Method and system for determining a channel service

• US 9,185,443 B1
• Filed: 04/06/2009
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chaudhry, Kapil, Chung, Jin H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheleheda, James R
• Application Number:
  US12/419,216
• Time in Patent Office: 2,409 Days
• Field of Search: 725/63, 725/25, 725/107
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/239 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. prioritizing client content requests hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for upstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in data networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; 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 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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 21/26606 for generating or managing entitlement messages, e.g. Entitlement Control Message [ECM] or Entitlement Management Message [EMM] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/438 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. retrieving encoded video stream packets from an IP network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38

Abstract

A method and system for identifying a service includes a service locator module and a customer service device communicating a channel signal to a service locator module from a customer service module. The service locator module generates a service signal associated with the channel signal and communicates the service signal to the customer service device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first request from a user device by a customer service device via a network, wherein the user device generates the first request to locate services of a customer package transmitted from a service provider to the user device,

transmitting a channel signal to a service locator module from a customer service module of the customer service device based on the first request;

generating a service signal associated with the channel signal;

communicating the service signal to the customer service device;

comparing the service signal to the customer package of the user device; and

transmitting a diagnostic request from the customer service device to the service provider via the network and based on the comparing of the service signal to the customer package.

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

prior to communicating the channel signal, obtaining a first eToken from the service provider; and

prior to generating the service signal, validating the first eToken.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

prior to communicating the channel signal, obtaining a first eToken from the service provider; and

prior to generating the service signal, validating the first eToken via an authentication web service device of the service provider.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transmitting a time indicator from the customer service module to the service locator module, and wherein the service signal is generated based on the time indicator.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transmitting a location indicator from the customer service module to the service locator module, wherein:

the service signal is generated based on the location indicator; and

the location indicator indicates at least one of a designated marking area and geographical information of the user device.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transmitting a location indicator and a time indicator from the customer service module to the service locator module, wherein:

the service signal is generated based on the location indicator and the time indicator; and

the location indicator indicates at least one of a designated marking area and geographical information of the user device.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transmitting an eToken from the customer service module to the service locator module, and wherein the service signal is generated based on the eToken.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transmitting an eToken and a site identifier from the customer service module to the service locator module, and wherein the service signal is generated based on the eToken and the site identifier.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transmitting an eToken, a site identifier and a user identifier from the customer service module to the service locator module, and wherein the service signal is generated based on the eToken, the site identifier and the user identifier.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transmitting a channel name from the customer service module to the service locator module, and wherein the service signal is generated based on the channel name.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transmitting an eToken from the customer service device to the service locator module, wherein the channel signal is generated based on the eToken.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a user identifier; and

determining the customer package based on the user identifier.

13. A system comprising:

a service locator module; and

a customer service device configured to receive a first request from a user device via a network, wherein the user device generates the first request to locate services of a customer package transmitted from a service provider to the user device, and wherein the customer service device is configured to transmit a channel signal to the service locator module from a customer service module based on the first request,

wherein said service locator module is configured to generate a service signal associated with the channel signal and communicating the service signal to the customer service device, and

wherein the customer service device is configured to compare the service signal to the customer package of the user device and transmit a diagnostic request to the service provider via the network and based on the comparison of the service signal to the customer package.

14. A system as recited in claim 13 further comprising the service provider communicating an eToken to the customer service device,

wherein the service locator module is configured to validate the eToken, determines the customer package, and then compares the channel signal to the customer package.

15. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein the service locator module validates the eToken prior to generating the service signal by communicating with an authentication web service device at the service provider.

16. A system as recited in claim 13 wherein:

the customer service device is configured to transmit a user location signal to the service locator module; and

the service locator module is configured to generate the service signal based on the user location signal.

17. A system as recited in claim 13 wherein:

the customer service device is configured to transmit a time signal to the service location module; and

the service locator module is configured to generate the service signal based on the channel signal and the time signal.

18. A system as recited in claim 17 wherein the time signal comprises a present time.

19. A system as recited in claim 17 wherein the time signal comprises a past time.

20. A system as recited in claim 13 wherein:

the channel signal comprises a channel identifier;

the customer service device communicates the channel identifier, an eToken and a site identifier to the service locator module; and

the customer service device is configured to generate the service signal based on the channel identifier, the eToken and the site identifier.

21. A system as recited in claim 13 wherein:

the channel signal comprises a channel identifier;

the customer service device communicates the channel identifier, an eToken, a site identifier and a user identifier to the service locator module; and

the customer service device is configured to generate the service signal based on the channel identifier, the eToken, the site identifier and the user identifier.

22. A system as recited in claim 13 wherein the service signal comprises a service identifier and a channel name.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein the customer service device transmits the diagnostic request to the service provider to cause the service provider to transmit a conditional access packet to the user device.

24. The system of claim 23 further comprising the service provider configured to receive the diagnostic request via the network and transmit the conditional access packet to the user device, wherein the conditional access packet comprises actions to be performed by the user device to correct a problem receiving the customer package by the user device.

25. The system of claim 13 wherein the network is between:

the user device and the service provider;

the user device and the customer service device; and

the customer service device and the service provider.

26. The system of claim 13 wherein the customer package includes television programs.

27. A satellite communication system comprising:

the system of claim 13;

a satellite; and

the service provider communicating an eToken to the customer service device and communicating content to the user device through the satellite.