Coordinate-based set top box policy enforcement system, method and computer program product

• US 8,196,169 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2006
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Herz, William S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beliveau, Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huerta, Alexander Q
• Application Number:
  US11/532,817
• Time in Patent Office: 2,087 Days
• Field of Search: 725/48, 725/133, 725/141, 725/153, 725 25- 31, 725/78, 370/254
• US Class Current: 725/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product are provided. In use, a plurality of coordinates of a set top box is identified. In addition, a policy associated with usage of the set top box is enforced utilizing the coordinates.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying a first plurality of coordinates of a set top box;

storing at the set top box, the first plurality of coordinates as an authorized source of communication;

transmitting to a remote server, the first plurality of coordinates stored as the authorized source of communication;

identifying a second plurality of coordinates of the set top box as an actual source of communication; and

enforcing a policy associated with usage of the set top box utilizing the first plurality of coordinates transmitted to the remote server, the enforcing the policy including;

determining that the first plurality of coordinates stored at the set top box as the authorized source of communication are no longer stored at the set top box,

receiving at the set top box, in response to the determination that the first plurality of coordinates stored at the set top box are no longer stored at the set top box, replacement coordinates from the remote server, the replacement coordinates being a copy of the first plurality of coordinates transmitted to the remote server,

comparing the replacement coordinates received from the remote server to the coordinates of the actual source of communication, and

conditionally displaying an interface if the comparison indicates that the coordinates of the actual source of the communication reside within the replacement coordinates received from the remote server, the interface permitting the authorized source of communication to be updated;

wherein multiple set top boxes exist, and coordinates of the multiple set top boxes are compared to each other;

wherein the multiple set top boxes include a master set top box and at least one slave set top box, and a relative distance of the master set top box and each slave set top box is calculated based on a comparison of coordinates of the master set top box and coordinates of the at least one slave set top box, such that the coordinate-based relative distance calculation of the master set top box and each slave set top box is used for policy enforcement.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of coordinates are identified utilizing a global positioning system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set top box is adapted for receiving content via a satellite content provider.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set top box is adapted for receiving content via a cable content provider.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the enforcing further includes conditionally permitting usage of the set top box based on the comparison.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the usage is only permitted if the coordinates of the actual source of the communication reside within the replacement coordinates received from the remote server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the enforcing further includes displaying a notification to a user of the set top box based on the comparison.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the notification is displayed along with a prompt for a communication.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the notification informs the user that the set top box is outside of an authorized operating area and further informs the user of the authorized operating area based on the authorized source of communication.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy includes a predetermined perimeter with respect to a single location.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined perimeter is a radius of coordinates.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined perimeter is sized to reflect an average size of a home.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined perimeter is sized to reflect a maximum size of a home.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy includes an authorized threshold regarding a rate of change in the coordinates of the actual source of the communication over time.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy includes a limit on functionality of the set top box.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy includes a rule regarding a length of time the set top box may be used.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein sports programming is “

blacked-out”

as a function of the coordinates.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein a position of the multiple set top boxes is used for the policy enforcement.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface enables a user to re-register the set top box with a new set of coordinates as the authorized source of communication, such that the authorized source of communication is updated using the interface.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the authorized source of communication is only allowed to be updated once a year.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorized source of the communication and the actual source of the communication each include at least one of an internet protocol address, a port, and a phone number.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of coordinates are identified upon each power up of the set top box.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of coordinates are identified periodically based on predetermined time periods.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorized source of communication is only allowed to be updated a predetermined number of times defined by a service provider.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of coordinates of the set top box are already established at a time of purchase of the set top box.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first plurality of coordinates of the set top box are established based on a location from which the set top box is purchased.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of coordinates of the set top box are established based on a location at which a service for the set top box is purchased.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of coordinates of the set top box are established based on an address of a user of the set top box.

29. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for identifying a first plurality of coordinates of a set top box;

computer code for storing at the set top box, the first plurality of coordinates as an authorized source of communication;

computer code for transmitting to a remote server, the first plurality of coordinates stored as the authorized source of communication;

computer code for identifying a second plurality of coordinates of the set top box as an actual source of communication; and

computer code for enforcing a policy associated with usage of the set top box utilizing the first plurality of coordinates transmitted to the remote server, the enforcing the policy including;

determining that the first plurality of coordinates stored at the set top box as the authorized source of communication are no longer stored at the set top box,

receiving at the set top box, in response to the determination that the first plurality of coordinates stored at the set top box are no longer stored at the set top box, replacement coordinates from the remote server, the replacement coordinates being a copy of the first plurality of coordinates transmitted to the remote server,

comparing the replacement coordinates received from the remote server to the coordinates of the actual source of communication, and

conditionally displaying an interface if the comparison indicates that the coordinates of the actual source of the communication reside within the replacement coordinates received from the remote server, the interface permitting the authorized source of communication to be updated;

wherein multiple set top boxes exist, and the computer program product is operable such that coordinates of the multiple set top boxes are compared to each other;

wherein the multiple set top boxes include a master set top box and at least one slave set top box, and the computer program product is operable such that a relative distance of the master set top box and each slave set top box is calculated based on a comparison of coordinates of the master set top box and coordinates of the at least one slave set top box, such that the coordinate-based relative distance calculation of the master set top box and each slave set top box is used for policy enforcement.

30. A system, comprising:

a global position sub-system for;

identifying a first plurality of coordinates of a set top box,

storing at the set top box, the first plurality of coordinates as an authorized source of communication, and

identifying a second plurality of coordinates of the set top box as an actual source of communication;

a transmitter for transmitting to a remote server, the first plurality of coordinates stored as the authorized source of communication; and

a controller for controlling usage of the set top box utilizing the first plurality of coordinates transmitted to the remote server, the controlling usage of the set top box including;

determining that the first plurality of coordinates stored at the set top box as the authorized source of communication are no longer stored at the set top box,

receiving at the set top box, in response to the determination that the first plurality of coordinates stored at the set top box are no longer stored at the set top box, replacement coordinates from the remote server, the replacement coordinates being a copy of the first plurality of coordinates transmitted to the remote server,

comparing the replacement coordinates received from the remote server to the coordinates of the actual source of communication, and

conditionally displaying an interface if the comparison indicates that the coordinates of the actual source of the communication reside within the replacement coordinates received from the remote server, the interface permitting the authorized source of communication to be updated;

wherein multiple set top boxes exist, and the system is operable such that coordinates of the multiple set top boxes are compared to each other;

wherein the multiple set top boxes include a master set top box and at least one slave set top box, and the system is operable such that a relative distance of the master set top box and each slave set top box is calculated based on a comparison of coordinates of the master set top box and coordinates of the at least one slave set top box, such that the coordinate-based relative distance calculation of the master set top box and each slave set top box is used for policy enforcement.