Abstract: In delivering an entertainment program over a communications network, e.g., a cable TV network, interactive application data for realizing interactive features in the entertainment program are interjected into the program stream carrying the entertainment program on an as needed basis. Because the entire channel bandwidth is temporarily dedicated for transmission of the interactive application data, whose amount is relatively small compared with that of the video and audio data of the programming content, the interactive application data when transmitted appears as a short “burst,” causing a virtually unnoticeable interruption in the programming content delivery.

Abstract: In a system for managing and selecting a service to fulfill a request, a client application can issue a message to execute a function. A service proxy can receive the message from the client application and identify one of a plurality of services to execute the function in accordance with one or more rules. Upon identifying the service to execute the function in accordance with the rules, the service proxy can send a message to the identified service to execute the function. Alternatively, the service proxy can send the identity of the identified service to the client application. The client application can then send the message to execute the function to the identified service upon receiving the identity of the identified service from the service proxy.

Abstract: A method for determining whether the terminal is authorized to receive the selected service is practiced in a terminal of a conditional access system in which a user selects a service, the selected service being associated with a frequency, the terminal having a tuner and a secure element with at least one authorized entitlement unit number stored therein. The method includes receiving at least one encrypted entitlement control message corresponding to the service, and decrypting each of the at least one encrypted entitlement control message in the secure element, each decrypted entitlement control message revealing at least one first entitlement number associated with the selected service. The method further includes determining that the terminal is authorized to receive the selected service when any first entitlement number of any decrypted entitlement control message represents any number of the at least one authorized entitlement unit number.