Abstract:
A system and method suitable for processing television signals includes a local collection facility that has a plurality of receivers receiving a plurality of channel signals a plurality of encoders generating a first plurality of encoded signals from the plurality of channel signals, a multiplexer multiplexing the first plurality of encoded signals at a multiplexer to form first multiplexed signals, an ATM switch forming a primary ATM circuit between the local collection facility and the remote facility, and an ATM network adapter forming first ATM signals from the multiplexed signals and communicating the first ATM signals to a remote facility through the primary ATM circuit and the ATM switch. The system also includes a remote facility that includes a monitoring system generating control signals to tear down the primary ATM circuit and communicating the control signal to tear down the primary ATM circuit to the local collection facility. The ATM switch tears down the primary ATM circuit in response thereto. The multiplexer multiplexes a second plurality of encoded signals at the multiplexer to form second multiplexed signals. The ATM network adapter and the ATM switch forms a secondary ATM circuit between the local collection facility and the remote facility and forms secondary ATM signals from the second multiplexed signals. The ATM adapter communicates the secondary ATM signals to the remote facility through the secondary ATM circuit. The remote facility generates an output signal at the remote facility in response to the secondary ATM signals.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates generally to communication systems, and more particularly to a method and system for monitoring and controlling the switching of a back-up network adapter at a local collection facility from a remote facility of a signal collection and uplinking system. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. 
         [0003]    Satellite broadcasting of television signals has increased in popularity. Satellite television providers continually offer more and unique services to their subscribers to enhance the viewing experience. Providing reliability in a satellite broadcasting system is therefore an important goal of satellite broadcast providers. Providing reliable signals reduces the overall cost of the system by reducing the number of received calls at a customer call center. 
         [0004]    In satellite broadcasting systems, users have come to expect the inclusion of local channels in addition to the channels broadcast for the entire Continental United States. Collecting the channels may be performed in various manners, including providing a manned station that receives the signals. The signals may be uplinked from various locations. Providing manned stations increases the labor costs and thus increases the overall cost of the service. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The present disclosure provides a means for monitoring and controlling a network adapter in a signal collection system at a central facility. 
         [0006]    In one aspect of the invention, a method includes receiving a plurality of channel signals, generating a first plurality of encoded signals from the plurality of channel signal at a local collection facility, multiplexing the first plurality of encoded signals at a multiplexer to form first multiplexed signals, forming a primary Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) circuit between the local collection facility and the remote facility, forming first ATM signals from the multiplexed signals, communicating the first ATM signals to a remote facility through the primary ATM circuit, generating control signals to tear down the primary ATM circuit at the remote facility, communicating the control signal to tear down the primary ATM circuit to the local collection facility, tearing down the primary ATM circuit, multiplexing a second plurality of encoded signals at the multiplexer to form second multiplexed signals, forming a secondary ATM circuit between the local collection facility and the remote facility, forming secondary ATM signals from the second multiplexed signals, communicating the secondary ATM signals to the remote facility through the secondary ATM circuit and generating an output signal at the remote facility in response to the secondary ATM signals. 
         [0007]    In a further aspect of the invention, a system includes a local collection facility that has a plurality of receivers receiving a plurality of channel signals a plurality of encoders generating a first plurality of encoded signals from the plurality of channel signals, a multiplexer multiplexing the first plurality of encoded signals at a multiplexer to form first collection facility and the remote facility, and an ATM network adapter forming first ATM signals from the multiplexed signals and communicating the first ATM signals to a remote facility through the primary ATM circuit and the ATM switch. The system also includes a remote facility that includes a monitoring system generating control signals to tear down the primary ATM circuit and communicating the control signal to tear down the primary ATM circuit to the local collection facility. The ATM switch tears down the primary ATM circuit in response thereto. The multiplexer multiplexes a second plurality of encoded signals at the multiplexer to form second multiplexed signals. The ATM network adapter and the ATM switch forms a secondary ATM circuit between the local collection facility and the remote facility and forms secondary ATM signals from the second multiplexed signals. The ATM adapter communicates the secondary ATM signals to the remote facility through the secondary ATM circuit. The remote facility generates an output signal at the remote facility in response to the secondary ATM signals. 
         [0008]    Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is an overall system view of a collection and communication system in the continental United States. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a system view at the regional level of the collection and communication system. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a detailed block diagrammatic view of a local collection facility illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a detailed block diagrammatic view of a remote uplink facility. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a block diagrammatic view of a monitoring system of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 6A  is a plan view of a local collection receiver monitoring display. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6B  is a plan view of an uplink monitoring display. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6C  is a plan view of a thread monitoring display. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a back-up receiver decoder circuit module at the local collection facility from a remote facility. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart of a method for switching to a back-up multiplexer at the local collection facility from a remote facility. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is of a method for switching to a back-up network adapter at the local collection facility from a remote facility. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
         [0022]    As used herein, the term module, circuit and/or device refers to an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and/or other suitable components that provide the described functionality. As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A or B or C), using a non-exclusive logical or. It should be understood that steps within a method may be executed in different order without altering the principles of the present disclosure. 
         [0023]    The present disclosure is described with respect to a satellite television system. However, the present disclosure may have various uses including satellite data transmission and reception for home or business uses. The system may also be used in a cable system or wireless terrestrial communication system. 
         [0024]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a collection and communication system  10  includes a satellite  12  that includes at least one transponder  13 . Typically, multiple transponders are in a satellite. Although only one satellite is shown, more than one is possible or even likely. 
         [0025]    The collection and communication system  10  includes a central facility or Network operations center (NOC)  14  and a plurality of regional or remote uplink facilities (RUF)  16 A,  16 B,  16 C,  16 D,  16 E and  16 F. In a non-satellite system the facilities may be referred to as a remote facility. The regional or remote uplink facilities  16 A- 16 F may be located at various locations throughout a landmass  18  such as the continental United States, including more or less than those illustrated. The regional or remote uplink facilities  16 A- 16 F uplink various uplink signals  17  to satellite  12 . The satellites downlink signals  19  to various users  20  that may be located in different areas of the landmass  18 . The users  20  may be mobile or fixed users. The uplink signals  17  may be digital signals such as digital television signals or digital data signals. The digital television signals may be high definition television signals, standard definition signals or combinations of both. Uplinking may be performed at various frequencies including Ka band. The present disclosure, however, is not limited to Ka band. However, Ka band is a suitable frequency example used throughout this disclosure. The central facility or NOC  14  may also receive downlink signals  19  corresponding to the uplink signals  17  from the various regional or remote uplink facilities and from itself for monitoring purposes. The central facility  14  may monitor and control the quality of all the signals broadcast from the system  10 . 
         [0026]    The central facility  14  may also be coupled to the regional or remote uplink facilities through a network such as a computer network having associated communication lines  24 A- 24 F. Each communication line  24 A-F is associated with a respective regional or remote uplink site  16 . Communication lines  24 A- 24 F are terrestrial-based lines. As will be further described below, all of the functions performed at the regional or remote uplink facilities may be controlled centrally at the central facility  14  as long as the associated communication line  24 A-F is not interrupted. When a communication line  24 A-F is interrupted, each regional or remote uplink site  16 A-F may operate autonomously so that uplink signals may continually be provided to the satellite  12 . Each of the regional or remote uplink and central facilities includes a transmitting and receiving antenna which is not shown for simplicity in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0027]    Each of the regional or remote uplink facilities  16 A- 16 F may also be in communication with a local collection facility collectively referred to with reference numeral  30 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , three local collection facilities are associated with each remote uplink facility  16 . For example, remote uplink facility  16 A has local collection facilities  30 A,  30 B and  30 C associated therewith. Local collection facilities  30 D- 30 S are associated with one of the other remote uplink facilities  16 B- 16 F. Although only three local collection facilities are illustrated for each remote uplink facility  16 , numerous local collection facilities may be associated with each remote uplink facility  16 . The number of local collection facilities  30  may be numerous, such as  40  for each remote uplink facility. The number of local collection facilities  30  is limited by the amount of equipment and the capabilities thereof associated with each remote uplink facility  16 . 
         [0028]    The local collection facilities  30  are used for collecting local television stations in various designated marketing areas (DMA). As is illustrated, local collection facility  30 A is located in DMA 1  and local collection facility  30 B is located in DMA 2 . For simplicity, only two DMAs are illustrated. However, each local collection facility may be located in a DMA. 
         [0029]    The local collection facilities  30  may be in communication with each remote uplink facility  16  through a communication network  32 . As will be described below, the communication network  32  may be an internet protocol (IP) network. The signals from the local collection facilities  30  may thus be video-over-IP signals. Each of the remote uplink facilities  16  are in communication with each local collection facility  30  through the communication network  32 . As is illustrated, local collection facility  30 A is in communication with the remote uplink facility  16 A through communication network  32 A, while local collection facility  30 B is in communication with the remote uplink facility  16 A through communication network  32 B, and so on. 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the regional or remote uplink facilities  16 A- 16 F of  FIG. 1  are illustrated collectively as reference numeral  16 . The regional facilities  16  may actually comprise two facilities that include a primary site  40  (such as the remote uplink facility  16  above) and a diverse site  42 . The primary site  40  may be referred to as a primary broadcast center (PBC). As will be described below, the central site  14  may also include a primary site and diverse site as is set forth herein. The primary site  40  and diverse site  42  of both the central and regional sites may be separated by at least 25 miles, or, more even more such as, at least 40 miles. In one constructed embodiment, 50 miles was used. The primary site  40  includes a first antenna  44  for transmitting and receiving signals to and from satellite  12 . Diverse site  42  also includes an antenna  46  for transmitting and receiving signals from satellite  12 . 
         [0031]    Primary site  40  and diverse site  42  may also receive signals from GPS satellites  50 . GPS satellites  50  generate signals corresponding to the location and a precision timed signal that may be provided to the primary site  40  through an antenna  52  and to the diverse site  42  through an antenna  54 . It should be noted that redundant GPS antennas ( 52 A,B) for each site may be provided. In some configurations, antennas  44  and  46  may also be used to receive GPS signals. 
         [0032]    A precision time source  56  may also be coupled to the primary site  40  and to the diverse site  42  for providing a precision time source. The precision time source  56  may include various sources such as coupling to a central atomic clock. The precision time source  56  may be used to trigger certain events such as advertising insertions and the like. 
         [0033]    The primary site  40  and the diverse site  42  may be coupled through a communication line  60 . Communication line  60  may be a dedicated communication line. The primary site  40  and the diverse site  42  may communicate over the communication line using a video-over-Internet protocol (IP). 
         [0034]    Various signal sources  64  such as an optical fiber line, copper line or antennas may provide incoming signals  66  to the local collection facility  30 . Incoming signal  66 , as mentioned above, may be television signals. The television signals may be over-the-air high-definition signals, over-the-air standard television signals, or high or standard definition signals received through a terrestrial communication line. The incoming signals  66  such as the television signals may be routed from the local collection facility  30  through the communication network  30  to the primary site  40 , or the diverse site  42  in the event of a switchover. The switchover may be manual or a weather-related automatic switchover. A manual switchover, for example, may be used during a maintenance condition. 
         [0035]    Users  20  receive downlink signals  70  corresponding to the television signals. Users  20  may include home-based systems, business-based systems or multiple dwelling unit systems. As illustrated, a user  20  has a receiving antenna  72  coupled to an integrated receiver decoder (IRD)  74  that processes the signals and generates audio and video signals corresponding to the received downlink signal  70  for display on the television or monitor  76 . It should also be noted that satellite radio receiving systems may also be used in place of the IRD  74 . The integrated receiver decoder  74  may be incorporated into or may be referred to as a set top box. 
         [0036]    The user  20  may also be a mobile user. The user  20  may therefore be implemented in a mobile device or portable device  80 . The portable device  80  may include but are not limited to various types of devices such as a laptop computer  82 , a personal digital assistant  84 , a cellular telephone  86  or a portable media player  88 . 
         [0037]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the local collection facility  30  is illustrated in more detail adjacent to the remote uplink facility (RUF)  16 . several remote facilities mar directed to one remote uplink facility. Several remote plink facilities may be located across the country. As mentioned above, the local collection facility  30  is in communication with the remote uplink facility  16  through a network  32  such as an ATM network. The local collection facility  30  is used for collecting signals in a designated marketing area or other area. The channel signals may be received as over-the-air television signals or through a direct local feed such as an optical fiber or wire. For an over-the-air signal, an antenna or plurality of antennas  100  are provided. The antenna channel signals are directed to splitters  102 . The splitter signals are communicated to a plurality of receiver circuit modules  104 A-D (collectively referred to as  104 ). The number of receiver circuit modules  104  depends upon various design parameters such as how many channels the designated market includes. Various numbers of receiver circuit modules  104  may be provided. 
         [0038]    In addition to the receiver circuit modules  104 A-D, a back-up receiver circuit module  106  may also be coupled to the splitters  102 . Also, a monitor receiver circuit module  108  may be included at the local collection facility  108 . 
         [0039]    The receiver circuit modules generally  104 ,  106  and  108  include a tuner module  110  and a decoder module  112 . The receiver circuit module  104  is used to tune, demodulate and decode the over-the-air signals. The tuner may be fixed-tuned to a particular channel or may be adjustable. The receiver circuit modules  104 A-D are suitable for fixed tuning. The back-up receiver module  106  and monitor receiver circuit module  108  are particularly suited for multi-channel tuning. The receiver circuit modules, as will be described below may include an ATSC receiver or an NTSC receiver. In ATSC form the receiver receives an MPEG2 signal. The decoding may thus be MPEG2 decoding. 
         [0040]    The receiver circuit modules  104  may generate a high definition serial digital interface signal (HD SDI) and an asynchronous serial interface (ASI) signal. 
         [0041]    The back-up receiver circuit module  106  and the monitor receiver module  108  may be in communication with an antenna switch  114 . The antenna switch  114  is in communication with the splitters  102  which are in communication with the antennas  100 . The antenna switch  114  may be used to communicate the output of a particular antenna to the back-up receiver decoder  106  and the monitor receiver decoder  108 . The back-up receiver decoder  106  may also generate both an HD SDI signal and an ASI signal. The monitor receiver module  108  may be used to generate only an ASI signal. 
         [0042]    A serial digital interface router  120  may also be provided. The serial digital interface router  120  may be a high definition serial digital interface router. The router  120  may receive local feeds  118  directly from the local channel providers. The feeds may also be in MPEG2 format. These may be provided through a wire or optical fiber. The router  120  routes the channel signals received from the local feeds  118  to the receiver circuit modules  104 ,  106 ,  108  where received signals are decoded from MPEG2 format. 
         [0043]    The received signals are processed and encoded into a format such an MPEG4 format in the encoders  124 A-D. A back-up encoder  126  associated with the backup receiver decoder may also be provided. 
         [0044]    The output of the encoders  124 A-D,  126  are in communication with a primary multiplexer  128  and a back-up multiplexer  130 . The primary multiplexer  128  an the back-up multiplexer  130  multiplex the encoded signals and provide them to a primary network adapter  132  and a back-up network adapter  134 . Both the primary network adapter  132  and the back-up network adapter  134  may be in communication with the primary multiplexer  128  and the back-up multiplexer  130 . The network adapters  132 ,  134  receive the multiplexed signals and format them into an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) configuration. An ATM configuration typically includes cells of a fixed size with a header of 5 bytes and a payload of 48 bytes. The header may include a generic flow control field, a virtual path identifier, a virtual channel identifier, a payload type, a cell loss priority, and a header error control. Once the multiplexed signals are converted into an ATM format, the primary network adapter  132  or the back-up network adapter  132  routes the ATM signals through a primary ATM switch  136  or a back-up ATM switch  138 . The primary ATM switch  136  and the back-up ATM switch  138  are used to route the ATM cells formed by the primary or network adapter from an input port to an output port to provide a connection between the switches  136  or  138  and the remote facility  16 . 
         [0045]    The local collection facility  30  may also include a monitoring integrated receiver decoder (MIRD)  140 . The output of the monitoring IRD  140  may be provided to an MIRD encoder  142 . The IRD  140  may also be referred to as a set top box. The monitoring IRD  140  receives downlinked satellite signals and converts these signals to a decoded signal (HD SDI, for example). The MIRD encoder  142  encodes the signals in a format such as MPEG 4 format. 
         [0046]    The output of the monitor IRD encoder  142  may be provided to an ASI router  144 . The ASI router  144  may route input signals from the decoders  104 A-D, the back-up receiver decoder  106 , the monitor receiver decoder  108  and the monitoring IRD encoder  142 . The signals are routed through the router  144  for monitoring at a monitoring system, as will be described below. The monitoring system may also control the devices mentioned above through the router  144 . Controlling may be switching to a backup. The monitoring system may also be in communication with the encoder  124 A-D and  126 , the multiplexers  128 ,  130  and the ATM switches  136 - 148 . The output of the router is provided to a monitor network adapter  146  and a primary monitor ATM switch  148 . The monitor network adapter  146  adapts the signal to the ATM format. The ATM format signals provided to the primary monitor ATM switch  148  which in turn communicates through the ATM backhaul  32 . 
         [0047]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the remote uplink facility  16  may include a primary ATM switch  210  and a back-up ATM switch  212  in communication with the ATM backhaul  32 . The primary ATM switch  210  and the back-up ATM switch  212  are in communication through the ATM backhaul  32  with the primary ATM switch  136  and the back-up ATM switch  138 . The primary ATM switch  210  is in communication with a primary network adapter  214 . The back-up ATM switch  212  is in communication with a back-up network adapter  216 . The network adapters  214  and  216  are used to generate an ASI signal that is communicated to a respective primary advanced transport processing system (ATPS)  218  and a back-up advanced transport processing system (ATPS)  220 . The advanced transport processing systems  218 ,  220  convert the ASI signals from the network adapters into an advanced transport stream such as a DIRECTV® A3 transport stream. The ATPS  218 ,  220  may act as an encryption module for inserting encryption into the transport stream. 
         [0048]    A primary modulator  222  and a back-up modulator  224  receive the transport stream from the respective primary ATPS  218  or the back-up ATPS  220 . The primary modulator  222  and the back-up modulator  224  modulate the transport stream and generate an RF signal at a frequency such as an L-band frequency. An RF switch  226  may be referred to as an intermediate frequency switch  226 . The RF switch provides one output signal to the uplink RF system  228 . The uplink signal may then be communicated to the satellite  12  of  FIG. 1 . Should the system not be a satellite system, the signal may be communicated terrestrially through a distribution system in a wired or wireless manner. Several circuits  210 - 226  may be included in a remote facility  16 , each one corresponding to one transponder on the satellite. 
         [0049]    A monitoring system  230  may be in communication with a monitor ATM switch  232  and a monitor network adapter  234  for communicating with the various local collection facilities. In addition, the monitoring system  230  may be in communication with the primary ATPS  218 , the back-up ATPS  220 , the primary modulator  222  and the back-up modulator  224 . In addition, the monitoring system  230  may be in communication with the router  144  illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The router  144  may be in communication with the monitor receiver circuit module  108 , the monitor IRD encoder  142  and each of the receiver circuit modules  104 ,  106 . The monitoring system  230  may be referred to as an advanced broadcast monitoring system  230 . 
         [0050]    It should be noted that multiple local collection facilities  30  may be coupled to a remote collection facility  16 . 
         [0051]    It should be noted that the diverse uplink facility or diverse site  54  illustrated in  FIG. 4  may include a primary and back-up ATPS, a modulator and RF switch. The monitoring system may control the signals to the diverse site  42 . 
         [0052]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , the monitoring system  230  of  FIG. 4  is illustrated in further detail. The monitoring system receives signals through the network  32 . As mentioned above, feeds from various uplink systems such as various IF switches  226 , may be provided to an L-band router  300 . An ASI router  302  may be used to route the signals from the local collection facilities to a decoder  304 . The decoder may be an ATSC decoder. Decoder  304  may be optional should the signals already be decoded at the local collection facility. The L-band router  300  may be in communication with a monitor IRD  306 . The output of the monitor IRD  306  and the decoders  304  are provided to a multi-viewer or plurality of multi-viewers  308 . A remote uplink facility monitor router  310  is used to provide signals to the monitor network encoders  312  which in turn provide signals to a monitor feed network  314 . The L-band routers may also provide signals to a demodulator  316 . The output of the demodulator  316  and the monitor network encoders  312  may be provided to the monitor feed network  314 . The monitor feed network  314  may be various types of transmission means used to communicate between the remote uplink facilities  16  and the network operation center  14 . 
         [0053]    The remote uplink facility  16  may generate monitoring display  350  as well. The monitoring displays  350  may also be used to control the various functions at the local collection facilities. The monitoring displays may be in communication with the monitor router  310 . 
         [0054]    The network operation center  14  may include an ASI router  330  for the selection of signals from a particular remote uplink facility. The ASI signals may be routed to an ATSC decoder  332  and a monitor ED  334 . The ATSC decoder  332  may provide the signals to a monitor router  336 . A monitor wall  338  may be used to generate monitoring signals for use at the network operation center. A workstation  340  may also receive the signals from the network operation center monitor router  336 . The ATSC decoders  332  and the monitor IRDs  334  may provide the signals to a quality assurance (QA) room  342 . Screen displays at the monitor wall  338 , the workstation  340  and the quality assurance room  342  are used for monitoring the various remote uplink facilities. The workstation  340  may also be used for control purposes. Signals are provided to the remote uplink facility and ultimately to the local collection facilities should a problem arise with the signals. Ultimately the control signals may be communicated back through the network  32 . 
         [0055]    The network operation center  14  may also include multiple workstations  340  as well as a large monitor wall  338 . The workstations  340  may have access to various control surfaces that can configure the monitor walls  338  as well as signals fed to the various monitors at the station. 
         [0056]    Control of the on-air failure recovery devices as well as the monitoring functions for every LCF and RUF are accomplished through control surfaces such as touch screens and keyboards together with a GUI at the workstations  340  in the network operation center  14 . The control surfaces may be application-specific and present the status and control options for various multiple configurations for the application. The quality assurance room  342  may not have any control functions therein. The monitors  350  may be coupled to the monitor network encoders  315  for displaying various views from the remote uplink facility and the local collection facilities. 
         [0057]    It should be noted that if an ATM network is used for the signals, an ATM switch and network adapter may be provided prior to the ASI router  330 . Further, the decoders  332  may be MPEG decoders since the signal may be in MPEG form when received from the remote uplink facility. 
         [0058]    Referring now to  FIG. 6A , a local collection facility monitor is generated having four local collection facility channels  410 ,  412 ,  414 , and  416 . Each display may also include an under-monitor display  418  used to identify the particular channel signal. The under-monitor displays  418  may display the actual channel number, the station identification or other information and the like. 
         [0059]    In  FIG. 6B , an uplink monitor is illustrated having an uplink channel one  420 , an uplink channel two  422 , an uplink channel three  424 , and an uplink channel four  426 . An under-monitor display  428  may also be included with each of the displays  420 - 426 . The uplink channels receive the uplink channel signals so that they may be monitored. The uplink channel signals provide an indication as to the uplink channel. Various selections may be made for the particular uplink channels for the particular remote uplink facilities. 
         [0060]      FIG. 6C  includes an uplink channel signal  440  and a local collection facility IRD signal  442 . The local collection facility IRD signal  442  may be received through the monitoring IRD located at the local collection facility. This is illustrated in  FIG. 3  as reference numeral  140 . The display may also display a channel from the local collection facility, the back-up receiver channel or the local collection facility monitor receiver. Both displays  440  and  442  may include an under-monitor display  450 . 
         [0061]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a method for changing or controlling a back-up receiver at a local collection facility from a remote collection facility is illustrated. In step  512 , the monitoring system  230  identifies a channel and a local collection facility associated with the channel. This may be performed at a broadcast operation center channel or the like. This may also be performed at the network operation center  14 . The channel may be identified by using the various monitors at the network operation center or the remote uplink facility as described above. 
         [0062]    In step  514 , the method includes commanding the monitor ASI router  302  of  FIG. 5  to switch to the router input corresponding to the designated LCF monitor network adapter output to the ASI router output defined for the requesting console thread decoder input. The thread decoder may then be tuned to the station identification defined for the local channel source for the broadcast operation center in step  516 . In step  518 , it is determined whether the signal is an ASI signal received through a direct feed or an RF signal communicated through an RF antenna. In step  520 , if the signal is an RF signal, the antenna switch  144  of  FIG. 3  is commanded to feed the back-up receiver and the back-up receiver module  108  is tuned in step  522 . It should be noted that the back-up receiver may be tunable, whereas the other receivers in the receiver circuit modules  104  may be fixed-tuned. 
         [0063]    Referring back to step  518 , if the signal is an ASI signal, the back-up receiver module is switched to the particular ASI input. After step  524 , the back-up receiver is tuned in step  522 . 
         [0064]    In step  526 , the local collection facility ASI router is commanded to switch to the back-up receiver input to monitor the channel feed output at the network adapter. In step  528 , a preview of the back-up signals is provided at the remote uplink facility. As mentioned above, the signal may also be provided to the network operation center. 
         [0065]    In step  530 , other channels are prevented to switch to the back-up receiver. In step  532 , if the signal is not acceptable a preview is continued in step  528 . In step  532 , if the previewed signal is acceptable a switch to the back-up receiver is performed in step  534 . In step  538 , the monitoring system commands the system to mirror and switch to the back-up encoder if available. Mirroring means communicating any of the set-up configuration parameters from the receiver circuit module in question to the backup receiver circuit module. In step  538 , if verification is received that the back-up encoder has been employed in the broadcast signal. In step  540 , a notification is provided to the operation that a successful transition to the back-up encoder is provided. 
         [0066]    Referring now to  FIG. 8 , a method for switching to a back-up multiplexer is set forth. In step  610 , a channel is identified and the local collection facility for the channel is identified at either the remote uplink facility or the network operation center. 
         [0067]    In step  612 , a compression system and monitoring system is used associated with the channel is identified. In step  614 , if a back-up multiplexer is not available the system ends in step  615 . In step  614 , if a back-up multiplexer is available a command is communicated to the monitoring system controller. In step  618 , a switch to the back-up multiplexer is generated while the primary multiplexer is disabled. In step  620 , a verification is provided to the operator that a successful switch to the multiplexer has been provided. 
         [0068]    In step  622 , a notification is provided to the operator that a successful switch to the back-up multiplexer is provided. 
         [0069]    It should be noted that the above method may also be used to switch from the back-up multiplexer to the primary multiplexer. 
         [0070]    Referring now to  FIG. 9 , a method for switching to a network adapter is provided. In step  710 , a primary ATM circuit is formed between the local collection facility and the remote uplink facility. In step  712 , when a change is desired the local collection facility is identified. In step  714 , the ATM circuit associated with the local collection facility is also identified. 
         [0071]    In step  716 , the primary ATM circuit for the LCF to RUF connection is torn down. In step  718 , a new ATM circuit from the back-up network adapter is created. In step  720 , a verification may be provided to the network operator that a successful switch from the primary network adapter to the back-up network adapter has been performed by creating and tearing down a new ATM circuit and the primary ATM circuit. In step  720 , a verification may be generated. In step  722 , the operator of the system may be notified. 
         [0072]    Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, the specification and the following claims.