A distribution system to enable video and interactive services to be distributed over a public switched telephone network

摘要

Disclosed is a distribution system including a channel distribution system for receiving content signals from a telecommunications transmission network and an access system for accessing the content signals received by the channel distribution system, and multicasting the content signals to customer units on telecommunications lines. The access system includes modulating units, such as ADSL units, for modulating the content signals for a transmission on the telecommunications lines, and a channel access unit for accessing and multicasting the content signals to the modulating units. The modulating units establish with the customer units a bidirectional data channel and a downstream content channel. The content signals transmitted on the downstream channel may be Pay TV, pay per view, free-to-air TV signals, video on demand signals, and even TCP/IP network (Internet) signals. The system can distribute a number of video and/or interactive services by establishing connections to customers over the telecommunications lines and, if necessary, connections to service providers over a telecommunications transmission network. Switching of service channels can be performed by the access system in response to control signals from the customer units.