Device and a method for ordering product at a premises via an integrated multimedia service system

• US 8,086,495 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2007
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prodea Automation LLC (f/k/a Kip Prod P1) (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Prodea Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Ansari, Amir, Cowgill, George A., Nicholls, Leon E., Ramayya, Jude P., Masina, Ramprakash, McQuarters, Alvin R., Raissyan, Atousa
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Desai, Resha
• Application Number:
  US11/898,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20090070229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705 261- 272
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54

Abstract

A product ordering device provided at a digital home system at a user premises is disclosed. The digital home system comprises a user terminal and a gateway device within the premises. Occupants at the premises enjoy the product ordering service on an interactive user interface displayed via the user terminal. The gateway device is coupled for communication with the user terminal via a local area network, and for communication with a wide area network outside the premises; and the gateway device is configured for obtaining product data via the wide area network and providing the product data to the terminal for display on the display device. Upon placement of a product order by a user input through the terminal, the gateway device sends an order message outside of the integrated multimedia service system to request a corresponding vendor for the ordered product to deliver the ordered product at the premises. The product ordering service and the product data are provided and updated by a management server located outside of the premises.

Claims

1. A system for providing a product ordering service to a user premises, the system comprising:

an application service provider located outside the user premises and in communication with a management server, the application service provider operable to provide an application service and product data to a user terminal via the management server, a gateway device, and a digital media adapter, wherein the application service has a list of functions that are only accessible by providing a security credential;

the management server located outside the user premises and in communication with the gateway device via a wide area network and operable to control transporting and storing of the product data and downloading and enabling the application service from the application service provider, the management server including an order management module operable to handle a product order received from the user terminal and a registration and billing module operable to authenticate registration of the application service provider and the user terminal and handle billing with regard to the product order from the user terminal, wherein if the application service provider is unable to authenticate registration with the management server the application service provider is prevented from communicating with the user terminal by the management server;

the user terminal at the user premises having or driving a display device;

the digital media adapter at the user premises coupled to the user terminal and operable to present the product data to the user terminal;

the gateway device physically separated from the digital media adapter and the user terminal in the user premises, the gateway device coupled for communication with the digital media adapter and the user terminal via a local area network, and for communication with the wide area network outside the user premises, whereby the gateway provides a user-interactive product ordering service within the user premises via the display device, the gateway device being configured for obtaining and storing the product data via the wide area network and providing the product data to the digital media adapter to be displayed on the display device, wherein upon a user request for the product data the gateway device searches the stored product data stored in the gateway device and provides the requested product data to the digital media adapter for display on the display device, wherein, upon a placement of the product order by a user input through the user terminal based on the product data, the gateway device sends an order message via the wide area network to the application service provider, the gateway device comprising;

an application service manager operable to serve as a message broker by providing services that coordinate communication between the application service provider, the management server, the digital media adapter, and the user terminal, the application service manager comprising;

a configuration manager library that stores configuration parameters for the application service provided by the application service provider, the configuration manager library operable to receive the configuration parameters from the management server, the configuration parameters include an application service provider identifier that identifies the application service provider, the security credential that enables the application service manager to allow the user terminal to access the list of functions of the application service, and a list of media types supported by the application service, wherein the application service manager prevents the user terminal from accessing the list of functions of the application service when the user terminal is without the security credential;

an alarm interface operable to generate an alarm message and send a process shutdown request to a platform manager within the gateway device if the configuration parameters received from the management server are non-compliant with the capabilities of the gateway device;

a client library manager operable to communicate with the application service provider to obtain the application service and operable to store the application service and the product data;

a download manager operable to manage downloading of the application service from the application service provider; and

a storage manager operable to provide buffering time used by the gateway device while streaming the application service to the user terminal,

a web server coupled to the application service manager and operable to receive an application request from the digital media adapter, the web server operable to send the application request to the application service manager which invokes an application programming interface to send the application request to the application service provider which provides the requested application service to the web server, the web server operable to send the requested application to the digital media adapter;

an event manager coupled to the application service manager and operable to log events and publish events from the application service provider; and

a network device manager coupled to the application service manager and operable to manage network devices coupled to the gateway device including the user terminal and the digital media adapter.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the management server communicates with the gateway device for authenticating the user terminal and the application service provider with the management server and for obtaining the product data from the application service provider and sending the product data to the gateway device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the product data comprises categorized lists of products for selective output via the display device based on selected criteria.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway device stores address data of the user premises and sends the address data with the order message to the application service provider to provide a direction to the user premises for use in delivery of the product.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital media adapter is operable for converting digital data between a format used by the gateway device and a signal format for a TV type display device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the application service manager further comprises an application programming interface (API) to allow the application service provided on the wide area network to access the user terminal, the application service being managed from the management server, communications processed through the API including receiving product data and sending the order messages.

7. The system of claim 1,

wherein the management server is configured to integrate billing for the ordered product with billing for providing the product ordering service at the premises.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the user terminal is configured as a client for purposes of product ordering service; and

the gateway is configured as a server communicating with the client, for purposes of the product order service.

9. A method for providing a product ordering service to a user premises having a gateway device coupled for communication with a user terminal via a local area network in the premise and for communication with a wide area network outside the premises, the method comprising steps of:

providing a management server located outside the user premises and in communication with the gateway device via the wide area network and operable to control transporting and storing of product data and downloading and enabling an application service from an application service provider, the management server including a registration module operable to authenticate registration of the application service provider such that if the application service provider is unable to authenticate registration with the management server the application service provider is prevented from communicating with the user terminal by the management server;

providing the gateway device in the user premises and coupled for communication with a digital media adapter and the user terminal via the local area network, the gateway device comprising;

an application service manager operable to serve as a message broker by providing services that coordinate communication between the application service provider, the management server, the digital media adapter, and the user terminal, the application service manager comprising;

a configuration manager library that stores configuration parameters for the application service provided by the application service provider, the configuration manager library operable to receive the configuration parameters from the management server, the configuration parameters include an application service provider identifier that identifies the application service provider, a security credential that enables the application service manager to allow the user terminal to access a list of functions of the application service, and a list of media types supported by the application service, wherein the application service manager prevents the user terminal from accessing the list of functions of the application service when the user terminal is without the security credential;

an alarm interface operable to generate an alarm message and send a process shutdown request to a platform manager within the gateway device if the configuration parameters received from the management server are non-compliant with the capabilities of the gateway device;

a client library manager operable to communicate with the application service provider to obtain the application service and operable to store the application service and the product data;

a download manager operable to manage downloading of the application service from the application service provider; and

a storage manager operable to provide buffering time used by the gateway device while streaming the application service to the user terminal,

a web server coupled to the application service manager and operable to receive an application request from the digital media adapter, the web server operable to send the application request to the application service manager which invokes an application programming interface to send the application request to the application service provider which provides the requested application service to the web server, the web server operable to send the requested application to the digital media adapter;

an event manager coupled to the application service manager and operable to log events and publish events from the application service provider; and

a network device manager coupled to the application service manager and operable to manage network devices coupled to the gateway device including the user terminal and the digital media adapter;

storing at the gateway device product data;

providing the digital media adapter at the premises coupled to the user terminal and the gateway device, the digital media adapter operable to present the product data to the user terminal, the digital media adapter being a separate device from the user terminal and the gateway device;

receiving an initial user request for the product data at the gateway device;

searching, by the gateway device, the stored product data;

displaying the stored product data from the gateway on the user terminal via an interactive graphical user interface whereupon the user inputs an order request for a product based on the stored product data;

receiving the order request of a product from the terminal via the digital media adapter at the gateway device; and

sending the order request to the application service provider of the ordered product together with terminal user'"'"'s data, via the wide area network.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

authenticating the user terminal and the application service provider with the management server by the management server; and

obtaining the product data at the management server from the application service provider and sending the product data to the gateway device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein sending the order request to the application service provider of the ordered product together with terminal user'"'"'s data comprises the steps of:

sending the order request as well as address data of the premises stored in the gateway device to the management server;

forwarding the order request and the address data to the application service provider from the management server.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprises the steps of:

gathering product data and application service provider data at the management server;

categorizing product data and application service provider data based on types and price of the products and location of the products; and

sending categorized product data and application service provider data to the gateway at a predetermined time.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising steps of:

receiving a notification relating to status of processing the order in the management server from the application service provider;

sending a notification of status of the order to the gateway device based on the notification relating to status of processing the order at the management server; and

forwarding the notification from the gateway device to the terminal at the premises for presentation to the user.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein displaying the stored product data from the gateway on the user terminal via interactive graphical user interface comprises the steps of:

receiving payment data of terminal user from the gateway together with the order request; and

integrating the payment data for the ordered product on bill data for delivering the product ordering services stored in the service management server.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the order request of a product from the terminal via the digital media adapter at the gateway device comprises the steps of:

receiving payment data of terminal user at the application service provider from the gateway together with the order request; and

charging the price of the ordered product based on the payment data at the application service provider.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising steps of:

receiving notifications of evaluation for product or application service provider after delivery of the ordered product, from the application service provider.

17. A system for providing a product ordering service to a user premises, the system comprising:

a management server located outside the user premises and in communication with a gateway device via a wide area network and operable to control transporting and storing of product data and downloading and enabling an application service from an application service provider, the management server including an order management module operable to handle a product order received from a user terminal and a registration and billing module operable to authenticate registration of the application service provider and the user terminal and handle billing with regard to the product order from the user terminal, wherein if the application service provider is unable to authenticate registration with the management server the application service provider is prevented from communicating with the user terminal by the management server;

the user terminal at the user premises coupled to a display device;

the digital media adapter at the user premises coupled to the user terminal and operable to present the product data to the user terminal;

the gateway device in the user premises, the gateway device coupled for communication with the digital media adapter and the user terminal via a local area network, the gateway device coupled for communication with the management server and the application service provider via the wide area network, the gateway device operable to provide a user-interactive product ordering service within the user premises via the display device, the gateway device being configured for obtaining and storing the product data via the wide area network from one of the management server and the application service provider and providing the product data to the digital media adapter to be displayed on the display device, the gateway device comprising;

an application service manager operable to serve as a message broker by providing services that coordinate communication between the application service provider, the management server, the digital media adapter, and the user terminal, the application service manager comprising;

a configuration manager library that stores configuration parameters for the application service provided by the application service provider, the configuration manager library operable to receive the configuration parameters from the management server, the configuration parameters include an application service provider identifier that identifies the application service provider, a security credential that enables the application service manager to allow the user terminal to access a list of functions of the application service, and a list of media types supported by the application service, wherein the application service manager prevents the user terminal from accessing the list of functions of the application service when the user terminal is without the security credential;

an alarm interface operable to generate an alarm message and send a process shutdown request to a platform manager within the gateway device if the configuration parameters received from the management server are non-compliant with the capabilities of the gateway device;

a client library manager operable to communicate with the application service provider to obtain the application service and operable to store the application service and the product data;

a download manager operable to manage downloading of the application service from the application service provider; and

a storage manager operable to provide buffering time used by the gateway device while streaming the application service to the user terminal,

a web server coupled to the application service manager and operable to receive an application request from the digital media adapter, the web server operable to send the application request to the application service manager which invokes an application programming interface to send the application request to the application service provider which provides the requested application service to the web server, the web server operable to send the requested application to the digital media adapter;

an event manager coupled to the application service manager and operable to log events and publish events from the application service provider; and

a network device manager coupled to the application service manager and operable to manage network devices coupled to the gateway device including the user terminal and the digital media adapter,

wherein upon a user request for a specific product data the gateway device searches product data stored in the gateway device to determine whether the stored product data contains the specific product data and if the stored product contains the specific product data then the gateway device provides the specific product data from the stored product data to the digital media adapter for display on the display device, wherein if the stored product data does not contain the specific product data then the gateway device requests the specific product data from the management server and if the management server has the specific product data then the management server provides the specific product data to the gateway device.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

the application service provider located outside the user premises and in communication with the management server, the application service provider operable to provide the application service and product data to the user terminal via the management server, the gateway device, and the digital media adapter.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein upon a placement of the product order by a user input through the user terminal based on the product data, the gateway device sends an order message via the wide area network to the application service provider,

wherein the gateway device stores address data of the user premises and sends the address data with the order message to the application service provider to provide a direction to the user premises for use in delivery of the product.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the management server communicates with the gateway device for authenticating the user terminal and the application service provider with the management server and for obtaining the product data from the application service provider and sending the product data to the gateway device.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the product data comprises categorized lists of products for selective output via the display device based on selected criteria.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the digital media adapter is operable for converting digital data between a format used by the gateway device and a signal format for a TV type display device.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the application service manager further comprises an application programming interface (API) to allow the application service provided on the wide area network to access the user terminal, the application service being managed from the management server, communications processed through the API including receiving the product data and the application service.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the user terminal is configured as a client for purposes of product ordering service; and

the gateway is configured as a server communicating with the client, for purposes of the product order service.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein if the stored product data does not contain the specific product data and the management server does not have the specific product data then the management server obtains the specific product data from the application service provider and provides the specific product data to the gateway device.