Systems and methods for selling a consumer electronics host device and enhanced services associated with a cable system
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving location information from a customer obtaining a consumer electronics host device, wherein the consumer electronics host device is capable of receiving a digital cable service over a cable network;
selecting a provider of digital cable services serving a geographical area including a location corresponding to the location information;
providing to a provisioning input system the location information from the customer, and a service provider identifier associated with the provider of cable digital services; and
providing the consumer electronics host device to the customer.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Flexible systems and methods are disclosed that may be used for provisioning, configuring, and controlling a host embodied in a cable set top box or other digital device attached to a digital communication network, such as cable distribution network. An enhanced services system maintains various host files for various types of hosts that a cable subscriber may purchase and connect to the cable network. The Enhanced Services Server interacts with the host using the host files. The host files may be downloaded from the host manufacturer into a database that distributes the modules as required to the various enhanced services systems. The host may be purchased by the cable subscriber and provisioning may be initiated by the retailer at the time of purchase using a provisioning network interacting with the appropriate cable system serving the subscriber. This abstract is not intended to limit or construe the scope of the claims.
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Citations
76 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving location information from a customer obtaining a consumer electronics host device, wherein the consumer electronics host device is capable of receiving a digital cable service over a cable network;
selecting a provider of digital cable services serving a geographical area including a location corresponding to the location information;
providing to a provisioning input system the location information from the customer, and a service provider identifier associated with the provider of cable digital services; and
providing the consumer electronics host device to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of providing a host, comprising:
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receiving a request from a customer for a host wherein the host is capable of receiving a digital video program signal;
receiving information from the customer to determine a cable system operator capable of providing a cable programming service to the customer;
determining a compatible conditional access scheme based in part on the cable system operator;
providing information to a provisioning input system, the information comprising a portion of the information received from the customer and a first identifier associated with the host;
receiving a transaction reference number; and
providing the host to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of providing a cable set top box, comprising:
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receiving an order for a host;
receiving information from the customer to select one of a plurality of cable service providers;
providing the information to a provisioning input system;
determining a conditional access scheme compatible with the selected cable service provider;
enabling the conditional access scheme in the host; and
delivering the set top box to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method of providing a host, comprising:
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receiving information from a customer to identify one of a plurality of cable system operators;
enabling a conditional access scheme from one of a plurality of conditional access schemes based in part on the one of a plurality of cable system operators;
providing first identification data pertaining to the conditional access scheme to a provisioning input system;
providing second identification data pertaining to the host to the provisioning input system; and
transmitting the first identification data and second identification data from the provisioning input system to the one of the plurality of cable system operators. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A system for providing a host, comprising:
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a provisioning input system for receiving customer location data pertaining to a location at which a cable programming service is provided, service related data pertaining to the cable programming service, and identification data pertaining to a host, the provisioning input system operatively connected to a communication network capable of transmitting the service related data, the customer location data, and the identification data, wherein the cable programming service is provided by a cable network system; and
a provisioning server, operatively connected to the communication network, capable of receiving and processing the service related data, the customer location data, and the identification data, the server provisioning the service in the cable network system, the provisioning server associating the identification data with the service related data. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. A system for providing a host comprising:
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an provisioning input system capable of receiving customer location data, either basic cable service data or enhanced cable service data pertaining to a cable video programming service, and a first identification data associated with the host device, the provisioning input system operatively connected to a network capable of transmitting to a provider of the digital video programming service the customer location data, the identification data, and either the basic cable service data or the enhanced service data pertaining to a video programming service; and
a terminal capable of receiving a second identification data associated with the host device and the customer location data. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. A method for provisioning a service comprising
receiving customer identification information from a customer to select one of a plurality of cable system operators, the one of a plurality of cable system operators providing at least one cable service to the customer; -
receiving a service selection wherein the service selection corresponds to a service offered by the selected cable system operator;
providing the customer identification information and the service selection to a provisioning input system;
communicating the customer identification information and the service selection information from the provisioning input system to the selected cable system operator;
receiving a transaction reference number; and
providing a printed or electronic summary of a sales transaction to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76)
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Specification