GB2168227A

GB2168227A - Interactive television distribution system

Info

Publication number: GB2168227A
Application number: GB08527804A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Henry Louis Baker; Raymond Scrivens
Original assignee: Communications Patents Ltd
Current assignee: Communications Patents Ltd
Priority date: 1984-11-22
Filing date: 1985-11-11
Publication date: 1986-06-11
Also published as: GB8429488D0; GB8527804D0; GB2168227B

Abstract

An interactive television distribution system comprising a head end, a plurality of subscribers connected to the head end by distribution cables, at least some of the subscribers being provided with teletext receivers, and means for transmitting data to each subscriber's teletext receiver independently of a broadcast television signal. Data is transmitted from the head end to a subscriber to set the subscriber's teletext decoder so that it receives confidential information via a page and sub-page number determined by the data transmitted from the head end. The page and sub-page number set in the teletext decoder is displayed to the subscriber on the subscriber's receiver, and the subscriber selects the teletext page and sub-page carrying the confidential information to which he requires access by entering the transmitted page and sub-page at his teletext receiver. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Interactive television distribution system The present invention relates to an interactive television distribution system, and in particular to an interactive system in which at least some of the subscribers to the system are provided with teletext decoders and have the capacity to conduct interactive dialogue with organisations providing services such as shopping, banking and betting.

Many differenttypes of cable television systems using both conductive wires and optic fibres for signal distribution have previously been proposed and some ofthese prior systems have had an interactive capacity enabling subscribers to make use of services provided by service organisations also connected to the system. The great problem with all interactive facilities of this type is security in that if a subscriber is to be able to conduct transactions with for example a bank via the system he must be fully confident that no othersubscriberto the system will be able to gain access to his banking facilities eitherwith a view to extracting information about his financial transactions or with a view to conducting fraudulent transactions.

Various systems have been proposed for providing the required level of security. In one system interactive services can only be conducted via the use of a teletext receiver. Each individual subscriber is given a unique identification code, such for example as a seven digit teletexed page and sub-page number. Since a stan dardteletextdecodercan respond to overtwo and a half million such seven digit numbers there is very little probability of one subscriber intercepting information relating to the activities of another. It is always possible howeverthat a third party may learn the seven digit number assigned to a particular subscriber and make use of that number to monitor the subscriber's activity.

It is an object ofthe present invention to provide a system which overcomes the above problems.

According to the present invention there is provided an interactive television distribution system comprising a head end, a plurality subscribers connected to the head end by distribution cables, at least some of the subscribers being provided with teletext decoders, and means fortransmitting data to each subscriber's teletext decoder independently of a broadcasttelevision signal,wherein means are provided to transmit data from the head end to a subscriber at least to set the subscriber's teletext decoder so that it receives confidential informationfordisplayon the subscriber's receiver via a page and sub-page number determined by the data transmitted from the head end.

Means may be provided for verifying the subscriber's teletext decoder setting and responding to the selection of a page otherthan that assigned to the subscriber by disconnecting that subscriber from the interactive service channel.

Preferably the page and sub-page number set in the subscriber's decoderfrom the head end is changed over the data line during interactive sessions and/or between interactive sessions in a random or pseudorandom manner.

An embodiment ofthe present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a flow diagram ofthe operation of a system for enabling interactive services between a subscriber and a banking organisation.

Referring to the drawing, when a subscriber wishes to conduct transactions with a banking organisation his first action is to switch his receiver to a channel dedicated to that service. This channel will generally be referred to as the "telebanking" channel and will be identified as such in a "menu" of available channels which is normally broadcast to all subscribers on a "service" channel advertising the various channels availableto subscribers.

Once the subscriber has selected thetelebanking channel that channel is routed to the subscriber's equipment and data indicating that the subscriber has selected the telebanking channel is returned to the head end. In the case of a star network in which a head end is connected by trunk cables to a series of switching points and each switching point is connected to a group of subscribers, each subscriber being connected to the switching point by his own dedicated cable, the selection ofthe telebanking channel will be detected at the switchpoint and thereafterthe switchpoint equipment will distribute the required channel to the subscriber and send data representative of the selection back to the head end.

The subscriber's screen will then ask the subscriber to switch his receiver to teletext mode. This is necessary as the interactive services are to operate only via the teletext capability of the subscriber's receiver. Alternatively, this could be done over the data line.

Afterthe subscriber's receiver has been switched to the teletext mode, a message appears on his screen asking him to transmit his identity code. The head end then transmitsto the subscriber's equipment a data signal identifying the relevant page and sub-page number currently allocated to that subscriber. This data is used to condition the subscriber's teletext equipment. if a subscriber does not enter his identity code within a predetermined time (shown in the flo diagram as X minutes) the system times out and returns to the service channel.

Assuming thatthe subscriber does respond a check is then made that the correct code has been keyed in and if so the subscribercan then engage in an interactive dialogue with the bank.

The head end can be arranged to change the page number and decodersetting during the course ofthe interactive dialogue. The page number and decoder setting may be changed underthe control ofthe head end and without any intervention by the subscriber.

This means that even if by some chance another subscriber has gained access to the telebanking information of a subscriber during the dialogue it will not be possible for that intruding subscriber to retain access afterthe page selection ofthe intended recipient's decoder has been reset.

An interactive dialogue session is terminated either when the subscriber indicates he has finished or after a predetermined period of inactivity. This prevents a subscriber accidentally leaving his receiver displaying confidential information.

As an additional feature the system may also be provided with means for monitoring the decoder setting while the subscriber has access to the telebanking channel to prevent intrusion into other subscriber's information.

Claims

1. An interactivetelevision distribution system comprising a head end, a plurality of subscribers connected to the head end by distribution cables, at least some ofthe subscribers being provided with teletext decoders, and means fortransmitting data to each subscriber's teletext decoder independently of a broadcast television signal, wherein means are provided to transmit data from the head end to a subscriber at leastto setthe subscriber's teletext decoder so that it receives confidential information for display on the subscriber's receiver via a page and sub-page number determined by the data transmitted from the head end.

2. Asystem according to claim 1, wherein means are provided for verifying the subscriber's teletext decoder setting and responding to the selection of a page otherthan that assignedto the subscriber by disconnecting that subscriberfrom the interactive service channel.

3. A system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein means are provided for changing the page and sub-page number set in the subscriber's decoderfrom the head end during interactive sessions and/or between interactive sessions in a random or pseudo random manner.

4. Asystem substantially as hereinbeforede- scribed with reference to the accompanying drawing.