ENTERTAINMENT/INFORMATION SYSTEM HAVING DISPARATE INTERACTIVE DEVICES

摘要

An information/entertainment system having a number of interactive input and output devices (114, 110) is provided. Each interactive input device (114) is electrically connected to a selected output device (110) using a host (44) that communicates with a router apparatus (50). The router apparatus (50) includes a plurality of emulation assemblies (100). Each emulation assembly (100) is configured to communicate input information to a particular interactive output device (110). Input information from a particular interactive input device (114) is received and properly handled by a pre-configured emulation assembly (100) which is electrically connected to the interactive output device (110) associated with that particular interactive input device (114). This emulation assembly (100) formats the information/data that it receives so that it is acceptable to the interactive output device (110) to which it is connected. The host (44) obtains input information using a slot/subslot arrangement associated with interactive interrogations or polling. The slots/subslots enable the system to obtain inputs at different transmission rates from different interactive input devices (114).