System for managing media services

• US 8,555,330 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2007
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chang, Hisao, Cox, Richard V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Chenea
• Application Number:
  US11/866,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20090094662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,197 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/141
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• 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 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Media Content Processor (MCP) having a controller to detect a communication device roaming into a personal area network, receive a communication identifier from the communication device, authenticate the communication device responsive to validating the communication identifier, and enable the communication device to manage operations of the MCP according to a profile of a subscriber of said communication device responsive to a successful authentication of said communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions, which when executed by a processor operating in a network element of a multimedia communication system, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving from a set-top box receiver, by way of a personal area network, a mobile identification number of a cellular communication device that has established communications with the set-top box receiver responsive to the cellular communication device having accepted from the set-top box receiver an offer to access media content services;

determining an existence of an association between the mobile identification number of the cellular communication device and the set-top box receiver;

establishing communications with the cellular communication device by way of the set-top box receiver responsive to the existence of the association between the mobile identification number and the set-top box receiver;

authenticating a subscriber of the set-top box receiver according to a voice authentication message supplied by the cellular communication device of said subscriber by way of the set-top box receiver;

identifying a profile of the subscriber responsive to a successful authentication of the subscriber; and

transmitting to the set-top box receiver the profile of the subscriber to manage a presentation of media services by the set-top box receiver.

2. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the voice authentication message further comprises a data message, execution of the computer instructions causes the processor to perform operations comprising processing the voice authentication message as at least one of a voice or data message.

3. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the cellular communication device comprises a wireless headset and a wireless communication device.

4. The storage medium of claim 3, wherein each of the wireless headset and the wireless communication device are wirelessly coupled to the set-top box receiver by way of the personal area network.

5. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the personal area network operates according to one among a plurality of 802 wireless access protocols defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

6. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the personal area network operates according to a protocol selected from a group consisting of:

a Bluetooth protocol;

a wireless fidelity protocol;

an ultra-wideband protocol;

a Zigbee protocol; and

a digital enhanced cordless telecommunications protocol.

7. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the multimedia communication system is selected from a group consisting of:

an internet protocol television communication system;

a satellite television communication system; and

a cable television communication system, and wherein the set-top box receiver utilizes the profile of the subscriber to tailor a presentation of media content for the subscriber.

8. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein execution of the computer instructions causes the processor to perform operations comprising notifying the set-top box receiver that the subscriber has been authenticated, wherein the set-top box receiver enables the cellular communication device to manage operations of the set-top box receiver as a remote controller responsive to said notification.

9. A media content processor, comprising:

a memory having computer instructions; and

a processor coupled with the memory, wherein the processor, when executing the computer instructions, is programmed to perform operations comprising;

detecting a communication device roaming into a personal area network;

extending to the communication device an offer to access media content services;

receiving in response to the offer a communication identifier from the communication device;

authenticating the communication device responsive to validating the communication identifier;

submitting a subscriber authentication request to the communication device;

receiving a voice authentication message supplied by the communication device;

authenticating a subscriber according to the voice authentication message; and

enabling the communication device to manage operations of the media content processor according to a profile of the authenticated subscriber responsive to a successful authentication of said communication device.

10. The media content processor of claim 9, wherein executing the computer instructions causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

establishing communications with a network element of a multimedia communication system;

transmitting the communication identifier to the network element to authenticate the communication device;

receiving from the network element the profile of the subscriber responsive to successful authentication of the subscriber and association of the subscriber to the media content processor; and

presenting a picture-in-picture graphical user interface for navigating through one or more media services offered by the media content processor.

11. The media content processor of claim 10, wherein executing the computer instructions causes the processor to perform operations comprising enabling the communication device to manage operations of the media content processor by way of the picture-in-picture graphical user interface responsive to receiving the profile.

12. The media content processor of claim 9, wherein executing the computer instructions causes the processor to perform operations comprising retrieving the profile according to the communication identifier.

13. The media content processor of claim 9, wherein the communication identifier comprises a mobile identification number of the communication device.

14. The media content processor of claim 9, wherein the voice authentication message further comprises a data message, executing the computer instructions causes the processor to perform operations comprising authenticating the subscriber responsive to at least one of a voice or data message.

15. The media content processor of claim 9, wherein the communication device comprises a wireless headset and a wireless communication device, and wherein each of the wireless headset and the wireless communication device are wirelessly coupled to the media content processor by way of the personal area network.

16. The media content processor of claim 9, wherein the personal area network operates according to one among a Bluetooth protocol, a wireless fidelity protocol, an ultra-wideband protocol, a Zigbee protocol, or a digital enhanced cordless telecommunications protocol.

17. The media content processor of claim 9, wherein the media content processor corresponds to a set-top box receiver operating in one among an internet protocol television communication system, a satellite television communication system, and a cable television communication system, and wherein the processor is adapted to present media content according to the profile of the subscriber.

18. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a communication device, a personal area network managed by a media content processor;

establishing communications between the communication device and the media content processor over the personal area network;

receiving at the communication device a notification from the media content processor offering media content services in response to the communications between the communications device and the media content processor over the personal area network;

providing authentication data from the communication device in response to the notification offering media content services;

transmitting to the media content processor a communication identifier;

receiving at the communication device a request for subscriber authentication data;

transmitting subscriber provided voice authentication data from the communication device to the media content processor;

receiving, at the communication device, notice from the media content processor that the communication device has been enabled to manage operations of the media content processor responsive to the communication identifier having an association with the media content processor and a subscriber of the communication device being authenticated according to the voice authentication data; and

managing operations of the media content processor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the communication identifier comprises one among a session initiation protocol universal resource identifier, or a mobile identification number.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein one among the media content processor and a network element of a multimedia communication system from which the media content processor operates, associates the communication identifier with the media content processor, retrieves a profile of the authenticated subscriber of the communication device, and directs the media content processor to present media content to the subscriber according to said profile.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the communication device corresponds to a wireless headset and a cellular phone, and wherein the wireless headset is wirelessly coupled to one of the media content processor or the cellular phone over the personal area network.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the wireless headset is wirelessly coupled to the media content processor by way of the personal area network for managing operations thereof, and the cellular phone provides data services to a subscriber by way of one of a wireless fidelity interface or a cellular wireless access interface.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the personal area network operates according to a protocol selected from a group consisting of:

a Bluetooth protocol;

a wireless fidelity protocol;

an ultra-wideband protocol;

a Zigbee protocol; and

a digital enhanced cordless telecommunications protocol, and wherein the media content processor corresponds to a set-top box receiver operating in a system selected from a group consisting of;

an internet protocol television communication system a satellite television communication system; and

a cable television communication system.

24. The method of claim 18, comprising transmitting to the media content processor a profile of a subscriber of the communication device to manage a presentation of media services by the media content processor.