Communications architecture and method for distributing information services

A method for providing information programs to subscribers, comprising the steps of:

• archiving information programs and corresponding service presentation scripts and program presentation maps at an information warehouse (IWH), wherein said scripts include a set of instructions for providing service and said maps include information for managing presentation of information programs;
• upon a request being generated by a subscriber for service and received by a central office (CO) serving said subscriber, placing a script request from said CO to said IWH for said script corresponding to said requested service;
• transmitting said script from said IWH to said CO;
• upon receiving a request for an information program from said subscriber, placing a map request from said CO to said IWH for said map corresponding to said requested information program;
• transmitting said map from said IWH to said CO and retrieving said requested information program from archival storage to on-line storage at said IWH;
• upon said subscriber initiating a request to play said requested information program, placing a segment request from said CO to said IWH for segments of said requested information program based upon segmentation information contained in said map;
• transmitting said requested segments of said requested information program to a buffer of said CO in bursts from said on-line storage at said IWH to said CO;
• playing-out said segments of said information program from said buffer to said subscriber;
• and
• upon said buffer being nearly depleted, placing segment requests from said CO to said IWH for additional segments.