User interface methods and apparatus for roaming access to subscription services

• US 7,676,823 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2006
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Chang, Yuh-Jye, Acharya, Swarup, Srivastava, Anurag
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton; Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alcon; Fernando
• Application Number:
  US11/425,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20070300252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 725/86, 725/87, 725/60, 725/61, 725/62, 725/109, 725/110, 725/131, 725/139, 725/151, 725/100
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• 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 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• 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: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks

Abstract

A subscriber or other user is provided with access to a subscription service of a signal distribution system at a roaming location remote from a home location of the user. The subscription service comprises a plurality of selectable channels available to the user at the home location. In one aspect of the invention, a request for initiation of a roaming session is received, and responsive to initiation of the roaming session, at least one user interface is generated for presentation on a device at the remote location. The generated user interface is configured to provide access at the remote location to one or more of the channels available to the user at the home location, and represents an at least partial alteration of a normal user interface that would otherwise be presented on the device at the remote location in the absence of the roaming session.

Claims

1. A method of providing access to a subscription service in a signal distribution system to a system user at a location remote from a home location of the user, the subscription service comprising a plurality of selectable channels available to the user at the home location, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for initiation of a roaming session; and

generating responsive to initiation of the roaming session at least one user interface for presentation on a device at the remote location, wherein the generated user interface is configured to provide access at the remote location to one or more of the channels available to the user at the home location and represents an at least partial alteration of a normal user interface that is presented on the device at the remote location prior to initiation of the roaming session;

wherein the normal user interface presented on the device at the remote location prior to initiation of the roaming session comprises an identifier of at least one predetermined generic roaming channel which is allocated for presentation of roaming content even if no such roaming content is available, and the generated user interface replaces said identifier with an identifier of one of the channels available to the user at the home location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the normal user interface comprises a plurality of identifiers of predetermined contiguous generic roaming channels which are allocated for presentation of roaming content even if no such roaming content is available, and the generated user interface replaces said identifiers with respective identifiers of at least a subset of the plurality of the channels available to the user at the home location.

3. A method of providing access to a subscription service in a signal distribution system to a system user at a location remote from a home location of the user, the subscription service comprising a plurality of selectable channels available to the user at the home location, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for initiation of a roaming session; and

generating responsive to initiation of the roaming session at least one user interface for presentation on a device at the remote location, wherein the generated user interface is configured to provide access at the remote location to one or more of the channels available to the user at the home location and represents an at least partial alteration of a normal user interface that is presented on the device at the remote location prior to initiation of the roaming session;

wherein the request for initiation of the roaming session is generated responsive to activation of an activatable roaming session initiation control that is part of the normal user interface presented on the device at the remote location; and

wherein responsive to initiation of the roaming session a normal user interface that is presented on a device at the home location prior to initiation of the roaming session is automatically modified to provide an indication that the roaming session has been initiated;

said at least partial alteration of the normal user interface that is presented on the device at the remote location prior to initiation of the roaming session comprising replacement of at least one predetermined generic roaming channel identifier with an identifier of a selected one of said channels available to the user at the home location.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the generated user interface comprises at least one screen of an electronic program guide.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the generated user interface completely replaces the normal user interface that would otherwise be presented on the device at the remote location in the absence of the roaming session.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the normal user interface indicates that a given one of the channels available to the user at the home location is unavailable at the remote location, and the generated user interface indicates that the given channel is available at the remote location in conjunction with the roaming session.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the roaming session is initiated by the user entering authentication information via a screen of the normal user interface.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein in conjunction with initiation of the roaming session the user is permitted to specify a duration for the roaming session.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the generated user interface alters the normal user interface by presenting at least one activatable control associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein the generated user interface provides a warning message prior to expiration of the roaming session.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein the generated user interface comprises an activatable control that allows the roaming session to be renewed prior to its expiration.

12. The method of claim 3 further including the step of generating at least one additional user interface for presentation on the device at the home location wherein the additional home location user interface includes information regarding the roaming session.

13. The method of claim 3 wherein the home location user interface further comprises an activatable control which if activated will terminate the roaming session.

14. The method of claim 3 wherein the home location user interface comprises an activatable control which if activated provides information identifying at least the status of the roaming session and an indication as to the corresponding remote location.

15. An interface device comprising a processor coupled to a memory and being configured for use in providing access to a subscription service in a signal distribution system to a system user at a location remote from a home location of the user, the subscription service comprising a plurality of selectable channels available to the user at the home location, the interface device being operative to generate, responsive to initiation of a roaming session, at least one user interface for presentation at the remote location, wherein the generated user interface is configured to provide access at the remote location to one or more of the channels available to the user at the home location and represents an at least partial alteration of a normal user interface that is presented at the remote location prior to initiation of the roaming session, wherein the request for initiation of the roaming session is generated responsive to activation of an activatable roaming session initiation control that is part of the normal user interface presented at the remote location, and wherein responsive to initiation of the roaming session a normal user interface that is presented at the home location prior to initiation of the roaming session is automatically modified to provide an indication that the roaming session has been initiated, said at least partial alteration of the normal user interface that is presented on the device at the remote location prior to initiation of the roaming session comprising replacement of at least one predetermined generic roaming channel identifier with an identifier of a selected one of said channels available to the user at the home location.

16. The interface device of claim 15 wherein said interface device comprises a set-top box.

17. The interface device of claim 15 wherein said interface device is connectable to a separate presentation device configured to present the remote location user interfaces.

18. The interface device of claim 15 wherein said interface device comprises a presentation device configured to present the remote location user interfaces.

19. An apparatus for use in providing access to a subscription service in a signal distribution system to a system user at a location remote from a home location of the user, the subscription service comprising a plurality of selectable channels available to the user at the home location, the apparatus comprising:

head end equipment comprising at least one server, the head end equipment being adapted for communication with an interface device at the remote location;

the head end equipment being operative to process a request for initiation of a roaming session;

wherein the interface device responsive to initiation of the roaming session generates at least one user interface for presentation at the remote location, wherein the generated user interface is configured to provide access at the remote location to one or more of the channels available to the user at the home location and represents an at least partial alteration of a normal user interface that is presented on the device at the remote location prior to initiation of the roaming session;

wherein the request for initiation of the roaming session is generated responsive to activation of an activatable roaming session initiation control that is part of the normal user interface presented on the device at the remote location; and

wherein responsive to initiation of the roaming session a normal user interface that is presented on a device at the home location prior to initiation of the roaming session is automatically modified to provide an indication that the roaming session has been initiated;

said at least partial alteration of the normal user interface that is presented on the device at the remote location prior to initiation of the roaming session comprising replacement of at least one predetermined generic roaming channel identifier with an identifier of a selected one of said channels available to the user at the home location.