METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION OF A USER IN A BROADCAST COMMUNICATION RECEIVER

• US 20100001832A1
• Filed: 07/03/2008
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Langille, Gary Richard
• Granted Patent: US 9,654,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.83
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• 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 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4415 using biometric characteristics of the user, e.g. by voice recognition or fingerprint scanning cryptography using biological data H04L9/3231; authentication in networks using biometric H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4508 Management of client data or end-user data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

In a method for identifying a user in a network of broadcast communication receivers, a physical characteristic of a user is analyzed in association with the user accessing a first of the receivers. First biometric information based on the characteristic as analyzed in association with the user accessing the first receiver is generated. Data associated with use of the first receiver by the user is also generated and associated with the first biometric information. The physical characteristic of the user is then analyzed in association with the user accessing a second receiver. Second biometric information based on the physical characteristic as analyzed in association with the user accessing the second receiver is generated. The first and second biometric information are then compared. If the first and second biometric information indicate the physical characteristic of the same user, the data is employed in conjunction with the user accessing the second receiver.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a user in a network of broadcast communication receivers, the method comprising:

analyzing a physical characteristic of a user in association with the user accessing a first one of the broadcast communication receivers;

generating first biometric information based on the analyzed physical characteristic as analyzed in association with the user accessing the first one of the broadcast communication receivers;

generating data associated with use of the first one of the broadcast communication receivers by the user;

associating the data with the first biometric information;

analyzing the physical characteristic of the user in association with the user accessing a second one of the broadcast communication receivers;

generating second biometric information based on the physical characteristic as analyzed in association with the user accessing the second one of the broadcast communication receivers;

comparing the second biometric information with the first biometric information; and

if the first and second biometric information indicate the physical characteristic of the same user, employing the data in conjunction with the user accessing the second one of the broadcast communication receivers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical characteristic comprises at least one of a fingerprint of the user, an iris of the user, a retina of the user, a face of the user, a bodily substance of the user, and a voice of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises data for controlling access by the first user to informational content provided over the network as determined by an owner or licensee of the informational content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises data for controlling access by the first user to informational content provided over the network as determined by a second user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises data for controlling access by a second user to informational content provided over the network as determined by the first user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises data associated with purchases made by the user over the network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises data associated with a user account with a broadcast communication service provider providing informational content to the network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises data for controlling user access to at least one of the broadcast communication receivers of the network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises data for identifying informational content viewed by the user over the network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises demographic data associated with the user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises data for identifying at least one of programs and channels accessible over the network that are of interest to the user.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting at least one of programs, channels, and advertising to the user based upon the data.

13. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon instructions executable on a processor for employing a method for identifying a user in a broadcast communication receiver, the method comprising:

receiving at the broadcast communication receiver first biometric information associated with user-specific data;

receiving at the broadcast communication receiver second biometric information associated with a user accessing the broadcast communication receiver;

comparing at the broadcast communication receiver the second biometric information to the first biometric information; and

if both the first and second biometric information are associated with the user, receiving and employing at the broadcast communication receiver the user-specific data in response to the user accessing the broadcast communication receiver.

14. A broadcast communication receiver, comprising:

an interface configured to communicate with a communication network device external to the broadcast communication receiver; and

control logic configured to receive via the interface first biometric information associated with user-specific data, receive second biometric information associated with a user accessing the broadcast communication receiver, compare the first biometric information with the second biometric information, and employ the user-specific data in conjunction with the user accessing the broadcast communication receiver if the comparison indicates that the first biometric information is associated with the user.

15. The broadcast communication receiver of claim 14, wherein the communication network device is one of another broadcast communication receiver and a server of a broadcast communication service provider.

16. The broadcast communication receiver of claim 14, further comprising:

a biometric sensor configured to capture a physical characteristic of the user and transfer information indicative of the physical characteristic to the control logic;

wherein the control logic is configured to generate the second biometric information based on the information indicative of the physical characteristic.

17. The broadcast communication receiver of claim 14, further comprising:

a second interface configured to receive information indicative of a physical characteristic of the user from a biometric sensor coupled with the second interface, and transfer the information indicative of the physical characteristic to the control logic;

wherein the control logic is configured to generate the second biometric information based on the information indicative of the physical characteristic.

18. The broadcast communication receiver of claim 14, further comprising:

a second interface configured to receive information indicative of a physical characteristic of the user from a biometric sensor incorporated in a remote control device, and transfer the information indicative of the physical characteristic to the control logic;

wherein the control logic is configured to generate the second biometric information based on the information indicative of the physical characteristic.

19. The broadcast communication receiver of claim 18, further comprising the remote control device.

20. The broadcast communication receiver of claim 14, wherein the control logic is configured to generate the user-specific data.

21. The broadcast communication receiver of claim 14, wherein the interface is configured to receive the user-specific data from the communication network device and transfer the user-specific data to the control logic.

22. The broadcast communication receiver of claim 14, wherein the broadcast communication receiver comprises at least one of a satellite television broadcast communication receiver, a satellite radio broadcast communication receiver, a cable television broadcast communication receiver, and a terrestrial television broadcast communication receiver.