Abstract: An apparatus for the intelligent display of advertisements to a television services user includes a transmitter, a receiver and a display on which an electronic television program guide, television programs, and advertisements are displayed. Advertising and electronic program guide data are transmitted to a receiver used by one or more television service users. The electronic program guide data includes information characterizing television programs listed in an electronic program guide. Similarly, the advertising data includes advertisements and information characterizing the transmitted advertisements. A selection history contains information characterizing those programs selected by a user for viewing. Received advertisements are displayed to the user based upon a comparison between the information characterizing each of the plurality of advertisements and the information in the selection history.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide the ability to activate functionality in a set-top box 500. A feature authorization message is received in a set-top box 500. The feature authorization message comprises one or more rules to be evaluated (wherein each of the rules comprises one or more tests for a status of one or more conditional access module 502 attributes), one or more event requirements for rule evaluation, and one or more features that are dependent by the rule evaluation result (wherein each of the one or more features represents a set of one or more abilities of hardware and/or software of the set-top box 500). When one or more of the event requirements have been met, the one or more rules are evaluated to obtain a result. The ability to use the one or more features are then set based on the result.

Abstract: An apparatus for the intelligent display of advertisements to a television services user includes a transmitter, a receiver and a display on which an electronic television program guide, television programs, and advertisements are displayed. Advertising and electronic program guide data are transmitted to a receiver used by one or more television service users. The electronic program guide data includes information characterizing television programs listed in an electronic program guide. Similarly, the advertising data includes advertisements and information characterizing the transmitted advertisements. A selection history contains information characterizing those programs selected by a user for viewing. Received advertisements are displayed to the user based upon a comparison between the information characterizing each of the plurality of advertisements and the information in the selection history.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide the ability to activate functionality in a set-top box. A feature authorization message is received in a set-top box. The feature authorization message comprises one or more rules to be evaluated (wherein each of the rules comprises one or more tests for a status of one or more conditional access module attributes), one or more event requirements for rule evaluation, and one or more features that are dependent by the rule evaluation result (wherein each of the one or more features represents a set of one or more abilities of hardware and/or software of the set-top box). When one or more of the event requirements have been met, the one or more rules are evaluated to obtain a result. The ability to use the one or more features are then set based on the result.

Abstract: A communication system 100 includes a group of user devices, a first device separate from the group of user devices, a first satellite, a peer-to-peer network 130 in communication with the user devices and the satellite 106 and a content delivery network 120 in communication with the user devices. The content delivery network encrypts the content in response to a first encryption-decryption information and communicates the content to the plurality of user devices through a satellite. At each of the plurality of the group of user devices the content is encrypted in response to a second encryption-decryption information. A first user device communicates a content request to the group of user devices. At least one of the group of user devices communicates the content to the first user device through the peer-to-peer network. The first user device requests the encryption-decryption information from a content delivery network through a terrestrial network.

Abstract: A communication system 10 includes a network such as the Internet 50 or a telephone system 52. A user device 14 communicates with the network. A service provider 12 communicates with the user device 14 through the network. The service provider 12 generates a program guide for programming, including currently broadcasting programs and past programming. The program guide includes program guide elements. The user device 14 selects a program guide element from the past programming to form a selection signal and communicates the selection signal to a service provider. The service provider 12 retrieves a program corresponding to the selection from a content repository 46 associated with the service provider 12 and communicates the program to a user device 14 through the network.

Abstract: An interactive home video channel displayed on a monitor is disclosed. A channel in accordance with the present invention comprises a plurality of video cells presenting at least video information, a text box, a menu comprising menu choices, each menu choice and each video cell associated with a programming subject, and a cursor, which can be moved between the plurality of video cells and the menu, for selecting at least one of the video cells and the menu choices, which, presents additional information about the programming subject associated with the selected video cell or menu choice upon selection with the cursor.

Abstract: Systems for providing substantially correct pitch audio associated with video played back at a rate other than originally recorded. A system in accordance with the present invention comprises a record/playback device, wherein the record/playback device records audio programming and associated video programming at a normal speed and plays back the recorded audio programming and associated video programming at a range of speeds, a computer, coupled to the record/playback device, for determining the playback speed of the record/playback device, and an audio controller, coupled to the computer, for amending the audio programming to match a playback speed of the associated video programming while substantially maintaining the pitch of the audio programming.

Abstract: In a value dispensing system, a system and method for securely loading and executing software in a secure device that does not include any non-volatile programmable memory is provided. A non-secure portion of the value dispensing system stores software for loading into the secure portion when needed. Commands being sent to the secure printer are monitored to determine if the secure has the necessary software to execute the command. If the secure device currently does not have the necessary software to execute the command, the command is delayed and the proper software is loaded from the non-secure portion to the RAM of the secure device. A signature associated with the software is verified to ensure the authenticity of the software. If the signature is verified, the command is passed to the secure device, and, utilizing the software in the RAM, the command is executed by the secure device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of broadcasting is provided that has a geographic identifier memory, an overlay memory storing an overlay, a receiver circuit for receiving a broadcast signal and a control circuit. The control circuit displays the overlay on the broadcast signal in response to the geographic identifier.

Abstract: A system and method for adapting program guides to meet subscriber criteria, and for providing program guide information to selected subscribers based upon subscriber criteria such as the subscriber's location within a market area is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method is applied to a system broadcasting a first signal having service channels, each of which service channels is uniquely described by a service channel identifier. The application of the method provides second program guide information describing a second set of programs only to a subset of the plurality of receiver stations that comply with at least one service criteria.

Abstract: The apparatus and method of the present invention provides a direct-to-home integrated receiver/decoder (IRD) and a program for storing and displaying digital objects associated with an electronic television program guide using fuzzy logic. The method and apparatus maintains and adapts a user profile in order to efficiently select digital objects associated with an electronic program guide. The fuzzy logic based user profile may be used to select digital program guide objects for deletion from memory and/or to efficiently select digital program guide objects for display in an electronic program guide. Selection is based on fuzzy variables associated with the objects. In this manner, memory requirements and the number of programs displayed are reduced to decrease cost and reduce the amount of time a user must spend viewing the program guide.

Abstract: Electronic television program guide information is downloaded, stored and searched by a local device. A plurality of linked lists are used to remove redundancy, increase search speed, and allow dynamic categories. When a new category is encountered a new head node for a link list data structure is created. When a first program guide object containing information related to that category is downloaded, a link is made (i.e., a pointer is stored) from the head node to the guide object. When subsequent program guide objects containing information related to that category are downloaded, links are added to the end of the list or inserted in alphabetical order. As guide objects expire the links are removed. When no links remain in a particular category the head node for that category is deleted.

Abstract: The system and method described herein is used to determine the type of multi-switch connected to a direct-to-home satellite integrated receiver/decoder. The system looks for a predetermined marker pattern on the first port of a multi-switch using a first type of control signal (e.g., DiSEqC control signals) not knowing if this type of control signal will work, because the type of multi-switch is undetermined. If the marker is found on the first port, the system changes the control signal to address the third port of the multi-switch. If the marker is also acquired from the third port, and the second marker is the same as the first marker, then the multi-switch is ignoring the control signals and the process is repeated using a different pair of multi-switch ports (e.g., ports two and four) and/or a different type of control signal (e.g., tone control signals). However, if a different marker (or no marker) is found on the third port, then the multi-switch is responding to the control signals (e.g.

Abstract: In a data communication system such as a high capacity DBS system, dynamic mapping of broadcast resources is provided to exploit occasional redundancy in the program content of two or more input data streams, freeing at least one broadcast resource to carry alternate bitstreams, such as additional programs or existing programs at higher quality. Transmission maps defining the correspondence between input data streams and broadcast resources, and reception maps defining the correspondence between broadcast resources and output data streams, are updated as needed to dynamically modify broadcast resource mapping to increase effective utilization of available bandwidth. Beneficial n:n?y:m mapping in a high capacity consumer DBS entertainment system is provided. Apparatus and methods for efficiently generating, maintaining and updating allocation maps with reduced overhead requirements, are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for providing program guide information to subscribers is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method is applied to a broadcasting system having a first service network broadcasting a first signal having a first set of programs, a second service network broadcasting a second signal having a second set of programs, and a third service network broadcasting a third signal having a third set of programs, wherein the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal each include service channels uniquely identified by a service channel identifier, a method of providing a unified program guide to a receiver station.

Abstract: A system for determining which of several satellites to tune an integrated receiver/decoder (IRD) to for receiving electronic program guide data is described. The system scans a plurality of multi-switch ports attempting to acquire a digital marker associated with a predetermined network identifier and polarity. The acquired marker contains information representing a satellite network and a satellite transponder number. In this manner, the system automatically configures the IRD to present electronic program guide information associated with available satellites while excluding guide information associated with unavailable satellites.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for transmitting, receiving, storing and displaying television program data. The method includes transmitting data including scheduled program data, program guide data, and cache program data. The method further includes receiving the transmitted data and storing the cache program data. Once a cache television program is selected, the cache program data corresponding to the selected cache television program is retrieved, and a display of the television program is generated for viewing.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting satellite signal lock in a satellite receiver system is disclosed. The system includes a first filter that isolates a noise frequency from the satellite signal, a second filter that isolates a service frequency from the satellite signal, circuits that derive a value indicative of the difference between a noise component and a service frequency component and output a difference signal level, a first comparator that determines whether the difference signal level is greater than a first threshold level, and a second comparator that determines whether the difference signal level is greater than a second threshold level.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting, receiving and displaying electronic program guide data having a number of segments, wherein each segment is associated with a program and wherein some of the segments have a keyword therein includes a receiver having a memory that stores a keyword list containing the keyword or keywords. The receiver receives the program guide data and compares the segments of the program guide data to the keyword list to determine if any keywords are contained in the segments. The receiver displays the keyword on a display screen so that the keyword may be selected by the user.