Method and apparatus for biometric identification of a user in a broadcast communication receiver

• US 9,654,719 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2008
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): SHERWIN, RYAN W
• Application Number:
  US12/167,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20100001832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,239 Days
• Field of Search: 340 58, 340 582- 584, 340 581, 340 552- 553, 340 52, 713186, 725 2
• 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 at least a first broadcast communication receiver and a second broadcast communication receiver, the method comprising:

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

generating, at the first broadcast communication receiver, 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, at the first broadcast communication receiver, wherein the data is associated with account information maintained with a service provider that authorizes the user to receive content from the service provider, and wherein the data is associated with authorization information that authorizes the user to purchase a product provided by a third party operating through the service provider;

associating, at the first broadcast communication receiver, the data with the first biometric information;

communicating the first biometric information in conjunction with the data from the first broadcast communication receiver to the second broadcast communication receiver over a communication interface established between the first broadcast communication receiver and the second broadcast communication receiver;

analyzing, at the second broadcast communication receiver, the physical characteristic of the user in association with the user accessing the second broadcast communication receiver;

generating, at the second broadcast communication receiver, second biometric information based on the physical characteristic as analyzed in association with the user accessing the second broadcast communication receiver;

comparing, at the second broadcast communication receiver, 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, the method further comprising;

receiving content from the service provider at the second broadcast communication receiver based on the data associated with the account information maintained with the service provider; and

authorizing the user to purchase the product from the third party using the second broadcast communication receiver based on the data that authorizes the user to purchase.

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 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 user is a first user, and 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 user is a first user, and 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 and further includes purchases which have been made by the user through the first broadcast communication receiver.

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 purchased by the user at the first broadcast communication receiver, wherein the information content is provided to the first broadcast communication receiver over the network, and wherein the information content is accessible to the second broadcast communication receiver.

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 purchased at the first broadcast communication receiver and that is accessible over the network by the user using the second broadcast communication receiver.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting, at the second broadcast communication receiver, at least one of programs, channels, and advertising to the user based upon the data, wherein the data includes information pertaining to the at least one of programs, channels, and products purchased at the first broadcast communication receiver.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises billing information associated with the purchased product made through the second broadcast communication receiver by the user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises credit card information associated with the purchased product made through the second broadcast communication receiver by the user.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises shipping address information associated with the purchased product made through the second broadcast communication receiver by the user.

16. A method for identifying a user of a first broadcast communication receiver and a second broadcast communication receiver, the method comprising:

receiving, at the second broadcast communication receiver, first biometric information and data from the first broadcast communication receiver over a communication interface established between the first broadcast communication receiver and the second broadcast communication receiver,

wherein the first biometric information uniquely identifies the user based on at least one physical characteristic of the user,

wherein the data includes account information maintained with a service provider that authorizes the user to receive content from the service provider, and

wherein the data includes authorization information that authorizes the user to purchase a product provided by a third party operating through the service provider;

analyzing, at the second broadcast communication receiver, the physical characteristic of the user when the user is using the second broadcast communication receiver;

receiving content from the service provider at the second broadcast communication receiver based on the data associated with the account information maintained with the service provider; and

authorizing the user to purchase the product from the third party using the second broadcast communication receiver based on the data that authorizes the user to purchase.

17. The method of claim 16, 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.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the data comprises data for controlling access by the user to informational content provided over the network as determined by an owner or licensee of the informational content.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the data comprises demographic data associated with the user, and further comprising:

presenting, at the second broadcast communication receiver, at least one of programs, channels, and advertising to the user based upon the demographic data, wherein the demographic data includes information used at the second broadcast communication receiver to select the at least one of programs, channels, and products.

20. A first broadcast communication receiver, comprising:

an interface configured to communicate over a communication interface established between the first broadcast communication receiver and a second broadcast communication receiver, and configured to receive first biometric information and user-specific data provided by the first broadcast communication receiver,

wherein the first biometric information uniquely identifies the user based on at least one physical characteristic of the user,

wherein the data includes account information maintained with a service provider that authorizes the user to receive content from the service provider, and

wherein the data includes authorization information that authorizes the user to purchase a product provided by a third party operating through the service provider;

a biometric sensor configured to capture second biometric information corresponding to the at least one physical characteristic that uniquely identifies the user; and

control logic configured to;

receive via the interface the first biometric information and the user-specific data;

receive the second biometric information while the user is using the second broadcast communication receiver;

compare the first biometric information with the second biometric information;

receive content from the service provider at the second broadcast communication receiver based on the data associated with the account information maintained with the service provider; and

authorize the user to purchase the product from the third party using the second broadcast communication receiver based on the data that authorizes the user to purchase.

21. The first broadcast communication receiver of claim 20, wherein the at least one 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.

22. The first broadcast communication receiver of claim 20, wherein the interface is a first interface, and further comprising:

a second interface configured to receive information indicative of the physical characteristic of the user from a remote control biometric sensor incorporated in a remote control, 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 received from the remote control.

23. The first broadcast communication receiver of claim 20, wherein the first 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.