Patent ID: 7657918

Claim:
An interactive information distribution system, comprising one or more processors and computer executable instruction, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the interactive information system to: generate an information stream including a requested program and coupling the information stream to an information channel, generate a command signal and coupling the command signal to a command channel, receive information manipulation requests from a back channel, and generate at least one modified information stream in response to at least one of the information manipulation requests, wherein the information channel comprises at least one subrate server channel, wherein the interactive information distribution system is configured to allocate a number of subrate server channels to the information channel for the requested program using a characterization of the requested program, wherein the characterization of the requested program is at least based on program content of the requested program, and wherein said information stream and said at least one modified information stream comprise timing information adapted for use by said subscriber equipment to: synchronize said subscriber equipment with said information stream, and switch said subscriber equipment from receiving said information stream to receiving said at least one modified information stream without resynchronizing to said modified information stream.