Multilevel Bandwidth Check

• US 20060259454A1
• Filed: 05/08/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starz Entertainment, LLC (Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Starz Entertainment, LLC (Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukuda, John S., Lim, Rebecca R., Brownrigg, Richard T., Beyler, John C., Greene, Robert F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,797,721 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing

Abstract

A subscription system for providing content by subscription using an Internet connection is disclosed. The subscription system includes a content object store and an interface. The content object store stores a plurality of content objects. The interface is configured to receive a request to initiate a subscription with a first address for a particular account using the Internet. The subscription allows use of the plurality of content objects by the particular account without individually charging for the plurality of content objects. It is verified that a first connection speed is greater than a first threshold value before allowing the subscription, where the first connection speed is over the Internet with the first address. A request to access the subscription of the particular account is received from a second address with the Internet. It is verified that a second connection speed is greater than a second threshold value. The second connection speed is over the Internet with the second address. The second threshold value is associated with at least one of a product or a level of service for the subscription.

Claims

1. A subscription system for providing content by subscription using an Internet connection, the subscription system comprising:

a content object store for storing a plurality of content objects,

an interface configured to receive a request to initiate a subscription with a first address for a particular account using the Internet, wherein;

the subscription allows use of the plurality of content objects by the particular account without individually charging for the plurality of content objects,

it is verified that a first connection speed is greater than a first threshold value before allowing the subscription, wherein the first connection speed is over the Internet with the first address,

a request to access the subscription of the particular account is received from a second address with the Internet;

it is verified that a second connection speed is greater than a second threshold value, wherein;

the second connection speed is over the Internet with the second address, and

the second threshold value is associated with at least one of a product or a level of service for the subscription.

2. The subscription system as recited in claim 1, wherein the use allowed by the subscription system comprises at least one of content object download or content object streaming.

3. The subscription system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a data store that holds the first and second connection speeds and the first and second addresses.

4. The subscription system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an applet run from the second address that verifies the second connection speed.

5. The subscription system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a client applet that is used to verify connection speeds.

6. The subscription system as recited in claim 1, wherein the subscription provides access to free products.

7. A method for providing a subscription to content over a public network, the method comprising steps of:

receiving a request to initiate the subscription from a first user computer or location over the public network;

verifying that a first connection speed is greater than a first threshold value, wherein the first connection speed is over the public network with the first user computer or location;

initiating the subscription;

receiving a request to access the subscription from a second user computer or location over the public network; and

verifying that a second connection speed is greater than a second threshold value, wherein;

the second threshold value is associated with a product or a level of service of the subscription, and

the second connection speed is over the public network with the second user computer or location.

8. The method recited in claim 7, further comprising verifying that a geographical location of the second user computer is consistent with geographical subscription limitations.

9. The method recited in claim 7, wherein the initiating step comprises a step of initiating the subscription with a product level chosen based upon the first connection speed.

10. The method recited in claim 7, wherein the level of service is chosen from a plurality of service levels available to subscribers.

11. The method recited in claim 7, the second threshold value being greater than a standard dial-up connection speed.

12. The method recited in claim 7, further comprising a step of reconfiguring an interface to the subscription to remove access and promotion of programs not associated with the level of service or product.

13. The method recited in claim 7, wherein the first user computer and the second user computer are the same user computer at different locations.

14. The method recited in claim 7, wherein the subscription allows use of a plurality of programs without individually charging for the plurality of programs.

15. The method recited in claim 7, wherein the second threshold value is less than the first threshold value.

16. The method recited in claim 7, further comprising defining a session service level in accordance with the second connection speed.

17. The method recited in claim 7, further comprising a step of further verifying bandwidth to the second user computer or location using a different test methodology based upon an outcome of the second-listed verifying step.

18. The method recited in claim 7, further comprising monitoring the second connection speed over a session accessing the subscription.

19. The method recited in claim 18, wherein monitoring the second connection speed over the session comprises monitoring a temporal average of the second connection speed.

20. A method for providing a subscription to content using a wide area network, the method comprising steps of:

receiving a request to initiate the subscription from a first user computer or location over the wide area network, wherein the subscription allows use of a plurality of programs without individually charging for the plurality of programs;

verifying that a first connection speed is greater than a first threshold value, wherein the first connection speed is over the wide area network with the first user computer or location;

initiating the subscription to at least a product, based, at least in part, on the immediately-preceding verifying step;

receiving a request to access the subscription from a second user computer or location over the wide area network;

verifying that a second connection speed is greater than a second threshold value, wherein;

the second connection speed is over the wide area network with the second user computer or location, and

the second threshold value is associated with at least one of a product or a level of service.

21. The method recited in claim 20, wherein the testing steps are performed with software running on the first or second computers.

22. The method recited in claim 20, wherein:

a given product has a plurality of service levels, and

the plurality of service levels are differentiated by bandwidth.