Method and apparatus for controlling access in a video distribution network

摘要

A method and apparatus are provided for use in a video transmission network having a number of sites, identified in a database associated with the network, from which video information can be transmitted or to which video information can be sent for controlling access of selected sites in the network to other sites in the network by associating selected sites with each other by grouping the sites into a site group in accordance with preselected criteria; identifying the associated sites by identification information stored in the database for the sites; associating a subscriber with a selected site group in accordance with preselected criteria; and granting access to each subscriber to all sites within the selected site group with which it is associated.