Faye T Smith

US Patent:

57089612, Jan 13, 1998

Filed:

Aug 18, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/516590

Inventors:

Denny L. Hylton - Great Falls VA
Robert D. Farris - Sterling VA
Stephen J. Flaherty - Upper Marlboro MD
Richard G. Backus - Manassas VA
Faye M. Smith - Alexandria VA
John Andrew Herhei - Beltsville MD
Raymond Ian Millet - Bowie MD
Nolan Marcus Forness - Nokesville VA
Charles H. Stier - Herndon VA

Assignee:

Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. - Arlington VA

International Classification:

H04N 7173

US Classification:

455 42

Abstract:

A digital network delivers multiplexed channels to a customer premises. Each multiplexed channel contains a digitally multiplexed data stream including digitized broadband information relating to a number of programs. At the customer premise, a shared processing system includes several channel selectors and program selectors. Each channel selector selects one of the multiplexed channels, and each program selector selects digitized broadband information relating to a selected program from a selected channel. A multiplexer combines the selected digitized broadband information from the program selectors into a transport stream. A transmitter system, for example comprising a digital modulator, a spread spectrum modulator and a broadcast antenna, provides a wireless broadcast of the digital transport stream throughout the customer premise and possibly one or more near by premises. Terminal devices within range of the broadcast receive the wireless broadcast and process selected digitized broadband information from the transport stream to present information relating to a selected program, e. g. on an associated television set.