Interactive home information system for distributing compressed television programming

Patent 5220420 Issued on June 15, 1993. Estimated Expiration Date:

September 10, 2011. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

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Inventors

Assignee

Inteletext Systems, Inc.

Application

No. 754932 filed on 09/10/1991

US Classes:

725/119, Having significant intermediate network unit (e.g., hub, substation, etc.)725/118, Transmission network725/120, With two-way connection from unit to receiver (e.g., for the purpose of channel selection)725/130Power signal over network

Examiners

Primary: Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
Assistant: Charouel, Lisa

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Ostrolenk, Faber, Gerb & Soffen

International Classes

H04N 007/10
H04H 001/02

Abstract

An interactive multimedia system with distributed processing and storage of video picture information and associated data and sound in nodes disposed throughout a cable television distribution system. The nodes are coupled to the feeder cable of the cable distribution system. Each node in the system receives a substantially identical copy of the interactive video picture information and related data from a regional processing center. The users at home televisions associated with a particular node interact directly with the video picture information in that node, rather than with the information stored in the regional processing center or some other remote location, which enables the system to quickly display photographic quality images and complex graphics, as well as sound, at the users' televisions in response to commands received by the users. The nodes can also be used for decompressing compressed television programming and distributing the decompressed programming to home televisions connected to the system.

Other References

T. N. Saadawi, "Distributed Switching for Data Transmission over Two-Way CATV", IEEE Journal on Selected Areas In Communication, vol. SAC-3, No. 2, Mar. 198