Remote task scheduling for a set top box
First Claim
1. In a network system where data is broadcast to a plurality of client systems that are each configured to display and render the data, a method for remotely scheduling a task for implementation on one of the client systems, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a website, a login request from a user, the login request including a user identifier, the website storing program guide data;
receiving an activation code from the user at the website, the activation code including a first client system identifier, a signature of the first client system identifier and a random value;
verifying the signature to verify that the user had access to the first client system;
providing the program guide data to the user over a network, wherein the user requests a task from the program guide data that is provided to the user, the task to be performed on a first client system;
receiving the task that was requested by the user from the program guide data;
generating a notification from the requested task, wherein the notification includes the random value, task attributes, and an identifier for the first client system, as well as a sequence number that enables the first client system to determine whether the first client system has already processed the task;
sending the notification to a notification service, wherein the notification service stores the notification in a task database;
sending, by the notification service, the notification to a broadcast service, wherein the broadcast service broadcasts the notification to the plurality of client systems such that upon the first client system receiving the notification, the first client system determines that the notification is intended for the first client system by detecting that the notification includes the first client system identifier and verifies the random value included in the notification.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for remotely scheduling tasks that are transmitted to a set top box and implemented on the set top box. A task service includes a website that provides program guide data to users. From the program guide data, a user selects a task. The website generates a notification that includes the task and certain identifiers, including a set top box identifier and a sequence number. The notification is sent to a notification service, that repeatedly sends the notification to a broadcast service. The broadcast service ensures that the notification is transmitted to the set top box. The set top box detects the notification from the set top box identifier and implements the task on the set top box unless the task has been previously handled.
127 Citations
18 Claims
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1. In a network system where data is broadcast to a plurality of client systems that are each configured to display and render the data, a method for remotely scheduling a task for implementation on one of the client systems, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a website, a login request from a user, the login request including a user identifier, the website storing program guide data; receiving an activation code from the user at the website, the activation code including a first client system identifier, a signature of the first client system identifier and a random value; verifying the signature to verify that the user had access to the first client system; providing the program guide data to the user over a network, wherein the user requests a task from the program guide data that is provided to the user, the task to be performed on a first client system; receiving the task that was requested by the user from the program guide data; generating a notification from the requested task, wherein the notification includes the random value, task attributes, and an identifier for the first client system, as well as a sequence number that enables the first client system to determine whether the first client system has already processed the task; sending the notification to a notification service, wherein the notification service stores the notification in a task database; sending, by the notification service, the notification to a broadcast service, wherein the broadcast service broadcasts the notification to the plurality of client systems such that upon the first client system receiving the notification, the first client system determines that the notification is intended for the first client system by detecting that the notification includes the first client system identifier and verifies the random value included in the notification. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for remotely instructing a set top box to record a program over a broadcast satellite signal, the method comprising:
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receiving an identifier at a website from a user, the identifier uniquely identifying a first set top box, the website storing program guide data; receiving an activation code from the user at the website, the activation code including a first set top box identifier, a signature of the first set top box identifier and a random value; verifying the signature to verify that the user had access to the first set top box; receiving user input at the website which selects a program that the user desires to record using the first set top box; generating a notification that includes the random value, the identifier, and information that specifies the selected program to record, and that also includes a sequence number that distinguishes the notification from other notifications that are intended for the first set top box; providing the notification to a broadcast service that broadcasts programming to a plurality of set top boxes, wherein each of the plurality of set top boxes includes a unique identifier; including the notification in the programming that is broadcast using a satellite transmission to each of the plurality of set top boxes such that upon the first set top box receiving the notification, the first set top box detects that the notification is intended for the first set top box by accessing the identifier included in the notification and verifies the random value included in the notification. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification