Patent ID: 7269841

Claim:
A cable headend for a television program delivery system, wherein set top terminals communicate with the cable headend, the cable headend comprising: a signal processing means for processing a plurality of video signals comprising: means for receiving a plurality of video signals; means for selecting video signals from the plurality of video signals; and combiner means for combining the selected video signals for distribution to set top terminals, wherein the combiner means comprises: a plurality of first-in-first-out storage means, each first-in-first-out storage means for storing packets from a single digital program and outputting the packets to an associated output means; a plurality of the associated output means connected to a serializing means; first-in-first-out control means for monitoring the number of video packets input to and output from each of the plurality of first-in-first-out storages, sending a control signal to a computer processing means when an individual first-in-first-out storage means is reaching capacity, and opening and closing the plurality of output means to maintain a constant output of the serializing means; a network controller for controlling the operation of the signal processor and the set top terminals comprising: means for obtaining communications from the set top terminals; the computer processing means, connected to the obtaining means, for generating instructions to the signal processor using the communications from the set top terminals; and means for transferring instructions to the signal processing means to be used for selecting video signals; and means for distributing the combined video signals to the set top terminals.