Set-top interface transactions in an impulse pay per view television system
First Claim
1. A subscriber terminal apparatus for controlling subscriber viewing in an addressable television system, the subscriber terminal apparatus comprising:
- receiving means for receiving a television signal comprising a plurality of channels, at least one of said channels carrying pay-per-view events which must be authorized for viewing by a subscriber;
detecting means for detecting data transactions from a headend which are addressed to the subscriber terminal apparatus;
microprocessor means for processing the data transactions detected by said detecting means;
authorization means responsive to subscriber-supplied signals for authorizing channels carrying pay-per-view events and for generating billing information related to said authorized pay-per-view events;
storage means coupled to said microprocessor means and said authorization means for storing the billing information;
transmitting means coupled to said storage means for transmitting the stored billing information to said headend;
preview time means responsive to a first data transaction of said data transactions which are addressed to the subscriber terminal apparatus for permitting the subscriber to view a selected pay-per-view event for a predetermined preview time period before authoization of said selected pay-per-view event; and
free time means responsive to a second data transaction of said data transactions which are addressed to the subscriber terminal apparatus for further permitting the subscriber to view said selected pay-per-view event for a predetermined free time period before authorization of said selected pay-per-view event.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An impulse pay-per-view system wherein a number of downloadable transactions may be utilized to effect increased control and diversity is disclosed. A preview time/free transaction permits a system subscriber to view portions of a pay-per-view event without purchasing the event. A security transaction sent while a pay-per-view event is active may be used to prevent a subscriber from receiving events which have not been purchased. A telephone number transaction may include a special character representing an instruction to pause between the dialing of selected digits. A viewer statistic transaction may be use dot instruct a subscriber to record the channel he is viewing. Finally, a subscriber may pre-buy pay-preview events in order to facilitate VCR recording of the events while he is asleep or away from home.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A subscriber terminal apparatus for controlling subscriber viewing in an addressable television system, the subscriber terminal apparatus comprising:
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receiving means for receiving a television signal comprising a plurality of channels, at least one of said channels carrying pay-per-view events which must be authorized for viewing by a subscriber; detecting means for detecting data transactions from a headend which are addressed to the subscriber terminal apparatus; microprocessor means for processing the data transactions detected by said detecting means; authorization means responsive to subscriber-supplied signals for authorizing channels carrying pay-per-view events and for generating billing information related to said authorized pay-per-view events; storage means coupled to said microprocessor means and said authorization means for storing the billing information; transmitting means coupled to said storage means for transmitting the stored billing information to said headend; preview time means responsive to a first data transaction of said data transactions which are addressed to the subscriber terminal apparatus for permitting the subscriber to view a selected pay-per-view event for a predetermined preview time period before authoization of said selected pay-per-view event; and free time means responsive to a second data transaction of said data transactions which are addressed to the subscriber terminal apparatus for further permitting the subscriber to view said selected pay-per-view event for a predetermined free time period before authorization of said selected pay-per-view event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. Headend apparatus for an addressable television system, the headend apparatus comprising:
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transmitting means for transmitting a television signal and a plurality of data transactions to a subscriber terminal apparatus, said television signal comprising a plurality of channels, at least one of said channels carrying pay-per-view events having respective predetermined active periods which may be selectively authorized for viewing by a subscriber so as to generate billing information; preview time control means for generating a first data transaction of said plurality of data transactions which are transmitted to the subscriber terminal apparatus for permitting the subscriber terminal apparatus to receive a subscriber selected pay-per-view-event for a predetermined preview time period before authorization of said selected pay-per-view event; and free time control means for generating a second data transaction of said plurality of data transactions which are transmitted to the subscriber terminal apparatus for permitting the subscriber terminal apparatus to further receive said subscriber selected pay-per-view event for a predetermined free time period before authorization of said selected pay-per-view event. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A subscriber terminal apparatus for controlling subscriber viewing in an addressable television system, the subscriber terminal apparatus comprising:
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receiving means for receiving a television signal comprising a plurality of channels, at least one of said channels carrying pay-per-view events which must be authorized for viewing by a subscriber; detecting means for detecting data transactions from a headend which are addressed to the subscriber terminal apparatus; microprocessor means for processing the data transactions detected by said detecting means; authorization means responsive to subscriber-supplied signals for authorizing channels carrying pay-per-view events having respective predetermined active times and for generating billing information related to said authorized pay-per-view events; storage means coupled to said microporcessor means and said authorization means for storing said billing information; transmitting means coupled to said storage means for transmitting the stored billing information to the headend; and deauthorization means responsive to a first data transaction of the data transactions which are addressed to the subscriber terminal apparatus which is sent only during the predetermined active time of a pay-per-view event for deauthorizing an authorized channel after a predetermined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. Headend apparatus for an addressable teleision system, the headend apparatus comprising:
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transmitting means for transmitting a television signal and a plurality of data transactions to a subscriber terminal apparatus, said television signal comprising a plurality of channels, at least one of said channels carrying pay-per-view events having respective predetermined active periods which may be selectively authorized for viewing by a subscriber; deauthorization control means for generating and for transmitting a first data transaction of said plurality of data transactions which are transmitted to the subscriber terminal apparatus only during the predetermined active period of a pay-per-view event for deauthorizing an authorized channel after a predetermined period of time.
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43. A method of generating viewer statistics in an addressable television system which distributes a television signal from a headend to a subscriber terminal apparatus including a storage device, said television signal comprising a plurality of channels, the method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a first data transaction to the subscriber terminal apparatus, said first data transaction including instructions to store in the storage device the channel number corresponding to the channel tuned by the subscriber terminal apparatus when said first data transaction is received; transmitting a second data transaction to the subscriber terminal apparatus, said second data transaction including instructions to the subscriber terminal apparatus to initiate telephone communication with said headend, said instructions further including instructions for transferring the stored channel number to said headend and for writing a predetermined character to said storage device as an indication that the channel number has been transferred. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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46. A method of generating statistics in a cable television system for distributing a television signal from a headend to a subscriber terminal apparatus including a storage device, said television signal comprising a plurality of channels, the method of comprising the steps of:
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storing a channel number corresponding to the channel tuned by the subscriber terminal apparatus in the storage device in response to a first data transaction from said headend; dialing into the public switched telephone network in response to a second data transaction from said headend to establish communication with said headend; transferring said stored channel number to said headend; and writing a predetermined character to said storage device as an indication that the stored channel number has been transferred. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
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Specification