Interactive information services system and associated method for capturing transaction data

• US 6,721,956 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2001
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.), Shiseido Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wasilewski, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc
• Application Number:
  US09/907,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20030018976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 725/1, 725/86, 725/91, 725/98, 725/103, 725/104, 725/60, 705/50, 705/53, 705/75, 705/78, 705/26, 380/255, 380/256, 380/260
• US Class Current: 725/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• 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 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and system are provided to permit a network operator to capture transaction data relating to transactions between a subscriber and a service provider that are conducted via a communications network established by the network operator, such as a cable television network. In operation, the subscribers are provided with information relating to items offered by one or more service providers. The subscriber can transmit a purchase order. A headend of the communications network receives and analyzes the purchase order to capture transaction data. If the service provider is different than the network operator, the headend also relays a copy of the purchase order to the third party service provider such that the purchase order can be filled. Since the network operator has captured information relating to the purchase order, however, the network operator can charge the service provider and/or the subscriber for utilizing its network to facilitate the transaction.

Claims

1. A method for capturing transaction data relating to transactions between a subscriber and a service provider conducted via an interactive information services system, the method comprising:

providing the subscriber with information relating to a plurality of items offered by the service provider;

transmitting at least one copy of a purchase order for at least one item from the subscriber to a headend of a network operator of the interactive information services system;

analyzing a copy of the purchase order at the headend to thereby capture transaction data included therein; and

relaying a copy of the purchase order to the service provider if a service provider other than the network operator is offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the service provider that is offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber is a different entity than the network operator, and wherein the method further comprises billing at least one of the service provider and the subscriber for utilizing a communications channel between the network operator and the subscriber based upon the transaction data captured during said analyzing step.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the network operator is the service provider that is offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber, and wherein the method further comprises filling the purchase order without relaying the purchase order to a third party service provider.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the interactive information services system comprises a cable television network including the headend and an Internet, wherein said providing and transmitting steps comprise transmitting information via the cable television network, and wherein said relaying step comprises transmitting information via the Internet.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said step of transmitting at least one copy of the purchase order comprises transmitting at least one copy of the purchase order to the headend via a reverse channel of the cable television network.

6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising encrypting each copy of the purchase order prior to said transmitting step.

7. A method according to claim 6 further comprising generating a network operator copy of the purchase order and a service provider copy of the purchase order, wherein encrypting each copy of the purchase order comprises differently encrypting the network operator copy of the purchase order and the service provider copy of the purchase order, wherein analyzing a copy of the purchase order comprises analyzing the network operator copy of the purchase order, and wherein relaying a copy of the purchase order comprises relaying the service provider copy of the purchase order.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein analyzing a copy of the purchase order comprises decrypting the network operator copy of the purchase order without decrypting the service provider copy of the purchase order.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein transmitting at least one copy of the purchase order comprises transmitting a single copy of the purchase order to the headend.

10. A method according to claim 1 further comprising applying a digital signature of the subscriber to each copy of the purchase order prior to said transmitting step.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising processing the captured transaction data to bill the service provider.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising processing the captured transaction data to bill the subscriber.

13. An interactive information services system comprising:

a subscriber terminal for providing a subscriber with information relating to a plurality of items offered by a service provider;

a selection device for transmitting at least one copy of a purchase order for at least one item selected by the subscriber; and

a headend for receiving the purchase order and for analyzing a copy of the purchase order to thereby capture transaction data included therein, said headend also being adapted to relay a copy of the purchase order to the service provider if a service provider other than the network operator is offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber.

14. An interactive information services system according to claim 13 wherein the service provider that is offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber is a different entity than the network operator, and wherein the interactive information services system further comprises means, responsive to said headend, for billing at least one of the service provider and the subscriber for utilizing a communications channel between said headend and said subscriber terminal based upon the transaction data.

15. An interactive information services system according to claim 13 wherein the network operator is the service provider that is offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber, and wherein the interactive information services system further comprises means, responsive to said headend, for filling the purchase order without relaying the purchase order to a third party service provider.

16. An interactive information services system according to claim 13 further comprising a processing element associated with said subscriber terminal and said selection device for encrypting each copy of the purchase order prior to transmitting each copy of the purchase order to the headend.

17. An interactive information services system according to claim 16 wherein said processing element generates a network operator copy of the purchase order and a service provider copy of the purchase order, wherein said processing element differently encrypts the network operator copy of the purchase order and the service provider copy of the purchase order, and wherein said headend analyzes the network operator copy of the purchase order and relays the service provider copy of the purchase order.

18. An interactive information services system according to claim 17 wherein said means for analyzing a copy of the purchase order decrypts the network operator copy of the purchase order without decrypting the service provider copy of the purchase order.

19. An interactive information services system according to claim 13 further comprising a processing element associated with said subscriber terminal and said selection device for applying a digital signature of the subscriber to each copy of the purchase order prior to transmission to the headend.

20. An interactive information services system according to claim 13 further comprising:

a cable television network that includes said headend and said subscriber terminal; and

an Internet operably connected to said headend for providing service providers access to the subscribers via said cable television network.

21. An interactive information services system according to claim 20 wherein said cable television network comprises:

a forward channel for transmitting information from said headend to said subscriber terminal; and

a reverse channel for transmitting the purchase order from said selection device to said headend.

22. A method for capturing transaction data relating to transactions between a subscriber and a service provider conducted via an interactive information services system, the method comprising:

receiving at least one copy of a purchase order at a headend of a network operator of the interactive information services system, wherein the purchase order identifies at least one item offered by the service provider and selected by the purchaser;

analyzing a copy of the purchase order at the headend to thereby capture transaction data included therein; and

relaying a copy of the purchase order to the service provider if a service provider other than the network operator is offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber.

23. A method according to claim 22 wherein the service provider that is offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber is a different entity than the network operator, and wherein the method further comprises billing at least one of the service provider and the subscriber for utilizing a communications channel between the network operator and the subscriber based upon the transaction data captured during said analyzing step.

24. A method according to claim 22 wherein the network operator is the service provider that is offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber, and wherein the method further comprises filling the purchase order without relaying the purchase order to a third party service provider.

25. A method according to claim 22 wherein the interactive information services system comprises a cable television network including the headend and an Internet, wherein said receiving step comprises receiving information via the cable television network, and wherein said relaying step comprises transmitting information via the Internet.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein said step of receiving information comprises receiving information that has been encrypted.

27. A method according to claim 26 wherein receiving information that has been encrypted comprises receiving a network operator copy of the purchase order and a service provider copy of the purchase order that are differently encrypted, wherein analyzing a copy of the purchase order comprises analyzing the network operator copy of the purchase order, and wherein relaying a copy of the purchase order comprises relaying the service provider copy of the purchase order.

28. A method according to claim 27 wherein analyzing a copy of the purchase order comprises decrypting the network operator copy of the purchase order without decrypting the service provider copy of the purchase order.

29. A method according to claim 22 wherein receiving at least one copy of the purchase order comprises receiving a single copy of the purchase order at the headend.

30. A method according to claim 22 wherein said step of receiving information comprises receiving information that includes a digital signature of the subscriber placing the purchaser order, and wherein said analyzing step comprises analyzing the digital signature to confirm that the information originated with the subscriber.

31. A headend of a network operator of an interactive information services system comprising:

means for receiving at least one copy of a purchase order that identifies at least one item offered by a service provider and selected by the purchaser;

means, responsive to said receiving means, for analyzing a copy of the purchase order to thereby capture transaction data included therein; and

means, responsive to said analyzing means, for relaying a copy of the purchase order to the service provider if a service provider other than the network operator is offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber.

32. A headend according to claim 31 wherein the service provider that is offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber is a different entity than the network operator, and wherein the headend further comprises means, responsive to said analyzing means, for billing at least one of the service provider and the subscriber for utilizing a communications channel between the headend and the subscriber based upon the transaction data.

33. A headend according to claim 31 wherein the network operator is the service provider that is offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber, and wherein the headend further comprises means, responsive to said analyzing means, for filling the purchase order without relaying the purchase order to a third party service provider.

34. A headend according to claim 31 wherein said means for receiving at least one copy of the purchase order receives a network operator copy of the purchase order and a service provider copy of the purchase order that are differently encrypted, wherein said means for analyzing a copy of the purchase order analyzes the network operator copy of the purchase order, and wherein said means for relaying a copy of the purchase order relays the service provider copy of the purchase order.

35. A headend according to claim 34 wherein said means for analyzing a copy of the purchase order decrypts the network operator copy of the purchase order without decrypting the service provider copy of the purchase order.

36. A headend according to claim 31 wherein said means for receiving at least one copy of the purchase order receives a single copy of the purchase order.

37. A headend according to claim 31 wherein said means for receiving information receives information that includes a digital signature of the subscriber placing the purchaser order, and wherein said means for analyzing a copy of the purchase order analyzes the digital signature to confirm that the information originated with the subscriber.

38. A headend according to claim 31 wherein the headend comprises a portion of a cable television network, and wherein said relaying means comprises means for relaying at least a portion of the purchase order to the service provider via the Internet.

39. A method of providing a service to a subscriber of an interactive information services system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a headend of the interactive information services system a network operator copy of a purchase order from the subscriber;

receiving at the headend a service provider copy of the purchase order from the subscriber, wherein the network operator copy of the purchase order and the service provider copy of the purchase order are associated with the same purchase by the subscriber from a service provider;

analyzing the network operator copy of the purchase order to determine whether the network operator is the service provider or whether a third party is the service provider;

capturing transaction data included in the network operator copy of the purchase order;

responsive to determining the third party is the service provider, relaying the service provider copy of the purchase order to the third party; and

responsive to determining the third party is the service provider, billing at least one of the third party and the subscriber for utilizing the interactive information service system based at least upon the captured transaction data.

40. The method of claim 39, further including the steps of:

responsive to determining the network operator is the service provider, billing the subscriber for utilizing the interactive information service system based at least upon the captured transaction data; and

responsive to determining the network operator is the service provider, relaying the service provider copy of the purchase order to a distribution center, wherein the distribution center fills the order for the subscriber.

41. The method of claim 39, further including the steps of:

maintaining a subscriber database having billing information for subscribers of the interactive information service system included therein, wherein the network operator employs the subscriber database to bill the subscriber for utilizing the interactive information service system.