System and associated methods for remotely enabling features

• US 7,716,237 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CSC Holdings LLC (Altice USA, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CSC Holdings, Inc. (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Neill, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stevens; Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/017,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20060136384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• Field of Search: 707/9, 707/3, 709/220
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A method and apparatus enables a feature among a plurality of features in an application loaded on a client, with the client located remotely from a server. The server receives a data profile request from the client. In response to the data profile request, a data profile is sent from the server to the client, the data profile including a profile key to identify the client, an application identification to identify the application, and a feature selector. The application uses the feature selector to enable the feature among the plurality of features.

Claims

1. A method of enabling a feature among a plurality of features in a diagnostic application loaded on a set-top box in a cable system, the set-top box located remotely from a head-end in the cable system, the method comprising:

receiving at the head-end a data profile request, comprising at least one feature to be enabled in the diagnostic application, from the set-top box, the set-top box having loaded thereon software for implementing one or more of the plurality of features of the diagnostic application;

in response to the data profile request, sending a data profile from the head-end to the set-top box, the data profile including a profile key to identify the set-top box, an application identification to identify the diagnostic application, and a feature selector, wherein the pre-loaded diagnostic application uses the feature selector to newly enable the one or more features of the diagnostic application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile key includes one of a home identification, a zip code or a serial number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the application identification to select-one diagnostic application from among a plurality of applications.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of sending the data profile from the head-end to the set-top box includes selecting the set-top box based on the profile key.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the software comprises computer-executable instructions for executing the diagnostics application.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the feature selector selects a first diagnostic level from among a plurality of diagnostic levels at which the diagnostics application is to execute.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising sending another data profile from the head-end to the set-top box, and using the another data profile to select a second diagnostic level from among the plurality of diagnostic levels.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the application identifier identifies a plurality of client-resident applications including the diagnostic application.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the feature selector selects a plurality of features.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the head-end is connected to a plurality of set-top boxes, further comprising sending a different data profile to different ones of the set-top boxes to enable different features on the different set-top boxes.

11. An apparatus for enabling a feature among a plurality of features in a diagnostic application loaded on a set-top box in a cable system, the set-top box located remotely from a head-end in the cable system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory to store instructions to be executed by the processor, the instructions including instructions to;

receive at the head-end a data profile request, comprising at least one feature to be enabled in the diagnostic application, from the set-top box, the set-top box having loaded thereon and in advance of the transmission of the data profile, software for enabling one or more of the plurality of features of the diagnostic application;

in response to the data profile request, send a data profile from the head-end to the set-top box, the data profile including a profile key to identify the set-top box, an application identification to identify the diagnostic application, and a feature selector, wherein the diagnostic application uses the feature selector to newly enable the feature among the plurality of features of the diagnostic application.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the profile key includes one of a home identification, a zip code or a serial number.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the application identification is used to select the diagnostic application from among a plurality of client-resident applications.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the set-top box is selected based on the profile key.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the software comprises computer-executable instructions for executing the diagnostics application.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the feature selector selects a first diagnostic level from among a plurality of diagnostic levels at which the diagnostics application is to execute.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions further include instructions to send another data profile from the head-end to the set-top box, and use the another data profile to select a second diagnostic level from among the plurality of diagnostic levels.

18. The apparatus of claim of claim 11, wherein the application identifier identifies a plurality of client-resident applications.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the feature selector selects a plurality of features.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the head-end is connected to a plurality of set-top boxes, and a different data profile is sent to different ones of the set-top boxes to enable different features on the different set-top boxes.

21. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of executable instructions for enabling a feature among a plurality of features in a diagnostic application loaded on a set-top box in a cable system, the set-top box located remotely from a head-end in the cable system, the plurality of instructions comprising instructions to:

receive at the head-end a data profile request, comprising at least one feature to be enabled in the diagnostic application, from the set-top box, the set-top box having loaded thereon software for implementing one or more of the plurality of features of the pre-loaded diagnostic application;

in response to the data profile request, send a data profile from the head-end to the set-top box, the data profile including a profile key to identify the set-top box, an application identification to identify the diagnostic application, and a feature selector, wherein the diagnostic application uses the feature selector to newly enable the feature among the plurality of features of the diagnostic application.

22. An apparatus for executing a diagnostics application loaded on a set-top box in a cable system, the set-top box located remotely from a head-end in the cable system, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory to store instructions to be executed by the processor, the instructions including instructions to;

receive at the head-end a data profile request, comprising at least one feature to be enabled in the diagnostic application, from the set-top box, the set-top box having loaded thereon software for executing the diagnostics application, the diagnostics application permitting the head-end to request execution of varying levels of diagnostics by the diagnostic application;

in response to the data profile request, send a data profile from the head-end to the set-top box, the data profile including a profile key to identify the set-top box, an application identifier to identify the diagnostics application, and a feature selector, wherein the diagnostics application uses the feature selector to determine a diagnostics level at which to execute.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the feature selector selects a first diagnostic level from among a plurality of diagnostic levels.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the instructions further include instructions to send another data profile from the head-end to the set-top box, and use the another data profile to select a second diagnostic level from among the plurality of diagnostic levels.