Set top terminal for an interactive information distribution system

Apparatus for use in a system for interactively communicating with an information service provider, said apparatus comprising:

• a radio frequency (RF) terminal;
• a diplexer, having a single feed path and coupled to said RF terminal, for coupling an RF signal from said RF terminal to an output, and for coupling a back channel control signal to said RF terminal from an input;
• an information channel receiver, coupled to said diplexer output, for receiving, via an information channel, information services from said information service provider;
• a back channel transmitter, coupled to said diplexer input, for providing said back channel control signal;
• a controller, coupled to said information channel receiver, command channel receiver and back channel transmitter, for controlling information transactions with said information service provider;
• a depacketizer, coupled to said information channel receiver, for depacketizing a transport stream containing a series of transport stream packets, examining a packet identification (PID) included in each of said transport stream packets, and selectively generating a clock signal for decoding those packets having an appropriate PID;
• and
• a decoder, coupled to said depacketizer, for using said clock signal for decoding said packets having an appropriate PID.

A subscriber-side method for exchanging information with an information provider in an interactive information distribution system, said distribution system comprising a single communication element supporting an information channel, a control channel and a back channel, said subscriber-side method comprising:

• receiving, via a single feed diplexer, said information channel and said command channel;
• coupling said information channel and said command channel to respective receivers;
• retrieving, from said information channel, provider information having an appropriate terminal identifier, said terminal identifier being one of a predetermined terminal identifier or a terminal identifier retrieved from said command channel, wherein said retrieving step comprises
• depacketizing a transport stream provided by said information channel,
• examining each packet of said depacketized transport stream,
• comparing a terminal identification (TID) included each transport stream packet to a local TID, and
• decoding those packets having a matching TID;
• and
• transmitting, via said single feed diplexer, back channel instructions to said information provider.

A subscriber-side method for exchanging information with an information provider in an interactive information distribution system, said distribution system comprising a single communication element supporting an information channel, a control channel and a back channel, said subscriber-side method comprising:

• receiving, via a single feed diplexer, said information channel and said command channel;
• coupling said information channel and said command channel to respective receivers;
• retrieving, from said information channel, provider information having an appropriate terminal identifier, said terminal identifier being one of a predetermined terminal identifier or a terminal identifier retrieved from said command channel, wherein said retrieving step comprises:
• depacketizing a transport stream provided by said information channel,
• examining each packet of said depacketized transport stream,
• comparing a packet identification (PID) included each transport stream packet to a local PID;
• generating, for each PID that matches the local PID, a clock signal;
• and
• decoding, using the clock signal, those packets having a matching PID.