Trigger having a time attribute

A method, comprising:

• a. broadcasting a first trigger indicative of an information resource, the first trigger having a time attribute value, the time attribute value being indicative of a future time;
• b. receiving the first trigger on a first receiver unit, the first receiver unit retrieving the information resource from a packet-switched network prior to the future time;
• c. after steps (a) and (b), broadcasting a second trigger indicative of the same information resource;
• d. receiving the second trigger on a second receiver unit but not receiving the first trigger on the second receiver unit, the second receiver unit retrieving the information resource from the packet-switched network;
• and
• e. executing the first trigger on the first receiver unit at the future time, and executing the second trigger on the second receiver unit at the future time.

A method, comprising:

• a. receiving and displaying on a receiver unit a first channel of video;
• b. receiving a trigger having a time attribute value, the time attribute value indicating a life span during which the trigger is valid;
• c. executing the trigger in the context of the first channel of video so that an enhancement is displayed on the receiver unit along with the first channel of video;
• d. on the receiver unit, switching channels from receiving and displaying video from the first channel of video to receiving and displaying video from a second channel of video;
• e. after step (d), switching channels back so the receiver unit is receiving and displaying video from the first channel of video;
• and
• f. during the life span, automatically reexecuting the trigger upon switching channels back in step (e) so that the enhancement is displayed on the receiver unit along with the first channel of video.

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

• a. receiving a trigger having a time attribute value, the time attribute value being indicative of a future time, the trigger having an identifier that identifies an information resource;
• b. using the identifier to retrieve the information resource from a remote information store;
• and
• c. after step (b), waiting until the future time and then executing the trigger.

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

• a. receiving and displaying a first channel of video on a receiver unit;
• b. receiving a trigger associated with the first channel of video, the trigger having a time attribute value, the time attribute value indicating a life span;
• c. switching channels so that a second channel of video is received and displayed on the receiver unit;
• and
• d. after step (c), switching channels back so that the first channel of video is received and displayed on the receiver unit, the trigger being automatically reexecuted upon switching back.