Video pedestal network

Abstract

An architecture for distributing digital information to subscriber units wherein selection from among multiple digital services is accomplished by transmitting a tuning command from a subscriber unit to an intermediate interface. The intermediate interface selects the desired service from a broadband network and transmits it to the subscriber unit over a bandwidth-constrained access line. The bandwidth-constrained access line may be implemented with existing infrastructure, yet the subscriber unit may access a wide variety of digital information -available on the broadband network. Universal broadband access is thus provided at low cost.

1 . A system for supplying desired digital information to a receiver unit comprising: 
 a broadband digital information source;    a series of two or more links between said broadband digital information source and said receiver unit, wherein digital information supplied from said broadband digital information source travels via each link in said series to said receiver unit; and    an interface between at least one pair of adjoining links in said series; and 
 wherein said receiver unit sends a message to said interface selecting a desired stream of digital information and said interface responds to said message by selecting said desired stream from multiple streams of digital information already received at an input of said interface from said digital information source via one or more of said series of links and relaying said desired stream to said receiver unit via a remaining one or more of said series of links.  
   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said receiver unit comprises a further interface to a further series of links to a subscriber unit.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said receiver unit comprises a subscriber unit.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said broadband digital information source comprises an information server.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said digital information supplied by said broadband digital information source comprises video information.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said digital information supplied by said broadband digital information source comprises audio information.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said digital information supplied by said broadband digital information source comprises interactive service information.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said digital information supplied by said broadband digital information source comprises textual information.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said digital information supplied by said broadband digital information source comprises graphical information.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said digital information supplied by said broadband digital information source comprises binary computer data.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said receiver unit receives information from said broadband information source identifying available streams of digital information and corresponding codes to be included within said message to identify said desired stream.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 2  wherein a first link of said series of links that is directly coupled to said subscriber unit comprises a twisted pair telephone line and an interface between said first link and a next link toward said broadband digital information source comprises a pedestal.  
   
   
       13 . A system for broadcasting digital information to a plurality of receivers comprising: 
 an interface coupled to said plurality of receivers and to a broadband communications network,    said interface comprising: 
 means for receiving a first message from a first one of said plurality of receivers, said first message including a first request for a desired stream of information;  
 means for responding to said first message by retrieving said desired stream from said broadband communications network and forwarding said desired stream to said first one of said receivers;  
 means for receiving a second message from a second one of said plurality of receivers, said second message including a second request for said desired stream of information, said second message being received after said first message; and  
 means for responding to said second message by tapping off from said desired stream of information within said interface for forwarding to said-second one of said receivers.  
   
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said means for responding to said first message comprises: 
 means for determining if said desired stream is available on said broadband communication network;    means for, if said desired stream is unavailable, forwarding said first request through said broadband communication network to an information source that responds by placing said desired stream on said broadband communication network.    
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said means for responding to said first message comprises: 
 means for determining if said desired stream is available on said broadband communication network;    means for, if said desired stream is unavailable, forwarding said first request through said broadband communication network to a further interface that responds by retrieving said desired stream from a further broadband communication network.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said plurality of receivers are a plurality of subscriber units.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said interface is coupled to said receivers via a shared physical medium wherein each receiver is allocated a unique channel on the shared physical medium.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein said plurality of receivers are a plurality of subscriber units.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 16  wherein said interface comprises a program selection monitor that monitors and logs program request messages received from said subscriber units.  
   
   
       20 . In a system for broadcasting digital information comprising a broadband digital information source, a plurality of receivers, a first interface coupled to said plurality of receivers, a series of one or more links between said first interface and said broadband digital information source, and a series of one or more interfaces interconnecting said links, a method for providing a receiver with a desired stream of digital information from said broadband digital source: 
 detecting at said first interface a message from a requesting one of said receivers requesting said desired stream of digital information;    checking if said desired stream of digital information is currently provided to said first interface via said series of links;    if said desired stream is currently provided, relaying said desired stream from said first interface to said requesting receiver;    if said desired stream is not currently provided, 
 a) forwarding a request for said desired stream through said series of interfaces toward said broadband source until one of said interfaces has said desired stream available at an input and responds to said request by forwarding said desired stream to said first interface;  
 b) relaying said desired stream from said first interface to said requesting receiver; and  
 c) marking said desired stream as being currently provided to said first interface and available for relaying to further requesting receivers.  
   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said requesting receiver comprises an interface to a further series of one or more links to a subscriber unit, said message has been originated by said subscriber unit and transmitted to said requesting receiver via said further series of one or more links, and said method further comprises the step of: 
 relaying said desired stream from said requesting receiver to said subscriber unit via a further series of one or more links.    
   
   
       22 . In a public telephone network comprising a broadband network interconnected to a plurality of subscriber units by a plurality of twisted pair lines, a pedestal for interfacing between said broadband network and said twisted pair lines, said pedestal comprising: 
 means for exchanging digital information with said broadband network;    means for exchanging digital information with said subscriber units via said twisted pair lines;    means for receiving messages from said subscriber units, said messages identifying streams of digital information desired to be received at said subscriber units; and    means for extracting said desired streams of digital information from said broadband network using information contained in said messages received from said subscriber units and relaying said desired streams to said subscriber units.