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Interactive home information system for distributing compressed television programming

  • US 5,220,420 A
  • Filed: 09/10/1991
  • Issued: 06/15/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A system for transmitting video picture information to home televisions coupled to a cable television distribution system, comprising:

  • means for distributing compressed video picture information over said cable television distribution system in channel space unoccupied by non-compressed television programming; and

    at least one node coupled to said cable television distribution system and associated with a portion of said home televisions coupled to said cable television distribution system for decompressing, in real time, said compressed video picture information transmitted over said cable television distribution system, said decompressed video picture information being distributed, upon demand, to subscribers of said cable television distribution system viewing said home televisions associated with said node, said decompressed video picture information including full-motion video information;

    wherein the subscriber viewing one of said home televisions can communicate, to said node associated therewith, a request for selected video picture information which has been decompressed at the associated node, the associated node including;

    (i) means for dynamically assigning one of a plurality of channels to said subscriber requesting said selected video picture information; and

    (ii) means for transmitting said selected video picture information to said home television of the requesting subscriber over the assigned channel.

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