Trusted transactional set-top box

• US 20020174444A1
• Filed: 05/21/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mudalla Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mudalla Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Gatto, Jean-Marie, Brunet de Courssou, Thierry
• Granted Patent: US 7,346,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/133
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4117 for generating hard copies of the content, e.g. printer, electronic paper interfaces to printers G06F3/12; printing data G06K15/02
• 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 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• 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 21/654 Transmission by server directed to the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A set top box (STB) includes a trusted transactional cache and associated transactional protocol and enables e-commerce transactions to be securely committed to a remote server extremely quickly and with little network overhead. The invention does away with the user concern of whether the transaction was successful. The STB operates equally well on robust private networks as on unpredictable Internet or wireless networks, and avoids upsetting users who would otherwise have to wait in front of a display screen for confirmation of completion of the transaction after a temporary communication failure with the central site. The method may advantageously be used to provide cost-effective micro-payments solutions. The STB may include a dual headed display capability in which data and video maybe be directed to separate displays. The STB may feature an embedded ticket printer, as well as an embedded barcode scanner. This enables non computer literate users to more conveniently track transactions committed via the STB, or to take advantage of promotional coupons. The STB features an embedded hardware true Random Number Generator to produce maximum entropy encryption keys, therefore providing maximum secure and fool-proof means to protect private data using government authorized encryption schemes.

Claims

1. A set top box comprising:

a processor for controlling the set top box;

a video decoder controlled by the processor, the video decoder providing a decoded video signal;

a graphics interface coupled to the video decoder to output the decoded video signal to at least one display;

a network interface to access a computer network;

a user interface enabling user interaction with the processor and initiation of a transaction with a remote server coupled to the computer network, and

a non-volatile cache memory controlled by the processor and configured to selectively store a context of the transaction to enable a recovery of the transaction after an interruption thereof.

2. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the non-volatile cache memory includes a Non-Volatile Random Access Memory (NVRAM), a context data save engine for selectively storing the context of the transaction to the NVRAM and a context data recovery engine for retrieving the stored context from the NVRAM and recovering the transaction to enable a successful completion of the transaction.

3. The set top box of claim 2, wherein the context data save engine is configured to store the context of the transaction at least one of:

before sending the transaction to the remote server;

after sending the transaction to the remote server but before having received an acknowledgment of the transaction from the remote server;

after having received a confirmed acknowledgment of the transaction from the remote server.

4. The set top box of claim 1, further including a printer controlled by the processor, the printer being configured to print at least one of human-readable information and machine-readable information.

5. The set top box of claim 4, wherein the printer is configured to print an acknowledgment of the transaction.

6. The set top box of claim 1, further including a reader controlled by the processor, the reader being configured to scan and decode printed machine-readable code.

7. The set top box of claim 6, wherein the machine-readable information includes a barcode and wherein the reader includes a barcode reader.

8. The set top box of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to execute the transaction in a first user session that concludes after the context data save engine has saved the context of the transaction to the NVRAM and a provisional acknowledgment is provided to the user and to execute a second remote server session that concludes after a confirmed acknowledgement is received from the remote server and provided to the user.

9. The set top box of claim 1, further comprising a hardware random number generator, the hardware random number generator being configured to provide the processor with encryption keys to encrypt the user initiated transaction.

10. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the at least one display includes at least one of a television set, a High Definition Television (HDTV) and a computer monitor, the graphics interface being configured to selectively output the decoded video signal to the at least one display in full screen mode, picture-in-picture mode, mosaic mode or multi-window mode.

11. The set top box of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a magnetic and a smart card reader.

13. The set top box of claim 12, wherein the printer is configured to print an acknowledgment of the transaction.

14. The set top box of claim 12, further including a reader controlled by the processor, the reader being configured to scan and decode printed machine-readable code.

15. The set top box of claim 12, wherein the machine-readable information includes a barcode and wherein the reader includes a barcode reader.

17. The set top box of claim 16, wherein the machine-readable information includes a barcode and wherein the reader includes a barcode reader.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

receiving the confirmed acknowledgment from the remote server after the predetermined period of time and storing the received confirmed acknowledgment in the non-volatile memory.

20. The method of claim 19, further including a step of providing the stored confirmed acknowledgment upon request.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of re-sending the copy of the user transaction stored in the non-volatile memory to the remote server upon failure to receive the confirmed acknowledgment from the remote server.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the re-sending step is carried out until a confirmed acknowledgment of the transaction is received from the remote server.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the re-sending step is carried out a predetermined number of times.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the generating step includes a step of printing the provisional acknowledgment together with corresponding machine-readable information that uniquely identifies the transaction.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the generating step includes a step of printing the provisional acknowledgment together with machine-readable information uniquely identifying the transaction and wherein the method further includes a step of the set top box reading the machine-readable information and providing the stored confirmed acknowledgment that corresponds to the read machine-readable information.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the stored confirmation acknowledgment providing step includes a step of printing the confirmation acknowledgment.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the set top box includes a user interface that enables user interaction with the set top box and wherein the initiating step includes a step of providing user credentials and selecting goods and/or services for purchase via the user interface.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the user credentials include at least one of identification and payment instrument information and wherein the user credentials are supplied to the set top box via a remote control device.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the initiating step includes a step of encapsulating all information required for the remote server to process the transaction into a single data packet and wherein the storing and sending steps store and send the single data packet in the non-volatile memory and to the remote server, respectively.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the information required for the remote server to process the transaction includes at least one of:

user credentials including at least one of an identity of the user;

payment instrument information;

delivery information, and

information identifying the subject matter of the transaction.

31. The method of claim 29, further including a step of encrypting the single data packet prior to the sending step.

12. A set top box, comprising:

a processor for controlling the set top box;

a video decoder controlled by the processor, the video decoder providing a decoded video signal;

a graphics interface coupled to the video decoder to output the decoded video signal to at least one display;

a network interface to access a computer network;

a user interface enabling user interaction with the processor and initiation of a transaction with a remote server coupled to the computer network, and

a printer controlled by the processor, the printer being configured to print at least one of human readable information and machine readable information.

16. A set top box, comprising:

a processor for controlling the set top box;

a video decoder controlled by the processor, the video decoder providing a decoded video signal;

a graphics interface coupled to the video decoder to output the decoded video signal to at least one display;

a network interface to access a computer network;

a user interface enabling user interaction with the processor and initiation of a transaction with a remote server coupled to the computer network, and

a reader controlled by the processor, the reader being configured to scan and decode printed machine-readable code.

18. A method of carrying out an online transaction between a set top box and a remote server, each of the set top box and the remote server being coupled to a network, the method comprising the steps of:

initiating a transaction at the set top box;

storing a copy of the transaction in a non-volatile memory within the set top box;

sending the transaction to the remote server under a control of the set top box, and carrying out one of;

receiving a confirmed acknowledgment of the transaction from the remote server and providing the confirmed acknowledgment, and

generating a provisional acknowledgment of the transaction from the copy of the transaction stored in the non-volatile memory if the confirmed acknowledgment is not received within a predetermined period of time.