A method of communicating between subscriber units and a local base station repeater cell comprising the steps of: determining whether a subscriber unit located with a base station geographic area associated with said local base station repeater cell is receiving a signal from said local base station repeater cell; if said subscriber unit is receiving a signal from said local base station repeater cell, performing the steps of: transmitting outgoing data from said local base station repeater cell to said subscriber unit by directly transmitting a first outgoing data signal representative of said outgoing data from said local base station repeater cell to said subscriber unit, and transmitting incoming data from said subscriber unit to said local base station repeater cell by transmitting a first incoming data signal representative of said incoming data from said subscriber unit to a receive only receiver unit and then transmitting a second incoming data signal also representative of said incoming data from said receiver unit to said local base station; and if said subscriber unit is not receiving a signal from said local base station repeater cell, performing the steps of: transmitting said outgoing data from said local base station repeater cell to said subscriber unit by transmitting a second outgoing data signal representative of said outgoing data from said local base station repeater cell to a modem and then transmitting a third outgoing data signal also representative of said outgoing data from said modem to said subscriber unit, and transmitting said incoming data from said subscriber unit to said local base station repeater cell by transmitting a third incoming data signal representative of said incoming data from said subscriber unit to said modem and then transmitting a fourth incoming data signal also representative of said incoming data from said modem to said local base station. view more

The communication method of claim 5 wherein the step of transmitting said third outgoing data signal from said modem to said subscriber unit further comprises transmitting said third outgoing data signal from said modem to said subscriber unit via an rf link. view more

A base station configuration in a two-way communication interactive video network having network hub switching center means for routing communications from and to a plurality of subscriber units comprising: subscriber units dispersed at various locations within a predetermined base station geographic area, local base station repeater cell means for communicating with identified individual subscriber units within a local base station geographic area associated with said local base station repeater cell means, said local base station repeater cell means further comprising: base station data processing and transmission means for transmitting to a set of said local subscriber units contained within said local base station geographic area associated with said local base station repeater cell means and receiving from a subset of said local set of subscriber units multiplexed synchronously related digital data messages of variable lengths for point-to-point communication between said local base station repeater cell means and said subset of said local subscriber units, reception means for receiving and processing data messages from said set of local subscriber units comprising a local remote receiver disposed within one of a plurality of cell subdivision site partitioned from said local base station geographic area associated with said local base station repeater cell means, said plurality of cell subdivision sites dispersed over said local base station geographic area, each local remote receiver adapted for receiving-only low power digital messages transmitted from said local subscriber units within range of said local remote receiver, and a set of local subscriber transceiver units including low power mobile units located within said local base station geographic area, each of said local subscriber transceiver units adapted to communicate with said local base station repeater cell means by way of digital data signals of variable lengths synchronously related to a base station broadcast signal and timed for multiplexed message transmission. view more

A two-way communication interactive video network system having network hub switching center means for routing communications to and from a plurality of subscriber units comprising: base station repeater cell means for communicating with a plurality of subscriber units, said base station repeater cell means and said plurality of subscriber units disposed in a respective geographic area, said base station repeater cell means further comprising: data processing and transmission means for transmitting to and receiving from at least one of said plurality of said subscriber units multiplexed synchronously related data messages of variable lengths, such that point-to-point communication between said base station repeater cell means and said at least one of said plurality of subscriber units is possible, reception means for receiving and processing said multiplexed synchronously related data messages from said at least one of said plurality of subscriber units and relaying said multiplexed synchronously related data messages from said at least one of said plurality of subscriber units to said base station repeater cell means. view more

The two-way communication interactive video network system of claim 2 wherein said point-to-point communication between said base station repeater cell means and said at least one of said plurality of said subscriber units is accomplished via digital data modulated on an r-f carrier. view more

The two-way communication interactive video network system of claim 2 wherein said plurality of subscriber units are further comprised of: low power mobile units located within said respective geographic area, each of said low power mobile units adapted to communicate with said base station repeater cell means by way of digital data signals of variable lengths synchronously related and timed for multiplexed message transmission with said base station repeater cell means. view more

A base station configuration in a two-way communication interactive video network having a network hub switching center for routing communications from and to a plurality of subscriber units at various geographic locations served by a base station that processes digital data modulated on an r-f carrier and transmitted from a plurality of subscriber units dispersed over a predetermined base station geographic area by presenting multiplexed digital data synchronously related to the base station broadcast signal for communication from identified individual subscriber units within designated geographic service areas, comprising in combination, base station data processing and transmission facilities for transmitting to a set of local subscriber units and receiving from a subset of those local subscriber units multiplexed synchronously related digital data messages of variable lengths for point-to-point communication between individual subscribers with remotely located reception stations, base station reception means for receiving and processing data messages from the set of local subscriber units at that base station comprising a set of cell subdivision sites partitioned from said base station geographic area and dispersed over the base station geographic area, each cell subdivision site being adapted for receiving-only low power digital messages transmitted from local subscriber units within range of the partitioned cell site areas, and a set of local subscriber transceiver units including low power mobile units located within the base station geographic area each adapted to communicate with said base station by way of digital data signals of variable lengths synchronously related to said base station broadcast signal and timed for said multiplexed message transmission. view more