Method and system for auditing and correcting authorization inconsistencies for reception equipment in a content delivery network

• US 20050108529A1
• Filed: 10/15/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rene Juneau
• Original Assignee: Rene Juneau
• Inventors: Juneau, Rene
• Granted Patent: US 8,191,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/00 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26606 for generating or managing entitlement messages, e.g. Entitlement Control Message [ECM] or Entitlement Management Message [EMM] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• 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 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing

Abstract

A method and system for auditing unauthorized usage in a subscriber content delivery network is described. The method and system includes identifying an indicator relating to accessibility for a receiver intended for receiving signals through the network; obtaining an indicator relating to authorization for a pre-determined service offering of the network; and determining whether the indicator of access ability is consistent with the indicator relating to authorization to thereby ascertain that the receiver is capable of engaging in unauthorized usage. The method and system may optionally include undertaking an action to change at least one of the indicator of access ability and the indicator relating to authorization.

Claims

1. A method for auditing unauthorized usage in a subscriber content delivery network, the method comprising the steps of:

a) identifying an indicator relating to accessibility in respect of a receiver intended for receiving signals through said network;

b) obtaining an indicator relating to authorization for a pre-determined service offering of said network; and

c) determining whether said indicator relating to accessibility is inconsistent with said indicator relating to authorization to thereby ascertain that the receiver is capable of engaging in unauthorized usage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said indicator relating to accessibility is evidence that said receiver has been procured by a network operator of said network, and said indicator relating to authorization is evidence that said receiver is not authorized for usage of said pre-determined service offering of said network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said evidence that said receiver is not authorized is an absence of indicia that said receiver is authorized for usage of said pre-determined service offering of said network.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said evidence that said receiver is not authorized is obtained from a subscriber management system controlling access of said receiver to receive said signals through said network.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said evidence that said receiver is not authorized is obtained with a conditional access system controlling access of said receiver to receive said signals through said network.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said evidence that said receiver is not authorized is obtained from any one of a video-on-demand service, a pay-per-view service, an impulse pay-per-view service, an advertising management service, and an interactive television system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said indicator relating to accessibility is evidence that said receiver is connected to said network, and said indicator relating to authorization is evidence that said receiver is not authorized for usage of said pre-determined service offering of said network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said evidence that said receiver is connected to said network includes an indication of said receiver responding to a transmission through said network.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said evidence that said receiver is not authorized is an absence of indicia that said receiver is authorized for usage of said pre-determined service offering of said network.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said evidence that said receiver is not authorized is obtained from a subscriber management system controlling access of said receiver to receive said signals through said network.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said evidence that said receiver is not authorized is obtained from a conditional access system controlling access of said receiver to receive said signals through said network.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of said evidence that said receiver is connected to said network and said evidence that said receiver is not authorized is obtained from any one of a video-on-demand service, a pay-per-view service, an impulse pay-per-view service, and an interactive television system.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said indicator relating to accessibility is evidence that said receiver is using a signal through said network associated with said pre-determined service offering, and said indicator relating to authorization is evidence that said receiver is not authorized for usage of said pre-determined service offering of said network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said evidence that said receiver is using a signal through said network include an indication of communication between said receiver and a network server offering said pre-determined service offering to subscribers of said network.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said wherein said evidence that said receiver is not authorized is an absence of indicia that said receiver is authorized for usage of said pre-determined service offering of said network.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said evidence that said receiver is not authorized is obtained from a subscriber management system controlling access of said receiver to receive said signals through said network.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said evidence that said receiver is not authorized is obtained with a conditional access system controlling access of said receiver to receive said signals through said network.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of said evidence that said receiver is connected to said network and said evidence that said receiver is not authorized is obtained from any one of a video-on-demand service, a pay-per-view service, an impulse pay-per-view service, an advertising management, and an interactive television system.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein if said indicator relating to accessibility is inconsistent with said indicator relating to authorization, a corrective action is executed to address the inconsistency between said indicator relating to accessibility and said indicator relating to authorization.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein

each of said indicator relating to accessibility and said indicator relating to authorization is retrieved from a record of any one of said receiver, a conditional access system in communication with said network, a subscriber management system in communication with said network, a video-on-demand system in communication with said network, a pay-per-view system in communication with said network, an impulse pay-per-view system in communication with said network, and an interactive television system in communication with said network, and

said corrective action updates said record to cause said indicator relating to accessibility to be consistent with said indicator relating to authorization.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said corrective action includes disabling at least one functional capability of said receiver.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said corrective action includes launching a legal action against any alleged user of said receiver.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said corrective action is executed in an automated manner.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said corrective action is executed at a time tending to minimize disruption of operation of said network.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein said corrective action includes recording into a report information identifying:

a) said receiver, b) said indicator relating to accessibility and c) said indicator relating to authorization.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said report is utilized to take at least one further corrective action.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said using said report is performed by a party other than the party which performed said recording into said report.

28. A method for detecting unauthorized signal receivers in a subscriber content delivery network, comprising the steps of:

a) identifying receivers that are capable of receiving a subscriber signal delivered by said network;

b) identifying receivers that are authorized to receive the subscriber signal delivered by said network; and

c) where each of said receivers identified in step a) is not one of said receivers identified in step b), further identifying every said each of said receivers as being a potentially unauthorized signal receiver.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

d) disabling said each of said receivers from receiving the subscriber signal delivered by said network.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein

a conditional access system is in communication with said network and said each of said receivers,

access by said each of said receivers to the subscriber signal delivered by said network is controlled by said conditional access system, and

said disabling said each of said receivers include said conditional access system refusing further access by said each of said receivers to the subscriber signal in response to said each of said receivers being identified being a potentially unauthorized signal receiver.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said disabling said each of said receivers include at least one command being sent over said network to said each of said receivers to disable at least one capability of said each of said receivers.

32. The methods of claims 28 to 31, wherein said identifying receivers that are capable of receiving a subscriber signal include identifying receivers which have previously been authorized and subsequently de-authorized for receiving said subscriber signal delivered by said network.

33. The methods of claims 28 to 31, wherein said identifying receivers that are capable of receiving a subscriber signal include identifying receivers having records associated therewith indicating use at said receivers of said subscriber signal.

34. The methods of claims 28 to 31, wherein said identifying receivers that are capable of receiving a subscriber signal include identifying receivers having records associated therewith indicating that payment was made by users of said receivers to obtain authorization for use at said receivers of said subscriber signal.

35. The methods of claims 28 to 31, further comprising:

e) taking legal action against at least one alleged user of said each of said receivers.