System method and apparatus for portable digital identity

• US 7,870,219 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2009
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications Management LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TVWorks LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Drewry, Raymond, McCormack, Jonathan I, Vasudev, Hari, Srinivasan, Venkatachary
• Primary Examiner(s): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/400,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20090313355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/213, 709/217, 709/219, 709/225, 709/229, 709/248
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/60 Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client , e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client
• 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

Two-way digital media devices typically store digital identifying data that identify the user to providers of content and interactive data. In the case of a Web browser of a personal computer, the digital identity is stored in the form of a plurality of cookies that are used by respective web sites to personalize the web site experience for each particular user. When a user is at a different computer, the digital identifying data is not available. In addition, other types of interactive devices, such as CATV settop boxes, cell phones, PDAs and the like, may not have enough non-volatile memory (persistent storage) to store the digital identifying data. In order to provide users with a portable digital identity, a digital identity server is provided as a server node on the Internet, which retrieves digital identifying data and downloads such digital identifying data to any device upon request. In such manner, the user'"'"'s digital identity is portable and available at any computer or other digital device that is being used. The system digital identity server permits devices without sufficient non-volatile memory storage to download a digital identity for temporary storage in volatile memory, thereby providing a digital identity in devices without non-volatile memory.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first message at a digital identity server via a network, the first message comprising a video pause point of video presented at a first electronic communication device and identification information of a user;

retrieving, by the server, a digital identity of the user in accordance with the identification information;

storing the video pause point in the digital identity to generate an updated digital identity;

receiving a second message at the digital identity server from a second electronic communication device via the network, the second message comprising the identification information of the user and configuration information of second electronic communication device;

processing the identification information, by the server, to identify the updated digital identity;

processing the configuration information to confirm that the second electric communication device is capable of presenting the video prior to transmitting the video pause point; and

transmitting the video pause point via the network to permit presentation of the video at the second electronic communication device beginning at the video pause point.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing the video to identify interest information for the user; and

causing delivery of targeted advertising to the second electronic communication device based on the interest information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message comprises user authentication information and wherein the method further comprises authenticating the user based on the user authentication information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a previous version of the digital identity has been forwarded to the second electronic communication device;

identifying a change between the previous version and the updated digital identity; and

transmitting the change to cause the second electronic communication device to update the previous version.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital identity comprises a demographic profile, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting demographically targeted advertising to the second electronic communication device based on the demographic profile.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing software that, when executed, causes the apparatus to perform a method comprising;

receiving a first message via a network, the first message comprising a video pause point of video presented at a first electronic communication device and identification information of a user;

retrieving a digital identity of the user in accordance with the identification information;

storing the video pause point in the digital identity to generate an updated digital identity;

receiving a second message from a second electronic communication device via the network, the second message comprising the identification information of the user and configuration information of the second electronic communication device;

processing the identification information to identify the updated digital identity;

processing the configuration information to confirm that the second electronic communication device is capable of presenting the video prior to transmitting the video pause point; and

transmitting the video pause point via the network to permit presentation of the video at the second electronic communication device beginning at the video pause point.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the software, when executed, causes the apparatus to:

process the video to identify interest information for the user; and

cause delivery of targeted advertising to the second electronic communication device based on the interest information.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second message comprises user authentication information and wherein the software, when executed, causes the apparatus to authenticate the user based on the user authentication information.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the software, when executed, causes the apparatus to:

determine that a previous version of the digital identity has been forwarded to the second electronic communication device;

identify a change between the previous version and the updated digital identity; and

transmit the change to cause the second electronic communication device to update the previous version.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the digital identity comprises a demographic profile, and wherein the software, when executed, causes the apparatus to transmit demographically targeted advertising to the second electronic communication device based on the demographic profile.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first electronic communication device comprises a set top box and the second electronic communication device comprises a personal computer.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first electronic communication device comprises a personal computer and the second electronic communication device comprises a set top box.

13. A computer readable storage device storing software that, when executed, causes an apparatus to perform a method comprising:

receiving a first message via a network, the first message comprising a video pause point of video presented at a first electronic communication device and identification information of a user;

retrieving, by the apparatus, a digital identity of the user in accordance with the identification information;

storing the video pause point in the digital identity to generate an updated digital identity;

receiving a second message from a second electronic communication device via the network, the second message comprising the identification information of the user and configuration information of the second electronic communication device;

processing the identification information, by the apparatus, to identify the updated digital identity;

processing the configuration information to confirm that the second electronic communication device is capable of presenting the video prior to transmitting the video pause point; and

transmitting the video pause point via the network to permit presentation of the video at the second electronic communication device beginning at the video pause point.

14. The computer readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the software, when executed, causes the apparatus to:

process the video to identify interest information for the user; and

cause delivery of targeted advertising to the second electronic communication device based on the interest information.

15. The computer readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the second message comprises user authentication information and wherein the software, when executed, causes the apparatus to authenticate the user based on the user authentication information.

16. The computer readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the software, when executed, causes the apparatus to:

determine that a previous version of the digital identity has been forwarded to the second electronic communication device;

identify a change between the previous version and the updated digital identity; and

transmit the change to cause the second electronic communication device to update the previous version.

17. The computer readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the digital identity comprises a demographic profile, and wherein the software, when executed, causes the apparatus to transmit demographically targeted advertising to the second electronic communication device based on the demographic profile.