Cable television system

Claim 2

A cable television system for providing selected television signals to a plurality of remotely located subscriber premises, having a head end for producing a television signal and a cable network for conducting the television signal from the head end to a plurality of remote locations, each of which is adjacent but external to a respective subset of the subscriber premises, comprising: external control unit means at each of the remote locations for receiving the television signal from the cable network; a plurality of drop cables connected to each external control unit means, each drop cable conducting a selected portion of the television signal from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber device means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber premises for applying to the drop cable a first control signal indicative of data to be transmitted to the external control unit means, at least one of said subscriber device means being a subscriber processing unit means for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a first control signal including channel data indicative of the portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select; and first means associated with each external control unit means for processing the first control signals applied to all the drop cables associated with that external control unit means and for causing that external control unit means to apply to each associated drop cable the portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signal channel data received via the drop cable, the first means including common signal processing circuitry which at least partially processes the information represented by the first control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means.

Claim 3

The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising: second means associated with each external control unit means for applying to each drop cable a second control signal indicative of data to be transmitted to the associated subscriber premises; and third means associated with each subscriber processing unit means for processing the second control signal to receive and store the data indicated by the second control signal.

Claim 4

The apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein: said subscriber processing unit means includes a character display means; the second control signal applied to each drop cable includes character display data; and said subscriber processing unit means includes fourth means responsive to the received and stored second control signal for controlling the character display means in accordance with the character display data indicated by the second control signal.

Claim 5

The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the character display data indicated by the second control signal applied to each drop cable are indicative of the selected portion of the television signal applied to that drop cable by the external control unit means.

Claim 6

The apparatus defined in claim 2, further comprising: fourth means associated with the head end for applying to the cable network a third control signal indicative of data to be transmitted to at least one external control unit means; and fifth means associated with each external control unit means for processing the third control signal to receive and store the data indicated by the third control signal.

Claim 7

The apparatus defined in claim 2, further comprising: sixth means associated with each external control unit means for applying to the cable network a fourth control signal indicative of data to be transmitted to the head end; and seventh means associated with the head end for processing the fourth control signal to receive and store the data indicated by the fourth control signal.

Claim 8

The apparatus defined in claim 5, further comprising: sixth means associated with each external control unit means for applying to the cable network a fourth control signal indicative of data to be transmitted to the head end; and seventh means associated with the head end for processing the fourth control signal to receive and store the data indicated by the fourth control signal.

Claim 9

The apparatus defined in claim 5, wherein: said fifth means associated with each external control unit means includes eighth means for producing address signal information which uniquely identifies the associated external control unit means; the third control signal includes address signal data indicative of at least one external control unit means to which the third control signal is to be transmitted; and said fifth means associated with each external control unit means includes ninth means for comparing the received address signal data to the associated address signal information, and enabling the associated fifth means to store the data indicated by the third control signal if the received address signal data bear a predetermined relationship to the associated address signal information.

Claim 10

The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein said ninth means associated with each external control unit means enables said fifth means to store the data indicated by the third control signal if the received address signal data correspond to the associated address signal information.

Claim 11

The apparatus defined in claim 5, wherein: the third control signal includes broadcast address signal data indicative of all external control unit means; and said fifth means associated with each external control unit means includes tenth means for recognizing the broadcast address signal data, and enabling the associated fifth means to store the data indicated by the third control signal if the received broadcast address signal data is recognized.

Claim 12

The apparatus defined in claim 5, wherein: the third control signal includes channel authorization data indicative of the portions of the television signal which at least one subscriber associated with that external control unit means is authorized to select; and said fifth means associated with each external control unit means includes eleventh means for causing said external control unit means to apply to each associated drop cable the portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signal channel data received via the drop cable only if the stored channel authorization data indicates that the subscriber associated with the drop cable is authorized to receive that portion of the television signal.

Claim 13

The apparatus defined in claim 5, wherein: the third control signal includes channelization data indicative of a desired correlation between each portion of the television signal which can be selected by the subscriber and the channel data indicated by the first control signal used to select each portion of the television signal; and said fifth means associated with each external control unit means includes twelfth means responsive to the channelization data for causing the external control unit means to apply to each associated drop cable the correlated portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signal channel data received via the drop cable.

Claim 14

- 13. The apparatus defined in claim 5, wherein: the third control signal includes force tune data indicative of a portion of the television signal for transmission to the subscriber premises; and said fifth means associated with each external control unit means includes thirteenth means responsive to the force tune data for causing said external control unit means to apply to the associated drop cables the portion of the television signal indicated by the force tune data.

Claim 15

The apparatus defined in claim 13, wherein: said second means associated with each external control unit means includes fourteenth means responsive to the force tune data for causing said second means to apply to the associated drop cables the second control signal; the second control signal applied to each drop cable includes television on/off data; and said subscriber processing unit means includes fifteenth means responsive to the second control signal for controlling on and off a television apparatus in accordance with the television on/off data.

Claim 16

The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein: said fifth means associated with each external control unit means includes sixteenth means for storing data at one or more storage addresses; the third control signal includes storage address data indicative of a storage address in said external control unit means; and said fifth means associated with each external control unit means includes seventeenth means for causing said associated sixteenth means to store the data indicated by the second control signal commencing at a storage address which bears a predetermined relationship to the storage address data indicated by the third control signal.

Claim 17

The apparatus defined in claim 6, wherein: the first control signal includes data indicative of information to be transmitted from a subscriber device means to the head end; said first means associated with each external control unit means includes eighteenth means to receive and store the information indicated by the first control signal; the third control signal includes read data indicative of a request to transmit to the head end the information stored in said eighteenth means; and said sixth means associated with said external control unit means includes nineteenth means responsive to the third control signal for enabling said sixth means to apply to the cable network the fourth control signal including data indicative of the stored information.

Claim 18

The apparatus defined in claim 6, wherein: the first control signal includes data indicative of information to be transmitted to the head end; said first means associated with each external control unit means includes twentieth means to accumulate and store the information indicated by the first control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means; the third control signal includes send function data indicative of a request to transmit to the head end the accumulated information stored in said twentieth means; and said sixth means associated with said external control unit means includes twenty-first means responsive to the send function data of the third control signal for enabling said sixth means to apply to the cable network the fourth control signal including data indicative of the accumulated and stored information.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein: the first control signal includes data indicative of a request to view a pay-per-view program event; the third control signal includes pay-per-view program event data indicative of the transmission of a pay-per-view program event and the portion of the television signal corresponding to that pay-per-view program event; and the fifth means associated with each external control unit means includes twenty-second means responsive to the pay-per-view program event data of the third control signal for applying to each associated drop cable the portion of the television signal indicated by the third control signal if the pay-per-view program event indicated by the third control signal corresponds to the pay-per-view program event request of the first control signal.

Claim 20

A cable television system for transmitting via a cable network television signals from a head end to a plurality of remote locations, and other signals between the head end and the plurality of remote locations, comprising: means at each of the remote locations for receiving the television signals from the cable network; first means associated with the head end for applying to the cable network a first control signal indicative of data to be transmitted to at least one receiving means, at least a portion of the first control signal being indicative of a particular one of a plurality of reverse channel frequency bands; and second means associated with each receiving means for processing the first control signal and for applying to the cable network in any one of a plurality of reverse channel frequency bands a second control signal indicative of data to be transmitted to the head end, said second means being responsive to the first control signal for applying the second control signal in the reverse channel frequency band indicated by the first control signal.

Claim 21

A cable television system for transmitting via a cable network television signals from a head end to a plurality of remote locations, and other signals between the head end and the plurality of remote locations, comprising: means at each of the remote locations for receiving the television signals from the cable network; first means associated with the head end for applying to the cable network a first control signal indicative of data to be transmitted to at least one receiving means, at least a portion of the first control signal being indicative of a particular one of a plurality of reverse channel frequency bands; and second means associated with each receiving means for processing the first control signal and for applying to the cable network in any one of a plurality of reverse channel frequency bands a second control signal indicative of data to be transmitted to the head end, said second means being responsive to the first control signal for applying the second control signal in the reverse channel frequency band indicated by the first control signal.

Claim 22

The cable television system defined in claim 19, wherein each remote location is adjacent but external to a respective set of subscriber premises and wherein said receiving means comprises an external control unit means, said cable television system further comprising: a plurality of drop cables connected to each external control unit means, each drop cable conducting a selected portion of the television signal from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber processing unit means connected to the drop cable at at least one of the subscriber premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a third control signal indicative of the portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select; and processing means associated with each external control unit for processing the third control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit and for causing that external control unit means to apply to each associated drop cable the portion of the television signal indicated by the third control signals, the processing means including common signal processing circuitry which at least partially processes the information represented by the third control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control circuit means.

Claim 23

A cable television system for transmitting via a cable network television signals from a head end to a plurality of remote locations, and other signals between the head end and the plurality of remote locations, each remote location being adjacent but external to a set of subscriber premises, comprising: addressable external control unit means at each of the remote locations for receiving the television signal from the cable network; a plurality of drop cables connected to each external control unit means, each drop cable conducting a selected portion of the television signal from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber processing unit means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber's premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a first control signal indicative of the portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select; first means associated with each external control unit means for processing the first control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means and for causing that external control unit means to apply to each associated drop cable the portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signal received via that drop cable, the first means including common signal processing circuitry which at least partially processes the information represented by the first control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means; second means associated with the head end means for applying to the cable network a second control signal indicative of data to be transmitted to at least one external control unit means, wherein at least a portion of the second control signal is indicative of an external control unit means address; third means associated with each external control unit means for processing the second control signal to receive and store the data indicated by the second control signal if the second control signal is addressed to the external control unit means; and handshaking means associated with each external control unit means and responsive to the third means to apply to the cable network for transmission to the head end a response signal indicative of whether or not the external control unit means received the second control signal without error.

Claim 24

A cable television system for transmitting via a cable network television signals from a head end to a plurality of remote locations, and other signals between the head end and the plurality of remote locations, each remote location being adjacent but external to a set of subscriber premises, comprising: addressable external control unit means at each of the remote locations for receiving the television signal from the cable network; a plurality of drop cables connected to each external control unit means, each drop cable conducting a selected portion of the television signal from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber processing unit means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber's premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a first control signal indicative of the portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select; first means associated with each external control unit means for processing the first control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means and for causing that external control unit means to apply to each associated drop cable the portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signal received via that drop cable, the first means including common signal processing circuitry which at least partially processes the information represented by the first control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means; second means associated with the head end means for applying to the cable network a second control signal indicative of data to be transmitted to at least one external control unit means, wherein at least a portion of the second control signal is indicative of an external control unit means address; third means associated with each external control unit means for processing the second control signal to receive and store the data indicated by the second control signal if the second control signal is addressed to the external control unit means; and handshaking means associated with each external control unit means and responsive to the third means to apply to the cable network for transmission to the head end a response signal indicative of whether or not the external control unit means received the second control signal without error.

Claim 25

A cable television system for transmitting via a cable network television signals from a head end to a plurality of subscriber premises, and other signals between the head end and the plurality of subscriber premises, comprising: polling signal means associated with the head end for applying polling signals to the cable network; external control unit means located at a plurality of remote locations, each location being adjacent but external to a subset of the subscriber premises, for receiving the television signals and the polling signals from the cable network; a plurality of drop cables connected to each external control unit means for conducting selected portions of the television signals from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber processing unit means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a control signal indicative of information to be transmitted to said external control unit means, including information indicating the portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select and information for transmission to the head end; control signal processing means associated with the external control unit for receiving and storing the information indicated by the control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means and for applying to each drop cable the portion of the television signal indicated by the television signal selection information received via that drop cable; and polling signal processing means associated with each external control unit means for processing the received polling signals and for responding thereto by applying a response signal to the cable network for transmission to the head end indicative of whether or not said external control unit means has information to transmit to the head end.

Claim 26

A cable television system for transmitting via a cable network television signals from a head end to a plurality of subscriber premises, and other signals between the head end and the plurality of subscriber premises, comprising: polling signal means associated with the head end for applying polling signals to the cable network; external control unit means located at a plurality of remote locations, each location being adjacent but external to a subset of the subscriber premises, for receiving the television signals and the polling signals from the cable network; a plurality of drop cables connected to each external control unit means for conducting selected portions of the television signals from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber processing unit means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a control signal indicative of information to be transmitted to said external control unit means, including information indicating the portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select and information for transmission to the head end; control signal processing means associated with the external control unit for receiving and storing the information indicated by the control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means and for applying to each drop cable the portion of the television signal indicated by the television signal selection information received via that drop cable; and polling signal processing means associated with each external control unit means for processing the received polling signals and for responding thereto by applying a response signal to the cable network for transmission to the head end indicative of whether or not said external control unit means has information to transmit to the head end.

Claim 27

The cable television system defined in claim 22, wherein the polling signals include address signal data indicative of the external control unit means to which the polling signal is to be transmitted, and wherein the polling signal processing means further comprises: means for producing address signal information which uniquely identifies the associated external control unit means; and means for comparing the received address signal data to the associated address signal information and for causing the polling signal processing means to respond to the received polling signal if the received address signal data bear a predetermined relationship to the associated address signal information.

Claim 28

The cable television system defined in claim 23, wherein: said external control unit means includes means for associating a level of importance with the information which the external control unit means has to transmit to the head end; said polling signal means associated with the head end includes means for applying to the cable network response threshold level signal data indicative of the level at which said external control unit means should respond to received polling signals; and said polling signal processing means associated with each external control unit means includes means for comparing the received threshold level signal data to the level of the information which the external control unit means has to transmit to the head end, and for enabling the associated polling signal processing means to transmit a response signal to the head end indicating that the external control unit means has information to transmit to the head end if the level of information which said external control unit means has to transmit to the head end bears a predetermined relationship to the received response threshold level signal data.

Claim 29

The cable television system defined in claim 23, wherein: said external control unit means includes means for associating a level of importance with the information which the external control unit means has to transmit to the head end; said polling signal means associated with the head end includes means for applying a signal to the cable network for establishing a priority information window on the cable network, the priority information window signal including priority response threshold level signal data indicative of the priority information level at which said external control unit means should respond to the polling signals; and said external control unit means includes means for receiving the priority information window signal and storing the priority response threshold level signal data, for comparing the priority response threshold level signal data to the level of information which the external control unit means has to transmit to the head end, and for causing said polling signal processing means associated with said external control unit means to respond to any received polling signal whenever the information which the external control unit means has to transmit to the head end bears a predetermined relationship to the priority response threshold level signal data.

Claim 30

A two-way cable television system for transmitting television and other signals via a cable network from a head end to addressable terminal devices at a plurality of remote locations, comprising: first means associated with the head end for transmitting polling signals to the addressable terminal devices, the polling signals including a terminal device address; second means associated with the terminal devices for storing information and for assigning a level of importance to the stored information; third means associated with the head end for transmitting to the terminal devices threshold level control signals indicative of the threshold level at which the terminal devices should transmit information to the head end; fourth means associated with each terminal devices for receiving the threshold level control signals and for comparing the level of the information stored in the terminal device with the threshold level indicated by the threshold level control signals; and fifth means responsive to said fourth means and to received polling signals addressed to the terminal device for transmitting to the head end a response signal indicating that the terminal device has information to transmit to the head end if the level of the information bears a predetermined relationship to the threshold level indicated by the threshold level control signals.

Claim 31

A two-way cable television system for transmitting television and other signals via a cable network from a head end to addressable terminal devices at a plurality of remote locations, comprising: first means associated with the head end for transmitting polling signals to the addressable terminal devices, the polling signals including a terminal device address; second means associated with the terminal devices for storing information and for assigning a level of importance to the stored information; third means associated with the head end for transmitting to the terminal devices threshold level control signals indicative of the threshold level at which the terminal devices should transmit information to the head end; fourth means associated with each terminal devices for receiving the threshold level control signals and for comparing the level of the information stored in the terminal device with the threshold level indicated by the threshold level control signals; and fifth means responsive to said fourth means and to received polling signals addressed to the terminal device for transmitting to the head end a response signal indicating that the terminal device has information to transmit to the head end if the level of the information bears a predetermined relationship to the threshold level indicated by the threshold level control signals.

Claim 32

A two-way cable television system for transmitting television signals and other signals via a cable network from a head end to addressable terminal devices at a plurality of remote locations, comprising: first means associated with the head end for transmitting polling signals to the addressable terminal devices, the polling signals including a terminal device address; second means associated with the terminal devices for storing information and for assigning a level of importance to the stored information; third means associated with the head end for transmitting to the terminal devices priority information control signals indicative of the priority threshold level at which the terminal devices should transmit information to the head end; fourth means associated with each terminal device for receiving the priority information control signals and for comparing the level of the information stored in the terminal device with the priority threshold level indicated by the priority information control signals; and fifth means responsive to said fourth means and to any received polling signal for transmitting to the head end a response signal indicating that the terminal device has information to transmit to the head end if the level of the information bears a predetermined relationship to the priority threshold level indicated by the priority information control signals.

Claim 33

A two-way cable television system for transmitting television signals and other signals via a cable network from a head end to addressable terminal devices at a plurality of remote locations, comprising: first means associated with the head end for transmitting polling signals to the addressable terminal devices, the polling signals including a terminal device address; second means associated with the terminal devices for storing information and for assigning a level of importance to the stored information; third means associated with the head end for transmitting to the terminal devices priority information control signals indicative of the priority threshold level at which the terminal devices should transmit information to the head end; fourth means associated with each terminal device for receiving the priority information control signals and for comparing the level of the information stored in the terminal device with the priority threshold level indicated by the priority information control signals; and fifth means responsive to said fourth means and to any received polling signal for transmitting to the head end a response signal indicating that the terminal device has information to transmit to the head end if the level of the information bears a predetermined relationship to the priority threshold level indicated by the priority information control signals.

Claim 34

The cable television of claim 27, wherein: the priority information control signals include data indicative of a particular one of a plurality of reverse channels available for transmission of information from the terminal devices to the head end; and the terminal devices include sixth means responsive to the priority information control signals for transmitting the response signal in the particular reverse channel indicated by the priority information control signal data.

Claim 35

A cable television system for transmitting television signals via a cable network from a head end to a plurality of remote locations, each remote location being adjacent but external to a selected set of subscriber premises, comprising: external control unit means at each of the remote locations for receiving the television signals from the cable network; a plurality of drop cables connected to at least one external control unit means, each drop cable conducting a selected portion of the television signal from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber device means connected to the drop cable at the subscriber premises for applying to the drop cable a service request signal indicative of a request by the subscriber device means to communicate with the external control unit means; and drop polling means associated with the external control unit means for sensing in a predetermined order on each drop cable of the presence of the service request signal to enable the associated external control unit means to rapidly locate a drop cable on which a subscriber device means is requesting to communicate with the external control unit means.

Claim 36

A cable television system for transmitting television signals via a cable network from a head end to a plurality of remote locations, each remote location being adjacent but external to a selected set of subscriber premises, comprising: external control unit means at each of the remote locations for receiving the television signals from the cable network; a plurality of drop cables connected to at least one external control unit means, each drop cable conducting a selected portion of the television signal from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber device means connected to the drop cable at the subscriber premises for applying to the drop cable a service request signal indicative of a request by the subscriber device means to communicate with the external control unit means; and drop polling means associated with the external control unit means for sensing in a predetermined order on each drop cable of the presence of the service request signal to enable the associated external control unit means to rapidly locate a drop cable on which a subscriber device means is requesting to communicate with the external control unit means.

Claim 37

The cable television system of claim 29, wherein said drop polling means includes a multiplexer means to selectively connect said drop polling means to each drop cable connected to the external control unit means.

Claim 38

The cable television system of claim 29, further comprising: device polling means associated with the external control unit means, said device polling means being responsive to the drop polling means sensing the service request signal on a drop cable for applying a first control signal to that drop cable, the first control signal including data indicative of a subscriber device means address; address means associated with each subscriber device means for producing address signal information which uniquely identifies the subscriber device means on the drop cable to which the subscriber device means is connected; transmitter means associated with each subscriber device means for applying to its associated drop cable a second control signal indicative of data to be transmitted to the external control unit means; and means associated with each subscriber device means for receiving the first control signal, for comparing the received address signal data to the associated address signal information, and for enabling said transmitter means associated with said subscriber device means to transmit the second control signal if the received address signal data bear a predetermined relationship to the associated address signal information.

Claim 39

The cable television system of claim 31, wherein: a plurality of subscriber device means are connected to the same drop cable; and the device polling means includes means for applying to that drop cable in a predetermined order a plurality of first control signals, each first control signal including address data indicative of a different one of the subscriber devices connected to that drop cable.

Claim 40

The cable television system of claim 32, wherein at least one of the subscriber device means is a subscriber processing unit means for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable and communicate to the external control unit means second control signals indicative of the portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select.

Claim 41

A cable television system for providing selected television signals to a plurality of remotely located subscriber premises via a cable network, comprising: head end means for transmitting a television signal to a plurality of remote locations, each of which is adjacent but external to a respective subset of the subscriber premises; external control unit means connected to the cable network at each of the remote locations for receiving the television signal said external control unit means including a slave cable terminal - to which the television signal received from the cable network is applied; a plurality of drop cables connected to each external control unit means, each drop cable conducting a selected portion of the television signal from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber processing unit means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber's premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a first control signal indicative of the portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select; first means associated with each external control unit means for processing the first control signals applied to all the drop cables associated with that external control unit means and for causing that external control unit means to apply to each associated drop cable the portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signal received via that drop cable, the first means including common signal processing circuitry which at least partially processes the information represented by the first control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means; and slave external control unit means connected to the slave cable terminal of one of said external control unit means for supplying selected portions of the television signal to additional subscriber processing unit means associated with said slave external control unit means.

Claim 42

A cable television system for providing selected television signals to a plurality of remotely located subscriber premises via a cable network, comprising: head end means for transmitting a television signal to a plurality of remote locations, each of which is adjacent but external to a respective subset of the subscriber premises; external control unit means connected to the cable network at each of the remote locations for receiving the television signal said external control unit means including a slave cable terminal - to which the television signal received from the cable network is applied; a plurality of drop cables connected to each external control unit means, each drop cable conducting a selected portion of the television signal from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber processing unit means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber's premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a first control signal indicative of the portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select; first means associated with each external control unit means for processing the first control signals applied to all the drop cables associated with that external control unit means and for causing that external control unit means to apply to each associated drop cable the portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signal received via that drop cable, the first means including common signal processing circuitry which at least partially processes the information represented by the first control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means; and slave external control unit means connected to the slave cable terminal of one of said external control unit means for supplying selected portions of the television signal to additional subscriber processing unit means associated with said slave external control unit means.

Claim 43

A cable television system for providing selected television signals to a plurality of remotely located subscriber premises via a cable network, comprising: head end means for transmitting a television signal to a plurality of remote locations, each of which is adjacent but external to a respective subset of the subscriber premises; external control unit means at each of the remote locations for receiving the television signal from the cable network; a plurality of drop cables connected to each external control unit means, each drop cable conducting a selected portion of the television signal from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber processing unit means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber's premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a first control signal indicative of a first portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select; slave subscriber processor unit means connected to the drop cable at at least one subscriber's premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a second control signal indicative of a second portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select; and means associated with each external control unit means for processing the first and second control signals applied to the drop cables associated with that external control unit means and for causing that external control unit means to apply to each associated drop cable in a first predetermined channel the portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signals received via that drop cable, and to apply to the drop cable associated with the slave subscriber processing unit means in a second predetermined channel the portion of the television signal indicated by the second control signal received via that drop cable, the first means including common signal processing circuitry which at least partially processes the information represented by the first and second control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means.

Claim 44

A cable television system for providing selected television signals to a plurality of remotely located subscriber premises via a cable network, comprising: head end means for transmitting a television signal to a plurality of remote locations, each of which is adjacent but external to a respective subset of the subscriber premises; external control unit means at each of the remote locations for receiving the television signal from the cable network; a plurality of drop cables connected to each external control unit means, each drop cable conducting a selected portion of the television signal from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber processing unit means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber's premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a first control signal indicative of a first portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select; slave subscriber processor unit means connected to the drop cable at at least one subscriber's premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a second control signal indicative of a second portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select; and means associated with each external control unit means for processing the first and second control signals applied to the drop cables associated with that external control unit means and for causing that external control unit means to apply to each associated drop cable in a first predetermined channel the portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signals received via that drop cable, and to apply to the drop cable associated with the slave subscriber processing unit means in a second predetermined channel the portion of the television signal indicated by the second control signal received via that drop cable, the first means including common signal processing circuitry which at least partially processes the information represented by the first and second control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means.

Claim 45

A cable television system for providing selected television signals to a plurality of remotely located subscriber premises, comprising: head end means for transmitting a television signal; a cable network having a plurality of cables connected in parallel, each cable conducting a different part of the television signal from the head end means to a plurality of remote locations, each of which is adjacent but external to a respective subset of the subscriber premises; external control unit means at each of the remote locations connected to each of the plurality of cables for receiving the television signal from the cable network; a plurality of subscriber unit means associated with each external control unit means, each subscriber unit means connected to a drop cable for providing a selected portion of the television signal from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber processing unit means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a control signal indicative of the portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select; cable selecting means associated with each subscriber unit means for selectively connecting each subscriber unit means to one of the plurality of cables of the cable network; first means associated with each external control unit means for processing the first control signals applied to all the drop cables associated with that external control unit means and for causing each subscriber unit means to apply to each associated drop cable the portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signal received via that drop cable, the processing means including common signal processing circuitry which at least partially processes the information represented by the first control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means; and second means responsive to the first means for causing each cable selecting means to connect its associated subscriber unit means to the cable conducting the part of the television signal which includes the portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signal received via the associated drop cable.

Claim 46

A cable television system for providing selected television signals to a plurality of remotely located subscriber premises, comprising: head end means for transmitting a television signal; a cable network having a plurality of cables connected in parallel, each cable conducting a different part of the television signal from the head end means to a plurality of remote locations, each of which is adjacent but external to a respective subset of the subscriber premises; external control unit means at each of the remote locations connected to each of the plurality of cables for receiving the television signal from the cable network; a plurality of subscriber unit means associated with each external control unit means, each subscriber unit means connected to a drop cable for providing a selected portion of the television signal from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber processing unit means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a control signal indicative of the portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select; cable selecting means associated with each subscriber unit means for selectively connecting each subscriber unit means to one of the plurality of cables of the cable network; first means associated with each external control unit means for processing the first control signals applied to all the drop cables associated with that external control unit means and for causing each subscriber unit means to apply to each associated drop cable the portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signal received via that drop cable, the processing means including common signal processing circuitry which at least partially processes the information represented by the first control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means; and second means responsive to the first means for causing each cable selecting means to connect its associated subscriber unit means to the cable conducting the part of the television signal which includes the portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signal received via the associated drop cable.

Claim 47

A cable television system for providing selected television signals to a plurality of remotely located subscriber premises via a cable network, the cable network including a frequency band for reverse communication to the head end, comprising: head end means for transmitting a television signal to a plurality of remote locations, each of which is adjacent but external to a respective subset of the subscriber premises; external control unit means at each of the remote locations for receiving the television signal from the cable network; a plurality of drop cables connected to each external control unit means, each drop cable conducting a selected portion of the television signal from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber processing unit means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a first control signal including data indicative of the portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select and subscriber data for transmission to the head end; first means associated with each external control unit means for processing the first control signals applied to all the drop cables associated with that external control unit means and for causing that external control unit means to apply to each associated drop cable the portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signal received via that drop cable, and to transmit to the head end signals including the subscriber data indicated by the first control signal, said first means including common signal processing circuitry which at least partially processes the information represented by the first control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means; second means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a second control signal including data to be transmitted from the subscriber premises to the head end; and third means associated with each external control unit means and connected to each drop cable and to the cable network for allowing the second control signal to pass through the external control unit means and directly to the head end in a frequency band comprising a portion of the total frequency band available on the cable network for reverse communication so that ingress onto the cable network from the drop cables of signals interfering with the transmitted subscriber data signals is minimized.

Claim 48

A cable television system for providing selected television signals to a plurality of remotely located subscriber premises via a cable network, the cable network including a frequency band for reverse communication to the head end, comprising: head end means for transmitting a television signal to a plurality of remote locations, each of which is adjacent but external to a respective subset of the subscriber premises; external control unit means at each of the remote locations for receiving the television signal from the cable network; a plurality of drop cables connected to each external control unit means, each drop cable conducting a selected portion of the television signal from the external control unit means to a respective one of the subscriber premises associated with that external control unit means; subscriber processing unit means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a first control signal including data indicative of the portion of the television signal which that subscriber wishes to select and subscriber data for transmission to the head end; first means associated with each external control unit means for processing the first control signals applied to all the drop cables associated with that external control unit means and for causing that external control unit means to apply to each associated drop cable the portion of the television signal indicated by the first control signal received via that drop cable, and to transmit to the head end signals including the subscriber data indicated by the first control signal, said first means including common signal processing circuitry which at least partially processes the information represented by the first control signals applied to all of the drop cables associated with that external control unit means; second means connected to each drop cable at the subscriber premises for allowing the subscriber to apply to the drop cable a second control signal including data to be transmitted from the subscriber premises to the head end; and third means associated with each external control unit means and connected to each drop cable and to the cable network for allowing the second control signal to pass through the external control unit means and directly to the head end in a frequency band comprising a portion of the total frequency band available on the cable network for reverse communication so that ingress onto the cable network from the drop cables of signals interfering with the transmitted subscriber data signals is minimized.

Claim 49

The apparatus of claim 37, wherein said third means comprises a bandpass filter.