Control access to television services

• US 20050044566A1
• Filed: 10/04/2004
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schlarb, John M., Jerding, Dean F., Van Orden, Robert T., Crandall, Bindu, Banker, Robert O., Rodriguez, Arturo A.
• Application Number:
  US10/957,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20050044566A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4856 for language selection, e.g. for the menu or subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for accessing services in a television system. In one implementation, a DHCT presents a user a menu containing a plurality of selectable link representations corresponding to separate services or applications offered by the cable television system. The user navigates the menu with a remote device and selects a desired service by choosing the selectable link representation corresponding to the desired service or application. The DHCT receives the user input, translates the selectable link command into an executable call, and activates the service or application corresponding to the selected link representation from the menu chosen by the user.

Claims

1. An interface method for providing access to a plurality of services supported by a client device according to a service authorization for a user of the client device, comprising the steps of:

presenting the user a menu containing a plurality of selectable link representations corresponding to the plurality of services, wherein the plurality of selectable link representations are presented in one of a plurality of defined display modes based on a service authorization corresponding to each service of the plurality of services;

receiving a user input denoting a selected link representation of the plurality of selectable link representations; and

activating a service responsive to receiving the user input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the display mode for one or more of the selectable link representations is configurable by the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a system operator of a server device coupled to the client device configures the display mode for one or more of the selectable link representations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the activating step includes activating an alternative service responsive to the user not being authorized to receive a service that otherwise corresponds to the user input, responsive to an alternative service being defined for the otherwise corresponding service, and responsive to the display mode being set to an active alternative display mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting step includes displaying one or more of the plurality of selectable link representations in the menu in a grayed-out format denoting an unactivatable status responsive to the user not being authorized to receive a service that otherwise corresponds to the user input, and responsive to the display mode being set to an inactive display mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting step omits from the menu one or more of the plurality of selectable link representations, responsive to the display mode being set to an hidden display mode.