Apparatus and method for combining high bandwidth and low bandwidth data transfer

A user interface employed in a computer system which includes user input means and display means and which is coupled to a low-bandwidth network for which the computer system is both source and sink and to a high-bandwidth network for which the computer system is only sink and which provides a command to means for coupling a remote data source to the high bandwidth network or the low bandwidth network, the user interface comprising:

• an indication in the display means which indicates whether the computer system is receiving data from the data source via the high bandwidth network or the low bandwidth network;
• and
• means responsive to an input on the user input means indicating a change in bandwidth for providing a command for the change to the means for coupling.

An improved information access system, the system being of the type which has a low bandwidth channel from an information destination to an information source and a high bandwidth channel in the reverse direction, the low bandwidth channel being used for control information and the high bandwidth channel being used for output information output from the information source to the information destination in response to the control information, the improvement comprising:

• a bidirectional low bandwidth channel;
• and
• means coupled to the low bandwidth channel and responsive to a bandwidth selection message received thereon for selecting either the low bandwidth channel or the high bandwidth channel for transferring the output information from the source to the destination in accordance with the message.