METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTHORIZATION OF SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS AND FEATURES IN DIGITAL COMMUNICATION TERMINALS VIA A CENTRAL BILLING SYSTEM

摘要

A method and apparatus are provided for allowing billing systems (105) toauthorize and specify services, using service handles, for applications,features of applications, terminal features associated with applications orfeatures of applications, in digital communication terminals (150) (e.g.,television set-top boxes). In particular, the present invention relates to theauthorization by a billing system (105) of software applications and featuresof communication terminals (150) which are operating in a MultipleApplications Management (MAM) (165) environment. Applications may includevirtual applications which can be identified, downloaded (110), and enabledunder the control of the MAM (165).