Systems, methods and apparatus for reducing unauthorized use in a television distribution system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for reducing unauthorized usage in a television distribution system, the method comprising:
- receiving an audio/video stream at a first television receiver of a television distribution system, the audio/video stream communicated via a content transmission network;
exchanging communications between the first television receiver and a plurality of base stations of a wireless communication network that is different than the content transmission network, the first television receiver associated with a subscriber account, wherein exchanging communications involves the first television receiver receiving signals from each of the plurality of base stations;
the first television receiver measuring signal strengths and/or angles of reception for the signals received from the plurality of base stations to triangulate and identify a location of the first television receiver;
the first television receiver transmitting location information regarding the location of the television receiver through the wireless communication network to a data collection system, and the first television receiver transmitting aggregated data with the location information through the wireless communication network, the aggregated data regarding audio/video content output by the first television receiver and regarding general operating conditions of the first television receiver, the data collection system determining that the first television receiver and one or more second television receivers associated with the same subscriber account are disparately located based on the location information; and
receiving a command, at one or more of the television receivers, the command modifying the access parameters used for the reception of programming by the television receiver.
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Abstract
Systems, method and apparatus are described for reducing unauthorized usage in a television distribution system. A television receiver communicates with base stations of a wireless communication network. Based on the communications with the base station, the television receiver identifies its location and transmits the location information to a data collection system through the wireless communication network. The data collection system utilizes the location information to identify unauthorized uses of the television receiver.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for reducing unauthorized usage in a television distribution system, the method comprising:
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receiving an audio/video stream at a first television receiver of a television distribution system, the audio/video stream communicated via a content transmission network; exchanging communications between the first television receiver and a plurality of base stations of a wireless communication network that is different than the content transmission network, the first television receiver associated with a subscriber account, wherein exchanging communications involves the first television receiver receiving signals from each of the plurality of base stations; the first television receiver measuring signal strengths and/or angles of reception for the signals received from the plurality of base stations to triangulate and identify a location of the first television receiver; the first television receiver transmitting location information regarding the location of the television receiver through the wireless communication network to a data collection system, and the first television receiver transmitting aggregated data with the location information through the wireless communication network, the aggregated data regarding audio/video content output by the first television receiver and regarding general operating conditions of the first television receiver, the data collection system determining that the first television receiver and one or more second television receivers associated with the same subscriber account are disparately located based on the location information; and receiving a command, at one or more of the television receivers, the command modifying the access parameters used for the reception of programming by the television receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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3. A television receiver comprising:
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an input module that receives audio/video content from a content source via a content transmission network and according to access parameters associated with a subscriber account; a processor communicatively coupled to the input module, the processor outputting the audio/video content for presentation on a presentation device and aggregating data regarding the output of the audio/video content; and a wireless interface module communicatively coupled to the processor, the wireless interface module communicating with a plurality of base stations of a wireless communication network that is different than the content transmission network, to receive signals from each of the plurality of base stations;
whereinthe processor measures signal strengths of the signals received from the plurality of base stations and triangulates a location of the television receiver based on the measured signal strengths, resulting in a triangulated location; the wireless interface module transmits location information that indicates the triangulated location of the television receiver and the aggregated audio/video output data to a data collection system through the wireless communication network; and the television receiver is one of multiple television receivers that are associated with the subscriber account, the data collection system determining, based on the triangulated location of the television receiver, whether the television receiver is disparately located in relation to one or more television receivers that are associated with the subscriber account, the processor receiving a command modifying access parameters. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A communication system comprising:
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a data collection system; and a plurality of television receivers, each receiver including; an input module that receives audio/video content from a content source via a content transmission network; a conditional access module communicatively coupled to the input module that determines whether the television receiver is authorized to output the audio/video content, and that further decrypts the audio/video content responsive to determining that the television receiver is authorized to output the audio/video content; a processor communicatively coupled to the conditional access module that receives the decrypted audio/video content and that outputs the decrypted audio/video content for presentation on a presentation device and that aggregates data regarding the output of the decrypted audio/video content; and a wireless interface module communicatively coupled to the processor that communicates with a plurality of base stations of a wireless communication network that is different than the content transmission network, to receive signals from each of the plurality of base stations, wherein the processor measures signal strengths of the signals received from the plurality of base stations and triangulates a location of a respective one of the plurality of television receivers based on the measured signal strengths, resulting in a triangulated location, and wherein the wireless interface module further transmits location information that indicates the triangulated location and transmits the data to a data collection system through the wireless communication network; the data collection system processing the location information to determine whether the television receivers are disparately located, and that further generates a disablement command for transmission to at least one of the plurality of television receivers requesting disablement of the conditional access module responsive to determining that the television receivers are disparately located. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification