Methods and systems for accessing content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11277651-B2
Application number	US-201715414220-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2017
Priority date	Aug 19, 2014
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

Methods and systems for accessing content are provided. A non-tunable device (e.g., a device without the capability to tune to a particular channel) can access a particular channel via a tunable device (e.g., a device with the capability to tune to the particular channel). A computing device can facilitate content tuning. In an aspect, the non-tunable device can transmit a request for content to the computing device. The request for content can comprise a title of the content, a type of content, channel information, and the like. Upon receiving the request for content, the computing device can determine the characteristics of the non-tunable device such as device type, device capabilities, location, and identify all the tunable devices capable of communicating with the non-tunable device. Entitlement information can be provided to the one or more tunable devices. The entitlement information can facilitate access to the requested content by the non-tunable device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, from a non-tunable device, a request for content, wherein the request comprises user account information;
determining a tunable device associated with the user account information;
transmitting, to the non-tunable device, a tuner reservation identifier that facilitates the non-tunable device communicating with the tunable device; and
transmitting, to the tunable device, entitlement information that facilitates the non-tunable device accessing the requested content via the tunable device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request for content causes an error indication, the method further comprising:
providing, to the non-tunable device based on the error indication, pricing information for acquiring the content; and
receiving, from the non-tunable device, payment information for acquiring the content.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the tunable device is based on device characteristics of the non-tunable device, wherein the device characteristics comprises at least one of a device type, device capabilities, or a location of the device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the entitlement information comprises a device identifier, the method further comprising transmitting, by the non-tunable device to the tunable device, a tuning request, wherein the tuning request comprises a requesting device identifier, and wherein the tunable device facilitates the non-tunable device accessing the requested content based on the device identifier matching the requesting device identifier.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request for content comprises a request for pay-per-view content, a request for video-on-demand content, or a request for pay-per-view content and video-on-demand content.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tunable device comprises at least one of a Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) tuner, a gateway device, a set-top-box, or communications terminals.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the entitlement information comprises an entitlement token.

8. An apparatus, comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors cause the apparatus to:
receive, from a non-tunable device, a request for content, wherein the request comprises user account information;
determine a tunable device associated with the user account information;
transmit, to the non-tunable device, a tuner reservation identifier that facilitates the non-tunable device communicating with the tunable device; and
transmit, to the tunable device, entitlement information that facilitates the non-tunable device accessing the requested content via the tunable device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the request for content causes an error indication, and wherein the processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors further cause the apparatus to:
provide, to the non-tunable device based on the error indication, pricing information for acquiring the content; and
receive, from the non-tunable device, payment information for acquiring the content.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein determining the tunable device is based on device characteristics of the non-tunable device, wherein the device characteristics comprises at least one of a device type, device capabilities, or a location of the device.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the entitlement information comprises a device identifier, wherein the non-tunable device is configured to transmit, to the tunable device, a tuning request, wherein the tuning request comprises a requesting device identifier, and wherein the tunable device facilitates the non-tunable device accessing the requested content based on the device identifier matching the requesting device identifier.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the request for content comprises a request for pay-per-view content, a request for video-on-demand content, or a request for pay-per-view content and video-on-demand content.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the tunable device comprises at least one of a Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) tuner, a gateway device, a set-top-box, or communications terminals.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the entitlement information comprises an entitlement token.

15. An apparatus, comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors cause the apparatus to:
in response to a non-tunable device requesting a service, receive a denial of service indication associated with the non-tunable device;
transmit, to the non-tunable device based on the denial of service indication, an entitlement option;
receive, from the non-tunable device, user information;
determine one or more tunable devices associated with the user information;
transmit, to the non-tunable device, a tuner reservation identifier; and
transmit, to the one or more tunable devices, entitlement information that facilitates access, by the non-tunable device, to the service based on tuning information.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the denial of service indication comprises a tuning denial.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the entitlement option comprises an option to purchase entitlement to content.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the user information relates to purchasing entitlement to content.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to determine the one or more tunable devices associated with the user information further cause the apparatus to determine an availability of a first tunable device of the one or more tunable devices to satisfy a tuning request.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to determine the one or more tunable devices associated with the user information further cause the apparatus to identify a tunable device associated with the non-tunable device.

Assignees

• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Mitchell Slade
• Robinson John

Classifications

• H04N21/25875

  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 title

• H04N21/4227

  {Providing} Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work · CPC title

• H04N21/2541

  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 title

• H04N21/41265

  having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device (unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204) · CPC title

• H04N21/2747

  Remote storage of video programmes received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server · CPC title