Internet service provider callback for satellite systems

• US 20020112241A1
• Filed: 02/14/2001
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cocchi, Ronald P., Breier, Donald J., Flaharty, Dennis R., Kahn, Raynold M.
• Application Number:
  US09/783,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20020112241A1
• 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 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• 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 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4182 for identification purposes, e.g. storing user identification data, preferences, personal settings or data restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code in combination with an additional device, e.g. dongle or smart card G06F21/123
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4185 for payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6371 directed to network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for delivering purchase information comprising storing purchase information for a purchase of a user in a set top box, wherein the set top box is configured to receive broadcast signals through a tuner; and enable a presentation device connected to the set top box to display the broadcast signals; automatically obtaining a connection to the Internet or a data paging network using a communication module of the set top box without the user requesting the connection, wherein the communication module is different than the tuner; establishing a secure electronic connection with a server through the connection to the Internet or data paging network; and transmitting the purchase information from the set top box through the secure electronic connection to the server.

Claims

1. A method of delivering purchase information comprising:

storing purchase information for a purchase of a user in a set top box, wherein the set top box is configured to;

receive broadcast signals through a tuner; and

enable a presentation device connected to the set top box to display the broadcast signals;

automatically obtaining a connection to the Internet using a communication module of the set top box without the user requesting the connection, wherein the communication module is different than the tuner;

establishing a secure electronic connection with a server through the connection to the Internet; and

transmitting the purchase information from the set top box through the secure electronic connection to the server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchase information relates to a pay per view program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchase information relates to an electronic commerce transaction.

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

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchase information is stored in a smart card.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchase information is stored in a renewable security module.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically obtaining a connection comprises:

receiving a local phone number in the set top box;

automatically dialing the local phone number, without a user requesting a connection, using the communication module, wherein the communication module is a modem; and

establishing a connection to the Internet through a computer that answers the dialed local phone number.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the local phone number is associated with an Internet service provider.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically obtaining a connection comprises:

determining if an Internet connection is currently established;

if an Internet connection is currently established, automatically obtaining a new transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) connection through the communication module using the established Internet connection.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the secure electronic connection utilizes a secure socket layer (SSL) protocol.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the server is a broadcast satellite operator'"'"'s Internet server.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving additional information in the set top box through the secure electronic connection.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the purchase information relates to a pay per view program.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the purchase information relates to an electronic commerce transaction.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the presentation device is a television.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the purchase information is stored in a smart card.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the purchase information is stored in a renewable security module.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the set top box is configured to automatically obtain a connection by:

receiving a local phone number in the set top box;

automatically dialing the local phone number, without a user requesting a connection, using the communication module, wherein the communication module is a modem; and

establishing a connection to the Internet through a computer that answers the dialed local phone number.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the local phone number is associated with an Internet service provider.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the set top box is configured to automatically obtain a connection by:

determining if an Internet connection is currently established;

if the Internet connection is currently established, automatically obtaining a new transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) connection through the communication module using the established Internet connection.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the secure electronic connection utilizes a secure socket layer (SSL) protocol.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the server is a broadcast satellite operator'"'"'s Internet server.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the set top box is further configured to receive additional information through the secure electronic connection.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the purchase information relates to a pay per view program.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the purchase information relates to an electronic commerce transaction.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the presentation device is a television.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the purchase information is stored in a smart card.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the purchase information is stored in a renewable security module.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the means for automatically obtaining a connection comprises:

means for the set top box to receive a local phone number in the set top box;

means for the set top box to automatically dial the local phone number, without a user requesting a connection, using the communication module, wherein the communication module is a modem; and

means for the set top box to establish a connection to the Internet through a computer that answers the dialed local phone number.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the local phone number is associated with an Internet service provider.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the means for the set top box to automatically obtain a connection comprises:

means for the set top box to determine if an Internet connection is currently established;

means for the set top box to automatically obtain a new transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) connection through the communication module using the established Internet connection if an Internet connection is currently established.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 35, wherein the secure electronic connection utilizes a secure socket layer (SSL) protocol.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the server is a broadcast satellite operator'"'"'s Internet server.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 27, further comprising means for receiving additional information through the secure electronic connection.

13. A method of delivering purchase information comprising:

storing purchase information for a purchase of a user in a set top box, wherein the set top box is configured to;

receive broadcast signals through a tuner; and

enable a presentation device connected to the set top box to display the broadcast signals;

automatically obtaining a connection to a data paging network using a communication module of the set top box without the user requesting the connection, wherein the communication module is different than the tuner;

establishing a secure electronic connection with a server through the connection to the data paging network; and

transmitting the purchase information from the set top box through the secure electronic connection to the server.

14. A system for delivering purchase information comprising:

purchase information for a purchase of a user;

a set top box configured to;

receive broadcast signals through a tuner;

enable a presentation device to display the broadcast signals;

store the purchase information;

automatically obtain a connection to the Internet using a communication module of the set top box without the user requesting the connection, wherein the communication module is different than the tuner;

establish a secure electronic connection with a server through the connection to the Internet; and

transmit the purchase information from the set top box through the secure electronic connection to the server.

26. A system for delivering purchase information comprising:

purchase information for a purchase of a user;

a set top box configured to;

receive broadcast signals through a tuner;

enable a presentation device to display the broadcast signals;

store the purchase information;

automatically obtain a connection to a data paging network using a communication module of the set top box without the user requesting the connection, wherein the communication module is different than the tuner;

establish a secure electronic connection with a server through the connection to the data paging network; and

transmit the purchase information from the set top box through the secure electronic connection to the server.

27. An article of manufacture for delivering purchase information comprising:

means for a set top box connectable to a presentation device to receive broadcast signals through a tuner;

means for the set top box to enable the presentation device to display the broadcast signals;

means for the set top box to store purchase information for a purchase of a user;

means for the set top box to automatically obtain a connection to the Internet using a communication module of the set top box without the user requesting the connection, wherein the communication module is different than the tuner;

means for the set top box to establish a secure electronic connection with a server through the connection to the Internet; and

means for the set top box to transmit the purchase information from the set top box through the secure electronic connection to the server.

39. An article of manufacture for delivering purchase information comprising:

means for a set top box connectable to a presentation device to receive broadcast signals through a tuner;

means for the set top box to enable the presentation device to display the broadcast signals;

means for the set top box to store purchase information for a purchase of a user;

means for the set top box to automatically obtain a connection to a data paging network using a communication module of the set top box without the user requesting the connection, wherein the communication module is different than the tuner;

means for the set top box to establish a secure electronic connection with a server through the connection to the data paging network; and

means for the set top box to transmit the purchase information from the set top box through the secure electronic connection to the server.