Catv communication system and method for the internet connection

Abstract

A CATV communication system includes a center and a plurality of terminal devices connected via a CATV net. The center includes: a first transmitter for transmitting upstream channel use information representing unoccupied channel; a first detector for detecting channel get request from data transmitted from the terminal device; a second detector for detecting a presence of the unoccupied channel; a second transmitter for assigning one of the detected unoccupied channels to the terminal device transmitted the channel get request and for transmitting channel assign data including a designation of the assigned channel; and a first communication unit for performing data communication with the terminal device via the assigned channel. The terminal device includes: a second communication unit connected to a computer for performing communication with the computer; a third detector for detecting center-directed data included in the data received from the computer; a fourth detector for detecting the upstream channel use information from the data transmitted; a third transmitter for selecting one of the unoccupied channels on the basis of the upstream channel use information and for transmitting the channel get request designating the selected channel to the center; a fifth detector for detecting the channel assign information; and a third communication unit for performing data communication with the center by using the upstream channel designated by the channel assign information for data transmission.