Internet protocol television authorization filtering

• US 20070028258A1
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wollmershauser, Steve, Walter, Edward, Diroo, Yolius
• Application Number:
  US11/189,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20070028258A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• 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 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for authorizing activity in an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) environment. A requested activity can be a request to view a pay-per-view program or purchase an item. An account server receives a request from a viewer to view or purchase the IPTV activity. The account server checks the cost of the request against a spending limit of the viewer. If the cost of the requested item exceeds the amount available in a viewer'"'"'s account, the viewer receives a message and is offered an option to request an exception to exceed the spending limit. A request for an exception to exceed the spending limit is received at the account server, and an account administrator is notified of the receipt of the request for the exception. A response is received from the account administrator to grant authorization. If no response is received within a selected time limit, the request can be implicitly rejected.

Claims

1. A method for authorizing activity in an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) environment, comprising:

receiving an activity request from a viewer for an IPTV activity;

checking the activity request against a filter for the viewer;

refusing the activity request when the activity exceeds an authorization limit in the filter;

receiving a request to exceed the authorization limit in the filter;

presenting the request to an account administrator for authorization; and

notifying the viewer of the authorization.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization limit comprising at least one of the set consisting of an MPAA rating, a monetary amount, an activity period and an activity per period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity comprises at least one of the set consisting of a viewing event and an item purchase.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the filter further comprises a plurality of cascaded filters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting further comprises supplying at least one of the set consisting of a viewer usemame, an activity name, an account balance, MPAA rating and a cost to the account administrator.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying an account administrator further comprises contacting the account administrator using at least one of the set consisting of an email address, text message and a telephone call.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

importing an authorization limit to the filter.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization limit further comprises a hard limit and a soft limit, the method further comprising:

automatically granting authorization request in the account administrator when the activity request exceeds the soft limit but does not exceed the hard limit.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the filter is stored in at least one of the set consisting of a server and a set top box.

10. A computer readable medium containing instructions that when executed by a computer perform a method for authorizing activity in an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) environment, comprising:

receiving an activity request from a viewer for an IPTV activity;

checking the activity request against a filter for the viewer;

refusing the activity request when the activity exceeds an authorization limit in the filter;

receiving a request to exceed the authorization limit in the filter;

presenting the request to an account administrator for authorization; and

notifying the viewer of the authorization.

11. The medium of claim 10, wherein in the method the authorization limit comprising at least one of the set consisting of an MPAA rating, a monetary amount, an activity period and an activity per period.

12. The medium of claim 10, wherein in the method the activity comprises at least one of the set consisting of a viewing event and an item purchase.

13. The medium of claim 10, wherein in the method the filter further comprises a plurality of cascaded filters.

14. The medium of claim 10, wherein in the method presenting further comprises supplying at least one of the set consisting of a viewer usemame, an activity name, an account balance, MPAA rating and a cost to the account administrator.

15. The medium of claim 10, wherein in the method notifying an account administrator further comprises contacting the account administrator using at least one of the set consisting of an email address, text message and a telephone phone number.

16. The medium of claim 10, the method further comprising:

importing an authorization limit to the filter.

17. The medium of claim 10, wherein in the method the authorization limit further comprises a hard limit and a soft limit, the method further comprising:

automatically granting authorization request in the account administrator when the activity request exceeds the soft limit but does not exceed the hard limit.

18. The medium of claim 10, wherein in the method the filter is stored in at least one of the set consisting of a server and a set top box.

19. A set of application program interfaces embodied on a computer readable medium for execution on a computer in conjunction with an application program in an IPTV environment comprising:

a first interface that receives a viewer request for an IPTV activity;

a second interface that receives a request to exceed an authorization limit for the viewer; and

a third interface that receives authorization for the activity.

20. The set of application program interfaces of claim 19, wherein the authorization limit comprises at least one of the set consisting of an MPAA rating, a monetary amount, an activity period and an activity per period limit.

21. The set of application program interfaces of claim 19, wherein the authorization limit further comprises an imported authorization limit.

22. The set of application program interfaces of claim 19, wherein the authorization limit further comprises a hard limit and a soft limit, wherein the request is automatically granted when the activity request exceeds the soft limit but does not exceed the hard limit.