Open cable application platform (OCAP), set-top box (STB), next generation service application
First Claim
1. A set-top box with an operating system layer operable to support cable network interconnectability and to provide an application platform comprising:
- one or more profiles, stored on the set-top box, each profile including personal information and personal preferences, one or more of the personal information and personal preferences used in association with a service application;
a service application module, the service application module one or more of receiving an assistance request or detecting a service issue and populating an interface on the set-top box with one or more options, the one or more options including a help request, a subscription change, diagnostics or emergency assistance, the interface also capable of indicating a service issue has been detected; and
a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) functionality module that allows one or more SIP-based communications to be used in conjunction with the set-top box and the one or more profiles, the one or more SIP based communications running in parallel with one or more applications running on the set-top box and the one or more SIP-based communications bound to one or more additional devices, the one or more additional devices capable of forwarding diagnostic information to the service application module on the set-top box that is usable by an expert system and a diagnostic tool with one or more of diagnosing, addressing, fulfilling and repairing the service issue, the service application module is also in communication with a service provider that can farm out to one or more other providers information relating to the service issue, with one or more of the one or more other providers able to send a communication to a user associated with the set-top box, the communication including information including one or more of;
availability, pricing, and a requests for more specific information about the type of service issue.
18 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
One exemplary aspect is advanced multimedia communications via OCAP using customer specific profiles resident in the STB for service application management. Additional aspects relate to service application management including filtering, controlling the display of content associated with one or more service applications, performing an action based on the service application, scheduling a communication based on the service application and initiating a request for service based on, for example, a detected problem. Still further aspects relate to managing information associated with a service application received at a STB including initiating a communication to a support representative.
78 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A set-top box with an operating system layer operable to support cable network interconnectability and to provide an application platform comprising:
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one or more profiles, stored on the set-top box, each profile including personal information and personal preferences, one or more of the personal information and personal preferences used in association with a service application; a service application module, the service application module one or more of receiving an assistance request or detecting a service issue and populating an interface on the set-top box with one or more options, the one or more options including a help request, a subscription change, diagnostics or emergency assistance, the interface also capable of indicating a service issue has been detected; and a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) functionality module that allows one or more SIP-based communications to be used in conjunction with the set-top box and the one or more profiles, the one or more SIP based communications running in parallel with one or more applications running on the set-top box and the one or more SIP-based communications bound to one or more additional devices, the one or more additional devices capable of forwarding diagnostic information to the service application module on the set-top box that is usable by an expert system and a diagnostic tool with one or more of diagnosing, addressing, fulfilling and repairing the service issue, the service application module is also in communication with a service provider that can farm out to one or more other providers information relating to the service issue, with one or more of the one or more other providers able to send a communication to a user associated with the set-top box, the communication including information including one or more of;
availability, pricing, and a requests for more specific information about the type of service issue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of operating a set-top box having an operating system layer operable to support cable network interconnectability and to provide an application platform comprising:
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establishing one or more profiles, the profiles stored on the set-top box, each profile including personal information and personal preferences, one or more of the personal information and personal preferences used in association with a management service application; managing a service application module, the service application module one or more of receiving an assistance request or detecting a service issue and populating an interface on the set-top box with one or more options, the one or more options including a help request, a subscription change, diagnostics or emergency assistance, the interface also capable of indicating a service issue has been detected; and allowing one or more SIP-based communications to be used in conjunction with the set-top box and the one or more profiles, the one or more SIP-based communications running in parallel with one or more applications running on the set-top box and the one or more SIP based communications bound to one or more additional devices, the one or more additional devices capable of forwarding diagnostic information to the service application module on the set-top box that is usable by an expert system and a diagnostic tool with one or more of diagnosing, addressing, fulfilling and repairing the service issue, the service application module is also in communication with a service provider that can farm out to one or more other providers information relating to the service issue, with one or more of the one or more other providers able to send a communication to a user associated with the set-top box, the communication including information including one or more of;
availability, pricing, and a requests for more specific information about the type of service issue. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A means for operating a set-top box having an operating system layer operable to support cable network interconnectability and to provide an application platform comprising:
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means for establishing one or more profiles, the profiles stored on the set-top box, each profile including personal information and personal preferences, one or more of the personal information and personal preferences used in association with an ad management application; means for managing a service application module, the service application module one or more of receiving an assistance request or detecting a service issue and populating an interface on the set-top box with one or more options, the one or more options including a help request, a subscription change, diagnostics or emergency assistance, the interface also capable of indicating a service issue has been detected; and means for allowing one or more SIP-based communications to be used in conjunction with the set-top box and the one or more profiles, the one or more SIP-based communications running in parallel with one or more applications running on the set-top box and the one or more SIP based communications bound to one or more additional devices, the one or more additional devices capable of forwarding diagnostic information to the service application module on the set-top box that is usable by an expert system and a diagnostic tool with one or more of diagnosing, addressing, fulfilling and repairing the service issue, the service application module is also in communication with a service provider that can farm out to one or more other providers information relating to the service issue, with one or more of the one or more other providers able to send a communication to a user associated with the set-top box, the communication including information including one or more of;
availability, pricing, and a requests for more specific information about the type of service issue.
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Specification