialer for transmitting the security data upstream on a telephone line to the central station.

Claim 14

The system of Claim 1 wherein the logic means generates the security data at a radio frequency for transmission by said transceiver means.

Claim 15

1 4. The system of Claim 1 wherein said signal processing means comprises an RF converter, a preamplifier and a data separator.

Claim 16

In a data communication system in which data, including television signals, are transmitted from a central station to a plurality of remote user stations at different levels of service, and data including security information are transmitted from the remote user stations to the central station, the combination comprising: (a) a remote hub processing station in communication with and located remote from the central station and the plurality of user stations, having: (1) first splitter means for splitting the television signals transmitted by the central station into a plurality of television signals, one for each level of service provided to the remote user stations, (2) a plurality of second splitter means in communication with said first splitter means, each second splitter means receiving a portion of one of said plurality of television signals and splitting said one signal into a plurality of user television signals for said remote user stations, (3) a plurality of filter means, each filter means receiving one of said plurality of television signals and transmitting to one of said second splitter means said portion of one of the television signals representative of one level of service provided to the plurality of user stations, (4) a plurality of data communication links, each extending from one of said second splitter means to one of the remote user stations, (5) security data separator means connected to each of said plurality of data communication links for receiving security signals from said remote user stations and transmitting the security signals on a common security bus, (6) security logic means in communication with said security bus for generating security data representative of the security signals from the remote user stations, and (7) transmitter means in communication with said security logic means for transmitting the security data to the central station, and (b) a plurality of adapter means in communication with said remote hub processing station, each adapter means being located at one of said remote user stations, and having: (1) frequency separator means in communication with one of said data communication links for receiving the user television signals from one of said second splitter means and for transmitting the security signals to said security data separator means, (2) a plurality of security monitoring devices, each having an alarm means for selectively generating an alarm signal representative of the status of the security monitoring device, (3) security arming means connected to each of said security monitoring devices for receiving said alarm signals and generating the security signals representative of the status of the security monitoring devices to the frequency separator means.

Claim 17

In a data communication system in which data, including television signals, are transmitted from a central station to a plurality of remote user stations at different levels of service, and data including security information are transmitted from the remote user stations to the central station, the combination comprising: (a) a remote hub processing station in communication with and located remote from the central station and the plurality of user stations, having: (1) first splitter means for splitting the television signals transmitted by the central station into a plurality of television signals, one for each level of service provided to the remote user stations, (2) a plurality of second splitter means in communication with said first splitter means, each second splitter means receiving a portion of one of said plurality of television signals and splitting said one signal into a plurality of user television signals for said remote user stations, (3) a plurality of filter means, each filter means receiving one of said plurality of television signals and transmitting to one of said second splitter means said portion of one of the television signals representative of one level of service provided to the plurality of user stations, (4) a plurality of data communication links, each extending from one of said second splitter means to one of the remote user stations, (5) security data separator means connected to each of said plurality of data communication links for receiving security signals from said remote user stations and transmitting the security signals on a common security bus, (6) security logic means in communication with said security bus for generating security data representative of the security signals from the remote user stations, and (7) transmitter means in communication with said security logic means for transmitting the security data to the central station, and (b) a plurality of adapter means in communication with said remote hub processing station, each adapter means being located at one of said remote user stations, and having: (1) frequency separator means in communication with one of said data communication links for receiving the user television signals from one of said second splitter means and for transmitting the security signals to said security data separator means, (2) a plurality of security monitoring devices, each having an alarm means for selectively generating an alarm signal representative of the status of the security monitoring device, (3) security arming means connected to each of said security monitoring devices for receiving said alarm signals and generating the security signals representative of the status of the security monitoring devices to the frequency separator means.

Claim 18

The system of Claim 15 wherein the television signals are transmitted to the frequency separator on the data communication link at a radio frequency, and the security signals are transmitted to the security data separator means on said data communication link at a frequency substantially different from the frequency of the television signals.

Claim 19

The system of Claim 15 wherein the data communication link is a coaxial cable.

Claim 20

The system of Claim 15 wherein the data communication link is a fiber optic cable.

Claim 21

The system of Claim 15 wherein said security data separator means comprises low frequency filter means for passing the radio frequency television signals from the plurality of second splitter means and removing the low frequency security signals from the remote user stations for transmission on the security bus.

Claim 22

In a data communications system in which data including television signals are transmitted from a central station to a plurality of remote user stations and security information is transmitted from the remote user station to the central station, the combination comprising: (a) a remote hub processing station in communication with and located remote from the central station and the plurality of user stations, having video processing means for processing the television signals for reception by said remote user stations, security processing means for receiving the security signals from the remote user stations and for generating security data for transmission to the central station, and a plurality of data communication links, each link interfacing between one of said remote user stations and said video processing means and security processing means, each comunication link transmitting the television signals downsteam to the remote user station and the security signals on a common communication link, and (b) a plurality of adapter means, each in communication with said remote hub processing station by one of the communication links, each adapter means being located at one of said remote user stations and having security means for generating the security signals representative of the status of a plurality of security monitoring devices at the remote user station, television receiver means for processing the television signals transmitted from the remote hub processing station, and frequency filter means in communication with the communication link servicing said remote user station, the security means and the television receiver means for transmitting the television signals from the data communication link to the television receiver and for transmitting the security signals from the security means to the communication link.

Claim 23

In a data communications system in which data including television signals are transmitted from a central station to a plurality of remote user stations and security information is transmitted from the remote user station to the central station, the combination comprising: (a) a remote hub processing station in communication with and located remote from the central station and the plurality of user stations, having video processing means for processing the television signals for reception by said remote user stations, security processing means for receiving the security signals from the remote user stations and for generating security data for transmission to the central station, and a plurality of data communication links, each link interfacing between one of said remote user stations and said video processing means and security processing means, each comunication link transmitting the television signals downsteam to the remote user station and the security signals on a common communication link, and (b) a plurality of adapter means, each in communication with said remote hub processing station by one of the communication links, each adapter means being located at one of said remote user stations and having security means for generating the security signals representative of the status of a plurality of security monitoring devices at the remote user station, television receiver means for processing the television signals transmitted from the remote hub processing station, and frequency filter means in communication with the communication link servicing said remote user station, the security means and the television receiver means for transmitting the television signals from the data communication link to the television receiver and for transmitting the security signals from the security means to the communication link.

Claim 24

The system of Claim 20 wherein the video processing means at the remote hub processing station comprises a plurality of converter means for selectively converting the television signals to a frequency compatible with the television receiver at the remote user station.

Claim 25

The system of Claim 20 wherein the video processing means comprises a plurality of filter and splitter means for selectively transmitting the television signals to each of the remote user stations in accordance with the level of service authorized for each user station.

Claim 26

The system of Claim 20 wherein the security processing means comprises security logic in communication with the data communication link for generating the security data at a radio frequency for transmission to the central station.