Pay TV billing, system activation, and E-commerce using a pay -TV receiver

• US 20020066103A1
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Flaharty, Dennis R., Gagnon, Gregory J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,993,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0637 Approvals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• 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 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

One or more embodiments of the invention utilize a receiver as a terminal to enable commercial transactions to take place that may or may not be coupled with programming that is being broadcast and to provide customers with the option of having their pay-TV bills charged directly to a credit card. The pay-TV provider could allow the customer to activate their pay-TV systems, with the programming package of their choice, without having to call the pay-TV customer service. Utilizing the fact that receivers may have built in modems that are connected to phone lines, connections can be made through that phone line to initiate, transfer, and purchase services and merchandise. If the receiver can successfully establish a secure connection with the pay-TV service provider, vendor, or credit card provider and the billing information is successfully transferred, then the merchandise can be shipped or the appropriate signals can be sent to the receiver to activate the service that the customer has selected. This would have the potential of significantly reducing the number of customer service calls to the pay-TV service provider. Instead of the pay-TV service provider being responsible for billing, debt collection, etc. this now becomes the responsibility of the credit card company.

Claims

1. A method of making a purchase comprising:

activating, in a receiver connected to a presentation device, a purchase screen having at least one field, wherein the receiver is configured to;

receive broadcast signals through an input mechanism; and

enable the presentation device to display the broadcast signals;

the activation enabling the purchase screen to be displayed on the presentation device;

receiving purchase information in the at least one field into the receiver from a user;

establishing a secure electronic connection, using a communication mechanism of the receiver that is different from the input mechanism, with a vendor;

electronically transmitting the purchase information from the receiver through the secure electronic connection to the vendor; and

receiving a confirmation number from the vendor into the receiver.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the activation is received from a user using a remote control.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the purchase information comprises:

a type of credit card;

a credit card number; and

an expiration date.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the purchase information comprises merchandise information for merchandise to be purchased from the vendor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the purchase information comprises service information for a service to be purchased from the vendor.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the service is for television programming.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the service is for an activation of a television programming package.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving, in the receiver, authorization for the service from the vendor; and

configuring the receiver to allow the display of the authorized services.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising verifying that all of the required purchase information has been received.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing a secure electronic connection comprises:

obtaining a dialtone through a modem connected to the receiver;

dialing a phone number corresponding to the vendor selected, wherein the phone number is stored in the receiver; and

establishing a secure connection with a computer system of the vendor at the phone number dialed.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising causing one or more onscreen messages to be displayed that indicate actions being taken by the receiver.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the confirmation number into a purchase history screen in the receiver that allows a customer to view the purchase information.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the vendor is a credit card company.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver is an integrated receiver/decoder (IRD).

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the presentation device is a television.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the receiver is configured to receive the activation from a user using a remote control.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the purchase information comprises:

a type of credit card;

a credit card number; and

an expiration date.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the purchase information comprises merchandise information for merchandise to be purchased from the vendor.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the purchase information comprises service information for a service to be purchased from the vendor.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the service is for television programming.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the service is for an activation of a television programming package.

23. The system of claim 20, the receiver further configured to:

receive authorization for the service from the vendor; and

allow the display of the authorized services.

24. The system of claim 16, the receiver further configured to verify that all of the required purchase information has been received.

25. The system of claim 16 wherein the receiver is configured to establish a secure electronic connection by:

obtaining a dialtone through a modem connected to the receiver;

dialing a phone number corresponding to the vendor selected, wherein the phone number is stored in the receiver; and

establishing a secure connection with a computer system of the vendor at the phone number dialed.

26. The system of claim 16, the receiver further configured to cause one or more onscreen messages to be displayed that indicate actions being taken by the receiver.

27. The system of claim 16, the receiver further configured to store the confirmation number into a purchase history screen in the receiver that allows a customer to view the purchase information.

28. The system of claim 16 wherein the vendor is a credit card company.

29. The system of claim 16 wherein the receiver is an integrated receiver/decoder (IRD).

30. The system of claim 16 wherein the presentation device is a television.

16. A system for purchasing comprising:

a receiver configured to;

receive broadcast signals through an input mechanism

enable a presentation device to display the broadcast signals;

receive activation of a purchase screen having at least one field;

enable the purchase screen to be displayed on the presentation device;

receive purchase information in the at least one field from a user;

establish a secure electronic connection, using a communication mechanism that is different from the input mechanism, with a vendor;

electronically transmit the purchase information through the secure electronic connection to the vendor; and

receive a confirmation number from the vendor.

31. An article of manufacture for purchasing comprising:

means for a receiver connected to a presentation device to receive broadcast signals through an input mechanism;

means for the receiver to enable the presentation device to display the broadcast signals;

means for the receiver to receive activation of a purchase screen having at least one field;

means for the activation to enable the purchase screen to be displayed on the presentation device;

means for the receiver to receive purchase information for the one or more fields from a user;

means for the receiver to establish a secure electronic connection, using a communication mechanism that is different from the input mechanism, with a vendor;

means for the receiver to electronically transmit the purchase information through the secure electronic connection to the vendor; and

means for the receiver to receive a confirmation number from the vendor.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 31 wherein the activation is received from a user using a remote control.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 31 wherein the purchase information comprises:

a type of credit card;

a credit card number; and

an expiration date.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 31 wherein the purchase information comprises merchandise information for merchandise to be purchased from the vendor.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 31 wherein the purchase information comprises service information for a service to be purchased from the vendor.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 35 wherein the service is for television programming.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 35 wherein the service is for an activation of a television programming package.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 35 further comprising:

means for the receiver to receive authorization for the service from the vendor; and

means for the receiver to allow the display of the authorized services.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 31 further comprising means for verifying that all of the required purchase information has been received.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 31 wherein the means for the receiver to establish a secure electronic connection comprises:

means for the receiver to obtain a dialtone through a modem connected to the receiver;

means for the receiver to dial a phone number corresponding to the vendor selected, wherein the phone number is stored in the receiver; and

means for the receiver to establish a secure connection with a computer system of the vendor at the phone number dialed.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 31 further comprising means for the receiver to cause one or more onscreen messages to be displayed that indicate actions being taken by the receiver.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 31 further comprising means for the receiver to store the confirmation number into a purchase history screen in the receiver that allows a customer to view the purchase information.

43. The article of manufacture of claim 31 wherein the vendor is a credit card company.

44. The article of manufacture of claim 31 wherein the receiver is an integrated receiver/decoder (IRD).

45. The article of manufacture of claim 31 wherein the presentation device is a television.