Abstract: The present invention is a navigational user interface for interactive television. The invention uses an intuitive interactive interface for navigating through service options preferably offered by a cable television service. Services offered such as video on demand, purchasing delivery foods, restaurant selection, banking and community events is all navigated using the present invention.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for the construction of micro-optical couplers incorporating optical tapers to reshape multimode optical inputs. Incorporating tapers allows the spatial properties of the multimode inputs to be adjusted to match to the spatial properties of the output fiber, even in systems that are limited to unity-magnification imaging optics. In an exemplary embodiment, a larger-core multimode fiber and a smaller-core double-clad fiber are glued into a glass capillary, with the multimode fiber tapering to a smaller diameter inside the capillary. Polishing the capillary to expose the taper gives a multimode core that is smaller than the double-clad core. Imaging with unity magnification through a GRIN lenses and a dichroic reflector transfers the multimode input efficiently to the double-clad fiber with greater efficiency than would have been possible with the same optics and an untapered fiber.

Abstract: A control system provides secure transmission of programs, including at least one of video, audio, and data, between a service provider and a customer's set top unit over a digital network. Program bearing data packets are received in a first network protocol over a first data link and removed from the first network protocol. Packets representing a particular program requested by a customer having a set top unit are selected. Conditional access is provided to the selected program. In particular, program bearing packets are encrypted according to a first encryption algorithm using a first key, which is then encrypted according to a second encryption algorithm using a second key. The first keys are transported in packets to the customer's set top units along with the program packets. A public key cryptographic technique encrypts the second key such that the public key used in the encryption corresponds to the private key of the customer's set top unit.

Abstract: An asymmetrical network for coupling customer-premises Internet hosts such as personal computers to the Internet. The head end of a CATV system has a high-bandwidth connection to the Internet. The down ink conning the personal computers to the Internet is the cables provided by the CATV system; the up link is a telephone connection to the head end. A router is connected to the down link by means of an RF modem, to the up link by means of an analog modem, and to a LAN which is connected to the Pcs. The router routes IP packets for the hosts that are received on the CATV cable to the hosts via the LAN; it routes IP packets from the hosts that are destined for the Internet to the head end via the telephone line. The asymmetrical network conserves IP addresses and addresses on the CATV cable by dynamically allocating the IP addresses for an RF modem's hosts and an address on the CATV cable for the RF modem in response to a request made by the RF modem via the telephone line.

Abstract: A bypass switch (155) for use in an electronic device (125) includes a substrate (205) on which first, second, and third terminals (215, 220, 235) are mounted and an electrically conductive primary element (250), having first and second opposing ends, mounted to a bottom surface of the substrate (205) and electrically coupled to the first terminal (215) at its first end and to the second terminal (220) at its second end. The switch (155) also includes an electrically conductive bypass element (255), having first and second opposing ends, mounted to the bottom surface of the substrate (205) and electrically coupled to the third terminal (235) at its first end and vertically aligned, at its second end, with the second end of the primary element (250). A switch actuator (225) is mechanically coupled to the bypass element (255), extends through the substrate (205), and has an actuating surface (290) accessible at a top surface, opposite the bottom surface, of the substrate (205).

Abstract: A combined IRD scrambler/modulator is provided in a headend. A service provider transmits a digital program signal in a digital data stream to a headend which distributes analog program signal to at least one subscriber. The headend receives an encoded digital program signal in the digital data stream from the service provider and decrypts the digital program signal therefrom. The digital program signal includes an audio and a video portion. The video portion of the signal is scrambled by a scrambler. The digital audio portion of the digital program signal and scrambled video portion of the digital program signal are converted to an analog program signal and transmitted to one or more subscribers.