Phantom subscriber

Claim 2

In a cable television network having a distribution network for transmitting a plurality of two-way signals between a central station and a plurality of subscriber stations, a system comprising: a plurality of first circuits disposed at first predetermined positions in the distribution network; first means disposed at a second predetermined position in the distribution network, said first means being responsive to signal information specifically addressed thereto from the central station for selectively generating a plurality of command signals as a function thereof; and a plurality of second means coupled to said plurality of first circuits and to said first means, each of said second means being responsive to the signal information and an associated command signal for controlling the operational state of an associated first preselected one of said first circuits as a function of the signal information, the operational states of said first preselected first circuits operating to control the two-way signals.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of second means includes: storage means, coupled to said first means, being responsive to an associated one of the command signals for selectively extracting a portion of the signal information for use in controlling the operational state of an associated one of said plurality of first circuits.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 further including: first receiver means coupled to The distribution network for deriving amplitude information from selected ones of said plurality of two-way signals; and transmitter means, coupled to the distribution network and to said first receiver means, being responsive to a first command signal from said first means for transmitting the amplitude information to the central station.

Claim 5

The system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of first circuits includes: a plurality of second circuits selectively coupled to said plurality of second means and to the distribution network for controlling the operation of the two-way signals applied thereto; and a plurality of ancillary equipments, coupled to said first means, being selectively responsive to associated command signals for performing preselected functions ancillary to the control of the two-way signals.

Claim 6

The system of claim 4 wherein said plurality of second circuits includes: a first amplifier serially coupled to the distribution network for controlling signals transmitted therethrough from the central station; a second amplifier serially coupled to the distribution network for controlling signals transmitted therethrough from a plurality of subscriber stations; and switched filter means serially coupled to the distribution network for attenuating selected portions of the signals transmitted thereto from the plurality of subscriber stations.

Claim 7

The system of claim 4 wherein said first means includes: signal receiver means coupled to the distribution network for extracting signal information from the signals transmitted from the central station; third means coupled to said signal receiver means for developing a first signal in response to the signal information specifically addressed thereto; and command means, coupled to said signal receiver means, being responsive to the first signal and the signal information for selectively generating the plurality of command signals.

Claim 8

The system of claim 1 wherein said first means includes: signal receiver means coupled to the distribution network for extracting signal information from the signals transmitted from the central station; third means, coupled to said signal receiver means, being responsive to the signal information specifically addressed thereto for developing a first signal; and command means, coupled to said signal receiver means, being responsive to the first signal and the signal information for selectively generating the plurality of command signals.

Claim 9

The system of claim 7 wherein each of said plurality of second means includes: storage means coupled to said signal receiver means, each said storage means being responsive to its associated command signal for selectively extracting a portion of the signal information for use in controlling the operational state of an associated one of said plurality of first circuits.

Claim 10

The system of claim 8 wherein said plurality of first circuits includes: a plurality of second circuits selectively coupled to said plurality of storage means and to the distribution network for controlling the operation of the two-way signals applied thereto; and a plurality of ancillary equipments, coupled to said command means, being selectively responsive to associated command signals for performing preselected functions ancillary to the control of the two-way signals.

Claim 11

The system of claim 9 further including: first receiver means coupled to the distribution network for deriving amplitude information from selected ones of said plurality of two-way signals; and transmitter means coupled to the distribution network and to said first receiver means, for transmitting the amplitude information to the central station in response to a first command signal from said first means.

Claim 12

The system of claim 1 further including: a plurality of third circuits coupled to said first means, each of said third circuits being responsive to an associated command signal for performing a Preselected function ancillary to the control of the two-way signals.

Claim 13

The system of claim 11 further including: first receiver means coupled to the distribution network for deriving amplitude information from selected ones of said plurality of two-way signals; and transmitter means coupled to the distribution network and to said first receiver means for transmitting the amplitude information to the central station in response to a first command signal from said first means.

Claim 14

The system of claim 12 wherein said first means includes: second receiver means coupled to the distribution network for extracting signal information from the signals transmitted from the central station; third means coupled to said second receiver means for developing a first signal in response to the signal information specifically addressed thereto; and command means, coupled to said second receiver means, being responsive to the first signal and the signal information for selectively generating the plurality of command signals.

Claim 15

The system of claim 13 wherein each of said plurality of second means includes: storage means coupled to said second receiver means, each said storage means being responsive to its associated command signal for selectively extracting a portion of the signal information for use in controlling the operational state of an associated one of said plurality of first circuits.

Claim 16

The system of claim 14 wherein said plurality of first circuits includes: a first amplifier serially coupled to the distribution network for controlling signals transmitted therethrough from the central station; a second amplifier serially coupled to the distribution network for controlling signals transmitted therethrough from a plurality of subscriber stations; and switched filter means serially coupled to the distribution network for attentuating selected portions of the signals transmitted thereto from the plurality of subscriber stations.

Claim 17

In a two-way CATV network having a distribution network for transmitting two-way signals between a central station and a plurality of subscriber stations, a system comprising: first means coupled to the distribution network for selectively generating a plurality of first and second command signals; second means coupled to said first means for developing a plurality of control signals in response to the first command signals and a preselected one of said plurality of two-way signals; a plurality of controlled circuits coupled to said second means for selectively controlling the two-way signals applied thereto in response to the selective application of the first command signals; and a plurality of ancillary equipments coupled to said first means for selectively performing predetermined functions ancillary to the control of two-way signals in response to the selective application of the second command signals.

Claim 18

In a two-way CATV network having a distribution network for transmitting two-way signals between a central station and a plurality of subscriber stations, a system comprising: first means coupled to the distribution network for selectively generating a plurality of first and second command signals; second means coupled to said first means for developing a plurality of control signals in response to the first command signals and a preselected one of said plurality of two-way signals; a plurality of controlled circuits coupled to said second means for selectively controlling the two-way signals applied thereto in response to the selective application of the first command signals; and a plurality of ancillary equipments coupled to said first means for selectively performing predetermined functions ancillary to the control of two-way signals in response to the selective application of the second command signals.

Claim 19

In a CATV network having a distribution network for transmitting a plurality of upstream and downstream signals between a central station and a plurality of subscriber stations, a system comprising: first receiver means coupled to the distribution network for deriving amplitude information from pre-selected ones of the plurality of upstream and downstream signals applied thereto; second receiver means coupled to the distribution network for deriving data information from a preselected downstream signal; first means coupled to said second receiver means for selectively generating a plurality of control signals as a function of command data specifically addressed thereto from the central station; transmitter means coupled to said first receiver means and to the distribution network for transmitting the amplitude information to the central station in response to a preselected control signal from said first means; and a plurality of circuits coupled to said first means and to the distribution network for selectively controlling the Downstream and upstream signals applied thereto in response to associated control signals.

Claim 20

In a CATV network having a distribution network for transmitting a plurality of upstream and downstream signals between a central station and a plurality of subscriber stations, a system comprising: first receiver means coupled to the distribution network for deriving amplitude information from pre-selected ones of the plurality of upstream and downstream signals applied thereto; second receiver means coupled to the distribution network for deriving data information from a preselected downstream signal; first means coupled to said second receiver means for selectively generating a plurality of control signals as a function of command data specifically addressed thereto from the central station; transmitter means coupled to said first receiver means and to the distribution network for transmitting the amplitude information to the central station in response to a preselected control signal from said first means; and a plurality of circuits coupled to said first means and to the distribution network for selectively controlling the Downstream and upstream signals applied thereto in response to associated control signals.

Claim 21

In a cable television network including a central station, a plurality of remotely located subscriber stations and a cable distribution network for allowing the central station to transmit downstream TV, pilot and digital signals to the subscriber stations and to receive frequency bands of upstream digital and TV signals from the subscriber stations, a system comprising: first receiver means coupled to the cable distribution network for deriving amplitude information from the downstream pilot and upstream digital signals applied thereto; second receiver means coupled to the cable distribution network for extracting signal information from the downstream digital signals; first means coupled to said second receiver means for developing a first signal in response to signal information specifically addressed thereto; command means, coupled to said second receiver means, being responsive to the first signal and the signal information for selectively generating a plurality of first and second command signals as a function of the signal information; transmitter means coupled to the cable distribution network and to said first receiver means for transmitting the amplitude information to the central station in response to a predetermined first command signal from said command means; second means coupled to said second receiver means and said command means for developing a plurality of control signals in response to signal information and the selective generation of second command signals; and a plurality of first circuits coupled to the cable distribution network for selectively controlling the downstream and upstream signals applied thereto in response to the selective application of control signals from said second means.

Claim 22

In a cable television network including a central station, a plurality of remotely located subscriber stations and a cable distribution network for allowing the central station to transmit downstream TV, pilot and digital signals to the subscriber stations and to receive frequency bands of upstream digital and TV signals from the subscriber stations, a system comprising: first receiver means coupled to the cable distribution network for deriving amplitude information from the downstream pilot and upstream digital signals applied thereto; second receiver means coupled to the cable distribution network for extracting signal information from the downstream digital signals; first means coupled to said second receiver means for developing a first signal in response to signal information specifically addressed thereto; command means, coupled to said second receiver means, being responsive to the first signal and the signal information for selectively generating a plurality of first and second command signals as a function of the signal information; transmitter means coupled to the cable distribution network and to said first receiver means for transmitting the amplitude information to the central station in response to a predetermined first command signal from said command means; second means coupled to said second receiver means and said command means for developing a plurality of control signals in response to signal information and the selective generation of second command signals; and a plurality of first circuits coupled to the cable distribution network for selectively controlling the downstream and upstream signals applied thereto in response to the selective application of control signals from said second means.