text:
|Numéro de publication
|Type de publication
|Numéro de demande
|Date de publication
|6 nov. 2001
|Date de dépôt
|28 mai 1999
|Date de priorité
|29 mai 1998
|État de paiement des frais
|Autre référence de publication
|Numéro de publication
|Tobie LaRocca, Michael D. Johnson
|Cessionnaire d'origine
|Diva Systems Corporation
|Exporter la citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Citations de brevets (18), Citations hors brevets (1), Référencé par (157), Classifications (22), Événements juridiques (7)
|Liens externes: USPTO, Cession USPTO, Espacenet
This application claims benefit to U.S. Provisional patent application serial No. 60/127,747, filed Apr. 5, 1999, incorporated herein by reference, and is a continuation in part of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/086,799, filed May 29, 1998, incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interactive information distribution system such as a video-on-demand (VOD) system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing subscription-on-demand (SOD) services dependent subscription services and contingent services for such an interactive information distribution system.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recent advances in digital signal processing techniques and, in particular, improvements in digital compression techniques, have led to a plethora of proposals for providing new digital services to a customer's home via existing telephone and coaxial cable networks. For example, it has been proposed to provide hundreds of cable television channels to subscribers by compressing digital data and digital video, transmitting the compressed digital signals over conventional coaxial cable television channels, and then decompressing the signals in the subscriber's receiver. Another proposed application for this technology is a video-on-demand (VOD) system in which a subscriber communicates directly with a video service provider via telephone lines to request a video program from a video library and the requested video program is routed to the subscriber's home via telephone lines or via coaxial cable television cables for immediate viewing. Other proposed VOD systems use a frequency multiplexing technique to enable control information for a subscriber's receiver to be transmitted through a cable network back to an information server. Such a system permits a bi-directional communications over a single network.
In most of these information distribution systems, graphical menus are displayed upon the subscribers television and using a remote control device, a subscriber selects a desired program for viewing. One such graphical user interface based VOD system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,249, issued Apr. 8, 1997, and hereby incorporated herein by reference, wherein a viewing station including a television monitor and a high-power graphics computer are used to generate a graphical user interface. The viewing stations are in communication with a telecasting facility (i.e., service provider head end equipment) that transmits selected video information as requested by the viewing station. The graphics computer within the viewing station locally stores all the executable programs that generate the graphical interface, control the graphical interface, and interact with the subscriber. The graphics computer not only enables a subscriber to select programming to view, but also enables a non-subscriber to become a subscriber by interacting with certain interface screens.
Although having such a high-power computer within the viewing station is beneficial in providing nearly instantaneous responsiveness to the subscriber's and non-subscriber's inputs, such a high-power computer system is economically unfeasible to utilize as subscriber equipment for a large number of subscriber homes. As such, set top terminals or television receivers containing built-in high-power computers are generally not feasible as a commercial product.
Additionally, prior art VOD systems have only contemplated selling services on a program-by-program basis. For example, in the prior art systems, a viewer navigates through various menus to arrive at a menu containing a program title that the subscriber desires to view. The subscriber then requests the program and the program is supplied to the subscriber's display. The subscriber's account is then billed for the order of that particular program. As such, the concept of subscriptions extends only to the general access to content and an a la carte purchase of a unit of content. In this respect, the consumer's experience is nothing more than the transformation of the video store experience to the customer's home; the consumer is purchasing the ability to access a program for a prescribed period of time. Such systems use the term "subscriber" to represent someone who has received an installation of the subscriber equipment to enable a technically different class of service to be accessed, namely, digital or analog/digital services instead of the purely analog telecasts of conventional cable television. Consequently, the "subscription" as used in the prior art refers to the capability of selecting from a list a single unit of content such as a movie or video. Heretofore, VOD systems have not had a capability of packaging programming at a single price such that a system subscriber can also be a program package subscriber to enable the package subscriber to view any program in the subscribed package without further cost. Current systems do not have the capability of causing particular package access to be dependent upon subscriptions to other packages or contingent upon a particular type or level of service.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for providing subscription-on-demand services, dependent subscription services and contingent services for an interactive information distribution system. There is also a need to provide these services using equipment having a significant portion of the computing power contained within a service provider head end system such that a terminal for the subscriber's home can be manufactured relatively inexpensively.
The disadvantages heretofore associated with the prior art are overcome by the present invention of a method and apparatus for providing subscription-on-demand (SOD) services for a interactive information distribution system, where the system provides distributed computing resources using a relatively inexpensive subscriber terminal. The invention is embodied in a combination of software, which provides a so-called "navigator", and hardware, including subscriber equipment and service provider equipment that is interconnected by a communications network. The graphical user interface functionality is distributed between the service provider equipment and subscriber equipment. Such distribution provides an enjoyable, real time interactive session that allows the consumer to rapidly navigate through a plethora of menus to find particular information which the consumer desires to view. In addition, a non-subscriber of a particular SOD service is quickly identified and provided the opportunity to, through the use of a graphical user interface, subscribe to the programming provided by the system.
Using the inventive equipment, a consumer is capable of further subscribing to packages of on-demand programming, i.e., SOD services, through manipulation of the graphical user interface. The system provides certain packages of on-demand programming, i.e., children's programming, that a consumer may elect to subscribe to for a single price. As such, through manipulation of the menus, the consumer selects a programming package, becomes a subscriber to that package and is billed accordingly. Thereafter, the subscriber may view any program in the package without additional cost. Although predefined programming packages are generally available for selection, a consumer may optionally create a personal SOD service by selecting programs for a personal package that can then be subscribed to as any other programming package.
Consequently, the invention differs from the prior art from both an architectural standpoint and data management standpoint. Together these innovations provide a complex price and data capacity management infrastructure necessary to offer a consumer friendly, interactive approach to subscribing to a class of data or service content. This service content might be grouped by any logical association such as a series of movies or other program content. The SOD service concept of having a single price for a package of programming removes the payment commitment challenge ordinarily posed by the prior art as a barrier to viewing each item of content.
Furthermore, the subscription-on-demand technique can be expanded to provide dependent subscription services and contingent services. Using dependent subscriptions, the system only permits a user to subscribe to particular additional subscription services (extended services) if the user already subscribes to certain other services (base services), i.e., a user may subscribe to a premium cable channel's video-on-demand service (an extended service) only if that user is a subscriber to the premium cable channel service (a base service), or the subscriber may only subscribe to a particular SOD subscription (extended service) if that user is a subscriber to some other SOD subscription service. If the user is not eligible for the extended service, the user may be provided an opportunity to subscribe to both the base service and the extended service. Alternatively, the user may be directed to contact their cable operator to subscribe to the appropriate base service.
Additionally, the subscription items can be bundled such that, if a user subscribes to particular subscriptions, they receive a third subscription free, i.e., if a user subscribes to two premium children's cable channels, they receive a free (or discounted) children's video-on-demand subscription.
Using contingent services, the system interfaces directly with a cable operator's customer management system (CMS). As such, the interactive system maintains a database of the cable operator's customer services such that a user may order certain interactive products and content contingent upon the type and level of service that the user has subscribed to with the cable operator. The interaction of the interactive information distribution system with the CMS allows the interactive system to update the CMS if a subscriber subscribes to additional cable services.
The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description at in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 depicts a high level block diagram of an interactive information distribution system containing the present invention;
FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of an illustrative subscriber's terminal within the system of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D together depict a flow diagram of a routine representing the software that is executed within the system of FIG. 1 to provide the subscription-on-demand services of the present invention;
FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative menu structure for selecting a subscription-on-demand service;
FIG. 5 depicts a menu structure used to select a subscription item that is a subset of the subscription-on-demand service;
FIG. 6 is a menu depicting titles of programming within a specific category within said subscription on demand service;
FIG. 7 is a title information screen;
FIG. 8 is a menu that allows a consumer to subscribe to a selected subscription-on-demand service;
FIG. 9 is a menu that provides an input structure for a master PIN number. A
To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures.
The invention is a method and apparatus that provides a subscription-on-demand (SOD) service for an interactive information distribution system. Throughout the following description the term "SOD service" is defined as the capability of a consumer to subscribe to packages of programming at a pre-defined price and those programs within a subscribed package can be viewed, on-demand, without further cost to the subscriber. As such, a consumer (i.e., a viewer having a system account number) can request, through manipulation of a graphical user interface, to subscribe to a package of programming, i.e., children's programming, at a fixed price. Thereafter, any program within the package can be viewed at anytime, i.e., on-demand, without further charge. Optional viewing time restrictions and the like can be implemented to limit package content viewing only during predefined time periods or, if viewing outside the time period is desired, an additional fee is charged to the subscriber's account. Additionally, dependent subscription services are subscriptions that are accessible (dependent) upon a subscriber having previously subscribed to other SOD services or cable services and contingent services are services that are only available to subscribers that have only subscribed to particular other services.
Although the SOD service of the present invention can be implemented and executed using a number of different types of information distribution systems, the preferred embodiment is used in combination with the interactive information distribution system hardware described in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/984,710, filed Dec. 3, 1997, and hereby incorporated herein by reference. However, the specific hardware arrangement is considered illustrative of the type of system with which the invention is used. Use of the invention within other information distribution system hardware arrangements that facilitate distributed computing resources between the service provider head end and the subscriber's terminal is considered within the scope of the invention.
FIG. 1 depicts a high level block diagram of the illustrative information distribution system 100 that incorporates the present invention. The system 100 contains service provider equipment 102, a communications network in the form of a cable transport subsystem 104 and subscriber equipment 106 n, where n is an integer greater than 0. The service provider equipment 102 contains an information server 108 which is typically a parallel processing computer containing at least one central processing unit 110 and associated memory 112. U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,377, issued Sep. 23, 1993 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,527, issued Nov. 26, 1996, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, describe a server that is capable of operating in the capacity of information server 108. The server 108 interacts with the data storage device 114 (e.g., a disk drive array) that generally stores the subscriber content (e.g., video data) that will be recalled and transmitted to the subscriber equipment 106. Additionally, within the service provider equipment 102 is a video session manager 122 that provides session control of the information flowing to and from the server 108. The video session manager 122 contains its own central processing unit (CPU) 124 and associated memory 126 that provides functionality for the graphical user interfaces through which the consumer interacts with the system. The CPU 124 is part of a session control manager 125 that controls a plurality of modems 127 that facilitate communication with the subscriber equipment. Other subsystems of the service provider equipment include a network manager 142 and a back office subsystem 144. These subsystems maintain certain databases of information that enable the system to accurately control system access, subscription package definitions, and subscriber/consumer profile and billing. The network manager 142 is coupled to a customer management system (CMS) 150 within the cable operator equipment 152. As such, the network manager maintains a database 154 containing specific customer subscription information pertaining to a customer's type of service (e.g., basic cable, extended basic cable, and the like), level of service and premium channel subscription information. This database is used to facilitate dependent subscriptions and contingent services.
The information server 108 is coupled to the video session manager 122 via data path 116, synchronization clock path 118, and control path 120. The server 108 provides data streams that are destined for consumers on path 116 and a synchronization clock on path 118. The specific data streams are provided in response to requests for information (e.g., menu applets, video programs, and other content material) from the video session manager 122 on path 120. These data streams are packetized and modulated onto a carrier that is compatible with the transmission requirements of the network 104.
The video session manager 122 accomplishes all of the transmission interface requirements of the system 100 as well as provides graphical user interface support. Specifically, the video session manager 122 is coupled through the modems 127 to subscriber equipment via a forward information channel 132, a forward command channel 133 and a back channel 134. All three of these channels are supported by the cable transport subsystem 104. The video session manager 122 contains a modulator for modulating the server data streams onto one or more carrier frequencies for transmission on the forward information channel 132. Additionally, modems 127 within the video session manager 122 send control information via the forward command channel and receive control information via the back channel. Moreover, a conventional cable television signal source 128 is optionally coupled to the forward information channel via a signal coupler 130. In operation, the video session manager 122 responds to requests from the subscriber equipment 106 for interactive menus and data streams by requesting the server 108 to provide such information, then communicating that information to the requesting subscriber equipment 106. The video session manager 122, as discussed below, also ensures that the subscriber equipment 106 is authorized to receive the requested information.
The cable transport subsystem 104 can be any one of a number of conventional broad band communications networks that are available such as a fiber optic network, a telephone network, existing cable television network and the like. For example, if the network is a hybrid fiber-coax network, the transport technique used in both forward channels may be modeled after the moving pictures expert group (MPEG) transport protocol for the transmission of video data streams. In general, the transport mechanism for both the forward channels and transport information to the subscriber equipment must be able to carry unidirectional, asynchronous packetized data such as that defined in the MPEG video and audio signal transmission protocol, and the like. There are a number of such transport protocols available.
The subscriber equipment 106 receives the requested data streams from the forward information channel, demodulates the streams and processes them for display on the display device 140 (e.g., a conventional television). In addition, the terminal 136 accepts commands from a remote control input device 138 or other input device to facilitate consumer interaction with the system. These commands are formatted, compressed, modulated, and transmitted through the network 104 to the video session manager 122. Typically, this transmission is accomplished through the back channel 134. These commands are preferably transmitted through the same network used to transmit information to the subscriber equipment. However, the back channel coupling the subscriber equipment to the server may be a separate network, e.g., a forward information channel through a television cable network and a back channel through a telephone network. The telephone network could also support the forward control channel. The video session manager 122 interprets each command set from the terminal through the back channel and instructs the information server to perform certain functions to implement the consumer/subscriber request.
FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of the terminal 136 which contains a transceiver 200, a central processing unit (CPU) 212 and a display driver 222. Of course, the functionality of the terminal 136 can be embedded within a single consumer electronics product such as a receiver circuit within a television. As such, the description of a separate terminal should be considered illustrative of the type of subscriber equipment that may be used to implement the present invention.
Within the set top terminal 136, the CPU 212 is supported by random access memory (RAM) 220, read only memory (ROM) 218 and various support circuits 216 such as clocks, power supply, and infrared receiver and the like. The transceiver 200 contains a diplexer 202, a back channel transmitter 208, an information channel receiver 204, a command channel receiver 210, an information decoder 206, a conventional television signal receiver 224, and a multiplexer 226. The diplexer 202 couples the three channels carried by a single cable within the network to the transmitter and receivers of the terminal. Each receiver 204 and 210 contains a tuner, amplifiers, filters, a demodulator and a depacketizer. As such, the receivers tune, downconvert, and depacketize the signals from the cable network in a conventional manner. The information channel receiver 204 contains a conventional QAM demodulator such as a model BCM3115 manufactured by the Broadcom Corporation. Other such demodulators are well known in the communications art and could be used in this application. However, this particular QAM demodulator also contains a built in "out-of-band" QPSK demodulator for handling command and control data carried by the forward command channel. As such, a single integrated circuit demodulator processes consumer/subscriber requested information (audio and video) as well as command data.
The decoder 206 processes the data packets carrying consumer/subscriber requested information produced by the QAM demodulator into useable signals for the end user display, e.g., television, home studio, video recorder and the like. The decoder 206 is coupled to a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) to facilitate decoding of the data packets and processing of command programs, as shall be discussed below. The signals for display are conventionally processed by a display driver 222 to produce composite video as well as conventional television signals, e.g., modulated onto channel 3 or 4 using the NTSC standard modulation.
The conventional cable signal receiver 224 contains a tuner and an analog (NTSC) demodulator. A multiplexer 226 couples the demodulated analog or decoded video signal to the display driver 222. Of course, the NTSC demodulator can be replaced with a PAL or SECAM standard demodulator, as needed.
The demodulated QPSK signal provides command and control information to the CPU 212 for generating certain graphics and control information regions upon a television screen. The CPU is, for example, a model 68302 processor manufactured by Motorola. This processor, operating in combination with the decoder 206 as well as a continuously available video signal from the information channel, produces screen-displayed buttons, icons and graphical regions with which a consumer interacts using the remote control. Without the video signal, the terminal 136 does not produce any display, i.e., the displays are actively generated in real-time as needed to facilitate certain navigational and interface functions.
Specifically, a joy stick on the remote control 138 selectively highlights certain predefined regions on the television screen. To perform such highlighting, a reference region is always highlighted when a menu is first displayed. From that reference region, direction vectors produced by the joy stick are interpreted by the CPU 212 to highlight a region lying in the direction in which the joy stick was moved. When a desired selectable icon is highlighted, the consumer depresses a "select" key on the remote that sends an infrared signal to an infrared receiver (a support circuit 216). This receiver sends the select command to the CPU 212 for interpretation. The selected region is generally associated with a function. If the function is a request for specific information or requires a change in the menu, the CPU 212 formats the command and sends it through the back channel transmitter 208 for transmission to the video session manager 122. If the command is a function that is handled locally such as volume control, the CPU 212 implements the function within the terminal 136.
Since the session control commands are implemented by the video session manager 122 and not the terminal 136 alone, the number of available session control commands is infinite. Utilization of such distributed computing resources enables the most powerful processing to be centrally located in the video session manager 122 and the CPU in the terminal 136 can be of relatively limited power. Consequently, all the subscriber terminals 136 that are connected to a service provider head end 102 can rely on the computing power of the video session manager 122. For example, the CPU in the video session manager 122 is a model 68040 processor that is available from Motorola Inc. A particular hardware implementation of the video session manager is described in detail in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/984,710, filed Dec. 3, 1997 and hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Each command menu is implemented by executing an "applet", as described below. The applets control both information sessions, e.g., the presentation of video to the television screen, and navigator functions, e.g., the menus that facilitate selection of a video program as well as subscriber on demand services. As such, particular commands include, but are not limited to, information or menu navigation commands, movies start at beginning, movies start at the middle, play, stop, rewind, forward, pause and the like. These presentation and navigation control commands are sent via a back channel transmitter 208 using binary phase shift key (BPSK) modulation. Additionally, the CPU in the subscriber terminal implements certain local commands such as increment or decrement the volume, channel change and on/off.
The invention is implemented as one or more interrelated "applets" which, when taken together form the interactive graphical user interface that facilitates the SOD service of the present invention. The applets are transmitted for the most part, to the terminal via the forward information channel. Certain information used by particular applets is transmitted to the terminal via a data stream propagated through the forward command channel. As such, the data stream carrying the applet is demodulated, the applet extracted and the applet's information decoded prior to execution that displays a menu on the display device. The detailed process by which an applet is downloaded and used to produce a menu is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/984,427, filed Dec. 3, 1997 and hereby incorporated herein by reference.
FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C together depict an overall flow diagram of an illustrative implementation of the SOD service 300 as executed on both the video session manager CPU and the subscriber terminal CPU. FIGS. 3A and 3B are divided into three columns, namely: a subscriber action column 302, a subscriber equipment process 304, and a service provider equipment process 306. FIGS. 4-9 depict various menu screens that a SOD service subscriber or a non-SOD service subscriber (i.e., a general consumer of cable services) would be presented with while either accessing SOD services or becoming a new subscriber for SOD services. For the following description, it is assumed that the consumer is already a subscriber of general cable system services (i.e., the consumer has an account number) and now desires to subscribe to additional SOD services or utilize previously subscribed SOD services. To provide a comprehensive understanding of the SOD services, the various menu screens of FIGS. 4-9 are referred to as the flow diagram spanning FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C is described below.
The process 300 begins at step 308 and continues to step 310. At step 310, the terminal recalls a terminal identification number and a PIN from memory and sends the number to the service provider equipment. As described in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/738,343, filed Oct. 29, 1996, to provide security and limit programming access, each terminal of the interactive information distribution system is generally assigned a terminal identification (TID) number or code, each subscriber household account has a defined master personal identification number (master PIN), and each subscriber in a household may have a personal identification number (subaccount PIN). The TID provides security to identify whether a subscriber terminal is permitted access to the system at all, while the master PIN and subaccount PIN define the level of service that a given subscriber is permitted to access. In addition to the TID, a master PIN may be associated with a subset of subaccounts each having an associated PIN. The assignment and utilization of master PIN and subaccount PINs is described in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/738,343, filed Oct. 29, 1996 and hereby incorporated herein by reference. In general, the terminal identification number and both the master and the subaccount PINs are used in providing the SOD service of the present invention.
At step 312, the video session manager 122 validates the PIN and TID authorization by comparing the transmitted TID and PIN to a PIN and TID stored in the video session manager memory. If the transmitted TID and PIN are not in the memory, the video session manager sends, at step 314, a menu applet that creates a display to inform the subscriber that the PIN or TID is invalid. If the TID and PIN are found to be valid, at step 316, the video session manager sends a menu applet to the terminal that will permit access to additional system programming.
To facilitate selection of an SOD service, a menu is presented at step 320 to the subscriber on their television screen. As illustratively shown in FIG. 4, the menu structure may be defined by a grid or list or, in the example shown, a pie-shaped menu 400. Various services may be selected by highlighting and selecting any one of the "pie" sections 402, 404, 406, or 408. Whenever a menu selection is made, the system downloads an applet corresponding to that section and either launches a new menu that provides further options for the subscriber or displays a selected program (e.g., starts playing a movie).
To select SOD services, the user highlights section 408 that may be, for example, a children's program SOD service known as "OnSet Kids" (OnSet is a trademark of DIVA Systems Corporation of Menlo Park, Calif.). In such a service, a user can subscribe to unlimited access to any of the children's programs offered under the subscription package "OnSet Kids". More generally, the subscription packages may consist of a collection of programs (or a collection of subscription packages) having a common point of interest, e.g., sports, cooking, travel, automotive, educational, children's programming, home improvement, soap operas, network prime time television broadcasts, music videos, and the like. Subscription packages are alternatively customized by a subscriber at the time of subscription.
For the illustrative menu example of FIG. 4, the subscriber is assumed to have selected, at step 322, the SOD service of section 408 that is associated with the children's programming subscription. Once a section is selected, the terminal sends, at step 324, an option request corresponding to the selected menu option to the session manager 122.
At step 326, the system determines whether the consumer/subscriber has a subscription for the selected service and/or has the base subscription or service for a dependent/contingent service.
FIG. 3D depicts the process used to determine subscription authorization. At step 384, the process queries whether the subscriber is a subscriber of the selected SOD service. To determine such subscription service authorization, the account number of the subscriber is compared to a subscription account number database in the network manager. If the subscriber is authorized to access the selected service (the SOD service of option 408 in FIG. 4), the process proceeds to point B of FIG. 3B. Alternatively, if authorization for the selected service is not found, the process proceeds to step 386. At step 386, the process queries whether the selected SOD service is a dependent or contingent service. If the query of step 386 is negatively answered, the process proceeds to point A in FIG. 3C wherein the subscriber is allowed to subscribe to the Selected SOD service. However, if the selected service is a contingent or dependent service, the process proceeds to step 388.
At step 388, the account number of the subscriber is compared to information in the network manager database regarding the subscriber's cable and other services (e.g., type of cable service, level of cable service, number of premium cable channels, the type of premium cable channels, type of other SOD services and the like). If the subscriber is found to be a current subscriber of the base service or subscription, the process proceeds to point A of FIG. 3C to enable the subscriber to subscribe to the selected SOD service. However, if the subscriber is not a subscriber of the base service or subscription, then the process proceeds to point A of FIG. 3C to enable the subscriber to subscribe to the base service or subscription. At step 328, the video session manager sends an applet to the terminal to enable the terminal to produce a category menu at step 330. FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary category display 500 for a children's program subscription, e.g., OnSet Kids. The depicted menu 500 shows a list 502 of selectable categories. Each category in the list 502 represents a particular class of programming, i.e., programming that is related in some way.
At step 332, the subscriber selects a category within the category menu and, at step 334, the terminal sends a category request to the video session manager. After receiving a category selection in step 336, the video session manager sends an applet for a title menu to the terminal. At step 338, the terminal decodes and executes the applet to display a title menu. FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary menu list 600 having a list of titles that are associated with the selected category, in this case, Sesame Street.
For some SOD services, category menus may not be used and the process would move directly from point B to step 336. For example, if the requested SOD service is a video-on-demand service that is related to a particular premium cable channel, once the system identifies the subscriber as a subscriber to the underlying service, e.g., a premium cable channel, then the subscriber is provided with the titles of the movies that are available on-demand from that premium channel. Thus, the title menu is sent in step 336.
When the subscriber selects a title in step 340, the title selection, e.g., a program identification (PID), is sent to the video session manager. After receiving a title selection, the video session manager determines, at step 344, the title price. The price of the programming selected from the title menu is determined by the video session manager sending a price request to the network manager. The network manager performs a search of its pricing database and returns a price of either zero or non-zero. A non-zero price is returned, for example, if the subscription is limited to a restricted time window or the subscription is a dependent subscription that is not available to customers that do not meet a particular service level or type criteria. For example, the OnSet Kids children's programming subscription service may be limited to viewing from 6 A.M. to 6 P.M. and, the request is being made outside of that time window. As such, any request by a subscriber outside of the window is charged a nominal fee, i.e., the subscriber is provided an "a la carte" menu as described below with respect to step 354.
If the price that is returned to the video session manager is zero dollars (the query of step 346 is affirmatively answered), then the video session manager sends, at step 348, an applet for a display of a title information screen. At step 350, the terminal displays a title information screen indicating the viewing price is zero dollars and also provides the subscriber with a start option so that the subscriber may commence viewing of the program. FIG. 7 is an exemplary title information screen 700 showing information about the program that was selected as well as providing a start option as shown as button 702. Additionally, a preview clip may be executed and depicted for the user by selecting the icon 704.
If, however, the network manager returns a non-zero price to the video session manager, then the video session manager sends, at step 352, an applet for a second type of title information screen. At step 354, the terminal creates a screen informing the subscriber of the reason for the non-zero price and also presents the user with an "a la carte" purchase option. The subscriber will then be able to purchase and view the a la carte selection or return to a previous menu.
If, at step 326 of FIG. 3A, the service provider equipment determines that the consumer does not have an active subscription, e.g., does not have a subscription to the selected subscription package or to an underlying service to enable a dependent or contingent service, the process proceeds along path A to step 358 of FIG. 3C. At step 358, the video session manager sends an applet for a subscription information screen. The subscription information screen applet is decoded and executed by the terminal at step 356 to create a subscription information screen. The subscription information screen describes the subscription offering to the non-subscriber and then presents a sign-up screen through which the user can interactively subscribe for the service. Alternatively, the subscription information screen may only inform the subscriber that the SOD service that was requested is a dependent or contingent service and that the cable system operator must be contacted to subscribe to the base service.
FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary screen 800 for interactively requesting a subscription-on-demand service, i.e., offers the subscriber an option to purchase a subscription. If the customer is required to purchase a premium cable channel to facilitate a dependent service, then the screen would offer the customer an opportunity to subscribe to the premium channel. If the subscriber declines (step 360) the subscription offer, the terminal then sends, at step 362, a refusal signal to the session manager. In response to the refusal, the process returns (step 364) to point C prior to step 316 in FIG. 3A. If, however, a system subscriber elects to purchase a subscription, the terminal sends, at step 366, an acceptance signal. In response to the acceptance signal, at step 368, the session manager requests a master PIN as a confirmation of the subscriber's capability to make a subscription purchase. As such, a person having only a subaccount PIN is not capable of subscribing to a subscription-on-demand service or a service that permits dependent services. To facilitate the subscription confirmation, the session manager sends an applet for a master PIN request screen. At step 370, the terminal decodes the applet and displays the master PIN request screen.
FIG. 9 depicts an exemplary master PIN confirmation entry screen 900. The screen 900 contains a field 902 where the subscriber can enter a master PIN. The master PIN is entered at step 372 and, at step 374, the master PIN is sent to the session manager. After the master PIN is received, at step 376, the video session manager verifies the master PIN as valid. To verify the validity of the PIN, the video session manager compares the entered PIN to the PIN in its memory. If the master PIN is invalid, the subscriber is given one or more further opportunities to correctly enter the master PIN, then the process proceeds to step 378 where the process continues at point C prior to step 316 of FIG. 3A. If the PIN is valid, the routine proceeds to step 380 where the video session manager updates the subscription database stored in the network manager with the account information of the new subscriber to the selected subscription service. If the subscriber has selected a new service or subscription, e.g., an additional premium cable channel, the subscriber's information may also be sent to the cable operator's customer management system. After updating the subscription database, the routine updates, at step 382, the administrative system such that the interactive information distribution system's billing system is updated with the new subscriber's account information. Once subscribed, the process proceeds from step 382 to step 328 of FIG. 3B where the system provides the new subscriber an opportunity to utilize the newly subscribed service.
The present invention implements subscription-on-demand services and dependent services by having the computer resources needed for the service to be distributed between the subscriber equipment and the service provider equipment. To implement the service, the terminal need only decode and execute simple applets to produce various interactive displays and send simple information requests. The service provider equipment performs the significant computing for menu generation, security handling, and subscription processing. As such, the terminal can be relatively inexpensive, making the overall system economically feasible.
The interactive structure of the inventive subscription-on-demand system enables flexible subscription packages to be created. For example, a hierarchical subscription package structure can be produced that has various levels of access. The following is an illustrative example of a hierarchical package structure for sporting events:
and so on
Under this hierarchy, a consumer may subscribe to SPORTS and receive access to all sports programming available for a predefined price. However, those that desire only to have access to, for example, men's professional basketball would subscribe only to that particular programming selection at a predefined price. Such a hierarchical arrangement can be divided into any number of levels, e.g., specific teams, or grouped into various packages, e.g., all professional sports. Additionally, the invention can be expanded to enable consumers to create their own personal SOD service by selecting their favorite programs or program classes for grouping into an SOD package such that a single price can be paid to access all the selected programming over a predefined period of time, e.g., a predefined price for accessing the selected programming for a month. As such, dynamically defined subsets of content can be created as the personal SOD packages. The programming is selected through manipulation of interactive menus (generated using menu applets as described above) and the program identification codes (PIDs) for the selected programming are stored in the subscription database with the consumer's account number (and/or PIN or TID, if needed). As such, the subscriber can access their personal SOD service at any time and without further payment. At the end of the period, the service would be renewable such that the subscriber would not have to reenter the selection at the end of each period.
Additionally, the use of dependent subscriptions also permits the subscriptions to be bundled into fixed packages containing a plurality of services, e.g., N services. As such, when a subscriber subscribes to a specified number of subscription services, e.g., M subscriptions, out of a total N services, the subscriber is provided the remaining services for free (or at a discounted rate). The invention tracks the subscriptions of each subscriber and when a certain number is obtained in, for example, a particular category (e.g., children's programming) the remaining children's programming services are made available to the subscriber for no extra cost or for a discounted fee. As such, the system performs as if the subscriber specifically subscribed to the additional services even though they have not specifically done so. To facilitate the bundled service, the system updates the subscriber database in the network manager as well as the customer management system in the cable operator equipment to maintain a record of all the services and subscriptions that any given subscriber presently uses.
Although various embodiments which incorporate the teachings of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein those skilled in the arts can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings.
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Owner name: DIVA SYSTEMS CORPORATION, CALIFORNIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:LAROCCA, TOBIE;JOHNSON, MICHAEL D.;REEL/FRAME:010292/0565;SIGNING DATES FROM 19990823 TO 19990827
|28 avr. 2004
Owner name: TVGATEWAY, LLC,PENNSYLVANIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:DIVA SYSTEMS CORPORATION BY HOWARD B. GROBSTEIN, CHAPTER 11 TRUSTEE;REEL/FRAME:014567/0512
Effective date: 20040421
|20 sept. 2004
Owner name: SEDNA PATENT SERVICES, LLC,PENNSYLVANIA
Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:TVGATEWAY, LLC;REEL/FRAME:015177/0980
Effective date: 20040824
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Originally posted on Pro Sports Daily | Last updated 12/28/12
DALLAS -- Danilo Gallinari did it from deep and at the rim, scoring a career-high 39 points to lead the Denver Nuggets to an easy 106-85 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on Friday night. The Nuggets (17-14) have played an NBA-high 21 away games without much success on enemy courts. Their fortunes changed against the slumping Mavericks, who have dropped eight of their past nine games. Denver has won seven of its past 10 games against Dallas, the latest being nearly a wire-to-wire rout. The Nuggets dominated from inside and beyond the arc while improving to 8-13 on the road. The Mavericks (12-18) lost their fifth game in a row, tied for their fourth-longest skid since Dirk Nowitzki entered the league in 1998-99. Nowitzki made his first home appearance this season, but it mattered little. Gallinari, a 6-foot-10 Italian forward, drilled 14 of 23 shots, including seven of 11 from 3-point territory. Andre Iguodala added 20 points, and three other Nugge...
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
In Rust We Trust
Ever wanted that patina look on your project, car or hotrod without having to wait 40+ years or worry about any rot?
Well we have the solution!! We can supply kits for small models, to full size cars trucks and vans!
There is almost nothing our kits wont be able to rust! - including plastic, glass, wood GRP and metal (to name but a few).
Our products are anti-corrosion and flexible, actually protecting any surface its applied to from future corrosion!
Our rust kits require minimal preparation (can go right over existing paintwork), and can be applied with a spray gun, roller or brush!
All our kits come with detailed instructions - UK Based But Will Ship Worldwide
Forget the rest, and deal with the best!
This product is for professional use only.
The information given on this site is for guidance only. Any person using the product without first making further enquiries as to the stability of the
product for the intended purpose does so at his own risk. we can accept no liability for the performance of the product or for any loss or damage
(other than death or personal injury resulting from our negligence) arising out of such use. The information contained on this site is liable to
modification from time to time in the light of our experience and our policy of continuous product development. Drying times quoted are average times
at 20°C. Film thickness, humidity and shop temperature can all affect drying times. Hardeners do have the ability to set, so should be used expeditiously.


text:
We offer discount to nonprofits, government agencies, and federal contractors
Recently the handling of civil immigration detainers by local law departments has been heavily scrutinized.
Dedication to ethical conduct and adherence to our ethics rules are fundamental to our professionalism. AILA offers valuable ethics publications and resources, specific to immigration practice, as well as links to ethics rules and opinions of U.S. jurisdictions, to help guide you when faced with difficult questions.
Complete listing of each state's Rules of Professional Conduct and selected ethics opinions
American Immigration Lawyers Association
1331 G Street NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20005
Copyright © 1993-2015
American Immigration Lawyers Association.


text:
Whitefield Metrolink StationJune 17, 2014Light Rail • Whitefield, United Kingdom
The new double-decker car park works great to keep the car cool in the summer
40 something father of 3 who just posts irreverant musings on life in general...
The new double-decker car park works great to keep the car cool in the summer
New park and ride car park is well laid out, just beware of the entrance, which has changed
Quiet beach away from the hubbub of central Bournemouth beach. I love it here.
Ideal for half an hour or so to spend time building and playing
Sensible shoes for walking are a must. As is a camera for the stunning views.
Avoid when Utd play at home. The platform is a dangerous place to be!
This is the best ice cream; in cones or tubs; it's just fantastic. My tip - head here for a treat (and the sorbet is so refreshing)
Lasertag is terrific fun. Well worth getting involved. Kids like the go karts too. Drinks not cheap; but what would you expect!
Great food. Great value. Right on the beach. Perfect in any weather.
The beer battered fish and chips is yummy. Either with mushy peas or garden peas. Nice place, friendly staff and a good atmosphere.
Use your Tesco Clubcard vouchers. Cost £45 for 5 of us!
Rarely accepts card payments - have cash handy
Keep an eye out for platform changes. They're more often than not!
Check vouchercodes.co.uk for great money saving vouchers
Highly recommended for wet days. The annual pass is excellent value too.


text:
So how accurate is it? Let say you decide that you can measure 2 grams easily. Dissolve the 2grams into for example 100ml of water. You now know that 100ml of this solution would give you 2grams. 50 ml would give you 1gram. 10ml would be 0.2 grams. 7.5ml would be 0.15 grams.Originally Posted by Bruce (Camclicker)
Now you can do the same thing with any amounts that are convient.


text:
EPA Massively Increased DOUBLED Allowable Toxic Herbicide Levels On Food / Monsanto's Roundup On Crops. Tell EPA to STOP POISONING OUR FOOD SUPPLY!
by Evlin Lake · 364 supporters
Petition Update
EPA raises the acceptable pesticide levels on US crops
Evlin Lake
Los Angeles, CA
Jul 27, 2013 — http://now.msn.com/monsanto-can-raise-glyphosate-levels-on-says-epa


text:
Book your room at InterCityHotel Stuttgart
Get an overview of this hotelFamily-friendly Stuttgart hotel in Konigstrasse, walk to Schlossplatz
This family-friendly Stuttgart hotel is located in the entertainment district, within a 10-minute walk of Carl Zeiss Planetarium and Schlossplatz. New Castle and Old Castle are also within 15 minutes.
Hotel Features
Along with a bar/lounge, this hotel has WiFi in public areas and a meeting room. Additionally, dry cleaning, a 24-hour front desk, and free newspapers are onsite.
Room Amenities
All 76 soundproofed rooms feature WiFi and minibars. Satellite TV, room service, and hair dryers are among the other amenities available to guests.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
InterCityHotel Stuttgart features multilingual staff, complimentary newspapers in the lobby, and dry cleaning/laundry services. Public areas are equipped with high-speed wireless Internet access (surcharge). A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. This family-friendly hotel also offers room service (during limited hours), a safe deposit box at the front desk, and a television in the lobby.
- 24-hour front desk
- Bar/lounge
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Luggage storage
- Multilingual staff
- Number of floors - 3
- Offsite parking discounted rates available
- One meeting room
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Television in lobby
- Total number of rooms - 76
- WiFi (surcharge)
- Year Built 1929
Family Friendly Amenities
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Soundproofed rooms
Available in all rooms: WiFi (surcharge)
Available in some public areas: WiFi (surcharge)
Offsite parking discounted rates available
Room Amenities
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Daily housekeeping
- Desk
- Hair dryer
- Minibar
- Private bathroom
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Room service (limited hours)
- Satellite TV service
- Shower only
- Soundproofed rooms
- WiFi (surcharge)
Where to Eat
Buffet breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for EUR 36 per night.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
Pets allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
Noise-free rooms not guaranteed
Optional extras
- Fee for buffet breakfast: EUR 15 per person (approximately)
- Pet fee: EUR 15.00 per pet, per night
- Late check-out fee: EUR 120
- Rollaway bed fee: EUR 36 per night


text:
The Founding Fathers would be dumbfounded if they could see our gigantesque government structure. This behemoth annually spends in excess of $6 trillion protecting, regulating, arbitrating, purchasing, managing, lending, insuring, competing, and, more recently, joining public–private partnerships. One of every six full-time U.S. workers is a local, state or federal governmental employee. Inevitably, doing business will involve contact with ...Read More »
Tag Archives: government
Mississippi unemployment rate dips, but payrolls fall too
JACKSON — Mississippi's unemployment rate kept falling in August, although payrolls shrank. The jobless rate fell to 6.3 percent from 6.5 percent in July, and was below August 2014's 7.4 percent rate. The number of unemployed people fell even as the labor force grew, indicating the job market provided more new jobs than there were new job-seekers. Mississippi remained above ...Read More »
Initiative 42 supporters want more information on ballot
JACKSON — Supporters of citizen-sponsored Initiative 42 have filed a lawsuit in an attempt to have more information about their proposal placed on the Nov. 3 ballot. The initiative is designed to enhance the state's commitment to public education. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports the lawsuit, filed Monday in Hinds County, seeks to have the full text be placed ...Read More »
Analysis: Wright wants higher bar third-grade reading test
State Superintendent of Education Carey Wright wants to move the goalposts on third-grade literacy, requiring students to score significantly higher to advance to fourth grade. But Gov. Phil Bryant, while he says he supports higher standards, said he thinks that should be done gradually, and only if lawmakers add more money for help. The Mississippi Department of Education announced ...Read More »
BILL CRAWFORD — Pick candidates willing to hear "serious people"
He is not a serious person," said Zbigniew Brzezinski. Who was he speaking of — Vladimir Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu, or Donald Trump? Brzezinski is a serious person. The former advisor to Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter and international relations realist played key roles in major international events such as the normalization of relations with China, the second Strategic Arms ...Read More »
Miss. pays over $60K to defend lawmakers in ballot dispute
JACKSON — Public records show the state has paid more than $60,000 to defend Mississippi legislative leaders in a dispute over school funding amendments. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal requested House and Senate spending records, which show the state paid Jackson attorney Michael Wallace $60,222 between March and August. The dispute was over the summary voters will see in November, ...Read More »
Jackson County approves hospital budget
PASCAGOULA — The Jackson County Board of Supervisors approved the county hospital system's $325 million budget without giving the system $2 million in tax dollars. In the budget, Singing River Health System administrators promised to put $1.2 million toward the failing employee pension and projected a $700,000 profit next year, but they also asked the county for $2 million. The ...Read More »
MDOT invests in Mississippi's public transit system
The Mississippi Transportation Commission (MTC) recently approved the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) awarding grants to multiple public transit authorities across the state for maintenance and improvement projects. "Mississippi's public transit system is the main source of transportation for many of our citizens," said Transportation Commissioners Dick Hall, Tom King and Mike Tagert in a joint statement by the MTC. ...Read More »
Senate panel says no to request for lt. gov's correspondence
JACKSON — Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves' email and other correspondence are not public records that are subject to disclosure, the Mississippi Senate Rules Committee said Monday. Leaders of a group promoting a school funding amendment disagreed. Patsy Brumfield of the 42 For Better Schools Campaign said the group sent certified letters on Aug. 11 to Reeves and Speaker Philip Gunn, ...Read More »
Anderson wins second term as Choctaw chief
PHILADELPHIA — Chief Phyliss J. Anderson has been re-elected chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Complete, but uncertified returns from Tuesday's runoff, show Anderson with 55 percent of the vote, defeating former chief Beasley Denson. A new runoff was set after the Tribal Council overturned a June 20 runoff where Anderson defeated Denson with 52 percent of the ...Read More »


text:
Nivea Nivea Creme
1179 reviews
82% would repurchase
Package Quality: 3.7
Price: $$
Package Quality: 3.7
Price: $$
INGREDIENTS(European version): Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cera Microcristallina, Glycerin, Lanolin Alcohol (Eucerit, TM), Paraffin, Panthenol, Decyl Oleate, Octyldodecanol, Aluminum Stearate, Citric Acid, Magnesium Sulfate, Magnesium Stearate, Parfum, Limonene, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Cinnamyl Alcohol. (U.S. Mexican Version) : Water, Mineral Oil, Petrolatum, Glycerine, Microcrystalline Wax, Lanolin Alcohol, Paraffin, Panthenol, Magnesium Sulfate, Decyl Oleate, Octyldodecanol, Aluminum Stearates, Fragrance, Citric Acid, Magnesium Stearate, Methylchloroisothiazoline, Methylisothiazolinone.
on 5/26/2011 8:07:00 AM
Age: 25-29
Skin: Combination, Other, Not Sure
Hair: Other, Other, Other
Eyes: Blue
Most things about this product would normally make me stray.... but I can't stop loving this cream. It. Is. Amazing, and I never, ever let myself run out.
a few reasons:
when I have had sunburns (including one extremely bad one) I apply this instead of aloe. Yes, it's thicker, yes you do have to rub it in a little, and yes, you will feel better, faster than you will with aloe. This stuff is a god-send for sunburns. If you have it for no other reason, have it for this. If I peel at all, I peel at a barely noticeable level when I use this.
I have eczema on my legs and according to my husband, can seem to leave them alone in my sleep they itch so badly. Like your worst bug bite. This actually relieves it more than other creams, and makes my legs feel a little smoother.
Once or twice a week I use this instead of my regular moisturizer. It's pretty heavy when you first put it on, and it takes a minute or two to absorb, so every day use isn't really for me.. but the way my skin feels afterward makes it worth it. I even use it on my face.
Can't say enough about this stuff. Heavy? Moderately. Thick? Yes. Absorption rate? Moderate. Effectiveness? Superb.
HG. Maybe forever.
on 5/16/2011 3:34:00 PM
Age: 25-29
Skin: Combination, Other, Not Sure
Hair: Brown, Other, Other
Eyes: Black
I tried the one made in Mexico. There's just way too much wax? in this, it tugs on my skin even when putting it on a damp face. It tugged so much that it brought back old pimple scars that I thought were completely gone already. Also, it sat on my cheeks with a temporary moisture, though, when washing it off, the dry flakes were still there. It didn't break me out though.
on 5/15/2011 9:40:00 PM
Age: 18 & Under
Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral
Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine
Eyes: Blue
This is my go to night cream. I know it is not meant to be used on the face and that it doesn't work for everyone on the face, but for me, it is MAGIC! My face was severely broken out and when I finally found a system that would get rid of my acne, it dried out my skin very badly. I added this to my routine and it moisturized my face while keeping it clear. My skin is now clear and normal. I don't get oily through out the day and I don't get flaky either. My skin hasn't looked this lovely in a long time. It's cheap, smells nice, and works like a charm. LOVE.
on 5/13/2011 10:33:00 PM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine
Eyes: Brown
I love using tried and true products that people have been using for centuries but this one did very little for me. The scent was alright and didn't really bother me. It was the thickness and oily texture that bothered me so much. I didn't like how it sat on my skin or how heavy it felt. I couldn't do much with my hands until I finally washed it off. I am disappointed in this product and will not use it again. Luckily, I vought the product sample for under a dollar otherwise it would have been a serious waste of money.
on 5/9/2011 9:12:00 PM
Age: 44-55
Skin: Combination, Other, Not Sure
Hair: Brunette, Other, Other
Eyes: Hazel
Bought this based on the reviews here. Though I am 53, this left my skin soft, yet did nothing to visibly reduce fine lines or wrinkles and made me break out terribly due to the greasiness. good for the rest of your body, maybe, but not on the face.
on 5/4/2011 10:36:00 PM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Warm
Hair: Black, Straight, Fine
Eyes: Black
I bought this based on the good reviews from MUA, and I trusted MUA. I thought that I finally found a great cheap moisturizer, since people keep comparing this with the infamous La Mer. However, this got me disappointed.
First, I really dislike the scent. I don't mind the old school smell, but actually the Nivea Soft version smells better. I bought this in the winter, when things turned rock hard. It took me a while to get it out and have it melt into my skin. Now when the weather is warmer, it melts right away, like some kind of liquid, not cream. So that's not a very pleasant type of texture for me. I bought this in the small tin to try out, and I'm glad that I did not spend more. It's just not worth my money.
It did not moisturize that well. I used this on my hands, my body, and even my face. Big mistake. It broke me out like crap all over. I had to deal with painful rash-like zits and clog pores for months. My bad; I wouldn't do that again or recommend anyone to use this on their face. I normally have combination-oily skin, but I need some heavier moisture for winter months. I put this on at night before bed, but the next day when I woke up my skin was still flaky dry at some spots. So this failed as a facial moisturizer.
There is something wrong with the ingredient that irritated my skin like no others. I have acne-prone skin, but it's not very sensitive. I tried this cream again as an eye cream, like some people suggested. This stung my eyes badly. My eyes got all red. I had to wash it off right away. I rather went to bed and wake up with dry skin around my eyes. Learn my lesson people, don't hurt yourselves with this!
Finally, I tried this as a hand cream. Skin on my hands and my body is no way sensitive, I can put any kind of lotion and cream on as long as it smells okay and does not leave a sticky yucky feeling behind. However, this stung my hands too, which was weird. My hand turned a bit red and itchy. I was unable to explain what was wrong with this. I checked the product and it was still in good condition. It must be something with the ingredients. I thought that Nivea cream was the basic cream of all kinds such and such, but it caused me too much problems when no others did.
I threw it away after giving it too many chances. I suppose it would work for you as it has done for many people in decades. I had high hope for such a classic favorite like this, but it failed miserably. Nivea Soft did not do me any good either. I have not had luck with Nivea body products, but their lips care line is quite promising.
on 4/28/2011 1:46:00 PM
Age: 44-55
Skin: Dry, Tan, Warm
Hair: Black, Wavy, Fine
Eyes: Brown
Love this stuff! I've been using it for years, and I will continue, because it's cheap, smells great and gets the job done. A little under makeup but, before primer works like a charm.
on 4/27/2011 5:36:00 AM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool
Hair: Red, Wavy, Fine
Eyes: Blue
Grosses me out to think about this on my face (not that I would) but I love this for my hands and body. It's so thick and absorbs quickly. It works really well on dry skin - I love it on my feet! I find the smell pleasant - powdery and clean. I'd repurchase this for sure...it's cheap and effective!
on 4/27/2011 5:14:00 AM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Combination, Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Black, Wavy, Other
Eyes: Brown
The creme is super thick but after a while when you start applying, it starts to melt down and slowly slip into your skin. Greasiness only a slight bit, much lesser than many others cream/lotion I tried. Packaging wise, its fairly ok. Kinda old-school vintage with navy blue colour tin package which make it more unique, not as convenient compared to those cream/lotion which has a pump but still acceptable because of the thick cream that hard to mess-up.
on 4/27/2011 2:38:00 AM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool
Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine
Eyes: Blue
I bouht this to use as a night cream since I tend to have fairly dry skin. I totally loved it and then I realized that my grandmother used this as long as I can remeber and she never in her almost 80 years had almost any wrinkles. So this creme is true magic; lasts ages, is insanely cheap and is proven to be very effective!
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text:
Hallway Foyer Semi-Flush Lighting
Semi-flush lighting creations are a traditional approach to hallway lighting, but now they are infused with more modern influences and designs. Semi-flush lighting opens up your hallway foyer and creates an inviting mood when you and your visitors arrive.
Kichler - Cobson 7.5 Inch 1 Light Pendant$213.40
Hudson Valley Lighting - Petersburg 1 Light Semi FlushPrice From: $179.00 - $279.00
Sonneman - Puri 10" Surface Mount$250.00
Kichler - 12 Inch 1 Light Semi-Flush Mount$93.00


text:
Activist movements, as in almost all things, can suck you dry—there is always more to be done, more people to reach out to, more actions to plan, more art to make, more reaching out. But at a certain point you have to be able to say, this is my limit. But we're not socialized in a way to know what our limits are, to think thoughtfully about our capacity, and how to use self care in order to build our capacity. We're not socialized to be able to say, "Enough, I can't do this any longer." I've seen it wear down on people until disease forces them to make big life changes.
On Activism, Capacity and Seeing Yourself as "Enough"
You Should Read Michelle Tea's Book How To Grow Up
I love Michelle Tea. I can't say much more than at 22 years old I read Valencia and finally found a literary voice that sounded like my own. Kind of breathless excitement about life, stories and a fascination with other people and my feelings and how they affected one another. Reading Michelle Tea told me I could be a published writer, too. It also told me I could maybe one day be an artist and have an amazing group of inspirational kind of reckless friends and all of those things came to pass.
How to Grow Up is her latest memoir. I have read much of her work over the years and I think it is my favorite. Her writing has evolved a bit, it's still chatty like a friend telling you a story over coffee rather than writing a story and letting you read it. But the sentences are tighter, shorter and the sentiments are clearer. Also, she has a lot of really deep self-reflection and self-compassion that sharpens what she says through lessons learned.
We Need to Be Talking About Lyme Disease in the Queer Community
Ever since Leslie Feinberg died from Lyme Disease, I've known we need to talk more about Lyme Disease in the queer community. I didn't know how to have that conversation, so I just started to bone up and educate myself.
I watched the documentary Under Our Skin, free streaming on You Tube, which according to folks I know with Lyme, it is an accurate portrayal of what it's like to seek treatment for Lyme Disease and it is shitty. It's the kind of helpless I feel when I see really big world problems that need solutions. But I know what I do have control over and that's learning more about it, asking questions and opening conversations.
Black Lives Matter–Aggregating Information and Resources for White Folks to act in Solidarity
Something I know that I have the ability to do is signal boost, so here are some of the writings, actions and movements that have meant something to me that I want to bring to my readers. It's important to keep reading and staying engaged in things, even when we feel powerless. There are still things to do.
It's important to confront racism when you read it (on facebook) or hear it (at work/in your family/etc). As white allies, it is important to not just say we're allies but do the work.
Macy's Surgery and the Power of Showing Up Imperfectly
It can be so hard to think that what you are able to do is not enough for your friend or loved one. I had no idea whether visiting Macy in the puppy hospital mattered to her or not, especially in those moments when I had to give her back to the vet techs. Saying goodbye was awful. It wasn't perfect that I could only be there for an hour, or a half an hour, or whatever, but it was something. I had to trust it was going to help her get better and not feel so lonely.
Self Care Stretches Time and Creates Resilience
Self care is a hassle, but the rewards are infinite. In the words of my friend Kelli Jean Drinkwater's therapist, "Self care stretches time." If you really are one of those constantly busy people, self care might be just the ticket for settling yourself down enough to create the time, identify and manage your priorities in order to live the life that you want.
Self care is allowing yourself the time to digest what is going on in your life. Processing emotions and mental experiences are as important as rest periods when you're training for a marathon. It's that time when your muscles start to heal and become bigger–that's what self care enables you to do with the mental and emotional stimulation going on.
So what constitutes excellent self care? That's a highly personal question.
Care and Death, Death in Care, Care in Death: Bear's Peaceful Passage
The past two weeks have been a doozy. My elder cat, Bear, a handsome eighteen years old, got really sick. It's hard to tell when a cat goes from being just an old cat with some bouts of dementia and a propensity to angry poop in the hallway, to actually-really-sick-call-the-vet. There's a subtle shift. He had a really bad accident on a Saturday, the kind that involved a grumpy roommate and me just mopping the whole house. Then he puked, then he just sat still. More still than usual and he sleeps about 23 1/2 hours a day. I put a call out to my friends on Facebook if there was a vet person I could talk to about whether I should go to the vet. I've known so many people who have dumped thousands of dollars into an old cat to find out what's wrong only to have to let them go anyway. I didn't want that to be Bear's experience in his senior years, I just wanted him to be comfortable and happy.
The Forest of the Future: A Sanctuary at the Edge of the World
Back in March, I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time in an amazing sanctuary space amidst a temporary art installation in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It's hard to explain what the Forest of the Future was, but for some background you can read the curator/producer Quito's statement about it here. It really gives a good background of how they just wanted to make a magical space to bring together a bunch of the visionaries they've met in their world travels, see what connections and catalyzing could happen, and that space was a forest.
Untapped Cruising Territory: OK Cupid Mixers
nd when a pal of mine who works for OkCupid** offered me a comp ticket to a Queer Women's Mixer at the Dalloway bar (the newest lez bar in Manhattan) that was exactly one month to the day from my break-up, I thought it was a sign I should try something new. So welcome to post number two in my Untapped Cruising Territory series! Three years later.


text:
1201-1231 Southeast 92nd Avenue
Montavilla, Portland, 97216
Commute to Downtown Portland
Some errands can be accomplished on foot.
Many nearby public transportation options.
Flat as a pancake, excellent bike lanes.
Score Details
1201-1231 Southeast 92nd Avenue has a Walk Score of 67 out of 100. This location is Somewhat Walkable so some errands can be accomplished on foot.
This location is in the Montavilla neighborhood in Portland. Nearby parks include Cherry Blossom City Park, Harrison City Park and Stark Street Island.
Explore how far you can travel by car, bus, bike and foot from 1201-1231 Southeast 92nd Avenue.
1201-1231 Southeast 92nd Avenue has good transit which means many nearby public transportation options. Car sharing is available from Getaround, RelayRides and Zipcar.
Rail lines:
MAX Green Line
0.3 mi
MAX Blue Line
0.7 mi
MAX Red Line
1.1 mi
Bus lines:
15 Belmont/NW 23rd
0.2 mi
115 Cherry Blossom Loop
0.3 mi
Car shares:
View all Montavilla apartments on a map.
Popular apartment searches include hardwood floor and fireplace.
Find a Portland real estate agent who knows walkable neighborhoods. Links will open on our partner site Redfin.com.
1201-1231 Southeast 92nd Avenue is in the Montavilla neighborhood. Montavilla is the 35th most walkable neighborhood in Portland with a neighborhood Walk Score of 70.
Moving to Portland from another city? View our moving to Portland guide.