Method for acquiring services on a multiplicity of devices

• US 9,065,978 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• 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: Deas, David A., Grannan, Michael F., Doradla, Anil K., Suryanarayana, Lalitha, Wolter, David R., Nadarajah, Dinesh, Desai, Umesh M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Huy C
• Application Number:
  US11/312,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20070142033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,473 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• 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 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for acquiring services on a multiplicity of devices. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a service management center (SMC) (100) that has a plurality of service centers (102-110) for supplying services to a corresponding plurality of devices (120-128), and a controller (112) for managing operations of the service centers. The controller is programmed to receive (202) from a select one of the devices an identification reference in response to a request for service by an end user, search (210) for one or more services associated with the identification reference, select (212) from the search results one or more services appropriate for the requesting device, and enable (220) the one or more services on the selected device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions which, responsive to being executed by a processor in a service management center for managing operations of service centers, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

enabling a selection of a service from among a group of services provided by the service centers on a target device;

receiving, from the target device, a single identification reference associated with the selection of the service, wherein the single identification reference is not associated with the target device, wherein the single identification reference is inputted into the target device by a user via a user interface of the target device when a request for the service is generated by the target device, and wherein the single identification reference is inputted into the target device via the user interface without utilizing an identity module of the target device;

authenticating the single identification reference;

determining if the service is enabled for the user on a second device;

responsive to a first determination that the single identification reference is valid according to the authenticating and responsive to a second determination that the service is not enabled for the user on the second device, providing the target device with access to the service;

determining whether the target device is associated with a subscription plan of the user; and

responsive to a determination that the target device is not associated with the subscription plan of the user, limiting the access of the target device to the service by preventing copying, sharing or a combination thereof of content provided to the target device via the service.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the authenticating of the single identification reference comprising analyzing the single identification reference in comparison to a group of identification references associated with the user, wherein any of the group of identification references enables the first determination that the single identification reference is valid.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise adapting the content according to capabilities of the target device.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the limiting of the access of the target device to the service comprises limiting the access to a time period.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the target device is a merchant device, and wherein the service is a sale to the user.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the single identification reference comprises facial scanning performed by the target device.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the single identification reference comprises voice scanning performed by the target device.

8. A service management system, comprising:

a memory that stores executable instructions; and

a controller coupled with the memory, wherein the controller, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising;

receiving, from a target device, an identification reference in association with a request for service by a user, wherein the identification reference is provided to the target device when the request for service is generated by the target device;

authenticating the identification reference;

determining if the service is enabled for the user on a second device;

responsive to a first determination that the identification reference is valid according to the authenticating and responsive to a second determination that the service is not enabled for the user on the second device, providing the target device with access to the service;

determining whether the target device is associated with the user; and

responsive to a determination that the target device is not associated with the user, limiting the access of the target device to the service according to a security policy.

9. The service management system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise adapting content provided via the service according to capabilities of the target device.

10. The service management system of claim 8, wherein the security policy prevents copying, sharing or a combination thereof of content provided to the target device via the service.

11. The service management system of claim 8, wherein the identification reference is not associated with the target device, and wherein the identification reference is inputted into the target device via a user interface without utilizing an identity module of the target device.

12. The service management system of claim 8, wherein the identification reference comprises a biometric signature, a smart card signature, a magnetic signature, a barcode signature, an RFID signature, or any combination thereof.

13. The service management system of claim 12, wherein the biometric signature comprises an audible recognition, an image recognition, or any combination thereof.

14. The service management system of claim 8, wherein the target device is a merchant device, and wherein the service is a sale to the user.

15. The service management system of claim 8, wherein the identification reference is a single identification reference.

16. A service management system, comprising:

a memory that stores executable instructions; and

a controller coupled with the memory, wherein the controller, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising;

enabling a selection of a service from among a group of services provided by service centers on a target device by a user;

receiving, from the target device, an identification reference associated with the selection of the service, wherein the identification reference is provided to the target device when a request for service is generated by the target device;

authenticating the identification reference;

determining if the service is enabled for the user on a second device;

responsive to a first determination that the identification reference is valid according to the authenticating and responsive to a second determination that the service is not enabled for the user on the second device, providing the target device with access to the service;

determining whether the target device is associated with the user; and

responsive to a determination that the target device is not associated with the user, limiting the access of the target device to the service by preventing copying, sharing or a combination thereof of content provided to the target device via the service.

17. The service management system of claim 16, wherein the identification reference is not associated with the target device, wherein the identification reference is inputted into the target device by a user via a user interface of the target device, and wherein the identification reference is inputted into the target device via the user interface without utilizing an identity module of the target device.

18. The service management system of claim 16, wherein the identification reference is a single identification reference.

19. The service management system of claim 16, wherein the target device is a merchant device, and wherein the service is a sale to the user.

20. The service management system of claim 16, wherein the authenticating of the identification reference comprising analyzing the identification reference in comparison to a group of identification references associated with the user, wherein any of the group of identification references enables the first determination that the identification reference is valid.