Patent ID: 7827589

Claim:
A method for receiving data on a computer network by a television receiver comprising: receiving a configuration message using the television receiver, the configuration message specifying a type of communication mode, wherein a new configuration message is received at pre-determined time intervals; determining whether an authorization message was received prior to the configuration message, the authorization message indicating whether an interactive connection is authorized; if the authorization message was sent prior to the configuration message, determining the type of communication mode specified in the configuration message, based on a data communication mode indicator contained in the configuration message; receiving a first type of data over a first type of communication channel according to the determining the type of communication mode specified in the configuration message, the first type of data being received separately from the configuration message; determining during transmission of the first type of data that the first type of data is subsequently not available over the first type of communication channel; and responsive to determining during transmission of the first type of data that the first type of data is subsequently not available over the first type of communication channel, receiving the first type of data over a second type of communication channel and searching for the first type of data in the first type of communication channel, wherein the first type of communication channel carries data that is transmitted in accordance with a first communication protocol, and the second type of communication channel carries data that is transmitted in accordance with a second communication protocol, wherein the first type of communication channel is different than the second type of communication channel, and wherein the first communication protocol is different than the second communication protocol.