Importance

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Abstract

A multiple-room communication system is adapted to provide digital television programming (e.g. DBS) to a plurality of rooms in a single family dwelling and may be further adapted to provide digital television programming to a plurality of dwelling units in a multiple dwelling unit such as an apartment. A central unit includes a plurality of integrated receiver decoder modules that receive e.g. satellite signals from a satellite antenna and filter and supply the signals to a distribution system that is coupled to a plurality of display devices that are located in various rooms throughout the single family home. A plurality of hand-held remote controllers, each being associated with one of the integrated receiver decoder modules, are used to communicate with and control the associated integrated receiver decoder module to cause it to supply a desired signal to a desired display device. Each of the remote controllers are adapted to ensure exclusive communication with the associated integrated receiver decoder module and to prevent interference with the operation of the other integrated receiver decoder modules. A single power supply is used to power the co-located integrated receiver decoder modules, and a single modem is used to report billing information to the satellite provider.

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First Claim