Abstract: An architecture for distributing digital information to subscriber units wherein selection from among multiple digital services is accomplished by transmitting a tuning command from a subscriber unit to an intermediate interface. The intermediate interface selects the desired service from a broadband network and transmits it to the subscriber unit over a bandwidth-constrained access line. The bandwidth-constrained access line may be implemented with existing infrastructure, yet the subscriber unit may access a wide variety of digital information available on the broadband network. Universal broadband access is thus provided at low cost. Output bandwidth of broadcast equipment may also be optimized.

Abstract: An architecture for distributing digital information to subscriber units wherein selection from among multiple digital services is accomplished by transmitting a tuning command from a subscriber unit to an intermediate interface. The intermediate interface selects the desired service from a broadband network and transmits it to the subscriber unit over a bandwidth-constrained access line. The bandwidth-constrained access line may be implemented with existing infrastructure, yet the subscriber unit may access a wide variety of digital information available on the broadband network. Universal broadband access is thus provided at low cost.

Abstract: An architecture for distributing digital information to subscriber units wherein selection from among multiple digital services is accomplished by transmitting a tuning command from a subscriber unit to an intermediate interface. The intermediate interface selects the desired service from a broadband network and transmits it to the subscriber unit over a bandwidth-constrained access line. The bandwidth-constrained access line may be implemented with existing infrastructure, yet the subscriber unit may access a wide variety of digital information -available on the broadband network. Universal broadband access is thus provided at low cost.

Abstract: An architecture for distributing digital information to subscriber units wherein selection from among multiple digital services is accomplished by transmitting a tuning command from a subscriber unit to an intermediate interface. The intermediate interface selects the desired service from a broadband network and transmits it to the subscriber unit over a bandwidth-constrained access line. The bandwidth-constrained access line may be implemented with existing infrastructure, yet the subscriber unit may access a wide variety of digital information available on the broadband network. Universal broadband access is thus provided at low cost. Output bandwidth of broadcast equipment may also be optimized.

Abstract: A video data stream analyzer modifies an input digital video signal so that the resulting output digital signal can be optimally compressed by a digital video encoder. The video data stream analyzer eliminates redundancy in the input video signal, and reorganizes the input video signal so that the spatial and temporal redundancy is increased. In addition, the video data stream analyzer generates side channel information that is supplied to the video encoder. The side channel information tells the video encoder whether vertical frame-based filtering or vertical field-based filtering is preferable. Additional side channel information specifies the order and duration of the display of the fields after decoding and this information preferably is encoded with the video signal.

Abstract: A video data stream analyzer modifies an input digital video signal so that the resulting output digital signal can be optimally compressed by a digital video encoder. The video data stream analyzer eliminates redundancy in the input video signal, and reorganizes the input video signal so that the spatial and temporal redundancy is increased. In addition, the video data stream analyzer generates side channel information that is supplied to the video encoder. The side channel information tells the video encoder whether vertical frame-based filtering or vertical field-based filtering is preferable. Additional side channel information specifies the order and duration of the display of the fields after decoding and this information preferably is encoded with the video signal.

Abstract: An architecture for distributing digital information to subscriber units wherein selection from among multiple digital services is accomplished by transmitting a tuning command from a subscriber unit to an intermediate interface. The intermediate interface selects the desired service from a broadband network and transmits it to the subscriber unit over a bandwidth-constrained access line. The bandwidth-constrained access line may be implemented with existing infrastructure, yet the subscriber unit may access a wide variety of digital information available on the broadband network. Universal broadband access is thus provided at low cost. Output bandwidth of broadcast equipment may also be optimized.

Abstract: A video data stream analyzer modifies an input digital video signal so that the resulting output digital signal can be optimally compressed by a digital video encoder. The video data stream analyzer eliminates redundancy in the input video signal, and reorganizes the input video signal so that the spatial and temporal redundancy is increased. In addition, the video data stream analyzer generates side channel information that is supplied to the video encoder. The side channel information tells the video encoder whether vertical frame-based filtering or vertical field-based filtering is preferable. Additional side channel information specifies the order and duration of the display of the fields after decoding and this information preferably is encoded with the video signal.

Abstract: A video data stream analyzer modifies an input digital video signal so that the resulting output digital signal can be optimally compressed by a digital video encoder. The video data stream analyzer eliminates redundancy in the input video signal, and reorganizes the input video signal so that the spatial and temporal redundancy is increased. In addition, the video data stream analyzer generates side channel information that is supplied to the video encoder. The side channel information tells the video encoder whether vertical frame-based filtering or vertical field-based filtering is preferable. Additional side channel information specifies the order and duration of the display of the fields after decoding and this information preferably is encoded with the video signal.

Abstract: An architecture for distributing digital information to subscriber units wherein selection from among multiple digital services is accomplished by transmitting a tuning command from a subscriber unit to an intermediate interface. The intermediate interface selects the desired service from a broadband network and transmits it to the subscriber unit over a bandwidth-constrained access line. The bandwidth-constrained access line may be implemented with existing infrastructure, yet the subscriber unit may access a wide variety of digital information available on the broadband network. Universal broadband access is thus provided at low cost.

Abstract: A statistical multiplexer selectively passes packets of encoded data from a plurality of encoders to a communication channel so as to maximize the quality of the encoded data. The statistical multiplexer determines what fraction of the communication channel capacity should be allocated to an application so as to optimize the quality of the decoded signals of the applications processed by the statistical multiplexer. A table is stored in a memory of the statistical multiplexer that has an entry for each unit of encoded data that can be transmitted over the communication channel in a predetermined time interval. The statistical multiplexer accesses each entry in the table to obtain a pointer, e.g., an address, to an encoder that can transmit the next unit of encoded data to the communication channel.