Abstract: A service gateway provides a proxy between a client protocol and a plurality of standard communication protocols. The service gateway provides asymmetrical routing, data compression and encryption to optimize client processing power and communication link bandwidth. The service gateway enables content translation between clients and service providers. The service gateway keeps track of client available memory and sequence numbers in messages to generate error codes when applicable. A store and forward message capability is provided along with abstract session identifiers. The service gateway supports user datagram protocol.

Abstract: A service gateway provides a proxy between a client protocol and a plurality of standard communication protocols. The service gateway provides asymmetrical routing, data compression and encryption to optimize client processing power and communication link bandwidth. The service gateway enables content translation between clients and service providers. The service gateway keeps track of client available memory and sequence numbers in messages to generate error codes when applicable. A store and forward message capability is provided along with abstract session identifiers. The service gateway supports user datagram protocol.

Abstract: A service gateway provides a proxy between a client protocol and a plurality of standard communication protocols. The service gateway provides asymmetrical routing, data compression and encryption to optimize client processing power and communication link bandwidth. The service gateway enables content translation between clients and service providers. The service gateway keeps track of client available memory and sequence numbers in messages to generate error codes when applicable. A store and forward message capability is provided along with abstract session identifiers. The service gateway supports user datagram protocol.

Abstract: A method of completing transactions using a device includes displaying a pictogram including transaction details associated therewith by a merchant. The mobile device acquires the pictogram. The mobile device or a remote server decodes the transaction details. The mobile device displays for a user the decoded transaction details. If the decided transaction details are acceptable to the user, the user accepts, via the mobile device, the decoded transaction details. The mobile device transmits a confirmation of acceptance by the user to a remote server. The remote server transmits a payment request for the payment amount reflected in the transaction details to a payment gateway. The payment gateway validates the payment request. The merchant and the device receive a payment confirmation.

Abstract: A service gateway provides a proxy between a client protocol and a plurality of standard communication protocols. The service gateway provides asymmetrical routing, data compression and encryption to optimize client processing power and communication link bandwidth. The service gateway enables content translation between clients and service providers. The service gateway keeps track of client available memory and sequence numbers in messages to generate error codes when applicable. A store and forward message capability is provided along with abstract session identifiers. The service gateway supports user datagram protocol.

Abstract: A method of completing transactions using a device includes displaying a pictogram including transaction details associated therewith by a merchant. The mobile device acquires the pictogram. The mobile device or a remote server decodes the transaction details. The mobile device displays for a user the decoded transaction details. If the decided transaction details are acceptable to the user, the user accepts, via the mobile device, the decoded transaction details. The mobile device transmits a confirmation of acceptance by the user to a remote server. The remote server transmits a payment request for the payment amount reflected in the transaction details to a payment gateway. The payment gateway validates the payment request. The merchant and the device receive a payment confirmation.

Abstract: A service gateway provides a proxy between a client protocol and a plurality of standard communication protocols. The service gateway provides asymmetrical routing, data compression and encryption to optimize client processing power and communication link bandwidth. The service gateway enables content translation between clients and service providers. The service gateway keeps track of client available memory and sequence numbers in messages to generate error codes when applicable. A store and forward message capability is provided along with abstract session identifiers. The service gateway supports user datagram protocol.

Abstract: A method of controlling consumer devices using an infrared dongle coupled to a mobile device includes receiving power for the infrared dongle from the mobile device. The infrared dongle includes an infrared transmitter coupled to a microcontroller. One or more instructions are received in the microcontroller from the mobile device. The received one or more instructions are generated from codes stored in a memory of the mobile device. In response to the receiving, one or more infrared signals are transmitted via the infrared transmitter to at least one of the consumer devices.

Abstract: A method of controlling consumer devices using an infrared dongle coupled to a mobile device includes receiving power for the infrared dongle from the mobile device. The infrared dongle includes an infrared transmitter coupled to a microcontroller. One or more instructions are received in the microcontroller from the mobile device. The received one or more instructions are generated from codes stored in a memory of the mobile device. In response to the receiving, one or more infrared signals are transmitted via the infrared transmitter to at least one of the consumer devices.

Abstract: A system for authenticating a user to a service includes a service, an authentication server and a device. The service includes first signal interface, first processing hardware and first user interface. The authentication server includes second signal interface and second processing hardware. First signal interface transmits a request to the authentication server to authenticate a user. Second processing hardware creates a session identifier and encodes it into a pictogram. Second signal interface transmits the pictogram to the service. The device includes third processing hardware that scans the pictogram and extracts the session identifier, and a third signal interface that transmits the credentials and the session identifier to the authentication server. Second processing hardware verifies the credentials, and second signal interface securely transmits the result of the authentication to the service.

Abstract: A method of controlling consumer devices using an infrared dongle coupled to a mobile device includes receiving power for the infrared dongle from the mobile device. The infrared dongle includes an infrared transmitter coupled to a microcontroller. One or more instructions are received in the microcontroller from the mobile device. The received one or more instructions are generated from codes stored in a memory of the mobile device. In response to the receiving, one or more infrared signals are transmitted via the infrared transmitter to at least one of the consumer devices.

Abstract: A method of controlling consumer devices using an infrared dongle coupled to a mobile device includes receiving power for the infrared dongle from the mobile device. The infrared dongle includes an infrared transmitter coupled to a microcontroller. One or more instructions are received in the microcontroller from the mobile device. The received one or more instructions are generated from codes stored in a memory of the mobile device. In response to the receiving, one or more infrared signals are transmitted via the infrared transmitter to at least one of the consumer devices.

Abstract: A service gateway provides a proxy between a client protocol and a plurality of standard communication protocols. The service gateway provides asymmetrical routing, data compression and encryption to optimize client processing power and communication link bandwidth. The service gateway enables content translation between clients and service providers. The service gateway keeps track of client available memory and sequence numbers in messages to generate error codes when applicable. A store and forward message capability is provided along with abstract session identifiers. The service gateway supports user datagram protocol.

Abstract: A service gateway provides a proxy between a client protocol and a plurality of standard communication protocols. The service gateway provides asymmetrical routing, data compression and encryption to optimize client processing power and communication link bandwidth. The service gateway enables content translation between clients and service providers. The service gateway keeps track of client available memory and sequence numbers in messages to generate error codes when applicable. A store and forward message capability is provided along with abstract session identifiers. The service gateway supports user datagram protocol.

Abstract: A system for executing, on a secondary screen device, interactive events linked to predetermined program content played on a main screen device. The secondary screen device has channel tuning capability for selecting channels to be played on the main screen device. The system includes an application service platform adapted to communicate with the secondary screen device for monitoring the channels selected to be displayed on the main screen device. The application service platform determines when the predetermined program content is played on the main screen device. The application service platform is adapted to send to the secondary screen device one or more of the interactive events linked to the predetermined program content.

Abstract: A system for authenticating a user to a service includes a service, an authentication server and a device. The service includes first signal interface, first processing hardware and first user interface. The authentication server includes second signal interface and second processing hardware. First signal interface transmits a request to the authentication server to authenticate a user. Second processing hardware creates a session identifier and encodes it into a pictogram. Second signal interface transmits the pictogram to the service. The device includes third processing hardware that scans the pictogram and extracts the session identifier, and a third signal interface that transmits the credentials and the session identifier to the authentication server. Second processing hardware verifies the credentials, and second signal interface securely transmits the result of the authentication to the service.

Abstract: A method of completing transactions using a device includes displaying a pictogram including transaction details associated therewith by a merchant. The mobile device acquires the pictogram. The mobile device or a remote server decodes the transaction details. The mobile device displays for a user the decoded transaction details. If the decided transaction details are acceptable to the user, the user accepts, via the mobile device, the decoded transaction details. The mobile device transmits a confirmation of acceptance by the user to a remote server. The remote server transmits a payment request for the payment amount reflected in the transaction details to a payment gateway. The payment gateway validates the payment request. The merchant and the device receive a payment confirmation.

Abstract: A service gateway provides a proxy between a client protocol and a plurality of standard communication protocols. The service gateway provides asymmetrical routing, data compression and encryption to optimize client processing power and communication link bandwidth. The service gateway enables content translation between clients and service providers. The service gateway keeps track of client available memory and sequence numbers in messages to generate error codes when applicable. A store and forward message capability is provided along with abstract session identifiers. The service gateway supports user datagram protocol.

Abstract: A common communication language that can address all the applications running in a multitude of set top boxes (STBs) or client devices and application servers. The present invention, DATP protocol encapsulates a Meta language that provides a generic portable communication application programmer interface that requires light processor utilization and is well suited for a typical STB possessing limited processing power. DATP requires relatively few processing cycles compared to typical Internet communication protocols. DATP reduces the overhead of the communication protocol handler at the STB and makes the communication protocol handler common for all STBs applications. The preferred DATP protocol is portable for all STBs since it is written in a native language that interfaces with the underlying operating system of the STB. A SGW (SGW) performs as a DATP server. The SGW translates between DATP messages and standard communication protocols.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for managing the presentation and regulation of E-Commerce, content and service providers access in an interactive television environment comprising interactions between a server, a client, and a service provider. Components are provided for managing and completing a purchase or delivery of an item offered by a service provider. A purchase transaction uses client information comprising partial client information from the client and a list of purchased items. Upon receiving partial information from the client, the server retrieves corresponding additional related information within its database and transmits this retrieved data from the server, along with the list of purchased items to complete the transaction. Business Agents are provided for logging the transaction, creating an electronic receipt, logging patches, logging error events, and viewer logging.