Digital broadcast program billing

• US 7,134,131 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2000
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sedna Patent Services LLC
• Inventors: McCoskey, John S., Bonner, Alfred E., Hendricks, John S., Asmussen, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koenig, Andrew Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/556,875
• Time in Patent Office: 2,394 Days
• Field of Search: 725/1, 725/2, 725/6, 725/8, 725/31, 725/5
• US Class Current: 725/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• 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 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• 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 a system for selecting and ordering broadcast programs uses an electronic program guide that may be broadcast to subscribers or posted on an Internet web site. The system allows national broadcasters to provide one or more channels of pay-per-view or subscription programming and to establish a mechanism for billing subscribers who access the programs. Subscribers may access the Internet and send a program request to a web site. An authorization is then forwarded to a billing center and to a local broadcaster. The billing center debits the subscriber'"'"'s account, or prepares a bill. The local broadcaster sends the authorization to the subscriber. The authorization includes a program code and a terminal identifier that permit the subscriber'"'"'s television or set top terminal to decrypt and display the program.

Claims

1. An apparatus that provides digital broadcast television programs to a subscriber, comprising:

a set top terminal, comprising;

a receiver module to receive program data including the digital broadcast television programs, an address for a scheduling web site and a local authorization code, wherein the authorization code allows at least one of the digital broadcast television programs to be decrypted for viewing; and

an ethernet LAN connector to receive electronic program guide data from the scheduling web site and send a program selection to the scheduling web site;

the scheduling web site that receives the program selection and sends an authorization request to an order and authorization system, wherein the scheduling web site recognizes the subscriber and customizes the electronic program guide data for the subscriber;

the order and authorization system that receives the authorization request, including the program selection, from the scheduling web site and generates an authorization signal, the authorization signal providing the local authorization code; and

a billing system that receives the authorization signal and generates a billing record.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the billing record debits a subscriber'"'"'s account.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the billing system sends the billing record to a subscriber for payment.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the billing system charges a subscriber'"'"'s credit card account.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the billing record is used to debit a cash card included in a terminal, the billing system sending a debit signal corresponding to the billing record to the terminal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the cash card is part of a smart card.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cash card is removable or fixed to the smart card.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the order and authorization system sends a credit signal to a terminal upon receipt of payment from the subscriber.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the order and authorization system includes a time out feature that allows cancellation of the program order without incurring a charge, the time out feature effective for a time prior to a start of the program and for a time after the start of the program.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the time after start of the program is five minutes.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the order and authorization system and a broadcaster are colocated with the billing system.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the order and authorization system sends a credit signal to a terminal upon receipt of payment from the subscriber.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a network controller that receives the authorization signal from the order and authorization system and generates the local authorization code.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the network controller comprises a network management CPU linked to the order and authorization system.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the order and authorization system is capable of receiving the authorization request by either an upstream data transmission over a cable distribution network or by a telephone line.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver module comprises a means to communicate with the Internet.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver module comprises a means to store text transmitted from at least one of a cable headend and an operations center, the transmitted text including information on billing and account status.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scheduling web site is an Internet web site.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scheduling web site is capable of recognizing the subscriber based on at least one of an automatic number identification (ANI), user name, user identification, and Internet address of the subscriber.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scheduling web site is capable of recognizing the subscriber by requiring the subscriber to log into the web site.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scheduling web site provides the electronic program guide customized for the subscriber, a generic electronic program guide, and a means to switch between the customized electronic program guide and the generic electronic program guide.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a set top terminal having the receiver module and the transmitter, and wherein the set top terminal is capable of displaying the customized electronic program guide in at least one of (i) a separate window and (ii) a picture-in-picture format, so that a broadcast program can also be simultaneously displayed.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic program guide is customized according to previous programs ordered by the subscriber.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic program guide is customized according to programs watched data collected from the subscriber.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a set top terminal having the receiver module and the transmitter, and wherein the electronic program guide is customized according to subscriber specific data stored in the set top terminal.

26. A method for providing broadcast television digital programming, comprising:

providing electronic program guide data to an ethernet LAN connector at a set top terminal from a scheduling web site, wherein the scheduling web site is capable of recognizing a subscriber and customizing the electronic program guide data for the subscriber;

receiving a program order at the scheduling web site from the ethernet LAN connector at the set top terminal, the program order designating one or more programs for viewing;

sending an authorization request from the scheduling web site to an order and authorization system;

sending a program authorization to a receiver module at the set top terminal;

broadcasting the digital programming and an address of the scheduling website to a receiver module at the set top terminal, wherein the program authorization provides access to the one or more programs designated by the program order; and

waiting for a time out period to determine if a cancel order signal has been received, and if the cancel order signal is not received in the time out period;

sending the program order to a billing system, and

preparing a billing record.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

waiting for a time out period to determine if a cancel order signal has been received, and if the cancel order signal is received in the time out period;

generating a deauthorization signal; and

transmitting the deauthorization signal, wherein the deauthorization signal removes access to a previously authorized program.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising a debit signal corresponding to the billing record to a terminal, the debit signal debiting a cash card in the terminal.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the cash card is part of a smart card.

30. The method of claim 26 further comprising a credit signal corresponding to receipt of payment from a subscriber to a terminal.

31. A set top terminal, comprising:

a receiver module to receive program data from a digital broadcast cable television delivery network, wherein the program data includes a plurality of multiplexed digital broadcast television programs, an address of a scheduling web site, and at least one authorization code to authorize access to at least one of the plurality of multiplexed digital broadcast television programs; and

an ethernet LAN connector to receive electronic program guide data from the scheduling web site and send an order to the scheduling web site for the at least one of the plurality of multiplexed digital broadcast television programs.

32. A method, comprising:

receiving program data from a digital broadcast cable television delivery network at a receiver module of a set top terminal, the program data including a plurality of multiplexed digital broadcast television programs, an address of a scheduling web site, and at least one authorization code to authorize access to at least one of the plurality of multiplexed digital broadcast television programs;

receiving electronic program guide data from the scheduling web site at an ethernet LAN connector of the set top terminal; and

sending an order to the scheduling web site from the ethernet LAN connector of the set top terminal for the at least one of the plurality of multiplexed digital broadcast television programs.