Patent ID: 7536704

Claim:
A method for automatically pausing the display of content and processing events at a client device, said content being provided by a server at a head-end operator, broadcaster, web content provider or network operator, said method comprising: displaying content on a client device; detecting an event at the client device during the display of the content; assigning a priority to the detected event, said priority being selected from a plurality of priorities which may be assigned to an event; pausing display of the content and recording the content while the display is paused, wherein said pausing is automatically performed in response to determining said priority is relatively high; continuing display of the content, in response to determining said priority is relatively low; providing a viewer discernable notification of the detected event; and removing the viewer discernable notification of the detected event, in response to detecting said priority is relatively low and a timeout for acknowledgement of said event has expired.