Methods and apparatus for creating customized service related information for customer devices

A method of providing program channel and service information comprising:

• broadcasting, to a first plurality of set top boxes, a first service definition file including a plurality of service definitions, service definitions being identified in said service definition file by different service identifiers, said first plurality of set top boxes including at least some set top boxes which are not entitled to receive some of the services for which service definitions are provided in said first service definition file, different service definitions including different information, information included in one of the service definitions being used to provide a content related service corresponding to said one of the service definitions;
• operating a first server to communicate a first base channel map to said first plurality of set to boxes, said first base channel may including information associating program channels with service identifiers included in said first service definition file, said base channel map providing for individual service identifiers corresponding program channel display numbers;
• receiving, at a second server, a first request from a first set top box corresponding to a first subset of said first plurality of set top boxes for base channel map enhancement information, said first set top box being one of said first plurality of set top boxes, said second server being different from said first server;
• operating said second server to provide a first base channel map enhancement file to said first set top box in response to said first request;
• operating a network controller to communicate a first secure message including a first entitlement identifier to the first set top box in said first plurality of set top boxes;
• and
• operating the network controller to communicate a second secure message including a second entitlement identifier to a second set top box in said first plurality of set top boxes;
• wherein said second server is a channel map server which is responsive to requests from individual set top boxes for channel map enhancement information, said first request being one of said requests for channel map enhancement information, said first request including said first entitlement identifier.

A system for providing program channel and service information comprising:

• a broadcast file server configured to:
• broadcast to a first plurality of set top boxes a first service definition file including a plurality of service definitions, different service definitions being identified in said service definition file by different service identifiers, said first plurality of set top boxes including at least some set top boxes which are not entitled to receive some of the services for which service definitions are provided in said first service definition file, different service definitions including different information, information included in one of the service definitions being used to provide a content related service corresponding to said one of the service definitions, said one of said service definitions including a first entitlement identifier, devices with said entitlement identifier being authorized to receive the service corresponding to said one of said service definitions;
• broadcast a first base channel map to said first plurality of set top boxes, said first base channel map including information associating program channels with service identifiers, said base channel map providing for individual service identifiers corresponding program channel display numbers;
• and
• a channel map server for receiving a first request from a first set top box corresponding to a first subset of said first plurality of set top boxes for base channel map enhancement information, said channel map server being configured to provide, in response to said first request for base channel map enhancement information, a first base channel map enhancement file to said first set top box.