Response capacity management in interactive broadcast systems by

Abstract

A system and method allow for the periodic re-configuring of broadcast receivers to control their storage of responses to interactive applications during a polling period. A broadcast server maintains a database of interactive applications each preferably associated with a program that will be broadcast. When the program is broadcast, an interactive application is inserted into the broadcast feed and delivered to a broadcast receiver such as a television set-top box. The broadcast receiver includes a processor, memory, and other hardware necessary to execute the interactive application. When executed, the interactive application generates a response which is transmitted to a local data center at, for example, the cable head-end. Generated responses have specific types. To manage the number and capacity of the system to receive responses, priority values are assigned to responses of different types. The priority values are based on the value of the responses to the provider of the interactive application, and established with respect to total response capacity, and an estimated response volume during a polling period. These priority values are assigned or updated preferably once each polling period, and transmitted to and stored in the broadcast receivers. Each broadcast receiver uses the priority value assignments to determine if it will execute and store responses for a currently received interactive application, or reserve memory capacity for higher priority responses.