Patent ID: 7564873
Filing Date: 2009-07-21
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. In an information distribution system comprising server equipment for providing both content and non-content data to subscriber equipment, said server equipment comprising: a multiplex switch for multiplexing a plurality of formatted content data from server modules to produce an output stream for transport to the subscriber equipment via a communication channel, wherein said multiplexing of said formatted content data is statistically performed; said multiplex switch comprises a converter module for formatting non-content data and a switching module for selectively multiplexing formatted non-content data into said output stream, wherein said multiplexing of formatted non-content data is on a future bandwidth availability basis that is predicted based on said multiplexing of said formatted content streams; and a transport processor coupled to the multiplex switch for receiving the output stream from the multiplex switch and for transmitting to the multiplex switch reverse data channel information received via a reverse data channel.