Abstract: A method and system of provisioning a set-top box (STB) with a STB provisioning system are provided which include storing STB profile information in a provisioning datastore, receiving a customer order at a service provisioning system, notifying a billing system of the customer order, and notifying a conditional access system of the customer order. The method and system further include storing information from the customer order in a provisioning datastore, notifying a video device manager about the STB, and delivering a cable operator configuration message from the video device manager to the STB, the configuration message being based on information from the provisioning datastore, thereby provisioning the STB without essential involvement of the conditional access system.

Abstract: A system and method for use in a cable network to acquire electronic programming guide (EPG) content signals from one or more EPG vendors. The system includes a set-top box (STB) for receiving cable signals and EPG signals from a headend controller so that the STB can output the signals to a media output device for display. A conversion table is provided to each STB for use by the STB in determining source IDs associated with a given channel for each EPG vendor, the source IDs for use in acquiring the EPG content signals.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for distributing digital images to a user. The system includes an image capture device for creating digital images, and at least one image server in communication with the image capture device via a communication network, such as the Internet. The image server is operable to receive and store the digital images transmitted from the image capture device. At least one programmable software agent in communication with the image server via the communication network automatically selects a subset of the digital images provided by the image server for distribution to the user. The system further includes one or more display devices for displaying the digital images selected by the software agent.

Abstract: Automated booting of a client for a subscriber is provided for clients that are for use in interactive user sessions that involve multimedia. A subscribe message is sent from the client to a proxy server. The proxy server authenticates the subscribe message, and sends the subscribe message to the configuration server. A notify message is sent to the client from the configuration server. The notify message is sent through the proxy server, and contains a location of a profile for the client. The profile is downloaded to the clients. This arrangement allows the persistence of profiles in a centralized place.

Abstract: A system and method for provisioning network elements, such as but not limited to the type of network elements used in cable television system to facilitate subscriber access to services. The provisioning may be accomplished without communications between multiple provisioning servers. This allows the provisioning to be conducted in a stateless manner.

Abstract: A method for limiting user access to a captive domain or an open domain. The captive domain may include electronically accessible content that is selected/controlled by a service provider and the open domain may include electronically accessible content that is not completely selected/controlled by the service provider. The method may include configuring a modem or other user device in such a manner as to limit use access to the desired domain.

Abstract: A method and system of provisioning a set-top box (STB) with a STB provisioning system are provided which include storing STB profile information in a provisioning datastore, receiving a customer order at a service provisioning system, notifying a billing system of the customer order, and notifying a conditional access system of the customer order. The method and system further include storing information from the customer order in a provisioning datastore, notifying a video device manager about the STB, and delivering a cable operator configuration message from the video device manager to the STB, the configuration message being based on information from the provisioning datastore, thereby provisioning the STB without essential involvement of the conditional access system.

Abstract: A method for provisioning subscribers, products, and services in a broadband network includes establishing a directory system for storing information about a plurality of subscribers. The directory system includes a subscriber namespace and a device namespace. A subscriber is added by instantiating a subscriber object for the subscriber in the subscriber namespace. Each available service has its own state in the directory system to provide a multi-state provisioning system that permits granular management services.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a system and method for providing at least one electronic application to at least one device. In one embodiment, the method includes acquiring device information that relates to the device and determining whether the device supports the at least one application based on the device information. The method may further include generating an electronic message for the device wherein the message contains at least one link for acquiring the at least one application when the device supports the application.

Abstract: Tokens and policy descriptors are used for dynamic on demand session management in a distributed and scalable architecture for on demand sessions and resource management. The architecture includes an on demand client, a purchase server, and a session manager. A purchase token is generated at the purchase server and assigned to the on demand client. The purchase token represents at least one requested asset. In response to an on demand session set-up request corresponding to the purchase token from the on demand client to the session manager, the purchase token is expanded to generate at least one dynamic policy management descriptor for the on demand session. This provides token-based purchase authorization and policy management for on demand services.

Abstract: A method of initializing, provisioning, and managing a cable modem and a customer premise equipment device includes sending a customized configuration file to the cable modem. The configuration file contains service provisioning information and further includes information indicative of a device-to-device communication configuration. A message is passed from the cable modem to the customer premise equipment device indicative of the device-to-device communication configuration. The customer premise equipment device is initialized for device-to-device communication with any other customer premise equipment devices in accordance with the device-to-device communication configuration indicated in the message, which relates to physical layer and data link layer communications among customer premise equipment devices. In this way, the customer premise equipment device knows how to communicate with other customer premise equipment devices, for example, at the same subscriber location.

Abstract: An application is signaled to a host device using descriptors incorporated into an application information table. Only applications intended for a certain host device are downloaded to that host device. The descriptors allow the host to identify applications that are addressed to the host based on attributes of the host. When addressing is performed at the level of an application, the application signaling is accomplished using a single application information table and the evaluation of logical parameters against selected host attributes to identify all of the applications addressed to the host. When addressing is performed at the level of a table, multiple tables are evaluated using logical parameters applied to selected host attributes to determine which table is addressed to the host. Addressing conflicts are resolved using priority measures assigned to selected host attributes.

Abstract: A system for correlating a user's interests to media content, said system comprising: (a) at least one data store comprising media content data relating to people, works, and tags; (b) a relationship generator configured to generate direct relationships among said people, works and tags; (c) a connection module to generate connections between a primary person, work or tag and a first set of said people, works, and tags, wherein each person, work and tag of said first set has a direct relationship with said primary person, work or tag; and (d) a display module for causing the display of at least a portion of said first set of said people, works and tags.

Abstract: A method and system relating to an on-demand listings guide which is easy to use and that provides true on-demand viewing capabilities. One aspect of the method and system relates to electronically displaying an on-demand listings guide which includes information relating to at least one series and information relating to a plurality of episodes available on-demand from the series.

Abstract: A system and method for managing communication. The system and method applying to but not limited to settop boxes (STBs) and other devices used to interface services. The management including any number of features and processes associated with achieving Quality of Service (QoS) across different domains and according to network limitations associated with the same.

Abstract: A system for correlating a user's interests to media content, said system comprising: (a) at least one data store comprising media content data relating to people, works, and tags; (b) a relationship generator configured to generate direct relationships among said people, works and tags; (c) a connection module to generate connections between a primary person, work or tag and a first set of said people, works, and tags, wherein each person, work and tag of said first set has a direct relationship with said primary person, work or tag; and (d) a display module for causing the display of at least a portion of said first set of said people, works and tags.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a system and method for providing at least one electronic application to at least one device. In one embodiment, the method includes acquiring device information that relates to the device and determining whether the device supports the at least one application based on the device information. The method may further include generating an electronic message for the device wherein the message contains at least one link for acquiring the at least one application when the device supports the application.

Abstract: A method for generating a Set Top Box (STB) code download step sequence includes the steps of retrieving a code object from a Software Download Generator (SDG) memory in response to an instruction signal, generating at least one of a control message and a decoder conditional command using a SDG processor in response to the code object, accessing information in a channel map in the SDG memory, combining the at least one of a control message and a decoder conditional command with the code object to generate the STB code download step sequence for a target STB, transmitting the at least one STB code download step sequence from the SDG memory to a Digital Addressable Controller (DAC), re-transmitting the STB code download step sequence from the DAC to a Remote Addressable DANIS/DLS (RADD), and re-transmitting the STB code download step sequence from the RADD to the target STB.

Abstract: A security system that can be used in a home, office, or other building in order to generate alarms or take other actions depending on conditions within the building. The security system may rely on sensors within the building which sense various conditions and collect other data. The information learned from the sensors can be communicated to a location outside the building for processing, such as, but not limited to, processing associated with a need to instigate an alarm.

Abstract: Provisioning of network element with a provisioning element having a number of provisioning servers. Each provisioning server being active to support its own provisioning and to actively backup the provisioning of the provisioning servers such that operations of the provisioning servers is maximized while providing redundancy in the event that one of the other provisioning servers is lost or disabled.