Method and system for providing a predeactivation warning in a system having a conditional access authorization expiration in a mobile receiving device

• US 8,243,923 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2006
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Norin, John, Klauss, Peter M., Casavant, Scott, Guzman, Jorge
• Primary Examiner(s): Zia, Syed A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, TRANG T
• Application Number:
  US11/638,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20080148361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,071 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 380/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26606 for generating or managing entitlement messages, e.g. Entitlement Control Message [ECM] or Entitlement Management Message [EMM] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A system and method for providing conditional access authorizations in a satellite-receiving system includes generating a conditional access authorization signal and an expiration signal at a head-end 20, receiving the conditional access authorization signal at a fixed satellite receiver 54 or at a mobile satellite receiver 28. When the mobile satellite receiver operates in a predetermined time window before the expiration time, which is determined from the expiration signal, a warning 434 on a screen display 432 is generated.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

communicating a conditional access authorization signal and an expiration signal to a mobile satellite receiver;

storing the conditional access authorization signal and the expiration signal in the mobile satellite receiver;

enabling use of satellite signals by the mobile satellite receiver in response to the conditional access authorization signal;

when a current time is within a time window from an expiration time determined from the expiration signal, generating a screen display corresponding to a reauthorization warning;

contacting a business center;

providing identifying information to the business center;

communicating a reauthorization signal and a second expiration signal to the mobile satellite receiver;

storing the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal in the mobile satellite receiver; and

enabling use of the satellite signals by the mobile satellite receiver in response to the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein communicating comprises communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal through a satellite.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein communicating comprises wirelessly communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal through a satellite.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein wirelessly communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal comprises communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal through a wireless network.

5. A method as in claim 3 wherein wirelessly communicating the conditional access authorization signal comprises communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal through a WiFi network.

6. A method as in claim 3 wherein wirelessly communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal comprises communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal through an extender of a wireless phone network.

7. A method as in claim 3 wherein wirelessly communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal comprises communicating the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal through a cellular phone network.

8. A method as in claim 3 wherein communicating a reauthorization signal and a second expiration signal comprises storing the reauthorization signal and the second expiration signal on a memory device and further comprising coupling the memory device to the mobile receiver.

9. A method as in claim 1 wherein the mobile satellite receiver comprises a mobile integrated receiver decoder.

10. A method as in claim 1 further comprising generating the conditional access authorization signal and the expiration signal at a head end.