Passive interdiction system for scrambling

A passive interdiction system for CATV service denial for use in a communication network which transmits CATV signals including subscriber authorization signals and a plurality of CATV channels over a communication path between a headend and at least one subscriber, the system comprising:

• means for generating and transmitting at least one subscriber authorization signal from the headend;
• and
• an interdiction unit disposed near the location of said subscriber for regulating the denial of selected CATV channels in response to said subscriber authorization signal;
• said interdiction unit having:
• a CATV input for receiving CATV signals which include said plurality of CATV channels and said authorization signal;
• at least one subscriber output;
• at least one interdiction module associated with each subscriber output, said interdiction module comprising a plurality of passive traps, each trap associated with one of said plurality of CATV channels;
• and
• an authorization module for receiving said authorization signal and actively controlling selection of said traps to passively interdict CATV channels associated with said selected traps at a cyclical rate in response to said authorization signal;
• whereby said authorization signal identifies which of said traps are selected.