Methods and systems for accessing content

• US 9,591,342 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2014
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Mitchell, Slade, Robinson, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hicks, Charles N
• Application Number:
  US14/463,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20160057474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 725/25, 725/28, 725/86
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• 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 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners

Abstract

Methods and systems for accessing content are provided. A non-tunable device (e.g., a device without the capability to tune to a particular channel) can access a particular channel via a tunable device (e.g., a device with the capability to tune to the particular channel). A computing device can facilitate content tuning. In an aspect, the non-tunable device can transmit a request for content to the computing device. The request for content can comprise a title of the content, a type of content, channel information, and the like. Upon receiving the request for content, the computing device can determine the characteristics of the non-tunable device such as device type, device capabilities, location, and identify all the tunable devices capable of communicating with the non-tunable device. Entitlement information can be provided to the one or more tunable devices. The entitlement information can facilitate access to the requested content by the non-tunable device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request for content from a non-tunable device, the request comprising user account information;

providing tuning information to the non-tunable device;

determining one or more tunable devices associated with the user account information; and

providing entitlement information to the one or more tunable devices, wherein the entitlement information facilitates access to the requested content by the non-tunable device and based on the tuning information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for content causes an error indication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for content comprises a request for pay-per-view content, video-on-demand content, or both.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user account information comprises payment information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the tunable devices comprises a QAM tuner.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the tunable devices comprises a gateway device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the entitlement information comprises a tuner reservation identifier.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a denial of service indication at a non-tunable device;

transmitting an entitlement option to the non-tunable device based on the denial of service indication;

receiving user information from the non-tunable device based on the entitlement option;

determining one or more tunable devices associated with the user information;

transmitting tuning information to the non-tunable device; and

providing entitlement information to the one or more tunable devices, wherein the entitlement information facilitates access to the denied service by the non-tunable device and based on the tuning information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the denial of service indication comprises a tuning denial.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the entitlement option relates to purchasing entitlement to content.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the user information relates to purchasing entitlement to content.

12. The method of claim 8;

wherein determining one or more tunable devices comprises determining an availability of a tunable device to satisfy a tuning request.

13. The method of claim 8, determining one or more tunable devices comprises identifying a tunable device associated with a source of the user information.

14. A method comprising:

receiving a denial of service indication at a non-tunable device;

receiving an entitlement option at the non-tunable device based on the denial of service indication;

providing user information based on the entitlement option;

receiving tuning information at the non-tunable device; and

receiving entitlement information based on the user information at a computing device associated with the non-tunable device;

wherein the entitlement information facilitates access to the denied service by the non-tunable device and based on the tuning information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the denial of service indication comprises a tuning denial.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the entitlement option relates to purchasing entitlement to content.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the user information relates to purchasing entitlement to content.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein determining one or more tunable devices comprises determining an availability of a tunable device to satisfy a tuning request.

19. The method of claim 14, determining one or more tunable devices comprises identifying a tunable device associated with a source of the user information.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein entitlement information is used to decrypt requested content.