Patent ID: 7203201

Claim:
In a video-on-demand system having a headend which may be put in communication with a subscriber device via an intermediate node, a method for communication between the headend and the subscriber device, comprising: providing first identification information from the headend into a first datastream, the first identification information for routing communication to the headend; providing the first datastream to the intermediate node; providing the first datastream from the intermediate node to the subscriber device; in response to receiving the first datastream at the subscriber device, using the first identification information in the first datastream to provide a second datastream for the headend having second identification information, the second identification information for routing communication to the subscriber device; providing the second datastream to the intermediate node; providing the second datastream from the intermediate node to the headend; and establishing a session between the headend and the subscriber device in response to the headend receiving the second identification information in the second datastream.