Virtual assets in an interactive television cable system

An interactive communication network having a headend and a plurality of multiplexed set-tops, comprising:

• a forward-channel enabling said headend-to-communicate with said plurality of set-tops, and to individually address one of said plurality of set-tops;
• a reverse-channel enabling said plurality of set-tops to-communicate with said headend;
• a memory-store at said headend storing a plurality of data-assets;
• each data-asset containing a plurality of individual data-items;
• query establishing apparatus at each of said set-tops enabling a given set-top to formulate a descriptive word term that identifies a data-item that is of interest;
• a transmitter at said given set-top for transmitting said descriptive word-term and an address of said given set-top to said headend;
• a search engine at said headend for searching said data-assets;
• said search engine operating to form a list-memory-store that lists data-assets that contain one or more data-items that satisfy said descriptive word-term;
• said list-memory-store operating to associate said given set-top address with said one or more data-assets that contain one or more data-items that satisfy said descriptive-word term;
• a transmitter at said headend for transmitting said one or more data-assets to all of said set-top;
• said transmission being addressed to said given set-top;
• a receiver at each of said given set-tops enabling said given set-top to store said transmitted one or more data-assets;
• manually controlled means at said headend for selectively changing said memory storage of said plurality of data-assets;
• said manual control means operating to change said one or more data-assets that contain one or more data-items that satisfy said descriptive word-term in a manner to form one or more new-data-assets that contain one or more data-items that satisfy said descriptive-word term;
• updating apparatus at said headend, responsive to said control means;
• said updating means being operable to retransmit said one or more new-data-assets to all of said set-top;
• said retransmission being addressed to said given set-top;
• and
• said receiver at each of said given set-top enabling said given set-top to store said retransmitted one or more new-data-assets.

In an interactive TV cable network having a headend that is connected to a plurality of set-top terminals by way of a high-speed forward-channel that enables communication to said set-top terminals, wherein each of said set-top terminals includes a TV set that is connected thereto, wherein said set-top terminals are connected to said headend by way of a multiplexed low-speed reverse-channel that enables communication to said headend, and wherein said headend includes data-asset storage wherein each of a plurality of data-assets includes a plurality of individual data-items, an improvement enabling a user of a given set-top terminal to query said headend as to the existence of a specified data-item within said data-asset storage, comprising:

• querying apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling said user of said given set-top terminal to formulate an attribute-descriptor of said specified data-item;
• transmitting apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling said given set-top terminal to transmit said attribute-descriptor to said headend;
• searching apparatus at said headend for searching said data-asset storage in order to form a data-item/set-top-terminal-address list that relates said given set-top terminal address to data-assets that contain one or more data-items that satisfy said attribute-descriptor;
• transmitting apparatus at said headend for transmitting said one or more data-assets to all of said set-top terminals, but addressed to said given set-top terminal;
• receiving apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling said given set-top terminal to receive and then store said one or more data-assets;
• retrieving apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling said user at said given set-top terminal to selective view said one or more data-assets using of said TV set;
• updating apparatus at said headend for updating said data-item/set-top-terminal-address list as said data-asset storage at said headend is periodically changed;
• and
• transmitting apparatus at said headend periodically enabling transmission of one or more changed data-assets to said given set-top terminal.

In an interactive TV cable network having a headend that is connected to a plurality of set-top terminals by way of a forward-channel that enables headend-to-set-top communication, each of said set-top terminals including a TV set that is connected thereto, each of said set-top terminals being connected to said headend by way of a reverse-channel that enables set-top-to-headend communication, and said headend including memory-storage that contains a plurality of data-assets, each data-asset of which includes a plurality of individual data-items, a method arrangement enabling set-top terminals to query said headend for a data-item, comprising:

• providing query establishing apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling a given set-top terminal to formulate an attribute-descriptor of a data-item;
• providing transmitting apparatus at each of said set-top terminals for transmitting said attribute-descriptor from said given set-top terminal to said headend by way of said reverse-channel;
• providing searching apparatus at said headend for searching said memory-stored data-assets, and forming a list memory-store of query-related data-assets that contain one or more data-items that satisfy said attribute-descriptor transmitted by said given set-top terminal;
• providing transmitting apparatus at said headend for transmitting said query-related data-assets to all of said set-top terminals and addressed to said given set-top terminal;
• providing receiving apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling said given set-top terminal to memory-store said query-related data-assets, and
• providing updating apparatus at said headend for updating said list memory store as said memory-stored data-assets at said headend are periodically changed in relation to said query attribute-descriptor;
• and
• automatically transmit said query-related and changed data-assets to said given set-top.