UNLIMITED ACCESS TO MEDIA AND APPLICATIONS OVER WIRELESS INFRASTRUCTURE

• US 20120117620A1
• Filed: 06/10/2011
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cricket Communications Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cassidy, Brendon P., Zalon, Zack, Bolton, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,021,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus are presented for providing unlimited access to either or both of media content, such as music, and applications. A media server environment can be provided, which maintains an instance of each subscriber account, a central archive of media content, and an application catalog. Selected media content can be downloaded to, and stored locally at, a subscriber device, such as on a secure storage device. Also, selected applications can be locally installed on the subscriber device. Access to the local media content and locally installed applications can be controlled through the media server environment based on the status of the subscriber'"'"'s account. If the subscriber'"'"'s account becomes inactive, access to the downloaded media content and installed applications can be disabled. Once the subscriber'"'"'s account is reactivated, access to the downloaded media content and applications can be restored.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing access to media content, the method comprising:

receiving a request to access a media server environment from a mobile communications device;

identifying a subscriber account associated with the mobile communications device;

determining that the subscriber account is current and authorized to access the media server environment; and

providing authorization to access the media server environment;

wherein the authorization also enables access to media content stored on the mobile communications device.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

sending an access denial message when determining that the subscriber account is not current, or not authorized or both.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the denial message includes one or more reasons for denying access.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the request to access media server comprises a request to access only local content or local application on the mobile communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprises:

when determining that the subscriber account is current and authorized to access the media server environment, automatically providing access to the media content stored on the mobile communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization that also enables access to media content stored on the mobile communications device further comprises:

providing access to local content for a predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined period of time comprises a pre-paid period.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing authorization to access the media server environment and to media content stored on the mobile communications device comprises:

providing unlimited use access.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when determining that the subscriber account is current and authorized to access the media server environment, displaying a user interface corresponding to the media server environment.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transferring one or more updates associated with media content stored on the mobile communication device to the mobile communication device.

11. A media content distribution system comprising:

a mobile communications device configured to communicate over a wireless telecommunications network; and

a media server environment comprising one or more servers configured to communicate over the wireless telecommunications network and to tangibly store media content, the media server environment including processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving an access request from the mobile communications device;

identifying a subscriber account associated with the mobile communications device;

determining that the subscriber account is current and authorized to access the media server environment; and

providing authorization to access the media server environment;

wherein the authorization also enables access to media content stored on the mobile communications device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the media server environment comprising one or more servers is configured to send an access denial message when determining that the subscriber account is not current, or not authorized or both.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the denial message includes one or more reasons for denying access.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the media server environment comprising one or more servers is configured to determine whether the request to access media server comprises a request to access only local content or local application on the mobile communication device.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the media server environment comprising one or more servers is configured to:

automatically provide access to the media content stored on the mobile communication device when determining that the subscriber account is current and authorized to access the media server environment.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the media server environment comprising one or more servers is configured to provide access to local content for a predetermined period of time.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the predetermined period of time comprises a pre-paid period.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the media server environment comprising one or more servers is configured to provide unlimited use access to the media server environment and to media content stored on the mobile communications device.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the media server environment comprising one or more servers is configured to display a user interface corresponding to the med when determining that the subscriber account is current and authorized to access the media server environment.

20. The system of claim 19, herein the media server environment comprising one or more servers is configured to transfer one or more updates associated with media content stored on the mobile communication device to the mobile communication device.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions configured to cause a media server to perform operations for providing access to media content, the operations comprising:

receiving a request to access a media server environment from a mobile communications device;

identifying a subscriber account associated with the mobile communications device;

determining that the subscriber account is current and authorized to access the media server environment; and

providing authorization to access the media server environment;

wherein the authorization also enables access to media content stored on the mobile communications device.