A popular way of accessing television programming is by way of a satellite broadcast receiver and small attached dish antenna designed to receive television video and audio data received from a satellite uplink center by way of an orbiting satellite. By accessing such a system, a subscriber to a satellite broadcast service provider may receive any of several hundred programming channels providing news, sports, entertainment, and the like for live program viewing, or for recording of programs for subsequent playback at a time more convenient for the subscriber.
Oftentimes, a satellite broadcast receiver provides an additional communication connection, such as a telephone line connection, thus allowing the subscriber to request programming services, such as special events and video-on-demand (VOD) or pay-per-view (PPV) programs, by way of the broadcast receiver. This additional communication connection thus allows the subscriber to contact the satellite uplink center. Such communication is generally not possible by way of the satellite connection, as the broadcast receiver and associated antenna are not designed to transmit information back to the uplink center via satellite.
In addition to delivering broadcast programming, a satellite broadcast service provider may also employ the satellite uplink center and satellite to send control information to the broadcast receiver. Such control information may include, for example, authorization and de-authorization information regarding which, if any, of the programming channels the broadcast receiver is to be configured to receive and present to the subscriber. Such information may be based on the level of service for which the subscriber pays. However, the broadcast receiver may not receive some portion of the information from time to time due to various circumstances, such as poor atmospheric conditions or the receiver being powered down during the transmission of the control information. As a result, the uplink center may transmit this information multiple times by way of the satellite to the broadcast receiver over a number of hours to help ensure that the information is ultimately received at the broadcast receiver.