Abstract:
A method and system to deter cable television (CATV) service theft is disclosed. The method includes identifying a critical area along the service line of the service installation susceptible to tampering. Next a protective means is selected that will provide additional security from tampering to the critical area based on the specific characteristics of the critical area (e.g. light-weight sheathing). Finally, the protective means is applied to the critical area. The method and system are suited for protecting any utility delivered by a service line (e.g., electricity and telephone).

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to providing a method and system to deliver a utility service line from its public distribution point to a customer in a more secure fashion, and more particularly, to deter theft of service by protecting vulnerable portions of a utility service line between a public distribution unit and a customer. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The National Cable Television Association estimates cable theft costs the cable television (“CATV”) industry $4.7 billion dollars per year. The easiest and most prevalent methods for stealing cable service are the removal of filters attached at the customers cable box or splicing the service line upstream from the filters and running a new line from that splice. 
     Traditionally, CATV lines piggy-back on telephone or power line poles in residential neighborhoods. Distribution boxes are placed at intervals along the CATV line. Service lines proceed from each distribution box to a plurality of customers. Traditionally, each service line is strung by itself or along a supporting stran wire to a connection point at a customer&#39;s residence. The service line is then run from the connection point to what is commonly referred to as a cable box mounted inside or on the exterior of the customer&#39;s residence. The service line connects at the cable box to the grid inside the customer&#39;s residence that distributes the CATV signal to individual outlets throughout the residence. 
     A service line carries the signals for all channels offered by a CATV provider as it leaves the distribution box. However, most customers only contract to receive a portion of the available channels. The most common way to customize the signal received by a customer is to connect the service line to one or more channel filters within the cable box. Each channel filter removes a range of channels from the signal carried by the service line. Accordingly, when the service line feeds into the customer&#39;s residential grid, it only carries that portion of the signal subscribed to by the customer. 
     The channel filter system allows flexibility in providing custom service to subscribers. Furthermore, cable linemen can easily change a customer&#39;s service by adding or removing filters from a cable box. However, the channel filter system is susceptible to cable theft. 
     Many times before the cable lineman leaves a neighborhood after installing CATV service, cable thieves are soliciting the new CATV customers to break into their cable boxes and remove the filters, thus providing services the customers have not contracted to receive. Not only does the cable company lose revenue based on non-payment of channel fees, but in most instances, the filters are discarded by the cable thieves. A single filter can cost up to $25.00, and therefore the loss of filters can quickly become a major expense. 
     Many tamper proof cable boxes have been developed to deter this easy method of cable theft. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,893 to Mangone, Jr. (Enclosure for Cable Connections) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,140 to Adams, et al. (Security Box for Cable TV Connections). However, the cable thief simply refocuses his attention on the unprotected portions of the service line that can be easily reached. 
     If the cable box provides too great a challenge, the cable thief can splice the service line at any reachable point between the distribution box and the cable box, connect a new line to the upstream end of the service line, and run the new line to a customer&#39;s residential grid, thus bypassing the cable box filters. Exotic electronics have been devised to prevent the effectiveness of such splicing, or to scramble signals carried by the service line. Some of these systems are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,132 to Doles, et al. (Cable TV Security Means) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,865 to Barary (Cable TV Channel Security System Having Remotely Addressable Traps). However, these methods generally involve the CATV provider purchasing and deploying expensive equipment to upgrade its systems. 
     Accordingly, what is needed is an inexpensive method and system for providing extra security for both new service installations and existing CATV installation that deters cable theft. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is directed to a method for deterring theft of a utility service that is delivered by a service line. Critical areas of the service line susceptible to theft are identified. For each critical area, a protective means is selected to address the specific characteristics making the area vulnerable to tampering. Thereafter, the specific protective means are applied to the service line to increase the difficulty of stealing the service, thus deterring such theft. 
     The invention also contemplates a system to deter theft of a utility. The system includes a local distribution unit, a customer security unit, a service line leading from the local distribution unit to a structure where the service line proceeds along at least a portion of the structure to the customer security unit. The customer security unit is mounted on the structure. The local distribution unit and customer security box deter unauthorized tampering of items substantially enclosed within the unit and box. The portion of the service line proceeding along the structure runs substantially within a first sheath adapted to deter unauthorized tampering of items substantially enclosed within. The service line proceeding between the local distribution unit and the structure runs substantially within a second sheath adapted to deter unauthorized tampering of items substantially enclosed within. 
     One industry that can utilize the invention is the cable television industry. For a CATV implementation, the local distribution unit includes a tap, the service line is co-axial cable and the customer security unit is a cable box. The filters traditionally found in a cable box are removed and placed in series on the cable within the first sheath. 
     Importantly, the components of the system beyond those items normally used for CATV service installation are common, inexpensive items. 
     Accordingly, an object of the invention is to deter utility theft at the place where service is provided. 
     Another object of the invention is to prevent CATV service theft by increasing the security of a customer&#39;s CATV service installation. 
     Another object of the invention is to prevent CATV service theft using mechanical security means instead of electronic security means. 
     Another object of the invention is to use common, inexpensive items to increase the security of a CATV service installation. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a security system which can be applied to new CATV service installations as well as pre-existing CATV service installations. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a CATV service installation. 
     FIG. 1 a  shows a top view of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 2 shows a CATV service installation after application of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 a  shows a top view of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 3 shows an alternative CATV service installation. 
     FIG. 4 shows an alternative CATV service installation. 
     FIG. 5 shows the protective means for a critical area of a service line path. 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the portion of the CATV service installation of FIG. 2 along line  6 — 6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a typical Cable television (“CATV”) service installation for a single family home  10 . A series of utility poles, like that indicated at  12 , deliver the CATV signal to a neighborhood. In FIG. 1, utility pole  12  is behind home  10 , shown best in FIG. 1 a.  Distribution tap  14  is mounted within a high-security housing  20 , with housing  20  mounted to a guide stran  22  stretching between utility pole  12  and a utility pole to the left of home  10  (not shown). Hard line cable  19  is connected by clamps, severally indicated at  21 , to stran  22 . Hard line cable  19  delivers the CATV signal to tap  14 . Tap  14  serves as a local distribution unit for the CATV signal. Tap  14  includes a plurality of ports, severally indicated at  16 . Each port  16  accepts a single service line  18 , which in turn can provide the CATV signal to a single customer. Each service line  18  carries the entire bandwidth of service for the CATV provider at tap  14 . For instance, “basic service”, “premium services” and even “pay-per-view” channels are all present in the signal carried by service line  18  at tap  14 . However, service line  18  is easily accessible to cable either side of housing  20 . If the cable thief breaches security line  18  immediately outside housing  20 , he can acquire access to the entire spectrum of services offered by the CATV provider. 
     Service line  18  proceeds from housing box  20 , through span clamp  15  and to home  10 . Service line  18  connects to the exterior of home  10  at connection point  23 , runs down the side of home  10  and into a cable box  24  mounted to the exterior of home  10 . Traditionally, cable box  24  includes space for a plurality of filters to be connected to service line  18 . These filters eliminate channels from the signal carried by service line  18  not selected by the customer. Accordingly, the signal in service line  18  after passing through these filters contain only a portion of the signal provided to service line  18  at tap  14 . This reduced signal is fed into the customer&#39;s residential grid that distributes the CATV signal to individual outlets throughout the residence. 
     The entire length of service line  18  is susceptible to cable theft. However, certain areas are more vulnerable than others. These critical areas are easily reached by a cable thief using household items such as a ladder. For example, in FIG. 1, four critical areas exist along service line  18 : (1) any portion within approximately the first six feet to either side of utility pole  12 , indicated at  26 , (2) approximately the last six feet of service line  18  before connection point  23  on home  10 , indicated at  30 , (3) the entire length from connection point  23  to cable box  24 , indicated at  32 , and (4) the length of service line  18  in cable box  24 , indicated at  34 . Different installations will have different critical areas based on the type of installation and its surroundings. 
     Each critical area is vulnerable for different reasons. A cable thief can climb pole  12 , cut critical area  26  anywhere within reach, crimp on a connector and run a new line to home  10  that does not pass through the filters in cable box  24 . Similarly, a cable thief can use a ladder leaning against home  10  to cut critical area  30  anywhere within reach, crimp on a connector and run a new line to house  10  that does not pass through the filters in cable box  24 . Critical area  32  can be cut in some instances without the cable thief leaving the ground. Additionally, cable box  24  is an area of vulnerability as cable thieves easily break into most or all known cable boxes and strip away the filters. The present invention identifies and provides extra security for these critical areas. 
     FIGS.  2  and  2 ( a ) shows the CATV service installation of FIG. 1 after application of the present invention. The invention can be applied coincidentally with a new service installation. First, the CATV service installation path (or expected CATV service installation path for a new CATV service installation) is examined to identify critical areas of vulnerability. As discussed earlier, four critical areas exist in the CATV service installation in FIGS. 1 and 2. Area  36  is not identified as a critical area as a cable thief will be hard pressed to reach any portion of area  36  without significant difficulty. Accordingly, it is anticipated the typical cable thief will not attempt to breach the CATV service installation at area  36 , or the average person seeking to utilize the cable thief&#39;s services will be unable to afford the premium charged for the increased risk. 
     The circumstances and surroundings particular to each CATV service installation will dictate the designation of critical areas. For example, area  36  would be a critical area if a tree (FIG. 3) or a garage (FIG. 4) were close enough to provide the cable thief easy access. 
     Once the critical areas are identified, a determination is made on how to best protect each critical area. One consistent goal is to provide a protective means that is relatively inexpensive, both in components costs and deployment costs (e.g., installation time, installation difficulty, and necessary tools). 
     Critical area  26  is a portion of service line  18  suspended above the ground. Accordingly, a light-weight protective means is desired. Furthermore, the protective means for critical area  26  must provide a high level security as it is easily reached by climbing pole  12  with little risk to the cable thief, and is therefore a preferred location for splicing. Referring to FIGS.  2  and  2 ( a ), critical area  26  of service line  18  runs within light-weight polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing  44  and  46  extending to the left and right of housing  20  to the ends of area  26 . Tubing  44  and  46  are suspended from stran  22  by clamps  38  and positioned flush against housing  20  at one end and a span clamp at the other, thus preventing movement of tubing  44  or  46  along service line  18 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, critical area  30  composes two sub-portions: (1) critical sub-portion  60 , the substantially straight length of critical area  30 , and (2) critical sub-portion  62 , the bend leading to critical area  32 . A length of PVC tubing  64  threaded at its ends sheathes approximately six feet of critical sub-portion  60 . Critical sub-portion  62  is sheathed within a length of flexible metal conduit  66 . At critical area  32 , service line  18  runs within a sturdy metal conduit  68 , such as electrical conduit. A heavy conduit can be used as it will be mounted directly to home  10 . Conduit  68  and tubing  64  are connected by flexible conduit  66 , which has at its ends a collar  70  and a threaded end  72 . An appropriate polymer solvent is applied to threaded end  72 . When threaded end  72  and the PVC threads of tubing  64  mate, the polymer solvent contacts the PVC threads which then dissolve and re-harden around the threads of end  72  preventing the removal of conduit  68  from tubing  64  without breaking the two apart. Adverting to FIG. 6, collar  70  connects to end  74  of conduit  68  using security screws, severally indicated at  76 , having non-standard heads to prevent tampering. 
     The filters, severally indicated at  78 , are installed within conduit  68 , which is substantially more difficult to breach than cable box  24 . No protective means is provided for service line  18  after filters  72  because the signal carried after by service line  18  filter  72  only includes those channels subscribed to by the customer. 
     Accordingly, all critical areas of service line  18  between tap  14  and the customer&#39;s residential CATV service grid are provided extra protection to deter cable theft. Although preventing cable theft in all instances is impossible, the present invention significantly increases the effort needed to steal CATV service. Importantly, the current invention accomplishes this both for pre-existing CATV installation and new CATV service installations with very little cost for materials and installation. The total cost for the protective means shown in FIG. 2 is approximately $30.00 per house. An experienced cable lineman should be able to install the security system shown in FIG. 2 by himself using only those tools commonly used by cable linemen in approximately one hour. Accordingly, the high cost of exotic electronic equipment, as well as the cost to install this new equipment, is avoided. 
     Modifications 
     Although preferred embodiments of the instant invention have been described, a person of ordinary skill in the art would find modifications to what has been described obvious. Such modifications could include the adoption of the method and system for other utility services delivered by cable (e.g., telephone service and electrical service). In addition, although exemplary protective means have been described, the specific protective means used will be dictated by the surroundings of the CATV service installation.