Patent ID: 7020689

Claim:
A reporting apparatus for an integrated receiver decoder configured to receive content data transport streams, decode content data from the transport stream and output content data, said reporting apparatus comprising: a microprocessor; a radio frequency input interface; a computer network interface; a memory; said microprocessor, said radio frequency input interface, said computer network interface and said memory all being in operative communication; said microprocessor being configured to receive at least one data packet containing an e-mail return address, said e-mail return address being addressed a transmission controller, said microprocessor being further configured to store said e-mail return address in said memory; said microprocessor being further configured to periodically update at least one parameter, said parameter being an operational status of the integrated receiver decoder, and said microprocessor being further configured to store a current status of said at least one parameter in said memory; said microprocessor being further configured to periodically survey at least one alarm condition in said integrated receiver decoder, said at least one alarm condition having an operational threshold at which alarm status is flagged; said microprocessor being further configured to write a report of said at least one parameter, said report including said alarm status when said operational threshold of said alarm condition is met; said microprocessor being further configured to attach said report to an e-mail, said e-mail being addressed to said e-mail return address, said e-mail return address being recalled from send memory; said microprocessor being further configured to send said e-mail when a command in the data transport stream requests said e-mail and to send said e-mail when said alarm condition survey indicates that at least one of said operational thresholds for said alarm conditions is met.