Method of providing customized hospitality media functions at a plurality of set-top boxes being connected to an RF coax network, and hospitality media system thereof

A hospitality media system comprising:

• a plurality of set-top boxes (STBs) coupled to a radio frequency (RF) coax network of a hotel, wherein each of the STBs performs one or more media functions according to software data stored in a non-volatile memory of the STB, each of the STBs is programmed with an identifier stored in the STB's non-volatile memory for identifying the STB, and the identifier of each STB:
• is changeable, is programmed into the STB when the STB is installed in a room of the hotel, and identifies the STB according to a characteristic of the room of the hotel in which the STB is installed;
• a database tracking desired functionality for each of the STBs;
• a controller coupled to the database and operable to automatically generate updated software data in response to a change in the desired functionality associated with at least one of the STBs as tracked in the database;
• the controller operable to generate the updated software data such that it specifies at least first customized functionality targeting a first identifier and second customized functionality targeting a second identifier different than the first identifier;
• the controller operable to generate the updated software data such that, when being utilized to perform media functions by a particular STB, the first customized functionality will only be activated when the particular STB is programmed with the first identifier, and the second customized functionality will only be activated when the particular STB is programmed with the second identifier;
• and
• an update server coupled to the controller and the RF coax network;
• the update server operable to broadcast the updated software data to the STBs utilizing the RF coax network in order to cause all of the STBs to install the updated software data in their respective non-volatile memories;
• wherein the RF coax network provides one-way broadcast-only communication to the STBs such that all of the STBs receive the same updated software data over the RF coax network and cannot acknowledge receipt over the RF coax network.

A controller for providing customized media functions in a hospitality media system having a plurality of set-top boxes (STBs) coupled to a radio frequency (RF) coax network of a hotel, wherein each of the STBs performs one or more media functions according to software data stored in a non-volatile memory of the STB, each of the STBs is programmed with an identifier stored in the STB's non-volatile memory for identifying the STB, and the identifier of each STB:

• is changeable, is programmed into the STB when the STB is installed in a room of the hotel, and identifies the STB according to a characteristic of the room of the hotel in which the STB is installed, the controller comprising one or more processors configured to:
• track desired functionality for each of the STBs in a database;
• automatically generate updated software data in response to a change in the desired functionality associated with at least one of the STBs as tracked in the database;
• generate the updated software data such that it specifies at least first customized functionality targeting a first identifier and second customized functionality targeting a second identifier different than the first identifier;
• generate the updated software data such that, when being utilized to perform media functions by a particular STB, the first customized functionality will only be activated when the particular STB is programmed with the first identifier, and the second customized functionality will only be activated when the particular STB is programmed with the second identifier;
• and
• cause the updated software data to be broadcast to the STBs utilizing the RF coax network in order to cause all of the STBs to install the updated software data in their respective non-volatile memories;
• wherein the RF coax network provides one-way broadcast-only communication to the STBs such that all of the STBs receive the same updated software data over the RF coax network and cannot acknowledge receipt over the RF coax network.