Method and apparatus for distributing geographically restricted video data in an internet protocol television (IPTV) system

• US 20080046922A1
• Filed: 08/01/2006
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cababing, Erick, Jankins, Richard G., Webster, Thomas Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,774,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/35
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• 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 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method for distributing geographical restriction data in an internet protocol television (IPTV) system is disclosed. The method includes accepting at an IPTV server, a request from an IPTV client for the geographical restriction data related to geographically restricted video data, determining at the server, a plurality of geographic restriction zones for the geographically restricted video data and sending from the server to the client a message containing the restriction data related to at least one of the restriction zones.

Claims

1. A method for distributing geographical restriction data in an internet protocol television (IPTV) system, the method comprising:

accepting at an IPTV server, a request from an IPTV client for the restriction data related to geographically restricted video data;

determining at the server, a plurality of geographic restriction zones for the geographically restricted video data; and

sending from the server to the client a message containing the restriction data related to at least one of the plurality of restriction zones.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message further comprises electronic program guide (EPG) formatted data containing the restriction data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the client comprises an IPTV set top box (STB), the method further comprising:

selecting one of the plurality of restriction zones containing the client STB and determining a fee for receiving the video data in the selected restriction zone, wherein the EPG further comprises the fee.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the restriction zone is selected using a geographical information system to determine a spatial relationship between the client and the restriction zone.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

accepting at the server, from the client a selection from the EPG data requesting the video data; and

sending the requested video data from the server to the remote client.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the message further comprises data indicating IPTV set top boxes in each of the plurality of restriction zones and wherein the client further comprises a service provider in the IPTV system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the message further comprises IPTV clients selected from the group consisting of clients that are receiving the video data in each of the restriction zones and new STBs in each of the restriction zones.

8. A method for receiving geographical restriction data in an internet protocol television (IPTV) system comprising:

selecting, at an IPTV client device in a geographic restriction zone, an electronic program guide (EPG) listing for a geographically restricted video data segment;

sending from the client device a request for restriction data for the selected video data segment to an IPTV server; and

receiving at the IPTV client device the restriction data in an EPG data format for the selected video data from the IPTV server.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the restriction data further comprises data indicating a fee for receiving the video data at the IPTV client device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sending a request for the video data from the client device to an IPTV server; and

receiving at the client device the video data from the IPTV server.

11. A computer readable medium containing a computer program for distributing geographical restriction data in an internet protocol television (IPTV) system, the computer program comprising:

instructions to accept at an IPTV server, a request from an IPTV client for the restriction data related to geographically restricted video data;

instructions to determine at the server, a plurality of geographic restriction zones for the geographically restricted video data; and

instructions to send from the server to the client a message containing the restriction data related to at least one of the plurality of restriction zones.

12. The medium of claim 11, wherein the message further comprises an electronic program guide (EPG) formatted data containing the restriction data.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein the client comprises an IPTV set top box, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to select one of the plurality of restriction zones containing the client and determining a fee for receiving the video data in the selected restriction zone, wherein the EPG further comprises the fee.

14. The medium of claim 12, wherein the restriction zone is selected using a geographical information system to determine a spatial relationship between the client and the restriction zone.

15. The medium of claim 12, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to accept at the server, from the client a selection from the EPG requesting the video data; and

instructions to send the requested video data from the server to the remote client.

16. The medium of claim 11, wherein the message further comprises data indicating IPTV set top boxes in each of the plurality of restriction zones and wherein the client further comprises a service provider in the IPTV system.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein the message further comprises IPTV clients selected from the group consisting of clients that are receiving the video data in each of the restriction zones and new STBs in each of the restriction zones.

18. A computer readable medium for containing a computer program for receiving geographical restriction data in an internet protocol television (IPTV), the computer program comprising:

instructions to select, at an IPTV client device in a geographic restriction zone, an electronic program guide (EPG) listing for a geographically restricted video data segment;

instructions to send from the client device a request for restriction data for the selected video data segment to an IPTV server; and

instructions to receive at the IPTV client device the restriction data in EPG data for the selected video data from the IPTV server.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein the restriction data further comprises data indicating a fee for receiving the video data at the IPTV client device.

20. The medium of claim 19, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to send a request for the video data from the client device to an IPTV server; and

instructions to receive at the client device the video data from the IPTV server.

21. A data structure in memory comprising:

a video data identifier field for containing data indicating an identifier for a geographically restricted video data segment;

a video event location field for containing data indicative of a locus of a video event location for the geographically restricted video segment;

a geographical radius restriction distances field for containing data which indicates the radius of the geographical restriction zones relative to the video event location; and

a first restriction zone price field for containing data indicating a fee for viewing the geographically restricted video data at an STB in a first restriction zone associated with the video data identifier.

22. The data structure of claim 21, further comprising:

a restriction zone radius field for containing data indicating a radius of a second restriction zone relative to the locus of the event;

a second restriction zone price field is provided for containing data indicating a fee or price for viewing the geographically restricted video data segment data at STB in a second restriction zone associated with the video data identifier;

a third restriction zone radius field for containing data indicating a radius of a third restriction zone relative to the locus of the event; and

a third restriction zone price field for containing data indicating a fee for viewing the geographically restricted video data associated with the video data identifier at STB in a third restriction zone.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving the geographically restricted video data from the IPTV server.

23. In an IPTV system having a graphical user interface (GUI) including a display and a selection device, a method of providing and selecting from the GUI on the display, the method comprising:

receiving electronic program guide (EPG) formatted data containing listings for geographic restricted video data;

displaying the EPG formatted data on the display;

receiving a first EPG listing selection signal indicative of the selection device pointing at a first selected EPG listing; and

in response to the selection signal, sending data indicating a request to an IPTV server requesting geographic restriction data for the first selected EPG listing.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving the geographic restriction data;

displaying the restriction data in an EPG format on the display;

receiving a second EPG listing selection signal indicative of the selection device pointing at a second EPG selected EPG listing; and

in response to the second signal, sending a request for the geographically restricted video data to an IPTV server requesting the geographically restricted video data.