Abstract: A subscriber's PMU (Personal Messaging Unit) (14) determines when the number of incoming messages is likely to be excessive by counting the incoming messages and comparing their number and rate of receipt to stored thresholds. The subscriber is alerted when an excess is detected, and he is given options such as: routing future messages to himself via alternate and less expensive communication links (34,38), or terminating messages sent to one of his PMU's addresses that has been receiving messages at a high rate. Similar control can be effected at the PMU's base station (12).

Abstract: A device contains a plurality of prestored program clips corresponding to portions of program information for presentation to a user. A comparator compares the program clips with with program information and causes selection of an alternate program in response to a match. In one embodiment, the program information corresponds to a television program and a program clip corresponds to a video frame at the beginning of an undesirable commercial, resulting in a television that automatically selects an alternate program in response an original program having an undesirable commercial. After a predetermined time associated with the video clip the television automatically returns to the original program. The invention also enables creation of new program clips based upon received program information.

Abstract: A method by which a data communication receiver may recognize a specific channel comprises the steps of receiving (1605) a data stream on a first channel for a first amount of time to determine (1680) whether network identification information is included in the data stream received on the first channel, wherein the network identification information comprises at least one address assigned to represent a network. If the network identification information is not included in the data stream received on the first channel within the first amount of time, reception is switched (1614) to receive (1605) a data stream on a second channel. The method further comprises the step of receiving (1605) the data stream on the second channel for a second amount of time to determine (1680) whether the network identification information is included in the data stream received on the second channel.

Abstract: A communications system (100) for transmission of a plurality of messages over a communications channel includes a terminal (105) for selectively transmitting each of the plurality of message, and data communication receivers (110) for receiving first and second messages about the same event. The first and second messages are compared in order to determine the status change of the event, and an alert priority is issued indicating that the event is at a critical stage, based on such comparison.