JP2002530943A - Digital television receiver user management application programming interface (API) for downloadable broadcast applications - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] An API for an application capable of managing / accessing user-related information on a DTV receiver / terminal. The API provides a multi-user environment (using classes of a user registry 210 and a user profile 220) and a registry for preferences 310 associated with a user or common to all users. A set of permissions 230 is associated with each user or at least with a default user indicating who is watching the TV. The permissions may provide, for example, parental control / rating ceilings or permissions to purchase an IPPV program or participate in e-commerce. It also supports a mechanism 220 that allows some applications to access preferences based on security measures (some not).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This application is based on US Pre-Application No. 60/107949, filed November 12, 1998.

[0002] The present invention provides an application program interface (API) for a downloadable broadcast application that can manage / access user related information on a digital television (DTV) receiver / terminal.

[0003] Set top terminals (also called integrated receiver-decoders (IRDs) or subscriber terminals) are devices that receive and decode television signals for presentation on television. The signals are sent over satellites, for example, through a cable plant and by terrestrial broadcasting means. A variety of applications have been proposed for video on demand (
VOD), audio on demand, pay per view
, Interactive shopping, e-commerce, electronic program guide, internet browser, mail service (eg, text email, voice mail, audio mail and / or video mail), telephone service, stock quotes, weather data, travel information, games Various applications are available today through modern set tops, including gambling, banking, shopping, voting, and the like. The application also facilitates connection to the Internet,
Enable Internet-based phone calls. Set-top functionality is enabled through special hardware and software.

[0004] The application may be downloaded, for example, by the terminal via a network, loaded locally (eg, via a smart card), or installed at the time of manufacture.

[0005] Also, as computer networks such as the Internet, telephone networks, and broadcast distribution networks become more integrated, opportunities arise to provide new types of applications.

In order to optimize the user's ability to access these applications, the terminal needs user management. In particular, it is desirable to provide a user management API that can execute software independently of the terminal hardware and operating system.

As with the API, new users must be recognized and old users must be removed, just as the current user of the terminal is recognized. The API provides a profile for each of its users, accesses applications such as, for example, pay-per-view, and provides a rating guideline for children.
), A record of the permissions granted to the user must be maintained.

[0008] The API may include user preferences (eg, preferred language and rating ceiling, age, address, zip code) as well as system-wide preferences such as preferred channels and languages. ,
Records of personal data (such as account numbers) must be maintained.

[0009] The API must also maintain applications, resources, preferences and user registries. Applications may use / access resources. This resource is typically a device, function or process on the receiver (eg, tuner, modem, database, etc.).

[0010] The API must be compatible with Java, ActiveX, or similar types of component-based object-oriented technologies.

[0011] The APIs are DAVC (Digital Audio Visual Council) and ATSC (American).
Television Standards Committee) T3 / S17DASE (Digital TV Applic
software environment, Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB)-Multi-media Home Platform (MHP) and other related environments.

An API must be compatible with any application at the terminal, regardless of how the application was received or installed (eg, download, resident, from smart card, etc.). No.

The present invention provides a system having the above and other advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a software architecture for a set-top terminal. In particular, an application program interface for applications that can manage / access user related information on the terminal (
API).

A “user” is a person watching a TV or using other functions (for example, e-mail, game, etc.).

The API includes a software package, which includes a registry, a profile, permissions, a change cause, a change event, and a registry event. Including functions. The preference package provides the functions of registry, names, rating, preferred language, change cause, change event, and registry event. Including. The registry package provides the functions of type, factory, change event, listener, listener, user, preference, resource, and application. Including.

The present invention is associated with a multi-user environment (user registry and user profile) and individual users (user-specific) or common to all users (system-wide). Give registry and preferences for preferences. A set of permissions is associated with each user or at least a default user (indicating that someone is watching the TV).

In a particular embodiment, the television set-top terminal is a computer readable computer having computer program code means.
) Comprising a medium and means for executing the computer program code means;
Executes an application programming interface (API).
The API includes: (a) a user registry for a plurality of users of the terminal; (b) a preference registry of user preferences; and (c) permissions for controlling a user's access to at least one application provided at the terminal. give.

The API provides security measures and allows only certain applications to access the preference registry. Security measures may be user controlled. Thus, some applications can access preferences based on security measures (some cannot). This means, for example, that only certain trusted applications are
This means that you can access her credit card number (not someone else's). These applications are available at shop-at-home
) Channels and the like.

The API does not allow an application without the required permissions to access user preferences.

The permissions are associated with each user individually or with the default user. The default user is given to indicate that the whole family is watching TV together, or to indicate a guest or wholly others.

Also, applications generally respond to user preferences. For example, if an application, such as an electronic program guide (EPG), accesses a particular user's language preferences, the application may provide service information (
When SI) is multilingual, the language of the text can be automatically selected. An application that tunes to the channel (audio / video or audio only) may automatically select the appropriate audio language based on the user's language preference.

As another example, an EPG application may access user-preferred channel information to prepare a custom-made guide for the currently playing program. Alternatively, an application that obtains a targeted advertisement may access information that focuses on the user's location (postal code), gender, age, family structure, and other personal information such as pets and hobbies.

Also, an e-commerce type application may be needed to view user credit card numbers, online purchase permissions, and other related preferences.

Permissions may also provide, for example, parental control / rating sealing or permissions, and impulse pay per view (I
Purchase a PPV program or participate in e-commerce (eg, purchase goods and services via television-home shopping).

The preferences include rating ceiling preferences.

Also, user preferences may include system wide or user specific.

The user registry identifies the current user of the terminal that has registered a new user of the terminal and can be used to remove previous users of the terminal.

For example, when an application is needed to switch between users,
For example, by identifying the user using a logon screen, or
It can do so by an IN code or password, or by a personal smart card or voice control.

The permissions allow the user to access the resources / calling functions of the terminal. This is because some physical resources or applications on the receiver (modem or tuner, smart card, etc.)
Web browsing, e-commerce, etc.).

Resources include, for example, tuners, modems, databases, plug-in modules, cables, software modules, network interface cards, persistent storage, TV screen space, memory, CPU, conditional access (CA) modules, etc. Device, function or process on such a receiver.

The API is also adapted to define one or more new types of user preferences and add the new types of user preferences to the preference registry. The new user preferences are based on the Base Interface (Preference) (this is the PreferenceRegistry)
Are objects that can be added to or removed from. This allows a new type of user preference to be defined, for example, by extending it in the same way that LanguagePreference extends the base preference.

For example, preferences may include a particular type of program (sports, drama, humor, action, etc.).

The API is also adapted to associate a new type of user preference with a user.

The API may be independent of the terminal operating system and hardware.

A corresponding method is also provided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Introduction The present invention manages user related information on digital television (DTV).
It provides an application programming interface (API) for accessible downloadable broadcast applications.

The present invention is composed of the following two API components. That is, (
1) a user API and (2) a user preference API.

These can be used together where each user has a set of user preferences associated with it, or where there is a set of system-level preferences that are not user-related.

A registry package is also described herein, which provides a general mechanism for configuring a registry type.

[0041] 2. Model Description FIG. 1 illustrates an API package (ie, user package 11) according to the present invention.
0, a preference package 120 and a registry package 130). These packages are described below in connection with FIGS.

Here, the part disclosed herein is based on Rational Software Corporation (USA)
Automatically generated from the Rational Rose® CASE tool developed by Drawings are based on the Unified Modeling Language (UML) R
Use ational Rose® diagram. UML is a language for identifying, composing, visualizing, and documenting software intensive system artifacts. The class diagram represents the static structure of the system and shows the pattern of movement that the system shows. This is achieved by indicating the existence of classes and their relationships. Each class is represented by a box with three parts. The top part shows the class name. The middle part shows the attributes and the bottom part shows the operations.

Solid or dashed lines between classes indicate relevance or dependency. The tip of the white diamond is
The collection based on the standard is shown, and the tip of the black diamond represents the collection based on the value. The triangular arrow tips represent restricted navigation (eg, inherited operations rather than structures).

Also, the interface and class start with the upper case letter, and the method starts with the lower case letter. Classes are data structures for objects,
A type or template that defines method and function calls. An interface defines a set of method / function calls handled by a class. Classes provide the code for implementing the interface.

2.1 User Package FIG. 2 shows a user class / interface diagram according to the invention. The main UserRegistry (user registry) interface 210 is an access point for obtaining information about any user. One or more users may connect to each terminal (eg, DTV receiver, set-top box,
IRD, TV-capable PC, etc.). Existing users are searched, new ones are created, and the currently active user can be set via the UserRegistry object 210. A user is represented by a UserProfile object 220, which holds the username and user preferences. Preferences refer to the user viewing certain types of television programs (eg, preferred channels) and / or applications, preferred audio languages, personal data (age, location (address / postal code), credit card numbers, etc.). / Preferring to use. The user is authenticated by invoking an execute neutral method, authenticate (), which may invoke a specific mechanism to authenticate the user, such as a personal identification number (PIN) code, a password, and the like. Users are associated with permissions that are used internally to enforce security measures. Thus, new permissions are given to each user. Permissions are execution-specific because they are inherent in the terminal.

2.2 Preference Package FIGS. 3 and 4 show a preference class / interface diagram according to the invention.

The preferences package 120 maintains system-wide (ie, system-wide) preferences and serves to maintain user-specific (ie, user-specific) preferences.

A system-wide preference is anything that applies to all users. For example, English may be the preferred language throughout the system unless overridden by a user-specific preference (eg, Spanish).

When a preference is used system-wide, access to it is
Preferenc obtained from stryFactory (registry factory) 430 (FIG. 5)
Provided via eRegistry (Preference Registry) 310. The user specific preferences can be obtained directly from the user (UserProfile 220).

[0050] Any new preferences or settings must be obtained from the abstract Preference interface 330, which provides access to a unique preference name and a listener mechanism. The resulting classes / interfaces also provide methods, behaviors and data structures as needed to describe a particular preference or configuration object.

Each application has a listener (addPropertyCha) for a particular preference.
prope that can be registered as an ngeListener () method and must be executed
Notified via the rtyChange () method.

A property is uniquely identified by its name. PreferenceAlreadyExistsException when application tries to memorize a property with a duplicate name
390 is thrown. If the application does not have sufficient privileges to perform any of the methods of the PreferenceRegistry 310,
AccessDeniedException 385 is thrown.

The PropertyChangeEvent (property change event) 350 is a standard Ja
va (registered trademark) package (JDK1.2). Class 38
5, "from security" and "from bean" are classes ("security" and "bean") defined in JDK1.2.

2.3 Registry Package FIG. 5 shows a registry class / interface diagram according to the present invention.

The registry package 130 provides a basic mechanism for configuring any kind of registry object. The Registry interface 410 uses the UserRegist
Basic interface that is extended by all of the specific registries, such as ry210 or PreferenceRegistry310.

RegistryListener (registry listener) interface 440 and Registry
A ChangeEvent (Registry Change Event) interface 250 is associated with this package. The RegistryListener interface 440 uses Re
Used by any object that signals any changes in the gistry 410. Changes can be made to the Registry 410 itself, such as adding or removing elements from the Registry (they need not be individual elements of the Registry).
Consider what has an effect on RegistryChangeEvent 250 is an abstract class extended by a specific registry event.

Since most of the API is defined by the Java (registered trademark) interface, the registry factory (RegistryFactory) 430 is a class that hides the actual object configuration implementation.

The “from util” of the EventObject (event object) class 415 is a JD
It is a class “util” defined in K1.2.

The “from resource” of the ResourceRegistry (resource registry) interface 480 is a PCT application (filed on October 7, 1999) “Application Programm”.
ing Interface (API) For Accessing And Managing Resources In A Digital Te
class "resource" disclosed to "levision Receiver".

ApplicationRegistry (Application Registry) Interface 49
0 "From application" is a PCT application (filed on October 7, 1999)
Software Application Lifecycle And Management For Broadcast Application
The class "application" disclosed in ".

[0061] 3. Description of Classes and Interfaces Hereinafter, details of each class, interface, and method thereof will be described.

3.1 User Package This package 110 provides classes and interfaces necessary for user management functions.

3.1.1 UserRegistry The UserRegistry interface 210 provides access to all users defined on the system. It is obtained from Registry 130.

Public operations:

CreateUser (name: String): UserProfile

This method creates a new user with the specified name.

A public operation is a method that can be used by other objects because it is visible outside the object (eg, class). In contrast,
Private operations are only visible to the class itself.

GetCurrentUser (): UserProfile

This method sends back the user currently registered as the active user.

GetUserNames (): String []

This method returns a list of all known users in the Registry.

SetCurrentUser (newUser: String): UserProfile

This method defines a new current user. The execution may prompt the user for a password or some other method of authentication.

GetUser (name: String): UserProfile

This method returns a UserProfile object with the specified name.

3.1.2 UserProfile This interface 220 represents what contains a single user information such as settings and preferences, billing information, etc. It is obtained from UserPermissions 230.

Public operations:

GetName (): String

The user's name is sent back.

GetPreferences (): PreferenceRegistry

The method sends back the user's PreferenceRegistry. All operations performed on the returned list of preferences are reflected in this UserProfile.

Authenticate (): boolean

The method is called to authenticate the user. It invokes an execution specific mechanism for user authentication. A user dialog may be used to ask for a password or PIN or other authentication mechanism.

When the authentication is obtained, TRUE is returned. When the authentication is not obtained, FALSE is returned.

GrantPermission (newPermission: String): void

This method is called to add a new permission to the user. Us
See erPermissions (user permissions).

3.1.3 UserPermissions This interface 230 defines a list of user permissions that can be granted to the user.

Public attributes:

IPPV: String = "IPPV Purchase" RATING: String = "Rating Override"

3.1.4 UserRegistryEvent (User Registry Event) 260 Obtained from RegistryChangeEvent 250.

Public operation:

GetUserName (): Java.lang.String

The method returns the username of the user who caused this event.

3.1.5 UserChangeCause This interface 240 defines the possible causes for a UserRegistryEvent 260.

Public attributes:

USER # ADDED: short = 1 USER # REMOVE: short = 2 NEW # CURRENT # USER: short = 3

3.2 Preference Package This package 120 defines a set of interfaces and lives that provide a mechanism by which a set of preferences can be defined, either at the system or user level.

3.2.1 PreferenceAlreadyExistsException This exception 390 gives a signal that a reference with the same name already exists in the Registry and cannot be reinserted (added). It is an Exception (JDK1.2 Core Java package)-Java.la
ng.Exception).

3.2.2 PreferenceRegistry This interface 310 represents a registry of all settings and preferences shared by multiple applications.

Public operation:

GetPreference (preferenceName: String): org.atsc.preferences.Preference

This method either sends back the preference of the specified name, or
If stry is not notified, return null.

AddPreference (aPreference: org.atsc.preferences.Preference): void

In this way, an application can insert a new preference object into the Registry. The new preferences must have unique names.

RemovePreference (preferenceName: String): void

According to this method, the application stores the reference object in the
Can be removed from stry.

ListPreference (): org.atsc.preferences.Preference []

This method returns a list of all preferences currently stored in the Registry.

3.2.3 PreferenceLanguage This interface 340 is an example of a language preference interface. An order list of ISO 639.2 alpha-3 is used. The first language on the list is the most preferred language. It is obtained from the Preference interface 330.

Public operation:

GetLanguage (): String []

This method sends back an order list of three-letter ISO language codes (most preferred first).

SetLanguage (valueList: String []): void

This method allows an application to change language preferences.
It sends back a new list.

3.2.4 RatingPreference This interface 335 represents, for example, an age-based parental rating preference. It is obtained from the Preference interface 330.

Public operation:

GetRatingCeiling (): String

This method sends back the maximum rating value in anticipation of watching.

SetRatingCeiling (aValue: String): String

In this way, the application can change the rating ceiling. It sends back a new rating level.

3.2.5 Preference This is the top level interface 330 common to all preference / setting sub-interfaces. It supports the listener model and gives preference names.

This interface is extended to support specific preferences with specific access methods. It is obtained from PreferenceName320.

Public operations:

AddPropertyChangeListener (aListner: PropertyChangeListener): void

In this way, applications interested in changes to this preference can register for a preference change event.

RemovePropertyChangeListener (aListener: PropertyChangeListener): void

In this way, a preference change listener can be removed from the list of listeners.

GetPreferenceName (): String

This method returns a unique preference name.

3.2.6 PreferenceName This interface 320 contains a list of pre-defined preference names.

Public attributes:

SIMPLE # RATING: String = "Simple Rating" LANGUAGE: String = "Language"

3.2.7 PreferenceRegistryEvent This event 360 is used when the RegistryChangeEvent 310 is changed.
Notify istener 440. It is obtained from RegistryChangeEvent250.

Public operations:

GetPreference (): org.atsc.preferences.Preference

Send back modified preferences at the repository. This change considers a repository such as removing or adding a preference from PreferenceRegistry 310 (does not change the value of the preference).

3.2.8 PreferenceChangeCause This interface 345 defines the reason for PreferenceRegistryEvent (Preference Registry Event) 360.

Public attributes:

[0139] PREFERENCE # ADDED: short = 1 PREFERENCE # REMOVED: short = 2

3.3 Registry Package This package 130 provides a set of support and utility classes and interfaces used by other packages.

3.3.1 Registry The interface 410 includes an ApplicationRegistry (application registry) 490, a ResourceRegistry (resource registry) 480, and a Preferen.
Provide a common route to all of the defined registry interfaces, such as ceRegistry (Preference Registry) 310 and the like.

“Basic types” are known in the field of object-oriented programming. For illustrative purposes, a class is defined that has a set of functions (methods) and internal variables (eg, a class “Fruit” representing fruits and their basic properties). You can limit it by defining a new class "Apple" that inherits everything from the class "Fruit" and adds new features that apply only to apples, not fruits. So “Fruit”
It is called "base class" or "base type".

The registry interface 410 has a RegistryType (registry type) 4
05.

Public operations:

GetRegistryType (): String

The method of RegistryFactory (430) getRegistry (
Called to determine the type of registry performed by the object returned by).

AddRegistryListener (listener: RegistryListener):

Called to register for events generated by the registry 410.

RemoveRegistryListener (listener: RegistryListener):

Called to not register for events generated by the Registry 410.

3.3.2 RegistryFactory This class 430 provides a mechanism to create objects that implement a particular registry interface, such as ApplicationRegistry 490. This class is modeled after the Factory method design pattern known in the field of object-oriented programming, which is the method and structure for solving the problem.

Public operations:

RegistryFactory ():

Constructor:

GetRegistry (registryName: String): org.atsc.registry.Registry

Return an example of an object that implements the specified registry interface. Null if the specified registry does not exist or is not created
). The type of the returned object is ApplicationRegistry4
One of the obtained Registry types, such as 90.

3.3.3 RegistryType This interface 405 defines names for different registry types, such as ApplicationRegistry.

Public attributes:

APPLICATION # REGISTRY: String = "Application Registry" RESOURCE # REGISTRY: String = "Resource Registry" PREFERENCE # REGISTRY: String = "Preference Registry" USER # REGISTRY: String = "User Registry"

3.3.4 RegistryListener This interface 440 allows objects to listen for changes made in Registry 410.

Public operation:

RegistryChange (): ApplicationRegistryEvent

All methods of this registered ApplicationRegistryListeners (application registry listeners) require that the ApplicationRegistryEvent (application registry event) be fired (released).
Called by 90.

3.3.5 RegistryChangeEvent This event 250 indicates that all the specific registries (ApplicationRegistry 490)
General registry change event, which provides specific information about the change. It is obtained from EventObject 415.

Public operations:

GetRegistryType (): java.lang.String

Return the type of the registry (this event is associated with).

GetCause (): short

Return the cause of the RegistryChangeEvent 250. Each of the obtained events,
Define an appropriate set of causes in the registry.

Thus, it can be seen that the present invention provides an API for an application that can manage / access user related information on a digital television (DTV) receiver / terminal. The API provides a multi-user environment and a registry for preferences associated with individual users or common to all users. A set of permissions is associated with each user or at least with a default user. The permissions may be, for example, parental control / rating ceilings to purchase an Impulse Pay Per View (IPPV) program or to participate in e-commerce (eg, purchase goods or services via television). Or grant permissions. The present invention also supports a mechanism that allows some applications to access preferences based on security measures (some not). This allows the user to access only certain trusted applications, for example, his / her credit card numbers (not others) for e-commerce applications.

While the invention has been described with reference to various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations can be made to the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. It can be seen that this can be done without departing.

For example, although various syntax elements have been described herein, these are merely exemplary, and any syntax can be used.

The present invention also relates to a cable or satellite television broadcast communication network, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MA),
N), suitable for use in any type of network, including wide area networks (WANs), the Internet, intranets, the Internet, and combinations thereof.

[0174] Also, known computer hardware, firmware and / or software techniques may be used to implement the invention.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 illustrates the relationships and dependencies of packages according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a user class / interface diagram according to the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a preference class / interface diagram (upper half) according to the invention.

FIG. 4 shows a preference class / interface diagram (lower half) according to the invention.

FIG. 5 shows a registry class / interface diagram according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 110: User package 120: Preference package 130: Registry package

[Procedural Amendment] Submission of translation of Article 34 Amendment of the Patent Cooperation Treaty

[Submission date] March 22, 2001 (2001.3.22)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0007

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

As with the API, new users must be recognized and old users must be removed, just as the current user of the terminal is recognized. A
The PI provides a profile for each user, accesses applications such as, for example, pay-per-view, and provides child rating guidelines.
In order to enforce ng guidelines, a record of the permissions granted to the user must be maintained.

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0059

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

The “from resource” of the ResourceRegistry (resource registry) interface 480 is PCT / US99 / 23358 (October 1999.
"Application Programming Interface (API) For Accessing And
This is the class "resource" disclosed in "Managing Resources In A Digital Television Receiver."

[Procedure amendment 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0060

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0060] ApplicationRegistry is "from the application" (application registry) interface 490, PCT / US99 / 237 21 (10 May 7, 1999 application) "Software Application Lifecycle And Man
This is the class “application” disclosed in “agement For Broadcast Application”.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Claims]

18. A method for implementing a software architecture for a television set-top terminal, comprising: providing a computer readable medium having computer program code means; and implementing an application programming interface (API). Executing the computer program code means, wherein the API comprises: (a) a user registry of a plurality of users of the terminal; (b) a preference registry of user preferences; and (c) at least a terminal provided at the terminal. The API provides permissions to control a user's access to one application, so that only identified applications can access the preference registry. A way to provide security measures.

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] January 15, 2002 (2002.1.15)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Claims]

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (81) Designated country EP (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE ), OA (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG), AP (GH, GM, KE, LS, MW, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZW), EA (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), AE, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, CA, CH, CN, CU, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN , IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LV, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TR, TT, UA, UG, US, UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZW (71) Applicant 101 Tournament Drive Horsham, Pennsylvania, The United States of America F-term (reference) 5B076 AB10 AB17 BB06 5C025 AA30 BA25 BA27 BA30 CA09 DA01 DA05 DA10

Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. A television set top terminal, comprising: a computer readable medium having computer program code means; and an application programming interface (API) for accessing user related information at the terminal. Means for executing computer program code means, the API comprising: (a) a user registry of a plurality of users of the terminal; (b) a preference registry of user preferences; and (c) at least a terminal provided at the terminal. A terminal that grants permissions to control user access to an application. 2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the API provides security measures so that only certain applications can access the preference registry. 3. The terminal of claim 2, wherein the security means is user controlled. 4. The terminal of claim 1, wherein permissions are associated with each user. 5. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the permissions are associated with a default user. 6. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one application responds to a user preference. 7. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the permissions control a user's access to a plurality of applications provided at the terminal. 8. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the preferences include language preferences. 9. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the preferences include rating ceiling preferences. 10. The terminal of claim 1, wherein said user preferences include system-wide preferences. 11. The terminal of claim 1, wherein said user preferences include user-specific preferences. 12. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the user registry registers a new user of the terminal. 13. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the user registry identifies a current user of the terminal. 14. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the user registry removes a user in front of the terminal. 15. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the permissions allow a user to access resources of the terminal. 16. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the API is adapted to define at least one new type of user preference and add the new type of user preference to a preference registry. 17. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the API is adapted to associate a new type of user preference with a user. 18. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the API does not allow applications without the required permissions to access the user preferences. 19. A method for implementing a software architecture for a television set-top terminal, comprising: providing a computer readable medium having computer program code means; and implementing an application programming interface (API). Executing the computer program code means, the API comprising: (a) a user registry of a plurality of users of the terminal; (b) a preference registry of user preferences; A method that grants permissions to control a user's access to a single application. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the API provides security measures so that only identified applications can access the preference registry.