CA1331053C - Cable television system selectively distributing pre-recorded video and audio messages - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT A method of, and a system for, selectively delivering still television video with accompanying audio to home subscribers over a cable television system for advertising, promotional or educational purposes. A maximum number of home subscribers can interactively request presentations of their own choosing to be displayed on their home television sets. Only one standard television channel is required for transmission of still video with accompanying audio to serve 300 concurrent users. No equipment is required in the subscriber's home. The video is presented as still frames from one of a number of videodisc players, transmitted over one television channel during the appropriate time interval of 1/30th (or 1/25th) of a second. Such video frames, which may also contain overlaid graphics information, are uniquely addressed to a remote storage device. Unused bandwidth is used for the transmission of up to 300 discrete audio messages. The remote storage device identifies the appropriate video still frame, stores it, combines it with the corresponding audio message and conveys both to the home subscribers' television on a pre-selected channel. By uniquely addressing video frames to the remote storage device, either 30 (or 25) different video frames per second can be conveyed on on television channel to 30 (or 25) different remote storage devices for retransmission to home subscribers. Thus, if a home subscriber sees a given still video frame for 10 seconds, his remote storage device need not be updated for those 10 seconds, enabling the system to transmit 300 (10 seconds x 30/second) different video frames to 300 other remote storage devices, thereby serving 300 concurrent users.

Description

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~31~3 The invention relaees to a sys~em and ~eLhod of del,very to -.
a home subscriber or s.ill ~elevis.on video frames with accompanyins audio message, inte:actively as reques~ed by the home subsc:iber _n os the preferred embodiment, the invention relates to this system and method being applied to a community antenna television facility (CATV).

~ACXGROUND TO T~E INVENTION
In Nocth America and -elsewhere, it is common that ;arge numbers of homes subscribe tO a CATV to receive by coaxial cable a number of commercial and public television slgnals. Each signal consists of television video and u~io, comprised of continuous audio and 30 (or 25) video frames per second. Each-signal is transmitted down the eoaxial cable by the CATV syste~ to the ~ubscriber's home teievision set over a discrete band of frequency known as a ~ehannel~. The subscriber tunes his t-levision to tne channel desired and ~eceives the composite television signal. - -; 20 . It is not uncommon that a CATV have upwards of 50,000 subscribers. On such a large CATV, the~e is generally a central - ~-~ ~ ~hub~ which acts~a~ a control centre to receive the various signals, `~ whether ~broadcast~ or satellite delivered, or locally ge`nerated by `~ 25 CATV operators or third parties. These signal- re put on a trunk coaxial cable. Signal iosses occur along the CATV coaxial cables ~and it is thus common that amplifiers, known in the trade as bridger amplifiers, be located t strategic locations, or nodes. Typically, therefore, a CATV system comprises a plurality of antennas adapted to receive ~ignals from a plurality of broadcast stations or from ~atellite transponders. Amplifier- and the like located at a eentral hub amplify the~e ~ignal~ and transmit-each of them as a unique channel of frequencie~ onto one or more trunk coaxial caDles.
Along the trunk eoaxial eable are a plural$ty of nodes. At each node a bridger amplifier amplifies the signals from the trunk and eonveys the amplified signals onto one of plurality of secondary distribution eoaxial cables. Eaeh seeondary distribution eable has plurality of ~taps", eaeh of which has a plurality of "droo"
coaxial cables, one to each subscriber. Generally, any secondary 0 distribution cable will service approximately 200 subscribers and ::

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~here are rormally between 50 and 100 taps ~o that each ~ap ~ ;1 service 2 to 4 drops.

Other systems have been developed to interactively 05 distribute information to subscribers' televisions at their request.
In order to be viable, such systems must:
1. service a large number of subscribers simultaneously;

2. deliver high quality video images within a short response time; ~;

3. operate without requiring new hardware in the subscriber's home; and

4. operate within the constraints of the number of television channels available on a typical CATV. Most C~TV's have a maximum of approximately 15 ~empty" channels. -~ ~

No interactive system to date has succeeded in meeting all of the above requirements. Typically, the number of simultaneous users has been limited to a very small number. To send a live video -~
- image, one television channel is required ~or each subscriber;
; therefore, ~nly approximately 15 subscribers could be serviced at one time. Or, in order to increase the number of simultaneous ~ :
-users, bnly computer graphics have been delivered, sacrificing picture quality and speed of delivery. The invention described in this application meets all four of the above-mentioned requirements.
In addition, the ~nvention delivers accompanying audio messages 2S ~lonq with the video images, for a complete presentation. ~- -: . .~ .,,'.':
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-T~E INVENTION -~

~he invention conveys still frame television guality video, ;overlaid with graphics information, together with an audio message;
to ~ large number of CATV subscribers, using only one television channel. No additional hardware is required in the home. The -;
~ubscriber can use his home telephone to make his reguests for ~pecified demonstrations or information. A plur-lity of videodisc - players ~tore ~nd transmit the video and audio as required. ~he number of videodisc players, their attendant control mechanisms and - remote ~torage devices can be varied as rèquired to meet ehe demar.ds of the subscribers for particular information or services. Por ~- -40 instance, information ehat is :equested frequently can be stored in ~' ' ' " .

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~ 3 ~ i 3 more than one videodisc player 'or simultaneous access by mul:ipl a subcribers. In the same way, the breadth of informat~on can be expanded indefini~ely ~y adding vide~disc players as requi:_d to expand the "pool" of information available to the subscribers.

~he accompanying audio message is conveyed to the subscriber either over the CATv or through his telephone.
All aspects of the invention are invisible to the subscriber.
The invention therefore delivers high quality still video with acco~panying audio information to the home, interactively, with utilization of only one channel of the CATv architecture.
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Before proceeding further, it will be helpful to define some of the terminology employed in the disclosure and claims.

~ Definitions F~ 1. CA$V: a community ntenna television-~y~tem as presently in u e in North America.
2. Subscriber: ~ use~ of the CATV or other television 20 transmission system who receives the television ignals at his : television et in his home.
3. Video frame: the combination of two interleaved video fields, ach uch field being composed of ~1) a plurality of scan lines call-d the vertical blanking int-rval tdefined below) and ~2) a ` ~ ~ ;25 ~econd larger plurality of can lines containing the video data to be converted to a video i~age on the television screen.
Video frames are transmitted on the CATv at 30 frames/second ~North American and Japanese standard) or 25 frames/second uropean standard). The -invention will be desctibed according ~;~ 30 to the North American standard transmi~sion rate of 30 frames/
- ~econd, but operates in the same way at 25 frames~second. ~ ~
` ~ingle video fr~me presents a video-quality still imase. ~-~,. Yertical blanking interval: the firs: 21 lines of a video fleld, containing coded inormation to ~ynchronize the pr-sentatlon of the vid-o image. Several of-the lines in the vertical blanking interval are presently left blank and are u~ed in the invention tO insert addressing information.

- 5. ~runk-cable: the primary coaxial distribution cable from a i ~ CATV central hub.

- - 40 -6. Node: points along a trunk cable at which bridger ampliCiers : - - - .~.: ~: ., . . :-:
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amplify the 'eiev sion signai and sDlit it 'or t:ansmission down secondary dis~r ~uticn c?a~ial cables.
7. Distribution cable: a secondarv dls;ribution coax.al cable - -emanating from a node.
05 8. Tap: a point on a distribution cable where the television signal is split and sent down drop coaxial cables to the subscribers home.
9. Drop: a drop coaxial cable to a subscribers home. ~;
10. Node frame store: a device, located within a multiple node frame store at-a node, that can receive and store a video frame and retransmit that frame 30 times/second down the distribution cable. The node frame store also receives the audis message - associated with the video frame and transmi~s this audio in -synchronization with the appropriate video framei both on the I5 same television channel, down its distribution cable.
11. Multiple node frame store: a group of node frame stores, all .located ae oné node, each servicing its unique distibution cable.
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The invention contemplates that a CATV transmit a plurality of TV programs on various TV channels in the conventional manner, r while using one presently unused channel to transmit .video frames tc;
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a remote node frame store. The accompanying audio messages are transmitted to the ~ame node frame store over bandwidth available on 25 the trunk cable which is unsuitable for video transmissiorAt the ~- node frame store, the video and audio are combined for transmission ~ ;
~- over the same channel (being the channel that was used to transmit -~
the video frames to the node frame store) down the distribution cable to the subscriber. The subscriber will select the desired 30 ~ideo and audio presentations from an information "catalogue" that contains, for example, advertising and merchandising information, pricing, and a verbal message or "sales pitch"; The ca~aloque could also contain promotional or educational material. The invention resides in the means by wnich the video and audio information is 35 transmitted to the subscriber over the CATV at the-subscr,iber's request, and is not related in any way to the specific video and ;;
audio information that is so eransmitted.

According to the invention, the subscriber requests ~0 information by calling a ~soecified telephone number linking him to ' ' , ..
. ,-~33~i3~3 ' the oontrol centre ~he information s .ransmitted fro~ the c~nt-ol - -centre over the ~runk cables of the CATV in the form of a video frame on a s~ecified channel and acc~mpanying audio over presen~iy unused portions of the CA~V bandwidth The video frame wnich has e 05 duration of 1/30th of a second has the unique address of the subscribers node frame store inserted in one of the scan lines of its vertical blanking interval ~ore than one of the scan lines o~
the vertical blanking interval may bc used for the insertion of such addresses but the invention will be desc ibed as if only one of the scan'lines is used; All of the uniquely addressed video frames tha~
have been requested are transmitted over -one television channel The subscribers node frame store recognizes its unigue address on the particular video frame requested and ~tores only that frame n its memory The accompanying audio is transmitted over unused television bandwidth in the 'form of radio frequency amplitude modulated audio The available unuied CATV bandwidth can accommodate over 300 discrete audio channels Each node frame store is tuned to only one of the 300 discrete audio channels The control centre en~ures that the video frame arrives at the node frame store at the - ~-~ame ti~e as the commencement of the accompanying audio The video frame is then re-transmftted ~y the node frame ~tore continuously (30 time~/second) as a still video frame along with the -accompanying audio on the same television channel over that node's di~tribution cable to the subscriber All ~ubicribers' television -ets connect-d to that distribution cable and tuned to the specified television channel will receive the same still video frame and ! . i ~ecompanying audio The node frame store transmits the accompanying ~udio message and transmits the video rame continuously until ~nother uniquely addressed video frame has been identified on the iO trunk eable ~he first video frame i5 then erased and the seeond ' video ~rume is stored for transmission with its appropriate ~ -~ccompanying audio ' ' - ~
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~he aud~o can be transmitted from the control centre in one - ~5 of three alternative ways the-appropriate alternative being ~ '~
lected às the preferred embodiment for a given CAIV system ppl~cation In the first alternative the audio may be transmitted '~
through the telephone system to the subscribers eelephone rn the ~-~econd ~lternative the audio is transmitted from the control centre 0 to the node frame store as amplitude modulated audio or in the - ~ '~,'''' .. . .

third alternative, as compressed audio in the electronic ~orma~ or a - -video frame In either the second or ~hird alternatives ~e 2UC'O
is converted in the node f:ame seore ,nto a standard televi-ion F~
audio signal that can be received by the subscriber on the specified 05 channel of his television In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the ~ubscriber is able to interact, that is, request specified inEormation The invention contemplates two interaction paths The first, and preferred, interaction path is the use of the subscriber's home telephone to call to the control centre The ~ ~ -second interaction path is the CA~V; however, two-way cable functionality would be required throughout the CATV and hardware - would be required in the subscriber's home to allow the message tO
travel back from the subscriber through the CATV to the control ~
centre ~ -` -- ~ ;;
Preferred Embodiment of the lnvention CATV Svstem Specifically, in the preferred embodiment, the invention ~0 contemplates in a CATV that includes (A) ~ cable hub for receiving, generating and amplifying a `
plurality of televi ion ~ignals that ~re broadeast over - predetermined frequency channels;
8) a trunk cable with one end connected to the eable hub to ?,` ~ 25 receive and transmit-said signal to;
lC) a plurality of nodes along said cable, each node adapted to ~` ; ' convey said signals to; -~D) --a bridge amplifier connected to the trunk cable at each node ~nd ~dapted to amplify ~nd to transmit said ~ignals onto;
~E) ~ d~strlbution cable for transmitting said amplified signals ~hrough~
~F) ~ tap to a drop cable Ato a subscriber's home that is adapted for connect~on to ~ubscriber's television~receiver; - -an improved system selectively~delivering pre-record-d video frames and audio messages, wherein a~video frame consists of at least one video ~ield being a fir~t plurality of scan lines represeneing a ; video blanking interval, and a ~econd plurality of scan lines representing vid-o picture data;
tG) -~ central conerol unit ~CU), located at the cable hub, -" ~ O ~ comprising;
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(1) a central processing unit for co-ordination of all CC'J
func~ions (2) a plu~ality of telephone managemen~ units (~U) :na~
receive telephoned requests 'rom the subsc:ibers and rel 3y 05 those requests to the central processing unit;
(3) means for qenerating master synchronization pulses;
(4) a plurality of video display units (VDU) each of which includes ~i) a controller (VDU controller) for co-ordinating the activities of the VDU, including prioritizing and -scheduling the transmission of video frames and -accompanying audio; -~ii) a video disc player synchronized to the synchroniza~ion pulse (3), that stores discre~e ;~
lS video frames according to a standard television format, with aceompanying audio frames tiii) - plurality of audio frame stores adapted to - ~electively receive the audio frames associated ' ~ith a particular video frame from a video player (ii) aAd to convert those udio frames into a ~ -~odulated analogue ~ignal - tiv) means for tuning and transmitting the analogue ~ -`
audio signal onto-the trunk cable on a discrete -~ ~ radio freyuency, on command; -~
i~ ~ 25 ~v) ia graphics~decoder to receive from the central processing unit graphics information associated -~ -with a particular video frame and to generate in -graphic form ~uch information;
(vi) a video combiner to receive the video frame rom -- ~ 30 the video player and overlay the graphics ln~ormation from the graphics decoder Pneo the video frame;
(vilr m-ans to insert the eneodet address of the - ~ubscriber's node frame ~tore ~nto-the vertical ;~
blanklng interval of the video-~r me (vlll~ ~eans for conveying the encoded-video frame to;
~5) ~ vertical blanking ~witch, responsive to commands from -each VD~ controller in each VDU, that receives a video -~- - - frame from a sel~cted YDU and transmits that-video frame ~0 - -^ -down the ~runk cable the switch including a -cheduler ., . .-.,. . . . . ,, . . , . , -.. ,:
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that, in communication with the VDU controlier, prio~itizes an~ schedules the transmission of the video frames, t~en informs ~he VDU controller that a sDecifiec video frame has been transmitted onto the trunk cable so 05 that the vDU controller can command the specified audlo frame store to commence transmitting the accompanying audio down the trunk cable;
(~) a node frame store, located at a node, to receive video frames ~ --and accompanying audio from the trunk cable and to transmit both onto the distribution cable; the node frame s.ore including -ll) a television tuner to pass the channel that is carrying the video frames on the trunk cable;
(2) ~ channel blocker in parallel with the television tuner to -: -block the channel carrying the video frames on the trunk - ~ -~
~cable, while allowing other channel frequencies on the ~trunk to pass onto the distribution cable;
(3) ~ node frame ~tore module comprising;
(i) ~a radio receiver connected to the trunk, and tuned to the pecific radio frequency assigned to that node frame ~tore ~ii) a video frame torage means connected to the tuner -- ~1) adapted for the storage and transmission of a -video frame;
~;~ ; 25 (i~i) a node frame ~tore processing unit that-examines - each video frame passed by the tuner and identifies those video fr mes that are addressed to that -~
particular node frame store, and upon such ident~fication, the video frame storage means is -activated to ~tore that video frame;
(lv) -~eans to modulate both the video frame from the v~deo frame store and audio from the radio receiver - onto the same television channel that was used to = tran-mit th- video frames to the ~ode frame s~ore, ~nd to transmit both onto the di~tribution cable, along with the channels passed by the chann-l ~-blocker .. , -Alternatively, the video disc player can be any convenient ~40 - m ns oE çtoring and retrieving video frames and accompanyinq audio : :

1 3 ~ 3 9, messages ~n an a~ternative aspec:, only one of the two video f;eids that comprise a video frame is transmitted by the invention Since ~-05 only 1/60th of a second is required to transmit th- field, the capacity of the invention is effectively doubled, albeit witA some loss of video picture quality ;

General Method of the Invention No SDecified Transmission Means - ~`~
~n an alternative aspect, the invention contemplates an improved method of distributing still video frames and accompanying ~ ~-audio interactively through a television distribution system to a ~ -subscribers' home television ~et The-transmission means could include, but is not limited to, transmission and reception by -antennae t the distribution point and at the subscriber's home, or transmission to a satellite and retransmission to a satellite ~dishn at the subscriber's home, or by use of fibre optic cable instead of ;` ;
coasial cable Thirty video frames are delivered each second over a `' ~tandard television channel Each video frame, comprised of two ` -~ 20 interleaved video fields, has a first plurality of scan lines -~
'~ representing a vertical blanking lnterval Upon one or more of the ~ ~ ;
xcan lines in the vertical blanking interval is i~serted a unique -~
address corresponding to a point in the transmission system to which `.'.'.'~.~'''.','~',''~:,;J
a nubscriber is connected The second plurality of scan lines in the video frame contains the data to generate th- video picture ~ '''',.' '~''.,; .~ !.' age She improved method comprises the ~teps of 1~ ~1) selecting (i) a primary path for transmission of video frames;
node along that primasy path; ~nd '-~30 ~iii) a secondary p th ~from the node to a subscsiber's television'set; '`~;j' . `':'` `"~'., ';'7 ` ~ (2~ ~ssignlng a unique addre-s to the secondary path;
(3) ini-rt~ng upon a predetermined can line of the vertical;''~
~` blanking interval of ach frame a unique addres~ ", "
~) tran~itting the v~d-o frame with the uni~ue ~ddress along the pr~ary pat~
(S) examining, on the primary path at the node, the predetermined ~can line of the video fr~me for the unique address;
~6) ~toring that video frame at the node if the unigue addre'ss - ~-0 ~atches the address-of the secondary path; and, - : - ~

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~7) repetitively transmitting, a; ieast 25 timesiseccnd, the video frame stored at the node down ~he secondary path tO the subscriber's television set as a s.iil video frame 05 In an alternative and preferable method, there are a plurality of secondary paths to a plurality of subscri~ers, each group of secondary paths being connected to the primary path at a junction point, or node In this method, the sampling, storage of video frames and transmission of video frames down secondary paths --(5, 6 and 7) occurs at each uniquely addressed node for a disc:eee group of subscribers In a further alternative and preferable method, audio messages that correspond to a particular video frame are transmittPd a~ong a discrete route, which in the preferred embodiment is the primary path, to the subscriber These audio messages can be either amplitude modulated analogue radio or compressed audio in the electronic format of a video frame lf the pcimary path is not used, then a tertiary path such as a telephone system may bo used to transmit the audio messages to the subscriber - Interim Video Storaqe in a Television Transmission Svstem .
Video-Frame Store In another ~spect, the invention contemplates a video rame store located in a television transmission system The video frame ~tore has means to store a single video frame (composed of two interleaved video fields) compatible with a standard tèlevision protocol The video frame is $dentified 4y the video frame store by -~
a unique ~ddress contalned in one or more o the scan lines of the vertical ~lanking interval of that video frame ~he remainder of the ~can lin-s in the video frame eontain the data to generate the video picture imaqe The video ~rame store samples the video frames -passing by the video frame store on a primary path and selec:s only th~t frame that contains ehe unique address o that video frame ~tore, ~tores that video frame, 'hen transmits it -along a secondary path repetitively at least 25 t mes/second to form a still eelevision video image ~he video frame store comprises - ~1) means for examing a primary path for a video frame that has one of the can lines in its video blanking interval uniquely -~ ~0 addressed; and - . .: :~
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, . . -. . , 1~31 ~3 (2) means or storing a video frame and for transmi~ting the s.ored video frame :eoet~tively a~ ieast 25 times per second onto a second path;
(3) comparator means for compar ng the address examined Dy means 05 (1) and on a match to a predete:mined address, activating the storing means (2) to store ~he video frame from the primary path In a preferred embodiment, the video frame store has means to receive from the primary path an audio message to accompany a particular video frame The audio message is combined with the ;- -~
video frame onto one television channel and both transmitted ~ ~-together on a secondary path to a subscriber $he audio messace can be received as either amplitude modulated analogue radio or -~
compressed audio in the electronic format of a video frame In ~ further preferred embodiment, a plurality of video -frame ~tores are located together at a node in the transmission ~ystem to service a plurality of secondary paths for economies of cale ~ -~
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~ Descri~tion of the Drawincs `~ The invention will now be described by way of eYample and reference to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a ~chematic diagram of the components ' ssociated with a CATV ~ystem, that i~ modified according to the -- ~nvention ', .: .~- i..-- ............................................... :- ,::. :
Figure 2 is a !block chematic diagram of a central control - unit ICC~) according to the invention -.
Figure 3 is a 410ck ~chematic diagram of one of the video ~ ;
di~play units ~VDU) according to the invention ~ ~

Figure 4 is a block ~chematic diagram of a node frame ; store, that is located at a node, according to the invention -` -., . .:
~ ~ Figure 5(A~8) is a block schematic diagram of an - 40 alternative embodiment, according to the invention, ~or conveying ~ -è-~.',:'" ,' ' ~:~:
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audio down the primary pa~h to the node Crame store.

~igure 6(A~) is a flow c:na:t of the ope:ation o' ~he central processing unit (CPU) in the central control unit (CCU), 05 according ~o the invention. ' Figure 7(A~B) is a flow chart of the operation of the VDU
Controller in the video display unit (VDU), according to the invention. ' ~ -Descri~tion of ehe Preferred Embodiments Referring to ~igure 1, a CATV system incorporating the preferred embodiment is indicated as 15 and consists of a CATV hub ' ' 20 from which three trunk eables 21 emerge ~5 the primary signal 15 paths. Along the trunk cables 21 are a plurality of nodes 25. At each node 25 a bridqer amplifier, not shown, is generally located to - amplify-the televi'sion ~ignals and to convey them along a secondary path, a distribution eable 31, to the home 40 of a subscriber. At -the node 25', and according to the invention, a multiple node frame 20 store 30 i5 located which has ~s output at'least one distribution '~
cable'31. Four potential di~tribution cables 31 connections 1, 2, 3 ' and 4 are hown, while only number 2 ls depicted in use. Similarly, only one multiple node frame store 30 is shown attached to the node '5 '~
~ 25'. It ~ill be appreciated that similar multiple node frame stores '~ ~ 25 30 ~re to be attached, according to the invention, to each of-the '~
other~nodes 25 along the trunk cable 21. Along each distribution cable 31, there is a drop connection 35 to a drop 36, in the form of a coaxial cable, extending into the subscriber's residence ~0 for ' iconnection to a television recelver or~set 45. At the CA~V hub 20 - 30 there are a plurality of television receiving antennas 2?, one only being shown. ~ ' ~ccording to the invention, associated with the CATV hub 20 ~s ~ central control unit (CCU) 2~. In a preferred embodiment, the '35 CCU 28 is at the same phys~cal location s the ~ 5V-~hub 20 but this ~s not~necessary so long as the output 29, from-~he CCU 28, makes connection with the trunk-icable 21 in the CATV hub 2D.
Conveniently, ~the~CCU 28 has ~ plural'ity of telephone lines 50 -~
terminating thereat,-said telephone lines making other connection to 0 ~ telephone switching ofEice 35. ~he subscriber has nis residence -.~ .
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phone ~8 eonnec-ed t~ the ~ele?hone s~itch.rs o~ice S; -by his telephone 'in~ 49 Those skilled in .he ar; ~ pprec a~e thae the signals 05 received by the plurality o television recelving ~ntennas 2i are amplified at the CA~V hub 20, and dispatched along the trunk eable 21 on discrete channels, each channel containing a plurality of --~
frequencies of given bandwidth, gener~lly in North America about 6 M~z wide ~t is not uncommon that tXe trunk cable 21 would carrv -~
some 20 to 70 different channels of conventional video and audio ~ ;
subband information She pluralitv of channels is amplifiei at the nodes 25 (omitting the multiple noce frame store 30 for the moment) -and the amplified channel frequencies are conveyed along the -;-~
distribution cable 31 through a drop connection 35 into drop 36 and hence to the subscriber's television ~et 45 ~ ,, . :,, According to the invention, in one spect, the ~ubsc:iber, ~; ~ by utilizing his telephone 48, communic tes directly through thei telephone ~witching office 55 to the CC~ 28 by ~king ~ nor~al telephone call ~f a ~touch tone-~ et is used the keypad of the telephone 48 may be used to enter peci~ic teque-t- directly to the CC~ 28, as vill become pparent ~ ~-In the CCU 28, and ~ccording to the invent$on,-t~e keypad lnfotmation from the telephone ~8 causes video frames, con~isting of two interleaved video fields, which have been prerecorded ~nd tored on one of ~ plurallty of video players, to be dispatcbed along the ~ trunk cable 21 to the subscriber's tel~vision net ~5 ln this -- resp-ct, ~nce ther- is mplification at the nod-- 25, the video ~-frame is first dl~patched down the trunk cable 21 to that node 25' -~
~ to vhlch th- sub~crib-r's home 40 also connects At this node 25' ; ~ video fr me i~ ~tored vithin the multiple node frame store 30 to ~ -- be retr~nsmitted continuously 30 times/second to the subscr~ber'~
television et ~5 ~long one of the four distribution eable~ 31 hovn ~s line number 2 in Fisure ~ The time r~gulred for conveying the video frame from th- CCU 28 to the multiple node frame store 30 --~-for torage is a single frame interval ~l/30th of a ~econd) ~he - ;
~ultlple node frame ~tore 30 retransmits the stored video frame ~ ~ -~epetitively 30 times/second down the distribution eable 31 for - ~ ~0 continous reception by the tele~ision-~et ~5 until, ~ppropriately -''.. ' ' ~, ." ~:

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.; ~

~33~3 '' 14 the multiple node f:ame store 30 recelves from the CCU 28 a new uniauely'addressed video frame, wherein the cyc1e is :epeated i~ a manner which wiii become apparent 05 In summary, therefore, it is apparent that each 1/30th of a second a different video frame may travel down the trunk cable 21 ~ence, each second, 30 different nodes can be serviced with a new video frame Eaçh such node, then, continuously transmits that frame in its multiple node frame store to the subscriber The 10 ~subscriber, therefore,-nsees~ a still video'image, while the CCU 28 ''is continuously dispatching new video frames at each frame interval to other node frame stores In such application, it is mandatory that there be a master-sync generator to synchronize the sean lines ' -and hence the vertical blanking intervals throughout -the CATV ~ ' '' 1~ system -~ ~-Referring now to Figure 2, the CCU 28 comprises a central processing unit 60, with inputs thereto from a plurality of telephone management units ~TMn) 65, 10 being shown in all, each TMU
65 ~chematically depicting the termination of 30 telephone lines 50 The teiephone lines 50,~of course, terminate at their opposite ends - at the telephone switching office 55 of Figure 1 Each TMU 65 receives instructions from a plurality of subscribers and sends such instructions in an orderly flow to the central processing unit 60 ~he central processing unit 60 has a plurality of outputs collectively shown as 66, and diagramatically-depicted as being 30 in number,-each output directly connected to a video display unit 70 (VD~) There are 30 VD~'s 70, each with its output to a unique port of a vertical blanking switch 80, which~ includes a scheduler 85 Shere is a master sync generator-69 which passes master sync pulses ~long paths 69' to each of the video display unies 70 and to the ' ' ~cheduler ~5 n this way, each of the video frames available from the 9 W'~ 70 at each of the input ports 79' may ~ass ~ffectively -~35 'through the vertic-l-blanking ~witch 80 and eventually onto the trunk eable 21 'The video ~rumes passing out of th'e vertical blanking ~witch ~0, on path ~0', pass into a video modulator 81 - which upconv-rts the base band video frame to a preselected channel requency f~v), thence onto trunk'cable 21 Similarly, the 40' accompanying audio travels ~long path 76' to an RF upconverter 85 ;.~, r. _ _.
~.: . . .
. _ .

13313~3 whose output goes tO trunk eaDle 21 Referring to Figure 3, each VDU 70 consists of a single video display controller (VDU controller) ~1, that includes integral 05 therewith a programmable micro-processor; a single video player 73;
and in parallel, a plurality of audio frame stores 75, preferably 10 in number, with their common input being the output of the video player 73 In the audio frame stores 75, audio digital output from the video player 73 is converted into an analogue signal ~he ;~
outputs of each audio frame-store 75 pass to its own selectably tuned AM transmitter 76 with an output frequency fixed by the VDU --controller 71 and established as f~ax) where x is an integer of 1 to 10 within each VD~ 70 Outputs from the transmitters 76 pass by -~
common output line 76', and now referring to Figure 2, through an RP
upconverter 85 onto the trunk cable 21 In parallel with the video player 73 is a graphics decoder 77 with output ?7'~ A video combiner 78 has as input the output 73' rom the video player 73, being composite video, and the output 77' from the graphics decoder 17, being RGB video The output 78' rom the video combiner 78, being RGB video, is input to an RGB to composite video converter and node address inserter 79, that has as -single output, line 79' Line 79' makes, ~nd referring to Figure - ~ -2, connection to a unique port 79' ~s) of the vertical blanking switch 80 where s has a--value 1 throuqh 30 Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the ~ertical blanking switch 80 includes a scheduler 85 and has a single output line 80' into a video modulator 81 which elevates the ~ase band video on line 80' to a pre elected channel ~ ;P
frequency f(v) ~nd out~uts it onto output line 81' and thence, and referring to Figure 1, to trunk cable 21 ......
Referring to Figures 2 ~nd 3, there is a master sync generator 69, having communicatlon over line 69' with the scheduler 85 ~nd to each of the Qideo display units 70 (spec~fica~ly to each - -of the 30 video playeri 73, the graphics decoder 77, the video combi~er 78, nd the RGB -to composite converter ~nd node address - `;
inserter ~9) ~nd to the scheduler 85 housed within the vertical ;~
blanking ~witch 80 ;~

-40 --~Similarly, the ~cheduler 55 is directly conneeted along , ~

: ;
'' ' ..'-':
:~ -, ~3~ ~3 :

path 715 to each of the 30 vDU con~rollers 71 and exchanges c~n~ro data therewith Each VDU controller 71 al50 has an output line , directly to the RG8 to c^mposiee converter and node address nser~er 79 which inserts a "uni~ue node address" upon a predetermined scan 05 line within the vertical blanking interval of each video field in the video frame As additional outputs, the VDU controller 71 has line 711 to the video player 73, line 712 to each of the audio frame stores 75 and line ?13 to each of the tunable AM transmitters 76 Referring to Figures 1 and 4 for a moment, there are a -plurality of multiple node frame stores 30 each containing one or more node frame stores 95, each of which has been assigned a unique address When a video frame is located on a given video plaver 73 and that prerecorded frame is to be sent to the television set 45, the specific address of the node frame store 95 within the multiple . node frame store 30 at node 25' in Figure 1 must be used ~hcrefore, that specific address which is contained within the -memory of the central processing unit 60 is passed to the VDU 70 that contains the video playcr ?3 witb the specific video frame ' 20 requested by the subscriber We will a-sume, for example, it is the --- video player 73 in V W number i ln Figure 3 The node frame store address i- passed to the VDU controller 71 along line 66 and that addre-s passed by the VDU controller 71 long line 71~ to the RGB to composite converter and node address inserter 79 Simultaneously, --~
~long line 711, the video frame within video player 73 i~ selected along with its accompanying audio frame~s), and the video ~nd audio frames passed along path 73' to the video combiner 78`and to one or the audio frame stores 75(1) through 75~10) The VDU controller 71 selects which aydio frame store is ~free~ then passes an enabling pulse along line 712 to the ppropriate audio frame store 75 to ntore only the appropriate-audio frame(s) The audio fr~me store 75 tr-nslate- the audio frame(s~ into analogue audlo nd, on command from the VDU contsoller 71, eonveys it onto line 75' as input to its own tunable AM transmitt-r 76 The VDU controller 71, through line 713, et~ the AM transmitter freguency f(ax) to that of the AM
receiver in the node frame store 9S It is convenient, however, to upconvert all transmitter outputs 76' ~nd this is done by an R F
upconverter 85 40 ~ In the memory of the VDU controller 71, as well, may be a . . .

.

. .
_ . , .
' ~' "graphics overlay" associated with tha~ specific video f:ame selected. This overlay, if any, is ?assed along line 7'0 to the graphics decoder 77 which reconsti~uees it as RG3 video and passes it as output alon~ line 77' into the video eombiner 78; The 05 graphics overlay then is placed onto the video fram- within the video combiner 78 and the combined RGB output passed along line 78' into the RGB to composite converter and node address inserter 79.
The viteo rame is composed of 2 video fields, each field composed o a first plurality of scan lines representing the ver~ical ~ -blanking interval, and a second plurality of scan lines representinG
the video picture data. One of the scan lines in the vertical blanking interval is preselected to carry the node address, and the RGB to composite converter and node address inserter 79 accepts the node address from the VDU controller 71 along line 714 and places i lS on the designated scan line of the vcrtical blanking interval of ' ~-~
that video frame. ~he uniquely addressed RGa video frame is ; ;-converted to composite video and then passes along the line 79' to - - --a specific port of the vertical blanking ~witch 80. On the appropriate signal from the VDU controller 71 to the scheduler 85, the vertical blanking switch is opened for that specific port and the aadressed video frame is passed to the output 80' of the vertical blanking switch. The scheduler 85 then passes the ppropriate signal to the VDU controller 71 indicating that the -video frame has passed along line 80' to the trunk cable il. At ~- -each frame interval this equence may be repeated. Therefore on the path 80' ~t each 1/30th of a second, there may be transmitted a ! different video frame with a different node address. ~hese signals are all b~se band frequencies and hence pass through, and referring `
to Figure 2, the video modulator 81 whieh elevates the base band to -the predesignated requency f(v) as heretofore explained. The ~cheduler 85 does not allcw any audio frames through the vertical blank~ng switch 80. . ~-, i "
It will be seen therefore, that the path 715 between ~5 scheduler 85 and VDU controller 71 is bi-d~rectional, as are the paths 710 and 711, while the paths 712 and 713 need not be.
---Video players 73, according to the present art, have a -response time of approximately 1 second. Therefore, in order to ensure that each 1/30th of a second interval can be serviced with a ' ' ' , - . ,.

~33~3 18' unique video f-ame, there are at least 30 different VDU's 70, each VDU ooerat ve once each second This satisfies :he Nor.h American and Japanese environments where 30 video frames oc~ur each second If the response time of the video players i5 slower; then the 05 plurality of video display units 70 must ~e increased in order to have the same video frame freguency of response per second;
imilarly, if faster response times of video players are availaDle, ther'e may be fewer video display units 70 ~he plurality of video display units 70 may also be incrcased to allow multiple access to $he same'information which i-s in high demand, or to provide a broader range of information in the information "pool" - ' Now referring to Figures 2 and 3, each of the VDU
controllers 71 connects to the central processing unit 60 and that central processing unit 60 will initiat-, in the'appropriate fashion, ~ctivation of the appropriate VDU controLler 71 of each of the video display units 70 ~he VDU controller 71 impresses the node frame store address onto the qiven video frame for passage through the ~ertical blanking switch 80 $he scheduler 85, on command frcm the VDU controller 71, then selects that video frame for dispatch through the vertical blanking switeh 80 onto the trunk cable 21;

From the aforesaid, it will be clearly seen that according to the preferred embodiment-of the invention there re at least 30 video display units 70, each with their respective VDU!controller 71, ~ideo player 73, audio frame stores 75, tunable AM transmitters 76, graphics decoder 77, video combiner 78, and RGB to composite converter and node addres~ inserter 79 The output f~rom all of t~e aGB to composite converters and node address inserters 79 within the plurallty of video display units 70 jointly terminate at their respective unique input ports of the vertical blanking switch 80 Each of the 30 ~DU controllers 71 has its individual input line 66 addressed ~y the central processing unit 60 ----r Sn the oregoing, it will now be apparent that the cheduler 85 communicates with each VDU controller 71 in each VDU 70 and it co-ordinates the passing of each video frame from the input' '~--~ ports 79' to the output pore B0' The scheduler, therefore, receives ~0 ~ ~go pulse" from the appropriate VDU controller 71 and sends a ;~ . .- :
;. ' -- ~.".:

' ~ 3 3 1 ~ 3 ~

19 - ., "done" pulse -o the same VDU eontroller after the video frame has been passed through tie vertical ~lanking s~itch 80. Thereafter, ~he VDU conerolle- 71 sends the accompanying audio message associated .
with the video frame just sen~. The cycle is repeated every 1/30.h 05 of a second permitting different VDU's 70 to send their uniquely :. .addressed video frames through the vertical blanking switch ao, then - ~ -send the audio message associated with each video frame. .?
'' ". '..
- Now at each of the plurality of nodes 25 along trunk cable ~
21, there is a multiple node frame store 30 according to ~igures 1 - ;;.
and 4. The multiple node frame store 30 consists of a single ..
control module 90 with one or more node frame store modules 9S, each of the node frame store modules 95(n) communicating it's respective - :-.
output to it's own distribution cable 31(n), where (n) is an . --.-lS integer, 1, 2, 3 or 4 or such greater number as corresponds to the number of distribution cablcs. It will be seen, therefore, that at - - :
any.node 25, the "minimumN environment is for a multiple node frame - -, tore 30 to consist of single control module 90 and a single node r frame store-~odule 9S. .-- Referring now to .the control module 90, it includes a tuner 94, tuned to the dedicated preselected channel freguency f(v), as ~
its input from the trunk cable 21. In parallel with the tuner 94 is a notch ~ilter or channel blocker 93 that passes as its output 93' :~:
all other channel frequencies on the trunk cable 21, eYcept f(v).
The ouput 93' of the channel blocker 93 is passed to the output path ;~
of all the node frame store modules 9S within the framc s.ore 30 as ~ .
will be explained. - : ~ :

30 The output of the tuner 94 detects~channel ~(v). ~his :. .;
output is passet to a timing generator 92 which has two outputs to ~ach of the node frame tore modules 9S. The first output is a clock along path 92' to each video frame store 210. The second.
output is gate pulses for vertical synchroni~ing along paeh 92".to .. .
each vertical blanking interval gate (V~I gate) 220. She clock may . . .-be any convenient multiple of the horizontal sync on channel f(v).

- Referring to a single node frame store module 9S, there are Swo paths therein, an audio path and a video path. The audio path ~0 - i5 in parallel with the tuner 34 and consist-s of an AM RF receiver :.

"

- : ~

1 ~ ~ i v , , 20 110 with a fixed tuned frequency o~ (ax). The input of the receiver 110 connects di:ectly to the trunk cable 21 and the ou;?ut of the receiver 110 is detected audio ~nich is conveyed along pat~
100 to the input of the modulator 300 wnose output frequency is a ' 05 reconstructed channel f(v). This f(v) output is conveyed alon~ path 300' to a RF combiner 400 which has as an additional input, the output of the channel blocker 93. Path 93' therefore conveys to the combiner-400 all the cnannels that were on the trunk cable 21, other than channel f~v). The video path 94' of the node frame store module 95 includes a video frame store 210 whose output is video frames that have been stored that pass along path 210' to the . , modulator 300. The audio and vidco inputs to the modulator 300 are ~iYed whereby the audio becomes the FM audio subband of channel f(v) and the video becomes the video subband of the same channel f(v); .' the modulator 300 outputs channel E(v) onto one of the inputs of the combiner 400. ~he.output from the combiner 400 is the secondary path, the distribution cable 31, carrying the reconstructed channel f~v) and ali remaining channels from the trunk cab,le 21.
~ ' . .
-20 In order to accomplish the foregoing, a video blanking ,~
inter~al gate ~VBI gate) 220 has its output 220' as one of the ~ :
. $nput~ to the video frame store 210. All video frame stores 210 .~'' have as ~nother $nput the output of the tuner 94 along path 94'. .
~ ~ .Each of the individual VBI gates.220 of each of the node frame store t- 25 modules 95~n)-has a unique address. and ~hen the appropriate scan ;~ l$ne in the vertical blank$ng interval contains that address, the ' ~BI gate~220 (1), for esample, initiates it~ video frame store -~
. 210~1) to ~ tore~ that video frame which i5 at the output of the 3; ~ tuner 9~- `The next immedi~te vertical blanking interval at the ~:~... 30 itun~r.9~-output will conta$n ~n ~ddre~s other than the address for --~
.the-VBI gate 220(1) ~nt ~ence that video frame is'not accepted by - .,~: ~
the V~I gate 220(1). She vldeo frame, once ~tored wi~hin the video ~ :
-:.fr me ~tore 210~1) is continuously transmitted 30 times/second on .,.~
' -the video path .210' to the modulator 300 and thence ~nward as -.. '-:.. '.
r.~ - 3~ heretofore descr~bed onto the dist,ribution ca,ble ~1~
. -Each of the plurality of node frame store modules 9S~n) has .
. ~ts AN re~ceiver.. llO fix-tubed to a unigue ~F freguency f(ax) and the .- .
V~I'gate 220 assigned a unigu- address. ~be appr.opriate table of AM . ~
~0 ~F ~eceiver-frequencies cf thc frame store modules 95(n) and the . ~'., ~'.
... - . -F- '- '^ --"' '' ,:,- -~ ' : : . ~

~ 3 ~ 3 ~ ~
:, "~
,, ,, ~ .
,, ~1 ' ' ,,,;

address of each of the VBI gates 220 in each node frame s~ore modu e 95(n) are stored at ~he CATV hub 20 wi~hin the central processins unit 60 in the central controi uni~ 28 OS ln summary, then, when the subscriber calls in on his -~ -telephone 48 to thc eentral control unit 28, his call is conveyed ~ -through one of the telephone manageme~t unit~ 65 directly to the ccntral processing unit 60, should he have a touch tone telephone If the subscriber does not have a touch tone telephone, a converter can convert the pulses to touch tone, or some other means could be used to receive and input the necessary instructions into the ~ -central processing unit 60 The subscriber may ask to review ~--various types of merchandise which are sold by various vendors ~he ~ -various catalogues of these vendors have been placed as individual lS frames on the video player~ and, if desired, associa;ed with audio frames When the central processing unit 60 activates a video display unit 70, the appropriate ~ideo player 73 i~ activated to - retrieve the reqyired video frame and accompanying audio fra~e~s) ~-~he video- frame pas~es -s heretofore explained to the vertieal blanking ~witch 80 At the modulator 81, the video frame is - --impre~sed upon ~ preselected channel f(v), for eYample, channel 3S, ~nd eventually pa~sed-to thc trunk cable 21 ~ence the output of - ~11 video display units ~0 is on a given channel f(v) Thus, 30 dlfferent frames ean be transmitted on the CATV by the video display -units 70 in any given ~eeond when, for example, the ~orth A~erican -~
~nd Japane~e video transmission ~tandard is u~ed The audio frame(~) a~sociated with each video frame are converted to am~litude ~ , modulated ~udio ~nd transmitted on the trunk cable 21 at a disc-ete ~reguency f(a~) which i~ not otherwise used for the video channels Referring to Figure SA, an alternative mode of transmitting ; ~udlo i~ for-the video player 73 to pass the audio frame along path 73' ~ compres~ed audio ~n the electronic format of - video frame R-ferring to Figure S~, ~n the node frame rtore 95 there is located the ~udlo frame store 75 which replaces the AM RF recelver 110 ,n th~t application, the need for transmitters 76 in the VDu'5 70, and ~or ~n AM RF receiver 110 in the node frame store 9S is avoided ~hu~ from video player 73, the audio frame pas$es along path 73' each 1/30th of a-~econd to a frame switch 74 which allows video ` ~Q frames or audio ~rames through the switch one at a time ~he frame .
F` -' . '~
~' .

~33~3 swi ch 14 is controlled by the VDU controller 71 through path 716 Since the audio frames must aiso now ~e addressed in thelr vertical blanking interval with a unique address, the node address inserter 790, previously part of the RGB to composite converter and node oS address inserter 79, is now moved and placed after the frame switch 7~ along path 74' The node address inserter ~90 inserts the appropriate unique address into both video and audio frames ~otn video and audio ~rames are then conveyed from the node ddress inserter 790 along path 790' to the unique port of the vertical blanking switch 80 and out port 80' through the video modulator, not shown, and down trunk cable 21 to the multiple node frame store 30 The multiple node frame store 30 has its control module 90 in accordance with Figure 4, but the node frame store module 95 i5 ~ -configured in accordance with ~igure 53 and includes the audio 'rame store ~5 having as input the output of the tuner 94, ~nd, in parallel, VBI gate 220 which performs the same function for the audio frame store as the VBI gate 220 performs for ehe video frame -~
Jtore ~he output of the audio frame store 15 is analogue audio and passcs along path 75' to the modulator 300 and thence to the combiner ~OO and as before, combined with all channels and output -~
, on d~stribution cable 31 -As an alternatlve, it is not necessary to rransmit the -~
audio over the same path as the video frames, but the audio can be transmitted through the telephone system to the subscriber's telephone, or via any other transmission means Referring to the invention in general, those skilled in the ~rt will appreciate that the location of the node frame store module~
~0 gS ~y-be at a node 25 but in fact could be at the subscriber's --television set 45 as well~

~ eferrlng to Pigure 6A, the flow chart depicts a cycle of oper~tion of the central processing unit 60 in the CCU 2B Box 1 s ;~
the ~on-off~ switch mechanism Box 2 receives as input the output of the $elephone Management ~nits 65 When a ubscriber's telephone ; ;--call is received, Box 3 asks ehe subscriber, using a computer~
generated voice, to enter the subscriber's personal identification ;
-~number by pushing the appropriate buttons on their touch-tone phone ~ ~- ~0 In Decision Box ~, if the node frame store 95 serving that ': - '~ .~ .. ~
.

. ;.. ~ .:

~ 3 ~

subscriber is busy, the subscriber ls pUt in a call-bac~ queue, Box 5, until the node frame store is available If the subscr~er's ~ ;~
n~de frame store is available, 90x 6, Subscriber Interac:ion Mode, is initiated, as will be explained below with reference to Figure os 6B ~hen the subscriber has finished requesting information, Box 7 displays a ~Thank you" frame on the subscriber's ~ V ~creen and disconnects the call Decision 80x 8 asks if another subsc:iber has been put in the call-back queue if yes, that subscriber is called and notified that the service is calling back and the sequence is initiated again at Box 3 If no other subscriber is in the call-back queue, Box 9 displays a "System ready" message at the subscriber's node frame store and returns to Box ' to wait for a new incoming subscriber call .
Referring now to Figure 6B, it shows a cycle of operation wiehin Box 6, Subscriber Interaction Mode When the subscriber's node frame store 95 is available, Box 6-1 set the initial frame identification to the mai~ index page Box 6-2 ~elects from the - -central processing unit memory the frame data for the next frame ~either main index page or a frame that has been requested by the - -~ubscriber in Box 6-7 ~ Box 6-3 then sends the frame data to the VDU 70 and wait~ for a subscriber request If there is a request, Deci-ion Box 6-4 initia~tes Box 6-6 to record the initial request for statistical purposes, then Box 6-7 determines the identity of the next requested frame and initiates the cycle again at-~ox 6-2 lf there are no further requests, Box 6-4 instructs Decision Box 6-5 to wait a predetermined time ~nd then time-out, and the cycle is initiated again at Box 7 ~n Figure 6A
.
~eferring to Figure 7A, the flow chart depicts a cycle of operation of the VDU Controller 71 in the VDU 70 Box 1 is the ~on-off" switch mechanism -Box 2 receives instructions from the central processing unit 60 tBox 6 in Figure 6A) and upon receipt of ~n instruction, Decision Box 3 s-nds that instruction to Box 4 Box ~ selects an unused audio frame store 75(n) ~ithin the VDU 70 ~nd tunes its transmitter 76 to the frequency assigned to the ~ubscr~ber's node frame store g5 Box 5 then searches the video disc on the video disc~player 73 within the VDU 70 for the audio frame(s) associated with the subscriber's request and transmits the ~0 ~r-me(s) to the previously selected audio frame store 75tn) Box 6 i . . ..

~ 3 ~ 3 then searches tne video disc for ~he video ~rame reaueseed ~y the subsGriber, and also loads any associated graphics into the graphlcs decoder 77 30x 7 then eransmits .he video frame onto the ~runk cable, as ~normal" priority ~Normal~ priority is used when the 05 frame reguested by the subscriber i5 the first frame of a series or frames forming one presentation ~igh" priority is used when the requested frame is the second, third, fourth, etc frame within a presentation - the transmission of such frames has preceience over ~normal~ priority frames in order to maintain the eontinuity of the presentation in synchronization with the audio message ~Box i is described in detail in Figure 79 and below ) Once the video frame has been transmitted, Box 8 transmits the audio onto the trunk cable Decision Box 9 a ks if more video frames are to De ..
transmitted as part of the presentation ; no, Box 10 waits for -the end of the ~udlo mes~age, or the reception of an abort message ~ ;
from the subscriber, ~nd Box 13 ~ends an ~end of pre entation" -~
~es~age to the central processing unit 60 ~nd the cycle is initiated i ag~in at Box 2 Sn Deci~ion Box i, if there ~re more video frames ~ j in the pre~entation, then Box ll waits for ~ither the commencement - ; -~ ; 20 of the nest video fr~me (~frame ch~nge~) or the re¢eption of an abort eommand from the ~ubscriber If an abort command is received, Deci~ion Box 12 initiates Box i3 to ~end an ~end of pre~entation~ -; -~ess~ge to the central proce~slng unit 60 and initiate the cycle ~-gain ~t ~ox 2 I a fr me ch nge mes~age $~ received, Deci~ion Box 25~ 12 ~niti~tes Box 1- to ~earch for the next s$deo fr-me in the ; p,re~entation and load its graphic~ into ehe graphics decoder Box `;~
lS then tran~mits that video fr e at ~high~ priority, to preserve - ' the continulty of the presentation, ~nd the cycle 1~ initiaeed again ;~
t-Deci~$on Pox 9, continuing until the pre~entation is completed or ~ ~ ~` -30 ~borted l`-`; Ref-rring to Pigure 7B,ithe ~ransmit Frames~ sequenc~~oxes 7 ~nd lS of P~gure 7A begin their internal operation at Box ~-l by lo dlng the ~ubscriber'~ node fram ~tore ~ddres- into the -35 RGB to composite converter and node address inserter ~9 Box ~-2 c ~
lnit$~tes the transmit request with the specified priority ~Box 7 ~ ?
nor~al,-Box lS ~ high) ~ox 2-3 waits for ~ transmission -~cknowledgement response from the Scheduler 85 in ~he vertic?al bl~nking ~witch 80 Nhen thc ~cknowledgement has ~een received in 40 ~3OX T~4,-the fr~me h~s b-en sent ~nd the cycle continues out of ~ox r ~ ~

- ;

~3~ 3 7 into 30x 3 if normal priority, or out of Box 15 into ~ox 9 if Aic~.
priority.
~5 ~;

- ' ' ~' ~
:

Claims (5)

1. A node frame store for storing a video frame having at least one video field being a first plurality of scan lines representing a vertical blanking interval, and a second plurality of scan lines representing video picture data, the node frame store comprising:
(A) means for examining signals transmitted on a predetermined television channel over a primary path for a video frame that has one of the scan lines in its video blanking interval uniquely addressed;
(B) means for storing a video frame and for transmitting the stored video frame repetitively at least 25 times/second onto a second path on said predetermined channel; and (C) means for activating the storing means (B) to store a video frame from the primary path which has a predetermined address associated with the node frame store.

2. The node frame store as claimed in claim 1, including (D) means for detecting audio along the primary path and transmitting it on the second path.

3. A video distribution system including a plurality of node frame stores for storing video frames, each node frame store comprising:
means for examining signals transmitted over a primary path, common to all of said node frame stores, for a video frame that contains an address associated with that node frame store;
means for storing a video frame and for transmitting the stored video frame repetitively at a standard television frame rate over a second path on a predetermined channel which is the same for all of the second paths over which said node frame stores transmit stored video frames; and means for activating the storing means to store a video frame from the primary path which has a predetermined address associated with that node frame store.

4. The node frame store of claim 3 further including, means for detecting audio information transmitted along the primary path and for transmitting the audio information over said second path.

5. The node frame store of claim 3 further including means for detecting audio information transmitted along a third path and for transmitting the audio information over said second path.