Remote task scheduling for a set top box

1. In a network system where data is broadcast to a plurality of client systems that are each configured to display and render the data, a method for remotely scheduling a task for implementation on one of the client systems, the method comprising:

receiving, at a website, a login request from a user, the login request including a user identifier, the website storing program guide data;

receiving an activation code from the user at the website, the activation code including a first client system identifier, a signature of the first client system identifier and a random value;

verifying the signature to verify that the user had access to the first client system;

providing the program guide data to the user over a network, wherein the user requests a task from the program guide data that is provided to the user, the task to be performed on a first client system;

receiving the task that was requested by the user from the program guide data;

generating a notification from the requested task, wherein the notification includes the random value, task attributes, and an identifier for the first client system, as well as a sequence number that enables the first client system to determine whether the first client system has already processed the task;

sending the notification to a notification service, wherein the notification service stores the notification in a task database;

sending, by the notification service, the notification to a broadcast service, wherein the broadcast service broadcasts the notification to the plurality of client systems such that upon the first client system receiving the notification, the first client system determines that the notification is intended for the first client system by detecting that the notification includes the first client system identifier and verifies the random value included in the notification.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein providing program guide data to a user over a network comprises storing the program guide data at a website, and wherein the program guide data is obtained from a program guide data provider.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein providing program guide data to a user comprises mapping the user identifier to the first client system identifier and such that the first client system identifier is included in the notification.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein generating a notification from the selected task further comprises: determining a channel of the task, a time of the task and a duration of the task.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein generating a notification from the selected task further comprises:

determining the task attributes to be included in the notification, the task attributes including one or more of:

an extension attribute that indicates how long the task should be extended;

a keep attribute that identifies how long the task should be stored;

an conflict resolution attribute for use in conflict resolution; or

a reminder attribute that reminds the user of the task.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein sending the notification to the broadcast service is repeated by the notification service according to a schedule.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the task attributes include a conflict resolution attribute for use in conflict resolution.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the task attributes include a keep attribute that identifies how long the task should be stored.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the task includes recording a program.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the task includes deleting a program.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the task includes setting preferences.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the task includes altering a task.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the task includes locking a channel.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the task includes locking a program.

15. A computer program product comprising one or more physical storage media having computer-executable instructions for implementing the method recited in claim 1 .

16. A method for remotely instructing a set top box to record a program over a broadcast satellite signal, the method comprising:

receiving an identifier at a website from a user, the identifier uniquely identifying a first set top box, the website storing program guide data;

receiving an activation code from the user at the website, the activation code including a first set top box identifier, a signature of the first set top box identifier and a random value;

verifying the signature to verify that the user had access to the first set top box;

receiving user input at the website which selects a program that the user desires to record using the first set top box;

generating a notification that includes the random value, the identifier, and information that specifies the selected program to record, and that also includes a sequence number that distinguishes the notification from other notifications that are intended for the first set top box;

providing the notification to a broadcast service that broadcasts programming to a plurality of set top boxes, wherein each of the plurality of set top boxes includes a unique identifier;

including the notification in the programming that is broadcast using a satellite transmission to each of the plurality of set top boxes such that upon the first set top box receiving the notification, the first set top box detects that the notification is intended for the first set top box by accessing the identifier included in the notification and verifies the random value included in the notification.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the notification is broadcast over a particular transponder at a predefined interval.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the notification is broadcast over each transponder.