Systems and Methods to Control Access to Multimedia Content

• US 20100115592A1
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pratt, James, Sullivan, Marc, Belz, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,850,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/17 using an input/output type connection, e.g. channel, I/O port
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1013 to locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/40 by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/40 Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• 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 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 : involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only

Abstract

Systems and methods to control access to multimedia are disclosed. A method includes receiving a request for multimedia content at a computing device, retrieving a destination address of a mobile communication device related to an authorized user of the computing device and determining whether the mobile communication device is located within a predetermined distance from the computing device. When the mobile communication device is located within the communicative distance from the computing device, the multimedia content is received at the computing device. When the mobile communication device is not located within the communicative distance from the computing device, an authorization-request message is transmitted via a network to the destination address of the mobile communication device, wherein the authorization-request message includes a request for authorization to receive the multimedia content at the computing device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request for multimedia content at a computing device;

retrieving a destination address of a mobile communication device related to an authorized user of the computing device;

determining whether the mobile communication device is located within a communicative distance from the computing device;

receiving the multimedia content at the computing device when the mobile communication device is located within the communicative distance from the computing device; and

transmitting an authorization-request message via a network to the destination address of the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device is not located within the communicative distance from the computing device, wherein the authorization-request message includes a request for authorization to receive the multimedia content at the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for the multimedia content includes a passcode to enable the computing device to receive the multimedia content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a personal computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for the multimedia content is sent at a time that is outside a viewing profile time period, the viewing profile being related to a particular user of the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization-request message includes a rating of the multimedia content that is unauthorized by a viewing profile related to a particular user of the computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization-request message includes a start time of the multimedia content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization-request message includes a subject matter description of the multimedia content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization-request message includes a duration of the multimedia content.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a response message from the mobile communication device via the network, the response message including a response to the request for authorization to receive the multimedia content at the computing device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving the multimedia content at the computing device when the response to the request for authorization includes an authorization to receive the multimedia content at the computing device.

11. A computer-readable medium comprising operational instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a request for multimedia content at a computer;

retrieve a plurality of destination addresses of a plurality of mobile communication devices, each mobile communication device related to an authorized user of the computer;

determine whether at least one of the plurality of mobile communication devices is located within a predetermined distance from the computer;

receive the multimedia content at the computer when one of the plurality of mobile communication devices is located within the predetermined distance from the computer; and

transmit a first authorization-request message via a network to a first destination address of the plurality of destination addresses when none of the plurality of mobile communication devices is located within the predetermined distance from the computer, wherein the first authorization-request message includes a request for authorization to receive the multimedia content at the computer.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the request for authorization to receive the multimedia content at the computer includes a request for information to authenticate an authorized user of the computer.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the information to authenticate the user includes a personal identification number (PIN).

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive a response message from a mobile communication device at the first destination address via the network, the response message including a response to the request for authorization to receive the multimedia content at the computer; and

receive the multimedia content at the computer when the response to the request for authorization includes an authorization to receive the multimedia content at the computer.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

transmit a second authorization-request message via the network to a second destination address of the plurality of destination addresses when a predetermined amount of time has elapsed after transmitting the first authorization-request message to the first destination address without receiving a response message from the first destination address, wherein the second authorization-request message includes a request for authorization to receive the multimedia content at the computer.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive a response message from a mobile communication device at the second destination address via the network, the received response message including a response to the request for authorization to receive the multimedia content at the computer; and

receive the multimedia content at the computer when the response to the request for authorization includes an authorization to receive the multimedia content at the computer.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the computer comprises a set top box.

18. A set top box comprising:

an input/output (I/O) interface to receive a request for multimedia content;

a proximity detector to determine whether a mobile communication device is located within a predetermined distance from the set top box;

an authorization module to;

determine whether the request for the multimedia content is unauthorized according to a viewing profile related to a particular user of the set top box;

retrieve a destination address of a mobile communication device associated with an authorized user of the set top box;

determine from the proximity detector whether the mobile communication device is located within the predetermined distance from the set top box;

receive the multimedia content at the set top box when the mobile communication device is located within the predetermined distance from the set top box; and

transmit an authorization-request message via a network to the destination address of the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device is not located within the predetermined distance from the set top box, wherein the authorization-request message includes a request for authorization to receive the multimedia content at the set top box.

19. The set top box of claim 18, wherein the mobile communication device includes one of a mobile phone, and a personal digital assistant.

20. The set top box of claim 18, wherein the request message includes an identification of a particular channel.

21. The set top box of claim 20, wherein the request for the multimedia content includes a passcode to enable the set top box to provide multimedia content via the particular channel.

22. The set top box of claim 21, wherein the passcode comprises a personal identification number (PIN).

23. The set top box of claim 18, wherein the proximity detector uses a short-range, high-frequency, wireless communication to determine whether the mobile communication device is located within the predetermined distance from the set top box.

24. The set top box of claim 18, wherein the proximity detector uses a frequency-hopping-spread-spectrum radio signal to determine whether the mobile communication device is located within the predetermined distance from the set top box.