Method for acquiring services on a multiplicity of devices

• US 20070142033A1
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Suryanarayana, Lalitha, Doradla, Anil, Nadarajah, Dinesh, Grannan, Michael, Wolter, David, Desai, Umesh, Deas, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,065,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for acquiring services on a multiplicity of devices. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a service management center (SMC) (100) that has a plurality of service centers (102-110) for supplying services to a corresponding plurality of devices (120-128), and a controller (112) for managing operations of the service centers. The controller is programmed to receive (202) from a select one of the devices an identification reference in response to a request for service by an end user, search (210) for one or more services associated with the identification reference, select (212) from the search results one or more services appropriate for the requesting device, and enable (220) the one or more services on the selected device.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium in a service management center (SMC) for managing operations of a plurality of service centers, comprising computer instructions for enabling a selection of one or more services of the service centers on a select one of a plurality of devices according to a single identification reference supplied by an end user to enable any of the services of the service centers.

2. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein one or more of the devices are owned by someone other than the end user.

3. The storage medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions for:

receiving from a select one of the devices the single identification reference in response to a request for service by an end user;

selecting one or more services associated with the single identification reference appropriate for the requesting device; and

enabling the one or more services on the selected device.

4. The storage medium of claim 3, comprising computer instructions for:

authenticating the single identification reference;

determining if the service requested is enabled for the end user on a device different from the selected device; and

upon a finding that the single identification reference is valid and there are no services enabled for the end user on a device other than the selected device, searching for one or more services associated with the single identification reference.

5. The storage medium of claim 3, comprising computer instructions for adapting the one or more services to the selected device.

6. The storage medium of claim 3, comprising computer instructions for restricting access to the one or more services on the selected device according to a security policy.

7. The storage medium of claim 3, comprising computer instructions for restricting access to the one or more services on the selected device according to a digital rights management (DRM) policy.

8. The storage medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions for submitting the single identification reference from a select one of the devices to the SMC according to at least one among a group of identification techniques comprising biometric identification, wired or wireless identification detection, smart card identification, magnetic identification, RFID, barcode identification, and electro-mechanical entry.

9. The storage medium of claim 8, wherein biometric identification comprises at least one among an audible recognition, and an image recognition, and wherein the one or more services provided by the service centers comprise at least one among multimedia services, utility services, and retail services.

10. A service management center (SMC), comprising:

a plurality of service centers for supplying services to a corresponding plurality of devices; and

a controller for managing operations of the service centers, programmed to;

receive from a select one of the devices an identification reference in response to a request for service by an end user;

search for one or more services associated with the identification reference;

select from the search results one or more services appropriate for the requesting device; and

enable the one or more services on the selected device.

11. The SMC of claim 10, wherein the controller is programmed to adapt the one or more services to the selected device.

12. The SMC of claim 10, wherein the controller is programmed to restrict access to the one or more services on the selected device for a limited period.

13. The SMC of claim 10, wherein the controller is programmed to restrict access to the one or more services on the selected device according to a digital rights management (DRM) policy.

14. The SMC of claim 10, wherein the controller is programmed to receive the identification reference from a select one of the devices according to at least one among a group of identification signatures comprising a biometric signature, a digital signature, a smart card signature, a magnetic signature, a barcode signature, an RFID signature, and a keypad coded signature.

15. The SMC of claim 14, wherein the biometric signature comprises at least one among an audible recognition, and an image recognition, and wherein the one or more services provided by the service centers comprise at least one among multimedia services, utility services, and retail services.

16. A computer-readable storage medium in a select one of a plurality of devices, comprising computer instructions for acquiring access to a select one or more services from a plurality of service centers on the selected device according to a single identification reference transmitted by the selected device.

17. The storage medium of claim 16, comprising computer instructions for:

transmitting from the selected device to a service management center (SMC) that manages operations of the service centers the identification reference in response to a request for service by an end user of the selected device; and

acquiring access to one or more services selected by the SMC according to the identification reference.

18. The storage medium of claim 16, comprising computer instructions for acquiring access to one or more services adapted to the selected device.

19. The storage medium of claim 16, comprising computer instructions for acquiring access to one or more services restricted in use for a limited period.

20. The storage medium of claim 16, comprising computer instructions for acquiring access to one or more services restricted in use according to a digital rights management (DRM) policy.

21. The storage medium of claim 16, comprising computer instructions for transmitting the identification reference according to at least one among a group of identification signatures comprising a biometric signature, a digital signature, a smart card signature, a magnetic signature, a barcode signature, an RFID signature, and an electro-mechanical coded signature, and wherein the one or more services provided by the service centers comprise at least one among multimedia services, utility services, and retail services.