Remote link adapter for use in TV broadcast data transmission system

• US RE35,774 E
• Filed: 11/16/1994
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hybrid Patents Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hybrid Networks, Inc. (Iowave, Inc.)
• Inventors: Long, James C., Moura, Eduardo J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Application Number:
  US08/340,733
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 495/4.2, 495/5.1, 495/6.1, 495/6.2, 495/6.3, 348/1, 348/12-13, 348/15, 348/17, 375/36, 370/73, 370/76
• US Class Current: 725/118
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/30 by a single channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/15 on receiving information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/08 specially adapted for optional reception of entertainment or informative matter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00098 via a television channel, e.g. for a series of still pictures with or without sound
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A hybrid transmission system is provided to transmit and receive high-speed digital information in the form of variable length packets using standard television practices and components. The basic building block of this hybrid digital transmission system is the device at the remote location that receives the analog broadcast TV-like signal processed by a standard vestigial sideband video modulator. This device decodes the digital information from the signal and then passes it along as digital information to any form of a data terminal equipment or computer.

Claims

1. In a high speed digital information transmission system in which multi megabit per second digital data is . .addressably.!. broadcast using . .contiguous.!. .Iadd.a continuous transmission that includes address information in .Iaddend.bandwidth in .Iadd.at least a portion of the spectrum .Iaddend.of a television channel to a remote site, a remote link adapter comprising

a hybrid interface for . .receiving.!. .Iadd.detecting .Iaddend.and demodulating a multi megabit per second digitally encoded signal to verify an address .Iadd.indicative of said remote link adapter .Iaddend.and obtain . .the.!. transmitted digital data .Iadd.in accordance with detection of said address.Iaddend., said hybrid interface providing a . .full duplex.!. .Iadd.two way .Iaddend.asymmetric network connection which is constructed from independent forward and return transmission channels in two directions,

a user interface for providing said digital data to data terminal equipment, a microprocessor . .control means.!. .Iadd.controller .Iaddend.for controlling said hybrid interface in accordance with protocols for controlling the flow of said digital data and . .the.!. addressing in the forward and return transmission channels, and

a bus interconnecting said user interface, said hybrid interface, and said microprocessor . .control means.!. .Iadd.controller.Iaddend..

2. The remote link adapter as defined by claim 1 wherein said return channel includes a telephone line modem.

3. The remote link adapter as defined by claim 1 wherein said return channel includes a radio interface.

4. The remote link adapter as defined by claim 1 wherein said return channel includes a CATV interface.

5. The remote link adapter as defined by claim 1 wherein

said user interface includes an Ethernet interface,

said digital data are broadcast at multi megabit per second data rates using the frequency spectrum of a 6 MHz television channel, and

said return channel is provided by an independent transmission path with data transmission rates of at least 9600 bits per second whereby said remote link adapter operates in a high speed asymmetric data transmission system.

6. The remote link adapter as defined by claim 1 wherein said user interface includes a personal computer bus interface.

7. The remote link adapter as defined by claim 1 wherein said user interface interfaces with a video game system.

8. The remote link adapter as defined by claim 1 wherein said hybrid interface includes an RF modem.

9. The remote link adapter as defined by claim 1 wherein said microprocessor . .control means.!. .Iadd.controller .Iaddend.controls the addressing of said hybrid interface and the flow of data in said bus to any number of multiple users connected to the user interface. .Iadd.

14. forward channel protocol. .Iaddend..Iadd.26. The two way interactive communication system as recited in claim 25, wherein

said remote interface further includes a modulator for modulating data transmitted from said remote user station, a transmitter connected with said modulator for supplying a return signal to said return channel of said asymmetric network, and a microprocessor that controls the transfer of data from said remote user station to said return channel in accordance with said return channel protocol, and

said host interface further includes a receiver that receives information from said remote user station transmitted over said return channel, a demodulator connected with said receiver for demodulating information transmitted over said return channel, and controller of said host interface includes a microprocessor that produces representations of data transmitted over said return channel from said remote user station in accordance with said return channel protocol. .Iaddend..Iadd.27. The interactive communication system as recited in claim 25 wherein the forward channel and the return channel of said asymmetric network are independent in a common physical transmission medium, and wherein said controller of said host interface defines the forward protocol in the forward channel and said controller of said remote user station defines the return channel protocol of said asymmetric network. .Iaddend..Iadd.28. The interactive communication system as recited in claim 27 wherein each of the forward and return channels of said asymmetric network physically reside on a selected one of a CATV cable channel, an over-the-air radio channel and a broadcast satellite channel. .Iaddend..Iadd.29. The interactive communication system as recited in claim 25 wherein said asymmetric network comprises at least two physically separate media and said controller of said host interface defines said forward channel protocol in one direction on a first of said media and said controller of said remote user station defines said return channel protocol in an opposite direction on a second of said media. .Iaddend..Iadd.30. The interactive communication system as recited in claim 29 wherein each of the forward and return channels of said asymmetric network physically resides on a selected one of a CATV cable channel, an over-the-air radio

15. channel, and a broadcast satellite channel. .Iaddend..Iadd.31. The interactive communication system as recited in claim 25 wherein said controller of said host interface that defines a forward channel protocol provides for assembling a series of data packets including source data from said host computer and for effecting the transmission of said series of data packets over said forward channel, said series of data packets comprising a main menu packet that identifies the nature of information contained in a subsequent data packet, and said controller of said remote interface being responsive to said menu packet and user selection criteria thereby to select information contained in said subsequent data packet. .Iaddend..Iadd.32. The interactive communication system as recited in claim 25 wherein said remote interface has a unique address and said controller of said host interface transmits data packets having address information that is recognized by said remote interface for reception of information. .Iaddend..Iadd.33. In an interactive communication system for providing two way communications between a host computer and a remote user station, said remote user station including a remote interface associated therewith that includes a broadband receiver for detecting multi megabit per second data transmitted over a forward channel in a broadband signal, a demodulator for demodulating said broadband signal, and a controller connected with said demodulator for producing representations of at least a portion of data transmitted from said host computer, the improvement comprising:

an asymmetric network that includes a high speed forward channel and a lower speed return channel wherein said forward and return channels cooperatively provide two way interactive communication between said host computer and said remote user station in accordance with a forward channel protocol and a return channel protocol,

a host interface including a controller for receiving data from a source of data and for effecting multi megabit per second transfers of data originating from said host computer over said forward channel in accordance with said forward channel protocol, a modulator connected with said controller for modulating a broadband signal with said multi megabit per second data, and a transmitter connected with said modulator for transmitting a modulated broadband signal over the forward channel of said asymmetric network, and

said remote user station further includes unique address information associated therewith and said controller of said remote interface operates to detect said unique address information by demodulating a broadband signal carrying multimegabit per second data. .Iaddend..Iadd.34. In an interactive communication system for providing two way communications between a host computer and a remote user station, the improvement comprising;

an asymmetric network including a high speed forward channel and a lower speed return channel wherein said forward and return channels cooperatively provide two way interactive communication between said host computer and said remote user station in accordance with a forward channel protocol and a return channel protocol,

a host interface including a controller for receiving data from a source of data and for effecting multi megabit per second transfers of data originating from said host computer in accordance with said forward channel protocol, a modulator connected with said controller for modulating a broadband signal with said multi megabit per second data, and a transmitter connected with said modulator for generating a broadband transmission carrying multi megabit per second data for transmission over the forward channel of said asymmetric network, and

a remote interface including a broadband receiver for detecting said broadband transmission carrying multi megabit per second data transmitted over said forward channel, a demodulator for demodulating said broadband transmission, and a controller connected with said demodulator for producing representations of data originating from said host computer and transmitted over said forward channel in accordance with said forward channel protocol. .Iaddend..Iadd.35. A method of providing two way interactive communication between a host computer and a plurality of remote user stations across a broadband communication medium which includes independent forward and return channels in an asymmetric network configuration, wherein at least one of said remote user stations has a unique address, said method comprising the steps of;

transmitting over said medium a broadband signal carrying multimegabit per second data in said forward channel of said asymmetric network from said host computer to a remote user station in accordance with a forward channel protocol;

transmitting return channel signals over said medium from at least one of said remote user stations to said host computer in accordance with a lower speed return channel protocol,

controlling the transfer of data between said host computer and said at least one of said remote user stations in accordance with said forward and return channel protocols, said controlling including the steps of;

generating a data packet containing source information to be transferred from said host computer and address information which identifies a unique one of the remote user stations,

broadcasting said data packet over said forward channel, and

detecting said data packet at a uniquely addressed remote user station and selecting source information contained in said packet. .Iaddend..Iadd.36. A method of providing two way interactive communication between a host computer and a plurality of remote user stations across a broadband communication medium which includes independent forward and return channels in an asymmetric network configuration, wherein at least one of said remote user stations has a unique address, said method comprising the steps of;

transmitting over said medium a broadband signal carrying multi megabit per second data in said forward channel of said asymmetric network from said host computer to said plurality of remote user stations in accordance with a forward channel protocol,

transmitting return channel signals over said medium from said plurality of remote user stations to said host computer in accordance with at least one lower speed return channel protocol, and

controlling the transfer of data between said host computer and said remote user stations in accordance with said forward and return channel protocols, said controlling including the steps of;

generating a multibit data packet containing source information to be transferred from said host computer, address information which identifies a unique one of the remote stations and variable length information defining the length of source information contained in said data packet,

broadcasting said data packet over said forward channel, and

detecting said data packet at a uniquely addressed remote user station and selecting information contained in said packet in accordance with length

10. In a high speed digital information transmission system in which multi megabit per second digital data is transmitted using continuous transmissions that include address information in any portion of bandwidth a television channel to a remote site, said system comprising a remote computer and a remote link adapter for interconnecting said remote computer to an asymmetric network, said adapter comprising:

a hybrid interface for demodulating a multi megabit per second digitally encoded signal to obtain transmitted digital data, said hybrid interface providing a two way asymmetric network connection which is constructed of independent transmission channels in two directions,

a user interface for providing digital data from said digitally encoded signal to said remote computer,

a microprocessor controller for controlling said hybrid interface to control the flow of digital data in the transmission channels,

a bus interconnecting said remote computer, user interface, said hybrid interface and said microprocessor controller, and

said digitally encoded signal includes address information associated with said remote computer and said microprocessor controller controls the flow of digital data in accordance with said address information. .Iaddend..Iadd.11. A method for transmitting multi megabit per second digital data in a high speed digital information transmission system including a microprocessor connected to control a hybrid interface, the method comprising the steps of;

transmitting a multi megabit per second digitally encoded digital data signal to a remote site using continuous transmissions that include address information in any portion of bandwidth of a television channel;

forming with the hybrid interface a two way asymmetric network including independent forward and return channels in two directions;

demodulating at the remote site said multi megabit per second digitally encoded data signal transmitted in the forward channel of the television channel and received by the hybrid interface to obtain transmitted digital data;

supplying demodulated digital data to data terminal equipment; and

controlling the flow of digital data in the forward and return channels in accordance with address information detected in said digitally encoded data signal, said address information being indicative of said remote site. .Iaddend..Iadd.12. The method according to claim 11 in which digital data flows in a return channel including a selected one of telephone lines, a radio channel, an Ethernet channel, and a CATV channel. .Iaddend..Iadd.13. The method according to claim 11 in which in the step of transmitting, digital data is transmitted at multi megabit per second data rates using any portion of the frequency spectrum of a 6 MHz bandwidth of a television channel; and

in the step of controlling, the flow of digital data in the return channel operates at a rate of at least 9600 bits per second in asymmetric transmission relative to the rate of digital data in the forward channel.

11. Iaddend..Iadd.14. The method according to claim 11 further including the steps of:

detecting an address and demodulating digital data; and

transmitting the digital data to at least one data terminal in response to the address. .Iaddend..Iadd.15. A high speed digital information transmission system comprising;

a source of multi megabit per second digital data for transmission to a number of remote sites;

a hybrid transmission facility including a number of video modulators connected to receive the digital data for encoding the digital data to produce an analog RF signal for transmission to the number of remote sites using bandwidth in any portion of a television channel;

and at each of the number of remote sites;

a remote link adapter including a hybrid interface for detecting and demodulating said analog RF signal to obtain data from said source of multi megabit per second digital data, said hybrid interface providing a two way asymmetric network connection including independent forward and return transmission channels in two directions;

circuit connections of the return transmission channel of the remote link adapter to the hybrid transmission facility;

a user interface for providing digital data to data terminal equipment;

microprocessor controller for controlling said hybrid interface to control the flow of digital data in the forward and return transmission channels; and

a signaling bus interconnecting said user interface, said hybrid interface and said microprocessor controller. .Iaddend..Iadd.16. The system according to claim 15 in which the return channel for digital data includes a selected one of telephone lines, a radio channel, an Ethernet

12. channel and a CATV channel. .Iaddend..Iadd.17. The system according to claim 15 in which digital data is transmitted at multi megabit per second data rates using the frequency spectrum within a 6 MHz bandwidth of a television channel;

and

the return transmission channel operates at a rate of at least 9600 bits per second in asymmetric transmission relative to the rate of digital data in the forward channel. .Iaddend..Iadd.18. The system according to claim 15 wherein the hybrid transmission facility receives address information for the remote sites, and the modulators encode the address information and the digital data to produce said analog RF signal for transmission to at least one of the remote sites. .Iaddend..Iadd.19. The system according to claim 15 in which the remote link adapter detects an address and demodulates the digital data for transfer to the data terminal equipment at the remote site. .Iaddend..Iadd.20. A method for high speed reception of digital information at a number of remote locations having hybrid interfaces thereat, the method comprising the steps of;

receiving a source of multi megabit per second digital data for transmission to a number of remote sites;

modulating the digital data for encoding the digital data to produce an analog signal for transmission from a hybrid transmission facility to at least one of the remote sites using bandwidth in any portion of a television channel;

forming with the hybrid interfaces a two way asymmetric network including independent forward and return channels in two directions;

demodulating the encoded digital data transmitted in the forward channel on the television channel and received by the hybrid interface to obtain the transmitted digital data;

supplying the demodulated digital data to data terminal equipment at the remote site;

supplying digital data over the return transmission channel from a remote site to the hybrid transmission facility; and

controlling the flow of digital data at the remote site in the forward and

21. multi megabit per second data. .Iaddend..Iadd.53. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the digital data flows through a router which is not a hybrid interface. .Iaddend..Iadd.54. The system as recited in claim 16, where the return channel includes a router other than the remote link adapter. .Iaddend..Iadd.55. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the digital data flows from a remote site to the hybrid transmission facility through a router which is not a hybrid interface. .Iaddend.

16. information provided in said data packet. .Iaddend..Iadd.37. The method as recited in claim 35 further comprising the step of providing said medium from a selected one of an over-the-air broadcast medium, a CATV cable medium, a coaxial cable and a fiber optic cable as the broadband communication medium. .Iaddend..Iadd.38. The method as recited in claim 36 further comprising the step of providing said medium from a selected one of an over-the-air broadcast medium, a CATV cable medium, a coaxial cable and a fiber optic cable as the broadband communication medium. .Iaddend..Iadd.39. The method as recited in claim 35 further comprising the steps of providing the forward channel from a selected one of an over-the-air broadcast medium, a CATV medium, a coaxial cable and a fiber optic cable;

and providing the return channel from another selected one of an over-the-air broadcast medium, a CATV medium, a coaxial cable and a fiber optic cable. .Iaddend..Iadd.40. The method as recited in claim 36 further comprising the steps of providing the forward channel from a selected one of an over-the-air broadcast medium, a CATV medium, a coaxial cable and a fiber optic cable; and

providing the return channel from another selected one of an over-the-air broadcast medium, a CATV medium, a coaxial cable, and a fiber optic cable. .Iaddend..Iadd.41. A communication system for providing two way interactive communication between a host computer and a plurality of remote user stations wherein at least one of said remote user stations has a unique address, said system comprising;

a broadband communication medium which includes independent forward and return channels in an asymmetric network configuration,

a multi megabit per second forward channel protocol defined in the forward channel of said asymmetric network for carrying information signals in a broadband signal transmitted over said broadband communication medium from said host computer to said plurality of remote user stations,

a lower speed return channel protocol defined in said return channel of said asymmetric network for transferring data from at least one of said plurality of said remote user stations to said host computer,

a controller for controlling the transfer of information signals between said host computer and at least one of said remote user stations in accordance with said forward and return channel protocols, said controller including circuitry for generating a multibit data packet containing source information to be transferred from said host computer and address information which identifies a unique one of the remote user stations, and

said remote user station including circuitry for detecting said data packet at a uniquely addressed remote user station. .Iaddend..Iadd.42. A communication system for providing two way interactive communications between a host computer and a plurality of remote user stations wherein at least one of said remote user stations has a unique address, said system comprising;

a broadband communication medium which includes independent forward and return channels in an asymmetric network configuration,

a multi megabit per second forward channel protocol defined in the forward channel of said asymmetric network for carrying information signals in a broadband signal transmitted over said broadband communication medium from said host computer to said plurality of remote user stations,

a lower speed return channel protocol defined in said return channel of said asymmetric network for transferring information signals from at least one of said remote user stations to said host computer,

a controller for controlling the transfer of data between said host computer and at least one of said remote user stations in accordance with said forward and return channel protocols, said controller including circuitry for generating a multibit data packet containing source information to be transferred from said host computer, address information which identifies a unique one of the remote stations and length information which defines the length of information contained in said data packet, and

at least one of said remote user stations including circuitry for detecting said data packet at a uniquely addressed remote user station and for selecting source information contained in said packet in accordance with length information provided in said data packet. .Iaddend..Iadd.43. The communication system as recited in claim 41 wherein said broadband communication medium is a medium selected from one of a cable network, an over-the-air RF signal and a direct satellite broadcast signal. .Iaddend..Iadd.44. The communication system as recited in claim 42 wherein said broadband communication medium is a medium selected from one of a cable network, an over-the-air RF broadcast medium, and a direct satellite broadcast medium. .Iaddend..Iadd.45. The communication system as recited in claim 41 wherein each of the forward and return channels of said asymmetric network is a selected one of a cable network, an over-the-air broadcast network and a direct broadcast satellite network.

17. Iaddend..Iadd.6. The communication system as recited in claim 42 wherein each of the forward and return channels of said asymmetric network is a selected one of a cable network, an over-the-air broadcast network and a direct broadcast satellite network. .Iaddend..Iadd.47. A multi-user computing system including an asymmetric network for providing two way interactive communication and that enables multi megabit per second transfers of data to a plurality of remote user stations connected to said asymmetric network, said system comprising:

a provider site,

a plurality of remote user stations,

a broadband CATV transmission facility including;

a cabling network for transferring information packets between said provider site and the remote user stations,

a high-speed link for connection with the provider site,

a digital signal encoder for converting digital signals from the provider site into standard baseband video input signals, and

a video modulator for receiving said baseband input signals thereby to produce a broadcast signal on a selected broadcast channel that is transmitted by said CATV transmission facility to said remote user stations,

wherein at least one of said remote user stations includes;

a computing system,

an RF modem including a TV tuner for receiving and automatically synchronizing to a selected broadcast channel of the video modulator of said broadband CATV transmission facility, and

an interface that interconnects said RF modem and said computing system, said interface including a microprocessor controller for defining a protocol for receiving information packets transmitted in a forward channel from said provider site to at least one of said remote user stations, for monitoring incoming information packets for a unique address associated with said remote user station, for forwarding information packets to said computing system for further processing upon detection of said unique address, and for transferring information from said remote user station to said provider site over a narrow band return channel that comprises a selected one of a telephone line, an over-the-air broadcast channel and a selected narrowband channel of said CATV transmission facility. .Iaddend..Iadd.48. In combination with a multi-user computing system that includes an asymmetric network for providing two way interactive communication between a provider site and multiple remote user stations wherein at least one of said remote user stations has a unique address associated therewith and includes a computing system, the improvement comprising;

a broadband CATV transmission facility including;

a cabling network for transferring information packets between said provider site and the remote user stations,

a high-speed link for connection with said provider site,

a digital signal encoder for converting digital signals from the provider site into standard baseband input signals, and

a video modulator for receiving said baseband input signals thereby to produce a broadcast signal on a selected broadcast channel that is transmitted by said CATV transmission facility to said remote user stations, and

wherein at least one of said remote user stations includes;

an RF modem including a TV tuner for receiving and automatically synchronizing to a selected broadcast channel of the video modulator of said broadband CATV transmission facility, and

an interface that interconnects said RF modem and said computing system, said interface including a microprocessor controller for defining a protocol for receiving information packets transmitted in a forward channel from said provider site to the remote user station, for monitoring incoming packets for a unique address associated with said remote user station, for forwarding said information packets to said computing system for further processing upon detection of said unique address, and for transferring information from said computing system to said provider site over a narrow band return channel that comprises a selected one of a telephone line, an over-the-air broadcast and a selected narrowband

18. channel of said CATV transmission facility. .Iaddend..Iadd.49. A multi-user computing system including an asymmetric network for providing two way interactive communication, said system comprising:

a provider site,

a plurality of remote user stations,

a broadband CATV transmission facility including;

a cabling network for transferring information packets between said provider site and the remote user stations wherein said information packets include destination address information indicative of unique ones of said remote user stations,

a high-speed link with said provider site,

a digital signal encoder for converting digital signals from the provider site into standard baseband input signals,

a video modulator for receiving said baseband input signal thereby to produce a broadcast signal on a selected broadcast channel that is transmitted by said CATV transmission facility to said remote user stations,

return channel communication equipment for receiving information from at least one of said remote user stations and for transmitting at least some of said information to said provider site,

at least one of said remote user stations including,

a computing system,

an RF modem including a TV tuner for receiving and automatically synchronizing to a selected broadcast channel of the video modulator of said broadband CATV transmission facility, and

an interface that interconnects said RF modem and said computing system, said interface including a microprocessor controller for defining a protocol for receiving and selecting information packets transmitted in a forward channel from said provider site to the remote user station, and for transferring information from said computing system to said provider site over a narrow band return channel that comprises a selected one of a telephone line, an over-the-air broadcast and a selected narrow band

19. channel of said CATV transmission facility. .Iaddend..Iadd.50. A multi-user computing system including an asymmetric network for providing two way interactive communication, said system comprising:

a provider site,

a plurality of remote user stations wherein at least one of said remote user stations has a unique address,

a broadband CATV transmission facility including;

a cabling network for transferring information packets between said provider site and the remote user stations wherein said information packets include destination address information indicative of unique ones of said remote user stations and packet length information indicative of the length of said information packet,

a high-speed link with said provider site,

a data encryption system associated with the provider site,

a digital signal encoder for converting digital signals from the provider site into standard baseband input signals,

a video modulator for receiving said baseband input signal thereby to produce a broadcast signal on a selected broadcast channel that is transmitted by said CATV transmission facility to said remote user stations,

return channel communication equipment for receiving information from at least one of said remote user stations and for transmitting said information to said provider site,

at least one of said remote user stations including,

a computing system,

an RF modem including a TV tuner for receiving and automatically synchronizing to a selected broadcast channel of the video modulator of said broadband CATV transmission facility,

an interface that interconnects said RF modem and said computing system, said interface including

an encryption chip set for encrypting and decrypting information,

a microprocessor controller for defining a protocol for receiving information packets transmitted in a forward channel from said provider site to the remote user station, for instructing the tuner to monitor incoming packets for a unique address associated with said remote user station, for forwarding said information packets to said computing system for further processing upon detection of said unique address, and for transferring information from said computing system to said provider site over a narrow band return channel that comprises a selected one of a telephone line, an over-the-air broadcast and a selected narrowband channel of said CATV transmission facility. .Iaddend..Iadd.51. A multi-user computing system including an asymmetric network for providing two way interactive communication that enables multi megabit per second transfers of data in an asymmetric network, said system comprising;

a provider site,

a plurality of remote user stations,

a broadband transmission facility including;

a signal transmission network for transferring information packets between said provider site and the remote user stations,

a high-speed link for connection with the provider site,

wherein at least one of said remote user stations includes;

a computing system,

a high speed modem for receiving multi-megabit per second information transfers, and

an interface that interconnects said high speed modem and said computing system, said interface including a microprocessor controller for defining a protocol for receiving and selecting information packets transmitted in a forward channel from said provider site to the computing system, and for transferring information from said computing system to said provider site over a narrow band return channel that comprises a selected one of a telephone line, an over-the-air broadcast and a selected narrowband

20. channel of said broadband transmission facility. .Iaddend..Iadd.52. In combination with a content provider site and at least one remote user station that includes a high speed modem for detecting data in multi megabit per second transfers of data in a broadband signal, a sending and receiving interface that enables communication between said high speed modem and a computing system, said interface being operative with a controller for effecting communication in a forward channel and a return channel in accordance with predefined protocols:

a broadband communication system for enabling two way interactive communication between said provider site and said at least one remote user station, said broadband communication system including

a high-speed link for connection with said provider site,

an asymmetric network for enabling two way communication in an asymmetric network configuration that enables multi megabit per second transfers of data to said at least one remote user station in accordance with a multi megabit per second forward channel protocol and that enables a lower speed transfer of data from said at least one remote user station in accordance with a lower speed return channel protocol, and

said at least one remote user station including an associated unique address and an associated demodulator which operates to detect said associated unique address by demodulating said broadband signal carrying

13. return transmission channels. .Iaddend..Iadd.21. The method according to claim 20 in which digital data flows from a remote site to the hybrid transmission facility in a return channel including a selected one of telephone lines, a radio channel, an Ethernet channel and a CATV channel. .Iaddend..Iadd.22. The method according to claim 20 in which in the step of receiving, digital data is received at multi megabit per second data rates using the frequency spectrum within a 6 MHz bandwidth of a television channel;

and

in the step of controlling digital data in the return transmission channel is controlled at a rate of at least 9600 bits per second in asymmetric transmission relative to the rate of digital data in the forward channel. .Iaddend..Iadd.23. The method according to claim 20 in which in the step of receiving, the digital data includes encoded address data, and the step of demodulating obtains an address and includes the steps of;

detecting the address with demodulated digital data; and

transmitting digital data to at least one data terminal equipment in response to the demodulated address data. .Iaddend..Iadd.24. The method according to claim 20 in which the interfaces detect address information and demodulate the analog signal for transfer of digital data to the data terminal equipment at the remote site. .Iaddend..Iadd.25. A two way interactive communication system comprising;

a host computer and a remote user station wherein said host computer includes a source of data for being transmitted to said remote user station;

an asymmetric network interconnecting communication paths of said host computer and said remote user station, said asymmetric network comprising a high speed forward channel and a lower speed return channel, said forward and return channels cooperatively providing interactive two way communication between said host computer and said remote user station in accordance with a forward channel protocol and a return channel protocol;

a host interface connected with said host computer, said host interface including;

a controller for receiving data from said source of data and for effecting multi megabit per second transfers of data from said host interface in accordance with said forward channel protocol;

a modulator connected with said controller for modulating a broadband signal with said multi megabit per second data;

and a transmitter connected with said modulator for transmitting a broadband signal carrying said multi megabit per second data over the forward channel of said asymmetric network; and

a remote interface connected with said remote user station, said remote interface including;

a broadband receiver for receiving said broadband signal transmitted over said forward channel;

a demodulator for demodulating said broadband signal thereby to extract data from said broadband signal that carries said multi megabit per second data; and

a controller connected with said demodulator for producing representations of data transmitted from said host computer in accordance with said