System and associated methods for remotely enabling features

• US 9,361,380 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2013
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CSC Holdings LLC (Altice USA, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CSC Holdings LLC (Altice USA, Inc.)
• Inventors: Neill, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M
• Assistant Examiner(s): LODHI, ANDALIB FT
• Application Number:
  US14/059,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20140074915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 707/705, 707/769, 707/821
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A method and apparatus enables a feature among a plurality of features in an application loaded on a client, with the client located remotely from a server. The server receives a data profile request from the client. In response to the data profile request, a data profile is sent from the server to the client, the data profile including a profile key to identify the client, an application identification to identify the application, and a feature selector. The application uses the feature selector to enable the feature among the plurality of features.

Claims

1. A method of enabling a particular feature from among a plurality of features contained in an application loaded on at least one computing device in a communication network, the at least one computing device located remotely from a computing device server, the method comprising:

receiving a first data profile request from a first computing device, the first data profile request identifying the first computing device and at least one particular feature from among the plurality of features contained in the application loaded on the first computing device to be selectively enabled;

at the computing device server, generating and transmitting a first data profile based on the received first data profile request, the first data profile identifying the first computing device and at least one feature contained in an application loaded on the first computing device to be enabled, wherein generating and transmitting a first data profile based on the first data profile request includes;

generating and transmitting therewith a digital message comprising a first portion receivable and readable by all computing devices in the communication network, the first portion comprising a profile key to identify the first computing device and a second portion receivable and readable only by the first computing device that generated the corresponding first data profile request, the second portion identifying the application loaded on the first computing device and the at least one particular feature to be enabled; and

enabling on the first computing device the at least one particular feature contained in the second portion of the digital message after the first computing device receives the first data profile and checks that the first data profile is in response to the first computing device'"'"'s corresponding first data profile request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computing device corresponds to a group of computing devices, each making a similar first data profile request and the plurality of features being selected from any combination of interactive user interfaces, pay-per-view programming, video-on-demand programming, and subscription video-on-demand programming.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmitted first data profile identifying the first computing device identifies the group of computing devices.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first computing device is selected from the group consisting of a client device, an electronic device, and a digital delivery system.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving a second data profile request from a second computing device, the second data profile request identifying the second computing device and at least one particular feature from among the plurality of features contained in an application loaded on the second computing device to be selectively enabled, wherein at least one of the features contained in the application loaded on the second computing device in the second data profile request differs from at least one of the features contained in the application loaded on the first computing device in the first data profile request;

at the computing device server, generating and transmitting a second data profile based on the received second data profile request, the second data profile identifying the second computing device and at least one feature contained in the application loaded on the second computing device to be enabled, wherein generating and transmitting a second data profile based on the second data profile request includes;

generating and transmitting therewith a second digital message comprising a first portion receivable and readable by all computing devices in the communication network, the first portion comprising a profile key to identify the second computing device and a second portion receivable and readable only by the second computing device that generated the corresponding second data profile request, the second portion identifying the application loaded on the second computing device and the at least one particular feature to be enabled; and

enabling on the second computing device the at least one particular feature contained in the second portion of the second digital message after the second computing device receives the second data profile and checks that the second data profile is in response to the second computing device'"'"'s corresponding second data profile request.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second computing device corresponds to a group of computing devices, each making a similar second data profile request.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transmitted second data profile identifying the second computing device identifies the group of computing devices.

8. A method of enabling a particular feature from among a plurality of features contained in an application loaded on at least one computing device in a communication network, the at least one computing device located remotely from a computing device server, the method comprising:

receiving a first request from a first computing device of the at least one computing device, the received first request identifying the first computing device and at least one particular feature from among the plurality of features contained in the application loaded on the first computing device to be selectively enabled;

at the computing device server, generating and transmitting a first digital message to enable the at least one particular feature, the first digital message comprising a first portion comprising a profile key to identify the first computing device and a second portion identifying the application and the at least one particular feature to be enabled on the first computing device, and, wherein the first portion is receivable and readable by all computing devices in the communication network and the second portion is receivable and readable only by the first computing device; and

at the first computing device, after checking that the first portion of the first digital message identifies the first computing device, receiving the second portion of the first digital message and enabling the at least one identified particular feature contained in the application loaded on the first computing device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the request from the first computing device of the at least one computing device is generated and transmitted when the first computing device is powered on.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of features being selected from any combination of interactive user interfaces, pay-per-view programming, video-on-demand programming, and subscription video-on-demand programming.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first computing device is selected from the group consisting of a client device, an electronic device, and a digital delivery system.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first computing device corresponds to a group of computing devices.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitted first data profile identifying the first computing device identifies the group of computing devices.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a second request from a second computing device, the received second request identifying the second computing device and at least one particular feature from among the plurality of features contained in the application loaded on the second computing device to be selectively enabled;

at the computing device server, generating and transmitting a second digital message to enable the at least one particular feature, the second digital message comprising a first portion comprising a profile key to identify the second computing device and a second portion identifying the application and the at least one particular feature to be enabled on the second computing device, and, wherein the first portion is receivable and readable by all computing devices in the communication network and the second portion is receivable and readable only by the second computing device; and

at the second computing device, after checking that the first portion of the second digital message identifies the second computing device, receiving the second portion of the second digital message and enabling the at least one identified particular feature contained in the application loaded on the second computing device.