Configuring user-customized services for networked devices

• US 8,170,931 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Ross, Mark Andrew, Bucher, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Ade, Garcia
• Application Number:
  US12/259,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 705/30
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing one or more aspects of a user'"'"'s relationship with one or more media devices or other information handling systems and one or more media content providers. In some embodiments, a service center functions as a central management point and includes various modules configured to provide the management services.

Claims

1. A service center for interfacing a plurality of media devices associated with a user to a plurality of media content providers, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer readable storage devices storing the following;

an account management module that stores account information for a user, the account information including;

an identification of each of a plurality of media devices associated with the user; and

configuration settings to apply to each of the plurality of media devices such that each of the plurality of media devices is configured similarly, the configuration settings specifying a plurality of media content providers from which the user desires to receive media content, and including settings to enable each of the plurality of media devices to access content from each of the plurality of media content providers; and

a billing module that stores billing information for the user, the billing information including;

a payment account for the user; and

an indication of at least one of the plurality of media content providers at which the service center is authorized to use the payment account to purchase media content for the user;

wherein when the user accesses media content requiring purchase, from any of the plurality of media content providers, on any of the plurality of media devices, the billing module automatically arranges for payment to the media content provider for the access using the payment account.

2. The service center in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a content management module that receives input from the user that specifies media content that the user desires to receive at any of the plurality of media device and determines which of the plurality of media content providers can provide the specified media content, wherein in response to receiving such input, the content management module in conjunction with the account management module applies configuration settings to each of the plurality of media devices to enable the plurality of media devices to receive the specified media content from the determined media content providers.

3. The service center in accordance with claim 1, wherein the account information stored by the account management module further includes an identification of one or more other users associated with the user that are authorized to use at least one of the plurality of media devices to access media content by using the service center.

4. The service center in accordance with claim 3, wherein the account management module represents the association between the user and the one or more other users using a hierarchical tree structure.

5. The service center in accordance with claim 3, wherein the account information stored by the account management module further includes content or purchasing restrictions for the one or more other users that limit the one or more other users'"'"' ability to purchase media content and to receive media content respectively.

6. A method, performed by a service center for interfacing a plurality of media devices associated with a user to a plurality of media content providers, the method comprising:

receiving account information from a user, the account information including an identification of each of a plurality of media devices associated with the user;

receiving media content provider information from the user, the media account information identifying a plurality of media content providers from which the user desires to receive content on any of the plurality of media device;

receiving billing information from the user, the billing information including;

a payment account for the user; and

an indication of at least one of the plurality of media content providers at which the service center is authorized to use the payment account to purchase media content for the user;

storing the account information, media content provider information, and billing information;

determining configuration settings to apply to each of the plurality of media devices to enable each of the plurality of media devices to receive content from each of the plurality of media content providers defined in the media content provider information; and

applying the configuration settings to each of the plurality of media devices so that each of the plurality of media devices is configured similarly to receive content from each of the plurality of media content providers.

7. The method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising:

associating one or more additional users with the account information of the user; and

associating at least one of the plurality of media devices with each of the additional users to enable each of the additional users to receive media content from the plurality of media content providers on the corresponding associated media devices.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising:

receiving content and purchasing restrictions for the one or more additional user; and

storing the content and purchasing restrictions to restrict the one or more additional users'"'"' ability to receive or purchase media content from the plurality of media content providers.

9. The method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising:

receiving desired content information that specifies media content that the user desires to receive at any one of the plurality of media devices;

determining which of the plurality of media content providers can provide the desired media content; and

configuring the plurality of media devices to receive the desired content from the determined media content providers.

10. The method in accordance with claim 6 farther comprising:

tracking. an amount of media content received at any of the plurality of media devices from a particular media content provider; and

automatically authorizing payment to the particular media content provider for the amount of media content received using the stored billing information.

11. The method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising:

identifying one or more media content providers that provide content or services for a fee;

determining how often the fee should be provided to the one or more media content providers; and

providing the fee to the one or more media content providers at the appropriate time interval.

12. The method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the plurality of media devices include one of a satellite radio device, a portable audio player, a portable DVD or CD player, a personal computer, a server computer, a laptop computer, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or any combination thereof.