Method and system for using a website to perform a remote action on a set top box with a secure authorization

• US 9,032,084 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2013
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kahn, Raynold M., Kidd, Deanna R., Basse, Hanno, Labisi, Tokunbo, Palase, Frank A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thieu, Benjamin M
• Application Number:
  US13/737,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20130125176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/231, 709/208, 709/219, 348/13, 348/10, 348/17, 348 46- 47, 725/55, 725/100, 725/131, 725/39, 725/51, 37910201-10205
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A conditional access system generating a permission packet in response to the content request. The permission packet has information for a user device to access content through a connection of a content delivery network so that in response to the permission packet, a first connection from the content delivery network to the user device may be opened by the user device.

Claims

1. A method of delivering content comprising:

selecting a content title to form a selected content title;

generating a permission packet at a conditional access system to allow a user device to open a connection to a content delivery network and obtain content corresponding to the selected content title through the connection from the content delivery network;

communicating the permission packet from the conditional access system to the user device; and

at the user device, opening the connection to the content delivery network for communicating content corresponding to the content title to the user device through the content delivery network based on the permission packet.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

communicating content corresponding to the content title through the connection; and

storing the content in the user device.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the user device is a satellite television set top box having a digital video recorder therein.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein storing the content comprises storing the content in the digital video recorder.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving a content selection at the conditional access system from a computing device.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising accessing a website by a subscriber using the computing device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising accessing a website from a mobile computing device.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising accessing a website verifying a user prior to selecting a content file.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating a permission packet comprises a time and date for opening the connection.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating a permission packet comprises a time, date and channel for opening the connection.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein forming a connection comprises forming a two-way connection between the content delivery network and the user device.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein forming a connection comprises forming a two way connection between a second website and the user device.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the permission packet comprises communicating the permission packet through a satellite.

14. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the connection is a broadband connection.

15. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the connection comprises a satellite connection.

16. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the connection comprises a cable connection.

17. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the connection comprises a wireless connection.

18. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device comprises a digital video recorder.

19. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device is a satellite television set top box.

20. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising forming a second connection between the user device and content delivery network, and thereafter communicating a request for action to the user device through the connection and communicating the content through the second connection.

21. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising adding the content to a queue associated with the user device.

22. The method as recited in claim 21 further comprising assigning a download priority and when the download priority is high, inserting the content in the queue.

23. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising communicating content through a satellite connection.

24. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein forming a connection to the user device in response to the permission packet comprises tuning and receiving a program from a broadcast satellite system.

25. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising broadcasting the permission packet to a plurality of user devices and wherein opening comprises opening a connection at a first user device of the plurality of user devices.

26. A system comprising:

a conditional access system at a head end comprising a processor generating a permission packet in response to a content request corresponding to a content title, said permission packet having information for allowing a user device to open a first connection to a content delivery network so that in response to the permission packet, content corresponding to the content title may be communicated to the user device from the content delivery network through the connection.

27. The system as recited in claim 26 further comprises the content delivery network and the user device wherein said content delivery network communicates the content through the first connection and said user device stores the content in the user device.

28. The system as recited in claim 27 further comprising a website that communicates a request for action to the user device, said user device in response to the request for action forming a second connection to the content delivery network, said content delivery network communicates the content through the second connection, said user device stores the content in the user device.

29. The system as recited in claim 28 wherein the second connection comprises a cable connection.

30. The system as recited in claim 28 wherein the second connection comprises a wireless connection.

31. The system as recited in claim 28 wherein the second connection comprises a broadband connection.

32. The system as recited in claim 28 wherein the user device comprises a digital video recorder.

33. The system as recited in claim 28 wherein the user device comprises a satellite television set top box.

34. The system as recited in claim 26 wherein the first connection comprises a satellite connection.

35. The system as recited in claim 26 wherein the first connection comprises a cable connection.

36. The system as recited in claim 26 wherein the first connection comprises a broadband connection.

37. The system as recited in claim 26 wherein the first connection comprises a wireless connection.

38. The system as recited in claim 26 wherein the permission packet comprises a time and date for forming the first connection.

39. The system as recited in claim 26 wherein the permission packet comprises a time, date and channel for forming the first connection.