Method and system for controlling and auditing content/service systems

• US 7,962,414 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2000
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Allibhoy, Nizar, Johnson, Stephen M., Fernandez-Silva, Joaquin, Elliott, L. Dane
• Primary Examiner(s): Reagan; James A
• Application Number:
  US09/636,393
• Time in Patent Office: 3,961 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 53, 705/64, 705/67, 705/75, 705/76, 705/78, 705/79, 380227-230, 902/2
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/027 involving a payment switch or gateway
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02

Abstract

An improved interactive network system is provided that allows the Network Operator to control the transfer of information to and from the network end users, the system preferably using triggers or markers embedded within the programming broadcast to users via the network. As a consequence of this system, the Network Operator is able to efficiently garner revenues from third parties transacting business over the network and to control the look and feel of programming offered to network users. Additionally the system can be used as a means of limiting network access, filtering programming, providing on-screen graphics or audible signals for particular programming types or providers, bookmarking programming, profiling network users, targeting advertising, and simplifying network transactions.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a financial transaction between a receiver and a content provider occurring over a network operated by a network operator, wherein said content provider offers enhanced content programming relating to the financial transaction, the method comprising the steps of:

intercepting a user request for the enhanced content programming, said user request originating in the receiver, wherein said intercepting step is performed by a third party;

permitting the enhanced content programming to be provided to the receiver over the network in response to the user request only if the content provider is an authorized content provider of the third party and preventing the transmission of content to said user if said content provider is unauthorized, wherein said permitting step is performed by said third party;

storing information relating to the enhanced content programming provided to the receiver in response to the user request, wherein said storing step is performed by said third party, wherein said third party is not a content provider itself for said user request; and

determining if the content provider is authorized by the network operator to offer enhanced content programming over the network, wherein said request for said content is intercepted by said third party and rerouted by said third party to said authorized content provider for said enhanced content programming if said user request was directed to said unauthorized content provider.

2. A method for monitoring a network transaction between a user receiver and a content provider, the method comprising the steps of:

intercepting a user request directed at the content provider by the user receiver, wherein said intercepting is performed by a third party;

appending additional parameters to said user request;

directing said appended user request to the content provider if the content provider is authorized to provide enhanced content programming to the user receiver and performing at least one of the following steps if the content provider is unauthorized;

terminating the network transaction between the user receiver and the content provider if the content provider is unauthorized, and forwarding said appended user request to a substitute content provider if the content provider is unauthorized;

otherwise if the content provider is authorized intercepting a user request response directed at the user receiver by the content provider, wherein said user request response comprises at least a portion of the network transaction and said intercepting is performed by said third party;

extracting information from said intercepted user request response;

forwarding said user request response by said third party to the user receiver; and

determining if the content provider is authorized by the network operator to offer enhanced content programming over the network, wherein said request for said content is intercepted by said third party and rerouted by said third party to said authorized content provider for said enhanced content programming if said user request was directed to said unauthorized content provider.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of initially receiving enhanced content programming from the content provider within the user receiver, and wherein said user request is formed by the step of interacting with the content provider through the user receiver.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of recognizing a trigger within said enhanced content programming, said recognizing step performed prior to said step of intercepting said user request.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of intercepting said user request further comprises the steps of:

appending an address to a third party controller to said intercepted user request; and

directing said intercepted user request to said third party controller, wherein said third party controller performs said step of appending additional parameters to said user request.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of appending a marker to said user request response by the content provider, wherein said third party uses said marker to intercept said user request response.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of storing said extracted transaction information.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

initiating a purchase from the content provider by the user receiver; and

entering said initiated purchase into a data base controlled by a third party.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of displaying information pertaining to said initiated purchase on a display screen coupled to the user receiver.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of displaying at least one advertisement on said display screen simultaneously with said information pertaining to said initiated purchase.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said at least one advertisement includes linking information to a specific content provider.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

directing a request for additional information pertaining to said initiated purchase to said content provider, wherein said directing step is performed by said third party;

receiving said additional information from said content provider by said third party; and

storing said additional information in said third party controlled data base.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

directing a request for updating information pertaining to said initiated purchase to said content provider, wherein said directing step is performed by said third party;

receiving said updated information from said content provider by said third party; and

storing said updated information in said third party controlled data base.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

requesting finalization of said initiated purchase by the user receiver;

finalizing said initiated purchase with the user receiver, wherein said finalizing step is performed by said third party, and

providing final purchase information to the content provider by said third party.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of requesting finalization of said initiated purchase the user receiver, wherein said requesting step is performed prior to said finalizing step.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of obtaining supplemental information from the user by said third party in order to complete said finalizing step.

17. A method of controlling a network transaction, the method comprising the steps of:

directing enhanced broadcast information via a network to a plurality of receivers wherein said network is controlled by a network operator, and wherein at least a portion of said enhanced broadcast information is provided by at least one content operator;

detecting triggers within said portion of said enhanced broadcast information provided by said at least one content provider, wherein said detecting step is performed by a third party;

intercepting by said third party a user request directed at said at least one content provider from a receiver of said plurality of receivers coupled to said network;

directing said intercepted user request to a third party controller;

appending third party parameters to said intercepted user request;

directing said appended user request to said at least one content provider if said at least one content provider is authorized and redirecting said user request to an authorized content provider if it is determined that said at least one content provider is not authorized;

appending third party markers to a response to said appended user request, wherein said appending step is performed by said at least one content provider;

directing said appended response to said receiver;

detecting by said third party controller said third party markers appended to said response;

storing transaction information provided by said at least one content provider in said response, wherein said storing step is controlled by said third party controller; and

determining if the content provider is authorized by the network operator to offer enhanced content programming over the network, wherein said request for said content is intercepted by said third party and rerouted by said third party to said authorized content provider for said enhanced content programming if said user request was directed to said unauthorized content provider.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of appending information to said intercepted user request prior to directing said intercepted user request prior to directing said intercepted user request to said third party controller.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said information appended to said intercepted user request is comprised of a third party controller address.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said information appended to said intercepted user request is comprised of a set of receiver capabilities.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said information appended to said intercepted user request is comprised of a user profile associated with said receiver.

22. The method of claim 17, said appended third party parameters comprised of a network specification.

23. The method of claim 17, said appended third party parameters comprised of a receiver specification.

24. The method of claim 17, said appended Third party parameters comprised of a user profile associated with said receiver.

25. The method of claim 17, said appended Third party parameters comprised of a set of network operator business rules.

26. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

initiating a user financial transaction through said receiver with said at least one content provider;

storing information pertaining to said user financial transaction in a third party controller data base; and

displaying at least a portion of said stored information on a display screen coupled to said receiver.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of displaying at least one advertisement on said display screen simultaneously with said portion of said stored information.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said at least one advertisement includes linking information to a specific content provider.

29. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

requesting additional information on said user financial transaction from said at least once content provider, wherein said requesting step is performed by said third party controller;

receiving said additional information from said at least one content provider; and

storing said additional information.

30. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

finalizing said user financial transaction through said receiver, wherein said step of finalizing is executed between said receiver and said third party controller; and

providing finalized user financial transaction, information to said at least one content provider by said third party controller.