An Application of Digital Broadcast Communication to Large Scale Information Systems
Name
MIT-LCS-TM-299.pdf
Size
4.65 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
cc14c6f8d0f4eda9f579b4742955175f
Author(s)
Gifford, David K.
Lucassen, John M.
Berline, Stephen T.
Date Issued
April 1986
Series/Report no.
MIT-LCS-TM-299
Abstract
A new type of information system is described that combines personal computers, broadcast data communication, and bidirectional communication. The system is designed to use broadcast communciation whenever possible to deliever information to personal computers, which are used for data storage, indexing, and retrieval. This paper starts with an overview of the system, and then discuss the problem of reliable digital broadcast communication in some detail. A parameterized broadcast protocol is described, and we show how to choose protocol parameters based on observed channel error characteristics. A flexible encryption-based protection system is included in the protocol. We discuss the implementation of the system on contemporary personal computers. A broadcast system based on these ideas is now operating in Boston area homes.
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