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AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsHal Hjalmar Ottesen, Gordon J. Smith, George Willard VanLeeuwen
Estimating the term…
A method and apparatus for effectuating the reception and local storage of source information signals representative of a media program transmitted from a source information network preferably over a cable television channel on a pay-per-view basis is disclosed. A local intelligent set-top control unit communicates with a remote information network and a local storage device to coordinate the transmission of customer ordered media programs from the information network for storage on the local storage device. The local storage device is preferably a standard video cassette recorder (VCR) providing full VCR control functionality when presenting a stored media program on a television. A digital or optical data storage disk drive system may alternatively be employed to store source information signals downloaded from the remote information network. The intelligent set-top control unit communicates a pay-per-view billing signal to the information network upon playing of a downloaded media program, and provides protection against unauthorized copying. In an alternative configuration, a set-top control card is installed into a host computer system to coordinate the reception and local storage of downloaded media programs, and preferably provides a platform for interfacing with other home communication and electronic systems.
A method for communicating on a pay-per-view basis multimedia programs from a source information network to a local set-top control means having local storage means, the communication method comprising the steps of:
A multimedia communication system comprising:
A local information control system adapted for communicating with a separate local storage device and a remotely located source information system over a television communication channel, the local information control system comprising:
A local information control system adapted for communicating with a remotely located source information system over a television communication channel comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.