Apparatus, system, method and computer program product for service selection and sorting

• US 20050090235A1
• Filed: 10/27/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Paila, Toni, Vermola, Larri, Terekhova, Karina, Naumi, Tero, Saarikivi, Tuomo
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/72 of terrestrial networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/18 Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• 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 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63775 for uploading keys, e.g. for a client to communicate its public key to the server key management H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• 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 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An apparatus, system, method and computer program product for providing a user of a terminal with broadcast services. A terminal controller is configured to use data forming the whole of or part of an electronic service guide, and store information concerning the accessibility of services. That information is used to then generate a list of selectable services available to the user. A user interface presents at least part of the list in a selectable manner. Service accessibility display options are included either as a setting in the terminal or as a user input. Subscribed services are presented to the user on a display differently than non-subscribed services. If a non-subscribed service is selected, payment data is retrieved from the terminal and a suitable subscription is purchased without significant user involvement. The purchase of a subscription results in the terminal receiving subscription data, which is then stored for future use.

Claims

1. A terminal for receiving broadcast services, the terminal comprising:

a controller configured to use data forming the whole of or part of an electronic service guide and locally stored information concerning the accessibility of services to generate a list of selectable services; and

a user interface configured to present at least part of the list in a selectable manner.

2. A terminal as in claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to generate a list of individual selectable services.

3. A terminal as in claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to generate a list of selectable bundles, each bundle comprising two or more services.

4. A terminal as in claim 1 wherein the user interface is controllable in response to a setting or input to present the services along with corresponding accessibility information.

5. A terminal as in claim 1, wherein the controller is operable on the basis of a setting or a user input to generate a list only of services which are currently accessible.

6. A terminal as in claim 1, wherein the controller is operable on the basis of a setting or a user input to present services which are currently accessible differently to those which are not currently accessible.

7. A terminal as in claim 1, wherein the controller is responsive to a user input selecting a currently inaccessible service to commence a service purchase procedure.

8. A terminal as in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine which service bundles include the selected inaccessible service, and the user interface is configured to present these service bundles in a selectable manner.

9. A terminal as in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to implement the service purchase procedure by sending payment data pre-existing locally in the terminal via a communications link.

10. A terminal as in claim 1, further comprising a receiver operable to receive service purchase information over a bidirectional communications link.

11. A terminal as in claim 10, wherein the received service purchase information includes one or more time-slicing parameters.

12. A terminal as in claim 10, wherein the received service purchase information includes data required to access the respective service or services.

13. A terminal as in claim 10, wherein the received service purchase information includes one or more decryption keys.

14. A terminal as in claim 10, wherein the terminal is configured to update the locally stored information concerning the accessibility of services with the received service purchase information, or at least part of the received information.

15. A mobile terminal configured to receive broadcast data identifying one or more service packages, and, in respect to each package, data describing a channel through which access to the service package is obtained, the mobile terminal being operable to send a service package request via the described channel.

16. A mobile terminal as in claim 15, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to select between two or more different channels through which access to the service package is obtained, and operable to send a service package request via the selected channel.

17. A mobile terminal as in claim 15, wherein the mobile terminal is arrange to selected between two or more different channels on the basis of received broadcast data for each channel indicating the bearer through which a service package request is sent for that channel.

18. A mobile terminal as in claim 15, wherein the broadcast channel description data includes an address to which service package requests are required to be sent, and the terminal is operable to send the service package request to that address.

19. A mobile terminal as in claim 15, wherein the broadcast data comprises data uniquely identifying the service package, and the terminal is operable to include that data in the service package request.

20. A mobile terminal as in claim 15, wherein the channel description data comprises data indicating the content and/or form required for a package access request, and the terminal is operable to use that data to prepare the service request package.

21. A system configured to broadcast data identifying one or more service packages, and, in respect of each package, data describing a channel through which access to the service packages is obtained.

22. A system as in claim 21, wherein one or more, or all, or the service packages include a bundle of services.

23. A system as in claim 21, further comprising data that is broadcast with respect to each service package which identifies two or more different channels through which access to a service package is obtained.

24. A system as in claim 21, wherein the channel description comprises an address to which service package requests are required to be sent.

25. A system as in claim 21, wherein the broadcast data includes an indication of the bearer through which a service package request is sent.

26. A system as in claim 21, wherein in the channel description data comprises data uniquely identifying a service package.

27. A system as in claim 21, wherein the channel description data comprises data indicating one or more subscription durations.

28. A system as in claim 21, wherein the channel description data comprises data indicating the content and/or the form required for a package access request.

29. A system as in claim 21, further comprising a mobile terminal configured to receive the broadcast data.

30. A user interface for presenting broadcast services, the user interface comprising:

a list generator configured to use data forming the whole of or part of an electronic service guide and information concerning the accessibility of services to generate a list of selectable services; and

means configured to present at least part of the list in a selectable manner.

31. A user interface as in claim 30, wherein the user interface is operable on the basis of a setting or input to present the services along with corresponding accessibility information.

32. A user interface as in claim 30, wherein the user interface is operable on the basis of a setting or a user input to generate a list only of services which are currently accessible.

33. A user interface as claim 30, wherein the user interface is operable on the basis of a setting or a user input to present services which are currently accessible differently to those which are not currently accessible.

34. A user interface as claim 30, wherein the user interface is responsive to a user input selecting a currently inaccessible service to commence a service purchase procedure.

35. A user interface as in claim 30, wherein the user interface is configured to determine which service bundles include the selected inaccessible service, and to present these service bundles in a selectable manner.

36. A method of operating a broadcast system, the method comprising:

broadcasting data identifying one or more service packages, and, in respect to each package, data describing a channel through which access to the service packages is obtained.

37. A method of operating a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

receiving broadcast data identifying one or more service packages, and, in respect to each package, data describing a channel through which access to the service package is obtained; and

sending a service package request via the described channel.

38. A method as in claim 37, further comprising selecting between two or more different channels through which access to the service package can be obtained, and sending the service package request via the selected channel.

39. A method as in claim 38, wherein the selecting step further comprises using received broadcast data for each channel indicating of the bearer through which a service package request is sent for that channel.

40. A method as in claim 37, wherein the channel description data includes an address to which service package requests are required to be sent, and the terminal is operable to send the service package request to that address.

41. A method as in claim 37, wherein the broadcast data comprises data uniquely identifying the service package, the method comprising including that data in the service package.

42. A method as in claim 37, wherein the channel description data comprises data indicating the content and/or form required for a package access request to take, and the terminal is operable to use that data to prepare the service package request.

43. A method of operating a terminal for receiving broadcast services, the method comprising:

receiving data forming the whole of or part of an electronic service guide;

locally maintaining information concerning the accessibility of services;

generating a list of selectable services using the electronic service guide data and the accessibility data; and

presenting at least part of the list in a selectable manner.

44. A method for selecting a service from a plurality of available services, the method comprising:

receiving a first schedule for an electronic service guide, wherein the first schedule comprises data on the transmitting channel and data on the transmitting times of the electronic service guide;

storing the received first schedule in a first data base in a terminal;

receiving an electronic service guide comprising data on the available services, wherein the data on the available services comprises identification of at least one of said available services, classification data on at least one of said available services, and second schedule data comprising transmitting times of the available services;

storing the electronic service guide in a second data base;

selecting at least one service data item on one or more services to be displayed on a display of the terminal;

selecting at least one service among the displayed services;

ordering the selected service;

receiving a response to the order, the response comprising data on one or more time-slicing parameters relating to the selected service.

45. The method as in claim 44, wherein the first schedule data relates to time-sliced transmission of bursts comprising one or more data packets including electronic service guide data.

46. A method as in claim 44, wherein the second schedule data relates to time-sliced transmission of bursts comprising one or more data packets including service data.

47. A computer program product for operating a mobile terminal that includes a memory for storing a computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium containing program code that is executable by at least one processor for performing instructions, the instructions comprising:

receiving broadcast data identifying one or more service packages, and, in respect to each package, data describing a channel through which access to the service package is obtained; and

sending a service package request via the described channel.

48. A computer program product as in claim 47, further comprising an instruction for selecting between two or more different channels through which access to the service package can be obtained, and sending the service package request via the selected channel.

49. A computer program product as in claim 48 wherein the selecting instruction further comprises using received broadcast data for each channel indicating of the bearer through which a service package request is sent for that channel.

50. A computer program product as in claim 47, wherein the channel description data includes an address to which service package requests are required to be sent, and the terminal is operable to send the service package request to that address.

51. A computer program product of operating a terminal for receiving broadcast services that includes a memory for storing a computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium containing program code that is executable by at least one processor for performing instructions, the instructions comprising:

receiving data forming the whole of or part of an electronic service guide;

maintaining locally information concerning the accessibility of services;

generating a list of selectable services using the electronic service guide data and the accessibility data; and

presenting at least part of the list in a selectable manner.

52. A computer program product for selecting a service from a plurality of available services that includes a memory for storing a computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium containing program code that is executable by at least one processor for performing instructions, the instructions comprising:

receiving a first schedule for an electronic service guide, wherein the first schedule comprises data on the transmitting channel and data on the transmitting times of the electronic service guide;

storing the received first schedule in a first data base in a terminal;

receiving an electronic service guide comprising data on the available services, wherein the data on the available services comprises identification of at least one of said available services, classification data on at least one of said available services, and second schedule data comprising transmitting times of the available services;

storing the electronic service guide in a second data base;

selecting at least one service data item on one or more services to be displayed on a display of the terminal;

selecting at least one service among the displayed services;

ordering the selected service;

receiving a response to the order, the response comprising data on one or more time-slicing parameters relating to the selected service.

53. A computer program product as in claim 52, wherein the first schedule data relates to time-sliced transmission of bursts comprising one or more data packets including electronic service guide data.

54. A computer program product as in claim 52, wherein the second schedule data relates to time-sliced transmission of bursts comprising one or more data packets including service data.