Method and system for controlling a back-up multiplexer in a local collection facility from a remote facility

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first plurality of channel signals at a first local collection facility located within a first designated marketing area;

receiving a second plurality of channel signals at a second local collection facility located within a second designated marketing area;

generating a first plurality of encoded signals from the first plurality of channel signals at the first local collection facility outside the first designated marketing area;

generating a second plurality of encoded signals from the second plurality of channel signals at the second local collection facility outside the second designated marketing area;

multiplexing the first plurality of encoded signals at a first primary multiplexer to form a first multiplexed signal;

multiplexing the second plurality of encoded signals at a second primary multiplexer to form a second multiplexed signal;

communicating the first multiplexed signal and the second multiplexed signal to a remote uplink facility located outside the first designated marketing area and the second designated marketing area;

monitoring the first local collection facility and the second local collection facility at the remote uplink facility;

commanding switching to a first back-up multiplexer at the first local collection facility and a second back-up multiplexer at the second local collection facility from the remote uplink facility in response to monitoring;

after commanding, multiplexing the first plurality of encoded signals at the first back-up multiplexer to form a third multiplexed signal;

after commanding, multiplexing the second plurality of encoded signals at the second back-up multiplexer to form a fourth multiplexed signal;

communicating the third multiplexed signal to the remote facility;

communicating the fourth multiplexed signal to the remote facility;

generating an uplink signal for use by a user device at the remote uplink facility in response to the third multiplexed signal and the fourth multiplexed signal; and

communicating the uplink signal to a satellite.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the third multiplexed signal comprises forming an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) signal from the third multiplexed signal and communicating the ATM signal through a network.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein generating an uplink signal comprises receiving the ATM signal at a remote ATM switch to form a remote ATM signal;

forming a serial signal at a network adapter from the remote ATM signal; and

forming a transport signal from the serial signal.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 further comprising modulating the transport signal to form a modulated signal.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving a first plurality of channel signals comprises receiving a plurality of digital television channel signals through an over-the-air antenna.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein commanding switching comprises commanding switching from a monitoring system of the remote facility.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the third multiplexed signals to the remote facility comprises communicating the third multiplexed signals to the remote facility through a network adapter.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the third multiplexed signals to the remote facility comprises communicating the third multiplexed signals to the remote facility through a network adapter and an ATM switch.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the third multiplexed signal to the remote facility comprises communicating the third multiplexed signal to the remote facility through a network adapter and an ATM switch through an ATM network.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining whether the back-up multiplexer is available prior commanding switching.

11. A system comprising:

a first local collection facility located in a first designated marketing area having a first plurality of receivers receiving a first plurality of channel signals and a first plurality of encoders generating a first plurality of encoded signals from the plurality of channel signals, said first local collection facility further comprising a primary multiplexer multiplexing the plurality of encoded signals to form a first multiplexed signal;

a second local collection facility located in a second designated marketing area outside the second designated marketing area having a second plurality of receivers receiving a second plurality of channel signals and a second plurality of encoders generating a second plurality of encoded signals from the plurality of channel signals, said second local collection facility further comprising a primary multiplexer multiplexing the plurality of encoded signals to form a second multiplexed signal;

and communicating the first multiplexed signal to a remote facility; and

a monitoring system at a remote facility monitoring the first local collection facility and the second local collection facility commanding switching to a first back-up multiplexer at the first local collection facility and commanding switching to a second back-up multiplexer at the second local collection facility;

the first back-up multiplexer multiplexing the first plurality of encoded signals to form a third multiplexed signal and communicating the third multiplexed signal to the remote facility;

the second back-up multiplexer multiplexing the second plurality of encoded signals to form a fourth multiplexed signal and communicating the fourth multiplexed signal to the remote facility; and

said remote facility generating output signals in response to the third multiplexed signal and the fourth multiplexed signal.

12. A system as recited in claim 11 further comprising a network adapter forming an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) signal from the third multiplexed signal and communicating the ATM signal through a network.

13. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the remote facility comprises a remote ATM switch forming a serial signal at a remote network adapter and a transport processing system forming a transport signal from the serial signal.

14. A system as recited in claim 13 further comprising a modulator modulating the transport signal to form a modulated signal.

15. A system as recited in claim 14 further comprising an uplink system uplinking the modulated signal to a satellite.

16. A system as recited in claim 11 further comprising an uplink system uplinking the output signal to a satellite.

17. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the plurality of channel signals comprises a plurality of digital television channel signals.

18. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the monitoring system is disposed at the remote facility.

19. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein further comprising a network adapter communicating the third multiplexed signal to the remote facility.

20. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein further comprising a network adapter and ATM switch communicating the third multiplexed signal to the remote facility.

21. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein further comprising a network adapter and ATM switch communicating the third multiplexed signal to the remote facility through an ATM network.

22. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the monitoring system determines whether the back-up multiplexer is available prior commanding switching.