Use of transmitter assigned phantom channel numbers for data services

摘要

A video communication system includes a microprocessor for operating a tuner to select desired television channels in response to the input of corresponding channel numbers. A video data application program is Stored in a memory that is accessible to the microprocessor for providing an on-screen display generator with the video data program information for display. The microprocessor identifies the video data application program by a phantom channel number and when that channel number is input by the user, the microprocessor decodes it and accesses the memory location of the video data application program and activates the on-screen display generator.