Unified management and control of users and devices of a service network

• US 9,084,030 B1
• Filed: 02/06/2013
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nijim, Yousef Wasef, Langa, Jay Paul, Strothmann, James Alan, Raza, Muhammad Asif
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheleheda, James R
• Application Number:
  US13/760,212
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 725/25, 725/47, 725/37
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• 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 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children

Abstract

A unified control (UC) interface is configured for use with a portable computing device in part to manage and control access and personalization of a service network including managing automatic user and device access to subscribed to services. The UC interface of an embodiment can be used to display an overview of a service network, including authorized users, authorized devices, and/or associated settings. The UC interface of one embodiment can be used with a portable computing device in part to enable an authorized user to manage access and/or programming personalization on a per user and/or device basis.

Claims

1. A method executing with a portable computing device comprising:

submitting login credentials with a unified control (UC) interface associated with a subscribed to service network to access television programming and network services;

identifying other portable computing devices with the UC interface to manage and allow access to features of the subscribed to service network, including identifying multiple portable computing devices to automatically login and automatically logout with respect to the television programming and network services, and control access to greater or fewer numbers of the features of the subscribed to service network based in part on the login credentials, wherein the UC interface is configured to;

display information associated with other users and devices of each of the other users associated with the television programming and network services, and display selectable automatic login and automatic logout options for each of the multiple portable computing devices that enables use of the UC interface to select one or more of the multiple portable computing devices at the same time to automatically login and automatically logout such that the login credentials are not required to be entered each time in order for the multiple portable computing devices to access the television programming and network services; and

displaying an overview with the UC interface of authorized users and authorized portable computing devices associated with the subscribed to service network, the UC interface configured to display personalization information associated with one or more television components, set-top box (STB) components, or other program viewing components.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying with the UC interface each authorized portable computing device before allowing access to the services and enabling automatic login for each authorized portable computing device, wherein the UC interface is configured to display a prompt to enable identification of each authorized portable computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling delivery of the login credentials via an application server in order to receive analog video and digital video programming.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising securely storing the login credentials via the application server for use in automatically logging in one or more other computing devices.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising securely storing the login credentials via the application server for use in automatically logging out one or more other computing devices.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing via the application server a STB setting overview according to the subscription and user settings.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing via the application server a substantially similar STB view as shown on a television display connected to the STB including displaying analog and digital video programming per user per device.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing via the application server a substantially similar view that would be shown on a television display coupled to a second STB including displaying advanced digital IP, On Demand, and/or QAM in the clear services.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying with the UC interface corresponding user overviews for different favorite and HD channels, different guide views, different recommendations, different recordings, and different video on demand (VOD) options.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending different login credentials automatically for different authorized users absent requiring credential re-entry to receive legacy QAM and IP-based content and services.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the login credentials securely using computer storage.

12. A portable computing device comprising:

processing and memory resources; and

a UC interface configured to use the processing and memory resources as part of displaying an overview of a television and IP service network including information associated with other authorized users and portable computing devices, wherein the UC interface is configured to automatically login and automatically logout multiple portable computing devices with respect to the television and IP service network and provide the overview to include personalization information associated with one or more smart televisions, STBs, or other components according to login credentials of each authorized user, wherein the UC interface is further configured to;

display information associated with other users and devices of each of the other users associated with the television and IP service network, and display selectable automatic login and automatic logout options for each of the multiple portable computing devices that enables selecting one or more of the multiple portable computing devices at the same time to automatically login and automatically logout such that the login credentials are not required to be entered each time in order for the multiple portable computing devices to access the television and IP service network.

13. The portable computing device of claim 12, wherein the UC interface is configured to display a first interface section to display the authorized users including user login status, a second interface section to display the authorized devices including device status, and a third section to display associated settings.

14. The portable computing device of claim 13, wherein the UC interface is configured to display personalized settings associated with an authorized user in the third section upon selecting the authorized user in the first interface section.

15. The portable computing device of claim 13, wherein the UC interface is configured to display personalized settings associated with an authorized device upon clicking or tapping on the authorized device in the second interface section.

16. The portable computing device of claim 12, wherein the UC interface is configured to display a similar view that a user would see while using a designated STB and using the interactive features to personalize aspects of the designated STB.

17. The portable computing device of claim 12, wherein the UC interface is configured to provide a one-time login enabling customers to automatically login multiple authorized devices without having to enter or re-enter previously entered correct login credentials for each authorized device or each authorized user.

18. Computer storage, excluding a signal, including instructions that operate to:

receive login credentials from a UC interface associated with a subscribed to service network that includes television programming and network services;

enable other identified users and devices to automatically logout multiple portable computing devices from the television programming and network services and login the multiple portable computing devices to access defined services of the subscribed to service network based in part on the login credentials, wherein the instructions operate further to receive a selection at the same time associated with a display of selectable automatic login and automatic logout options for each of the multiple portable computing devices to automatically login and automatically logout such that the login credentials are not required to be entered each time in order for the multiple portable computing devices to access the television programming and network services; and

provide information for displaying an overview of authorized users and authorized devices to access the defined services of the subscribed to service network, the information including personalization information associated with the other identified users and devices and configuration of one or more television components, STB components, and other devices.

19. The computer storage of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further configured to automatically login other authorized users without requiring the other authorized users to submit login information.

20. The computer storage of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further configured to manage submitting the login credentials to components used to provide the services, including automatically communicating social networking or other third party access credentials.