METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A GENERIC PROGRAM GUIDE DATA FROM A PRIMARY CONTENT PROVIDER TO A USER NETWORK DEVICE THROUGH A PARTNER SERVICE PROVIDER

• US 20090161871A1
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chaudhry, Kapil
• Granted Patent: US 9,137,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859

Abstract

A system and method for providing program guide data includes a partner service provider generating a request for a first encrypted token using a partner site identifier and a primary service provider having an authentication web service receiving the request for the first encrypted token. The primary service provider validates the partner site identifier, generates a first encrypted token at the authentication web service when the partner site identifier is valid and communicates the encrypted token to the partner service provider. The partner service provider requests for program guide data from the partner service provider with the first encrypted token. The primary service provider communicates program guide data to the partner service provider through the network. A user network device requesting program guide data from the partner service provider. The partner service provider communicates the program guide data from the partner service provider through the network. The user network device displays the program guide data on a display.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a request for a first encrypted token from a partner service provider using a partner site identifier;

communicating the request for the first encrypted token to an authentication web service;

validating the partner site identifier;

generating a first encrypted token at the authentication web service when the partner site identifier is valid;

communicating the encrypted token to the partner service provider;

requesting for linear program guide data from the partner service provider with the first encrypted token;

communicating program guide data from a primary service provider to the partner service provider through the network;

requesting program guide data at the user network device from the partner service provider;

communicating the program guide data from the partner service provider through the network; and

displaying the program guide data on a display of the user network device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the program guide data comprises a channel object.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the channel object comprises a content identifier.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the program guide data comprises a schedule object.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein the schedule object comprises a schedule time.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the program guide data comprises a schedule object within the channel object.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the program guide data comprises a program object.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein the program object comprises a program title.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the program guide data comprises a program object within a channel object.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the program guide data comprises a program object and a schedule object within a channel object.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein validating the partner site identifier comprises validating the partner site identifier at an authentication web service of the primary service provider.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein validating the partner site identifier comprises validating the partner site identifier at a set up web service of the primary service provider.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating a first encrypted token comprises generating the first encrypted token by encrypting the partner site identifier.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating a second encrypted token at the authentication web service when the first encrypted token has expired.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein generating a first encrypted token comprises generating the first encrypted token having a first expiration time and wherein generating a second encrypted token comprises generating a second encrypted token in response to a second expiration time, later than the first expiration time.

16. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising communicating the second encrypted token from the authentication web service to the partner service provider.

17. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising communicating the second encrypted token from the partner service provider to the program guide web service with a second request for data.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 further comprising after communicating the second encrypted token, communicating the second encrypted token to the authentication server and authenticating the second encrypted token.

19. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the program guide data comprises non-linear guide data.

20. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the program guide data comprises linear guide data.

21. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the program guide data comprises linear guide data and non-linear guide data.

22. A system comprising:

a partner service provider generating a request for a first encrypted token using a partner site identifier; and

a primary service provider having an authentication web service receiving the request for the first encrypted token, validating the partner site identifier, generating a first encrypted token at the authentication web service when the partner site identifier is valid and communicating the encrypted token to the partner service provider;

said partner service provider requesting for program guide data from the partner service provider with the first encrypted token;

said primary service provider communicating program guide data to the partner service provider through the network;

a user network device requesting program guide data from the partner service provider;

said partner service provider communicating the program guide data from the partner service provider through the network; and

said user network device displaying the program guide data on a display.

23. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the program guide data comprises a channel object.

24. A system as recited in claim 23 wherein the channel object comprises a content identifier.

25. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the program guide data comprises a schedule object.

26. A system as recited in claim 25 wherein the schedule object comprises a schedule time.

27. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the program guide data comprises a schedule object within the channel object.

28. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the program guide data comprises a program object.

29. A system as recited in claim 28 wherein the program object comprises a program title.

30. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the program guide data comprises a program object within a channel object.

31. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the program guide data comprises a program object and a schedule object within a channel object.

32. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the authentication web service validates the partner site identifier.

33. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein a setup web service validates the partner site identifier.

34. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the authentication web service generates a first encrypted token by encrypting the partner site identifier.

35. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the authentication web service generates a second encrypted token at the authentication web service when the first encrypted token has expired.

36. A system as recited in claim 35 wherein the authentication web service generates the first encrypted token having a first expiration time and a second encrypted token from a second expiration time, later than the first expiration time.

37. A system as recited in claim 35 wherein the authentication web service communicates the second encrypted token from the authentication web service to the partner service provider.

38. A system as recited in claim 35 wherein the partner service provider communicates the second encrypted token from the partner service provider to the program guide web service with a second request for data.

39. A system as recited in claim 38 wherein the program guide web service further comprises, communicating the second encrypted token to the authentication server and said authentication server authenticating the second encrypted token.

40. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the program guide data comprises non-linear guide data.

41. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the program guide data comprises linear guide data.

42. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the program guide data comprises linear guide data and non-linear guide data.