Datacast distribution system

• US 20030068046A1
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 3, LLC
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Prokki, Kai-Uwe, Lindqvist, Markus, Soinio, Markku, Muller, Dominique
• Granted Patent: US 7,343,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/277
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/15 on receiving information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365

Abstract

According to the present invention there is provided a datacast distribution system which allows for the distribution of movies, music, games, application software, and the like using a new or existing terrestrial digital video broadcast (DVB-T) network.

Claims

1. A method managing reception rights, comprising:

employing a terminal which contains a terminal key;

distributing to a user a user key;

distributing to said user an encrypted access key, said key capable of being decrypted through use of said terminal key and said user key;

transmitting to said user packets with encrypted payloads, said payloads capable of being decrypted through use of a decrypted form of said encrypted access key; and

performing depacketization of said packets, said depacketization comprising decrypting said access key using said user key and said terminal key, said depacketization further comprising using the decrypted access key to decrypt said payloads,

wherein said decrypted access key is only available within said depacketization step.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said access key has an expiration date.

2. A method of managing reception rights, comprising:

employing a terminal which contains a terminal key;

distributing to a user a user key;

distributing to said user an encrypted access key;

transmitting to said user packets with encrypted payloads,

performing depacketization of said packets, said depacketization comprising decrypting said access key using said user key and said terminal key, said depacketization further comprising using the decrypted access key to decrypt said payloads,

wherein said decrypted access key is only available within said depacketization step.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said access key has an expiration date.

3. A method of managing reception rights, comprising:

employing a terminal which contains a terminal key;

distributing to a user a user key;

distributing to said user an encrypted access key;

transmitting to said user packets with encrypted payloads,

performing depacketization of said packets, said depacketization comprising decrypting said access key using said user key and said terminal key, applying the decrypted access key to decrypt said payloads, and destroying the decrypted access key immediately after application,

wherein said decrypted access key is only available within said depacketization step.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein said access key has an expiration date.

4. A method of managing reception rights, comprising:

transmitting to a terminal packets with encrypted payloads;

transmitting to said terminal an encrypted access key, said access key capable of being decrypted using a terminal key and a user key; and

simultaneously decrypting said encrypted access key and using the resultant decrypted access key to decrypt said payloads.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein said access key has an expiration date.

9. A method for performing filtering of incoming content to a data terminal, comprising:

associating with each of a plurality of content files a metadata file, each said metadata file including a unique identifier;

receiving a specification of content of interest to a user, said specification being in terms of metadata keywords;

searching said metadata files for said keywords;

noting the unique identifiers associated with metadata files including one or more of said keywords;

monitoring incoming packets for the noted unique identifiers, each said packets conveying a portion of one of said content files; and

bringing to said user'"'"'s attention only those content files conveyed by packets that contain one of the noted unique identifiers.

10. A method for distributing user-submitted content, comprising:

providing individuals with software for formulating content, said software producing for each item of said content descriptive attributes;

distributing to receiving terminals the content and descriptive attributes produced with said software;

allowing users of the terminals to specify attributes corresponding to content of potential interest; and

allowing said users to configure said receiving terminals to only display content whose descriptive attributes match the specified attributes.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said content is classified advertisements.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said content are chat messages.

13. A method for bandwidth allocation, comprising:

defining a plurality of network areas;

defining a plurality of day-type profiles;

defining a plurality of qualities of service;

mapping each of a plurality of calendar dates one of said day-type profiles;

computing a global network availability for various qualities of service and each of said day-type profiles; and

computing a local network availability for various qualities of service and each of said day-type profiles.

14. The method of claim 13 further including the steps of:

partitioning each of the global network availabilities into plurality of blocks; and

partitioning each of the local network availabilities into plurality of blocks.

15. A method for distributing files of one or more types over a wireless link, comprising:

transmitting a first plurality of files on a first carousel, said carousel cycling constantly; and

transmitting a second plurality of files on a second carousel, said carousel cycling only for predetermined periods.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein one of said types is video clips.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein one of said types is games.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein one of said types is music.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein one of said types is magazines.

20. A method of allowing users to select content by voting, comprising:

receiving from a content provider a plurality of content files, wherein only one of said content files it to be transmitted to users;

receiving from one or more of said users a vote as to which of said content files should be transmitted; and

transmitting to users the content item which received the highest number of votes.

21. A method of allowing users to rate content by interaction, comprising:

receiving from a content provider a plurality of content files, wherein only some of said content files are to be transmitted to users;

receiving form one or more of said users interaction as to which of said content files should be transmitted; and

transmitting to users the content items which received the highest numbers of interactions,

wherein the determination of the files to be transmitted is based on the collected ratings of the interactions.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said users receive one or more previews corresponding to one or more of said content files.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said previews are video clips.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein each of said previews includes a vote button for capturing said interaction.

25. A method of allowing users to choose order of transmission by interaction, comprising:

receiving from a content provider a plurality of content files;

receiving form one or more of said users interaction as to the order in which said content files should be transmitted; and

transmitting to users the content items in the determined order,

wherein said determined order is based on the collected ratings of the interactions.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said users receive one or more previews corresponding to one or more of said content files.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said previews are video clips.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein each of said previews includes a vote button for capturing said interaction.

29. A system for the distribution of content over a wireless link, comprising:

one or more global caster modules for receiving content meant for distribution to all locations in a network;

one or more local caster modules for receiving content meant for distribution to only certain locations in said network; and

one or more transmission devices associated with at least one of the modules

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

one or more broker modules, each broker module receiving content from at least one local caster module and at least one global caster module.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein:

each of said one or more transmission devices is associated with one or more of said broker modules.

32. A method for providing bandwidth to a content provider comprising:

segmenting available bandwidth in a network into one or more types of quality of service blocks;

allowing a content provider to choose a specific one of a plurality of fixed-time quality of service blocks, each offering a certain amount of bandwidth between stated start time and a stated end time; and

allowing said content provider to choose to receive one of a plurality of dynamic-time quality of service blocks, each offering a certain amount of bandwidth between an not stated start time ands not stated end time,

wherein the choice of a specific dynamic-time quality of service block is made on behalf of the content provider by a third party individual or machine.