Patent ID: 8621530
Filing Date: 2013-12-31
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: generating a control signal at a management control system of a local headend; generating a modulated signal at a frequency unused by a satellite and an outdoor unit external to the local headend, said modulated signal comprising a plurality of local channels at the local headend; simultaneously communicating the control signal to a group of user receiving devices through a switch module of a local network while communicating the modulated signal from the local headend to a first multiplexer, wherein the first multiplexer is separate from the switch module; at the first multiplexer, receiving a first plurality of external signals from the outdoor unit and multiplexing the modulated signal and the first plurality of external signals to generate a first output signal; receiving a second plurality of external signals from the satellite at the outdoor unit; communicating the first output signal and the second plurality of external signals to a second multiplexer, wherein the second multiplexer is in the switch module; multiplexing the first output signal and the second plurality of external signals via the second multiplexer to form a second output signal; transmitting the second output signal from the switch module to the at least one user receiving device in the group of user receiving devices; receiving the output signal by at least one user receiving device in the group of user receiving devices; and controlling the group of user receiving devices in response to the control signal.