Video-on-demand services using public switched telephone network

A switched network for providing digital video signals from a video information provider to any one of a plurality of subscriber premises, comprising:

• an exchange receiving digital video signals from a video information service provider and subscriber orders from one or more of the subscribers, said exchange including a video gateway for providing video routing data in response to the subscriber orders and a switch for routing selected digital video signals to subscriber premises in accordance with said routing data;
• for each of the subscriber premises, a first multiplexer/demultiplexer coupled to the exchange, a second multiplexer/demultiplexer at the subscriber's premises and a subscriber local loop interconnecting the first multiplexer/demultiplexer and the second multiplexer/demultiplexer, wherein
• each said first multiplexer/demultiplexer transmits or receives audio telephone service signals over the subscriber local loop, receives subscriber control signals over the subscriber local loop and transmits selected digital video signals from the switch over the subscriber local loop in first, second and third signal channels respectively which are independent of each other, and
• each second multiplexer/demultiplexer transmits or receives audio telephone service signals over the subscriber local loop, transmits subscriber control signals over the subscriber local loop and receives selected digital video signals over the subscriber local loop in said first, second and third signal channels.

A switched network for providing compressed video signals from a video information provider to any one of a plurality of subscriber premises, comprising:

• an exchange receiving compressed video signals from a video information service provider and subscriber orders from one or more of the subscribers, said exchange including a video gateway for providing video routing data in response to the subscriber orders and a switch for routing selected compressed video signals to subscriber premises in accordance with said routing data;
• for each of the subscriber premises, a first multiplexer/demultiplexer coupled to the exchange, a second multiplexer/demultiplexer at the subscriber's premises and a subscriber local loop interconnecting the first multiplexer/demultiplexer and the second multiplexer/demultiplexer, wherein
• each said first multiplexer/demultiplexer transmits or receives audio telephone service signals over the subscriber local loop, receives subscriber control signals over the subscriber local loop and transmits selected compressed video signals from the switch over the subscriber local loop in first, second and third signal channels respectively which are independent of each other, and
• each second multiplexer/demultiplexer transmits or receives audio telephone service signals over the subscriber local loop, transmits subscriber control signals over the subscriber local loop and receives selected compressed video signals over the subscriber local loop in said first, second and third signal channels.

A switched network for selectively providing voice telephone service, selectively combined with video signals from a video information provider to a plurality of subscriber premises, comprising:

• a plurality of subscriber multiplexers/demultiplexers located at respective ones of said subscriber premises, each including
• (i) a local loop input node for receiving a composite signal,
• (ii) a splitter receiving said composite signal and supplying separate video output and subscriber telephone instrument signals, and
• (iii) separate output nodes for said video output and subscriber telephone instrument signals;
• a plurality of subscriber local loops providing communications connectivity from a respective one of said subscriber multiplexers/demultiplexers to a respective subscriber loop node;
• a plurality of network multiplexers/demultiplexers, each including
• (i) subscriber video input node for receiving a video signal and a subscriber telephone instrument node for receiving a telephone instrument signal,
• (ii) a combiner receiving said video signal and said subscriber telephone instrument signal to supply a composite signal, and
• (iii) a local loop output node for supplying said composite signal to a respective one of said subscriber loop nodes;
• a voice switch receiving telephone instrument signals from said telephone instrument nodes and responsive to telephone number data transmitted by said telephone instrument signal for providing audio signal connectivity between subscriber telephone local loops,
• a video scheduling unit responsive to a control signal receiving from a subscriber premise for providing video request data to said video information provider;
• and
• a cross-connect switching system receiving video data from said video information provider and responsive to said video request data for supplying said video data to selected ones of said network multiplexers/demultiplexers,
• wherein each subscriber multiplexer/demultiplexer further includes a node for receiving subscriber control signals and transmits said subscriber control signals over the subscriber local loop, and each network multiplexer/demultiplexer includes means for supplying said subscriber control signals to said video scheduling unit, and
• wherein said subscriber local loops carry said video signal, said telephone instrument signals and said control signals in first, second and third signal channels respectively which are independent of each other.

A switched network for providing digital video signals from a video information provider to any one of a plurality of subscriber premises, comprising:

• network equipment receiving digital video signals from a video information provider and subscriber orders from a prescribed subscriber, said network equipment including a video gateway for providing routing data in response to subscriber orders, a data network responsive to said video gateway for supplying command signals to said video information provider, a network management system and a digital cross-connect switch controlled by said network management system and said data network for routing video signals from said video information provider to the prescribed subscriber in accordance with said routing data;
• a network interface including, for each subscriber, a first multiplexer/demultiplexer for transmitting or receiving digital video signals on a first, unidirectional signal channel and subscriber control signals on a second signal channel;
• each said subscriber premises including an interface including a second multiplexer/demultiplexer for transmitting or receiving digital video signals and control video signals on, respectively, the first and second signal channels;
• a plurality of subscriber local loops interconnecting corresponding network and subscriber interfaces;
• said network equipment further including a switch responsive to order data transmitted from said subscriber premises for transmitting said order data from the prescribed subscriber to the video gateway that, in turn, supplies network address information to said cross-connect switch for directing video data from the video information provider to a prescribed network interface;
• a voice switch;
• and
• means for carrying voice communications between said voice switch and telephone equipment in each said subscriber premises, wherein said means for carrying voice communication comprises a third channel, said third channel being on said subscriber local loops.