METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A CONTENT NOTIFICATION FOR A SET-TOP BOX

• US 20100058395A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Emerson, David, LaFreniere, Gary W., Goergen, Michael, Rondeau, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,300,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• 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 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44226 on social networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• 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 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and system for providing a content notification for a set-top box is disclosed. An embodiment is disclosed that receives security information at a web portal and the security information has identification information for a user assigned to a set-top box, services a request to create a content notification preference for the set-top box at the web portal in response to successful entry of security information, determines media content received by the set-top box and the media content selected for display, determines the content notification preference associated with the set-top box, the content notification preference has a content notification rule to monitor media content received by the set-top box, and sends a content notification to a recipient based on the content notification preference.

Claims

1. A method for providing a content notification, comprising:

receiving security information at a web portal, the security information comprises identification information for a user assigned to a set-top box;

servicing a request to create a content notification preference for the set-top box at the web portal in response to successful entry of security information;

determining media content received by the set-top box, the media content selected for display;

determining the content notification preference associated with the set-top box, the content notification preference comprises a content notification rule to monitor media content received by the set-top box; and

sending a content notification to a recipient based on the content notification preference.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting usage information from the set-top box on media content currently being displayed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the content notification rule further comprises a descriptor for media content.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from a user device to display a message at the set-top box.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the content notification comprises a message sent to a mobile device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the content notification comprises a message sent to a mobile device.

6. A method for providing a content notification, comprising:

receiving security information at a web portal, the security information comprising identification information for a user assigned to a set-top box;

servicing a request to create a content notification preference for the set-top box at the web portal in response to successful entry of security information;

receiving a request for usage information for the set-top box in accordance with the content notification preference, the content notification preference comprises a content notification rule to monitor media content on the set-top box and send a content notification to recipient; and

sending usage information for the set-top box based upon the content notification preference.

7. The method of claim 7, comprising:

detecting a change of media content received at the set-top box; and

storing usage information on the change of media content in a database.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the content notification rule further comprises a descriptor for media content.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a message at the set-top box from the recipient.

10. A method for providing an interface for content notification, comprising:

receiving security information at a web portal, the security information comprises identification information for a user assigned to a set-top box;

servicing a request to create a content notification preference for the set-top box at the web portal in response to successful entry of security information, the content notification preference comprises a content notification rule to monitor media content received by the set-top box;

receiving input to establish the content notification rule for monitoring content at the set-top box; and

requesting a content notification from a notification module, the notification module operable to send the content notification to a recipient based on the content notification preference.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the content notification comprises a message sent to a mobile device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the content notification rule further comprises a descriptor for media content.

13. The system for providing a content notification, comprising:

a computer readable medium operable to store a content notification preference associated with a user assigned to a set-top box, the content notification preference comprises a content notification rule to monitor media content selected at the set-top box; and

a content notification module in communication with the computer readable medium and operable to send a content notification to a recipient in accordance with the content notification preference.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the content notification module requests usage information for the set-top box, the usage information comprises media content currently being displayed.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the content notification comprises a message sent to a mobile device.

16. The system for providing a content notification, comprising:

a processor operable to execute a set of instructions; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium operable to store a set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions are configured to;

receive security information at a web portal, the security information comprises identification information for a user assigned to a set-top box;

service a request to create a content notification preference for the set-top box at the web portal in response to successful entry of security information;

determine media content received by the set-top box, the media content selected for display;

determine the content notification preference associated with the set-top box, the content notification preference comprises a content notification rule to monitor media content received by the set-top box; and

send a content notification to a recipient based on the content notification preference.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the set of instructions further comprises:

detecting a change of media content at the set-top box; and

storing usage information on the change in a database.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the content notification rule further comprises a descriptor of media content.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the set of instructions further comprises:

receiving a message at the set-top box from the recipient.