Claims
- 1. A method for identifying an individual program as a pay-per-view event, comprising the steps of:
designating the individual program as a pay-per-view event for at least one subscriber; and displaying a pay-per-view identifier in the information associated with the individual program and displayed to the subscriber.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the designating step is performed by a subscriber television system operator.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the program designated as the pay-per-view event is available to other subscribers as a non-pay-per-view event.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pay-per-view identifier is a pay-per-view icon.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the individual program and displayed to the subscriber is a program guide.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the individual program and displayed to the subscriber is a browse banner.
- 7. A method for identifying an individual program as a pay-per-view event in a program guide, the method comprising the steps of:
designating the individual program as a pay-per-view event for at least one subscriber; displaying the program guide listing available programs; and displaying a pay-per-view identifier in the program guide displayed to the subscriber, associated with the designated program.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the program designated as the pay-per-view event is available to other subscribers as a non-pay-per-view event.
- 9. A method for identifying a channel to be available as a pay-per-view event within a program guide, the method comprising the steps of:
designating the channel as available as the pay-per-view event for at least one subscriber; displaying the program guide listing available programs; and displaying a pay-per-view identifier associated with the designated channel in the program guide to the subscriber.
- 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the channel designated as available as the pay-per-view event is available to other subscribers in a non-pay-per-view format.
- 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the displayed pay-per-view identifier is displayed with the channel associated information.
- 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the displayed pay-per-view identifier is displayed with the channel identification information.
- 13. The method of claim 9, further including the step of designating a time period that the channel is available as a pay-per-view event.
- 14. A subscriber television system for identifying, within program information associated with services available on the subscriber television system, at least one program within at least one service as a pay-per-view event and allowing a subscriber that does not subscribe to the at least one service to purchase and view the at least one program, the system comprising:
a headend for processing and transmitting the services and associated program information of the subscriber television system; a transmission medium for interfacing with the headend to transmit the services and associated program information available on the subscriber television system; and a home communications terminal for interfacing with the transmission medium, for causing a display of at least a portion of the associated program information, for causing a display of a pay-per-view identifier in program information associated with the at least one program, and for allowing the subscriber to purchase and view the at least one program.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/138,757, Jerding et al., entitled Enhanced Interactive Program Guide User Interface for a Home Communications Terminal, filed Jun. 11, 1999, and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/170,302, Jerding et al., entitled Home Communication Terminal Resident Application, filed Dec. 13, 1999.
Provisional Applications (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60138757 |
Jun 1999 |
US |
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60170302 |
Dec 1999 |
US |