Menuing system for controlling content delivery within a video distribution system

An apparatus for presenting an audiovisual signal to a user's audiovisual display monitor comprising:

• a programming subsystem;
• a Room Communication Subsystem (RCS);
• a Site Management Subsystem (SMS);
• said RCS connecting a plurality of user's audiovisual display monitors to the system;
• said programming subsystem including a plurality of audiovisual serving devices communicating with the user's audiovisual display monitor over said RCS to deliver program content, the audiovisual serving devices including Assignable Computing Devices (ACDs) capable of generating interactive menus and of delivering program content in a form of at least one of video games, internet access, and computer applications programs;
• said SMS assigning an Assignable Computing Device (ACD) audiovisual serving device to a particular user, such that the ACD is not available for concurrent communication with other users, to present an interactive menu containing a selection of video programs to the particular user's audiovisual display monitor over said RCS;
• and
• wherein selecting a video program from said menu other than video games, internet access, or computer application programs available from said ACD breaks the communication link between said ACD and the user's audiovisual display monitor and establishes a communication link between the user's audiovisual display monitor and an audiovisual serving device available to deliver the video program.

A method of presenting an audiovisual signal to a user's audiovisual display monitor comprising:

• receiving at a host computing device a command from the user;
• responding to the command by assigning an assignable computing device (ACD) to the user for providing an interactive menu to the user through the user's audiovisual display;
• presenting the interactive menu containing a selection of video programs to the user's audiovisual display monitor with the ACD;
• receiving commands from an in-room communication device with the ACD;
• responding to the commands with responsive graphical images displayed on the user's audiovisual display monitor;
• tracking at the host computing device availability of audiovisual serving devices for delivering video programs;
• receiving at the ACD a command from the user selecting a video program offered in the interactive menu;
• assigning the ACD as an audiovisual serving device if the video program selected is one of video games, internet access, or computer application programs available from the ACD;
• assigning an available audiovisual serving device to deliver the video program selected if the ACD is not assigned as the audiovisual serving device;
• breaking said communications link between the user and the ACD in response to selecting:
• establishing another communications link between the assigned audiovisual serving device having stored thereon the selected video program and the user's audiovisual display monitor;
• and
• routing the video program selected from the audiovisual serving device assigned to the user's audiovisual display monitor.

An apparatus for presenting an audiovisual signal to a user's audiovisual display monitor comprising:

• a programming subsystem including a plurality of audiovisual serving devices for delivering program content;
• a Room Communication Subsystem (RCS) for linking the user's audiovisual display monitor with the programming subsystem;
• a Site Management Subsystem (SMS) for tracking availability of program content and audiovisual serving devices for delivering the program content, and for assigning an Assignable Computing Device (ACD) audiovisual serving device to a user's audiovisual display monitor to present an interactive menu containing a selection of available video programs, and in response to a user's selection of available program content from the interactive menu for assigning one of the available audiovisual serving devices to deliver program content selected over the RCS to the user's audiovisual display monitor;
• wherein the ACD is assigned to deliver interactive program content that includes at least one of video games, internet access, and computer applications programs;
• and
• wherein selecting a video program from said menu other than video games, internet access, or computer application programs available from said ACD breaks the communication link between said ACD and the user's audiovisual display monitor and establishes a communication link between the user's audiovisual display monitor and an audiovisual serving device available to deliver the video program.