The local data processing station as defined in claim 6 further comprising means under control of said replaceable software means for indicating acknowledging of shipment of an order from a remote station coupled into said network of interactive subscriber stations in real time in response to a manual control purchase authorization transaction at said local subscriber's station. view more

A local subscriber's data processing station for a wireless television program communication network coupling together a set of interactive subscriber television receiver stations, comprising in combination, an operation control system in said a processing station for controlling video signals, system operating modes and interactive communications available to the subscriber, a television receiver with a video display screen, program control means and television program channel selection means, a plurality of sources of video text and television program channels available from said network for individual presentation on said display screen in response to operator control by way of paid operation control system, a programmable computer interconnected with said television receiver and said operation control system, radio wave transmission and reception means for sending and receiving video and interactive control signal information wirelessly to and from the subscriber television receiver stations in said network including messages with subscriber identification, video text and control signals for said television receiver, said operation control system providing local station organization and operation in different operating modes permitting various degrees of interactive participation by a local subscriber, including network communication interconnection between the subscriber television receiver stations, television program viewing options, fiscal transactions and audience response modes, subscriber manual control means for interactive participation and operation of said operation control system over an authorized range of optional features, monitoring means for generating video displays of instructions and interactive menus on said video screen related to said operating modes, self contained software programs operable with said operation control system at the subscriber's data processing station for identifying program and operating mode options individually authorized to the subscriber for controlling the local station options by means of said software programs, means responsive to said self contained software for establishing a mode of operation for selection of one of a plurality of authorized television program channels wherein a channel selection menu identifying authorized channels is displayed automatically on said video screen, means establishing a first menu directed to different interactively selectable program theme subsets available from said authorized television program channels and means for causing selected themes to automatically display a second menu displaying available television programs relating to that selected theme, means responsive to said subscriber manual control means for selecting a preferred theme from said different themes presented when said first menu is displayed on said screen, and means in said control system for identifying on said second menu said television programs available relating to the selected theme. view more