Networked subscriber television distribution

• US 20020059642A1
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Russ, Samuel H., Gaul, Michael A., Lett, David B., Robinson, Jonathan A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,861,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/135
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440254 by altering signal-to-noise parameters, e.g. requantization
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications

Abstract

A master device interactively distributes a television signal to a remote device for remote display with low latency between a user input and a television signal change.

Claims

1. A master device, comprising:

a tuner tuning a television signal from a received multiplexed signal;

an encoder coupled to the tuner and receiving the tuned television signal and digitally encoding the tuned television signal;

a transmitter coupled to the encoder and transmitting the encoded signal to a remote device to be displayed on a viewing device;

a receiver receiving a control signal from the remote device corresponding to a user input; and

a controller coupled to the receiver and configured to accept the control signal from the receiver and instruct the tuner to change the tuned television signal in response thereto, such that the transmitter transmits a changed encoded signal to the remote device for display on the viewing device within three seconds from the remote device receiving the user input.

2. The master device as defined in claim 1, wherein the changed encoded signal is displayed at the viewing device within two seconds from the remote device receiving the user input.

3. The master device as defined in claim 2, wherein the changed encoded signal is displayed at the viewing device within a half-second from the remote device receiving the user input.

4. The master device as defined in claim 3, wherein the transmitter and receiver operate according to a wireline standard selected from the group consisting of HomePlug and HomePNA.

5. The master device as defined in claim 2, wherein the transmitter and receiver operate according to a wireless standard selected from the group consisting of IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Bluetooth 2.0, HomeRF 2.0, HiperLAN/2, and Ultra-Wideband standards.

6. The master device as defined in claim 5, wherein the video encoder uses a form of digital compression.

7. The master device as defined in claim 6, wherein the video encoder is selected from the group consisting of Microsoft NetMeeting, Windows Media Player, and Real Player.

8. The master device as defined in claim 6, wherein the low latency between the reception of the control signal and the transmission of the changed television signal is achieved by immediately encoding and transmitting a lower quality video signal.

9. The master device as defined in claim 8, wherein a higher quality video signal is transmitted after a period during which the lower quality video signal is transmitted.

10. The master device as defined in claim 9, wherein the period of lower quality video transmission allows the higher quality video signal to be encoded for transmission.

11. The master device as defined in claim 9, wherein the encoding format is at least one of H.263, H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, low bit-rate MPEG-2, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

12. The master device as defined in claim 11, wherein the encoding format is low bit-rate MPEG-2 and at least one of H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

13. The master device as defined in claim 11, wherein the encoding format is H.263 and at least one of H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

14. The master device as defined in claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal includes an encoding parameter enabling the remote device to decode the transmitted signal using multiple decoding algorithms according to the encoding parameters.

15. The master device as defined in claim 1, wherein the received multiplexed signal further comprises a program information component, and the master device further comprises a program guide generator, receiving the program information from the received multiplexed signal and generating a program guide therefrom that can be transmitted by the transmitter upon a user request for the program guide at the remote device.

16. The master device as defined in claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an internet connection, and the transmitter is capable of transmitting content derived from the internet connection to the remote device.

18. The master device as defined in claim 17, wherein the changed tuned digital television signal is displayed on the viewing device within a half-second from the user input being received at the remote device.

19. The master device as defined in claim 17, wherein the tuned digital television signal is re-encoded at a lower bit-rate prior to being transmitted to the remote device.

20. The master device as defined in claim 19, wherein the digital television signal is an MPEG-2 signal at a 3 Mbps bit-rate, and the re-encoded signal is a lower quality video signal.

21. The master device as defined in claim 20, wherein the re-encoding format is selected from the group consisting of H.263 and low bit-rate MPEG-2.

17. A master device, comprising:

a tuner tuning a digital television signal from a received multiplexed signal;

a transmitter coupled to the tuner and transmitting the tuned digital television signal to a remote device to be displayed on a viewing device;

a receiver receiving a control signal from the remote device corresponding to a user input; and

a controller coupled to the receiver and configured to accept the control signal from the receiver and instruct the tuner to change the tuned digital television signal in response thereto, such that the transmitter transmits the changed tuned digital television signal to the remote device for display on the viewing device within two seconds from the remote device receiving the user input.

22. A master device, comprising:

a tuner tuning a television signal from a received multiplexed signal;

a radio frequency driver receiving the tuned television signal and outputting an analog television signal;

a computer, comprising;

a video capture card coupled to the radio frequency driver, receiving the analog television signal and digitizing it for display on a computer monitor;

a NetMeeting program, residing in a memory and running on a processor, receiving the output of the video capture card and compressing the digitized signal

a network device receiving the output of the NetMeeting program, wherein the network device is an IEEE 802.11b wireless ethernet card which modulates and transmits a wireless signal to a remote device with a viewing device, and receives control signals from the remote device corresponding to user input;

an internet connection receiving data from an internet website, which is associated with the tuned television signal, and transferring the data to the network device; and

a controller coupled to the computer and configured to accept the control signals from the computer and instruct the tuner to change the tuned television signal in response thereto such that the transmitter transmits a changed encoded signal to the remote device for display on the viewing device within three seconds from a remote device receiving the user input.

24. The remote device as defined in claim 23, wherein the transmitter receives a responsive video signal change within two seconds from receiving the user input.

25. The remote device as defined in claim 24, wherein the transmitter receives a responsive video signal change within a half-second from receiving the user input.

26. The remote device as defined in claim 25, wherein the remote device communicates with the master device according to a standard selected from the group consisting of HomePlug and HomePNA.

27. The remote device as defined in claim 25, wherein the remote device communicates with the master device according to a standard selected from the group consisting of the wireless standards IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g, Bluetooth 2.0, HomeRF 2.0, HiperLAN/2, and Ultra-Wideband.

28. The remote device as defined in claim 23, wherein the viewing device is a TV Pad with a liquid crystal display.

29. The remote device as defined in claim 28, wherein the remote device is built into the viewing device.

30. The remote device as defined in claim 23, wherein the viewing device is a television.

31. The remote device as defined in claim 30, wherein the remote device is built into the viewing device.

32. The remote device as defined in claim 23, wherein the viewing device is a personal digital assistant.

33. The remote device as defined in claim 32, wherein the remote device is an expansion card compatible with an expansion slot on the personal digital assistant.

34. The remote device as defined in claim 33, wherein the remote device is built into the viewing device.

35. The remote device as defined in claim 23, wherein the viewing device is a laptop computer.

36. The remote device as defined in claim 35, wherein the laptop uses a PCMCIA card to communicate with the master device.

37. The remote device as defined in claim 23, wherein the viewing device and the device are mobile.

38. The remote device as defined in claim 23, wherein the viewing device and the device are portable.

39. The remote device as defined in claim 23, wherein the remote device is an attachment that can be coupled to an existing device.

40. The remote device as defined in claim 23, wherein the encoded television signal received from the remote set top is also encrypted, and the remote device further includes a decryption system coupled to the decoder to decrypt the decoded signal.

41. The remote device as defined in claim 23, wherein the decoder is selected from the group consisting of Microsoft NetMeeting, Windows Media Player, and Real Player.

42. The remote device as defined in claim 23, wherein the encoding format of the encoded video signal is at least one of H.263, H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, low bit-rate MPEG-2, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

43. The remote device as defined in claim 42, wherein the encoding format is H.263 immediately after a change video signal command is sensed by the user interface, then changing to at least one of H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

44. The remote device as defined in claim 42, wherein the encoding format is low bit-rate MPEG-2 immediately after a change video signal command is sensed by the user interface, then changing to at least one of H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

45. The remote device as defined in claim 42, wherein the encoding format received changes after a period of time has elapsed.

46. The remote device as defined in claim 42, wherein the decoding format is changed according to an encoding parameter flag sent to and sensed by the decoder.

47. The remote device as defined in claim 46, wherein more than one alternate encoding format is used and the encoding parameter flag includes an indication telling the decoder what format to use to decode the signal.

48. The remote device as defined in claim 23, wherein the receiver is also capable of receiving internet data, and the device further comprises a web browser coupled to the receiver, for viewing the internet data.

49. The remote device as defined in claim 48, wherein the encoded video signal received includes a program information component, and the browser uses the program information to link to a website associated with the video signal.

50. The remote device as defined in claim 49, wherein the encoded video signal received includes a television signal information component, and the browser uses the television signal information to link to a website associated with the video signal.

23. A remote device, comprising:

a receiver receiving an encoded video signal from a master device;

a decoder coupled to the receiver and translating the encoded video signal into a decoded video signal suitable for a viewing device;

a user interface receiving a user input and converting it to a control signal; and

a transmitter coupled to the user interface and sending the control signal to the master device to achieve a responsive video signal change within three seconds after receiving the user input.

51. A remote device system, comprising:

an IEEE 802.11b wireless ethernet device receiving a modulated television signal, comprising a video stream and an internet stream, from a master wireless ethernet device, and demodulating the television signal;

a decoder coupled to the wireless ethernet device and receiving the demodulated television signal, which decompresses the demodulated television signal;

a user interface for receiving a user input and converting it to a control signal, wherein the user interface is coupled to the IEEE 802.11b wireless ethernet device and transmits it back to the master wireless ethernet device;

a co-located viewing device coupled to the decoder which displays the decompressed television signal, wherein a change requested by a user input is responsive within a half-second of the user input; and

an internet browser coupled to the wireless ethernet device, running on the remote device and receiving the internet stream and displaying the information contained in the internet stream, wherein when a television signal is changed, the internet browser redirects to a web page associated with the changed television signal.

52. A television distribution system comprising:

a remote device comprising;

a first receiver receiving an encoded video signal from a master device;

a decoder coupled to the first receiver and translating the encoded video signal into a decoded video signal suitable for a viewing device;

a user interface receiving a user input and converting it to a control signal;

a first transmitter coupled to the user interface and sending the control signal to the master device to achieve a change in the encoded video signal;

the receiver receives a change in the encoded video signal responsive to the control signal, wherein the remote device sends the change to the viewing device within three seconds of the user input;

a master device comprising;

a tuner tuning a television signal from a received multiplexed signal;

an encoder coupled to the tuner and encoding the tuned television signal;

a second transmitter coupled to the output of the encoder, and sending an encoded video signal to the remote device;

a second receiver receiving the control signal from the remote device; and

a controller coupled to the receiver and configured to accept the control signal from the receiver and instruct the tuner to change the tuned television signal in response thereto, such that the transmitter transmits a changed encoded signal to the remote device for display on the viewing device within three seconds from the remote device receiving the user input.

53. The system as defined in claim 52, wherein the response to the user input is seen at the viewing device within two seconds after the user input is received.

54. The system as defined in claim 53, wherein the response to the user input is seen at the viewing device within a half-second after the user input is received.

55. The system as defined in claim 52, wherein the video encoder uses a form of digital compression.

56. The system as defined in claim 55, wherein the video encoder is selected from the group consisting of Microsoft NetMeeting, Windows Media Player, and Real Player.

57. The system as defined in claim 55, wherein the encoding format is at least one of H.263, H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, low bit-rate MPEG-2, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

58. The system as defined in claim 57, wherein the encoding format is H.263 and at least one of H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, low bit-rate MPEG-2, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

59. The system as defined in claim 57, wherein the encoding format is low bit-rate MPEG-2 and at least one of H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

60. The system as defined in claim 52, wherein the multiplexed signal further comprises a broadcast file system signal, and the master device further comprises a program guide generator, receiving the broadcast file system signal, compiling a database therefrom, and generating a program guide therefrom that can be viewed by the viewing device upon a user request for the program guide at the remote device.

61. The system as defined in claim 52, wherein the remote device further comprises a web browser, and the master device comprises an internet connection coupled to the transmitter, allowing the web browser to browse a plurality of websites.

62. The system as defined in claim 52, wherein the remote device further comprises an internet connection coupled to a web browser, allowing the remote device to browse a plurality of websites.

63. The system as defined in claim 52, wherein the master device further comprises a web browser and an internet connection and is capable of transmitting an image of the web browser and website to the remote device.

64. A television distribution system, comprising:

a remote device, comprising;

an IEEE 802.11b wireless ethernet device receiving a modulated television signal from a master device and demodulating the modulated television signal to an encoded video stream and an internet data stream;

a decoder coupled to the output of the wireless ethernet device, and decoding the encoded video stream into a decoded video signal suitable for a viewing device;

a user interface receiving a user input and converting it to a control signal, coupled to the wireless ethernet device sending the control signal to the master device;

a viewing device coupled to the decoder and displaying the decoded video stream, wherein for a change requested by a user input the remote device is responsive within a half-second of the user input;

an internet browser coupled to the internet data stream and displaying the internet data stream, wherein when a program change occurs, the internet browser redirects to a website associated with the changed program;

the master device comprising;

a tuner tuning a television signal from a received multiplexed signal;

a radio frequency driver coupled to the tuner output and outputting an analog television signal;

a computer, comprising;

a video capture card coupled to the radio frequency driver digitizing the analog television signal for display on a computer monitor;

a NetMeeting program, residing in a memory and running on a processor, receiving the output of the video capture card and compressing the digitized signal

a network device coupled to the NetMeeting program, wherein the network device is an IEEE 802.11b wireless ethernet card which modulates and transmits the compressed digitized signal to the remote device, and receives control signals from the remote device corresponding to a user input;

an internet connection coupled to the internet and receiving data from a website, wherein the data is associated with the tuned television signal, and transferring the data to the network device; and

a controller coupled to the computer and configured to accept the control signals from the computer and instruct the tuner to change the tuned television signal in response thereto such that the transmitter transmits a changed encoded signal to the remote device for display on the viewing device within three seconds from the remote device receiving the user input.

65. A method of interactively distributing a video signal from a master device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a multiplexed signal;

tuning a television signal from the multiplexed signal;

determining whether the tuned television signal is encoded, and encoding the tuned television signal if it is not encoded;

transmitting the encoded tuned television signal to a remote device;

receiving a control signal from the remote device; and

changing the transmitted signal in response to the control signal from the remote device within three seconds of a user input requesting such a change.

66. The method as defined in claim 65, wherein the changed transmitted signal can be displayed at the remote device within two seconds of a user input.

67. The method as defined in claim 66, wherein the changed transmitted signal can be displayed at the remote device within a half-second of a user input.

68. The method as defined in claim 66, wherein the encoding comprises digitally compressing the tuned television signal.

69. The method as defined in claim 68, wherein the encoding is performed by a device selected from the group consisting of Microsoft NetMeeting, Windows Media Player, and Real Player.

70. The method as defined in claim 68, wherein the method further comprises sacrificing video quality by immediately transmitting the encoded tuned television signal in order to achieve low latency between the user input and reception of the changed signal at the remote device.

71. The method as defined in claim 70, wherein the method further comprises increasing the video quality after a delay, wherein the delay allows a higher quality video signal to be encoded for transmission.

72. The method as defined in claim 71, wherein the encoding format is at least one of H.263, H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, low bit-rate MPEG-2, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

73. The method as defined in claim 72, wherein the encoding format is H.263 and at least one of H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, low bit-rate MPEG-2, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

74. The method as defined in claim 72, wherein the encoding format is low bit-rate MPEG-2 and at least one of H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

75. The method as defined in claim 72, wherein the transmitted signal includes an encoding parameter, allowing the remote device to decode the transmitted signal using multiple decoding algorithms according to the encoding parameters.

76. The method as defined in claim 65, wherein the multiplexed signal further comprises a program information component, and method further comprises generating a program guide from the information component of the multiplexed signal, transmitting the program guide to the remote device upon user request.

77. The method as defined in claim 65, wherein the method further comprises providing an internet connection, and allowing the remote device to browse the internet using a web browser.

78. The method as defined in claim 65, wherein the method further comprises re-encoding the multiplexed signal if it is already encoded, wherein the re-encoding is at a lower bit-rate digital compression than the multiplexed signal.

79. The method as defined in claim 78, wherein the multiplexed signal is encoded according to an MPEG-2 standard at 3 Mbps, and the re -encoding format is a lower bit-rate standard.

80. The method as defined in claim 79, wherein the re-encoding format is H.263 or low bit-rate MPEG-2.

81. A method of interactively distributing a video signal from a master device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a multiplexed signal;

tuning a television signal from the multiplexed signal;

sending the tuned television signal to a computer to be digitized by a video capture card and encoded by a NetMeeting program;

using an IEEE 802.11b wireless ethernet device to transmit the encoded signal to a remote device;

receiving a control signal at the IEEE 802.11b wireless ethernet device, from the remote device;

changing the transmitted signal in response to the control signal from the remote device within three seconds of a user input requesting such a change; and

providing an internet connection, and sending the data to the wireless ethernet device, allowing the remote device to browse the internet.

82. A method of interactively receiving a video signal from a wireless master device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first compressed video signal from a master device;

decompressing the first compressed video signal;

sending the first video signal to a viewing device;

receiving a user input corresponding to a requested change in the video signal;

deriving a control signal from the user input;

transmitting the control signal to the master device;

receiving a second compressed video signal from the master device; and

sending the second compressed video signal to the viewing device within three seconds from receiving the user input.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein the second compressed video signal is sent to the viewing device within two seconds of receiving the user input.

84. The method of claim 83, wherein the second compressed video signal is sent to the viewing device within a half-second of receiving the user input.

85. The method of claim 84, wherein the wherein the method for receiving and transmitting are selected from the group consisting of the standards HomePlug and HomePNA.

86. The method as defined in claim 82, wherein the method for receiving and transmitting are selected from the group consisting of the standards IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Bluetooth 2.0, HomeRF 2.0, HiperLAN/2, and Ultra-Wideband.

87. The method as defined in claim 82, wherein the viewing device is a TV Pad with a liquid crystal display.

88. The method as defined in claim 82, wherein the viewing device is a television.

89. The method as defined in claim 82, wherein the viewing device is a personal digital assistant.

90. The method as defined in claim 82, wherein the viewing device is a laptop computer.

91. The method as defined in claim 90, wherein the method for receiving and transmitting comprises using a PCMCIA card to communicate with the master device.

92. The method as defined in claim 82, wherein the first and second compressed video signals received from the master device are also encrypted, and the method further comprises the step of decrypting the first and second compressed video signals.

93. The method as defined in claim 82, wherein the decompressing is performed by software selected from the group consisting of Microsoft NetMeeting, Windows Media Player, and Real Player.

94. The method as defined in claim 82, wherein the first and second compression formats are at least one of H.263, H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, low bit-rate MPEG-2, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

95. The method as defined in claim 94, wherein the first and second compression formats are H.263 and at least one of H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, low bit-rate MPEG-2, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

96. The method as defined in claim 94, wherein the first and second compression formats are low bit-rate MPEG-2 and at least one of H.263, H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

97. The method as defined in claim 94, wherein the first and second compression formats for the received compressed video signals change after a period of time, thus changing the decompression algorithm.

98. The method as defined in claim 94, wherein the decompression format is changed according to an compression parameter flag sent to and sensed when decompressing.

99. The method as defined in claim 98, wherein the decompression format comprises more than one standard, and uses the compression parameter flag includes an indication telling the decompressor what format to use to decompress the signal.

100. The method as defined in claim 82, wherein the method further comprises receiving internet data from the master device, and the using a web browser to view the internet data.

101. The method as defined in claim 100, wherein the first and second compressed video signals received include a program information component, and the method further comprises redirecting to a website that has some correlation to the program information.

102. A method of interactively receiving a video signal from a wireless master device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a wireless ethernet modulated signal from a master device, wherein the modulated signal comprises a first compressed video signal and a first internet data signal;

demodulating the first wireless ethernet modulated signal to the component parts;

decompressing the first compressed video signal;

sending the first video signal to a viewing device;

receiving a user input corresponding to a requested change in the first video signal;

deriving a control signal from the user input;

transmitting the control signal to the master device;

receiving a second compressed video signal from the master device;

sending the second compressed video signal to the viewing device within three seconds from receiving the user input;

providing a internet browser, receiving the first internet data signal; and

redirecting the master device to a new website such that the internet browser receives a second internet data signal associated with a change in program after the user input.

103. A method of interactively distributing a video signal from a master wireless device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first compressed video signal at a remote device from a master device;

decompressing the first compressed video signal into a decompressed video signal suitable for a viewing device;

receiving a user input corresponding to a requested change in the video signal;

deriving a control signal from the user input;

transmitting the control signal to the master device;

receiving a second compressed video signal from the master device;

sending the second compressed video signal to the viewing device within three seconds from receiving the user input;

receiving a multiplexed signal;

tuning a tuned television signal from the multiplexed signal;

ensuring the tuned television signal is a first compressed video signal, first compressing the tuned television signal if it has no compression;

transmitting the first compressed video signal to a remote device;

receiving the control signal from the remote device; and

changing the transmitted signal in response to the control signal from the remote device within three seconds of a user input requesting such a change.

104. The method as defined in claim 103, wherein the system further comprises changing the transmitted signal in response to the control signal within two seconds of the user input requesting such a change.

105. The method as defined in claim 104, wherein the system further comprises changing the transmitted signal in response to the control signal within a half-second of the user input requesting such a change.

106. The method as defined in claim 104, wherein the encoding and decoding are performed by software selected from the group consisting of Microsoft NetMeeting, Windows Media Player, and Real Player.

107. The method as defined in claim 103, wherein the half-second period between receiving the user input and receiving the second compressed video signal is achieved by immediately transmitting a low quality video signal.

108. The method as defined in claim 107, wherein the first and second compression formats comprise at least one of H.263, H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, low bit-rate MPEG-2, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

109. The method as defined in claim 108, wherein the first and second compression formats comprise H.263 and at least one of H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, low bit-rate MPEG-2, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

110. The method as defined in claim 108, wherein the first and second compression formats comprise low bit-rate MPEG-2 and at least one of H.323, H.324, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

111. The method as defined in claim 103, wherein the multiplexed signal comprises a broadcast file system signal, and the method further comprises generating a program guide from the broadcast file system signal, and transmitting the program guide to the remote device upon request.

112. The method as defined in claim 103, wherein the method further comprises the steps of connecting to the internet, and allowing the user to browse a plurality of websites.

113. A method of interactively distributing a video signal from a master wireless device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a multiplexed signals;

tuning a television signal from the multiplexed signal;

sending the tuned television signal to a computer to be digitized by a video capture card and encoded by a NetMeeting program;

using an IEEE 802.11b wireless ethernet device to transmit the encoded signal to a remote device;

receiving a control signal at the IEEE 802.11b wireless ethernet device, from the remote device;

changing the transmitted signal in response to the control signal from the remote device within three seconds of a user input requesting such a change;

providing an internet connection, and sending the data to the wireless ethernet device, allowing the remote device to browse the internet;

receiving a wireless ethernet modulated signal from the master device, wherein the signal comprises a first compressed video signal and a first internet data signal;

demodulating the first wireless ethernet modulated signal;

decompressing the first compressed video signal;

sending the decompressed first video signal to a viewing device;

receiving a user input corresponding to a requested change of the first video signal;

deriving a control signal from the user input;

transmitting the control signal to the master device, and receiving a second compressed video signal from the master device within three seconds from receiving the user input;

providing a internet browser, receiving the first internet data signal; and

redirecting the internet browser to receive a second internet data signal associated with a change in program after the user input.