System and methods for assignation and use of media content subscription service privileges
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- authenticating, at a first personal identification device, a biometric input of a first user based on a biometric template of the first user stored at the first personal identification device;
sending a subscription privilege associated with the first user from the first personal identification device of the first user to a media device when the biometric input is authentic such that the media device performs at least one of (1) ceasing to inhibit media output from a media provider based on the subscription privilege associated with the first user or (2) decrypting encrypted media output from the media provider based on the subscription privilege associated with the first user, the media being associated with a premium content channel of the media provider, the subscription privilege associated with the first user being associated with the premium content channel of the media provider, the subscription privilege associated with the first user being configured to permit full access to the media from the media provider associated with the subscription privilege associated with the first user;
producing, at the first personal identification device, a subscription privilege associated with a second user different from the first user, the subscription privilege associated with the second user being configured to permit limited access to the media from the media provider associated with the subscription privilege associated with the first user; and
sending from the first personal identification device to a second personal identification device the subscription privilege associated with the first user and the subscription privilege associated with the second user, the second personal identification device being associated with the second user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention describes a system and methods for media content subscription service distribution; typical services include cable television, premium content channels, pay-per-view, XM radio, and online mp3 services. Subscribers use portable electronic devices to store digital certificates certifying the subscriber'"'"'s privileges and an assigned public key. The devices can communicate with specially enabled televisions, radios, computers, or other media presentation apparatuses. These, in turn, can communicate with central databases owned by the provider, for verification purposes. Methods of the invention describe media content subscription service privilege issuing and use. The invention additionally describes methods for protecting media content transmitted to users with a variety of encryption schemes. The invention also comprises methods for subscribed users to bestow a subset of their privileges to a number of secondary users, with appropriate permission from the media content subscription service provider.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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authenticating, at a first personal identification device, a biometric input of a first user based on a biometric template of the first user stored at the first personal identification device; sending a subscription privilege associated with the first user from the first personal identification device of the first user to a media device when the biometric input is authentic such that the media device performs at least one of (1) ceasing to inhibit media output from a media provider based on the subscription privilege associated with the first user or (2) decrypting encrypted media output from the media provider based on the subscription privilege associated with the first user, the media being associated with a premium content channel of the media provider, the subscription privilege associated with the first user being associated with the premium content channel of the media provider, the subscription privilege associated with the first user being configured to permit full access to the media from the media provider associated with the subscription privilege associated with the first user; producing, at the first personal identification device, a subscription privilege associated with a second user different from the first user, the subscription privilege associated with the second user being configured to permit limited access to the media from the media provider associated with the subscription privilege associated with the first user; and sending from the first personal identification device to a second personal identification device the subscription privilege associated with the first user and the subscription privilege associated with the second user, the second personal identification device being associated with the second user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method, comprising:
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outputting, at a media device, media associated with a first media channel of a media provider; inhibiting, at the media device, output of media associated with a second media channel of the media provider different from the first media channel, at least a portion of the media associated with the second media channel received at the media device concurrently with receipt at the media device of at least a portion of the media associated with the first media channel; receiving, at the media device, from a first personal identification device a biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with a first user, the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege excluding biometric data of the first user, the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege being configured to permit media output associated with the second media channel; outputting, at the media device, media associated with the second media channel after the receiving the biometric ally-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the first user; receiving, at the media device, from a second personal identification device the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the first user and a biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with a second user, the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the second user excludes biometric data of the second user, the second personal identification device being associated with the second user; verifying, at the media device, the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the first user and the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the second user; and outputting, at the media device, media associated with the second media channel based on the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the second user when the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the first user is verified and when the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the second user is verified. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system having at least one hardware processor, perform operations comprising:
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authenticating, at a first personal identification device, a biometric input of a first user based on a biometric template of the first user stored at the first personal identification device; sending a subscription privilege associated with the first user from the first personal identification device of the first user to a media device when the biometric input is authentic such that the media device performs at least one of (1) ceasing to inhibit media output from a media provider based on the subscription privilege associated with the first user or (2) decrypting encrypted media output from the media provider based on the subscription privilege associated with the first user, the media being associated with a premium content channel of the media provider, the subscription privilege associated with the first user being associated with the premium content channel of the media provider, the subscription privilege associated with the first user being configured to permit full access to the media from the media provider associated with the subscription privilege associated with the first user; producing, at the first personal identification device, a subscription privilege associated with a second user different from the first user, the subscription privilege associated with the second user being configured to permit limited access to the media from the media provider associated with the subscription privilege associated with the first user; and sending from the first personal identification device to a second personal identification device the subscription privilege associated with the first user and the subscription privilege associated with the second user, the second personal identification device being associated with the second user.
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18. A system comprising:
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a processing system comprising at least one hardware processor, coupled to a memory, the memory containing executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, perform operations comprising; authenticating, at a first personal identification device, a biometric input of a first user based on a biometric template of the first user stored at the first personal identification device; sending a subscription privilege associated with the first user from the first personal identification device of the first user to a media device when the biometric input is authentic such that the media device performs at least one of (1) ceasing to inhibit media output from a media provider based on the subscription privilege associated with the first user or (2) decrypting encrypted media output from the media provider based on the subscription privilege associated with the first user, the media being associated with a premium content channel of the media provider, the subscription privilege associated with the first user being associated with the premium content channel of the media provider, the subscription privilege associated with the first user being configured to permit full access to the media from the media provider associated with the subscription privilege associated with the first user; producing, at the first personal identification device, a subscription privilege associated with a second user different from the first user, the subscription privilege associated with the second user being configured to permit limited access to the media from the media provider associated with the subscription privilege associated with the first user; and sending from the first personal identification device to a second personal identification device the subscription privilege associated with the first user and the subscription privilege associated with the second user, the second personal identification device being associated with the second user.
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19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system having at least one hardware processor, perform operations comprising:
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outputting, at a media device, media associated with a first media channel of a media provider; inhibiting, at the media device, output of media associated with a second media channel of the media provider different from the first media channel, at least a portion of the media associated with the second media channel received at the media device concurrently with receipt at the media device of at least a portion of the media associated with the first media channel; receiving, at the media device, from a first personal identification device a biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with a first user, the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege excluding biometric data of the first user, the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege being configured to permit media output associated with the second media channel; outputting, at the media device, media associated with the second media channel after the receiving the biometric ally-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the first user; receiving, at the media device, from a second personal identification device the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the first user and a biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with a second user, the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the second user excludes biometric data of the second user, the second personal identification device being associated with the second user; verifying, at the media device, the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the first user and the biometric ally-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the second user; and outputting, at the media device, media associated with the second media channel based on the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the second user when the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the first user is verified and when the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the second user is verified.
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20. A system comprising:
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a processing system comprising at least one hardware processor, coupled to a memory, the memory containing executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, perform operations comprising; outputting, at a media device, media associated with a first media channel of a media provider; inhibiting, at the media device, output of media associated with a second media channel of the media provider different from the first media channel, at least a portion of the media associated with the second media channel received at the media device concurrently with receipt at the media device of at least a portion of the media associated with the first media channel; receiving, at the media device, from a first personal identification device a biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with a first user, the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege excluding biometric data of the first user, the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege being configured to permit media output associated with the second media channel; outputting, at the media device, media associated with the second media channel after the receiving the biometric ally-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the first user; receiving, at the media device, from a second personal identification device the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the first user and a biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with a second user, the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the second user excludes biometric data of the second user, the second personal identification device being associated with the second user; verifying, at the media device, the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the first user and the biometric ally-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the second user; and outputting, at the media device, media associated with the second media channel based on the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the second user when the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the first user is verified and when the biometrically-authenticated subscription privilege associated with the second user is verified.
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Specification