US3943447A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for bi-directional communication via existing CATV system
Assignee: Comsonics Inc
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Filing: 1974-10-08
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Granted: 1976-03-09
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Expires: 1994-10-08
Abstract
Abstract Existing CATV coaxial cable systems are found to present a transparent window, in both the upstream and downstream directions, to communications signals over a frequency band from 10-300KHz, whereby such signals follow the path of the 60Hz power signal throughout the system. Signals in this band do not interfere with the high frequency TV signals being transmitted, and are not subject to interference by such TV signals. This discovery is thus utilized to implement bi-directional communications between any two or more points linked by such a CATV system without requiring any substantial modifications or additions to the existing system components. A specific application utilizes such a communications link to remotely control non-duplication switching in the head or antenna end of a CATV system.
Inventors
- 👤 Glen Keller Shomo, III
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 20:36
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/10; H04N7/102; H04B; H04B3/00; H04B3/54; H04B3/56; H04B2203/00; H04B2203/54; H04B2203/5429; H04B2203/5441; H04B2203/545; H04B2203/5462; H04B2203/5483; H04B2203/5491
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
A method for implementing ancillary communications between two or more points linked by a CATV coaxial cable system including a transmitting antenna site, a plurality of remote subscriber sites, coaxial cable means linking the transmitting/antenna site to each of the subscriber sites, a plurality of active and passive circuit components connected in the cable means to implement r.f. signal amplification, signal branching, etc., and at least one alternating current power supply source coupled to the cable means to supply electrical operating power to the active circuit components, said CATV coaxial cable system including at least one input station and at least one output station remotely located from one another at respective ones of said points, said method utilizing a frequency window of 10-300 KHz in said CATV coaxial cable system and comprising the steps of: a. generating a communications signal in the frequency band from 10-300 KHz, b. coupling the communications signal to the coaxial cable means at said input station, said communications signal being bi-directionally propagated over the path followed by the power supply signal and by-passing those circuit components which implement r.f. signal amplification, and c. receiving the communications signal at said output station on the coaxial cable means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
201 words
A method for implementing ancillary communications between two or more points linked by a CATV coaxial cable system including a transmitting antenna site, a plurality of remote subscriber sites, coaxial cable means linking the transmitting/antenna site to each of the subscriber sites, a plurality of active and passive circuit components connected in the cable means to implement r.f. signal amplification, signal branching, etc., and at least one alternating current power supply source coupled to the cable means to supply electrical operating power to the active circuit components, said CATV coaxial cable system including at least one input station and at least one output station remotely located from one another at respective ones of said points, said method utilizing a frequency window of 10-300 KHz in said CATV coaxial cable system and comprising the steps of: a. generating a communications signal in the frequency band from 10-300 KHz, b. coupling the communications signal to the coaxial cable means at said input station, said communications signal being bi-directionally propagated over the path followed by the power supply signal and by-passing those circuit components which implement r.f. signal amplification, and c. receiving the communications signal at said output station on the coaxial cable means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising capacitively coupling the communications signal across any gaps that may be present in the power supply signal path within the coaxial cable system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
107 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of input stations and output stations and communications signals coupled to the coaxial cable means at the input stations are propagated in both the upstream and downstream directions, the upstream direction being toward the transmitting/antenna site and the downstream direction being away from the transmitting/antenna site, and further comprising generating communications signal for upstream propagation and reception in a first portion of the frequency band from 10-300 KHz and generating communications signal for downstream propagation and reception and a second, different portion of said frequency band, said first and second portions constituting said frequency band.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
233 words
A method for implementing the remote control of the relay switches of a non-duplication switcher in a CATV coaxial cable system including a transmitting/antenna site, at which the relay switches are located, a plurality of remote subscriber sites, coaxial cable means linking the transmitting/antenna site to each of the subscriber sites, a plurality of active and passive circuit components connected in the cable means to implement r.f. signal amplification, signal branching, etc., and at least one alternating current power supply source coupled to the cable means to supply electrical operating power to the active circuit components, said CATV coaxial cable system including at least one output station located at said transmitting/antenna site and at least one input station remotely located from said transmitting/antenna site, said method utilizing a frequency window of 10-300 KHz in said CATV coaxial system and comprising the steps of: a. selectively generating control signals for the relay switches in the frequency band from 10-300 KHz at said input station remote from the transmitting/antenna site, b. coupling the control signals to the coaxial cable means at the remote input station, said control signals being propagated to the transmitting/antenna site over the path followed by the power supply signal and by-passing those circuit components which implement r.f. signal amplification, c. receiving the control signals at the transmitting/antenna site, and d. controlling the relay switches in response to the received control signals.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
233 words
A method for implementing the remote control of the relay switches of a non-duplication switcher in a CATV coaxial cable system including a transmitting/antenna site, at which the relay switches are located, a plurality of remote subscriber sites, coaxial cable means linking the transmitting/antenna site to each of the subscriber sites, a plurality of active and passive circuit components connected in the cable means to implement r.f. signal amplification, signal branching, etc., and at least one alternating current power supply source coupled to the cable means to supply electrical operating power to the active circuit components, said CATV coaxial cable system including at least one output station located at said transmitting/antenna site and at least one input station remotely located from said transmitting/antenna site, said method utilizing a frequency window of 10-300 KHz in said CATV coaxial system and comprising the steps of: a. selectively generating control signals for the relay switches in the frequency band from 10-300 KHz at said input station remote from the transmitting/antenna site, b. coupling the control signals to the coaxial cable means at the remote input station, said control signals being propagated to the transmitting/antenna site over the path followed by the power supply signal and by-passing those circuit components which implement r.f. signal amplification, c. receiving the control signals at the transmitting/antenna site, and d. controlling the relay switches in response to the received control signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as defined in claim 4 further comprising capacitively coupling the control signal across any gaps that may be present in the power supply signal path within the coaxial cable system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the control signals comprise a plurality of discrete tone signals, the generating step comprises generating selected tone signals in accordance with a predetermined time program, and the receiving step comprises detecting the presence of said tone signals in the propagation path of the power supply signal.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
209 words
An apparatus for implementing ancillary communications between two or more points linked by a CATV coaxial cable system including a transmitting/antenna site, a plurality of remote subscriber sites, coaxial cable means linking the transmitting/antenna site to each of the subscriber sites, a plurality of active and passive circuit components connected in the cable means to implement r.f. signal amplification, signal branching, etc., and at least one alternating current power supply source coupled to the cable means to supply electrical operating power to the active circuit components, said CATV coaxial cable system including at least one input station and at least one output station remotely located from one another at respective ones of said points, said ancillary communication between said two or more points utilizing a frequency window of 10-300 KHz in said CATV coaxial system and comprising: a. means for generating a communications signal in the frequency band from 10-300 KHz, b. means for coupling the communications signal to the coaxial cable means at said input station, said communications signal being bi-directionally propagated over the path followed by the power supply signal and by-passing those circuit components which implement r.f. signal amplification, and c. means for receiving the communications signal at said output station on the coaxial cable means.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
209 words
An apparatus for implementing ancillary communications between two or more points linked by a CATV coaxial cable system including a transmitting/antenna site, a plurality of remote subscriber sites, coaxial cable means linking the transmitting/antenna site to each of the subscriber sites, a plurality of active and passive circuit components connected in the cable means to implement r.f. signal amplification, signal branching, etc., and at least one alternating current power supply source coupled to the cable means to supply electrical operating power to the active circuit components, said CATV coaxial cable system including at least one input station and at least one output station remotely located from one another at respective ones of said points, said ancillary communication between said two or more points utilizing a frequency window of 10-300 KHz in said CATV coaxial system and comprising: a. means for generating a communications signal in the frequency band from 10-300 KHz, b. means for coupling the communications signal to the coaxial cable means at said input station, said communications signal being bi-directionally propagated over the path followed by the power supply signal and by-passing those circuit components which implement r.f. signal amplification, and c. means for receiving the communications signal at said output station on the coaxial cable means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 7 further comprising capacitor means connected across any gaps that may be present in the power supply signal path within the coaxial cable system to thereby complete the propagation path for the communications signal.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
259 words
An apparatus for implementing the remote control of the relay switches of the non-duplication switcher in a CATV coaxial cable system including a transmitting/antenna sight, at which the relay switches are located, a plurality of remote subscriber sites, coaxial cable means linking the transmitting/antenna site to each of the subscriber sites, a plurality of active and passive circuit components connected in the cable means to implement r.f. signal amplification, signal branching, etc., and at least one alternating current power supply source coupled to the cable means to supply electrical operating power to the active circuit components, said CATV coaxial cable system including at least one output station located at said transmitting/antenna site and at least one input station remote from said transmitting/antenna site said apparatus for implementing the remote control of said relay switches utilizing a frequency window of 10-300 KHz in said CATV coaxial system and comprising: a. means for selectively generating control signals for said relay switches in the frequency band from 10-300 KHz at said input station remote from the transmitting/antenna site, b. means for coupling the control signal to the coaxial cable means at said remote input station, said control signals being propagated to the transmitting/antenna site over the path followed by the power supply signal and by-passing those circuit components which implement the r.f. signal amplification, c. means for receiving the control signals at said output station at the transmitting/antenna site, and d. means connected to said receiving means for applying control signals to said relay switches in response to the received control signals.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
259 words
An apparatus for implementing the remote control of the relay switches of the non-duplication switcher in a CATV coaxial cable system including a transmitting/antenna sight, at which the relay switches are located, a plurality of remote subscriber sites, coaxial cable means linking the transmitting/antenna site to each of the subscriber sites, a plurality of active and passive circuit components connected in the cable means to implement r.f. signal amplification, signal branching, etc., and at least one alternating current power supply source coupled to the cable means to supply electrical operating power to the active circuit components, said CATV coaxial cable system including at least one output station located at said transmitting/antenna site and at least one input station remote from said transmitting/antenna site said apparatus for implementing the remote control of said relay switches utilizing a frequency window of 10-300 KHz in said CATV coaxial system and comprising: a. means for selectively generating control signals for said relay switches in the frequency band from 10-300 KHz at said input station remote from the transmitting/antenna site, b. means for coupling the control signal to the coaxial cable means at said remote input station, said control signals being propagated to the transmitting/antenna site over the path followed by the power supply signal and by-passing those circuit components which implement the r.f. signal amplification, c. means for receiving the control signals at said output station at the transmitting/antenna site, and d. means connected to said receiving means for applying control signals to said relay switches in response to the received control signals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
80 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the selective generating means comprises a plurality of discrete tone signal generators, each having a different frequency within the band from 10 - 300KHz, and means for coupling the outputs of selected tone signal generators to the coaxial cable means in accordance with a predetermined time program, and the receiving means comprises a like plurality of tone decoders each responsive to a particular tone signal from one of the tone signal generators.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-03-09 | 1979-09-08 | 1980-03-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-03-09 | 1983-09-08 | 1984-03-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-03-09 | 1987-09-08 | 1988-03-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |