Chargeable program receiving limit setting system in two-way cable television system

• US 4,961,109 A
• Filed: 06/27/1989
• Issued: 10/02/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US07/372,154
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 358/84, 358/86, 358/349, 380/20, 455/2, 455/4, 455/6
• US Class Current: 725/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/76 Wired systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/79 using downlink of the CATV systems, e.g. audio broadcast via CATV network
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/15 on receiving information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/21 Billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• 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 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A CATV television system in which a subscriber can only charge a maximum number of events before the central facility polls the subscriber'"'"'s terminal unit for charged events. The subscriber'"'"'s terminal contains a credit limit register which contains the maximum number of chargeable events. The central facility can change the individual subscriber'"'"'s credit limit register, dependent on credit worthiness, by a command sent over the CATV lines.

Claims

1. In a cable television system having a two-way data communication, a chargeable program receiving limit setting system, comprising:

a plurality of terminal units assigned to a plurality of respective subscribers; and

a central facility including a subscriber file for storing respective credit limits which represent predetermined numbers chargeable programs which may be received by respective ones of said subscribers, and a central processing unit for transmitting said respective credit limits in a command format to said terminal units;

wherein each of said terminal units includes an event register for storing a history of chargeable programs having been received, each said event register including a plurality of locations each for storing an indication of a program having been received, a limit memory for storing a respective one of said respective credit limits transmitted from said central facility, and a controller for changing a logical range of use of the locations of said event register according to said credit limit stored in said limit memory; and

wherein different chargeable program receiving limits can be provided by said central facility to respective ones of said subscribers.

2. A limit setting system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said terminal units includes means for transmitting the contents of said event register to said central facility and wherein said controller in said each of said terminal units limits said use of said event register between successive transmissions of said contents of said event register according to said stored credit limit.

3. A limit setting system as recited in claim 2, wherein said command format contains a selectable address for selecting a respective one of said subscribers and wherein each of said terminal units contains an address memory containing a predetermined address and means for storing said credit limit in said limit memory responsive to a comparison of said selectable address with said predetermined address.

4. A limit setting system as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said subscriber file further stores respective audience control data for controlling access to programs transmitted by said control facilities, said central processing unit transmits said respective audience control data in a command format to said terminal units and said limit memory stores a respective one of said respective audience control data in addition to a respective one of said respective credit limits transmitted from said central facility, and wherein said controller changes a logical range of use of said event register according to said audience control data and said credit limit stored in said limit memory; and

wherein different audience control data and different chargeable program receiving limits can be provided by said central facility to respective ones of said subscribers.

5. A limit setting system as recited in claim 1, wherein said subscriber file stores audience control data and said central processing unit transmits said audience control data to said terminal units in addition to said credit limits, and wherein each of said terminal units includes means for storing audience control data in addition to one of said credit limits.