Patent ID: 6181334
Filing Date: 2001-01-30
Classification: G06F,H04H,H04N

Abstract:
An interactive television system comprising:a television programming transmission means for providing transmitted interactive television programming, comprising a means for representing said transmitted interactive television programming in the format of a plurality of interactive television program signals placed at different communication frequencies;each of said plurality of interactive television program signals comprising a plurality of compressed digital multi-information packets, each packet containing a plurality of time multiplexed program information message signals;a subscriber distribution network connected to the television programming transmission means;a plurality of subscriber television reception systems connected to the subscriber distribution network, each of said subscriber television reception systems comprising:a television receiver having a plurality of television reception frequencies some of which correspond to the different communication frequencies and comprising a means for independently receiving any of said program information message signals on the corresponding communication frequencies;a multi-information selection means for selecting one of said program information message signals comprising:a means for demultiplexing said selected program information message signal;a means for decompressing said selected program information message signal;a means for displaying said selected program information message signal, wherein the transition on the displaying means to said selected program information signal from a previous program information signal is without a visually perceptible delay;wherein subscribers in said interactive television system independently select and view said interactive television programming.