Method for granting customers access to a product

• US 7,664,706 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2001
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nagravision SA (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: Nagravision SA (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Stransky, Philippe, Engestrom, Sven
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Champagne, Luna
• Application Number:
  US10/311,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20030144939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,147 Days
• Field of Search: 705/50, 705/51, 705/26, 370/390
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

Example embodiments relate to a method for granting customers access to a product or a set of products. The method may include

• providing by the customer through a secured communication network, a code to a registration center, wherein the code being unique,
• transmitting the code from the registration center to an authorization center,
• retrieving the identifier of the product or the set products from the code, by requesting a data base or calculating the identifier, and
• transmitting, by the authorization center, an authorization code to the customer terminal, wherein the authorization code allows access to the product or the set of products.

Claims

1. A method for granting customers access to a broadcasted product or a set of broadcasted products, comprising:

obtaining by a customer, a unique broadcast product authorization code, said broadcast product authorization code, being independent of a customer terminal, being associated to the broadcasted product or set of products, and indicating that said customer has duly acquired authorization to use said broadcasted product or set of products,

providing by the customer through a communication network, the unique broadcast product authorization code together with information identifying a customer terminal to a registration center,

transmitting said broadcast product authorization code from the registration center to an authorization center,

retrieving a broadcast product identifier based on said broadcast product authorization code, through a data base or calculating said broadcast product identifier, the broadcast product identifier identifying the broadcasted product or the set of products,

transmitting, by the authorization center, a terminal code to the customer terminal, said terminal code allowing access by the customer terminal to the broadcasted product or the set of products, and

marking said broadcast product authorization code as used in the authorization center so that further presentation of said broadcast product authorization code will be denied.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product is at least one of a video product, an audio product and a data.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the terminal code grants access to the product immediately, on a scheduled basis or on a customer request.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the product is already stored in the customer terminal and the terminal code authorizes immediate or later use of the product.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the terminal code allows the download of the product in the customer terminal for immediate or later use of the product.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product provides access to limited areas and the terminal code grants the access for a predetermined period of time to said areas.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the data is at least one of a program, a stock quotation and a game.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting said product authorization code from the registration center to the authorization center is direct.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the product authorization code was previously generated by the authorization center.