GB2529155A

GB2529155A - Control method, system and device

Info

Publication number: GB2529155A
Application number: GB1414096.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Deeley
Original assignee: DUNRAVEN FINANCE Ltd
Current assignee: DUNRAVEN FINANCE Ltd
Priority date: 2014-08-08
Filing date: 2014-08-08
Publication date: 2016-02-17
Also published as: GB201414096D0; WO2016020639A1

Abstract

A computer-implemented control method for a rented television 100 comprises receiving at a digital signal receiver 102 broadcast permission data which has been broadcast over a digital broadcast medium. A permission data file is accessed and validated. Dependent upon the outcome of the validation an operation is performed by permission control unit 106 to restrict or enable functions of the television receiver. The method may be used to remotely disable rental television receivers for which no rental payment has been received. The restriction may serve to render the display 110 and/or audio functions inoperable. Also disclosed is a control system for a rented television which is capable of supporting the steps of the above method.

Description

CONTROL METHOD, SYSTEM AND DEVICE The present invention relates to the controlling access to functions of rented devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Renting or renting with an option to own (known as hire purchase or rent-to-own in some parts of the world) can be the only way that many lower income and credit-constrained households are able to obtain high value products, such as televisions. Typically, rental companies, and companies that provide credit and hire purchase facilities to consumers, have many disjointed systems to manage their customers' payments, or lack of payments. This in turn makes it difficult to manage risk associated with a consumer's refusal to pay and/or moving to an alternative address unknown to the providing company. Such actions can lead to loss of income and products to the company.

It is, therefore, desirable to provide a control method, system and device that enables companies to reduce this risk.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-implemented control method for a rented television, the method comprising, at the television receiving broadcast permission data over a broadcast medium, accessing a permission data file for the television in dependence upon such received permission data, validating the permission data file, and executing a specific operation on the basis of the permission data file to restrict or enable a function of the television.

In one example, the broadcast permission data comprises at least part of the permission data file.

In one example, the broadcast permission data comprises the permission data file.

In one example, wherein the broadcast permission data comprises a reference to a permission data file stored in the television.

In one example, the broadcast permission data includes data relating to respective rented televisions.

In one example, the broadcast medium is a digital broadcast medium.

A method embodying the first aspect of the present invention may further comprise the steps of, at a server remote from the television, generating permission data for a specific television from user data relating to that television, and broadcasting such generated permission data over a broadcast medium.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control system for a rented television, the control system comprising a permission control unit located in the television and operable to receive broadcast permission data over a broadcast medium, to access a permission data file in dependence upon such received permission data, to validate such a permission data file, and to use the permission data file to execute a specific operation to restrict or enable a function of the television.

In one example, the control system comprises a data storage device, and the broadcast permission data comprises a reference to a permission data file stored in the data storage device.

In one example, the broadcast medium is a digital broadcast medium.

In one example, the control system further comprises a control platform unit remote from television and operable to generate permission data for a specific television from user data relating to that television, and to broadcast permission data over a broadcast medium for reception by the permission control unit of the television concerned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a system according to an example; and Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of a system according to an example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Typically credit-constrained consumers are charged a higher amount for rental of products than other consumers, due to higher risk of missed payments.

However, embodiments of the present invention can provide systems to reduce the risk associated with renting products to such consumers. As such, the rates for rental can be reduced as the risk reduces.

A system embodying one aspect of the present invention is intended for use with a television that makes use of a digital broadcast standard, such as the DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) standard.

Figure 1 illustrates such a system in schematic form. The system comprises a television 100 which includes a digital signal receiver 102, which is connected to receive a digital television signal over a broadcast medium 104. The broadcast medium may be over the air, or via cable or other suitable medium.

The television also includes a permission control unit 06, a television controller 108 and a display device 110. The display device 110 includes a device for display images, and will be understood that it might also include at least one device for outputting an audio signal. The television controller 108 operates to control the functions of the television 100 in accordance with information provided by the permission control unit 106.

A control platform 200 comprises a digital television signal transmitter 202 which is operable to broadcast digital television signals over the broadcast medium 104 to a plurality of different televisions and consumers. A permission controller 204 interacts with a set of reference units 206, and is operable to provide permission control information over the broadcast digital television signal. The reference units 206 provide commercial controls as described in more detail below.

In summary, a system embodying an aspect of the present invention operates to control access to features of the television 100 by the provision of permission data by the permission controller 204 to the permission control unit 106 of the television 100. The permission data is broadcast by the permission controller 204 using a digital television signal. Upon reception of the permission data by the television 100, and hence by the permission control unit 106, the permission control unit 106 is operable to control the user's access to functions of the television 100. For example, the permission control unit 106 may prevent access to any function of the television 100, or may limit the range of functions available for access.

An initial device registration step may be performed, upon delivery and installation of the television 100, in order to register the device with the permission controller 204.

A device registration process can be effected by transmitting a unique identifying code to the permission controller 204, for example by scanning a barcode or entering a unique asset number found on label attached to the television 100.

Preferably, each television 100 and permission control unit 106 has a unique permission control unit ID that is used to associate it with a unique customer identification number. In one example, this code is the MAC (media access control) address of the device in question. Alternatively, each permission control unit 106 can be programmed with a unique identification number used to associate the product with the correct customer identification number.

Details of the device registration can be confirmed on a device used to receive an asset number.

The permission controller 204 broadcasts permission data using the digital television broadcast signal (for example the DVB -Digital Video Broadcasting -signal). The permission data includes data relating to the televisions under control. Broadcasting the permission data over the digital television signal provides a one way communication medium from the permission controller 204, and does not require communication from the permission control unit 106 to the permission controller 204. As such, no internet or other communication means is required at the permission control unit 106.

In one example, the permission data being broadcast includes a permission file for each user, which permission file defines the respective functions allowable at the television concerned.

In one example, the broadcast permission data include specific information for each television relating to the services which are to be enabled in the television concerned. In this case, the permission control unit 106 is operable, in the absence of valid permission data, to default to a situation in which access to functions of the television are restricted. The permission control unit 106 is then operable to enable functions of the television in dependence upon the received permission data. Such a technique means that if the television is isolated from the digital video broadcast (DVB) signal, then the permission control unit operates to restrict access to television functions, for example if a permission file is not received within a predetermined time period.

In an alternative example, each the permission control unit 106 is able to store a number of pre-set permission control files, and the broadcast permission data include a reference to the permission file to be accessed by the permission control unit 106. In the absence of valid permission data, the permission control unit 106 uses a default permission file, for example a restricted permission file.

In addition to permission data being broadcast by the permission controller 204, each television may receive firmware update data for the permission control unit and associated functional units of the television. In such a manner, the firmware can be updated and modified as required by the service provider.

A permission control unit 106 receives broadcast permission data from the permission controller 204 over the broadcast medium 104, and determines from the received permission data the part or parts of that data which relate to the television concerned, and then processes that relevant data. The permission control unit 106 is then able to determine the level of user access permitted for the television concerned.

In one example, the permission controller 204 can be provided by a server, which could be cloud based. The permission controller 204 is operable to manage the interfaces between the permission control unit 106 and the reference units 206 that handle payments, arrears, and product control, etc.. In an example, the permission controller 204 can store data representing details for: * Customer records * Products and devices with the customer * permission control unit ID * Current version of permission control unit in use * Current permissions * Permissions File * Permissions history * Contact details and preferred method of contact * Passwords A permission control unit 106 may be provided for a television in one of a number of forms. Most preferably, a permission control unit 106 can be incorporated into a television 100 by including the permission control unit's operating system within a television controller 108 of the television 100 in question. This can be achieved by either integrating the permission control unit 106 into the integrated circuit that provides the television controller 108 or by providing a secondary integrated circuit that carries the permission control unit 106 for interfacing with the television controller 108.

Alternatively, a permission control unit 106 may be part of a separate control module. In an example, a permission control unit 106 can be in the form of an add-on piece of hardware for the television 100. For example, the permission control unit 106 and its components can be in the form of a device which can be plugged into a suitable port of the television 100. This could be via a USB (universal serial bus) type connector or any other type of suitable connector.

The permission control unit 106 and the television 100 can be configured such that the device ceases operation when the add-on permission control unit 106 is removed from the television 100.

The permission control unit 106 could alternatively be provided on a micro personal computer (micro PC) installed in or on the television 100.

In a preferred example, the permission control unit 106 has two modes of operation: a Retail mode and a Rental mode. In an example, a software switch held in memory of the device is used to define in which mode a particular permission control unit 106 operates. In a Retail' mode of operation, the permission control unit 106 lies dormant. In a Rental mode of operation, the permission control unit 106 operates to receive and decode permission data, and to control the television 100 appropriately.

The software switch is arranged so that it cannot be accessed during repair of a television to which the permission control unit 106 is filled. For example, a technician may be able to reprogram a product's firmware by attaching a hardware device, via a cable, or in some instances via an internet connection.

If a version of the firmware existed that did not have the retail / rental switch then it would be possible to reprogram the firmware and remove the rental/retail switch feature. To protect from this, the rental/retail switch is held on the product in an area of memory or firmware that cannot be overridden by an engineer upgrading the firmware on a product, such as a protected area within memory or firmware.

The permission control unit 106 derives control data from a permissions file received from the permission controller 204, to control some or all of the features of the television 100. The capability of the permission control unit 106 to control some or all of the features of the television 100 includes control over the supply of power to key components within the television 100, and will depend upon the model of television into which it is incorporated.

In one mode of operation, the television controller 108 operates by interlacing with the permission control unit 106, and will only process an instruction once the permission control unit 106 grants permission to do so. This mode of operation will be most common where the permission control unit 106 is integrated with the firmware 101 of the television 100.

In an alternative mode of operation, the permission control unit 106 operates to intercept instructions in the television controller 108 of the television 100 in order to control the user's access to the features of the television 100.

A permission file includes data representing data and instructions dependent upon the television being controlled. Each permission file has a unique permission file validation code used to authenticate the validity of the permission file. The permission file may also contain some customer information to enable display of this information on the display device 110. For example, a unique customer reference number and the customer's name can be available in the file for display. Product payment information can also be available so that the next payment date and payment amount, the current arrears and a statement of payments made can be displayed.

In an example, the permission file validation code can take the unique product ID of the product at the time of install such as the MAC address or other unique product number and the both the permission controller 204 and the permission control unit 106 can perform date based transformations on this number to determine what the validation code should be thereby allowing the permission controller 204 to generate a code for a permission file, and the permission control unit 106 to confirm that it is a valid file. The algorithms stored in the permission control unit 106 can be changed by the permission controller 204 at any time to guard against internal theft and circulation of the secret algorithms.

In an example, an asymmetric key algorithm can be used to verify that a permission file is valid. Accordingly a pair of cryptographic keys is provided for a device and the permission controller. Data representing a permission file can be hashed and encrypted using a private key associated with the device.

Decrypting using a public key can occur at the permission controller to verify that the permission file has not been tampered with in transit. In an alternative mechanism, a file can be digitally signed' at the permission controller 204 and verified within a permission control unit 106 for example.

A permission file can be created in any format that is suitable for the television that the permission control unit 106 resides in. It could be XML (extended mark up language) or some other file format, be it a standard format or a propriety one, or it could be in the form of a data stream or for products where the permission control unit 106 is unable to save the permission file on the storage device of the television 100 concerned.

The permission control unit 106 has sufficient control to prevent the television being able to display video/moving images or still images that are passed to the televisions display panel, either through an input port of some description or, as is becoming more popular, are transmitted wirelessly to the television. For example, the permission control unit 106 has the ability to instruct the television controller 108 to switch off all external ports that can be used to feed video signals to the television's display 110. This stops the input at a hardware level.

It can also prevent the televisions source button from switching from one input port to another and therefore ignoring remote control instructions or the source button selection buttons on the product itself.

This capability is designed to prevent the television being used as a monitor display by plugging in an external video input or wirelessly transmitting a video/moving images or still images in order to bypass the restrictions. Similarly the permission control unit 106 is able to prevent the television from playing or transmitting audio signals by disabling both the onboard speakers and external sound outputs that can be fed into an external amplifier for example, so that the ability for the television to provide audio to the viewer is completely controlled by the permission control unit 106. In an example, the permission control unit 106 is able to intercept and prevent the main display panel from displaying. The permission control unit 106 can either control what channels are available As mentioned above, the permission controller 204 interacts with a series of reference units 206 in order to build the appropriate permission file for braodcast. One of these reference units may be a payment control unit which operates to build a future payment schedule for each of the periods for the rental contract and/or Hire Purchase agreement or credit loan. This schedule is based upon information passed to it from an external system such as a rental system or a financial loan management system, preferably using a secure API and/or web services.

If a customer's repayments go up or down due to other transactions, the payment control unit is updated to reflect the new future payment schedule.

The repayment schedule can be configured in multiple ways. It can be set to rental for X monetary payment, on X day of the week or fortnightly period or X day of the month and be set to repeat indefinitely. It can be set to X monetary value, over X weekly or fortnightly periods or X monthly periods. It can also be set to individual date and amount or multiple dates, each with a separate monetary amount.

Workflows can be executed in the back office system based upon the events on the payment date. SMS and Email reminders on the day the payment is due, failed commitment SMS's and Emails can be provided. In an example the Payment control unit 123 sits within the permission controller Unit 204.

The payment control unit may also include a digital purse unit which provides a means by which overpayments can be made against a customer's account.

These overpayments can be used in one of two ways. On a credit loan the overpayments can be used to make payments in advance. If the customers' payments stay in advance then the funds can be used to repay the loan early and reduce the interest payable to the company providing the finance can use the digital purse.

The other way in which the customer may use the digital purse is to pay extra against the product they are renting or buying so that they can use these funds to purchase extra services from the company they are renting or purchasing from, or third parties introduced by the company.

The digital purse unit makes a secure API available for third parties to access the funds available. In an example, a customer can authorize any request for funds. When the digital purse unit receives a request for funds through the API it sends an instruction to the permission controller Unit 204 to seek permission from the customer.

Another reference unit 206 may provide an arrears control unit that manages an escalation process and recovery of arrears once the customer fails to meet their full contractual scheduled payments. The arrears control unit is fed future adjustments to the future payment schedule held in the payment control unit for each customer. These adjustments are based upon one or more commitments made by the customer.

The arrears control unit can build a future payment adjustment schedule for each of the periods for the rental contract and/or Hire Purchase agreement or credit loan. It builds this based upon information passed to it by from an external system such as a rental system or a financial loan management system.

The arrears adjustment schedule can be configured in multiple ways. It can be set up on a simple repeating cycle X monetary payment, on X day of the week or fortnightly period or X day of the month and be set to repeat for X payments.

It can also be set to individual date and amount or multiple dates, each with a separate monetary amount.

The adjustment can be a positive or negative number and when applied to the payment schedule held in the payment control unit it is possible to calculate whether the customer has met their payment commitment. This means that it is possible to accept a payment less than the contractual amount for a period of time as well as accepting higher payments to recover the arrears.

Workflows are executed in the back office system based upon the events on the payment date. SMS and Email reminders on the day the payment is due, failed commitment SMS's and Emails and other escalations events such as letters, passing details into an autodialler, arranging field arrears visits, raising repossession orders and passing customer details to external debt collection agencies can be provided.

Another reference unit 206 may be provided by a product control unit which regularly monitors the schedule of payment commitments for each unique product for each customer. These payment commitments can range from a number of weeks or months at a certain monetary value to specific instalments, for a specific monetary amount on specific days of the month, days of the week or a single date. They could also multiple single dates and multiple repayment amounts.

Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of a system 300 according to an example suitable for implementing a permission control system as described above. The system 300 includes one or more processors, such as processor 301, providing an execution platform for executing machine readable instructions such as software. Commands and data from the processor 301 are communicated over a communication bus 399. The system 300 also includes a main memory 302.

such as a Random Access Memory (RAM), where machine readable instructions may reside during runtime, and a secondary memory 305. The secondary memory 305 includes, for example, a hard disk drive 307 and/or a removable storage drive 330, representing a floppy diskette drive, a magnetic tape drive, a compact disk drive, etc., or a nonvolatile memory where a copy of the machine readable instructions or software may be stored. The secondary memory 305 may also include ROM (read only memory), EPROM (erasable, programmable ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable, programmable ROM).

In addition to software, data for a permission control unit 106, 203 may be stored in the main memory 302 and/or the secondary memory 305. A permission control unit may be provided as hardware 306 communicatively coupled to the rest of the system 300. For example, permission control unit3O6 can be a logic circuit, or can be part of a middleware or firmware logic circuit for example. The removable storage drive 330 reads from and/or writes to a removable storage unit 309 in a well-known manner.

A user can interface with the system 300 with one or more input devices 311, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a stylus, a touch screen, and the like in order to provide user input data and to provide input relating to the editing of a summary or set of summaries for example. The display adaptor 315 interfaces with the communication bus 399 and the display 317 and receives display data from the processor 301 and converts the display data into display commands for the display 317. A network interface 319 is provided for communicating with other systems and devices via a network (not shown). The system can include a wireless interface 321 for communicating with wireless devices in the wireless community.

It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that one or more of the components of the system 300 may not be included and/or other components may be added as is known in the art. The apparatus 300 shown in figure 3 is provided as an example of a possible platform that may be used, and other types of platforms may be used as is known in the art. One or more of the steps described above may be implemented as instructions embedded on a computer readable medium and executed on the system 300. The steps may be embodied by a computer program, which may exist in a variety of forms both active and inactive. For example, they may exist as software program(s) comprised of program instructions in source code, object code, executable code or other formats for performing some of the steps. Any of the above may be embodied on a computer readable medium, which include storage devices and signals, in compressed or uncompressed form. Examples of suitable computer readable storage devices include conventional computer system RAM (random access memory), ROM (read only memory), EPROM (erasable, programmable ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable, programmable ROM), and magnetic or optical disks or tapes. Examples of computer readable signals, whether modulated using a carrier or not, are signals that a computer system hosting or running a computer program may be configured to access, including signals downloaded through the Internet or other networks. Concrete examples of the foregoing include distribution of the programs on a CD ROM or via Internet download. In a sense, the Internet itself, as an abstract entity, is a computer readable medium. The same is true of computer networks in general.

It is therefore to be understood that those functions enumerated above may be performed by any electronic device capable of executing the above-described functions.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A computer-implemented control method for a rented television, the method comprising, at the television: receiving broadcast permission data over a broadcast medium; accessing a permission data file for the television in dependence upon such received permission data; validating the permission data file; and executing a specific operation on the basis of the permission data file to restrict or enable a function of the television.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the broadcast permission data comprises at least part of the permission data file.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the broadcast permission data comprises the permission data file.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the broadcast permission data comprises a reference to a permission data file stored in the television.
5. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the broadcast permission data includes data relating to respective rented televisions.
6. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the broadcast medium is a digital broadcast medium.
7. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the steps of, at a server remote from the television: generating permission data for a specific television from user data relating to that television; and broadcasting such generated permission data over a broadcast medium.
8. A control system for a rented television, the control system comprising: a permission control unit located in the television and operable to receive broadcast permission data over a broadcast medium, to access a permission data file in dependence upon such received permission data, to validate such a permission data file, and to use the permission data file to execute a specific operation to restrict or enable a function of the television.
9. A control system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the broadcast permission data comprises at least part of the permission data file.
10. A control system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the broadcast permission data comprises the permission data file.
11. A control system as claimed in claim 8, comprising a data storage device, and wherein the broadcast permission data comprises a reference to a permission data file stored in the data storage device.
12. A control system as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the broadcast permission data includes data relating to respective rented televisions.
13. A control system as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the broadcast medium is a digital broadcast medium.
14. A control system as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11, further comprising a control platform unit remote from television and operable to generate permission data for a specific television from user data relating to that television, and to broadcast permission data over a broadcast medium for reception by the permission control unit of the television concerned.
15. A computer-implemented control method for a rented television substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
16. A control system for a rented television substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.