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Access subnetwork controller for video dial tone networks

  • US 5,740,075 A
  • Filed: 03/28/1995
  • Issued: 04/14/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A communication network comprising:

  • a plurality of user terminals receiving and processing broadband information;

    a plurality of information provider systems;

    a backbone subnetwork providing point-to-point communication sessions;

    an access subnetwork receiving broadcast information signals and distributing the broadcast information signals to authorized ones of the user terminals and receiving digital broadband information signals from a selected interactive information provider system via the backbone subnetwork for transmission to one of the user terminals, the access subnetwork comprising;

    (1) a broadcast provider interface receiving digital signals from respective broadcast information providers and combining the received digital signals into a consolidated broadcast signal,(2) a plurality of broadcast headend nodes receiving the consolidated broadcast signal, each broadcast headend node receiving a corresponding local broadcast signal and outputting a combined digital broadcast signal carrying at least a portion of the consolidated broadcast signal and the corresponding local broadcast signal,(3) groups of end offices receiving the combined digital broadcast signals from the respective broadcast headend nodes, each end office outputting to a selected group of the user terminals the combined digital broadcast signal from the corresponding broadcast headend node and a specified portion of the digital broadband information signals from the backbone subnetwork; and

    an access subnetwork controller controlling the access subnetwork including at least the end offices thereof to establish broadcast and dedicated connections therethrough in response to connection requests and providing reports regarding specific connections.

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