Video on demand system with dynamic enablement of random-access functionality

A method for an interactive media services system to provide media to a user through an interactive media services client device, said client device coupled to a programmable media services server device, said method comprising the steps of:nimplementing an interactive media guide;implementing said client device to present said interactive media guide to said user;providing said interactive media services system with information of a plurality of dynamic variables regarding an active session of said media;providing said interactive media services system with the ability to configure said client device with a control options suite for said active session of said media;said plurality of dynamic variables comprises at least one of a remaining rental duration, a remaining play time, and a Media On Demand (MOD) period equal to the difference of said remaining rental duration and remaining play time;said control options suite comprises a plurality of trick modes available to said user during said active session of said media to be implemented on said active session of said media; andsaid control options suite comprises a feature that all said trick modes are to be available to said user until said MOD period expires, wherein after a warning is posted regarding expiration of said MOD period, all said trick modes are made unavailable to said user such that said media of said active session can be presented in its entirety.

A method for an interactive media services system to provide media to a user through an interactive media services client device, said client device coupled to a programmable media services server device, said method comprising the steps of:nimplementing a memory on said client device;implementing a memory on said programmable media services server device;providing said interactive media services system with knowledge of a plurality of dynamic variables regarding an active session of said media;said plurality of dynamic variables comprises a remaining rental duration, a remaining play time, and a Media On Demand (MOD) period equal to the difference of said remaining rental duration and remaining play time;providing a control options suite comprising a plurality of trick modes available to said user during said active session of said media to be implemented on said active session of said media; andsaid control options suite comprises all said trick modes are to be available to said user until said MOD period expires, wherein after a warning is posed regarding expiration of said MOD period, all said trick modes are made unavailable to said user such that said media of said active session can be presented in its entirety.

A method for an interactive media services system to provide media to a user through an interactive media services client device, said client device coupled to a programmable media services server device, said method comprising the steps of:nimplementing an interactive media guide;implementing said client device to present said interactive media guide to said user;providing control options to configure a plurality of rental options available to said user;implementing said interactive media services system such that said plurality of rental options can be executed by said user in a requested active media session;providing said interactive media services system with knowledge of a plurality of dynamic variables regarding said requested active media session;said plurality of dynamic variables comprises at least one of a remaining rental duration, a remaining play time, and a Media On Demand (MOD) period equal to the difference of said remaining rental duration and remaining play time;said control options comprise a plurality of trick modes available to said user during said requested active media session to be implemented on said requested active media session; andsaid control options comprise all said trick modes are to be available to said user until said MOD period expires, wherein after a warning is posed regarding expiration of said MOD period, all said trick modes are made unavailable to said user such that said media of said requested active media session can be presented in its entirety.

A home communications terminal (HCT) coupled to a programmable media services server device to provide media to a user through said HCT, said HCT providing a plurality of configurable rental options comprising random access control available to said user during an active session of said media to be implemented on said active session of said media, said HCT provides said server device with information of a plurality of dynamic variables regarding said active session of said media, said plurality of dynamic variables comprises a remaining rental duration, a remaining play time, and a Media On Demand (MOD) period equal to the difference of said remaining rental duration and remaining play time, and said configurable rental options comprises all said random access controls are to be available to said user until said MOD period expires, wherein after a warning is posed regarding expiration of said MOD period, all said random access controls are made unavailable to said user such that said media of said active session of said media can be presented in is entirety.