Subscription television system utilizing a transmission line for conducting each aesthetic quality television program

Claim 2

A subscription or pay television system, comprising in combination (means to supply) means to produce and emit signals for an inferior aesthetic quality rendition of a program, and signals for a superior aesthetic quality rendition of said program for each of a plurality of television programs of different carrier wave channel frequencies, means to supply the inferior aesthetic quality rendition signals for each such program to (each of) a first transmission (line) medium and means to supply the superior aesthetic quality signals for each such program to a second transmission (line) medium, each of which transmission (lines) media extends to a location proximate to a receiver; wherein the (programs) entertainment program components of both said renditions supplied to both of said transmission (lines) media are substantially the same, and wherein the channel frequencies of both renditions of each program are substantially the same (on both such transmission lines); and wherein the program signals on the first transmission (line) medium are translatable to produce a program rendition of inferior aesthetic quality and the program signals on the second transmission (line) medium are translatable to produce a rendition of superior aesthetic quality; together with a receiver constituted to receive and translate the signals of either aesthetic quality for production of a fully intelligible translation of such program, to the viewer or auditor of such receiver translation; together with a receiver control unit proximate to said receiver, and including fourth switching means in connection with both of such transmission (lines) media, and in connection with the radio frequency input element of the receiver, constituted to connect either the first transmission (line) medium or the second transmission (line) medium, to the radio frequency input element of the receiver, selectively, and operator controlled means in connection with said fourth switching means, constituted to cause said switching means to select connection of either the first or the second transmission (line) medium, to the radio frequency input element of the receiver.

Claim 3

A subscription or pay television system, as defined in claim 1; wherein the operator controlled means which is in connection with said fourth switch means, comprises remote control means.

Claim 4

A subscription or pay television system, as defined in claim 2; wherein the remote control means comprises a control line extending from a control station, to the receiver; connections between said control line and the fourth switch means constituted to cause the switch means to produce connection to either the first transmission medium or the second transmission medium under electrical signals delivered by the control line to such fourth switch means; together with means at the control station constituted to supply to the control line signals of characteristic constituted to cause connection of the ratio input element to a selected transmission medium.

Claim 5

A subscription or pay television system as defined in claim 2; wherein the remote control means comprises a control line extending from a control station, to the receiver control unit, and wherein said receiver control unit includes program selector means in connection with the control line and constituted to select one of the plurality of carrier wave frequency programs carried by one of the transmission media, and produce delivery of such carrier wave program to the radio frequency input element of the receiver; together with remote control means in said control station constituted to deliver a program activating signal to the control line, constituted to activate the program selector means for transmission of the selected program carrier wave frequency channel signals, to the radio frequency input element of the receiver.

Claim 6

A subscription or pay television system as defined in claim 4; wherein the transmission medium from which one of the plurality of carrier wave frequency programs is selected, comprises the second defined transmission medium.

Claim 7

A subscription or pay television system as defined in claim 4; wherein the remote control means which is in connection with the fourth switch means, includes a control line extending from a control station to the receiver control unit, and wherein the control line which is in connection with the program selector means, comprises a control line extending to the same control station.

Claim 8

A subscription or pay television system as defined in claim 4; wherein the control line which selects one of a plUrality of carrier wave frequency programs comprises a control line separate from the control line which is in connection with the fourth switch means.

Claim 9

A subscription or pay television system as defined in claim 4; wherein the control line which selects one of a plurality of carrier wave frequency programs comprises the same control line which is in connection with the fourth switch means.

Claim 10

A subscription or pay television system as defined in claim 4; wherein the plurality of programs which are supplied to the transmission media, include a program transmitted to the control station by media which include a comsat transmission and reflection.

Claim 11

A subscription or pay television system, comprising in combination; means to supply a plurality of television programs of different carrier wave channel frequencies, to each of a first transmission line and a second transmission line, each of which transmission lines extends to a location proximate to a receiver; together with a receiver constituted to receive and translate the signal received from either such transmission line, with production of a fully intelligible translation and rendition of the program; together with a receiver control unit proximate to said receiver; wherein said receiver control unit includes a first defined program input element in connection with the first transmission line, a second defined program input element in connection with the second defined transmission line; and includes a program signal output element in connection with the radio frequency input element of the receiver; together with a quality-selector switch means, connections between the first defined program input elements, and said quality-selector switch means; wherein said switch means includes means and connections constituted to deliver to a program signal delivery element, the program signals from either of the transmission lines, selectively, under manual control; wherein each transmission line carries and delivers a plurality of radio frequency channel programs, translatable by the receiver, for production of a corresponding plurality of program renditions; wherein the receiver control unit includes a normally inoperative radio frequency channel program selector unit corresponding to each of the program channels carried on the transmission lines, each program selector unit including a program channel frequency input connection, and a program channel delivery connection; means to connect all of the program frequency input connections to a program signals delivery element of the quality-selector switch means; said receiver control unit including a manual program selector switch having input terminals and an output terminal, and manual adjusting means constituted to connect the output terminal with any selected input terminal; and connections between the program delivery elements of the program selector units, and corresponding input terminals of the manual program selector switch, and connections between the output terminal of the manual program selector switch and the radio frequency input element of the receiver; wherein each program selector unit and the connections from its program delivery element to the manual program selector switch, include means constituted to pass the radio frequency channel of the program corresponding to such program selector switch, and to forbid passage of other radio frequency channels; together with means constituted to make operative a selected program selector unit for delivery of the radio frequency channel from the transmission line to the manual program selector switch, which channel corresponds to such program selector unit.

Claim 12

A subscription or pay television system, comprising in combination; means to supply a plurality of television programs of different carrier wave channel frequencies, to each of a first transmission line and a second transmission line, each of which transmission lines extends to a location proximate to a receiver; together with a receiver constituted to receive and translate the signal received from either such transmission line, with production of a fully intelligible translation and rendition of the program; together with a receiver control unit proximate to said receiver; wherein said receiver control unit includes a first defined program input element in connection with the first transmission line, a second defined program input element in connection with the second defined transmission line; and includes a program signal output element in connection with the radio frequency input element of the receiver; together with a quality-selector switch means, connections between the first defined program input elements, and said quality-selector switch means; wherein said switch means includes means and connections constituted to deliver to a program signal delivery element, the program signals from either of the transmission lines, selectively, under manual control; wherein each transmission line carries and delivers a plurality of radio frequency channel programs, translatable by the receiver, for production of a corresponding plurality of program renditions; wherein the receiver control unit includes a normally inoperative radio frequency channel program selector unit corresponding to each of the program channels carried on the transmission lines, each program selector unit including a program channel frequency input connection, and a program channel delivery connection; means to connect all of the program frequency input connections to a program signals delivery element of the quality-selector switch means; said receiver control unit including a manual program selector switch having input terminals and an output terminal, and manual adjusting means constituted to connect the output terminal with any selected input terminal; and connections between the program delivery elements of the program selector units, and corresponding input terminals of the manual program selector switch, and connections between the output terminal of the manual program selector switch and the radio frequency input element of the receiver; wherein each program selector unit and the connections from its program delivery element to the manual program selector switch, include means constituted to pass the radio frequency channel of the program corresponding to such program selector switch, and to forbid passage of other radio frequency channels; together with means constituted to make operative a selected program selector unit for delivery of the radio frequency channel from the transmission line to the manual program selector switch, which channel corresponds to such program selector unit.

Claim 13

A subscription or pay television system as defined in claim 10; wherein the program signal delivery element of the quality-selector switch means, comprises a two position, manually operated selector switch having a selected program signals delivery element; and wherein the program signals delivery element to which the programs signals from either of the transmission lines are delivered, comprises a line connected to the input connection of each of the program channel frequency selector units.

Claim 14

A subscription or pay television system as defined in claim 11; wherein the receiver control unit includes a housing; together with a manually shiftable element in connection with the housing, movable between a nonfully inserted position and a fully inserted position, together with spring means urging movement of said element into the nonfully inserted position; wherein the line which is connected to the input connection of each of the program channel frequency selector units, and delivers program signals from either of the transmission lines, includes a gap, and includes spaced apart stationary contacts at the sides of said gap; and wherein the manually shiftable element carries a conductor element constituted to engage both of the stationary contacts when the shiftable element is in its fully inserted position.

Claim 15

A subscription or pay television system as defined in claim 12; wherein said shiftable-element-carried-conductor element comprises a severable conductor element; together with receiver control housing supported means, proximate to the shiftable element, and constituted to sever the severable conductor element during movement of the shiftable element from its fully inserted position, to its nonfully inserted position.