Providing a service with location-based authorization

• US 8,831,563 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CSC Holdings LLC (Altice USA, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CSC Holdings LLC (Altice USA, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martell, Lawrence Robert, Henriksen, Brett, Lariccio, Michael, Sweeney, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US13/021,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20120202459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455410-411, 455/415, 455418-420, 455427-431, 4554321-4323, 455433-434, 4554351-4352, 455/445, 4554561-4563, 4554565-4566, 455/457, 455/466, 455/514, 455/550.1, 4555561-5562, 455/557, 455560-561, 455/3.06, 455/66.1, 455/500, 370/310, 370312-313, 370/349, 370/389, 370392-393, 370/395.3, 370/395.5, 370/395.52, 370/395.54, 370/432, 370328-329, 370/338, 370/341, 711202-207, 711216-218, 711220-221, 709218-219, 709/231, 709/226, 709/229, 709/244, 709/224, 705 51- 53, 705/64, 705 70- 78, 705/14.4, 705/14.47, 705/14.64, 705/14.66, 348 1401- 1404, 348/14.16, 707781-788, 380/241, 380270-271
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing a service are provided. A request is received to provide the service to a device. A location of the device, or a network interface through which the device is coupled, is determined. Finally, the delivery of the service is authorized based on the determined location of the device, or the determined network interface.

Claims

1. A method of providing a service, comprising:

receiving a request to provide the service to a device, wherein the device is associated with a subscriber profile that includes information comprising;

a list of authorized locations, and

a maximum number of devices that can be associated with the subscriber profile to access the service;

determining a first location associated with the device; and

authorizing the service to the device in response to determining, based on the information in the subscriber profile, that the first location is in the list of authorized locations and that a number of devices accessing the service will not exceed the maximum number of devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorizing comprises comparing the first location to a second location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second location is a household location associated with a user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating user credentials associated with the request.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the device based on a hardware identifier associated with the device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the hardware identifier is a media access control (MAC) address of the device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the device by authenticating device credentials associated with the request.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a user associated with the request based on a record associating the user with the device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first location comprises:

determining a network interface through which the device is connected;

determining a second location, wherein the second location is associated with the network interface; and

determining the first location based on the second location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the network interface comprises determining identification information associated with the network interface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the identification information is an internet protocol (IP) address.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the second location is determined by internet protocol (IP) address geolocation.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the identification information is a media access control (MAC) address.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the second location is determined based on a record associating the second location with the MAC address.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the network interface is one of a WiFi access point, a router, a cable modem, or a wireless base station.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location is determined based on a global positioning system (GPS) measurement.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location is determined based on triangulation from multiple network interfaces.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is one of a portable media player, a personal computer, a tablet computer, an internet-connected television, a game console, or an optical disc player.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the service to the device;

determining an updated location associated with the device; and

authorizing continued service to the device based on the updated location of the device.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the first location with the authorized locations in the subscriber profile.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the service to the device further comprises:

authorizing the service to the device in response to determining that the first location matches an authorized location in the list of authorized locations.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber profile further includes a list of a plurality of devices associated with the subscriber profile that can be used to access the service.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber profile further includes a list of authorized device types.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the subscriber profile further includes a maximum number of the authorized device types that can be used to access the service, and wherein the maximum number is greater than one.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber profile further includes network interface information.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the network interface information includes identifying a set top box and a cable modem associated with the subscriber profile.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is coupled to a first network interface, and wherein the method further comprises:

detecting a coupling of the device to a second network interface.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the service is a cable television service.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber profile is associated with an account of a subscriber.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the account is associated with a subscriber household.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the subscriber profile identifies members of the subscriber household that are authorized to access the service.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the first location is a location of a primary residence of the subscriber household.

33. A method of providing a service, comprising:

receiving a request to provide the service to a device, wherein the device is associated with a subscriber profile that includes information comprising;

a list of authorized locations, and

a maximum number of devices that can be with the subscriber profile to access the service;

determining identification information associated with a network interface through which the device is connected; and

authorizing the service to the device based on the identification information and the information in the subscriber profile, in response to determining that a first location associated with the device is in the list of authorized locations and that a number of devices accessing the service will not exceed the maximum number of devices.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the identification information is a media access control (MAC) address.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining a first user associated with the network interface device; and

determining a second user associated with the request, wherein the authorizing is further based on comparing information associated with the first user with information associated with the second user.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the first user is a subscriber account, the second user is an individual user, and the first user is determined to match the second user if the second user is associated with the first user.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the first user is an individual user, the second user is a subscriber account, and the first user is determined to match the second user if the first user is associated with the second user.

38. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining a first location associated with the device; and

determining, based on the information in the subscriber profile, that the device is authorized to access the service at the first location.

39. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining, based on the information in the subscriber profile, that the device is authorized to access the service from the network interface.

40. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

detecting a coupling of the device to a second network interface; and

determining, based on the information in the subscriber profile, that the device is authorized to access the service from the second network interface.

41. A computer-based system for providing a service to a device comprising:

a memory storing a subscriber profile, wherein the subscriber profile includes a plurality of limitations for providing the service, the plurality of limitations comprising;

a plurality of devices corresponding to the subscriber profile,

a maximum number of the plurality of devices that can be used to access the service, wherein the maximum number is greater than one, and

a list of authorized locations corresponding to the subscriber profile;

a tracker configured to receive a request to access the service;

a locator engine configured to determine a first location associated with the device; and

an authorization engine configured to authorize the providing of the service in response to determining, based on the information in the subscriber profile, that the first location is in the list of authorized locations and that a number of devices accessing the service will not exceed the maximum number of the plurality devices.

42. The computer-based system of claim 41, wherein the authorization engine is further configured to compare the first location to a second location.

43. The computer-based system of claim 42, wherein the tracker is further configured to determine a user associated with the request, and wherein the second location is a location associated with the user.

44. The computer-based system of claim 43, wherein the second location is a household location associated with the user.

45. The computer-based system of claim 43, wherein the tracker is further configured to determine the user by authenticating user credentials associated with the request.

46. The computer-based system of claim 41, wherein the tracker is further configured to identify the device based on a hardware identifier associated with the device.

47. The computer-based system of claim 46, wherein the hardware identifier is a media access control (MAC) address of the device.

48. The computer-based system of claim 46, wherein the tracker is further configured to authenticate device credentials associated with the request.

49. The computer-based system of claim 48, wherein the device credentials comprise at least one of a token, a web cookie and a device certificate.

50. The computer-based system of claim 43, wherein the tracker is configured to determine the user based on a record associating the user with the device.

51. The computer-based system of claim 41, wherein the locator engine is further configured to:

determine a network interface through which the device is connected;

determine a second location associated with the network interface; and

determine the second location to be the first location.

52. The computer-based system of claim 51, wherein the locator engine is further configured to:

determine identification information associated with the network interface.

53. The computer-based system of claim 52, wherein the identification information is an internet protocol (IP) address.

54. The computer-based system of claim 51, wherein the locator engine is configured to use IP address geolocation to determine the second location.

55. The computer-based system of claim 52, wherein the identification information is a media access control (MAC) address.

56. The computer-based system of claim 51, wherein the locator engine is configured to determine the second location based on a record associating the second location with the MAC address.

57. The computer-based system of claim 51, wherein the network interface is one of a WiFi access point or a wireless base station.

58. The computer-based system of claim 41, wherein the locator engine is configured to determine the first location based on a global positioning system (GPS) measurement.

59. The computer-based system of claim 41, wherein the locator engine is configured to determine the first location based on triangulation from multiple network interfaces.

60. The computer-based system of claim 41, wherein the device is one of a portable media player, a personal computer, a tablet computer, an internet-connected television, a game console, or an optical disc player.

61. The computer-based system of claim 41, further comprising a processor configured to:

provide the service to the device;

determine an updated location associated with the device; and

authorize continued service to the device based on the updated location of the device.

62. A computer-based system for providing a service to a device, comprising:

a memory storing a subscriber profile, wherein the subscriber profile includes information comprising;

a list of authorized locations, and

a maximum number of devices that can be associated with the subscriber profile to access the service;

a tracker configured to receive a request to access the service;

a locator engine configured to determine identification information associated with a network interface through which the device is connected; and

an authorization engine configured to authorize the providing of the service to the device based on the identification information and the information in the subscriber profile in response to determining that a first location associated with the device is in the list of authorized locations and that a number of devices accessing the service will not exceed the maximum number of devices.

63. The computer-based system of claim 62, wherein the identification information is a media access control (MAC) address.

64. The computer-based system of claim 62,

wherein the tracker is further configured to:

determine a first user associated with the request, and

determine a second user associated with the request; and

wherein the authorization engine is further configured to;

compare the first user with the second user.

65. The computer-based system of claim 62, wherein the subscriber profile corresponds to a subscriber account associated with an individual user.

66. The computer-based system of claim 64, wherein the first user is an individual user, wherein the second user is a subscriber account, and wherein the authorization engine is further configured to determine that the first user matches the second user if the first user is associated with the second user.