Operations center for a television program packaging and delivery system

• US 5,659,350 A
• Filed: 12/02/1993
• Issued: 08/19/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Discovery Communications, Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bonner, Alfred E., Hendricks, John S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRANT, CHRISTOPHER C
• Application Number:
  US08/160,282
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 348/1, 348/2, 348/6, 348/7, 348/8, 348/9, 348/12, 348/13, 348/906, 455/3.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1
• US Class Current: 725/116
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/02 Arrangements for relaying broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2389 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 : Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 : being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 : the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 : for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 : Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 : characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 : Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42653 : for processing graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 : involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 : for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 : Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 : Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 : Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 : Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 : Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4385 : Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 : Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 : OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 : involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/4668 : for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 : End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 : for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 : e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64307 : ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 : comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 : involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 : Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 : for digital sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 : for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 : for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 : for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 : Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 : Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

An Operations Center for television entertainment systems that provide television programming to consumer homes is disclosed. The Operations Center organizes and packages television programming and program information for delivery to and from consumer homes. The Operations Center includes a computerized packaging system for creating a program control information signal.

Claims

1. A centralized operating center for packaging a large number of diverse television programs for selective remote display by viewers, the operating center comprising:

means for receiving television programs in analog or digital format, each having video and audio components;

means, connected to the receiving means, for coordinating the receipt of the television programs;

input means for receiving input commands and specific information about each of the television programs;

database means, connected to the input means, for storing and supplying information about the television programs;

means, connected to the input means and database means, for generating a program control information signal based on input from the input means and the database means, the signal containing specific identification concerning each television program in a subset of television programs received by the receiving means, including the date and time of display and the category into which the television program falls;

means, connected to the generating means and receiving means, for combining the subset of television programs identified in the program control information signal in preparation for transmission;

multiplexing means, connected to the combining means, for multiplexing the combined television programs and the program control information signal for transmission; and

transmitting means, connected to the multiplexing means, for simultaneously transmitting the multiplexed program control information signal along with the multiplexed television programs so that video displays can be generated from the program control information signal and so that the downstream displays of the television programs can be selected and controlled by the viewers.

2. The centralized operating center of claim 1 wherein a conversion means is connected to the receiving means, for digitizing television programs received in analog format.

3. The centralized operating center of claim 1 wherein the database means further comprises means for storing and for supplying information about the viewers.

4. The centralized operating center of claim 1 wherein the generating means includes means for designating a set of television programs whose identities will be included in the program control information signal so that the subset of television programs corresponds to one or more television program line-ups.

5. The centralized operating center of claim 1 wherein the input means comprises a local sensor and receptor which responds to voice, touch sensitive entries or input keys so that the program control information signal can be generated locally from information entered from the local sensor and receptor.

6. The centralized operating center of claim 1 wherein at least one of the television programs comprises a television program which is continuously and repeatedly transmitted and wherein said program control information signal continuously transmits the next incremental start time.

7. The centralized operating center of claim 1 wherein the means for generating a program control information signal based on the input from the input means and the database means comprises at least one processing means for combining and analyzing information from the database means and input entered from the input means to generate the program control information signal.

8. The centralized operating center of claim 1 wherein the operating center further comprises internal video storage of television programs in analog or digital format and means for acquiring external feeds of television programming, both of which are accessible by and connected to the receiving means whereby either internally stored programming or externally obtained programming can be converted by a coverting means, combined by the combining means and transmitted by the transmitting means along with a related program control information signal.

9. The centralized operating center of claim 1 wherein the operating center further comprises processing means for controlling the content of the program control information signal, combined with software operating the processing means based on commands entered into the input means, the combined processing means and software comprising:

means for creating program lineups for transmission to viewers;

means, connected to the creating means, for prioritizing programs based on factors including popularity of the program, its weighted importance and the bandwidth available to the viewer to receive the programs;

means, connected to the prioritizing means, for initiating allocation of different menus to different classes of viewers;

means, connected to the menu means, for initiating bandwidth allocations so that different program content is sent to different viewers; and

editing means, connected to the menu means, for designing, creating, and changing menus listing the variable content created by the prioritizing means and the allocation means.

10. The centralized operating center of claim 1 wherein the program control information signal comprises a category designation for each television program, each category designation selected from the group consisting of static programming, interactive services, pay for view, live sport specials, mini pays or data services.

11. The centralized operating center of claim 1 wherein the transmitting means comprises means for transmitting the signal to a plurality of selectable satellite transponders and wherein the operating center further comprises means for grouping television programs into separate groups for transmission over selected transponders.

12. The centralized operating center of claim 1 wherein the transmitting means comprises means for transmitting the signal to a plurality of selectable satellites and the operating center further comprises means for grouping television programs into separate groups for transmission to different geographical regions.

13. The operating center of claim 1 wherein the database means comprises a plurality of databases and wherein the operations center further comprises processing means for accessing the databases and processing the information therein to provide the requisite program control information signal, the databases comprising information concerning each scheduled program, records representing the source from which each television program was obtained, optional display services available, available previews of television programs, program categories for each television program to be transmitted and price categories for each television program to be transmitted.

14. The operating center of claim 1 wherein the database means comprises a plurality of databases, each database composed of multiple related sets of data, and wherein the operations center further comprises processing means for accessing the databases and processing the information therein and management means for determining how to operate the operations center so that it provides the requisite control information signal, the databases comprising:

means for storing information about each destination to which the operating center transmits;

means for storing information about rights in or ownership in each program source;

means for storing information about price, promotion and packaging of each program broadcast;

means for storing information about the storage location of each internally stored program; and

means for storing information about marketing and customer.

15. An operations center for use by a program packager to provide a television program delivery system, said operations center comprising:

a reception port for receiving television programs;

external collection means for gathering television programs from external sources and feeding television programs from external sources to said reception port;

internal collection means, connected to said reception port, for gathering television programs from internal sources and feeding said television programs from internal sources to said reception port;

a converter for converting any of said television programs that are in non-digital format to digital format;

packaging means for creating program control information and for packaging said digital format television programs using said program control information, said packaging means comprising;

a central processing unit;

an interface, connected to the central processing unit, to enable a program packager to enter program line-up information, wherein said interface is operably connected to said central processing unit;

storage means, connected to the central processing unit, for storing said entered program line-up information;

logic means, connected to the central processing unit, for arranging said stored program line-up information and for creating the program control information; and

means, connected to the logic means, for generating a digital program control information signal from the program control information;

combining means for creating a combined signal, said combined signal comprising the packaged digital format programs and the digital program control information signal; and

transmission means, operably connected to said packaging means, for transmitting said combined signal.

16. The operations center of claim 15, wherein

said packaging means comprises means for generating menu configurations;

and

said packaging means generates said program control information using said menu configurations.

17. The operations center of claim 15, said operations center further comprising:

means for receiving unique cable franchise control information from cable franchises;

means, connected to the receiving means, for storing said unique cable franchise control information; and

wherein said generating means is connected to the storing means and comprises means for including said unique cable franchise control information in said generated digital program control information signal.

18. A method for remotely generating a program control information signal for use by viewers using menus of available programming based on program line-up information, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining and storing program line-up information for programs, the program line-up information comprising, program name, program start time, program duration, program category and program price;

arranging said program line-up information for said programs in a menu configuration;

creating program control information using said program line-up information;

generating a digital program control information data signal using said program control information; and

continuously transmitting said digital program control information data signal simultaneously with said programs.

19. A method of generating a digital program control data information signal for transmission to viewers receiving a simultaneously transmitted plurality of television programs so that variable video displays of current and future programming can be generated and so that the downstream displays of the television programs can be selected and controlled by the viewers, the method uses stored marketing data, algorithms, and menus, the method comprising:

receiving input data, including program names, start times, program duration or program category and price;

combining the input data with the stored marketing data comprising the frequency with which programs are watched by viewers and the demographics of viewers;

weighing the combined data according to algorithms which assign a weight of importance to each type of data;

generating from the weighted data a program line-up and program positions on menu formats resulting in a draft menu;

displaying the resulting draft menu for editing;

editing the draft menu; and

processing the edited menu to generate the digital program control data information signal for transmission to viewers.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the digital program control data information signal is transmitted to cable franchises and wherein the method further comprises:

means for receiving specific information relating to each cable franchise that receives the signal; and

means for creating a customized signal for each cable franchise.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the digital program control data information signal also contains information for identifying virtual channels for interactive services and data services available to viewers using service information, the method further comprising:

collecting service information on the data services available;

inventorying the interactive services to be made available to the viewer;

assigning a virtual channel for the data services and the interactive services;

determining method of upstream transmissions for interactive services; and

creating a menu for interactive services and data services for later processing.

22. A method to assist a program packager to create a transmissible data information signal which organizes stored information on television programs available for viewing into program line-ups and generates a program control information signal from the program line-ups to enable selection of television programs for viewing by viewers, the method comprising:

receiving information on television programs available for viewing;

organizing the information on television programs available for viewing into program line-up information using stored computer instructions including a set of computer instructions for utilizing stored data to optimize the selection of television programs to be watched by each viewer;

editing the program line-up information;

generating the program control information signal using the program line-up information; and

transmitting the program control information signal as a digital data signal so that the television programs from which a viewer can choose will be displayed for selection by a viewer.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising gathering of program watched information from viewers, and wherein the organizing step further comprises:

targeting a television program; and

managing the yield of the programs watched information for the targeted program so that the targeted program yields higher programs watched information.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein at least one of the television programs is a program service comprising a time limited series of programming offered for a defined time each day for a limited number of calendar days and wherein the program control information signal comprises information providing an identification and description of the service, the starting and stopping dates and the times each day that the service can be viewed by the viewers.

25. A method to create program services containing at least one program and an interstitial audio/video for transmission, comprising:

obtaining one or more programs and interstitial audio/video;

creating events comprising;

combining one or more programs with one or more interstitial audio/video so that an event is longer than the one or more combined programs; and

creating an event identification for recalling the event;

generating program services comprising;

integrating one or more events using the event identification so that there are no disruptions to the programs or interstitial audio/video;

determining calendar days that the program services will be transmitted;

defining time of day that the program services will be transmitted; and

transmitting the program services containing the integrated events on the determined calendar days at the defined time.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein program services are paid for by viewers, the method further comprising:

creating a mini-pay consisting of one or more program services; and

assigning a price to the mini-pay.

27. A method for generating a program control information signal for near video on demand service using programs wherein the near video on demand service is transmitted from a central location for distribution to subscribers, comprising:

designating a program to be available to subscribers more than once during a day;

evaluating the length of the designated program;

creating program start times using the evaluated length of the program;

organizing a program line-up with the designated program and the program start times so that the program appears in the program line-up more than once and wherein more than one designated program is in the program line-up;

generating the program control information signal using the organized program line up for transmission.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein designated programs may be demanded within fifteen minutes, the step of creating program start times comprises:

dividing the evaluated program length into multiple fifteen minutes segments and one last segment; and

identifying interstitial audio/video to be added to the last segment.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein a monitor is used further comprising:

graphically reorganizing the program line up using a monitor before generating the program control information signal.

30. A method for creating near video on demand service using programs wherein the near video on demand service is transmitted from a central location for distribution to subscribers, comprising the steps of:

designating a program to be available to subscribers more than once;

evaluating the length of the designated program;

creating program start times using the evaluated length of the program;

organizing a program line-up using the program start times so that the program appears in the program line-up more than once;

generating a program control information signal using the organized program line-up;

transmitting the program control information signal and the designated program to subscribers, wherein the designated program is transmitted to subscribers at the designated program'"'"'s start times.

31. A method for compiling and using program watched data containing information on programs wherein the program watched data is received from one or more remote locations, comprising the steps of:

receiving the program watched data;

designating a program for analysis;

compiling the received program watched data for the designated program; and

using the compiled program watched data in the formation of a program line-up comprising;

determining whether the compiled data is favorable for placing the designated program in a particular time slot; and

allotting a time slot for the designated program in the program line up.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein menus having menu space are filled using the received program watched data, further comprising the step of:

allocating menu space for the designated program using the program line-up.

33. A centralized operating center for packaging a large number of diverse television programs for selective remote display by viewers, the operating center comprising:

means for receiving television programs in analog or digital format, each having video and audio components;

means, connected to the receiving means, for coordinating the receipt of the television programs;

input means for receiving input commands and specific information about each of the television programs;

database means, connected to the input means, for storing and supplying information about the television programs, comprising;

a central processing unit that analyzes information from the database means and the input means to generate a program control information signal, the signal contains specific identification concerning each television program received by the receiving means, including the date and time of display and the category into which the television program falls;

means, connected to the database means and receiving means, for combining the subset of television programs identified in the program control information signal in preparation for transmission;

multiplexing means, connected to the combining means, for multiplexing the combined television programs and the program control information signal for transmission; and

transmitting means, connected to the multiplexing means, for simultaneously transmitting the multiplexed program control information signal along with the multiplexed television programs so that video displays can be generated from the program control information signal and so that the downstream displays of the television programs can be selected and controlled by the viewers.

34. A centralized operating center for packaging a large number of diverse television programs for selective remote display by viewers using information about television programs, the operating center comprising:

a receiver, wherein television programs are received in analog or digital format, each having video and audio components;

a keyboard, wherein input commands are entered;

a memory, wherein the information about the television programs is stored;

a processor, operably connected to the memory and keyboard, wherein a program control information signal is generated using information stored in the memory and commands entered on the keyboard, the program control information signal containing specific identification concerning each television program in a subset of television programs received by the receiver, including the date and time of display comprising;

a combiner, operably connected to the processor and receiver, wherein the subset of television programs identified in the program control information signal are combined in preparation for transmission;

a multiplexer, connected to the combiner, wherein the combined television programs and the program control information signal are multiplexed for transmission; and

a transmitter, connected to the multiplexer, wherein the multiplexed program control information signal is simultaneously transmitted along with the multiplexed television programs so that video displays can be generated using the program control information signal and so that the downstream displays of the television programs can be selected and controlled by the viewers.

35. An operations center for use by a program packager in a television program delivery system, said operations center comprising:

a reception port, wherein television programs are received;

a local video storage database, operably connected to the reception port, wherein television programs are stored;

a converter, operably connected to the reception port, wherein television programs that are in not in digital format are converted to digital format;

a computer assisted packaging system, operably connected to the local storage, wherein program control information is created and digital format television programs are packaged using the program control information, said packaging system comprising;

a central processing unit;

an interface, operably connected to the central processing unit, wherein a program packager may enter program line-up information;

a database, operably connected to the central processing unit, wherein the entered program line-up information is stored; and

wherein the central processing unit arranges the stored program line-up information and creates the program control information and generates a program control information signal from the program control information;

a combiner, connected to the computer assisted packaging system, wherein a combined signal is created, the combined signal comprising the packaged digital format programs and the program control information signal; and

a transmitter, operably connected to the combiner, for transmitting said combined signal.