Terminal authorization method
First Claim
2. memory..].5. .[.The.]. .Iadd.A .Iaddend.terminal apparatus .[.of claim 2 further.]. .Iadd.for use in a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, said apparatus .Iaddend.comprising:
- .Iadd.memory means for storing data for composing a plurality of predetermined character screens and for storing deauthorization data, the data for composing the plurality of predetermined character screens comprising character screen commands, .Iaddend.said memory means for further storing preview data, the preview data allowing a premium channel to be viewed for a predetermined period of time without incurring a charge;
.Iadd.character generator means for generating character screens from the stored character screen composition data at said television receiver;
deauthorization means responsive to the deauthorization data in the memory means for deauthorizing selected ones of said plurality of channels;
.Iaddend.preview means responsive to the stored preview data for previewing selected ones of the plurality of channels; and
.Iadd.control means for controlling said memory means and said character generator means and for composing at least one predetermined character screen for displaying at said television receiver the deauthorization of a channel by said deauthorization means, .Iaddend.said control means for further controlling said memory means and said character generator means and for composing at least one predetermined character screen for displaying at the television receiver information in accordance with the
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A terminal apparatus for use in a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver is provided. The apparatus includes a memory for storing data for generating a plurality of predetermined character screens and for storing deauthorization data, a character generator for generating character screens from the stored character screen data at the television receiver, a deauthorization mechanism responsive to the deauthorization data in the memory for deauthoring selected ones of the plurality of channels, and a controller for controlling the memory and the character generator, and for composing at least one predetermined character screen for display at the television receiver in accordance with the deauthorization of a channel by the deauthorization mechanism.
61 Citations
53 Claims
-
2. memory..].5. .[.The.]. .Iadd.A .Iaddend.terminal apparatus .[.of claim 2 further.]. .Iadd.for use in a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, said apparatus .Iaddend.comprising:
-
.Iadd.memory means for storing data for composing a plurality of predetermined character screens and for storing deauthorization data, the data for composing the plurality of predetermined character screens comprising character screen commands, .Iaddend.said memory means for further storing preview data, the preview data allowing a premium channel to be viewed for a predetermined period of time without incurring a charge; .Iadd.character generator means for generating character screens from the stored character screen composition data at said television receiver; deauthorization means responsive to the deauthorization data in the memory means for deauthorizing selected ones of said plurality of channels;
.Iaddend.preview means responsive to the stored preview data for previewing selected ones of the plurality of channels; and .Iadd.control means for controlling said memory means and said character generator means and for composing at least one predetermined character screen for displaying at said television receiver the deauthorization of a channel by said deauthorization means, .Iaddend.said control means for further controlling said memory means and said character generator means and for composing at least one predetermined character screen for displaying at the television receiver information in accordance with the - View Dependent Claims (1, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. of a video conference channel by said deauthorization means. 10. Terminal apparatus for use in a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, said apparatus comprising:
-
memory means for storing data for composing a plurality of predetermined character screens and for storing preview data, the data for composing the plurality of predetermined character screens comprising character screen commands, the preview data allowing a premium channel to be viewed for a predetermined period of time without incurring a charge; character generator means for generating character screens from the stored character screen composition data at said television receiver; preview means responsive to the stored preview data for previewing selected ones of the plurality of channels; and control means for controlling said memory means and said character generator means and for composing at least one predetermined character screen for displaying at said television receiver information in accordance with the preview of a premium channel by said preview means.
-
-
10. conference channel by said deauthorization means. 13. Terminal apparatus for use in a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, said apparatus comprising:
-
memory means for storing data for composing a plurality of predetermined character screens and for storing prebuy data, the data for composing the plurality of predetermined character screens comprising character screen commands, the prebuy data related to a user credit status; character generator means for generating character screens from the stored character screen composition data at said television receiver; prebuy means responsive to the prebuy data in the memory means for deauthorizing the viewing of premium programs; and control means for controlling said memory means and said character generator means and for composing at least one predetermined character screen for displaying at the television receiver the user credit status in accordance with the deauthorization of the viewing of premium programs by - View Dependent Claims (8, 29, 32, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 51, 52)
-
-
12. by said deauthorization means. 15. Terminal apparatus for use in a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, said apparatus comprising:
-
memory means for storing data for composing a plurality of predetermined character screens and for storing video conferencing data, the data for composing the plurality of predetermined character screens comprising character screen commands, the video conferencing data for deauthorizing the viewing of at least one video conference channel; character generator means for generating character screens from the stored character screen composition data at said television receiver; deauthorization means responsive to the video conferencing data in the memory means for deauthorizing selected ones of said plurality of channels; and control means for controlling said memory means and said character generator means and for composing at least one predetermined character screen for displaying at said television receiver the deauthorization of the viewing of a video conference channel by said deauthorization means.
-
-
20. deauthorization means. 25. Terminal apparatus for use in a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, said apparatus comprising:
-
communication means for interactively communicating with a system manager of the cable television system; memory means for storing data for composing a plurality of predetermined character screens and for storing preview data, the data for composing the plurality of predetermined character screens comprising character screen commands, the preview data allowing a premium channel to be viewed for a predetermined period of time without incurring a charge; character generator means for generating character screens from the stored character screen composition data at said television receiver; preview means responsive to the stored preview data for previewing selected ones of the plurality of channels; and control means for controlling said memory means and said character generator means and for composing at least one predetermined character screen for displaying at said television receiver information in accordance with the preview of a premium channel by said preview means.
-
-
23. conference channel by said deauthorization means. 28. Terminal apparatus for use in a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, said apparatus comprising:
-
communication means for interactively communicating with a system manager of the cable television system; memory means for storing data for composing a plurality of predetermined character screens and for storing prebuy data, the data for composing the plurality of predetermined character screens comprising character screen commands, the prebuy data related to a user credit status; character generator means for generating character screens from the stored character screen composition data at said television receiver; prebuy means responsive to the prebuy data in the memory means for deauthorizing the viewing of premium programs; and control means for controlling said memory means and said character generator means and for composing at least one predetermined character screen for displaying at the television receiver the user credit status in accordance with the deauthorization of the viewing of premium programs by
-
-
30. viewing of video conferencing channel. 36. .[.The.]. .Iadd.A terminal control .Iaddend.method of .[.claim 30 further.]. .Iadd.a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, said method .Iaddend.comprising the steps of:
-
.Iadd.storing data for composing a plurality of predetermined character screens, the stored data for composing the plurality of predetermined character screens comprising character screen commands; storing deauthorization data;
.Iaddend.storing preview data, the preview data for viewing a premium channel for a predetermined period of time without incurring a charge; .Iadd.composing character screens from the stored character screen composition data for display at said television receiver; deauthorizing selected ones of said plurality of channels in response to the stored deauthorization data; displaying at least one predetermined character screen at said television receiver when a deauthorized channel is selected, the at least one predetermined character screen related to the deauthorization of a channel;
.Iaddend.composing at least one predetermined character screen from the stored preview data; and displaying the at least one predetermined character screen, the at least one predetermined character screen related to information in accordance - View Dependent Claims (9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 33, 50)
-
-
35. viewing of the video conferencing channel. 41. A terminal control method for a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, said method of comprising the steps of:
-
storing data for composing a plurality of predetermined character screens, the stored data for composing the plurality of predetermined character screens, comprising character screen commands; storing preview data, the preview data for viewing a premium channel for a predetermined period of time without incurring a charge; composing character screens from the stored character screen composition data at said television receiver, at least one predetermined character screen from the stored preview data; and outputting the at least one predetermined character screen, the at least one predetermined character screen related to information in accordance
-
-
42. deauthorization of the viewing of video conferencing channel. 48. A terminal control method for a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, said method of comprising the steps of:
-
storing data for composing a plurality of predetermined character screens, the stored data for composing the plurality of predetermined character screens comprising character screen commands; storing prebuy data, the prebuy data related to a user credit status; composing at least one predetermined character screen from the stored prebuy data; and outputting the at least one predetermined character screen, the at least
-
-
47. prebuy information. 53. A terminal control method for a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, said method of comprising the steps of:
-
storing video conferencing data, the video conferencing data for deauthorizing the viewing of at least one video conference channel; composing at least one predetermined character screen from the stored video conferencing data; deauthorizing selected ones of the plurality of channels in response to the stored video conferencing data; and outputting the at least one predetermined character screen, the at least one predetermined character screen related to the deauthorization of the
-
-
53. number to compose the video conferencing screen. .Iaddend..Iadd.68. A terminal apparatus for use in a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, the terminal apparatus comprising:
-
memory means for storing data for composing a plurality of predetermined character screens and for storing deauthorization data, the data for composing the plurality of predetermined character screens comprising character screen commands, said memory means further storing preview data, the preview data allowing a premium channel to be viewed for a predetermined period of time without incurring a charge; character generator means for generating character screens from the stored character screen composition data; deauthorization circuitry responsive to the deauthorization data in the memory means for deauthorizing selected ones of said plurality of channels; control means for controlling said memory means and said character generator means; circuitry composing at least one predetermined character screen for displaying the deauthorization of a channel by said deauthorization circuitry; preview circuitry responsive to the stored preview data for previewing selected ones of the plurality of channels; and circuitry composing at least one predetermined character screen for displaying information about the preview of a premium channel by said preview circuitry. .Iaddend..Iadd.69. Terminal apparatus for use in a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, the terminal apparatus comprising; memory means for storing data for composing a plurality of predetermined character screens and for storing preview data, the data for composing the plurality of predetermined character screens comprising character screen commands, the preview data allowing a premium channel to be viewed for a predetermined period of time without incurring a charge; character generator means for generating character screens from the stored character screen composition data;
preview circuitry responsive to the stored preview data for previewing selected ones of the plurality of channels;control means for controlling said memory means and said character generator means; and circuitry composing at least one predetermined character screen for displaying information about the preview of a premium channel by said preview circuitry. .Iaddend..Iadd.70. The terminal apparatus of claim 59 further comprising communication means for interactively communicating with a system manager of the cable television system. .Iaddend..Iadd.71. The terminal apparatus of claim 60, wherein said memory means further stores deauthorization data;
the terminal apparatus further comprising;deauthorization circuitry responsive to the deauthorization data for deauthorizing selected ones of said plurality of channels; and circuitry composing at least one predetermined character screen for displaying the deauthorization of a channel by said deauthorization cicuitry. .Iaddend..Iadd.72. A terminal control method for a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, said method comprising the steps of; storing data for composing a plurality of predetermined character screens, the stored data for composing the plurality of predetermined character screens comprising character screen commands; storing deauthorization data; storing preview data, the preview data for viewing a premium channel for a predetermined period of time without incurring a charge; composing character screens from the stored character screen composition data for display; deauthorizing selected ones of said plurality of channels in response to the stored deauthorization data; displaying the at least one predetermined character screen, the at least one predetermined character screen being related to the deauthorization of a channel; composing at least one predetermined character screen from the stored preview data; and outputting the at least one predetermined character screen, the at least one predetermined character screen being related to information about the preview of a premium channel. .Iaddend..Iadd.73. A terminal control method for a cable television system which provides a plurality of channels capable of being tuned for display at a television receiver, said method comprising the steps of; storing data for composing a plurality of predetermined character screens, the stored data for composing the plurality of predetermined character screens comprising character screen commands; storing preview data, the preview data for viewing a premium channel for a predetermined period of time without incurring a charge; composing character screens from the stored character screen composition data, at least one predetermined character screen being composed from the stored preview data; and outputting the at least one predetermined character screen, the at least one predetermined character screen being related to information about the preview of a premium channel. .Iaddend..Iadd.74. The method of claim 64 further comprising the step of; displaying the at least one predetermined character screen related to the information about the preview of a premium channel. .Iaddend.
-
Specification