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AssigneeGeneral Instrument Corporation
InventorReem Safadi
Estimating the term…
A network architecture for delivery of broadcast and interactive digital services over a hybrid fiber-coax distribution system. The network includes at least one remote/local hub that communicates with a plurality of video information providers (VIPs) and a plurality of headends/central offices. Each headend communicates with a plurality of settop terminals. The hub includes a backbone subnetwork which provides the physical medium for components within the hub to communicate with each other, and for entities located outside the hub, such as the VIPs and the headends, to communicate with, and through, the hub. The hub processes broadcast digital information services from a VIP and distributes the services directly to the plurality settop terminals. The network architecture permits two-way transparent data transport service between the VIPs and the video information users. Through frequency division multiplexing, the network architecture facilitates analog signal distribution so both analog and digital services can be distributed.
A remote hub within a communication system for selectively controlling communications between a plurality of interactive and broadcast information providers and a plurality of headends to which are coupled a plurality of information user terminals comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications: involving the movement of software or configuration parameters
In which the time allocation to individual channels within a transmission cycle is variable, e.g. to accommodate varying complexity of signals,…
Characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]: broadband local area networks
Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions: in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
Term ended 28 Feb 2015 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to cable television communication systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a cable television communication network architecture that allows distributed delivery of broadcast and interactive digital services over a hybrid fiber-coax metropolitan area network to consumer residences.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an end-to-end cable television communication network embodying the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the remote/local hub of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a headend/central office of the present invention;
AAL5 ATM Adaption Level 5
AC Addressable Controller
ASEM Access Subnetwork Element Manager