Wireless satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) head unit with portable subscription and cell phone abilities

• US 9,391,726 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2015
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sirius XM Radio Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sirius XM Radio Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Inventors: DeLuca, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US14/658,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20150349903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.02, 455/3.06, 455/3.01, 455/414.1, 455/3.04, 701/13, 701/36
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system and method for automated activation of a radio, or content receiver, used to receive subscription radio services such as XM or Sirius radio. A wireless communications device with a short range data link wirelessly communicates with the content receiver to control the content receiver and receive a unique identification code from the content receiver. The wireless communications device also has its own unique identification code. The wireless communications device transmits an activation request message over a long range wireless communications link to a control station. The activation request message contains the receivers unique identification code and the communications device'"'"'s own unique identification code. The control station maintains a database of valid identification codes that is used to authenticate the request. If the control station receives a valid request, an activation signal is sent to the receiver to allow operation of the receiver.

Claims

1. A method of activating a media receiver, comprising:

sending from a receiver to a wireless communications device, through a first wireless connection, at least one first receiver identifier, said wireless communications device being separate from the receiver; and

transmitting, through a second wireless connection, at least one activation request message from the wireless communications device to at least one media subscription service provider, the activation request message comprising the at least one receiver identifier and at least one additional identifier for identifying at least one account associated with one of;

(i) the wireless communications device or (ii) an individual associated with the receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of:

the first wireless connection is at least one wireless connection conforming to at least one of a Bluetooth standard, an IEEE 802.11 standard, and an infrared controller standard, the second wireless connection comprises at least one of a cellular communications system data link and a data link conforming to an IEEE 802.11 standard, and

the wireless communications device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a two-way text messaging device, a two-way multimedia messaging device, and a personal digital assistant.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of:

(i) the media receiver is configured to receive at least one satellite digital radio signal, the media receiver is configured to accept at least one activation signal and, in response to accepting the activation signal, to receive subscription digital radio services transmitted on the satellite digital radio signal,

(ii) the additional identifier comprises at least one of a cellular phone electronic serial number, an electronic identification number, and a subscriber or account number associated with an individual,

(iii) the wireless communications device provides channel selection commands to the media receiver and monitors channels to which the media receiver is tuned,

or

(iv) the method further comprises transmitting, over the second wireless connection to a data collection facility, one or more channels to which the subscription activated media receiver is tuned.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the receiver is unable to communicate with the wireless communications device; and

transmitting, in response to the determining, at least one deactivation request for the media receiver from the wireless communications device to the at least one subscription service provider.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending from the receiver to the wireless communications device, through a second wireless connection, at least one second receiver identifier; and

transmitting, through the second wireless connection, at least one second activation request message from the wireless communications device to a subscription service provider, the second activation request message comprising the at least one second receiver identifier and the additional identifier.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising transmitting, through the second wireless connection, at least one deactivation request for the media receiver.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising

receiving at the receiver, from the wireless communications device, over the first wireless connection, at least one receiver configuration data item, said receiver configuration data item comprising at least one of:

at least one preset channel selection definition, at least one preferred artist, at least one preferred song title, or at least one receiver configuration setting.

8. A computer implemented method for activating a media receiver, comprising:

receiving at a first media receiver a request for a receiver identification value from a wireless communications device, the wireless communications device separate from the receiver;

sending, over a first wireless connection, at least one receiver identifier to the wireless device; and

receiving, at the receiver, over a wireless broadcast channel, from a media subscription service, at least one activation signal associated with the previously sent receiver identification value.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8, further comprising receiving, at a second media receiver linked to a same or related subscriber account that the first receiver is linked to, over a wireless broadcast channel, at least one deactivation signal associated with at least one second receiver identifier.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein, in response to receiving the receiver identification value, the wireless communications device sends to the media subscription service an activation request message comprising the at least one receiver identifier and at least one additional identifier for identifying at least one account associated with one of:

(i) the wireless communications device or

(ii) an individual associated with the receiver.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving, at the first receiver, over the wireless broadcast channel, at least one deactivation message to the first media receiver.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

a second receiver, associated with one of;

an individual or a subscriber account to which the first receiver is also associated, sending over a wireless connection to the wireless communications device, at least one second receiver identifier associated with the second receiver; and

receiving, at said second receiver over the wireless broadcast channel, at least one second activation signal to the second subscription media receiver.

13. A system for activating subscription radios, comprising:

a subscription activated media receiver;

a wireless communications device separate from the subscription activated media receiver, the wireless communications device and the subscription activated media receiver communicably connected over a first wireless connection; and

a subscription service provider server, wherein, in operation,

the receiver receives, over the first wireless connection, a request for at least one subscription receiver identifier from the wireless communications device;

the wireless communications device transmits, through a second wireless connection, at least one activation request message to the subscription service provider server, the activation request message comprising the subscription receiver identifier and at least one controller identifier for identifying at least one account associated with one of;

the wireless communications device or an individual,

the subscription service provider server;

accepting over the second wireless connection, the activation request data message;

validating the activation request; and

transmitting over a wireless broadcast channel, in response to the validating, at least one activation signal to the subscription activated media receiver.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising, storing, at the subscription service provider server, at least one authorized controller identifier, each of the at least one authorized controller identifier being associated with a respective controller authorized to request activation of subscription activated media receivers.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the storing at the subscription service provider further comprises storing, in association with each of the at least one wireless communications device identifier, at least one subscription receiver data item, the subscription receiver data item comprising at least one of:

at least one preset station definition, at least one preferred artist, at least one preferred song title, at least one subscription receiver configuration setting; and

wherein the transmitting further comprises transmitting the subscription receiver data item to the subscription activated media receiver.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the validating comprises determining that the requesting wireless device identifier is contained within the stored at least one wireless device identifier.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

storing at least one public subscription receiver identifier, each of the at least one public subscription receiver identifier being associated with a respective public subscription activated media receiver that is authorized to receive activation signals in response to validation of activation request messages,

and wherein the validating comprises determining that the requesting controller identifier is contained within the stored at least one controller identifier and that the requesting subscription receiver identifier is contained within the at least one public subscription receiver identifier.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a second subscription activated media receiver,

the second subscription activated media receiver receiving, over the firt wireless connection, a request for at least one subscription receiver identifier from the wireless communications device;

the subscription service provider server;

accepting, over the second wireless connection, at least one second activation request message, the second activation request message comprising the at least one subscription receiver identifier of the second receiver,

validating the second activation request message;

transmitting, in response to validating the second activation request message, at least one activation signal to the second receiver associated with the second requesting subscription receiver identifier; and

transmitting, in response to validating the second activation request message, at least one deactivation signal to the first receiver.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the subscription service provider server further stores at least one association of a stored subscription receiver identifier to one particular wireless device identifier that is stored within the at least one wireless device identifier, and wherein the validating comprises determining if the requesting subscription receiver identifier and the requesting wireless device identifier are both contained within one association within the at least one association.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the association comprises at least one association between the stored wireless device identifier and a plurality of stored subscription receiver identifiers.