Importance

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Abstract

An idle time communication device in which communication windows are created during the transmission of broadcast data from a center unit to a user's home device, the windows being designated to augment the data transmission function by enabling one-to-one bidirectional communication between the center and the user's home. The invention assumes the prior existence of a communication device for the transmission of broadcast data from the independent center through the telephone network to the user's home and achieves its object of one-to-one bidirectional communication between the center and the user's home through the use of packet communication which is carried out during the idle time on the telephone network, which connects the switching system of the local telephone exchange with the telephone in the user's home. The invention enables both the transmission of download data from a control unit to a specified terminal and the transmission of upload data from a specified terminal to a control unit without confusion between terminals in either case. This enables, for example, (a) a control device to transmit download data to a specified terminal and for the due arrival of the download data to be confirmed at the center by the return of upload data from the terminal, (b) the center to receive music requests and instructions in the form of upload data from a terminal, and (c) the creation of a protocol that will enable error-free communication to be carried out between the control device and terminal.

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First Claim