Bell Communications Research, Inc.

William A Nilson, Iii

Lanny Starkes Smoot

Terence J Nelson

David Alan Braun

A system and method for accessing directory information over a telephony network employing the ADSI protocol and for presenting the directory information at the user's conventional TV monitor are described. The system includes a directory service unit, a telephony network, such as the public switched telephony network, and multiple user interface units. The directory service unit receives, processes, and stores in memory directory information from directory information providers which information is transmitted to the user interface unit of requesting users on demand. The directory service unit is connected to user interface units via the telephony network and uses the ADSI protocol to communicate data and voice signals containing directory information to users. Each user interface unit converts directory information in the form of data signals into signals for display on the user's TV screen and transmits audio directory information, such as audio program description, to the audio input of the user's TV monitor. The user interface unit also converts requests and interactive inputs generated by the user at the infrared remote of the TV monitor into local display commands for locally controlling the appearance of directory information on the user's TV monitor or into DTMF digits for transmission to the directory service unit. On receiving a user's request for directory service, the directory service unit transmits to the user menus of directory information in ADSI format, which menus are processed at the user interface unit for display on the user's TV screen. On receiving the user's interactive inputs in the form of DTMF digits for a specific directory or a program description, the directory service unit retrieves the appropriate information from memory, and transmits it in ADSI format to the user interface unit where the requested information is processed for presentation at the user's TV monitor.

System and method for providing directory information over a telephony

A television system (100) comprises a sending station (70), a composing system (80) and a receiving station (90). The sending station (70) comprise a sequence of cameras (1,2,3, . . . ,N) arranged so that the fields of view merge contiguously to form an aggregate field of view. The composing station (80) includes circuitry which enables a local viewer at the receiving station (90) to select an arbitrary and continuously variable subsection of the aggregate field of view for display on a local monitor (200).

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Bridgewater, NJ, United States of America

William A Nilson, Iii