Method and system of identifying software and firmware objects available for download over a network such as a cable television system

A system for advising a subscriber to a bidirectional cable television network of programming that may be purchased over the bidirectional cable television network to upgrade or enhance features provided by that subscriber's set-top terminal and for providing such programming selected by said subscriber to that subscriber's set-top terminal over a bidirectional cable line, the system comprising:

• a headend facility from which a cable television signal and data objects are transmitted to a population of set-top terminals over said bidirectional cable line associated with said cable television network;
• and
• a transmitter of said headend facility for transmitting a message to said set-top terminals over said bidirectional cable line,
• wherein said message provides a directory of programming available for purchase via an upstream communication on said bidirectional cable line and download over said bidirectional cable line associated with said cable television network, said directory listing available programming objects that are configured to be installed and executed by a set-top terminal to enhance functionality of that set-top terminal, said message further including a fee charged for downloading each listed programming object,
• wherein the message is transmitted in a sub-message with an out of band network message and the message identifies a location of the programming objects and entitlement control data structures corresponding to the programming objects, and
• wherein the entitlement control data structures are transmitted separately from the programming objects,
• whereby the set top terminal utilizes the entitlement control data structures to verify that an appropriate code object has been received without alteration.

A method of advising a subscriber to a bidirectional cable television network of programming objects that may be purchased over the bidirectional cable television network to upgrade or enhance features provided by that subscriber's set-top terminal and for providing programming objects selected by said subscriber to that subscriber's set-top terminal, the method comprising:

• transmitting a message to said set-top terminal over a bidirectional cable line that provides a directory of programming objects available for purchase via an upstream communication on said bidirectional cable line and download over said bidirectional cable line associated with said cable television network;
• and
• including in said message a message version number that is incremented each time a change is made to said directory of programming objects in said message,
• wherein the message is transmitted in a sub-message with an out of band network message and the message identifies a location of the programming objects and entitlement control data structures corresponding to the programming objects, and
• wherein the entitlement control data structures are transmitted separately from the programming objects,
• whereby the set top terminal utilizes the entitlement control data structures to verify that an appropriate-code object has been received without alteration.