Network fraud prevention via registration and verification

• US 7,937,732 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: James, Thomas H., Shah, Dipak M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koenig; Andrew Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malangone; Carmine
• Application Number:
  US11/219,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20070250909A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,069 Days
• Field of Search: 725 68- 72
• US Class Current: 725/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/15 on receiving information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling fraud in a satellite signal delivery system. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a receive antenna for receiving at least one satellite signal, and a module, coupled to the receive antenna, for selectively delivering the at least one satellite signal to at least one receiver via an output of the module, wherein the module creates an association between the module and the at least one receiver upon installation of the at least one receiver to the output, such that the module delivers the at least one satellite signal to the at least one receiver only when the association is present.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling fraud in a satellite signal delivery system, comprising:

a receive antenna for receiving at least one satellite signal, the receive antenna comprising a plurality of low-noise block amplifiers; and

a module, coupled to the receive antenna, for selectively delivering the at least one satellite signal to at least one authorized receiver from any low-noise block amplifier in the plurality of low-noise block amplifiers via an output of the module, wherein the module is coupled to and uniquely paired with each of the at least one authorized receivers upon installation of the at least one receiver to the output, such that the module delivers the at least one satellite signal to the at least one authorized receiver only when the unique pairing and the coupling to the at least one authorized receiver is present.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one authorized receiver comprises a plurality of receivers, and the output of the module is an interface.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising at least a second output of the module for coupling a legacy receiver to the module.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the module also creates a legacy association between the module and the legacy receiver, such that the module delivers the at least one satellite signal to the legacy receiver only when the legacy association is present.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the module further comprises a controller, coupled to the interface, for controlling signal flow between the interface and the at least one authorized receiver.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller monitors a signal strength of the output of the interface and a signal strength of the legacy output.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller monitors an identification (ID) of the plurality of authorized receivers coupled to the interface and the legacy receiver coupled to the second output.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller refuses commands from at least one of the plurality of authorized receivers based on at least one of the group consisting of:

the identification of the monitored ID, a signal strength of the output of the interface, and a signal strength of the second output.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of authorized receivers receive the satellite signal on separate private channels from the interface.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the module further comprises a plurality of tuners, coupled between the receive antenna and the interface, wherein each tuner is controlled by the plurality of authorized receivers in a respective fashion.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a network tuner, coupled between the receive antenna and the interface, wherein the network tuner is controlled by a service provider.

12. An apparatus for controlling fraud in a satellite signal delivery system by selectively delivering satellite video signals to at least one authorized receiver, comprising:

an antenna for receiving the satellite video signals;

a plurality of amplifiers, coupled to the antenna, each amplifier receiving and amplifying specific satellite video signals based on an originating satellite for each of the satellite video signals;

a multiswitch, having a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, wherein at least some of the inputs are coupled to the plurality of amplifiers in a respective fashion;

a controller, coupled to the multiswitch, for controlling commands delivered to the multiswitch by the authorized receiver; and

an interface, coupling and uniquely paired with each authorized receiver to at least one output of the multiswitch through the interface on a single cable, wherein the interface selectively controls the flow of signals from the receiver to the multiswitch and controls the flow of satellite signals to the authorized receiver, the selective control based on at least the coupling to the authorized receiver and the identification (ID) number of the authorized receiver.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the interface is a network interface.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an automatic gain controller, coupled between the multiswitch and the interface, for controlling a signal strength of the satellite signals.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller monitors the signal strength of the satellite signals and selectively controls delivery of the satellite signals based on a change in the signal strength of the satellite signals.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the multiswitch further comprises a legacy output separate from the interface.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the controller monitors at least a legacy signal strength of the legacy output, and selectively delivers satellite signals on the legacy output based on a change in the legacy signal strength.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein a plurality of authorized receivers are coupled to the interface, and the interface is a single output.

19. A fraud controlled satellite signal delivery system, for selectively delivering satellite video signals to at least one authorized Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD), comprising:

a multiswitch, having a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, each of the inputs coupled to a low-noise block amplifier, wherein at least some of the inputs receive satellite video signals from a plurality of satellites; and

an interface, coupling and uniquely paired with each authorized IRD to at least one output of the multiswitch through the interface on a single cable, wherein the interface selectively controls the flow of signals from the authorized IRD to the multiswitch and controls the flow of satellite signals to the authorized IRD, the selective control based on at least the coupling to the authorized IRD and identification (ID) number of the receiver.

20. The fraud controlled satellite signal delivery system of claim 19, wherein the interface is a network interface.