Broadcast tuning concepts

• US 9,037,634 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Syncbak, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Syncbak, Inc.
• Inventors: Perry, Jack F. II
• Primary Examiner(s): JACOBS, LASHONDA T
• Application Number:
  US13/229,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20120066321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 709/236, 709/203, 709/217, 709/223, 709/224, 725/14, 725/22, 725/23, 725/32, 725 34- 36
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• 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 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63775 for uploading keys, e.g. for a client to communicate its public key to the server key management H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for receiving content available for consumption. For example, a user device can receive a message about content available for consumption and access the content via the appropriate provided in the user'"'"'s broadcast area. Moreover, a user device can be used to access program information based on the user device'"'"'s location.

Claims

1. A method for receiving content available for consumption, the method comprising:

receiving, via an electronic device, a message for display to a user of the electronic device comprising information about content available for consumption;

generating, via the electronic device, a request for the content available for consumption, wherein the request comprises a unique broadcast identifier, wherein the unique broadcast identifier is configured to at least identify content for which the electronic device has been previously authenticated;

after a broadcast area associated with the electronic device is periodically identified based at least in part on (i) the electronic device'"'"'s physical location being within the broadcast area and (ii) the unique broadcast identifier, receiving, via the electronic device, a link to the content available for consumption within the broadcast area, (a) the broadcast area defining a geographic region in which each of a plurality of broadcasters has the right to provide respective over-the-air broadcasts and (b) the link accessible to provide the content available for consumption via one or more networks; and

receiving, via the electronic device, the content available for consumption based at least in part on the link.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after identifying the broadcast area, receiving program information for the broadcast area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is selected from the group consisting of a Tweet, a social network update, a text message, and an email message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the link is normalized for a plurality of platforms.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the unique broadcast identifier is (a) associated with the electronic device and (b) corresponds to content access rights associated with the electronic device.

6. A computer program product for receiving content available for consumption, the computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein for execution by an electronic device, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to receive a message for display to a user of the electronic device comprising information about content available for consumption;

an executable portion configured to generate a request for the content available for consumption, wherein the request comprises a unique broadcast identifier, wherein the unique broadcast identifier is configured to at least identify content for which the electronic device has been previously authenticated;

an executable portion configured to, after a broadcast area associated with the electronic device is periodically identified based at least in part on (i) the electronic device'"'"'s physical location being within the broadcast area and (ii) the unique broadcast identifier, receive a link to the content available for consumption within the broadcast area, (a) the broadcast area defining a geographic region in which each of a plurality of broadcasters has the right to provide respective over-the-air broadcasts and (b) the link accessible to provide the content available for consumption via one or more networks; and

an executable portion configured to receive the content available for consumption based at least in part on the link.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 further comprising an executable portion configured to, after identifying the broadcast area, receive program information for the broadcast area.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the message is selected from the group consisting of a Tweet, a social network update, a text message, and an email message.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the link is normalized for a plurality of platforms.

10. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein the unique broadcast identifier is (a) associated with the electronic device and (b) corresponds to content access rights associated with the electronic device.

11. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

receive a message for display to a user of the apparatus comprising information about content available for consumption;

generate a request for the content available for consumption, wherein the request comprises a unique broadcast identifier, wherein the unique broadcast identifier is configured to at least identify content for which the apparatus has been previously authenticated;

after a broadcast area associated with the apparatus is periodically identified based at least in part on (i) the apparatus'"'"' physical location being within the broadcast area and (ii) the unique broadcast identifier, receive a link to the content available for consumption within the broadcast area, (a) the broadcast area defining a geographic region in which each of a plurality of broadcasters has the right to provide respective over-the-air broadcasts and (b) the link accessible to provide the content available for consumption via one or more networks; and

receive the content available for consumption based at least in part on the link.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to, after identifying the broadcast area, receive program information for the broadcast area.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the message is selected from the group consisting of a Tweet, a social network update, a text message, and an email message.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the link is normalized for a plurality of platforms.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the unique broadcast identifier is (a) associated with the electronic device and (b) corresponds to content access rights associated with the electronic device.

16. A method comprising:

receiving, via one or more processors, a request for content available for consumption, the request originating from an electronic device, wherein the request comprises a unique broadcast identifier, wherein the unique broadcast identifier is configured to at least identify content for which the electronic device has been previously authenticated;

periodically identifying, via the one or more processors, a broadcast area associated with the electronic device, wherein the broadcast area is identified based at least in part on (i) the electronic device'"'"'s physical location being within the broadcast area and (ii) the unique broadcast identifier, the broadcast area defining a geographic region in which each of a plurality of broadcasters has the right to provide respective over-the-air broadcasts;

identifying, via the one or more processors, the requested content based at least in part on the electronic device'"'"'s physical location;

generating, via the one or more processors, a link to the requested content; and

providing, via the one or more processors, the link to the electronic device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the requested content is available via an over-the-air broadcast in the broadcast area.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the broadcast area is identified at least in part by using a global positioning satellite system.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the broadcast area is identified at least in part by triangulation.

20. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to receive a request for content available for consumption, the request originating from an electronic device, wherein the request comprises a unique broadcast identifier, wherein the unique broadcast identifier is configured to at least identify content for which the electronic device has been previously authenticated;

an executable portion configured to periodically identify a broadcast area associated with the electronic device, wherein the broadcast area is identified based at least in part on (i) the electronic device'"'"'s physical location being within the broadcast area and (ii) the unique broadcast identifier, the broadcast area defining a geographic region in which each of a plurality of broadcasters has the right to provide respective over-the-air broadcasts;

an executable portion configured to identify the requested content based at least in part on the electronic device'"'"'s physical location;

an executable portion configured to generate a link to the requested content; and

an executable portion configured to provide the link to the electronic device.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the requested content is available via an over-the-air broadcast in the broadcast area.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the broadcast area is identified at least in part by using a global positioning satellite system.

23. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the broadcast area is identified at least in part by triangulation.

24. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

receive a request for content available for consumption, the request originating from an electronic device, wherein the request comprises a unique broadcast identifier, wherein the unique broadcast identifier is configured to at least identify content for which the electronic device has been previously authenticated;

periodically identify a broadcast area associated with the electronic device, wherein the broadcast area is identified based at least in part on (i) the electronic device'"'"'s physical location being within the broadcast area and (ii) the unique broadcast identifier, the broadcast area defining a geographic region in which each of a plurality of broadcasters has the right to provide respective over-the-air broadcasts;

identify the requested content based at least in part on the electronic device'"'"'s physical location;

generate a link to the requested content; and

provide the link to the electronic device.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the requested content is available via an over-the-air broadcast in the broadcast area.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the broadcast area is identified at least in part by using a global positioning satellite system.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the broadcast area is identified at least in part by triangulation.