The present invention provides a method for an interactive media services system to provide media to a user through an interactive media services client device. The client device is coupled to a programmable media services server device. The method includes the step of implementing an interactive media guide. Additionally, the client device is implemented to present the interactive media guide to the user. A system operator is provided an interface to the programmable media services server. Control options are provided within the interface to allow the system operator to configure a plurality of rental options available to the user. Finally the interactive media service system is implemented such that the plurality of rental options can be executed by the user in a requested active media session.

Claims

27 · 1 independent · depth 4

27 granted claims

›1.independentA method for an interactive media services system to provide media to a user through an interactive media services client device, said client device c…+26

›2.↳ 1The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of control options is a duration between pause and stop modes.d2

›3.↳ 1The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of control options is a duration of user inactivity which results in teardown of a session.d2

›4.↳ 1The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of control options is a time limit to cancel rental of a title.d2

›5.↳ 1The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of control options is a duration of a preview of a title.d2

›6.↳ 1The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of control options is an initial title category.d2

›7.↳ 1The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of control options is a session bandwidth limitation for the specific client device.d2

›8.↳ 1The method of claim 1, wherein the video-on-demand session options comprise plural options corresponding to respective points of recommencement of a s…d2+6

›9.↳ 8The method of claim 8, wherein one of the plural options comprises a selectable option to recommence playback at a beginning of the rented video-on-de…d3

›10.↳ 8The method of claim 8, wherein one of the plural options comprises a selectable option to recommence playback at a current stopped location of the ren…d3+1

›12.↳ 8The method of claim 8, wherein one of the plural options comprises a selectable option to end the rental of the video-on-demand movie.d3

›13.↳ 8The method of claim 8, wherein a graphics user interface screen corresponding to the stopped playback commences immediately after a defined duration s…d3

›14.↳ 8The method of claim 8, wherein a graphics user interface screen corresponding to the stopped playback commences immediately after a user-initiated sto…d3

›15.↳ 1The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of video-on-demand session options comprise a plurality of rental options activated during the video-on-…d2+12

›16.↳ 15The method of claim 15, wherein said plurality of rental options comprise a plurality of rental duration periods and a plurality of messaging availabl…d3

›17.↳ 15The method of claim 15, where said control options further allow said system operator to configure the plurality of rental options in association with…d3

›18.↳ 15The method of claim 15, where said control options further allow said system operator to configure the plurality of rental options in association with…d3

›19.↳ 15The method of claim 15, further comprising:nimplementing said interactive media guide to present to said user said plurality of rental options availab…d3

›20.↳ 15The method of claim 15, where one of the plurality of rental options is a rental period for a specific duration of time.d3

›21.↳ 15The method of claim 15, where one of the plurality of rental options is a rental period equivalent to a length of a specific program.d3

›22.↳ 15The method of claim 15, where one of the plurality of rental options is a rental period equivalent to an integer multiplier of a length of a specific …d3

›23.↳ 15The method of claim 15, where one of the plurality of rental options is a number of viewing opportunities for a specific program.d3

›24.↳ 15The method of claim 15, where one of the plurality of rental options is a degree of control a user has over random access functions.d3

›25.↳ 15The method of claim 15, where one of the plurality of rental options is an ability to view a title without advertising.d3

›26.↳ 15The method of claim 15, where one of the plurality of rental options is an ability to view a title without promotions.d3

›27.↳ 15The method of claim 15, where one of the plurality of rental options is an ability to view a title without trailers.d3

Classifications

6 codes

IPC · International Patent Classification

Section H — Electricity

H04N7/173

USPC · US Patent Classification

725/91725/32725/100725/39725/88

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Pendency

5.3 y

1,953 days filing → grant

Office actions

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Responses

4 RCE

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Examiner

Nicholas T Corbo

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Priority chain

2 priority documents

Priority

11 Jun 1999

earliest claimed

›Priority documents — 2

Type	Document	Date
provisional	US 60138756	11 Jun 1999
related publication	US 20060112434 A1	25 May 2006

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