Identifier generation and remote programming for individually addressable video cassette recorders

A system for remotely and automatically controlling an information receiving user terminal comprising:

• a) a central station comprising
• i) means for receiving an identifier of a selected user terminal and a request for controlling the selected user terminal;
• ii) means for inserting into a television signal to be telecast the received identifier and control signals instructing the selected user terminal to implement the request;
• and
• iii) means for telecasting the television signal, including the identifier and the-control signals;
• b) a plurality of individually addressable user terminals resident at remote locations, each user terminal comprising
• i) means responsive to one or more user commands at the user terminal for randomly generating an identifier for the user terminal that is different from the identifiers for the other user terminals;
• ii) means for receiving the television signal telecast from the central station;
• iii) means for extracting the identifier and the control signals from the television signal telecast from the central station;
• and
• iv) means responsive to the control signals for implementing the request when the received identifier matches the generated identifier;
• and
• c) a point-to-point transmission link from the user terminals to the central station, permitting the identifiers to be sent to the central station for insertion into the telecast signal.