Asymmetric data communications system

A system for communicating with a plurality of subscribers, the communication involving content carried by signals originating from a plurality of content providers, at least one of the plurality of subscribers having access to a telecommunications system, the system for communication comprising:

• a program subsystem, including:
• a. a plurality of receivers, each receiver for receiving one of the plurality content-carrying signals;
• b. processing means coupled to the plurality of receivers and adapted for:
• i. digitizing the signals from the plurality of content providers;
• ii. inserting desired information into the digitized signals;
• iii. compressing the digitized signals;
• and
• iv. multiplexing the digitized signals into at least one data stream;
• c. means for modulating the at least one digital data stream, the modulating means coupled to the processing means;
• d. RF upconverter means coupled to the modulating means for channelizing the at least one modulated digital data stream into the UHF frequency band;
• e. at least one amplifier coupled to the RF upconverter means for amplifying the at least one modulated digital signal;
• f. at least one antenna coupled to the at least one amplifier for transmitting the at least one amplified data stream;
• and
• a return path subsystem coupled to the program subsystem and to the telecommunications system, the return path subsystem including processing means adapted for receiving over the telecommunications system communications from the subscribers and communicating with the program subsystem information to be inserted by the program subsystem into the received, digitized signals;
• whereby an aggregation of programming sources may be provided point-to-multipoint to subscribers by way of digital UHF broadcast, subscriber input regarding the broadcast can be received, and program transmissions may be modified in response to the subscriber input.

A system for communicating with a plurality of subscribers, the communication involving content carried by signals originating from a plurality of content providers, at least one of the plurality of subscribers having access to a telecommunications system, the system for communication comprising:

• a. a program subsystem, including:
• i. a plurality of receivers, each receiver for receiving one of the plurality content-carrying signals;
• ii. processing means adapted for modifying the received signals, the processing means coupled to the plurality of receivers;
• b. a transmission subsystem coupled to the program subsystem and receiving from the program subsystem the received signals, the transmission subsystem including:
• i. means for digitizing the signals from the plurality of content providers;
• ii. means for compressing the digitized signals, the compression means coupled to the digitizing means;
• iii. a multiplexer, for multiplexing the digitized signals into at least one data stream, the multiplexer coupled to the compression means;
• iv. means for modulating the at least one digital data stream into the UHF frequency band, coupled to the multiplexing means;
• v. RF upconverter means coupled to the modulating means for channelizing the at least one modulated multiplexed digital data stream into the UHF frequency band;
• vi. at least one amplifier coupled to the RF upconverter means for amplifying the at least one modulated digital data stream;
• and
• vii. at least one antenna for transmitting the at least one amplified, channelized, modulated, digital data stream;
• and
• c. a return path subsystem coupled to the program subsystem and to the telecommunications system, including processing means adapted for receiving over the telecommunications system communications from the subscribers;
• whereby an aggregation of programming sources may be provided point-to-multipoint to subscribers by way of digital UHF broadcast and subscriber input regarding the broadcast can be taken into account by the communications system.

A system for communicating content with a plurality of subscribers, the content originating from a plurality of content providers and transmitted by each content provider via receivable signals, at least one of the plurality of subscribers having access to a telecommunications system, the system for communicating content comprising:

• a. a program subsystem, including:
• i. a plurality of receivers, each receiver for receiving one of the plurality of signals, each signal from one of the plurality of content providers;
• ii. processing means adapted for modifying the received signals, the processing means coupled to the plurality of receivers;
• b. a transmission subsystem, including:
• i. at least one means for digitizing the signals from the plurality of content providers coupled to the receiving means;
• ii. at least one means for compressing the digitized signals, coupled to the digitizing means;
• iii. at least one multiplexer, for mulitplexing the digitized signals into at least one data stream, coupled to the compression means;
• iv. means for modulating the at least one digital data stream, coupled to the multiplexing means;
• v. RF upconverting means coupled to the modulating means for channelizing the at least one modulated multiplexed digital into the UHF band;
• vi. at least one amplifier coupled to the RF upconverting means for amplifying the at least one modulated, channelized, multiplexed digital signal;
• and
• vii. at least one antenna coupled to the at least one amplifier for transmitting the at least one amplified, channelized, modulated, digital signal;
• c. a return path facility coupled to the program subsystem and to the telecommunications system, including processing means adapted for receiving over the telecommunications system communications from the subscribers;
• d. a plurality of intelligent control boxes, each intelligent control box at a subscriber's premises, coupled to the telecommunications system, and including:
• i. a tuner for receiving transmissions from the transmission subsystem;
• ii. an input device for accepting subscriber requests;
• and
• iii. a processor coupled to the tuner and to the input device and adapted to assert subscriber requests at the return path facility via the telecommunications system;
• whereby an aggregation of programming sources may be provided point-to-multipoint by way of digital UHF broadcast, a plurality of subscribers can assert requests in connection with the broadcast, and the return path facility can fulfill the requests.

A system for communicating with a plurality of subscribers, the communication involving content carried by signals originating from a plurality of content providers, at least one of the plurality of subscribers having access to a telecommunications system, the system for communication comprising:

• a. a program subsystem, including,
• i. a plurality of receivers, each receiver for receiving at least one of the plurality of content carrying signals;
• ii. processing means adapted for modifying the received signals, the processing means coupled to the plurality of receivers;
• b. a transmission subsystem coupled to the program subsystem and receiving from the program subsystem the received signals, the transmission subsystem including:
• i. means for digitizing the signals from the plurality of content providers;
• ii. means for compressing the digitized signals, the compression means coupled to the digitizing means;
• iii. a multiplexer, for multiplexing the digitized signals into at least one data stream, the multiplexer coupled to the compression means;
• iv. means for modulating the at least one digital data stream into a radio frequency band, coupled to the multiplexing means;
• v. RF upconverter means coupled to the modulating means for channelizing the at least one modulated multiplexed digital data stream into the radio frequency band;
• vi. at least one amplifier coupled to the RF upconverter means for amplifying the at least one modulated digital data stream;
• and
• vii. at least one antenna for transmitting the at least one amplified, channelized, modulated, digital data stream;
• and
• c. a return path subsystem coupled to the program subsystem and to the telecommunications system, including processing means adapted for receiving over the telecommunications system communications from the subscribers;
• whereby an aggregation of programming sources may be provided point to multipoint to subscribers by way of digital broadcast and subscriber input regarding the broadcast can be taken into account by the communications system.

A device for permitting a subscriber to interact with an asymmetrical data communications system, the device coupled and the asymmetrical data communications system both coupled to a telecommunications system, the device having a plurality of ports each for receiving one of a plurality of signals, comprising:

• a. an input selector coupled to the plurality of ports and adapted for switching signals arriving at the plurality of ports according to a subscriber selection;
• b. a plurality of receivers coupled to the input selector each for receiving a selected signal switched by the selector, the plurality of receivers including:
• i. a tuner for receiving digital RF transmissions in the UHF band;
• and
• ii. a tuner for receiving analog RF signals;
• and
• c. a video decoder coupled to the digital tuner;
• d. signal generation means coupled to the video decoder;
• e. an input device for subscriber information input;
• f. a processor coupled to the input selector and the video decoder adapted for reading subscriber input information and actuating the input selector to effect subscriber requests;
• and
• g. a network interface coupled to the processor and to the telecommunications system for transmitting subscriber messages to the asymmetrical data communications system.

A method for providing asymmetric data communications services, comprising the steps of:

• a. receiving signals from a plurality of content providers;
• b. digitizing the signals from the plurality of content providers;
• c. multiplexing the signals from the plurality of content providers into at least one data stream;
• d. modulating the at least one multiplexed, digital data stream;
• e. channelizing the at least one modulated, multiplexed digital data stream into at least one digital RF signal;
• f. transmitting the at least one digital RF signal to a plurality of subscribers each having a device for receiving and demodulating the at least one RF signal;
• g. receiving over the PSTN a message from at least one subscriber receiving device;
• and
• h. retransmitting to other service providers each of the at least one messages from the at least one subscriber receiving device.