Tracking activation of licensable component in audio video device by unique product identification

• US 10,528,954 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shintani, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Obeid, Mamon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Winter, John
• Application Number:
  US14/015,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20140013348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,321 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50, 725 25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/125 by manipulating the program code, e.g. source code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/306 using TV related infrastructures external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/641 : Multi-purpose receivers, e.g. for auxiliary information H04N9/642 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/642 : Multi-standard receivers

Abstract

An audio-video display device (AVDD) includes a licensable component providing a licensable function. The licensable function is available to present data on the AVDD without paying a license fee to exploit the licensable function when the AVDD is in a retail demonstration mode, whereas post-vending of the AVDD the licensable function is available to present data on the AVDD only pursuant to a license fee therefor being arranged.

Claims

1. Audio video device (AVD) comprising:

a licensable component providing a licensable function related to presentation of audio video information on at least one display; and

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one digital processor to configure the digital processor to;

determine whether the AVD us in a retail demonstration mode;

present data on the AVD according to the licensable component without paying a license fee to exploit the licensable function responsive to a determination that the AVD is in the retail demonstration mode;

present data on the AVD according to the licensable component only pursuant to a license fee transaction for the licensable component post-vending of the AVD;

determine a number of times the retail demonstration mode has been selected; and

permanently disable the retail demonstration mode responsive to a determination that the AVD has been powered up and retail demonstration mode selected more than a threshold number of times.

2. The AVD of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

activate the licensable component without contacting an activation server.

3. The AVD of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

request a server to provide a license code needed to activate the licensable component in the retail demonstration mode at least in part by sending to the server a unique product ID along with the identity of the licensable component sought to be activated.

4. The AVD of claim 3, wherein the unique product ID is a combination of a serial number of the AVD and a model number of the AVD and/or a unique encryption key in the AVD.

5. The AVD of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

present on a display of the audio video device a user interface (UI) configured for enabling a viewer to establish whether the audio video device is in the retail demonstration mode, the UI presenting an option to select the retail demonstration mode.

6. The AVD of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable for:

actuating the licensable component to provide a presentation on a video display in accordance with the licensable feature without implementing a license fee payment therefor at least in part responsive to an indication that the AVD has not been vended;

subsequently disabling the licensable component at least in part responsive to a determination that the AVD has been vended.

7. The AVD of claim 6, wherein the indication that the AVD has not been vended includes a determination that the AVD is in the retail demonstration mode.

8. A device comprising:

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor to;

actuate licensable component in an audio video device (AVD) to provide a presentation on a video display in accordance with a licensable feature without implementing a license fee payment therefor at least in part responsive to a determination that audio received by the AVD indicates that multiple sources of audio are playing the same audio as each other;

subsequently disable the licensable component at least in part responsive to a determination that the AVD has been vended.

9. A device comprising:

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor to;

actuate licensable component in an audio video device (AVD) to provide a presentation on a video display in accordance with a licensable feature without implementing a license fee payment therefor at least in part responsive to an indication that the AVD has not been vended;

subsequently disable the licensable component at least in part responsive to a determination that the AVD has been vended, wherein determining that the AVD has not been vended comprises determining that other CE devices similar to the AVD are in an immediate network vicinity to the AVD.

10. A device comprising:

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor to;

actuate licensable component in an audio video device (AVD) to provide a presentation on a video display in accordance with a licensable feature without implementing a license fee payment therefor at least in part responsive to an indication that the AVD has not been vended;

subsequently disable the licensable component at least in part responsive to a determination that the AVD has been vended, wherein determining that the AVD has not been vended comprises determining that a wireless signal associated with a retail outlet is detected.

11. A device comprising:

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor to;

actuate licensable component in an audio video device (AVD) to provide a presentation on a video display in accordance with a licensable feature without implementing a license fee payment therefor at least in part responsive to an indication that the AVD has not been vended;

subsequently disable the licensable component at least in part responsive to a determination that the AVD has been vended, wherein determining that the AVD has not been vended comprises determining that a retail mode key has not been received within a timeout period.