SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSESSING USAGE OF PURCHASABLE ENHANCEMENTS OF TELEVISION SERVICES

• US 20090158306A1
• Filed: 02/18/2009
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jerding, Dean F., Rodriguez, Arturo A.
• Application Number:
  US12/372,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20090158306A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A method for providing a television service enhancement includes receiving a first user input requesting a television service, providing the user with an option to receive an enhancement to the television service for a charge, and receiving a second user input selecting the option to receive the enhancement to the television service.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

tracking, by billing logic, television services and enhancements to the television services requested by and provided to a user;

providing service enhancement selections to a client device associated with the user, the service enhancement selections provided in association with a requested television service; and

charging the user based on service enhancement selections communicated from the client device to the billing logic, the charge in addition to a base charge for the particular television service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein charging comprises charging the user for the service enhancement based on a number of times that the service enhancement is requested by the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein charging comprises charging the user for the service enhancement based on a subscription period for the service enhancement.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein charging comprises charging the user for the service enhancement based on a frequency that the service enhancement is used.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein charging comprises charging the user for the service enhancement based on a usage time for the service enhancement.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein charging comprises charging the user for the service enhancement based on a length of a time period that the service enhancement is made available for the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein charging comprises charging the user for the service enhancement based on two or more of a number of times that the service enhancement is requested by the user, a subscription period for the service enhancement, a frequency that the service enhancement is used, a usage time for the service enhancement, and a length of a time period that the service enhancement is made available for the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling user access to the service enhancements responsive to receipt of the service enhancement selections.

9. A system, comprising:

a server device configured with billing logic, the billing logic configured to;

track television services and enhancements to the television services requested by and provided to a user;

provide service enhancement selections to a client device associated with the user, the service enhancement selections provided in association with a requested television service; and

charge the user based on service enhancement selections communicated from the client device to the billing logic, the charge in addition to a base charge for the particular television service.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the billing logic is further configured to charge the user for the service enhancement based on a number of times that the service enhancement is requested by the user.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the billing logic is further configured to charge the user for the service enhancement based on a subscription period for the service enhancement.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the billing logic is further configured to charge the user for the service enhancement based on a frequency that the service enhancement is used.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the billing logic is further configured to charge the user for the service enhancement based on a usage time for the service enhancement.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the billing logic is further configured to charge the user for the service enhancement based on a length of a time period that the service enhancement is made available for the user.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the billing logic is further configured to charge the user for the service enhancement based on two or more of a number of times that the service enhancement is requested by the user, a subscription period for the service enhancement, a frequency that the service enhancement is used, a usage time for the service enhancement, and a length of a time period that the service enhancement is made available for the user.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the billing logic is further configured to enable user access to the service enhancements responsive to receipt of the communicated service enhancement selections.