Abstract:
A message delivery system comprising a source of information (10, 12, 14) and a television transmitter (16) for delivering information services to a user having a display apparatus (20, 22, 24), such as a teletext television receiver (20), wherein an encrypted message including commands is transmitted as a SMS message in a pre-assigned teletext page. An enabled television receiver includes a client (22) for parsing the commands in the SMS message and uses the commands for conditioning the receiver as required in order to display the messages in a format similar to text signals.
Abstract:
A method of delivering information services to portab1e terminals, for example cellular phones (20, 30), in which an information service provider (10) generates messages including commands. The messages are propagated as short message service packets or WAP packets to the terminals (20, 30). The terminals include clients which are able to parse the commands and use them to condition the terminal to process the message and, optionally, to generate a reply message.
Abstract:
In interactive teletext, an individual user establishes a connection (6) with a central computer (14). Requested information is applied to a television transmitter (12) via a teletext inserter (11) and transmitted to the user as personal teletext pages for display on the user's receiver (3). However, other users (4) may be 'co-viewers'. In accordance with the invention, each personal page is transmitted with a teletext page number P and a sub-code S. Subsequently, a pseudo-page having the same page number P but a different sub-code S' is transmitted. Consequently, the personal page appears on the display screen of the co-viewer's receiver (4) only for a short time.
Abstract:
A method for transmitting teletext signals from a transmitter to a plurality of receivers wherein a plurality of successive and numbered teletext pages are transmitted currently. In addition to the teletext pages determined for all the receivers, it is possible to transmit a plurality of pages which are determined to be received only by one or more selected receivers. Each of these receivers has been allocated a digital address and comprises a store for storing teletext pages. Control signals are transmitted to the selected receiver or receivers on a given teletext page, said control signals comprising addresses of the selected receiver or receivers as well as information on the point or points of time at which teletext pages determined for said receivers will subsequently be transmitted. Then the pages determined for said receivers are transmitted, and said pages are received by said receivers and stored in the store of each receiver.
Abstract:
An interactive terminal comprises a processor, a local data store connected to the processor, a character generator responsive to processor control for generating a television signal output to an associated television receiver, a key pad or remote control for inputting information to the processor, and a power supply input. The terminal is coupled, via 2-way RF communications, to a central location, designated as the system manager, where the terminal is accessed by polling for monitoring and servicing terminal user requests. The interactive terminal has a local storage capacity for storing a number of character screen commands, accessed from a central data base at the system manager, for use in generating prompting screens displayed on the television receiver. In use, a user may call for a variety of services by operating the input keys of the key pad to cause a prompting screen to be displayed. Screen commands are stored at the terminal according to an assigned priority. The stored screen commands also include pointers which are used by the terminal processor to prefetch screens which will likely follow the current screen in a decision tree structure manner. Thus, screens may be prefetched from the central data base and downloaded for storage at the terminal so that they are available for display if and when called for. If a particular branch of a decision tree is not selected, screens associated with the unselected branch are deleted from terminal memory as needed to make room for mew screens. The terminal memory is also controlled so that data is swapped in and out of memory based on its relative priority.
Abstract:
A method of charging of information services in which a subscriber station (20, 30, 32) contacts an internet server (10) using a non-premium rate link in order to request connection to an information service provider. The internet server (10) effects a connection between the subscriber station (20, 30, 32) and the formation service provider using a premium rate link which is maintained until the link is broken. The user of the premium rate link is billed by a network provider who remits the payment to the information service provider. Also, a method of delivering subscription service information from an information content provider (14) to a subscriber (20, 30, 32), involves a subscriber forwarding an information request to a server (10), the server contacting the information content provider (14) having a data base holding the information being requested giving contact details of the subscriber, and the information content provider communicating directly with the subscriber to supply information request by the subscriber.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for automatically setting the time in a peripheral device (170) in a television system (10). In the preferred embodiment, a datastream (300) with packets of data (310-313) is broadcast to the peripheral device (170). A time value (400) within the received datastream (300) is used to set the time within the peripheral device (170). The data within the received datastream (300) also contains a cyclic redundancy check (410) which is used to determine when an error is present in the received data packet (310). The time is set in the peripheral device (170) only when the cyclic redundancy check has found no errors in the data packet (310). When needed, additional values within the received packet (310) can later be used to correct the time which has been set in the peripheral device (170).
Abstract:
A system for providing interactive services in a subscription television system comprises a system network controller (28) for controlling the interactive services having controller memory for storing subscriber terminal identification data, transaction identification data and transaction return data, and a processor, coupled to the controller memory, for generating a transaction having interactive transaction data and transaction identification data. The processor also correlates received transaction return data with at least said transaction identification data and calculates summary data therefrom.
Abstract:
A teletext system provides teletext services and teletext support services in a multiservice communication system. Multiplex data streams for a plurality of services, including teletex data, are transmitted in a sequence of frames between a transmitter location and a receiver location. Teletext information is transmitted in the format of a header packet and a data packet. The header packet contains information identifying the teletext information according to page number as well as other filter fields, such as language (filter 4), time zone (filter 2), etc. By appropriate selection of the values of the filter fields, the operator is afforded greater flexibility in providing a variety of classes of service and service support to subscribers. In addition, the system may easily be reconfigured to support the addition of services or the cancellation of services.
Abstract:
A two-ray interactive addressable entertainment terminal comprises a processor, a keyboard, a character generator responsive to the processor and memory for storage of an algorithm related to the installation of the terminal and to providing a verification indication at the terminal of acknowledged entry of the terminal into an entertainment system. The character generator, responsive to the passage of a predetermined period of time since the application of power to the terminal, causes a number of screens to be displayed on an associated television receiver. The display screens reinforce the algorithm and provide indications of programmed key functions despite labels of keys on the keyboard. Consequently, a user or installer is capable of installing a terminal according to the present invention without any communication with personnel at the location of a system manager. By requiring the practically simultaneous occurence of two events the application of power and the actuation of a predetermined key, inadvertent entry into either an installation mode or a maintenance mode of terminal operation is prevented.