METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING BETWEEN A USER DEVICE AND A GATEWAY DEVICE TO FORM A SYSTEM TO ALLOW A PARTNER SERVICE TO BE PROVIDED TO THE USER DEVICE

• US 20090164579A1
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• 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 9,143,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method of communicating between a user receiving device, a user locator module and a partner service provider includes a gateway device having a port configured to communicate with a user receiving device. The user receiving device registers with the user device locator module through the port. The user device locator module determines the location of a user receiving device. The partner service provider and the user receiving device form a peer-to-peer connection in response to the location data.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a port of a gateway device comprising:

restarting or rebooting a user receiving device;

communicating a multicast packet to the gateway device;

communicating a port forwarding status to the user receiving device from the gateway device;

locating an open port at the gateway device in response to the port forwarding status;

communicating an open port signal from the gateway device to the user receiving device indicating an open port on the gateway device; and

listening to the open port from the user receiving device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein rebooting or restarting a user receiving device comprises rebooting or restarting a television receiving device.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein rebooting or restarting a user receiving device comprises rebooting or restarting a satellite television receiving device.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating a multicast packet comprises communicating a universal plug-and-play multicast packet.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein locating an open port comprises locating the open port using a port scan.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein locating an open port comprises locating the open port by arbitrarily picking an open port.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising registering the user receiving device through the port.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein registering the user receiving comprises

forming a secure connection between a user receiving device and a user device locator module;

communicating user identifier data to the user device locator module from the user receiving device;

communicating port data from the user receiving device to the user device locator module;

authenticating the user data from the user device locator module; and

after authenticating, registering the port data at the user device locator module.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user receiving device receives primary service data and said user receiving device receives partner service data through the open port.

30. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user receiving device receives primary service data and said user receiving device receives partner service data through the port.

10. A method comprising:

configuring a port of a gateway device to communicate with a user receiving device;

registering the user receiving device with a user device locator module through the port;

determining the location of a user receiving device from a partner service using the user device locator module; and

forming a peer-to-peer connection between the partner service provider and the user receiving device.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein configuring comprises:

restarting or rebooting the user receiving device;

communicating a multicast packet to the gateway device;

communicating a port forwarding status to the user receiving device from the gateway device;

locating an open port at the gateway device in response to the port forwarding status; and

communicating an open port signal from the gateway device to the user receiving device indicating an open port on the gateway device;

12. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein rebooting or restarting a user receiving device comprises rebooting or restarting a television receiving device.

13. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein rebooting or restarting a user receiving device comprises rebooting or restarting a satellite television receiving device.

14. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein communicating a multicast packet comprises communicating a universal plug-and-play multicast packet.

15. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein locating an open port comprises locating the open port using a port scan.

16. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein locating an open port comprises locating the open port by arbitrarily picking an open port.

17. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein registering the user receiving comprises:

forming a secure connection between the user receiving device and the user device locator module;

communicating user identifier data to the user device locator module from the user receiving device;

communicating port data from the user receiving device to the user device locator module;

authenticating the user data from the user device locator module; and

after authenticating, registering the port data at the user device locator module.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 further comprising prior to forming a secure connection, configuring a port of a gateway device so that the user receiving device listens thereto.

19. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein authenticating comprises authenticating the user data by communicating between the user receiving device locator module and an authentication server of a primary service provider.

20. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein communicating port data comprises communicating an IP address.

21. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein communicating port data comprises communicating an IP address, forwarding port data and an access card identifier.

22. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein communicating port data comprises communicating an IP address, forwarding port data, an access card identifier and a receiver identifier.

23. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein communicating port data comprises communicating an IP address, forwarding port data, an access card identifier, a receiver identifier and a service description.

24. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein authenticating comprises communicating a request for authentication from the user device locator module to an authentication server;

authenticating the user data at the authentication server and generating authentication data at the authentication server; and

communicating the authentication data to the user device locator module.

25. A method as recited in claim 24 wherein communicating a request for authentication comprises communicating a user device identifier to the authentication server.

26. A method as recited in claim 24 wherein communicating a request for authentication comprises communicating a site identifier to the authentication server.

27. A method as recited in claim 24 wherein communicating a request for authentication comprises communicating a site identifier and a user device identifier to the authentication server.

28. A method as recited in claim 24 wherein communicating a request for authentication comprises communicating an encrypted token to the authentication server.

29. A method as recited in claim 24 wherein communicating a request for authentication comprises communicating an encrypted token, a site identifier and a user device identifier to the authentication server.

31. A system comprising:

a user receiving device;

a user device locator module;

a gateway device having a port configured to communicate with a user receiving device;

said user receiving device registering with the user device locator module through the port;

said user device locator module determining the location of a user receiving device; and

said partner service provider and the user receiving device forming a peer-to-peer connection in response to the location data.

32. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein the user receiving device comprises a television receiving device.

33. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein the user receiving device comprises a satellite television receiving device.

34. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein said user receiving device communicating a multicast packet to the gateway device in response to rebooting or restarting;

said gateway device communicating a port forwarding status to the user receiving device;

said user device locating an open port at the gateway device in response to the port forwarding status; and

said gateway device communicating an open port signal to the user receiving device indicating an open port on the gateway device;

35. A system as recited in claim 34 wherein the multicast packet comprises a universal plug-and-play multicast packet.

36. A system as recited in claim 34 wherein said user device forms a secure connection with a user device locator module and communicates user identifier data and port data to the user device locator module, said system further comprising an authentication module authenticating the user data from the user device locator module, said user device locator module registering the port data at the user device locator module in response to authenticating.

37. A system as recited in claim 36 wherein the port data comprises an IP address.

38. A system as recited in claim 36 wherein the port data comprises an IP address, forwarding port data and an access card identifier.

39. A system as recited in claim 36 wherein the port data comprises an IP address, forwarding port data, an access card identifier and a receiver identifier.

40. A system as recited in claim 36 wherein the port data comprises an IP address, forwarding port data, an access card identifier, a receiver identifier and a service description.

41. A system as recited in claim 36 wherein the user device locator module communicates a request for authentication to the authentication server;

said authentication server authenticating the user data, generating authentication data and communicating the authentication data to the user device locator module.

42. A system as recited in claim 41 wherein the request for authentication comprises a user device identifier.

43. A system as recited in claim 41 wherein the request for authentication comprises a site identifier.

44. A system as recited in claim 41 wherein the request for authentication comprises a site identifier and a user device identifier.

45. A system as recited in claim 41 wherein the request for authentication comprises an encrypted token.

46. A system as recited in claim 41 wherein the request for authentication comprises an encrypted token, a site identifier and a user device identifier.

47. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein the user receiving device receives primary service data and said user receiving device receives partner service data through the port.