Method and system for providing a predeactivation warning in a system having a conditional access authorization expiration in a mobile receiving device

• US 20080148361A1
• Filed: 12/13/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Norin, John, Klauss, Peter M., Guzman, Jorge, Casavant, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,243,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26606 for generating or managing entitlement messages, e.g. Entitlement Control Message [ECM] or Entitlement Management Message [EMM] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• 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 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A system and method for providing conditional access authorizations in a satellite-receiving system includes generating a conditional access authorization signal and an expiration signal at a head-end 20, receiving the conditional access authorization signal at a fixed satellite receiver 54 or at a mobile satellite receiver 28. When the mobile satellite receiver operates in a predetermined time window before the expiration time, which is determined from the expiration signal, a warning 434 on a screen display 432 is generated.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

communicating a conditional access authorization signal and an expiration signal to a mobile playback device;

storing the conditional access authorization signal and the expiration signal in a mobile receiver;

enabling use of received signals by the mobile satellite receiver in response to the conditional access authorization signal; and

when a current time is within a time window from an expiration time determined from the expiration signal, generating a screen display corresponding to a reauthorization warning.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein communicating comprises communicating the conditional access authorization signal and the expiration signal through a satellite.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein communicating comprises wirelessly communicating the conditional access authorization signal and the expiration signal.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein wirelessly communicating the conditional access authorization signal comprises communicating the conditional access authorization signal and the expiration signal through a wireless network.

5. A method as in claim 3 wherein wirelessly communicating the conditional access authorization signal comprises communicating the conditional access authorization signal and the expiration signal through a WiFi network.

6. A method as in claim 3 wherein wirelessly communicating the conditional access authorization signal comprises communicating the conditional access authorization signal and the expiration signal through an extender of a wireless phone network.

7. A method as in claim 3 wherein wirelessly communicating the conditional access authorization signal comprises communicating the conditional access authorization signal and the expiration signal through a cellular phone network.

8. A method as in claim 3 wherein communicating comprises storing the conditional access authorization signal and the expiration signal on a memory device and further comprising coupling the memory device to a mobile playback device.

9. A method as in claim 1 wherein the mobile satellite receiver comprises a mobile integrated receiver decoder.

10. A method as in claim 1 wherein generating the call-back signal comprises generating the conditional access authorization signal and the expiration signal at a head end.

11. A method comprising:

communicating a conditional access authorization signal and an expiration signal to a mobile playback device;

storing the conditional access authorization signal and the expiration signal in a mobile satellite receiver;

enabling use of the satellite signals by the mobile satellite receiver in response to the conditional access authorization signal;

when a current time is within a time window from an expiration time determined from the expiration signal, generating a screen display corresponding to a reauthorization warning;

contacting a business center;

providing identifying information to the business center;

communicating a reauthorization signal and a second expiration signal to the mobile receiving device;

storing the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal in the mobile satellite receiver; and

enabling use of the satellite signals by the mobile satellite receiver in response to the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal.

12. A method as in claim 11 wherein communicating comprises communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal through a satellite.

13. A method as in claim 11 wherein communicating comprises wirelessly communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal through a satellite.

14. A method as in claim 13 wherein wirelessly communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal comprises communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal through a wireless network.

15. A method as in claim 13 wherein wirelessly communicating the conditional access authorization signal comprises communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal through a WiFi network.

16. A method as in claim 13 wherein wirelessly communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal comprises communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal through an extender of a wireless phone network.

17. A method as in claim 13 wherein wirelessly communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal comprises communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal through a cellular phone network.

18. A method as in claim 13 wherein communicating comprises storing the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal on a memory device and further comprising coupling the memory device to a mobile playback device.

19. A method as in claim 11 wherein the mobile satellite receiver comprises a mobile integrated receiver decoder.

20. A method as in claim 11 wherein generating the conditional access authorization signal comprises generating the conditional access authorization signal and the expiration signal at a head end.

21. A system comprising:

a business center communicating a conditional access authorization signal and an expiration signal;

a display; and

a mobile satellite receiver coupled to the display and receiving the conditional access authorization signal and the expiration signal corresponding to an expiration time, the mobile receiver enabling use of a satellite signal in response to the conditional access authorization signal, when the mobile satellite receiver operates in a predetermined time window before the expiration time, generating a warning on the display.

22. A system as recited in claim 21 further comprising a wireless network communicating the conditional access authorization signal to the mobile satellite receiver.

23. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the wireless network comprises a WiFi network.

24. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the wireless network comprises an extender of a wireless phone network.

25. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the wireless network comprises a cellular phone network.

26. A system as recited in claim 21 further comprising a portable storage device storing the conditional access from the fixed satellite receiver.

27. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the fixed satellite receiver comprises a home-based satellite television receiver.

28. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the mobile satellite receiver comprises a vehicle-based satellite television receiver.