Stored program pay-per-play

A stored program pay-per-play system includes a high-capacity storage medium facilitating compilation of video, audio or other programs at a subscriber's site. While the recording of such programs may take place at any time preceding playback, billing occurs only when, and if, the subscriber chooses to select a program for replay or actually enjoys the program substantially in its entirety. Billing is alternatively based on a store-credit or account debiting scheme. The recording of program materials may be directed automatically by subscriber-operated storage management facilities which scan program schedules and select materials to be recorded, based on title, cast, program genre or any other of a variety of viewer/listener preferences. Alternatively, the program provider may automatically download programs, either based upon actual or surmised viewer preferences, or at the provider's discretion, for example, using newly-available selections. Display generation circuitry is preferably implemented, enabling the viewer to review selections to be downloaded, those selections available for immediate replay, remaining account balance, and other features, including "parental lockout" and so forth.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to video storage and retrieval, and, more 
particularly, to a system capable of storing one or more pay programs, and 
wherein a user is responsible for payment only after a particular 
selection has been viewed or enjoyed. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Despite the continuing publicity surrounding the prospects for true 
video-on-demand, the implementation costs involved in the delivery of 
programming on this basis remain prohibitive. In practice, a pay-per-view 
system might need to allocate a dozen or more "channels" for different 
viewers watching the same popular program, but offset in time by as little 
as one frame of video. When the utilization of the available transmission 
bandwidth is inefficient, the cost of delivery requires pricing levels 
that are unattractive to the viewer, particularly when compared with 
established delivery systems such as video rental stores or simply waiting 
for the movie to be scheduled on a premium cable channel. 
As a consequence, current industry discussions are now centered around the 
concept of "near"-video-on-demand, in which the period of time a viewer is 
required to wail for a chosen program is minimized, typically by 
broadcasting the same program on several channels simultaneously, buy 
offset in time by multiples of 10 or 15 minutes. In this manner, viewers 
need only wait until the next starting time, and then tune their cable 
converter box to the appropriate channel. This approach has a major 
disadvantage.the viewer must arrange to see the program during one of the 
periods in which it is available on cable TV. If the program is only 
scheduled at times when the viewer cannot be present, then the only 
alternative is to attempt to videotape the program for viewing at a later 
date, which, in the case of pay-per-view, will require special 
arrangements, as these program purchases are typically implemented by 
placing a telephone call at the time the purchase is to occur. 
The prior art discloses several attempts which address at least some of the 
issues involved in facilitating pay-per-view purchases. For example, Baji 
et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,400, describe the hardware requirements for 
implementing a video-on-demand system on a bi-directional broadcast 
system, in which a collection of server computers manage program and 
commercial databases. Data are assembled into cells to be transmitted to 
individual subscriber systems, using an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) 
packet transmission system for the broadband transmission line. Orders for 
program materials from subscribers are entered via the subscriber's 
network terminal and terminal control unit, employing the same broadband 
transmission line for the necessary communications to execute the 
transaction. However, few of the currently installed cable systems are 
capable of bi-directional transmission, which limits the applicability of 
this type of system in the short term. 
At the present time, pay-per-view systems usually are implemented by 
employing connections to telephone lines to execute the transaction and 
initiate the program delivery process. Stetten et al., U.S. Pat. No. 
3,746,780, discloses the use of a separate and independent telephone 
communications link to enable access to stored audio and video material, 
and Abraham, U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,516, discloses an improved system for 
such an application. 
While these references establish the basic requirements for a pay-per-view 
type of system, they do not adequately address the formidable 
communications problems associated with the nearly-simultaneous access of 
a large number of subscribers to the transaction facilities. Bestler et 
al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,872, discloses the use of the Automatic Number 
identification (ANI) services offered in many areas of the country, and 
exploit these capabilities to identify the subscriber and to forward the 
transaction information to the cable company's billing computer. A common 
feature of all of these systems is that the transaction (billing) occurs 
at the time the program is viewed, and this places a heavy burden on the 
communication facilities. In addition, completion of the ordering/billing 
transaction must precede the viewing of the program material. 
Kauffman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,955, discloses a method and apparatus for 
implementing bi-directional communications between the billing computer 
and the subscriber apparatus. In this approach, the actual billing process 
is on a non-real-time basis, using a method referred to as 
"store-and-forward". Here, the subscriber purchases program credits 
(stored in the subscriber's terminal facilities) in advance, and these 
credits are debited when an order is placed for programming. The actual 
billing is recorded when a telephone communications link is established 
between the subscriber terminal and the cable company billing computer, at 
which time the subscriber's terminal reports the purchase to the billing 
computer. Although not explicitly disclosed, it is clear that a subscriber 
with good credit could be allowed to purchase a program even though he did 
not have an adequate supply of credits, and tile supply could be 
replenished automatically when the subscriber's terminal unit contacts the 
billing computer. 
A separate aspect of these systems is the method by which the security is 
implemented. It is the usual practice for a cable company to employ any of 
several well-known techniques for "scrambling" the premium channel program 
material, and rely on the subscriber's terminal facilities to de-scramble 
the signals for viewing. This de-scrambling process is authorized by the 
cable company's billing and transmission facilities, employing either the 
broadband transmission line or a separate telephone communication link. 
Arn et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,355, Schilling et al., U.S. Pat. No. 
4,621,285, Hamilton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,299, and Chomet et al., U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,916,737, disclose various methods for implementing the security by 
employing encryption keys and other such data security techniques. 
Yurt et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,132,992, disclose an audio/video transmission 
system which includes provisions for storage of program content at the 
cable system facility, at intermediate data-compressed storage libraries, 
or at the subscriber terminal site. The system disclosed relies on a 
complicated method of assembling program data into blocks for distribution 
onto a variety of transmission media at a range of transmission rates, but 
does not guarantee a uniform data rate. As a result, the subscriber 
receiving terminal requires buffering in the form of digital data storage 
means, so that the program may be played back at a later time, in 
real-time. 
All of the systems discussed herein share the common feature that the 
purchase transaction occurs at the time of the program transmission, 
although the act of recording of the billing may be delayed for a period 
of time. If for any reason the viewing is interrupted or terminated, the 
viewer has no means by which he may cancel the transaction. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus by which an audio or 
combined audio/video pay-per-play system may be implemented, thereby 
providing a subscriber with a much wider choice of program materials for 
enjoyment at the subscriber's convenience. In the preferred embodiment, 
the subscriber has magnetic, optical, or magneto-optical storage means by 
which program material may be recorded for later playback. While the 
recording itself may take place at any time preceding playback, billing 
occurs only when, and if, the subscriber chooses to select a program for 
replay or actually enjoys the program substantially in its entirety. The 
billing may alternatively be based on a stored-credit billing or account 
debiting scheme. 
The recording of program materials may be directed automatically by 
subscriber-operated storage-management facilities, which could scan 
program schedules and select materials to be recorded, based on title, 
cast, program genre or viewer/listener preferences. These 
storage-management facilities could enable the subscriber to discard 
programs after replay, or remove programs that the subscriber has decided 
not to enjoy, and would be capable of including a wide range of input and 
output facilities. Where necessitated by royalty arrangements, the 
storage-management facilities may provide in an alternative embodiment, 
records of which subscribers have actually replayed (and not just stored) 
program material. In an alternative embodiment, storage facilities could 
be made available to subscribers from regional program server computers, 
or even designated program storage means located at a centralized 
distribution facility, such as a cable provider.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The details of the invention will become evident with reference to FIG. 1, 
which depicts the facilities provided at a subscriber site. Although this 
discussion centers on cable delivery in general and video programming in 
particular, other delivery media and programming, including audio-only, 
video games, etc., are easily accommodated as alternatives. The typical 
connection to the broadband cable system 2 provides the usual conventional 
video program services to cable converter box 4. In cable systems offering 
premium services, it is typical to use such a converter box 4 as part of 
system security, to perform any necessary de-scrambling of the premium 
program signals. In most homes, the output of the cable converter box 4 is 
connected to a VCR 6, and the output of the VCR, in turn, is connected to 
the television set 8 or video monitor. If no VCR is installed at a 
particular television set, then the output of the cable converter box 
would typically be connected directly to the television set. For 
uni-directional cable systems (which have no provisions for data to be 
sent from the subscriber-terminal/converter-box back to the cable system 
facilities), a separate communications link 12 may be supplied for 
interacting with the cable system billing and/or ordering facilities. In 
the case of a bi-directional system, these features would preferably be 
implemented by way of the cable converter box itself. 
In practice, it may be advantageous to implement both the cable box 4 and 
record/play controller 10 as a single unit, as suggested by the broken 
lines 11 in FIG. 1. In such a configuration, the controller may be 
utilized in either uni-directional or bi-directional environments. The 
controller 10 optionally may include various devices (not shown) for user 
input and controller output, such as keyboard units, bar-code scanners, 
infrared remote-control units, integrated CRT displays, on-screen 
television displays, voice-activated input or computer-generated voice 
output, or touch-screen accessories to be fitted either to the CRT 
facilities or to the television set 8. 
Selected program materials preferably may be stored in the program storage 
unit 14, comprised of magnetic, optical, or magneto-optical discs, or any 
of the various magnetic-tape-based storage media. The storage technique 
employed may be sophisticated for example, by recording data-compressed 
information on arrays of disks or magnetic tapes, including auto-changer 
facilities to switching between media, or more straightforwardly, for 
example, using a conventional VHS video cassette recorder, preferably with 
extended recording time. Whereas standard cassettes have recording times 
as long as 8 hours, special cassettes with capacities of 10 hours or more 
recording time are currently available. 
Program signals are preferably supplied to the program storage unit 14 
through a cable box tuner 4. In the case that program signals are recorded 
using some form of signal scrambling, either the program storage unit or 
the cable converter box will incorporate provisions for descrambling the 
signal during playback. 
In the preferred embodiment, the program storage unit 14 preferably is 
located at the subscriber site. However, in an alternative embodiment, the 
physical storage could be a part of a larger storage unit located at the 
cable transmission facility, or at one of several intermediate storage 
facilities, for example, serving groups of subscribers, located ill the 
transmission paths between the cable transmission facility and the 
subscriber sites. In this case, the subscriber would be allocated a 
specific portion of the overall storage capacity available, and would be 
able to use than storage capacity as desired. In this manner, the cable 
operation could continue to offer programming in accordance with a 
predetermined schedule, but individual subscribers may choose to purchase 
the near-video-on-demand feature, if so desired. This would obviate the 
need for the cable system to be equipped to supply full video-on-demand 
service for all subscribers immediately. 
Regardless of the specific method chosen, the record/play controller 10 
will perform the necessary tasks associated with program storage 
management. The controller preferably includes a microprocessor and 
appropriate communication facilities for the type of communication link 
employed and the method of program storage available. In a basic form, the 
controller merely keeps track of programs as they are recorded, completing 
the purchase transaction when the programs are viewed. It also preferably 
provides for the erasure of the programs when the subscriber no longer 
desires to keep them in a library. However, with the addition of program 
schedule information from the cable transmission facility, it is possible 
to greatly expand the capabilities of the program storage system described 
herein. For example, the record/play controller could be programmed to 
record desired materials over an entire month, or could be programmed to 
record any "Western" movie, or even any "Western" movie having a 
particular actor listed in its cast. As the programs are collected, the 
subscriber is able to view them in any order desired, and at any desired 
time. Using well-known techniques such as "parental lockout" or passwords, 
a subscriber may also be able to control access to the stored programs by 
children or unauthorized viewers. 
A key feature of the system concerns the fact that although there may be 
many programs stored, no program will be billed for until it has been 
selected for viewing or, more preferably, actually viewed. Thus, if a 
subscriber chooses to erase a program contained in the program storage 
unit before he has viewed that program, then he will not incur a charge 
for having added the program to the program storage unit library. Because 
the program is already available, there is no requirement to complete the 
billing transaction within any particular time frame. 
As mentioned, in the preferred embodiment, payment will not be due until 
the program has been viewed substantially in its entirety. That is, as 
with a rented cassette, the viewing of a movie is not limited to 
contiguous viewing, but in the event that viewing is stopped and 
restarted, for whatever reason, including the viewing of another program 
on an intervening basis, the system will automatically keep track of where 
viewing left off, and restart from that point until such program has been 
viewed substantially in its entirety, even if in piece-meal fashion. The 
term "substantially" is used, since it would not be appropriate to enable 
a viewer to watch all of a movie but the final credits and avoid payment 
by stopping at that point. Thus, in the preferred embodiment, payment will 
preferably come due once the majority or some high percentage of the 
program has been watched. Alternatively, payment may be transferred or 
earmarked to the provider once a program is selected for viewing, but if 
viewing were to be terminated shortly thereafter and never resumed, the 
system might automatically re-credit the subscriber for that program, 
since it was largely unwatched. Such a scheme is in keeping with allowing 
a viewer to enjoy a free "preview"0 of a program, as described elsewhere 
herein. 
Also in conformance with cassette rental, in an alternative embodiment of 
the invention, a viewer may be allowed to view a selected program as many 
times as desired over a particular, predetermined period of time without 
incurring any additional charges. This is in keeping with a one- or 
two-day movie rental which is associated with a single charge, but which 
enables a renter to view the program as many times as desired until the 
cassette is due back at the store. Thus the system according to this 
invention may keep track of such time periods, and, if the viewer chooses 
to keep a particular program in the storage library beyond this time 
period, further viewing may be treated as an additional "rental" of that 
program having the same or, perhaps, reduced charges associated with the 
viewing thereof. 
The system preferably displays a list of prerecorded programs now available 
for viewing and, having viewed a particular selection, the system 
preferably prompts the viewer with a query regarding whether or not that 
program should be kept in the library. As such, a system according to this 
invention may be called upon to keep track of considerable information 
regarding program viewing, not only will titles and other information 
pertaining to previously recorded programs preferably be available for 
review, but also program length, and a percentage of the program which has 
already been viewed, perhaps including the last date associated with the 
viewing of that program. In the event of a credit account, the system is 
preferably further capable of displaying information relating to the 
balance remaining. Such information is displayed on an associated video 
monitor or TV receiver using a graphic display generator and related 
circuitry which will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2. 
In the preferred embodiment, until a program has been substantially viewed 
in its entirety, it is assumed that various VCR-like controls associated 
with that program will be made available, free of charge, until payment is 
triggered. For example, if a program has not been viewed for a long time, 
it may be appropriate to rewind that program, or to pause at various 
points, in order to recall the subject matter. It should also be possible 
to fast forward through portions of the program already viewed without 
incurring any penalties as well. 
In a typical one-way cable or pay-per-view satellite system, a user 
communicates to a program provider, by mail or more commonly, by phone, to 
take advantage of a particular service. The provider then broadcasts a 
code specifically addressed to the subscribers decoder, thereby unlocking 
these features, for example, providing the subscriber's site with a key 
capable of descrambling an encrypted program. The present invention may 
make general use of this scheme, though, rather than provide a code or a 
key associated with a particular channel or program, the provider 
preferably unlocks an amount of viewing, either in terms of a number of 
hours or a level of credit, either of which may be used by a particular 
subscriber as desired. As mentioned, with the ability to view the 
remaining credit balance, a customer may readily communicate again with 
the provider to increase the reserve available for viewing. The provider 
may then bill for the amount of credit requested, either as it is used, or 
at the time of the request before actual use. In the event that the system 
is two-way in nature, the provider may sense when actual use occurs, and 
debit the account accordingly. Whereas, with a one-way system, program 
selection and actual use information will be communicated through another 
medium, for example in advance, through mail or phone, as already 
discussed, or, alternatively, with separate RF or computer network 
interconnection to the provider. 
The record/play controller may further be programmed to initiate a 
communication with the cable transmission facility at periodic intervals, 
as an example, on a bi-weekly basis. As an alternative, the record/play 
controller could communicate directly with a credit-card clearing house, 
eliminating the need to keep any records of viewing credits or debits, or 
to purchase these credits in advance. This billing method also addresses 
the issue of subscriber privacy, since the cable company would receive 
lump-sum payments allocated according to the number of purchasers of a 
particular program, but would not necessarily receive the detailed 
information identifying the programs ordered by a particular subscriber. 
Once the transaction has been registered by the record/play controller, 
relevant signal de-scrambling facilities would be enabled, allowing the 
program to be viewed. Of course, in the event of a credit account, a 
descrambling key may be generally available for use by the subscriber at 
the subscriber's site without having to download such a key on a 
per-selection basis, assuming the credit of the viewer is in good 
standing. 
FIG. 2 provides a more detailed diagram illustrating a more comprehensive 
embodiment of the invention. Program information is received along line 
102 and, if derived from a multi-channel source such as a cable input, 
demodulated by tuner 104 to produce a baseband signal along path 106. In 
the event that line 102 already carries a baseband signal, for example, in 
the case of a separate tuning facility forming part of a remote or 
independent associated unit, tuner 104 may be bypassed as indicated by the 
broken line 105. 
While the following discussion is again primarily concerned with the 
storage and retrieval of video information, the reader is reminded that 
audio information also falls within the scope of this invention, either as 
the audio information typically included with video information or as 
audio information only, applied simply as high quality sound, including 
stereo sound, whether in analog or digital form. Thus, though line 102 may 
in one sense be regarded as a cable television input or feed from a 
satellite receiver, or the like, the teachings of this invention may be 
readily extended to audio-only embodiments, wherein, for example, one or 
more cable channels may be used to carry numerous audio selections which 
may be recorded at the site of the operator. In keeping with the basic 
premise of the invention, however, fees or royalties will not be accounted 
to a listener until such time as the audio selections are actually 
selected for enjoyment. The audio information broadcast may either be of a 
general nature, i.e., not directed toward a particular listener or group, 
in which case the system of the invention records some or all the musical 
selections based upon input criteria, including listener preference. 
Alternatively, a user may identify a particular tune for immediate 
reception, in which case, owing to the wide bandwidth available through a 
multi-channel cable source in particular, may be downloaded immediately, 
and listened to at that time, paid for concurrently. As with the 
distribution of video material, an audio selection or selections may be 
transferred in digitally compressed form. 
The baseband signal, which will be generically termed a baseband video 
signal, present along path 106, is preferably fed to a video switch 108 
under control of a central controller 150. The purpose of this switch 108 
is to route received program information to one or more of a variety of 
destinations. For example, in the event that received program information 
is already in digitally compressed form, as might be the case with certain 
newly diverging digital satellite receiver systems, incoming program 
information may be routed directly to a high capacity digital storage 
medium 110 along path 109. 
In the preferred embodiment, block 110 represents a disk drive having a 
capacity at least in the range of hundreds of megabytes, and preferably in 
the range of a gigabyte or more. While a magnetic drive is preferable from 
the standpoint of relatively low cost-per-bit and compatibility with 
random-access read/write operations, other forms of high capacity storage 
media are equally applicable, including magneto-optical and purely optical 
forms, such as emerging read/write compact-disk read-only memories 
(CD-ROMs), and semiconductor modules. The use of a removable medium such 
as a CD-ROM further permits the ability to receive program material in a 
physically removable form as well as or in addition to an electronic 
transfer. For example, CD-ROMs having stored thereon multiple video or 
audio programs in digitally compressed form may be distributed by a 
program provider free of charge or for a nominal fee, through the mail or 
through record or video outlets. These disks may be installed within the 
system of the invention, but again, a desired video and/or audio selection 
will only be paid for by the viewer/listener when a particular program is 
actually viewed or heard. The distribution of such program material in 
digitally compressed form offers an inherent form of security relating to 
the distribution thereof, since proprietary authorization keys may be used 
to ensure that decompression is only possible at those sites authorized to 
enjoy program selection, i.e., those sites having good credit with respect 
to a provider of the program material. 
In the event that the program material is received in digital form but not 
compressed, compression/decompression block 112 may advantageously be 
provided to ensure that the largest amount of program information may be 
contained within high capacity storage unit 110. The 
compression/decompression block 112 may be based upon a commercially 
available engine, for example a device based upon the standard techniques 
such as MPEG or, alternatively, it may be desirable, particularly with 
regard to the protection of the program provider, to incorporate in block 
112 a proprietary compression/decompression algorithm so as to discourage 
unauthorized copying. As a further measure of security, the algorithm used 
by block 112 may in fact be programmable, in which case digital signals 
relating to the algorithm to be used may be downloaded on a predetermined 
or occasional basis. 
In the event that the program material received is in analog form, as would 
be the case with most cable, satellite and off-air broadcasts, an 
analog-to-digital 113 may be used prior to storage within the high 
capacity medium, again, preferably using compression made possible by 
block 112. Yet another position of the switch 108 allows the program 
material received over line 106 to be routed directly to a different 
switch 120 responsible for a selecting program material from a particular 
source for actual viewing or listening. Direct transfers of program 
information would thus be provided along 116 and with switch 120 properly 
controlled may be output along line 122 to vet another switch 124 which 
selects either a direct video output 126 for use with monitors which 
accepts such direct inputs, or, alternatively, to modulated output 128, 
the signal having been modulated onto a particular channel behind 
modulator block 130. Such direct program transfers along line 116 would 
typically be used in the event that received program information does not 
carry with it a charge for the viewing or listening thereof. 
In the event that the program material to be enjoyed has been compressed, 
decompression may be used within block 112, outputting the signal along 
path 117, which is alternatively selectable by switch 120, thus outputting 
digital information of line 122 to switch 124 and outputting such digital 
information in the event that a fully digital monitor is available for use 
with the system. In the event that an analog receiver or television is to 
be used, however, as would be the case of most situations today, the 
compressed digital program material would be converted into analog by 
block 118 and selected by switch 120 for subsequent output. 
As mentioned, the embodiment shown in this figure is particularly 
comprehensive, and a wide range of features are provided. One of these is 
the addition of a second program storage facility, preferably in the form 
of a conventional tape recorder (VTR), which would record onto removable 
cassettes as implied by block 132. The addition of the VTR enables the 
system of the invention to operate as a standard VCR type of equipment, 
enabling the operator to play pre-recorded cassettes or record programs 
based upon some or all of the program loading mechanisms just described. 
Additionally, as the invention is further suited to audio capabilities, 
block 132 may further represent a separate sound recording device, such as 
an audio tape player. 
in the preferred embodiment, a supplemental information detector block 134 
is configured as shown to detect information from one or more program 
providers along with the program information itself. Several types of 
supplemental information are possible, including future schedule memory 
information which will be loaded into a schedule memory 136 upon receipt, 
but additionally, authorization keys and information relating to 
compression algorithms may further be received in the form of supplemental 
information, and subsequently loaded into separate storage block 146. It 
should also be noted that, while in the preferred embodiment such 
supplemental information may be derived from the program provider along 
path 102, either in an unused portion of one or more channels or through 
the use of an unused channel in its entirety, such supplemental 
information may alternatively be acquired either through a 
telecommunications facility depicted by block 140 or through an RF 
receiver depicted by block 142. In the case of the telecommunications 
subsystem, it is implied that block 140 includes dialing capabilities, 
modulation/demodulation capabilities, and so forth, enabling the system to 
automatically dial out to a predetermined number and receive such 
supplemental information through an automatic process without requiring 
assistance. 
The use of a telecommunications capability, over a standard telephone line, 
for example, is the preferred method according to the invention for 
communicating with a program provider or service center in terms of 
authorization, billing and account-related transactions. In the case of 
the RF I/O block 142, the preferred embodiment and authorized radio 
frequency is preferably used, such as an FM sideband authorized to provide 
SCA subcarrier transmissions. Such sidebands are now widely used for 
background music, pagers, and so forth, and may likewise be used in 
conjunction with this invention, particularly in the case of user 
authorization, billing and accounting purposes. 
It is preferred that all control functions be carried out by a central 
controller 150, preferably in the form of a microprocessor or single-chip 
microcomputer of commercial design, which are available by various 
manufacturers such as Intel Corporation and Motorola, Inc. The controller 
150 communicates with most of the functional blocks of a system over a 
bi-directional data bus 152, and address/control lines used to select a 
particular subsystems and memory storage areas to carry out the various 
functions. User controls preferably include an infrared receiver 162 
receiving IR signals from the remote hand-held unit 163. Alternatively, a 
manual input 164 may be provided, which would support the user I/O devices 
such as pushbuttons and a readout display on the enclosure of the system. 
Future schedule information, either derived in the form of supplemental 
information through one of the transmission mechanisms described earlier 
or, alternatively, in the form of a separate schedule input. mechanism 
136, for example in the form of plug-in read-only memories or schedule 
CD-ROMs, may be output using switch 124 for display on attached monitor, 
thus enabling the operator to peruse a currently available or upcoming 
selections. U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,713, for example, discloses hardware and 
methods which may be used in conjunction with this invention for the 
purposes of selecting such information for transfer to a future record 
memory 156 which, in conjunction with real-time clock 157 will enable the 
automatic and unattended recording of a desired program. In this preferred 
embodiment of the system, an index memory 158 is additionally provided, 
which, in conjunction with display generator,160, further enables an 
operator to view both selections which have been recorded, either through 
direct specification, or through the use of database techniques, which 
result in the automatic recording of one or more selections based not upon 
an exact selection, but upon viewer preferences from which a desired 
program might be implied. Thus, various criteria may be used in order for 
a movie to be stored for subsequent replay. In most cases, a user may be 
given a list of titles available, from which to make direct choices. 
Alternatively, however, the user may select broader categories from which 
movies may be automatically downloaded, based upon particularly viewing 
preference. Another, further, option is to enable the program provider to 
make a decision concerning the downloading of at least certain of the 
programs to be stored at the subscriber's site. An example might be the 
initial availability of a first-run movie, these being typically in the 
greatest demand at cassette rental houses. Yet a further option is for 
selections to automatically be downloaded based upon what has been 
previously viewed and, in this case, two variances may be used, including 
those programs which have been previously selected for storage, and 
secondly, of potentially greater relevance, those stored programs which 
have been selected to be viewed and paid for. 
Regardless of how the recorded program materials result in being recorded 
and resident in high capacity storage block 110, the operator or account 
location responsible for the control of the system will not be charged 
until a program is actually selected to be output and watched and/or 
listened to. The triggering of account debit may occur at different 
points, associated with the selection of the desired program, though, 
preferably, a debit will be triggered by a "play" command, which, in the 
case of a scrambled or digitally-compressed selection, the occurrence of a 
debit may be tied to the use of decompression made possible by block 112 
or descrambling carried out by block 114. 
In any case, once a pay-type selection has been made, an account is either 
debited immediately, or a memory associated with the authorization key 146 
is modified which may later be queried remotely, for example, through the 
phone I/O block 140, to inform the program provider that one or more pay 
programs were selected for viewing and/or listening. In the preferred 
embodiment, the subscriber will set up an account with a program provider 
which will advance a predetermined amount of credit or an open-ended line 
of credit. Preferably, the program provider will keep track of programs 
that have been selected for output, and debit the account and send a 
periodic invoice. In the event that the program provider is supplied with 
a credit card number, pay selections may automatically be debited 
therefrom, in which case the operator need only be sent a statement of 
credit purchases made. 
As an alternative to the storage of credit information at the site of the 
program provider, the system may itself store all requests for viewing of 
a pay program, in which case the program provider may only query the 
storage to determine a debit amount on a batch-transfer basis. In the 
event that a site has used up its credit or represents a history of credit 
abuse, codes may be downloaded by the provider to ensure that any pay 
programs remaining in the high capacity storage block 110 may not be 
decompressed or descrambled without further authorization. 
In operation, one taking advantage of the system energizes the apparatus 
and an accompanying television or monitor, and uses the remote control or 
enclosure-supported controls to review those programs previously recorded 
onto the high-capacity medium, and which are now available to be enjoyed. 
In the preferred embodiment, the operator is able to scroll through at 
least the titles of the stored programs or, alternatively, using database 
techniques similar to those used for recording one embodiment of the 
invention, review recorded programs in terms of program type, length, and 
so forth. Preferably the operator uses an on-screen cursor to scroll 
through the various available selections. Once selected to be viewed or 
played, and only at such time, is the account associated with that 
particular system charged or debited. As mentioned, the mere selection of 
a program for viewing may not instantly result in a charge, but the 
operator may instead be entitled to enjoy the program for a predetermined 
amount of time after which a charge will take place. Preferably, a warning 
will also appear on the screen and indicate the amount of time remaining 
for this free preview. For example, by means of a count-down timer or 
clock, after which the program will continue, but now on a pay-per-view 
basis. 
In the event that the individual cannot finish a particular program once 
selected for enjoyment, in a further alternative embodiment, the system 
will keep track of exactly where the operator left off and pick up at that 
point without an additional charge, thus ensuring that an operator is not 
charged twice for selecting the same program more than once. After 
enjoying the same program in its entirety, various options are available, 
including saving that program on the high-capacity medium as part of an 
on-site library, or alteratively, the selection may be automatically 
erased during or immediately subsequent its retrieval, to free up space on 
the high-capacity medium. 
In one embodiment, the system may make available different storage areas 
for different members of a household or subscriber site with each 
potential viewer having his or her own program storage, preview 
information, and, account number. Thus, in a family with two children, 
each family member may have their own account with information being 
accessed on a password-type of basis. In terms of a parental lockout-type 
of feature, in the event that, for example, a parent wishes to curtail 
viewing of a particular program, this may be accommodated at various 
stages, including a lockout preventing view of titles and program-related 
information prior to reception of the program itself, or a lockout of the 
ability to select a program for viewing, including means to prevent the 
viewing of any portion thereof, including any free "previews."