Multi-channel broadband content distribution system

A content head end for use with a content distribution system, comprising:

• a program multiplexer configured to receive a plurality of content programs, each content program being comprised of a plurality of packets, and multiplex the respective packets of the plurality of content programs into a plurality of output queues;
• and
• a multi-channel modulating module including a single channel sampler configured to receive packets from the one or more output queues and distribute the packets to a plurality of modulators corresponding to a plurality of RF channels, each modulator configured to use its assigned packets to modulate a plurality of RF signals respectively associated with a plurality of RF channels;
• wherein packets from a content program are transmitted in a plurality of RF channels;
• and
• wherein some or all of the plurality of RF channels are non-contiguous.

A content head end comprising:

• a program multiplexer configured to receive a plurality of content programs, each content program being comprised of a plurality of packets, and multiplex the respective packets of the plurality of content programs into an output queue;
• a multi-channel modulating module including a single channel sampler configured to receive and assign packets from the output queue to a plurality of modulators corresponding to a plurality of RF channels, each modulator configured to use its assigned packets to modulate an RF signal over a corresponding RF channel, wherein the packets from at least one of the content programs are used to modulate at least two of the RF signals, thereby causing these packets to be transmitted over the at least two RF channels that are associated with the at least two RF signals;
• a channel multiplexer configured to receive respective modulated RF signals associated with the plurality of RF channels and multiplex the modulated RF signals into a multi-channel RF signal;
• a digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the multi-channel RF signal into an analog multi-channel RF signal;
• and
• a frequency block-up converter configured to shift the analog multi-channel RF signal into proper frequency range for transmission;
• wherein some or all of the plurality of RF channels are non-contiguous.

A method for managing bandwidth in a content distribution system, comprising:

• multiplexing a plurality of content programs into an output queue, each content program being comprised of a plurality of packets;
• sampling, via a single channel sampler, packets from the output queue;
• distributing, via the single channel sampler, the packets to a plurality of modulators;
• and
• using packets from the output queue to modulate a plurality of RF signals, each RF signal associated with an RF channel;
• wherein packets from a content program are used to modulate the RF signals, thereby causing such packets to be transmitted over the RF channels;
• and
• wherein the RF channels are non-contiguous.

A method for managing bandwidth in a content distribution system, comprising:

• multiplexing respective packets of a plurality of content programs into an output queue;
• sampling, via a single channel sampler, packets from the output queue;
• distributing, via the single channel sampler, the packets from the output queue to a plurality of modulators;
• causing each modulator to use its distributed packets to modulate an RF signal associated with an RF channel, wherein the packets from at least one of the content programs are used to modulate at least two of the RF signals, thereby causing these packets to be transmitted over the at least two RF channels that are associated with the at least two RF signals, and
• wherein at least two of the RF channels corresponding to the plurality of modulators are non-contiguous;
• multiplexing the modulated RF signals from the plurality of modulators to generate a multi-channel RF signal;
• converting the multi-channel RF signal into an analog multi-channel RF signal;
• and
• shifting the analog multi-channel RF signal to a higher frequency band.