KR20030031959A - System and method for facilitating subscriber access to web enabled services - Google Patents

Abstract

Systems and methods that facilitate subscriber access to Internet sites that provide content for Transcripts that correlate with audiovisual programs use VCTs containing URLs. Access to URLs by subscribers is controlled through the assignment of a tier, and the assigned tier correlates with this supplementary service (e.g., the ability to access a website pointed to by the URL). The system provides significant convenience for subscribers by physically using other Internet access devices, eliminating the need to access web sites associated with audio-visual programs, and parallel authentication and access infrastructure (e.g., policy and proxy servers). It provides a direct mechanism for system operators to allow access without complexity.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING SUBSCRIBER ACCESS TO WEB ENABLED SERVICES}

Communication in modern society has been greatly enhanced by the emergence of widespread data networks such as public telephone systems, the Internet (including the World Wide Web) and cables, and satellite television systems. In particular, programmers / providers of audiovisual programs commonly distributed through cable television systems produce corresponding content (e.g., transscripts, video clips, etc.) that can be utilized on affiliated Internet websites. In conventional systems, for example, a viewer who misses a viewing program on CNN or who wants supplemental information about an audiovisual program that he or she has actually watched may, for example, have a PC, such as a PC, to search for sought-after content. To access the corresponding web site, for example http://www.cnn.com. Such access generally requires physical abuse of the undesirable viewer's PC.

Alternatively, it is known to provide an interactive, digital set-top terminal with internet access capability. By the way, in the above known system, it is desired that a large amount of headend parallel infrastructure be allowed to authenticate the viewer and access to a desired web site (e.g., policy server, proxy server, etc.). The system also provides a straightforward way for MSOs to charge for access to the site as a service since there is a value-added proposition that eliminates major discomfort for the viewer. I never do that.

US Pat. No. 6,018,764 to Field et al. (Name of the invention: URL mapping for broadcasting addresses in a television signal) discloses a system in which a user retrieves a web page from a one-way broadcast television signal. Additionally, a system has been described that allows a user to select from a range of information including a hypertext markup language (HTML) page that is delivered to a broadcast stream by calling a command defined according to the URL format. Table Mapping data is delivered to the broadcast signal to provide a broadcast address corresponding to the URL of the user request signal, thereby identifying the designated position in the broadcast signal from which desired information can be retrieved. By the way, the patent in this field does not disclose a mechanism for controlling authentication and access to Internet information, and no means for facilitating access to a large number of sites. As a result, consumers' convenience and profit opportunities have been lost.

Accordingly, there is a current need to provide an improved method and system for providing Internet access to subscribers that minimizes or resolves one or more of the above-mentioned deficiencies.

The present invention relates to a system and a method for facilitating subscriber access to an Internet site. Specifically, the present invention relates to a virtual channel table (VCT) incorporating a hyperlink (eg, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL)) to a target site. A system and method for facilitating subscriber access to be used.

1 is a block diagram of a system that facilitates access in accordance with the present invention.

2 is a diagram of a virtual channel table (VCT) with a URL in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged block diagram of a terminal located in the subscriber's premises in accordance with the present invention.

One advantage of the present invention is to provide a direct mechanism that allows access to a web site correlated to an audiovisual service without the complexity of parallel authentication and access infrastructure. Another advantage of the systems and methods according to the present invention is that it provides a significant convenience to the subscriber and eliminates the need for a physical walk over to a subscriber, such as a PC, to access a website associated with an audiovisual program. The present invention provides the ability to access an Internet site with a predetermined URL as a separate supplementary service, and to assign correlated (eg, "tier") access control criteria for charging / access control. It is to provide a system and method to establish.

The method according to the invention is to facilitate the subscriber's access to the Internet site associated with the audiovisual service. For example, a subscriber can retrieve a copy of a program that he or she has not watched or retrieve a video clip from it. The initiating step includes establishing an additional service formed by the subscriber's ability to access a correlation site located in the URL. Next, an access control criterion (eg, "Tyr" in the preferred embodiment) associated with the supplementary service is constructed to facilitate the evaluation of the subscriber's authentication right to the supplementary service. Next, a virtual channel table (VCT) having a URL of a site is formed. Finally, broadcast the VCT to a terminal structured to use a URL to selectively provide access to the site.

A corresponding system is also given, in addition to the terminal used by the subscriber.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the examples described are not intended to limit the present invention, but rather to describe those skilled in the art.

1 is a block diagram of a system 10 according to the present invention. System 10 is readily structured for subscriber 12 to access an Internet web site provided by web server 16 via terminal 14. The website is correlated with some fashion in the audiovisual program originating from the audiovisual programming source 18 and received by the subscriber. 1 further illustrates a communication network, such as the Internet 20, business computing system 22, access controller 24, customer response center (CRC) 26, and headend equipment 28.

Before describing the detailed description, an overall overview of the capabilities provided by the present invention is first described. As described in the background of the invention, there is a problem with conventional systems when subscribers 12 wish to access web site 16 for the purpose of searching for content that correlates or relates in any way to the audiovisual program. . For example, when subscriber 12 misses a program and wishes to retrieve a transcript of the program. Another scenario, for example, may be the case when a web site has additional or supplemental information about the subject of an audiovisual program. In any case, the subscriber 12 will typically have (i) a PC (not shown) for accessing the Internet 20 for access to the website 16 or physically abuse it or (ii) connect to the Internet. Use interactive digital consumer terminals with Internet capabilities to access them. In the former case, the subscriber 12 has considerable inconvenience. In the latter case, in a stable arrangement, the cable or satellite television provider is obliged to provide a complete parallel system for authentication and access to the Internet (e.g., basic audiovisual and / or audio programming authentication / access / Parallel to Distribution System) The present invention overcomes the respective drawbacks of the above scenarios.

Specifically, systems and methods in accordance with the present invention establish additional services that are correlated with audiovisual services. As used herein, an "additional service" is a service that provides the ability to access the relevant web site specified by a particular URL. Tiers are assigned and correlated with supplementary services. The URL of the relational website is added to the Virtual Channel Table (VCT) and provided to the set-top terminal, as the terminal optionally has audiovisual services (eg, via something like entitlement management messages (EMMs), etc.). Allow access to the website in the same way. Next, the control of charging and other business operations' access (e.g., conditional access) is transferred in the same way as is done with current audiovisual services. Now, the subscriber does not have to physically utilize his PC to overuse the PC. That is, access can be obtained through a customer premises terminal (CPT) 14. In addition, no parallel infrastructure is desired (e.g., commonly deployed policy server, proxy server, etc.).

Reference will be made to FIG. 1 again. Terminal 14 may comprise any one of a set-top terminal, a consumer terminal, a cable television entertainment terminal, a digital television, or a host having a deployment capability that includes a PC of suitable construction. have. In a preferred embodiment, terminal 14 comprises a digital set-top terminal 14 having the capability to receive and process analog audiovisual signals in addition to digital audiovisual signals (eg, MPEG-2 digital transport streams). . In general, the set-top terminal 14 is a structure for processing a message for receiving what is included in the URL-based supplementary service according to the present invention (eg, VCT, access request, authentication right).

The server 16 is structured to provide content such as text (e.g., transcripts) and moving images (e.g., video clips) and applications that are correlated with audiovisual services or programmers / providers. For example, where the audiovisual service is a CNN, the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the server 16 is http://www.cnn.com or http://cnnfn.com. The resource indicated by the URL is included in a virtual channel table (VCT). In another embodiment, it is displayed in a descriptor present in a Program Map Table of an MPEG-2 audiovisual service. In general, the information provided by the server 16, even if other file formats are provided, especially if the content is a media stream using any corresponding application (e.g. Real, Microsoft, and Apple), the HTML ( Hyper Text Markup Language) format. The information uploaded by the server 16 is preferably provided to the headend equipment 28 as digital data. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the server 16 is accessed via the Internet 20 using a device that is suitably structured as a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) user-agent such as a web browser. Thus, server 16 is preferably HTTP (eg, version 1.1) compliant and includes conventional hardware and web server software.

Programming service 18 is a source of video, audio, and audiovisual programming services from network television stations and the like. Programming services such as audiovisual services (eg, CNNs) are provided as digital data to the headend equipment 28.

One advantage of the present invention is to allow access control to Internet resources in a highly efficient manner, without the need for additional proxy / policy servers, provisioning, administration, etc., at the headends common to conventional systems. It is. A detailed description of the access control information is provided for a clear understanding of the present invention. Access control for the service includes two main parts. The first part defines the access requirements for special services and the second part specifies the authentication right for a particular set-top terminal to access the service. Access requirements can be understood as locks and authentication rights can be understood as keys. If the authentication right matches the access requirement, the set-top terminal is allowed to access the service (and correlated object).

Both satellite and cable television access control systems utilize the concept of "tiering". For audiovisual services, a TIR is created to facilitate control of access of a group of services or a user (subscriber) of the service to the Tyr based on the subscriber profile of the MSO (eg, the service is signed by a given consumer). do. A user's access rights require significant memory on the set-top terminal if the access rights are stored separately for each flag and every available program or object. In one embodiment, Tyr appears as single binary digits that are dynamically defined and redefined. Each tier (or group) is represented as a single bit and multiple tiers are defined to correlate with the services offered at a given point in time, so they suggest the most compact representation possible for the subscriber's access rights (eg For example, compactness is very important because access rights are kept in well-constrained secure memory, are well transmitted frequently, and the demands are minimized as bandwidth. In addition, the authentication right is a set-top terminal. While (14) is stored on a server at another destination in the network (as opposed to set-top terminal 14) that can communicate with the server in real time and query its rights, preferably this access information is misleading. In addition to minimizing a single point, security, robustness, and performance are stored in the set-top terminal 14. Once the event (or "program") ends, the tier definition is updated to reflect this change.

In addition, there are at least two types of tyres. The first type is a subscription tier that is correlated with a service (and corresponding object) that lasts longer than the duration and is obtained prior to actual use. The second type, Impulse Pay Per Use (IPPU) (similar to Impulse Pay Per View for video programming), allows impulse acquisition or set of objects associated with a given service / application and continues to correlate with it. Take time. Other uses, combinations, or conditions may be based on the two tiers as would be expected of one skilled in the art.

Description will be made with reference to FIG. 1. The business computing system 22 in the described embodiment includes an MSO's business computing system that performs the operation of the MSO and has the above functions as a charge, system structure and business operation. Computing system 22 includes conventional systems known to those skilled in the art. In the described embodiment, computing system 22 is used to establish additional services. In this regard, the system 22 is structured to associate a T with an additional service by assigning a combination of access control criteria (for example, Tyr). The tier may be of a subscription type or of the IPPU type described below in connection with the CRC 26.

The access controller 24 is structured to generate a virtual channel table (VCT) 29 in accordance with the present invention. (Preferably in FIG. 2) The controller 24 additionally provides access rights and authorizations for a given service. Assigned so that the service for each subscriber is accessed. The controller 24 is additionally formed in a structure that interfaces with the MSO business computing system 22. With this interface, how the controller 24 sets up access rights for each service, such as authentication rights for other subscribers, for example, via communication with Tir details assigned for additional services. It tells you. The controller 24 then has an additional service, has the same additional service as defining the subscriber's 12 authentication rights to the service, and sets-top terminal 14 defining an access request for the service. Generates a message to broadcast to. Authentication tiers for subscribers that are authenticated (eg what the subscriber's authentication rights are) are well-encrypted and sent to the corresponding EMM (Entitlement Management Message) to the set-top terminal 14 for processing by the secure processor. It is transmitted by accessing the controller 24.

The CRC 26 in the described embodiment is structured to allow the subscriber to initiate IPPU activity of Internet access in accordance with the present invention. CRC 26 may be accessed by subscriber 12 via a communication network (eg, the Internet 20). Communication and service selection occurs, for example, between the web browser at the subscriber's location (eg, at the subscriber's terminal 14) and a web server (not shown) associated with the CRC 26. The selection is then passed to business computing system 22 (eg, charging system portion). As part of the communication with the access controller 24, the charging system is configured to activate or otherwise instruct the access controller to add the service identified by the subscriber's IPPU selection. It is to be understood that the activation of the service is another separation process originated by the system 22 conveying the access controller 24 which the subscriber is named to access the service. As shown by the dotted line in FIG. 1, there is a direct link between the CRC 26 and the HE equipment 28.

The CATV system headend equipment 28 is structured to implement the variability of conventional functions. One function is to have a multiplexing function for generating broadcast signals with video, audio, and audiovisual services originating from both digital data originating from web server 16 and programming source 18. The generated signal is transmitted, for example, in a package digital transport stream conforming to the MPEG-2 standard. Headend equipment 28 is additionally structured to handle the various transport streams described above, such as analog feeds for distribution to cable system customers (CSC). For example, various encryption / decryption and scramble / descramble operations occur.

The primary audiovisual service (eg, CNN) is provided downstream in either analog or digital form. The supplementary service, specifically the information from the server 16, is in digital form and, in one embodiment, downstream provided by the interactive segment of the network (telephone modem or RF cable modem). The headend equipment 28 is equipped with additional components to handle upstream transmission paths, i.e., to handle HTTP requests originating from the terminal 14, for example, which are devoted to the server 16. In one embodiment, upstream communication occurs via a cable modem integrated in the set-top terminal 14 in accordance with DOCSIS standards. Accordingly, the headend equipment 28 additionally includes a Cable Modern Termination System (CMTS) (not shown) and a traffic headend router (not shown) to the server 16, all of which are known in the art. It contains the ingredients.

2 is a diagram showing an overview of a VCT (29) having a plurality of records are shown geuye to _{29 A, 29 B, 29 C} . The VCT 29 provides a list of services proposed for a particular MSO network and represents the relationship between the given logical channels and the services. The VCT 29 extends beyond the conventional structure and has a new parameter with the URL of the Internet site supplied by the web server 16 which is the content of the supplementary service. FIG. 2 shows, in record 29 _A , information correlated with an audiovisual service for a CNN (i.e., virtual channel 1). Figure 2 also shows also the additional services defined by the ability to eokse when a resource specified in the record (29 _B), URL http://www.cnn.com. One or more URLs may be defined for additional services, for example http://cnnfn.com, as shown by record 29c. As is known, a VCT is a service in which a service is found in a broadcast signal, e.g., a specification of a carrier frequency (e.g., based on a physical, RF channel-CDT (carrier deinition table)) and for a digital transport stream. The program check in is found. Extensive changes in other information are also included in the VCT 29, not shown in FIG.

3 shows a terminal 14 suitable for use in the present invention in more detail. The terminal 14 includes a decoder 30 with an in-band tuner 32 and a cable modem 34, a first master processor 36, a second secure processor 38, a main memory unit 40, And a secure memory 42, a memory bus controller 44 that controls the memory bus 46, an input interface 48, and an output interface 50.

In-band tuner 32 is desired under the control of master processor 36 to recover audio and video information for reproduction of an audiovisual service (e.g., CNN) on a display (not shown) coupled to terminal 14. It is a structure that receives, converts, and decodes a broadcast signal as it is. In this regard, processor 36 may use the information specified in VCT 29. In view of the supplementary service (e.g., www.cnn.com), the data received by the terminal 14 is recovered via something like a QAM demodulator (not shown) provided in the decoder 30. -2 included as a payload in the transport stream or recovered via cable modem 34 The location of where the supplementary service is distributed and the distribution item are also assigned to the VCT 29 as can be understood in the art. The cable modem 34 is also structured for upstream transmission to the headend 28 which provides the terminal 14 with the ability to deliver an HTTP compliance request addressed to the URL specified in the VCT 29.

In the embodiment described, terminal 14 has two different processors. The first processor is, for example, a master processor 36 that becomes a CPU. The master processor 36 is a processor that executes object code to perform the functions of the terminal 14. The second processor is a secure processor 38 used to determine whether an access request for a service, such as an audiovisual service or an additional service, matches the subscriber's right of authentication.

Main memory unit 40 is in the form of, for example, a non-volatile long-term electronic data storage device having an electronic memory device, a magnetic hard drive, or an optical or magnetic-optical disk drive. Memory unit 40 is structured to contain executable code that is structured to perform a plurality of functions. For example, main memory 40 has code / object 52 structured to perform authentication and provides support and summary application programming interfaces (APIs). The memory 40 additionally includes code / objects 54 corresponding to operating system software and network roots / drives. The memory 40 additionally has a code / object corresponding to an electronic program guide (EPG), a web browser, and an application program of the same.

The secure processor 38 has a connection to the memory bus 46 and accordingly has a connection to the memory unit 40. The secure processor 38 also has a connection to the secure memory 42 which is inaccessible by the master processor 36. The secure memory 42 in the preferred embodiment is structured to store authentication tiers that form all the services the subscriber has access to.

The memory bus controller 44 is provided by two processors 36 and 38 to regulate access to the memory bus 46. In one architecture, the memory bus controller allows the master process 36 to allow the controller 44 to access the memory bus 46 to the secure processor 38 when the master processor 36 does not use the memory bus 46. Monitor activity on bus 46 directly in response.

In another embodiment, the master processor and the secure processor are functionally integrated. In particular, another approach to the present invention that does not utilize two separate processors is to have a secure software or firmware task running on the main processor 36 as a "background" task. Such secure tasks must perform all of the functions described above for the secure processor 38.

If the secure task is carefully designed and resistant to hackers or cracks, the use of the background secure task provides a valid way to obtain many two separate processors.

The input interface 48 is structured to receive input from the subscriber 12. For example, the input interface may be identical to the sequence of button presses on the front panel of the terminal 14 in addition to the identification and order of the preselected keys on the remote handheld control unit (not shown) pressed with the master processor 36. Communicate

The output interface 50 is a structure for generating an output signal suitable for generating a display on an attached TV, monitor, or the like.

Describe the description of the operation of the system according to the invention. First, supplementary services are confirmed. An add-on service is a subscription type service, where access to each particular URL is either a separate service or a group of all URLs for access allowed as a service. Alternatively, the supplementary service may be of the IPPU type. In either case, the MSO's access controller 24 assigns a tier, and either the subscription tier or the IPPU tier uses the business computing system 22. If the supplementary service is a subscription service, the subscriber 12 wishes to advertise the business system 22, which in turn allows the decoder to provide corresponding authentication. If the supplementary service is created as an IPPU type service, the IPPU tier is already assigned to this service with a pre-license. The subscriber's choice of such a service (not equipped to make a request via CRC 26 or via telephone) is an access grant. The secure processor logs this activity for additional charging arbitration.

Each time the subscriber allows access to the service, the business computing system 22 and in turn the access controller communicate with the authentication rights of the individual subscriber 12 to the controller 24 which in turn communicates with the right to the correlated terminal. Access. On the other hand, the access request broadcasts to a plurality of terminals in an independent manner (asynchronous).

The access controller 24 creates a VCT 29 having a URL of a site of an additional service, and transmits the VCT 29 to the broadcasting headend device 28 via the CATV network for the terminal 14 connected to the network. ). In addition, the access controller 24 generates and transmits a message having an access request for an additional service such as, for example, the authentication right of a subscriber using known EMMs. This fact is shown and collected as message 58 of FIG.

Terminal 14 is structured in accordance with one aspect of the present invention to provide a simple user interface that allows subscribers 12 to utilize additional services. In one embodiment, the terminal 14 is structured to search when displaying, for example, URLs that a pre-selected key can be pressed and utilized on a remote portable control. In another embodiment, the given indication or URL is displayed before the subscriber presses any button. This search result (button press) is provided as input to the user interface application software (e.g., contained in block 56 of main memory 40). The master processor 36 is configured to extract the URL of the available site correlated with the audiovisual service from the VCT 29, and additionally generate a list of URLs to display the same on a television connected to the terminal 14 do. The list of possible sites constructs and executes the API to extract the URL from the VCT 29. The user interface software running on the processor 36 is additionally structured to facilitate the selection by one subscriber 12 of the URL from the display list. If the subscriber 12 selects the URL, the authentication right is checked.

In this regard, the secure processor 38 compares the subscriber's 12 authentication rights (e.g., an authentication tier containing information indicative of the subscriber's authentication to the service) with an access request for access to the selected site. Create, and generate the result. The authentication right is stored in the secure memory 42. If the result of the contrast indicates access to the site with the subscriber's authentication (eg, the authorization matches the access request), then the terminal 14 responds by establishing a connection between the terminal 14 and the specified URL, For example, the HTTP-compliant request 60 (as shown in FIG. 1) is transmitted to the headend equipment 28 in a manner via a cable modem 34 (FIG. 3). A cable modem termination system (CMTS) cooperative with the headend router sends a request 60 to the internet 20. According to the known root protocol (TCP / IP), the Internet 20 sends a request to the server 16 at a specific URL. If the server 16 can meet the request, it is done with a response message returning via the Internet 20 via the headend equipment 28 to the set-top terminal 14. The user interface application described above additionally has a simple browser capable of functionally interpreting the response message 62. Through the foregoing, the subscriber selects the desired web site to obtain additional information, sees incorrect programming content that does not have the type of URL, or simply utilizes another device to make a selection by observing the display list.

In a further alternative embodiment, the step of producing a list of links and checking the authentication is broken down to having only a URL for access by the subscriber 12 whose risk of returning from the API is authenticated.

In another alternative embodiment, if the subscriber selects a URL but is not authenticated, the next authentication state may be changed instantaneously based on the user's selection by the IPPU option. That is, since there is an additional service, in this embodiment it is tagged with an IPPU tier that allows instant response authentication. The subscriber may impose an urgent charge and should therefore choose this explicitly.

The foregoing examples are intended to enable various changes and modifications that may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, if a URL-based levy service is created as an IPPU tier, the terminal 14 ignores whether the subscriber 12 possesses the provided authentication right, even if sufficient credit is given to the secure processor, by the selected URL. It is structured to access the selected site that is pointed out. This fact allows the subscriber to obtain access without additional involvement from the MSO. In this regard, the terminal 14 is structured to report this progress in a secondary order to the access controller 24 in a manner known to those skilled in the art, for example for audiovisual programming. In addition, the terminal 14 is structured to record the access to the URL in a log that is reported or retrieved in a secondary order by the access 24 for pattern analysis (e.g., secondary sequence announcement operation).

Claims (22)

A method of allowing subscriber access to an internet site associated with an audiovisual service, the method comprising: Confirming an additional service formed by the subscriber's access to a site located in the URL; Assigning access control criteria correlated with the supplementary service structured to facilitate evaluation of a subscriber's authentication authority for the supplementary service; Forming a VCT having a URL of the site; Broadcasting the VCT to a terminal configured to use the URL to provide subscriber access to the site. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminal is one selected from the group comprising a set-top terminal, a cable television entertainment terminal, a digital television, a PC, and a host in terms of deployment capability. The method of claim 1 wherein the access control reference associate comprises a tier. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: generating a result in preparation for an access request for access to a site and an authentication tier containing information representing a subscriber's authentication right in a service; If the comparison indicates a subscriber's authentication, providing the site with access via the terminal. 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: charging a subscriber for a service; Modifying information indicative of the subscriber's authorization to allow the access. 5. The VCT of claim 4, wherein the VCT has a plurality of URLs corresponding to Internet sites correlated with a plurality of correlated audiovisual services and the establishing step includes access of the subscriber to one or more of the sites using the corresponding URLs. Characterized in that the method. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the URL is correlated with a provider / programmer of an audiovisual service. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the URL is correlated with the subject matter of an audiovisual service. In a system for facilitating subscriber access to an internet site associated with an audiovisual service, the system comprises: A computing system for assigning tiers and correlating supplementary services with tiers; An access controller configured to generate a VCT having a URL of a site based on the allocation tiers; Means for broadcasting the VCT and the message to a terminal configured to use a URL to selectively provide subscriber access to a site; The supplementary service is formed with an internet site in a URL, the internet site being affiliated with a programmer / provider of an audiovisual service or an audiovisual service in a predetermined fashion; And the access controller is further configured to generate a message having a subscriber's authentication right and an access request for an additional service. 10. The terminal of claim 9, wherein the terminal is configured to extract a URL from the VCT, and determines whether the authentication right of the subscriber matches an access request for access via the terminal by using the message. And a second secure processor configured to establish a connection between the site and the terminal if it matches an access request. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein said first processor and said second processor each comprise separate processing elements. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first processor and the second secure processor are both implemented in a processing element in accordance with an individual programming strategy. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first processor is further configured to generate a list of URLs for authenticating access by a subscriber when an input device coupled to the processor indicates that a predetermined key is pressed on a remote portable controller. And the terminal is further configured to generate a display of a list on the display coupled to the terminal. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the terminal is additionally configured to facilitate selection by a subscriber of at least one URL from a list, and wherein the first processor is further configured to send a request to a site corresponding to the selection URL. System. The system of claim 10, wherein the condition of the additional service is payment of a fee, and the computing system is configured to additionally charge the fee to a subscriber. A terminal for facilitating subscriber access to an internet site associated with an audiovisual service, the terminal comprising: A first processor configured to extract a URL of a site correlated with an audiovisual service from a VCT received from an access controller; A secure processor configured to accept a message having an authentication right and an access request of a subscriber for an additional service; Means for selectively establishing a connection between the site and the terminal if the authentication right matches the access request; The supplementary service is configured to have the ability to access an internet site at a URL, the internet site being correlated with an audiovisual service in a predetermined fashion. 17. A terminal according to claim 16, wherein said establishing means comprises a cable modem. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the VCT comprises a plurality of URLs, and wherein the first processor is further configured to generate a list of URLs if an input device coupled to the processor indicates that a preselected key on the remote portable control is pressed. And wherein the terminal is further configured to produce a display of a list on the display coupled to the terminal. 19. The terminal of claim 18, wherein the terminal is further structured to facilitate selection by one subscriber of a URL from a display list. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first processor, when the subscriber possesses an authentication thir with impulse access capability, establishes the establishing means regardless of whether the subscriber possesses an authentication right for access to a selected site. And a terminal configured to connect to the selected site at the selected URL. 21. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the terminal is further configured to report impulse access to an access controller. 19. The terminal of claim 18, wherein the terminal is further configured to record the access to the site at a reporting URL.