Patent ID: 6351474
Filing Date: 2002-02-26
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
In a network of nodes that are interconnected by a shared communication medium via links, wherein each of the nodes is capable of transmitting a program bearing signal on the shared communication medium, where each transmitted program bearing signal is carried on the shared communication medium to all of the nodes, a method comprising:(a) transmitting from each of one or more of the nodes on the shared communication medium a program bearing signal, each node transmitting a mutually different program bearing signal which bears at least some program data that is different from program data carried in each of the other transmitted program bearing signal, wherein each of the signals transmitted from each of the nodes is carried to each node connected to the shared communication medium, (b) receiving one or more of the transmitted program bearing signals from the shared communication medium at a particular one of the nodes, the particular node selecting program data from each received program bearing signal and generating an output program signal, which includes the selected program data, wherein the output program signal is at least partly different from each of the received program bearing signals, and which maintains the receipt timing of program data within the outputted signal by a recipient of the output program signal, and (c) dynamically varying which of the nodes transmits a respective program bearing signal on the shared communication medium over time so that first and second ones of the nodes transmit a respective one of the program bearing signals on the communication medium at mutually different times.