A subscriber control system designed to be placed outside of the subscriber's home, for controlling access to cable television signals provided by a cable television headend. The system is modular in design containing a single control module and a single RF distribution module both shared by a number of jammer modules. The jammer modules contain a plurality of frequency agile oscillators, the frequencies of which can be changed in time-multiplex fashion. The outputs of the jammer modules can be shared amongst a number of subscribers using space division switching. The system features switching utilizing a plurality of series connected diodes to form a transmission line switch and also utilizes filters having inductive elements which are configured by etching processes
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application is a continuation-in-,part of U.S. Ser. No. 673,872, filed Mar. 22, 1991 now U.S.. Pat. No. 5,140,633 which is incorporated by reference herein.
A composite high frequency apparatus includes a high frequency filter and a high frequency switch which have a substantially reduced size and do not require an impedance matching circuit. The apparatus includes a multilayered base having an outer surface with a plurality of diodes, an external ground electrode, an external electrode for a transmission circuit, an external electrode for a receiving circuit, an external electrode for an antenna circuit and external electrodes for control terminals located thereon. A plurality of strip lines, capacitor electrodes and an external grounding electrode are located within the multilayered base.
A method and apparatus, for jamming selected channels, in a CATV system, wherein six different pre-determined frequencies ("fx"), are generated at a head end, on a time divisional basis, which head end also generates a synchrinization signal ("sync. sig.") that identifies which fx is being generated, a multiple of receiver ends, each of which receives, at one input all of the TV channels' signals, the fx, the sync. sig., and a subscriber status signal ("SSS") that identifies the channels, if any, that the subscriber is entitled to receive, wherein the receiver end: (A) divides the received signals into: (I) TV channels' signals, SSS, and sync. sig., and (II) fx; (B) generates a local fixed frequency; (C) mixes the local fixed frequency with the fx, thereby creating a jamming signal; (D) decodes the sync. sig.; (E) decodes the SSS, to obtain the subscriber status information; (F) transmittes the TV channels' signals to the subscriber, if the subscriber status information, indicates that subscriber, is entitled to receive at least some or all of the TV channels; and (G) combines the jamming signal, with the TV signals, going to the subscriber, when the created jamming signal, is for a channel, that subscriber is not entitled to receive.
A composite high frequency apparatus includes a high frequency filter and a high frequency switch which have a substantially reduced size and do not require an impedance matching circuit. The apparatus includes a multilayered base having an outer surface with a plurality of diodes, an external ground electrode, an external electrode for a transmission circuit, an external electrode for a receiving circuit, an external electrode for an antenna circuit and external electrodes for control terminals located thereon. A plurality of strip lines, capacitor electrodes and an external grounding electrode are located within the multilayered base.
A harmonic filter is added to a radio frequency filter comprising at least one transmission line resonator (R1; R2; R3) to filter harmonic multiples of the filter's operating frequency. Coupling to the harmonic filter occurs through matching couplings and transmission lines (7; L1 to L9; L20; L28) in the filter or via the electromagnetic field of said transmission line resonator (R1; R2; R3). The harmonic filter advantageously comprises striplines (L13 to L19; L21 to L27; L29 to L49) manufactured in conjunction with the other stripline structures in the filter.
Inductor topologies for filters used in broadband applications are described. In one implementation, an apparatus, such as an interface module includes a printed circuit board and a filter. The filter includes a generally circular high Quality factor (Q) value spiral planar inductor etched directly into the printed circuit board. The generally circular high Q value spiral planar inductor is configured to operate in a broadband application. Other implementations involve the use of decoupling structures with respect to the planar inductors as well as a design methodology for the filters.