System for integrated distribution of switched voice and television on coaxial cable and with video signal transmission originating from subscriber locations

A method comprising:

• for each of a plurality of telephone subscriber locations, establishing a radio frequency ("RF") transmitting channel and a RF receiving channel associated with the subscriber location for conveying signalling and voice information from and to respectively, the subscriber location;
• tuning a video generating means for generating video signals or a video receiving means for receiving video signals to a subscriber video RF broadband channel;
• the RF transmitting channels of said subscriber locations forming one or more transmitting frequency-division-multiplexed signals and the RF receiving channels of said subscriber locations forming one or more receiving frequency-division-multiplexed signals;
• the subscriber video RF broadband channels on which video signals are to be generated at said subscriber locations forming with said one or more transmitting frequency-division-multiplexed signals a first composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal and the subscriber video RF broadband channels on which video signals are to be received at said subscriber locations .forming with said one or more receiving frequency-division-multiplexed signals a second composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal;
• carrying the first composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal and the second composite frequency-division signal on a broadband cable network;
• and using a central switch means:
• to enable each RF transmitting channel in the first composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal on the cable network to be selectively coupled to any of the RF receiving channels in the second composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal on the cable network;
• to enable a particular subscriber video RF broadband channel to be assigned to a subscriber location which is to transmit video signals;
• and to enable a particular subscriber video RF broadband channel to be assigned to a subscriber location which is to receive video signals.

Apparatus for use with a telephone subscriber location, the telephone subscriber location being used with other telephone subscriber locations and with a broadband cable network for carrying a first composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal and a second composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal, the first composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal being formed from video radio frequency ("RF") broadband channels on which subscriber video signals are to be generated and one or more transmitting frequency-division-multiplexed signals formed from RF transmitting channels of said subscriber locations and the second composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal being formed from subscriber video RF broadband channels on which subscriber video signals are to be received and one or more receiving frequency-division-multiplexed signals formed from RF receiving channels of said subscriber locations, the apparatus being further used with a central switch means for enabling each RF transmitting channel in the first composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal on the cable network to be selectively coupled to any of the RF receiving channels in the second composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal on the cable network and for enabling a particular subscriber video RF broadband channel to be assigned to the subscriber location which is to transmit video signals and for enabling a particular subscriber video RF broadband channel to be assigned to a subscriber location which is to receive video signals, the apparatus comprising:

• means establishing a RF transmitting channel and a RF receiving channel associated with the subscriber location for conveying signalling and voice information from and to, respectively, the subscriber location;
• tunable video generating means for generating video signals on a subscriber video RF broadband channel to which said tunable video generating means is tuned;
• and means for use in coupling said apparatus to said cable network.

Apparatus for use with a plurality of telephone subscriber locations, each telephone subscriber location including:

• means for establishing a radio frequency ("RF") transmitting channel and a RF receiving channel associated with the subscriber location for conveying signalling and voice information from and to respectively, the subscriber location;
• tunable video generating means for generating video signals on a subscriber video RF broadband channel to which said tunable video generating means is tuned;
• and tunable video receiving means for receiving video signals on a subscriber video RF broadband channel to which said tunable video receiving means is tuned;
• the RF transmitting channels of said subscriber locations forming one or more transmitting frequency-division-multiplexed signals and the RF receiving channels of said subscriber locations forming one or more receiving frequency-division-multiplexed signals;
• the subscriber video RF broadband channels on which video signals are to be generated at said subscriber locations forming with said one or more transmitting frequency-division-multiplexed signals a first composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal and the subscriber video RF broadband channels on which video signals are to be received at said subscriber locations with said one or more receiving frequency-division-multiplexed signals a second composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal;
• and said apparatus being for further use with a broadband cable network for carrying the first composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal and the second composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal;
• the apparatus comprising:
• a central switch means responsive to said cable network:
• for enabling each RF transmitting channel in the first composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal on the cable network to be selectively coupled to any of the RF receiving channels in the second composite frequency-division-multiplexed signal on the cable network;
• for enabling a particular subscriber video RF broadband channel to be assigned to a subscriber location which is to transmit video signals;
• and for enabling a particular subscriber video RF broadband channel to be assigned to a subscriber location which is to receive video signals.