System and method to remotely manage and audit set top box resources

• US 20060259584A1
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chanyu Holdings LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Swix, Scott R., Watson, P. Thomas, Gray, James H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,734,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• 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 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method for determining the resources available or used in a remote device is disclosed. The system can be used to determine whether the remote device is using expected resources as originally configured or to determine whether resources are available to support new or extended services. The method can be used to configure or reconfigure the remote device for its intended use or as reconfigure a remote device for new, different or extended purposes.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method for remotely managing resources associated with a set top box (STB) comprising the steps of:

receiving at a first location remote from the STB a first item of information sent from the STB, wherein the first item of information relates to the resources for provisioning of audio/video services associated with the STB;

retrieving at the first location remote from the STB a second item of information, wherein the second item of information relates to resources for provisioning of audio/video services that are expected to be associated with the STB, and

comparing at the first location remote from the STB the first item of information with the second item of information.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein if a difference between the first item of information and the second item of information is detected, then an instruction is sent to the STB.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first item of information is received from a remote resource manager.

34. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving at the STB user input that requests a new service; and

determining by the remote resource manager whether the STB has the resources to support the new service.

25. A method for remotely managing resources associated with a set top box (STB) comprising the steps of:

receiving at a first location remote from the STB a first item of information from the STB, wherein the first item of information relates to resources for provisioning of audio/video services associated with the STB;

retrieving at the first location remote from the STB a second item of information from a database spaced from the STB, wherein the second item of information relates to an expected configuration of the STB;

comparing at the first location remote from the STB the first item of information with the second item of information; and

sending an instruction from the first location remote from the STB to the STB wherein the instruction is adapted to perform a function on the STB that is related to the resources.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the instruction modifies an amount of available disk space on a fixed disk drive associated with the STB.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the instruction modifies an amount of available disk space on a fixed disk drive associated with the STB by instructing the STB to address only certain portions of the fixed disk drive.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein the instruction modifies an amount of available disk space on a fixed disk drive associated with the STB by instructing the STB to address additional portions of the fixed disk drive.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein the instruction modifies a capability of a tuner.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the instruction modifies the capability of a tuner by permitting the tuner to descramble additional channels.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein the instruction modifies the capability of a tuner by preventing the tuner to descramble preselected channels.

32. The method according to claim 25, wherein the instruction is sent from the first location remote from the STB to a remote resource manager of the STB.

33. The method according to claim 25, wherein the instruction is adapted to be received by a remote resource manager.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein the instruction provides for at least one of enabling a resource of the STB related to the first item of information, disabling a resource of the STB related to the first item of information, including authorization keys related to the first item of information, and causing the STB to diagnose a problem of the STB related to the first item of information.