US3619783A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Means for determining television channel use in a community antenna television system
Assignee: H AND B COMMUNICATIONS CORP
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Filing: 1970-09-30
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Granted: 1971-11-09
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Expires: 1990-09-30
Abstract
Abstract Means to determine the channel to which a subscriber on a community antenna television system is tuned utilizing various embodiments of command console and subscriber units utilizing a radio frequency carrier wave generated by the local oscillator of the subscriber''s sets and receiving the information upon interrogation of the subscriber unit by the command console. Interrogation and return signals may be either modulated radio frequency signals or audio tones.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas H Ritter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:50
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04H; H04H60/00; H04H60/35; H04H60/38; H04H60/41; H04H60/43; H04H60/76; H04H60/81; H04H60/93; H04H60/96; H04H60/97; H04H2201/00; H04H2201/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
464 words
A community antenna television system delivering television signals to a plurality of television receivers comprising television signal receiving and distributing equipment to apply the television signals to the system: a plurality of television receivers each adapted to receive a plurality of different channels; trunk line means connected to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, amplifier means connected to said trunk line means at a point away from said connection to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, and branch distributing line means connected to said amplifier means and extending therefrom; monitoring means connected between said branch distributing line means and selected ones of said plurality of television receivers to have their channel use monitored; interrogating means for interrogating and obtaining information from said monitoring means connected to said trunk line means through a coupling means; and band-pass filter means to divert signals of selected frequencies in said trunk line means and said branch distributing line means around said amplifier means; said interrogating means including a pulse countinG circuit, a step tone generator means to generate an audio signal of a first frequency connected to and activated by pulses from said pulse counting circuit, a reset tone generator means to generate an audio signal of a second frequency connected to and activated by pulses from said pulse counting circuit, tone receiving means for each television channel being monitored on said selected ones of said plurality of television receivers, and counting means connected to each of said tone receiving means and activated therefrom; said monitoring means including a cable connection between said monitoring means and said selected television receiver to send television signals to said television receiver and also to receive local oscillator radiation signals from said television receiver, detector means for each television channel being monitored on said television receiver connected to said cable connection, frequency converter means connected between said cable connection and said detector means for each of said detector means for detecting television channels on the upper side of the range of channel frequencies in order to convert those frequencies to lower frequencies closer to the lower side of the range of channel frequencies, a tone generator connected to each of said detector means, for generating audio tones of different frequencies and connected to said tone receiving means, receiving means connected to receive said first and second audio signals from said step and reset tone generator means in said interrogating means, counter means connected between said receiving means and said tone generators and operating with a said detector means to activate the one of said tone generators connected to said detector means to send an audio signal through said connection thereto to the one of said tone receiving means in said interrogating means adjusted to receive that frequency of audio signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
464 words
A community antenna television system delivering television signals to a plurality of television receivers comprising television signal receiving and distributing equipment to apply the television signals to the system: a plurality of television receivers each adapted to receive a plurality of different channels; trunk line means connected to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, amplifier means connected to said trunk line means at a point away from said connection to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, and branch distributing line means connected to said amplifier means and extending therefrom; monitoring means connected between said branch distributing line means and selected ones of said plurality of television receivers to have their channel use monitored; interrogating means for interrogating and obtaining information from said monitoring means connected to said trunk line means through a coupling means; and band-pass filter means to divert signals of selected frequencies in said trunk line means and said branch distributing line means around said amplifier means; said interrogating means including a pulse countinG circuit, a step tone generator means to generate an audio signal of a first frequency connected to and activated by pulses from said pulse counting circuit, a reset tone generator means to generate an audio signal of a second frequency connected to and activated by pulses from said pulse counting circuit, tone receiving means for each television channel being monitored on said selected ones of said plurality of television receivers, and counting means connected to each of said tone receiving means and activated therefrom; said monitoring means including a cable connection between said monitoring means and said selected television receiver to send television signals to said television receiver and also to receive local oscillator radiation signals from said television receiver, detector means for each television channel being monitored on said television receiver connected to said cable connection, frequency converter means connected between said cable connection and said detector means for each of said detector means for detecting television channels on the upper side of the range of channel frequencies in order to convert those frequencies to lower frequencies closer to the lower side of the range of channel frequencies, a tone generator connected to each of said detector means, for generating audio tones of different frequencies and connected to said tone receiving means, receiving means connected to receive said first and second audio signals from said step and reset tone generator means in said interrogating means, counter means connected between said receiving means and said tone generators and operating with a said detector means to activate the one of said tone generators connected to said detector means to send an audio signal through said connection thereto to the one of said tone receiving means in said interrogating means adjusted to receive that frequency of audio signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
281 words
A community antenna television system delivering television signals to a plurality of television receivers comprising television signal receiving and distributing equipment to apply the television signals to the system: a plurality of television receivers each adapted to receive a plurality of different channels; trunk line means connected to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, amplifier means connected to said trunk line means at a point away from said connection to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, and branch distributing line means connected to said amplifier means and extending therefrom; monitoring means connected between said branch distributing line means and selected ones of said plurality of television receivers to have their channel use monitored; interrogating means for interrogating and obtaining information from said monitoring means connected to said trunk line means through a coupling means; and band-pass filter means to divert signals of selected frequencies in said trunk line means and said branch distributing line means around said amplifier means; said monitoring means including means to detect and modulate a signal on a carrier wave, connected to said branch distributing line means, a sweep oscillator generating signals of frequencies associated with each of said different channels received by said television receiver, drive means to control said sweep oscillator connected to said sweep oscillator, receiver means connected to said branch distributing means to said interrogating means and controlled by said interrogating means and connected to said drive means to control the current waveform from said drive means to said sweep oscillator, and mixing means connected to receive signals from said sweep oscillator and said connected television receiver and deliver the mixed signal to said means to detect and modulate a signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
281 words
A community antenna television system delivering television signals to a plurality of television receivers comprising television signal receiving and distributing equipment to apply the television signals to the system: a plurality of television receivers each adapted to receive a plurality of different channels; trunk line means connected to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, amplifier means connected to said trunk line means at a point away from said connection to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, and branch distributing line means connected to said amplifier means and extending therefrom; monitoring means connected between said branch distributing line means and selected ones of said plurality of television receivers to have their channel use monitored; interrogating means for interrogating and obtaining information from said monitoring means connected to said trunk line means through a coupling means; and band-pass filter means to divert signals of selected frequencies in said trunk line means and said branch distributing line means around said amplifier means; said monitoring means including means to detect and modulate a signal on a carrier wave, connected to said branch distributing line means, a sweep oscillator generating signals of frequencies associated with each of said different channels received by said television receiver, drive means to control said sweep oscillator connected to said sweep oscillator, receiver means connected to said branch distributing means to said interrogating means and controlled by said interrogating means and connected to said drive means to control the current waveform from said drive means to said sweep oscillator, and mixing means connected to receive signals from said sweep oscillator and said connected television receiver and deliver the mixed signal to said means to detect and modulate a signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 2 further characterized by the waveform of the current from said drive means to control said sweep oscillator being of stairstep shape.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 2 further characterized by the waveform of the current from said drive means to control said sweep oscillator being a sawtooth wave.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
233 words
A community antenna television system delivering television signals to a plurality of television receivers comprising television signal receiving and distributing equipment to apply the television signals to the system; a plurality of television receivers each adapted to receive a plurality of different channels; trunk line means connected to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, amplifier means connected to said trunk line means at a point away from said connection to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, and branch distributing line means connected to said amplifier means and extending therefrom; monitoring means connected between said branch distributing line means and selected ones of said plurality of television receivers to have their channel use monitored; interrogating means for interrogating and obtaining information from said monitoring means connected to said trunk line means through a coupling means; and band-pass filter means to divert signals of selected frequencies in said trunk line means and said branch distributing line means around said amplifier means; said interrogating means including means to modulate a radio frequency carrier with an audio frequency signal and connection of said means to said trunk line means to control operation of said monitoring means, counting and gating circuit means to control output of said means to modulate a radio frequency carrier, and switching means receiving signals from said monitoring means and synchronized with said monitoring means by said counting and gating circuit means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
233 words
A community antenna television system delivering television signals to a plurality of television receivers comprising television signal receiving and distributing equipment to apply the television signals to the system; a plurality of television receivers each adapted to receive a plurality of different channels; trunk line means connected to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, amplifier means connected to said trunk line means at a point away from said connection to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, and branch distributing line means connected to said amplifier means and extending therefrom; monitoring means connected between said branch distributing line means and selected ones of said plurality of television receivers to have their channel use monitored; interrogating means for interrogating and obtaining information from said monitoring means connected to said trunk line means through a coupling means; and band-pass filter means to divert signals of selected frequencies in said trunk line means and said branch distributing line means around said amplifier means; said interrogating means including means to modulate a radio frequency carrier with an audio frequency signal and connection of said means to said trunk line means to control operation of said monitoring means, counting and gating circuit means to control output of said means to modulate a radio frequency carrier, and switching means receiving signals from said monitoring means and synchronized with said monitoring means by said counting and gating circuit means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
246 words
A community antenna television system delivering television signals to a plurality of television receivers comprising television signal receiving and distributing equipment to apply the television signals to the system; a plurality of television receivers each adapted to receive a plurality of different channels; trunk line means connected to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, amplifier means connected to said trunk line means at a point away from said connection to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, and branch distributing line means connected to said amplifier means and extending therefrom; monitoring means connected between said branch distributing line means and selected ones of said plurality of television receivers to have their channel use monitored; interrogating means for interrogating and obtaining information from said monitoring means connected to said trunk line means through a coupling means; and band-pass filter means to divert signals of selected frequencies in said trunk line means and said branch distributing line means around said amplifier means; said interrogating means including means to modulate a radio frequency carrier with an audio frequency signal and connection of said means to said trunk line means to control operation of said monitoring means, multivibrator means and switching means connected to each other through gating means and to receive signals from said monitoring means, said switch means synchronized with said monitoring means by timed reference signals from said monitoring means applied to both said multivibrator means to operate said gating means, and to said switching means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
246 words
A community antenna television system delivering television signals to a plurality of television receivers comprising television signal receiving and distributing equipment to apply the television signals to the system; a plurality of television receivers each adapted to receive a plurality of different channels; trunk line means connected to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, amplifier means connected to said trunk line means at a point away from said connection to said television signal receiving and distributing equipment, and branch distributing line means connected to said amplifier means and extending therefrom; monitoring means connected between said branch distributing line means and selected ones of said plurality of television receivers to have their channel use monitored; interrogating means for interrogating and obtaining information from said monitoring means connected to said trunk line means through a coupling means; and band-pass filter means to divert signals of selected frequencies in said trunk line means and said branch distributing line means around said amplifier means; said interrogating means including means to modulate a radio frequency carrier with an audio frequency signal and connection of said means to said trunk line means to control operation of said monitoring means, multivibrator means and switching means connected to each other through gating means and to receive signals from said monitoring means, said switch means synchronized with said monitoring means by timed reference signals from said monitoring means applied to both said multivibrator means to operate said gating means, and to said switching means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3230302A
Cited
US3048780A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-11-08 | 1975-05-10 | 1975-11-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-11-08 | 1979-05-10 | 1979-11-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-11-08 | 1983-05-10 | 1983-11-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |