Patent ID: 6202211
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
A device for providing television signals to a plurality of viewing systems on a network, the device comprising:a connection to receive a plurality of television channels from outside the network;a plurality of tuners, a different tuner assigned to each of the viewing systems;a plurality of modulators; andcontrol circuitry configured to receive a request for one of the plurality of television channels, the request associated with one of the viewing systems, and to respond to the request by causing the tuner assigned to said one of the viewing systems to demodulate the requested television channel and by causing one of the modulators to remodulate the demodulated television channel onto one of a plurality of network RF channels, the control circuitry includinga first mapping unit to assign one of the television channels to one of the tuners and one of the modulators, anda second mapping unit to map an output of said one of the modulators to said one of the network RF channels.