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  Systems for user-selectable configuration of media transactionsRelated Patent Categories: Data Processing: Financial, Business Practice, Management, Or Cost/price Determination, Automated Electrical Financial Or Business Practice Or Management Arrangement, Electronic Shopping (e.g., Remote Ordering)The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060026080. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/214,987, filed Jun. 29, 2000, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention is generally related to television systems, and, more particularly, to the field of transaction options. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Media service systems have awakened, through advancements in transmission and communications technology, to provide subscribers with a plethora of media content never before possible. Along with the advent of a distribution of a wide variety of media content, comes a wide range of choices for the subscriber. Many advanced media service systems provide a programming guide to allow the subscriber to acquire information about the subscriber's media content choices. [0004] A typical media service system involves a central headend unit distributing a plurality of instances of media content over a transmission system, usually a cable or satellite network, to a multitude of client devices, such as a settop, as one example among others. Each client device contains the necessary hardware and software to interpret a transmission from the network and provide that transmission to be presented by a presentation device, such as a television, among other examples. The client device is also enabled to accept commands from the subscriber regarding the display of certain choices of media content. Certain choices by the subscriber require the client device to communicate with the central headend to request desired services. [0005] One type of media content choice by a subscriber involves renting a movie presentation. Many media service systems will allow a subscriber to rent a movie presentation to be displayed at a time provided by the system. The subscriber will view information concerning a desired movie and then proceed to enter a buy sequence. The buy sequence usually begins when the subscriber indicates a desire to purchase a particular movie. Next, the client device will enter a process by which the purchase is validated and confirmed. In this process, the client device will usually require the subscriber to confirm the purchase and enter authentication information, such as a Personal Identification Number (PIN). The client device may thus require the subscriber to complete multiple confirmations to confirm that the movie presentation purchase is truly desired before the purchase will be executed. [0006] Although there may be a wide variety of various types of media content available, the buy sequence for different types of media content most often remains the same. Not only does the media content vary greatly, but the characteristics and desires of the subscribers using the system varies by an even greater degree. Despite the wide range of variances in types of product, people, and purchases, the sequence required to buy media content remains unadaptable. [0007] Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, a media service system provides at least one transaction configuration option that is enabled to be selected by a user. The media service system implements a transaction process in response to a user selection. [0009] Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010] The accompanying drawings, incorporated in and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the preferred embodiments of the invention. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The reference numbers in the drawings have at least three digits with the two rightmost digits being reference numbers within a figure. The digits to the left of those digits are the number of the figure in which the item identified by the reference number first appears. For example, an item with reference number 209 first appears in FIG. 2. In the drawings: [0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a high level view of the architecture of the media service system in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0012] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the headend of the media service system of FIG. 1 in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0013] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the client device of the media service system of FIG. 1 in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0014] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the client command device of the media service system of FIG. 1 in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0015] FIG. 5 is a diagram depicting an example of a transaction configuration options screen enabled by the transaction configuration module of FIG. 1 in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0016] FIG. 6 is a diagram depicting an example of a first time subscriber registration screen enabled by the transaction configuration module of FIG. 1 in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0017] FIG. 7 is a diagram depicting an example of a purchase options and reminder options screen enabled by the transaction configuration module of FIG. 1 in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0018] FIG. 8 is a diagram depicting an example of a reminder options screen enabled by the transaction configuration module of FIG. 1 in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0019] FIG. 9 is a diagram depicting an example of a video on demand transaction configuration options screen enabled by the transaction configuration module of FIG. 1 in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. Continue reading... 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