Methods and systems for providing additional service applications in pay television
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A pay television gaming system comprising:
- a pay television network having a multiplicity of subscriber units each including a television;
receiving apparatus for receiving gaming inputs from the multiplicity of subscriber units;
accounting apparatus for maintaining separate accounts for pay television and for gaming, the accounting apparatus including apparatus for employing separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for gaming; and
transmitting apparatus for transmitting to the multiplicity of subscriber units information relating to gaming results and said separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for gaming for settling at least one of gaming debts and gaming winnings via the pay television network.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pay television gaming system including a pay television network having a multiplicity of subscriber units each including a television, receiving apparatus for receiving gaming inputs from the multiplicity of subscriber units, transmitting apparatus for transmitting to the multiplicity of subscriber units information relating to gaming results and accounting apparatus for settling gaming debts and winnings via the pay television network. Other services, such as shopping may be provided.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A pay television gaming system comprising:
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a pay television network having a multiplicity of subscriber units each including a television; receiving apparatus for receiving gaming inputs from the multiplicity of subscriber units; accounting apparatus for maintaining separate accounts for pay television and for gaming, the accounting apparatus including apparatus for employing separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for gaming; and transmitting apparatus for transmitting to the multiplicity of subscriber units information relating to gaming results and said separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for gaming for settling at least one of gaming debts and gaming winnings via the pay television network. - View Dependent Claims (21, 23, 24)
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2. A television gaming system comprising:
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a television network; a multiplicity of subscriber units each including a television; communications apparatus for receiving gaming inputs from the multiplicity of subscriber units; accounting apparatus for maintaining separate accounts for television and for gaming, the accounting apparatus including apparatus for employing separate accounting identification codes for television and for gaming; and transmitting apparatus for transmitting to the multiplicity of subscriber units information relating to gaming results and said separate accounting identification codes for television and for gaming for settling at least one of gaming debts and gaming winnings via the communications apparatus.
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3. A pay television shopping system comprising:
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a pay television network including a central control station and a multiplicity of subscriber units each including a television; apparatus for transmitting via the pay television network to the multiplicity of subscriber units information relating to shopping opportunities and separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for shopping for settling at least one of shopping debts and shopping credits via the pay television network; receiving apparatus for receiving shopping inputs from the multiplicity of subscriber units; and accounting apparatus for maintaining separate accounts for pay television and for shopping, the accounting apparatus including apparatus for employing said separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for shopping. - View Dependent Claims (12, 25)
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4. A pay television gaming system comprising:
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a pay television network having a central control station and a multiplicity of subscriber units each including a television; receiving apparatus for receiving gaming inputs from the multiplicity of subscriber units; accounting apparatus for maintaining separate accounts for pay television and for gaming, the accounting apparatus including apparatus for employing separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for gaming; and transmitting apparatus for transmitting live to the multiplicity of subscriber units information relating to gaming results and said separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for gaming for settling at least one of gaming debts and gaming winnings via the pay television network.
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5. A pay television gaming method including the steps of:
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providing a pay television network having a central control station and a multiplicity of subscriber units each including a television; receiving gaming inputs from the multiplicity of subscriber units; maintaining separate accounts for pay television and for gaming, including employing separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for gaming; transmitting to the multiplicity of subscriber units information relating to gaming results and said separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for gaming; and settling gaming debts and winnings via the pay television network by employing said separate accounting identification codes. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22)
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6. A television gaming method including the steps of:
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providing a television network having a central control station and a multiplicity of subscriber units each including a television; receiving gaming inputs from the multiplicity of subscriber units; maintaining separate accounts for television and for gaming, including employing separate accounting identification codes for television and for gaming; transmitting to the multiplicity of subscriber units information relating to gaming results and said separate accounting identification codes for television and for gaming; and settling gaming debts and winnings via communications apparatus by employing said separate accounting identification codes.
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7. A pay television shopping method including the steps of:
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providing a pay television network including a central control station and a multiplicity of subscriber units each including a television; providing via the pay television network to the multiplicity of subscriber units information relating to shopping opportunities and separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for shopping; receiving shopping inputs from the multiplicity of subscriber units; maintaining separate accounts for pay television and for shopping, including employing said separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for shopping; and settling at least one of shopping debts and shopping credits via the pay television network by employing said separate accounting identification codes.
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8. A pay television gaming method including the steps of:
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providing a pay television network having a central control station and a multiplicity of subscriber units each including a television; receiving gaming inputs from the multiplicity of subscriber units; maintaining separate accounts for pay television and for gaming, including employing separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for gaming; transmitting live to the multiplicity of subscriber units via said pay television network information relating to gaming results and said separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for gaming; and settling gaming debts and winnings via the pay television network by employing said separate accounting identification codes for pay television and for gaming transmitted to said subscriber units.
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Specification