Method and system for subscribing to digital broadcasting service through mobile communication network

• US 20050227675A1
• Filed: 03/28/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lim, Un-Taek, Jung, Ki-Ho, Park, Sung-Jin, Lim, Han-Na, Lee, Jong-Hyo, Kim, Jun-Hwan, Song, Ju-Yeon
• Granted Patent: US 8,290,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/15 on receiving information
• 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 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• 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 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus for subscribing to a digital broadcasting service using mobile network subscription information in a system where a 3G (third generation) mobile communication network interacts with a DBS (digital broadcasting system) are provided. When a user requests subscription to the digital broadcasting service through a digital broadcasting-enabled mobile equipment, a DBS-CSCF (call session control function) in the 3G network transmits to an SAS (subscription agent server) of the DBS a service subscription request including the mobile subscription information or additional user personal information. The SAS processes the subscription and transmits information required for reception of the digital broadcasting to the mobile equipment. The mobile equipment changes its digital broadcasting reception setting.

Claims

1. A method of subscribing to a digital broadcasting service using mobile subscription information associated with subscription to a mobile communication network, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a subscription request message from the mobile communication network to a digital broadcasting system (DBS), upon request of a user through mobile equipment, the subscription request message containing mobile subscription information of the user required for subscription to the digital broadcasting service;

receiving from the DBS broadcasting reception information required for the mobile equipment to receive the digital broadcasting service; and

setting the broadcasting reception information at the mobile equipment so that the user can receive the digital broadcasting service, and receiving the digital broadcasting service according to the broadcasting reception information at the mobile equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscription request message further includes personal information of the user required for subscription to the digital broadcasting service.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of requesting the personal information of the user in response to the subscription request and receiving the personal information from the user in the mobile communication network.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of transmitting the personal information of the user from the mobile communication network to the DBS.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of requesting personal information of the user to the mobile equipment in response to the subscription request message, and transmitting the personal information from the mobile equipment to the DBS, transparently passing the mobile communication network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving broadcasting reception information comprises transmitting the broadcasting reception information from the DBS to the user, transparently passing the mobile communication network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of, forming a service provider agreement (SPA) between the mobile communication network and the DBS, the SPA containing broadcasting subscription information required for the subscription to the digital broadcasting service before the subscription request of the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of requesting the mobile subscription information of the user to a home subscriber server (HSS) within the mobile communication network in response to the subscription request message of the user, and receiving the mobile subscription information from the HSS.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the mobile subscription information is determined according to an SPA made before the subscription request message of the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile subscription information includes a subscriber number, a terminal number, and subscriber registration information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcasting reception information includes information about a channel on which the digital broadcasting service is provided, and a key value by which digital broadcasting information is to be descrambled.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the personal information of the user includes at least one of information indicating the type of a broadcasting service that the user desires, a quality of service (QoS) required for receiving the digital broadcasting service, and an identifier (ID) and password of the user.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the personal information of the user includes at least one of information indicating the type of a broadcasting service that the user desires, a quality of service (QoS) required for receiving the digital broadcasting service, and an identifier (ID) and password of the user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the broadcasting reception information comprises receiving the broadcasting reception information through the mobile communication network.

15. A method of subscribing to a digital broadcasting service using mobile subscription information associated with subscription to a mobile communication network, comprising the steps of:

requesting subscription items required for subscription to the digital broadcasting service, upon request of a user through mobile equipment and receiving the subscription items from a digital broadcasting system (DBS);

transmitting to the DBS a subscription request message containing mobile subscription information of the user required for the subscription to the digital broadcasting service;

receiving from the DBS broadcasting reception information required for the mobile equipment to receive the digital broadcasting service; and

setting the broadcasting reception information at the mobile equipment so that the user can receive the digital broadcasting service, and receiving the digital broadcasting service according to the broadcasting reception information at the mobile equipment.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the subscription request message further includes personal information of the user required for subscription to the digital broadcasting service.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of requesting the personal information of the user in response to the subscription request and receiving the personal information from the user in the mobile communication network.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of transmitting the personal information of the user from the mobile communication network to the DBS.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of requesting personal information of the user to the mobile equipment in response to the subscription request message, and transmitting the personal information from the mobile equipment to the DBS, transparently passing the mobile communication network.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of receiving the broadcasting reception information comprises transmitting the broadcasting reception information from the DBS to the user, transparently passing the mobile communication network.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of, forming a service provider agreement (SPA) between the mobile communication network and the DBS, before the subscription request of the user, wherein broadcasting subscription information required for the subscription to the digital broadcasting service in not included in the SPA.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of requesting the mobile subscription information of the user to a home subscriber server (HSS) within the mobile communication network in response to the subscription request message of the user, and receiving the mobile subscription information from the HSS.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the mobile subscription information includes a subscriber number, a terminal number, and subscriber registration information.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the broadcasting reception information includes information about a channel on which the digital broadcasting service is provided, and a key value by which digital broadcasting information is to be descrambled.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the personal information includes at least one of information indicating the type of a broadcasting service that the user desires, a quality of service (QoS) required for the digital broadcasting service, and an identifier (ID) and password of the user.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the personal information includes at least one of information indicating the type of a broadcasting service that the user desires, a quality of service (QoS) required for the digital broadcasting service, and an identifier (ID) and password of the user.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of receiving the broadcasting reception information comprises receiving the broadcasting reception information through the mobile communication network.

28. A system having a mobile communication network and a digital broadcasting system (DBS) which interact with each other and have made a service provide agreement (SPA) between each other, the system comprising:

a first subscription management server for transmitting mobile subscription information of a user associated with the mobile communication network to the DBS, upon request of the user through a mobile equipment which has subscribed to the mobile communication network and is capable of receiving a digital broadcasting service from the DBS;

a gateway for discriminating the mobile subscription information received from the first subscription management server and transmitting the mobile subscription information to the DBS; and

a second subscription management server connected to the first subscription management server through the gateway, for processing the subscription of the user to the digital broadcasting service using the mobile subscription information and personal information of the user received from one of the first subscription management server and the user, and transmitting to the mobile equipment broadcasting reception information required for reception of the digital broadcasting service.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein if broadcasting subscription information required for subscription to the digital broadcasting service is not included in the SPA, the first subscription management server requests the broadcasting subscription information to the second subscription management server and receives the broadcasting subscription information from the second subscription management server.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the first subscription management server transmits to the second subscription management server a subscription request message including the personal information of the user required for the subscription to the digital broadcasting service.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the first subscription management server requests the personal information of the user to the user in response to the subscription request and receives the personal information from the user.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the first subscription management server transmits the personal information of the user to the second subscription management server.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the first subscription management server requests the personal information of the user to the mobile equipment in response to the subscription request and the personal information is transmitted from the mobile equipment to the DBS, transparently passing the mobile communication network.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein the broadcasting reception information is transmitted from the DBS to the user, transparently passing the mobile communication network.

35. The system of claim 28, further comprising a home subscriber server (HSS) for transmitting the mobile subscription information of the user to the first subscription management server, upon request of the first subscription management server.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the mobile subscription information is determined according to the SPA formed between the mobile communication network and the DBS before the subscription request of the user.

37. The system of claim 28, wherein the mobile subscription information includes a subscriber number, a terminal number, and subscriber registration information.

38. The system of claim 28, wherein the broadcasting reception information includes information about a channel on which the digital broadcasting service is provided, and a key value by which digital broadcasting information is to be descrambled.

39. The system of claim 30, wherein the personal information includes at least one of information indicating the type of a broadcasting service that the user desires, a quality of service (QoS) required for the digital broadcasting service, and an identifier (ID) and password of the user.

40. The system of claim 28, wherein the second subscription management server transmits the broadcasting reception information to the mobile equipment through the mobile communication network.