An improved television guide system. According to one embodiment of the invention, television guide information is provided that includes multiple occurrences of a single show. The guide system of the present invention allows the user to identify a show and, thereafter, identify when the identified show will be played again. Accordingly, the user may more easily select shows for viewing or recordation.

Television schedule system and method of operation for multiple program occurrences

The present invention provides a system to ensure security of data in a computer network system A center certifies a public-key of user of the system and distributes a secret-key A first system comprises the center in a network, an information provider and a plurality of users The center identifies utilization status by requests of the secret-key The data is encrypted by the secret-key and is stored and transferred, while the data to be stored and transferred is encrypted by a secret-key different from the secret-key of the transferred data An original data label is added to the original data, and an edit label is added to the edited data, and the center does not store the data and stores only the original data label and the edit label A second system comprises a center and an information provider in a network, and a plurality of users utilizing the network The center stores the original data and editing scenario, and also the original data label, user label and edit label The data is not transferred between the users, but data label encrypted by the public-key is transferred In electronic commerce system, every data is distributed through a mediator in the network, data which is transferred from a maker to a user is encrypted by a secret-key for encryption, and data which is transferred from the user to the maker is encrypted by a secret-key for re-encryption

Data management system

An interactive information distribution system for providing secure distribution of video-on-demand content. The interactive information distribution system includes at least one programming source for storing at least one partially encrypted video program, and a distribution center including a remote server. The remote server stores the at least one partially encrypted video program received from the at least one programming source. The remote server also processes the partially encrypted video program corresponding to a subscriber requested video program to produce a fully encrypted video program. A subscriber-side distribution network, coupled to the distribution center, causes transmission of the fully encrypted video program to the requesting subscriber.

Secure distribution of video on-demand

Personal content server apparatus and associated methods that allow a user (e.g., cable or satellite network subscriber) to access content, such as a video program, from a location outside the subscriber's network. In one embodiment, a personal content server streams the content to the subscriber over a network connection from the local e.g., (subscription) network to a remote network upon authorization by a content manager process. Various access, business or operational rules are applied depending on the content and delivery mode; e.g., to live video broadcast, video-on-demand (VOD), or archived content from the subscriber's digital video recorder (DVR) or networked PVR. In another variant, reservation information (for example program or asset ID information) is cached at a headend or hub server, thereby obviating the subscriber (or the network) having to access the subscriber's premises device. In yet another variant, a “virtual” CPE experience is provided for the remote user.

Personal content server apparatus and methods

A system and method may be provided that allows users to store, retrieve, and manipulate on-demand media content and data stored on a remote server network in an on-demand media delivery system. More particularly, the system may allow a user to access his or her on-demand media account from user equipment in different locations as long as the current user equipment can communicate with a remote server that stores user-specific information. The system upon user selection may freeze the delivery of on-demand media at a particular point and allow the user to resume the media at a later time from some other network location in system. Users may upload personal images or files to an on-demand delivery server for later retrieval and display. Users may be permitted to assign access rights to the uploaded files.

Systems and methods for providing storage of data on servers in an on-demand media delivery system

This invention relates to a method of distributing signals to valid subscribers comprised of storing subscriber terminal valid identification codes at a central station, broadcasting promotions of services available to subscribers, each associated with a specific promotion code, selecting one of the services and entering a selected service promotion code into a terminal at a subscriber location, automatically reading an identification number associated with the terminal in response to the entering of a selected promotion code, processing the identification number and the selected promotion code in accordance with an encryption algorithm, and generating an encrypted event request code therefrom, providing the event request code to a verification center, at the verification center, decrypting the event request code, verifying the number against the valid identification codes, and providing a password unique to the terminal and the selected promotion code, entering the password into the terminal at the subscriber location, and providing access to a service utilizing one of the distributed signals corresponding to the selected promotion code to the subscriber in response to the entering of the password.

Cable tv system using passwords

Verfahren und System zum Verteilen von Signalen an berechtigte Teilnehmer

La presente invention concerne une methode et un systeme de distribution de signaux a des abonnes en regle et elle comprend: (a) la mise en memoire d'au moins un code d'identification valable pour le terminal d'abonne a la station centrale, (b) la diffusion de promotions de services disponibles pour les abonnes dont chacun est associe a un code de promotion specifique, (c) le choix d'un desdits services et l'entree d'un code choisi de promotion de service dans un terminal la ou reside l'abonne, (d) la lecture automatique d'un numero d'identification associe au terminal en reponse a l'entree d'un cade de promotion choisi, (e) le traitement du numero d'identification et du code de promotion choisi suivant un algorithme de cryptage, et la generation par celui-ci d'un code crypte de requete d'evenement, (f) l'envoi du code de requete d'evenement a un centre de verification, (9) le decryptage au centre de decryptage du code de requete d'evenement, la verification du numero avec les codes d'identification valables, et l'envoi d'un mot de passe unique au terminal et du code de promotion choisi, (h) l'entree du mot de passe dans le terminal la ou reside l'abonne, et (i) la fourniture de l'acces a un service en utilisant l'un des signaux distribues correspondant au code de promotion choisi a l'abonne en reponse a l'entree du mot de passe.

Dufresne Michel

Papers

Cable tv system using passwords

Verfahren und System zum Verteilen von Signalen an berechtigte Teilnehmer

Methode et systeme de distribution de signaux a des abonnes en regle.