Methods and systems for providing information to a plurality of set-top ...

(54) METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION TO A PLURALITY OF SETTOP BOXES VIA A PERSONAL COMPUTER USING SET-TOP BOX IDENTIFIERS

(75) Inventors: Christopher J. Schultheiss, 419 Quay Assisi St., New Smyrna Beach, FL (US) 32169; Todd D. Cutler, Howe, TX (US)

(73) Assignees: Douglas G. Brown, Cherryville, NC

(US); Christopher J. Schultheiss, New

Smyrna Beach, FL (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.

(21) Appl. No.: 09/370,561

(22) Filed: Aug. 9, 1999

Related U.S. Application Data

(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 09/005,269, filed on Jan. 9, 1998.

(51) Int. CI.7 H04N 7/173

(52) U.S. CI 348/552; 348/734; 725/133;

725/153; 725/80

(58) Field of Search 348/552, 906,

348/14.04, 734; 345/717, 718, 719; 725/51, 100, 109, 110, 139, 153, 141, 82, 80, 81, 79, 78, 74, 133; 709/217, 218, 219

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FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

EP 0727909 A2 8/1996

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

International Search Report, PCT/US00/02303, dated Jul. 13, 2000.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/678,772, Schultheiss, filed Jul. 11, 1996.

International Search Report, PCT/US99/00461, Apr. 28, 1999.

International Search Report, PCT/US97/12166, Nov. 11, 1997.

Primary Examiner—Michael H. Lee
Assistant Examiner—Jean W. Desir

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec

(57) ABSTRACT

A set-top box is provided wherein an Identifier (ID) associated with the set-top box can be used to request information from a personal computer which provides the requested information to the set-top box. In particular, in a system that includes multiple set-top boxes, the ID can be used to determine which set-top box made a request and to determine which set-top box is the intended recipient of the requested information accessed by the system. For example, a request for information from a set-top box can include the ID of the set-top box. The personal computer, therefore, can use the ID to record which set-top box made the request. When the personal computer receives the information requested by the set-top box, the information and the ID of the set-top box that made the request is broadcast to all the set-top boxes. Each set-top box compares the ID broadcast with the information to its own ID to determine if the information is intended for it.

32 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets

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