Interactive television triggers having connected content/disconnected content attribute

A method, comprising:

• a. broadcasting a first trigger having a first attribute value, the first attribute value indicating that first content associated with the first trigger is connected content;
• b. receiving the first trigger on a receiver unit, the receiver unit using the first attribute value to determine that the first trigger is not to be executed on the receiver unit;
• c. broadcasting a second trigger having a second attribute value, the second attribute value indicating that second content associated by the second trigger is disconnected content;
• and
• d. receiving the second trigger on the receiver unit, the receiver unit using the second attribute value to determine that the second trigger is to be executed on the receiver unit;
• and
• e. executing the second trigger on the receiver unit without executing the first trigger on the receiver unit.

A system, comprising:

• a transmitter transmitting video, a connected content trigger and a disconnected content trigger;
• a first receiver unit that receives the connected content trigger and the disconnected content trigger and executes the disconnected content trigger and ignores the connected content trigger, the first receiver unit having no connection to the Internet;
• and
• a second receiver unit that receives the connected content trigger and the disconnected content trigger and executes both the disconnected content trigger and the connected content trigger, the first receiver unit having a connection to the Internet.

A method, comprising:

• receiving on a receiver unit a first trigger having an attribute, the attribute having a first value;
• receiving on the receiver unit a second trigger having an attribute, the attribute having a second value;
• and
• using connectivity information stored on the receiver unit and the attribute of the second trigger to determine on the receiver unit whether to execute or to ignore the second trigger such that if the connectivity information is a third value then a determination is made on the receiver unit to execute the first trigger and to ignore the second trigger, and such that if the connectivity information stored on the receiver unit has a fourth value then a determination is made on the receiver unit to execute both the first trigger and the second trigger.

A method, comprising:

• a. receiving a first trigger and a second trigger along with a video signal, the first trigger having a first attribute value, the first attribute value indicating that first content associated with the first trigger is connected content, the second trigger having a second attribute value, the second attribute value indicating that second content associated with the second trigger is disconnected content;
• b. using the first attribute value to determine that the first content is not to be relayed;
• c. using the second attribute value to determine that the second content is to be relayed;
• d. obtaining the second content from a remote information store;
• and
• e. relaying the second content along with the video signal and the second trigger to plurality of receiver units.

A relay station, comprising:

• means for receiving video, connected content triggers and disconnected content triggers;
• means for distinguishing the connected content triggers from the disconnected content triggers;
• means for retrieving disconnected content identified by the disconnected content triggers;
• and
• means for relaying the video, the disconnected content, and the disconnected content triggers to a plurality of receiver units.

A method, comprising:

• a. receiving a first trigger and a second trigger along with a video signal, the first trigger having a first attribute value, the first attribute value indicating that the first content associated with the first trigger is connected content, the second trigger having a second attribute value, the second attribute value indicating that second content associated with the second trigger is disconnected content;
• b. using the first attribute value to determine that the first content is not to be relayed;
• c. using the second attribute value to determine that the second content is to be relayed;
• d. retrieving the second content;
• e. after step (a), receiving a third trigger along with the video signal, the third trigger also being associated with the second content;
• and
• f. relaying the second content along with video signal and the third trigger to a plurality of receiver units.

A relay station, comprising:

• means for receiving video and a first trigger, the first trigger being a disconnected content trigger and identifying an information resource;
• means for determining that the first trigger is a disconnected content trigger and for retrieving the information resource identified by the first trigger;
• means for relaying the information resource and the video to a plurality of receiver units;
• means for receiving a second trigger, the second trigger being a disconnected content trigger and identifying the same information resource identified by the first trigger;
• and
• means for relaying the second trigger to the plurality of receiver units.

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

• a. in response to receiving a first disconnected content trigger, retrieving an information resource identified by the first disconnected content trigger from a packet-switched network;
• b. relaying the information resource to a plurality of receiver units;
• and
• c. receiving a second disconnected content trigger and relaying the second disconnected content trigger to the plurality of receiver units, the second disconnected content trigger identifying the same information resource identified by the first disconnected content trigger.