Telecasting service for providing video programs on demand with an interactive interface for facilitating viewer selection of video programs

For use in an interactive telecasting system for telecasting programming to a plurality of viewers, wherein:

• the interactive telecasting system includes a telecasting facility capable of providing immediate response to program selections from viewers,
• each of said viewers is identified by an identifier, and
• a subscribing viewer can, without resubscribing, select from among a plurality of programs for immediate viewing on a display, a program selection system comprising:
• memory for storing (1) a list of programs available for selection, (2) a segment of each of said programs in said list, and (3) a list of identifiers corresponding to subscribing viewers;
• a display generator for displaying said list of programs on said display;
• a viewer control unit for:
• (a) selecting one of said programs from said list,
• (b) initiating display of said selected one of said programs,
• (c) initiating display of one of said segments, corresponding to said selected one of said programs, and
• (d) transmitting an identifier corresponding to a viewer using said control unit;
• and
• a validator for comparing said transmitted identifier to said list of identifiers identifying said subscribing viewers and for preventing display of said selected one of said programs when said transmitted identifier fails to match any identifier on said list of identifiers;
• whereby:
• after selecting one of said programs from said list, any viewer can preview said selected one of said programs by initiating display of said one of said segments, corresponding to said selected one of said programs, but only a subscribing viewer can initiate display of said selected one of said programs.

For use in an interactive telecasting system for telecasting programing to a plurality of viewers, wherein:

• the interactive telecasting system includes a telecasting facility capable of providing immediate response to program selections from viewers,
• each of said viewers is identified by an identifier, and
• a subscribing viewer can, without resubscribing, select from among a plurality of programs for viewing on a display, a program selection system comprising:
• memory for storing (1) a list of programs available for selection, (2) a respective segment of each of said programs in said list, and (3) a list of identifiers corresponding to subscribing viewers;
• a display generator for displaying on said display (1) said list of programs and (2) representations of viewer actuators for manipulating said list and selecting a program from said list;
• a viewer control unit for engaging at viewer command a desired one of said actuators and for transmitting an identifier corresponding to a viewer using said control unit;
• and
• a validator for comparing said transmitted identifier to said list of identifiers identifying said subscribing viewers and for preventing display of said selected one of said programs when said transmitted identifier fails to match any identifier on said list of identifiers;
• wherein:
• at least a first one of said actuators selects one of said programs from said list,
• a second one of said actuators causes said selected one of said programs to be displayed when said validator determines that said transmitted identifier matches an identifier on said list of identifiers, and
• a third one of said actuators causes one of said segments, corresponding to said selected one of said programs, to be displayed;
• whereby:
• after selecting one of said programs from said list using said first actuator, any viewer can preview said selected one of said programs by initiating display of said one of said segments corresponding to said selected one of said programs using said third actuator, but only a subscribing viewer can initiate display of said selected one of said programs using said second actuator.

For use in an interactive telecasting system for telecasting programing to viewers, the interactive telecasting system including a telecasting facility capable of providing immediate response to subscription requests and program selections from viewers, wherein each viewer is identified by an identifier, a subscribing viewer can, without resubscribing, select from among a plurality of programs for immediate viewing on a display, and a non-subscribing viewer can immediately become a subscribing viewer, a program selection system comprising:

• memory for storing (1) a list of programs available for selection, (2) a segment of each of said programs in said list, and (3) a list of identifiers corresponding to subscribing viewers;
• a display generator for displaying on said display, at any one time, one of:
• (1) said list,
• (2) a selected one of said segments, and
• (3) a selected one of said programs;
• a viewer control unit for transmitting said viewer identifier and:
• (a) selecting a list display mode for displaying said list,
• (b) when said list is displayed, selecting one of said programs from said list,
• (c) selecting a program display mode for displaying said selected one of said programs,
• (d) selecting a preview mode for displaying one of said segments, corresponding to said selected one of said programs,
• (e) moving among said programs within any one of said list mode and said preview mode, and
• (f) moving among said list display mode, said program display mode and said preview mode;
• whereby:
• a subscribing viewer in preview mode, displaying one of said segments corresponding to one of said programs, can perform a function selected from the group consisting of:
• (a) moving to said list mode,
• (b) sequentially displaying additional ones of said segments corresponding to said programs, and
• (c) displaying a program corresponding to whichever one of said segments is being displayed;
• and
• a non-subscribing viewer in preview mode, displaying one of said segments corresponding to one of said programs, can perform a function selected from the group consisting of:
• (a) moving to said list mode, and
• (b) sequentially displaying additional ones of said segments corresponding to said programs;
• a validator for comparing said transmitted identifier to said list of identifiers identifying said subscribing viewers and for preventing display of said selected one of said programs when said transmitted identifier fails to match any identifier on said list of identifiers, wherein said validator generates a reject signal when a viewer is not a subcribing viewer;
• an interceptor for displaying a message on said display, responsive to said reject signal, for informing a non-subscribing viewer that only a subscribing viewer can initiate display of said selected one of said programs and instructing said non-subscribing viewer to actuate said viewer control unit to become a subscribing viewer, and when said viewer control unit is actuated according to said message, said viewer control unit transmits a subscription signal and an identifier corresponding to said non-subscribing viewer;
• and
• a subscription processor for receiving said subscription signal and said identifier corresponding to a non-subscribing viewer, and for adding said identifier to said list of identifiers identifying said subscribing viewers.