Method for controlling electronic storefronts in a multimedia content distribution network

• US 10,068,269 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2009
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Piepenbrink, David J., Chow, Lee M., Sofos, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Palavecino, Kathleen
• Application Number:
  US12/617,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20110112930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,218 Days
• Field of Search: 705 26- 27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A method and system for limiting spending in a multimedia content distribution network involves receiving spending limits from an Internet-protocol television portal, a web portal, or a mobile portal. The spending limits may be provided by a network user and may be usable to limit access to multimedia programs. The spending limits may be applied using a unified storefront application, which provides access to multimedia content via an Internet-protocol television portal, a web portal, and a mobile portal.

Claims

1. A method for controlling electronic storefronts in a multimedia content distribution network, the method comprising:

sending, by a server, electronic video content retrieved from one or more memories into the multimedia content distribution network for delivery to a network address of a set-top box, the electronic video content including a trigger that instructs a processor in the set-top box to access a memory in the set-top box to display options in a graphical user interface on a display device, and an embedded selectable trigger that, when selected by a user, causes the processor to access the memory in the set-top box to display at least one popup on the display device,

wherein the at least one popup includes an exclusive offer based on past purchase history, viewing history, and geographic location of the user, and a non-exclusive offer based on a sponsorship of a television program;

receiving, by the server, a request sent from the set-top box in response to selection of the embedded selectable trigger in the electronic video content that is activated by a remote controller, the request including an identifier of selected electronic video content;

determining an asset type of the selected electronic video content, the asset type selected from one of Internet Protocol assets, Internet assets, physical assets, and mobile assets;

storing, by the server in the one or more memories, electronic database associations between different asset types of content and different electronic storefronts;

retrieving one of the different electronic storefronts having an association with a determined asset type of the electronic video content, the one of the different electronic storefronts describing purchasable assets associated with the determined asset type of the selected electronic video content;

sending, by the server, a retrieved electronic storefront into the multimedia content distribution network for routing to the set-top box, the retrieved electronic storefront having selections for purchasable assets and being displayed on the display device;

receiving, by the server, an electronic purchase request sent from the set-top box requesting a purchase of one of the purchasable assets in the retrieved electronic storefront;

sending, from the server to the set-top box, a prompt for authentication credentials in response to the electronic purchase request;

accessing, by the server, spending limit information previously stored in the one or more memories, including a predetermined time period to access the one of the purchasable assets, associated with the authentication credentials of the multimedia content distribution network;

applying, by the server, the spending limit information, including the predetermined time period, to constrain access to the one of the purchasable assets; and

in response to the spending limit information indicating that granting the request would result in an exceeding of the spending limit information by exceeding at least one of a spending limit and the predetermined time period, transmitting a denial of the request over the multimedia content distribution network to the set-top box for display on the display device, unless the spending limit information that is exceeded is overridden by a designated user name and password; and

in response to the spending limit information indicating that granting the request would not result in an exceeding of the spending limit information by exceeding at least one of a spending limit and the predetermined time period, transmitting an approval of the request to the set-top box over the multimedia content distribution network for display on the display device,

wherein when an approved request is for a physical asset, a purchase order fulfillment request is sent to a fulfillment center to complete the packaging and shipping of the physical asset, and an inventory system is notified to update inventory data of the physical asset, and

wherein when an approved request is for an intangible electronic asset, instructions are sent for downloading the electronic asset, including information regarding access limitations.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the spending limit information includes a plurality of spending limits associated with a multimedia content distribution network account.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the spending limit information includes a plurality of predetermined time periods to access multimedia content using a multimedia distribution network account.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the spending limit information indicates a maximum number of accessed multimedia programs.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the spending limit information is received from the set-top box.

6. A server for controlling electronic storefronts for use with a set-top box over a multimedia content distribution network, comprising:

a processor; and

one or more memories having multimedia content accessible to the processor, including program instructions executable by the processor, the executed program instructions performing the following operations

sending electronic video content retrieved form one or more memories into the multimedia content distribution network for routing to the set-top box, the electronic video content including a trigger that instructs the set-top box to display options in a graphical user interface on a display device, and an embedded selectable trigger that, when selected by a user, causes the processor to access the memory in the set-top box to display at least one popup on the display device,

wherein the at least one popup includes an exclusive offer based on past purchase history, viewing history, and geographic location of the user, and a non-exclusive offer based on a sponsorship of a television program;

receiving a request sent from the set-top box, the set-top box generating the request in response to selection of the embedded selectable trigger in the electronic video content that is activated by a remote controller, the request including an identifier of selected video content;

determining an asset type of the selected electronic video content, the asset type selected from one of Internet Protocol assets, Internet assets, physical assets, and mobile assets;

storing in the one or more memories electronic database associations between different types of content and different electronic storefronts;

retrieving an electronic storefront of the different electronic storefronts having a database association with a determined asset type of the electronic video content, the retrieved electronic storefront describing purchasable assets associated with the determined asset type of the electronic video content;

sending the retrieved electronic storefront into the multimedia content distribution network for routing to the set-top box, the retrieved electronic storefront including selections for purchasable assets that are displayed on the display device;

retrieving an electronic purchase request sent from the set-top box, the electronic purchase request requesting a purchase for one of the purchasable assets in the retrieved electronic storefront;

sending a prompt to the set-top box for authentication credentials in response to the electronic purchase request;

accessing spending limit information previously stored in the one or more memories, including a predetermined time period to access the one of the purchasable assets, associated with the authentication credentials;

applying the spending limit information, including the predetermined time period, to constrain access to the one of the purchasable assets; and

in response to the spending limit information indicating that granting the request would result in an exceeding of the spending limit information by exceeding at least one of a spending limit and the predetermined time period, transmitting a denial of the request over the multimedia content distribution network to the set-top box for display on the display device, unless the spending limit information that is exceeded is overridden by a designated user name and password; and

in response to the spending limit information indicating that granting the request would not result in an exceeding of the spending limit information by exceeding at least one of a spending limit and the predetermined time period, transmitting an approval of the request to the set-top box over the multimedia content distribution network for display on the display device,

wherein when an approved request is for a physical asset, a purchase order fulfillment request is sent to a fulfillment center to complete the packaging and shipping of the physical asset, and an inventory system is notified to update inventory data of the physical asset, and

wherein when an approved request is for an intangible electronic asset, instructions are sent for downloading the electronic asset, including information regarding access limitations.

7. The customer premises equipment of claim 6,

wherein the spending limit information includes a plurality of spending limits associated with a multimedia content distribution network account.

8. The customer premises equipment of claim 6,

wherein the spending limit information includes a plurality of spending limits associated with a multimedia content distributions network user account.

9. The customer premises equipment of claim 8,

wherein the program instructions includes instructions to modify the spending limit information according to the asset type.

10. The server of claim 6,

wherein the spending limit information is received from the set-top box.

11. The server of claim 6,

wherein the spending limit information indicates a maximum number of accessed multimedia programs.