Digitaalisten lähetys- ja vuorovaikutteisten palvelujen hajautettu järjestelmärakenne

摘要

A cable television communication system network (10) comprising a remote hub (14) which is in communication with a plurality of head ends/central office (18) via a fibre optic interface, a plurality of user terminals (16) associated with each head end via a hybrid fibre coax interface and a plurality of interactive and broadcast video information providers (VIPs) (12) which are in communication with the remote hub (14). The remote hub includes means for formatting broadcast signals received from selected VIPs of the broadcast VIPs (12) for direct transmission to the head end/user terminal interfaces such that the user terminals (16) receive said formatted broadcast signals without reformatting by said headends, means for selectively controlling distribution of communication signals between said interactive VIPs and said headends (18), means for tracking usage of VIP services by said user terminals for at least billing purposes. Each said headend (18) means for facilitating interactive VIP communications between its associated user terminals 16) and said VIPs (12).