Providing information pertaining to audio-visual and personal bi-directional services

• US 8,191,093 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Synamedia Limited
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Arturo A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Sumaiya A
• Application Number:
  US12/389,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20090193471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 725/40, 725 60- 61, 725/141, 725/51, 725/53, 725 44- 46, 725/86, 725/87, 434/118, 434/24, 434/350
• US Class Current: 725/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and systems for accessing services in a television system. In one embodiment, a DHCT presents a subscriber an EPG presentation containing a plurality of selectable bi-directional services that are purchasable for a period of time and rendered to a buying subscriber on an individualized basis as offered by the cable television system. The subscriber navigates an EPG menu presentation with an input device such as a remote control device and selects a purchasable service by choosing the visual representation that corresponds to the desired service. The DHCT receives the user input, translates the selected command into an executable program call that queries service availability and, if the service is available, initiates the selected bi-directional audiovisual service on a personalized session.

Claims

1. A method for accessing a plurality of bi-directional services over a cable television network, comprising:

receiving, in a digital home communication terminal (DHCT), a first information corresponding to plural bi-directional communication services, wherein the DHCT is coupled to a cable television network (CTN), wherein at least one of the plural bi-directional communication services corresponds to a bi-directional audio and video service (BDAVS), wherein the first information comprises an availability table having entries and each entry respectively associated with the plural bi-directional communication services having an index number for indexing within the availability table and indicating whether each of the plural bi-directional communication services is available or unavailable for immediate interaction;

providing a visual presentation to a first subscriber, wherein the visual presentation includes at least a portion of the first information corresponding to selectable options for a first BDAVS and a second BDAVS, wherein the visual presentation is provided by the DHCT, wherein the first BDAVS comprises bi-directional audio and bi-directional video;

while providing the visual presentation, receiving input from the first subscriber corresponding to a selection of the first BDAVS, the visual presentation comprising information from the availability table that explicitly indicates that the first BDAVS is available for immediate interaction with the first subscriber and that the second BDAVS is unavailable for immediate interaction with the first subscriber; and

requesting by the DHCT the first BDAVS responsive to the input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the DHCT is coupled to a camera.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information further comprises an explicit indication of when the second BDAVS is available in the future.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the first information corresponds to a selectable option for a third BDAVS, wherein the information of the visual presentation further comprises an explicit indication that the third BDAVS is currently in progress.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first BDAVS corresponds to a diagnostic service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first BDAVS corresponds to a consulting service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first BDAVS corresponds to an educational service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first BDAVS corresponds to a shopping service.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first BDAVS corresponds to a health or fitness services.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the first BDAVS responsive to the request, and providing the first BDAVS.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the first BDAVS further comprises providing the first BDAVS in real-time, wherein a live, personalized session is established between a person at a remote destination and the first subscriber interacting with the DHCT.

12. The method of claim 10, further providing a second visual presentation based on the first information, the second visual presentation explicitly informing the first subscriber prior to selecting the first BDAVS that provision of the first BDAVS incurs a fee that is dependent on duration of the BDVAS.

13. A system for accessing a plurality of bi-directional services over a cable television network, comprising:

a set-top terminal (STT), the set-top terminal comprising;

a memory comprising executable instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the executable instructions to;

receive in a first information corresponding to plural bi-directional communication services, wherein the STT is coupled to a cable television network (CTN), wherein at least one of the plural bi-directional communication services corresponds to a bi-directional personalized audio and video service (BDPAVS), the BDPAVS comprising bi-directional audio and bi-directional video, wherein the first information comprises an availability table having entries and each entry respectively associated with the plural bi-directional communication services having an index number for indexing within the availability table and indicating whether each of the plural bi-directional communication services is available or unavailable for immediate interaction;

provide a visual presentation to a first subscriber, wherein the visual presentation includes at least a portion of the first information corresponding to selectable options for a first BDPAVS and a second BDPAVS; and

while providing the visual presentation, receive input from the first subscriber corresponding to a selection of the first BDPAVS, the visual presentation comprising information from the availability table that explicitly indicates that the first BDPAVS is available for immediate interaction with the first subscriber and that the second BDPAVS is unavailable for immediate interaction with the first subscriber; and

request the first BDPAVS responsive to the input.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the STT is coupled to a camera.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the information further comprises an explicit indication of when the second BDPAVS is available in the future.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least a portion of the first information corresponds to a selectable option for a third BDPAVS, wherein the information of the visual presentation further comprises an explicit indication that the third BDPAVS is currently in progress.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the first BDPAVS responsive to the request, and provide the first BDPAVS.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to provide the first BDPAVS by providing the first BDPAVS in real-time, wherein a live, personalized session is established between a person at a remote destination and the first subscriber interacting with the STT.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a second visual presentation based on the first information, the second visual presentation explicitly informing the first subscriber prior to selecting the first BDPAVS that provision of the first BDPAVS incurs a fee that is dependent on duration of the BDPAVS.