Tracking Activation of Licensable Component in Audio Video Device By Unique Product Identification

• US 20140013348A1
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shintani, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 10,528,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/125 by manipulating the program code, e.g. source code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/306 using TV related infrastructures external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• 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 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• 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 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/641 : Multi-purpose receivers, e.g. for auxiliary information H04N9/642 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/642 : Multi-standard receivers

Abstract

An audio-video display device (AVDD) includes a licensable component providing a licensable function. The licensable function is available to present data on the AVDD without paying a license fee to exploit the licensable function when the AVDD is in a retail demonstration mode, whereas post-vending of the AVDD the licensable function is available to present data on the AVDD only pursuant to a license fee therefor being arranged.

Claims

1. Method comprising:

determining whether an audio video device is in a retail demonstration mode;

responsive to a determination that the device is not in the retail demonstration mode, enabling licensing fee triggering of a licensable component such that activation of the licensable component triggers a license fee associated with the licensable component;

responsive to a determination that the device is in the retail demonstration mode, enabling activation of the licensable component for demonstration purposes without enabling licensing fee triggering of the licensable component such that activation of the licensable component does not trigger the license fee associated with the licensable component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a processor associated with the audio video device activates the licensable component without contacting an activation server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the processor presents an encryption element to unlock a license code stored in a protected region of a local storage of the audio video device and that is inaccessible without the encryption element, the license code being used to activate the licensable component.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a processor associated with the audio video device requests a server to provide a license code needed to activate the licensable component in the retail demonstration mode at least in part by sending to the server a unique product ID along with the identity of the licensable component sought to be activated.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the unique product ID is a combination of a serial number of the audio video device and a model number of the audio video device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the unique product ID is a unique encryption key in the audio video device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a processor associated with the audio video device presents on a display of the audio video device a user interface (UI) configured for enabling a viewer to establish whether the audio video device is in the retail demonstration mode, the UI presenting an option to select the retail demonstration mode.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a retail key must be entered by a viewer into a UI presented on the display to enter the retail demonstration mode, the retail key being provided only to retail outlets such that only by entering the retail key is the audio video device placed in the retail demonstration mode, failure to enter the retail key preventing the audio video device from being placed in the retail demonstration mode such that if the audio video device is never placed on display in a retail outlet but instead is vended directly out of the box, an end user cannot enter the retail demonstration mode and thereby avoid license fee triggering.

9. TV comprising:

at least one licensable component for which a license has not been obtained prior to vending the TV, the licensable component providing a licensable feature;

a TV display; and

a processor in the TV controlling the display,

the processor executing software code associated with the TV to actuate the licensable component to provide a presentation on the display in accordance with the licensable feature without implementing a license fee payment therefor at least in part responsive to the TV being in a retail demonstration mode,

the processor executing software code associated with the TV to actuate the licensable component to provide a presentation on the display in accordance with the licensable feature and implementing a license fee payment therefor at least in part responsive to the TV being in a post-vending mode.

10. The TV of claim 9, wherein the licensable component is a terrestrial broadcast advanced television systems committee (ATSC) demodulator assembly.

11. The TV of claim 9, wherein the licensable component is a video decoder.

12. The TV of claim 9, wherein the licensable component is an audio decoder.

13. The TV of claim 9, wherein the licensable component is a digital rights management component.

14. The TV of claim 9, wherein the licensable component is a web browser.

15. The TV of claim 9, wherein the licensable component is an electronic program guide (EPG) component.

16. Audio video display device (AVDD) comprising:

a licensable component providing a licensable function, the licensable function being available to present data on the AVDD without paying a license fee to exploit the licensable function when the AVDD is in a retail demonstration mode, whereas post-vending of the AVDD, the licensable function is available to present data on the AVDD only pursuant to a license fee transaction therefor being arranged.

17. The AVDD of claim 16, wherein a processor associated with the AVDD activates the licensable component without contacting an activation server.

18. The AVDD of claim 16, wherein a processor associated with the AVDD requests a server to provide a license code needed to activate the licensable component in the retail demonstration mode at least in part by sending to the server a unique product ID along with the identity of the licensable component sought to be activated.

19. The AVDD of claim 18, wherein the unique product ID is a combination of a serial number of the AVDD and a model number of the AVDD and/or a unique encryption key in the AVDD.

20. The AVDD of claim 16, wherein a processor associated with the audio video device presents on a display of the audio video device a user interface (UI) configured for enabling a viewer to establish whether the audio video device is in the retail demonstration mode, the UI presenting an option to select the retail demonstration mode.