Console game purchase and downloading through an internet protocol television system to a console device

Abstract

Particular embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide methods and systems to support the purchase and downloading of console games via a set-top box and internet protocol television system. An example embodiment includes an apparatus and system to receive a console game user selection through a user interface of a set-top box, to send the console game user selection to a VOD server via a network, to enable purchase of a selected console game corresponding to the console game user selection from the VOD server, and to download the selected console game to a console device via an interface provided by the set-top box.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a video-on-demand (VOD) server connectable with a set-top box via a network, the VOD server to receive a console game user selection via a set-top box through a network, to enable purchase of the selected console game from the VOD server, and to download the selected console game to a console device via an interface provided by the set-top box.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the selected console game is stored in a console device data storage device. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the VOD server being connectable with the set top box via a secure data link. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  including a consumer billing infrastructure being further operable to bill the user on a subscription basis or a usage basis. 
     
     
         5 . A system comprising:
 a console device;   a set-top box connectable with the console device via an interface provided by the set-top box; and   a video-on-demand (VOD) server connectable with the set-top box via a network, the VOD server to receive a console game user selection via the set-top box through the network, to enable purchase of the selected console game from the VOD server, and to download the selected console game to the console device via the interface provided by the set-top box.   
     
     
         6 . The system as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the VOD server being connectable with the set top box via a secure data link. 
     
     
         7 . The system as claimed in  claim 5  including a consumer billing infrastructure being further operable to bill the user on a subscription basis or a usage basis. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 a set-top box connectable with a video-on-demand (VOD) server via a network, the set-top box to receive a console game user selection, to communicate the console game selection to the VOD server, to receive a download of the selected console game from the VOD server, and to download the selected console game to a console device via an interface provided by the set-top box.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the games server being connectable with the set top box via a secure data link. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 8  including a consumer billing infrastructure being further operable to bill the user on a subscription basis or a usage basis. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving a console game user selection through a user interface of a set-top box;   sending the console game user selection to a VOD server via a network;   enabling purchase of a selected console game corresponding to the console game user selection from the VOD server; and   downloading the selected console game to a console device via a console interface provided by the set-top box.   
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the VOD server being connectable with the set top box via a secure data link. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 11  including billing the user on a subscription basis or a usage basis. 
     
     
         14 . An article of manufacture comprising at least one machine readable storage medium having one or more computer programs stored thereon and operable on one or more computing systems to: receive a console game user selection through a user interface of a set-top box, to send the console game user selection to a VOD server via a network, to enable purchase of a selected console game corresponding to the console game user selection from the VOD server, and to download the selected console game to a console device via an interface provided by the set-top box. 
     
     
         15 . The article of manufacture as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the games server being connectable with the set top box via a secure data link. 
     
     
         16 . The article of manufacture as claimed in  claim 14  including a consumer billing infrastructure being further operable to bill the user on a subscription basis or a usage basis.