Transmodulator with dynamically selectable channels

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a low cost system and method for distributing a set of program multiplexed A-V signals and, possibly, existing terrestrial signals, to a multiplicity of receiver units within one or more MDUs using an MDU cable network or other transmission channel.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a receiving antenna receives a broadband signal from, for example, a satellite or a land-based transmitter.
A transmodulator transmodulates selected portions of the broadband signal into a transmodulated signal having a bandwidth that is smaller than that of the received broadband signal and transmits this transmodulated signal, typically along with standard terrestrial signals, over a communication channel, such as a cable or a wireless network, to a number of individual receiver units within an MDU.
The receiver units demodulate the received transmodulated signal and provide user-specified channels to processing or display units, e.
g.
, video displays, television sets, audio systems, computers, etc.
The receiver units also send requests for user-selected channels to the transmodulator which uses these requests to select Which of the portions of the broadband signal will be transmodulated.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a signal distribution system adapted to receive a composite signal having a multiplicity of transponder signals therein includes a transmodulator that transmodulates a selected one of the transponder signals from a first modulation scheme to a second modulation scheme to produce a transmodulated signal and a transmitter that transmits the transmodulated signal over a communication channel to a plurality of individual receivers.
A receiver receives a request signal from each of the plurality of individual receivers and a controller selects the selected transponder signal in response to the request signals.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a signal distribution system for distributing a composite signal having a plurality of individual program multiplex signals therein over a communication channel to a number of individual receivers includes a main receiver that receives the composite signal and a multiplicity of transmodulator channels coupled to the main receiver