Claims
- 1. A method of allocating credits to users of a personal video recorder (PVR) system, wherein said PVR system is utilized by more than one user, said method comprising the steps of:
identifying one or more current users of said PVR system; determining an amount to credit said one or more current users for a task; and crediting an account for said one or more current users by said determined user amount.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
determining if said one or more current users belong to a user group; in response to determining said current one or more users belong to said user group, determining an amount to credit said user group; and in response to determining said one or more current users belongs to said user group, crediting said user group by said determine user group amount.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining an amount to credit said one or more current users further comprises the steps of:
determining a type of activity being performed by said one or more current users; and determining said amount to credit said one or more current users based on said type of activity being performed.
- 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of in response to determining said current one or more users belong to said user group, determining an amount to credit said user group further comprises the steps of:
a type of activity being performed by said one or more current users; and determining said amount to credit said user group based on said type of activity being performed.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said amount to credit said one or more current users is determined by the equation:
- 6. The method of claim 2, wherein said amount to credit said user group is determined by the equation:
- 7. A system for allocating credits to users of a personal video recorder (PVR) system, wherein said PVR system is utilized by more than one user, said system comprising:
means for identifying one or more current users of said PVR system; means for determining an amount to credit said one or more current users for a task; and for crediting an account for said one or more current users by said 8 determined user amount.
- 8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:
means for determining if said one or more current users belong to a user group; means for in response to determining said current one or more users belong to said user group, determining an amount to credit said user group; and means for in response to determining said one or more current users belongs to said user group, crediting said user group by said determine user group amount.
- 9. The system of claim 7, wherein the means for determining an amount to credit said one or more current users further comprises:
means for determining a type of activity being performed by said one or more current users; and means for determining said amount to credit said one or more current users based on said type of activity being performed.
- 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for in response to determining said current one or more users belong to said user group, determining an amount to credit said user group further comprises:
means for determining a type of activity being performed by said one or more current users; and means for determining said amount to credit said user group based on said type of activity being performed.
- 11. The system of claim 7, wherein said amount to credit said one or more current users is determined by the equation
- 12. The system of claim 8, wherein said amount to credit said user group is determined by the equation:
- 13. A computer program product for allocating credits to users of a personal video recorder (PVR) system, wherein said PVR system is utilized by more than one user, said computer program product comprising:
means for identifying one or more current users of said PVR system; means for determining an amount to credit said one or more current users for a task; and means for crediting an account for said one or more current users by said determined user amount.
- 14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:
means for determining if said one or more current users belong to a user group; means for in response to determining said current one or more users belong to said user group, determining an amount to credit said user group; and means for in response to determining said one or more current users belongs to said user group, crediting said user group by said determine user group amount.
- 15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the means for determining an amount to credit said one or more current users further comprises:
means for determining a type of activity being performed by said one or more current users; and means for determining said amount to credit said one or more current users based on said type of activity being performed.
- 16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the means for in response to determining said current one or more users belong to said user group, determining an amount to credit said user group further comprises:
means for determining a type of activity being performed by said one or more current users; and means for determining said amount to credit said user group based on said type of activity being performed.
- 17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein said amount to credit said one or more current users is determined by the equation:
- 18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said amount to credit said user group is determined by the equation:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application shares specification text and figures with the following co-pending applications, which were filed concurrently with the present application: application Ser. No. ______(Attorney Docket Number AUS920020416US1) “Fee-Based Programming Charge Based on Content Viewed by User;” and application Ser. No. ______(Attorney Docket Number AUS920020418US1) “User Specific Cable/Personal Video Recorder Preferences.” The content of the co-pending applications are incorporated herein by reference.