Patent ID: 7568207
Filing Date: 2009-07-28
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A signal distribution system including a communication path between a central facility including a signal source and a termination section including a plurality of cable drops, a condition detector at respective ones of said plurality of cable drops, means for providing a sequence of tones responsive to said condition detector, means for coupling said sequence of tones to said communication path during a time slot associated with a said cable drop determined by a time base at said termination section of said communication path, and means for decoding said sequence of tones at said central facility in accordance with respective time slots as determined by a time base at said central facility, said respective time slots as determined by said time base at said central facility including a time slot corresponding to said time slot as determined by said time base at said termination section of said communication path, said time base at said termination section and said time base at said central facility being independent of each other and responsive to a broadcast time signal, said broadcast time signal including a time indication signal for synchronization of corresponding time slots, wherein said termination section does not require any need for any interrogation downstream signaling or to independently broadcast a broadcast time signal from the central facility and vice-versa.