SET-TOP INTERFACE TRANSACTIONS IN AN IMPULSE PAY PER VIEW TELEVISION SYSTEM

摘要

In an impulse pay-per-view system, downloadable transactions effect increased control and diversity. A preview time/free time transaction permits a subscriber to view portions of a pay-per-view event without purchasing the event. A security transaction sent while each event is active prevents a subscriber from receiving events which have not been purchased. A telephone number transaction includes a special character representing an instruction to pause between dialing selected digits. A viewer statistic transaction instructs a subscriber to record the channel he is viewing. A subscriber may pre-buy events to facilitate event recording. System manager (8) complies and downloads transactions to IPPV modules (20) via addressable transmitter (10) and CATV network (12). Modules (20) control set-top terminals (15) to control viewing of events. Modules (20) also report event viewing data to system manager (8) via telephone network (24) and phone processor (18).