System and method of providing a set-top box application

• US 20080040767A1
• Filed: 08/11/2006
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Truppa, Anthony J., McCarthy, Mary, McClenny, John, Noll, Roland, Pettit, Scott
• Application Number:
  US11/502,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20080040767A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/132
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8402 involving a version number, e.g. version number of EPG data arrangements for version control in computers G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of providing a set-top box application. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a request from a set-top box device to launch a set-top box application. The method also includes determining whether a processing system of the set-top box device supports execution of the set-top box application. The method also includes sending the set-top box application to the set-top box device after determining that the processing system of the set-top box device can support execution of the set-top box application.

Claims

1. A method of providing a set-top box application, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a set-top box device to launch a set-top box application;

determining whether a processing system of the set-top box device supports execution of the set-top box application; and

sending the set-top box application to the set-top box device after determining that the processing system of the set-top box device can support execution of the set-top box application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether at least one system capability of the set-top box device meets or exceeds at least one system requirement of the set-top box application, wherein the set-top box application is sent to the set-top box device after determining that the at least one system capability meets or exceeds the at least one system requirement.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one system capability includes a processor speed and the at least one system requirement includes a minimum processor speed, a recommended processor speed, or any combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the system capability is a client software version, an operating system version, or any combination thereof, stored at the set-top box device and wherein the system requirement is a minimum client software version, a recommended client software version, a minimum operating system version, a recommended operating system version, or any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising sending an updated version of the client software, an updated version of the operating system, or any combination thereof, to the set-top box device when the system capability does not meet or exceed the system requirement.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein video content of an update ordering channel is sent to the set-top box device and the updated version is purchased by a user of the set-top box device.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising retrieving data related to the at least one system capability from a data store that associates data related to system capabilities of each of a plurality of set-top box devices with identifiers of each of the plurality of set-top box devices.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an alternate version of the set-top box application after determining that the set-top box device does not support execution of the set-top box application;

determining that the processing system of the set-top box device supports execution of the alternate version of the set-top box application; and

sending the alternate version of the set-top box application to the set-top box device.

9. A method of receiving a set-top box application, the method comprising:

sending a request for an application to an application server, wherein the application server determines whether a processing system of the set-top box device supports execution of the application; and

receiving the application when the processing system of set-top box device supports execution of the application.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the application is a music application, a gaming application, an electronic program guide application, a video-on-demand application, an enhanced advertising application, a retail purchasing application, or any combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a header portion of the application from the application server at the set-top box device;

determining whether the processing system of the set-top box device supports execution of the application; and

sending data to the application server indicating whether the processing system of the set-top box device supports execution of the application.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating a message stating that the application is incompatible with the set-top box device and sending the message to a display device coupled to the set-top box device when the processing system of the set-top box device does not support execution of the application.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving a message from the application server indicating that the application is incompatible with the set-top box device and sending the message to a display device coupled to the set-top box device when the processing system of the set-top box device does not support execution of the application.

14. A system to provide a set-top box application, the system comprising:

an application server having a processor and a memory device accessible to the processor;

wherein the memory device includes instructions to communicate with a set-top box device to receive a request to launch a set-top box application; and

wherein the memory device includes instructions to determine whether a processing system of the set-top box device supports execution of the application.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the memory device includes instructions to send the application to the set-top box device after it is determined that the processing system of the set-top box device supports execution of the application.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the memory device includes:

instructions to retrieve data related to a plurality of system capabilities of the set-top box device from a data store that associates data related to system capabilities of a plurality of set-top box devices with identifiers of the plurality of set-top box devices;

instructions to compare the data related to the plurality of system capabilities of the set-top box device with a plurality of system requirements of the application; and

wherein it is determined that the processing system of the set-top box device supports execution of the application when each of the plurality of system capabilities meets or exceeds a corresponding one of the system requirements.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the memory device includes instructions to determine an identifier of the set-top box device and to validate that the set-top box device is at a customer premise associated with the identifier of the set-top box device in a user account record, before sending the application to the set-top box device.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the memory device includes:

instructions to determine that an alternate version of the application can be retrieved via the Internet after it is determined that the processing system of the set-top box device cannot support execution of the application; and

instructions to retrieve the alternate version of the application via the Internet and to send the alternate version of the application to the set-top box device.

19. A set-top box device, comprising:

a processor and a memory device accessible to the processor;

wherein the memory device includes instructions to send a request for an application to an application server that includes logic to determine whether a processing system of the set-top box device supports execution of the application; and

wherein the memory device includes instructions to communicate with the application server to receive the application when the processing system of set-top box device supports execution of the application.

20. The set-top box device of claim 19, wherein the memory device includes instructions to display a graphical user interface (GUI) when the processing system of the set-top box device does not support execution of the application, the GUI including a message indicating that the application is incompatible with the set-top box device.

21. The set-top box device of claim 20, wherein the GUI includes a selectable indicator of an option to request an alternate version of the application, a selectable indicator of an option to update client software stored at the set-top box device, a selectable indicator of an option to update an operating system stored at the set-top box device, or any combination thereof.

22. The set-top box device of claim 21, wherein the memory device includes:

instructions to request an alternate version of the application from the application server after receiving a selection via the GUI of the indicator of the option to request an alternate version of the application; and

instructions to communicate with the application server to receive the alternate version of the application when the set-top box device supports the alternate version of the application.

23. The set-top box device of claim 21, wherein the memory device includes:

instructions to request an updated version of the client software from the application server after receiving a selection via the GUI of the indicator of the option to update the client application; and

instructions to communicate with the application server to receive the updated version of the client application.

24. The set-top box device of claim 21, wherein the memory device includes:

instructions to request an updated version of the operating system from the application server after receiving a selection via the GUI of the indicator of the option to update the operating system; and

instructions to communicate with the application server to receive the updated version of the operating system.

25. The set-top box device of claim 19, wherein the memory device includes instructions to send an identifier of the set-top box device with the request for the application.