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Television broadcast system for selective transmission of viewer-chosen programs at viewer-requested times

DC CAFC
  • US 4,890,320 A
  • Filed: 06/09/1988
  • Issued: 12/26/1989
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of operating a television transmission system using land lines such as coaxial cables, fiber optic cables, and the like for transmitting television programs thereover for reception by a plurality of receivers coupled in common with the land lines said land lines being organized in plural sections where each section has a subset of plural receivers coupled thereto, the system including means for selectively preventing intelligible viewing of certain programs by certain receivers even though said certain receivers are connected to the same land line as other receivers not so prevented, said method comprising the steps of:

  • providing a collection of stored programs stored on a medium allowing selective reproduction and real-time transmission of said stored programs over the land lines;

    selecting a chosen program from said collection for transmission at a requested time in response to a request therefor from all so requesting viewers of a given section;

    transmitting said chosen program in real-time over said given section of the land lines at said requested time for reception by and viewing on all receivers of requesting viewers associated with said given section; and

    preventing intelligible viewing of said chosen program at said requested time on all other receivers of said given section.

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