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Virtual channels in subscriber interface units

  • US 5,914,746 A
  • Filed: 05/05/1995
  • Issued: 06/22/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A user interface for use in conjunction with a video display device and with a service provider having a plurality of available programs, the available programs including broadcast television channels and executable applications to be received and executed at the user interface, the subscriber interface unit comprising;

  • a data processor;

    a communications port for bi-directional communications with the service provider;

    a video port for connection to the video display device;

    memory that is accessible by the data processor;

    a channel table in the memory, the channel table having entries for a plurality of channel numbers, the entries mapping the available programs to respective ones of the channel numbers, wherein at least one of the entries maps an executable application to a channel number;

    a channel selector module which executes on the data processor, the channel selector module accepting channel number selections from a human viewer;

    in response to the channel selector module accepting a selection of a particular channel number, the data processor performing steps comprising;

    referencing the channel table to determine which of the available programs is mapped to the particular channel number;

    if the program mapped to the particular channel number is an executable application, downloading the executable application through the communications port and executing it on the data processor to generate content on the video display device through the video port.

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