Dynamically responsive CATV system with shared fiber optic link

A CATV system in which information signals for a plurality of subscribers are transmitted to different subscriber terminals, comprising

• a headend terminal including
• means for providing a plurality of information signals for a plurality of subscriber terminals;
• switch means for selecting the plurality of information signals to provide a composite signal;
• and
• means for controlling said switch means in response to service-request signals received from the subscriber terminals;
• and
• a plurality of said subscriber terminals, wherein each subscriber terminal includes
• means for receiving information signals transmitted to the subscriber terminal over a plurality of different given frequency channels;
• and
• means responsive to a control signal transmitted to the subscriber terminal for enabling the receiving means to receive information signals transmitted to the subscriber terminal over a selected one of said different given frequency channels;
• wherein the switch means in the headend terminal is responsive to said control signal for frequency positioning the information signal indicated by the service request signal received from a given subscriber terminal within the composite signal for transmission to the given subscriber terminal over the given frequency channel selected by the control signal that is transmitted to the given subscriber terminal.

A subscriber terminal for a CATV system in which a composite signal containing information signals for a plurality of subscribers is transmitted from a headend terminal to different subscriber terminals in response to service-request signals received from the subscriber terminals and a control signal that enables the subscriber terminal to receive information signals over a selected one of a plurality of different given frequency channels is transmitted from the headend terminal to the subscriber terminal, the subscriber terminal comprising

• programmable tuning means for receiving information signals transmitted to the subscriber terminal over said plurality of different give frequency channels;
• means for receiving the control signal;
• and
• means responsive to the control signal received by the subscriber terminal for ascertaining whether the received control signal enables the subscriber terminal to receive information signals over the frequency channel to which the tuning means is then tuned, and, if not, for programming the tuning means to receive an information signal over a different one of the given frequency channels until the tuning means is tuned to the selected frequency channel.

A subscriber terminal for a CATV system in which a composite signal containing information signals for a plurality of different subscriber terminals selected by switch means in a headend terminal controlled in response to service-request signals received from the different subscriber terminals is transmitted from the headend terminal to the different subscriber terminals and a control signal that enables the subscriber terminal to receive information signals over a selected one of a plurality of different given frequency channels is transmitted from the headend terminal to the subscriber terminal, wherein the switch means in the headend terminal is responsive to said control signal for frequency positioning the information signal indicated by the service request signal received from a given subscriber terminal within the composite signal for transmission to the given subscriber terminal over the given frequency channel selected by the control signal that is transmitted to the given subscriber terminal, the subscriber terminal comprising

• means for receiving information signals transmitted to the subscriber terminal over said plurality of different given frequency channels;
• means for receiving the control signal;
• and
• means responsive to the control signal received by the subscriber terminal for enabling the receiving means to receive information signals transmitted to the subscriber terminal over a selected one of said different given frequency channels.