Two-way subscriber TV system with multiple subscriber's sets
First Claim
1. A communications system comprising at least one exchange, a plurality of television signal sources making signals available at the exchange, a plurality of subscriber'"'"'s units each connected to the exchange by a respective direct communications link and each provided with a television signal receiver, and selectors located at the exchange for selectively connecting the television signal sources to the communications links, the subscriber'"'"'s units having transmitters for applying data signals to the respective communications links for transmission to the exchange to control the selectors, wherein each subscriber'"'"'s unit is associated with a respective exchange located selector controlled by that subscriber'"'"'s unit'"'"'s transmitter, the selector associated with at least one subscriber'"'"'s unit applying television signals to the respective communications link at a frequency to which the subscriber'"'"'s unit'"'"'s receiver is tuned, and the subscriber'"'"'s unit transmitter being responsive to a timing signal transmitted on the communications link from the exchange to apply data signals to the respective communications link, the exchange comprising means responsive to said timing signal to identify the source of data signals received from the subscriber'"'"'s units wherein at least one of the subscriber'"'"'s units comprises two subscriber'"'"'s stations each of which has a respective television receiver and data signal transmitter, and each subscriber'"'"'s station is associated with a respective exchange located selector controlled by that subscriber'"'"'s station'"'"'s transmitter, the selectors associated with the subscriber'"'"'s stations of said at least one subscriber'"'"'s unit applying frequency division multiplexed television signals to the respective communications link, each subscriber'"'"'s station receiver being tuned to receive a respective one of the television signals applied to the communications link, and the subscriber'"'"'s station'"'"'s transmitters being responsive at different times to the timing signal to apply time division multiplexed data signals to the communications link, whereby the means at the exchange responsive to the timing signal can identify the source of data signals received on the communications link.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communications system comprising at least one exchange, television signal sources located at the exchange, subscriber'"'"'s units each connected to the exchange by a respective direct communications link and provided with a television signal receiver, and selectors located at the exchange for selectively connecting the television signal sources to the communications links. The subscriber'"'"'s units have transmitters for applying data signals to their respective communications links for transmission to the exchange to control the selectors and for transmitting general data to the exchange. The subscriber'"'"'s units may each comprise two subscriber'"'"'s stations each of which has a respective television receiver and data signal transmitter. Each subscriber'"'"'s station is associated with a respective exchange-located selector controlled by that subscriber'"'"'s station transmitter. Signals transmitted to the subscriber'"'"'s stations are frequency division multiplexed, each subscriber'"'"'s station receiver being tuned to receive a respective one of the FDM signals. Signals transmitted to the exchange are time division multiplexed under the control of a timing signal transmitted from the exchange, the exchange being responsive to the timing signal to identify the source of data signals received from each subscriber'"'"'s unit.
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Citations
19 Claims
- 1. A communications system comprising at least one exchange, a plurality of television signal sources making signals available at the exchange, a plurality of subscriber'"'"'s units each connected to the exchange by a respective direct communications link and each provided with a television signal receiver, and selectors located at the exchange for selectively connecting the television signal sources to the communications links, the subscriber'"'"'s units having transmitters for applying data signals to the respective communications links for transmission to the exchange to control the selectors, wherein each subscriber'"'"'s unit is associated with a respective exchange located selector controlled by that subscriber'"'"'s unit'"'"'s transmitter, the selector associated with at least one subscriber'"'"'s unit applying television signals to the respective communications link at a frequency to which the subscriber'"'"'s unit'"'"'s receiver is tuned, and the subscriber'"'"'s unit transmitter being responsive to a timing signal transmitted on the communications link from the exchange to apply data signals to the respective communications link, the exchange comprising means responsive to said timing signal to identify the source of data signals received from the subscriber'"'"'s units wherein at least one of the subscriber'"'"'s units comprises two subscriber'"'"'s stations each of which has a respective television receiver and data signal transmitter, and each subscriber'"'"'s station is associated with a respective exchange located selector controlled by that subscriber'"'"'s station'"'"'s transmitter, the selectors associated with the subscriber'"'"'s stations of said at least one subscriber'"'"'s unit applying frequency division multiplexed television signals to the respective communications link, each subscriber'"'"'s station receiver being tuned to receive a respective one of the television signals applied to the communications link, and the subscriber'"'"'s station'"'"'s transmitters being responsive at different times to the timing signal to apply time division multiplexed data signals to the communications link, whereby the means at the exchange responsive to the timing signal can identify the source of data signals received on the communications link.
- 16. A communications system comprising at least one exchange, a plurality of television signal sources making signals available at the exchange, a plurality of subscriber'"'"'s units each connected to the exchange by a respective direct communications link and each provided with a television signal receiver, and selectors located at the exchange for selectively connecting the television signal sources to the communications links, the subscriber'"'"'s units having transmitters for applying data signals to the respective communications links for transmission to the exchange to control the selectors, wherein each subscriber'"'"'s unit is associated with a respective exchange located selector controlled by that subscriber'"'"'s units transmitter, the selector associated with at least one subscriber'"'"'s unit applying television signals to the respective communications link at a frequency to which the subscriber'"'"'s unit'"'"'s receiver is tuned, and the subscriber'"'"'s unit transmitter being responsive to a timing signal transmitted on the communications link from the exchange to apply data signals to the respective communications link, the exchange comprising means responsive to said timing signal to identify the source of data signals received from the subscriber'"'"'s units, wherein at least one subscriber unit is provided with a teletext receiver, means are provided for supplying teletext signals on one television channel of the system, said at least one subscriber'"'"'s unit is allocated exclusive use of one teletext sub-page, the content of the said sub-page being responsive only to data signals supplied by the said at least one subscriber'"'"'s unit and one television channel is dedicated to full field teletext signals, and a second channel is dedicated to provide interactive services, selection of the second channel by the said at least one subscriber'"'"'s unit automatically switching the associated receiver to its teletext mode, and selection of the said one sub-page of teletext giving access to the said interactive services.
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19. A communications system comprising a plurality of subscriber'"'"'s units each connected to a communications network capable of delivering any one of a plurality of different signals on respective television channels, wherein at least one subscriber'"'"'s unit is provided with a teletext receiver, means are provided for supplying teletext signals on one television channel of the system, and said at least one subscriber'"'"'s unit is allocated exclusive use of one teletext sub-page, the content of the said one sub-page being responsive only to data signals supplied by the said at least one subscriber'"'"'s unit, wherein a first television channel is dedicated to full field teletext signals, and a second channel is dedicated to provide interactive services, means being provided such that if the said at least one subscriber'"'"'s unit transmits data over the system in response to information on the second channel a system response is transmitted on the sub-page of teletext dedicated to that subscriber'"'"'s unit, the subscriber'"'"'s unit'"'"'s selector at the exchange being automatically controlled to momentarily connect the teletext receiver to the said first channel such that the data transmitted on the dedicated sub-page is acquired and inlaid on the picture received from the said second channel.
Specification