JP2003507803A - Impulse pay-per-use method and system for data and multimedia services - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and system are provided for impulse purchasing services through a communication network such as a cable or satellite television network. Such services include information or games involving television programs, home shopping, e-mail services, streaming media, and the like. Security is provided by entitlements generated by the access controller 14 and entitlement tokens generated by the secure processor. The secure processor is located at the subscriber terminal 16 through which the subscriber can order and obtain services. A token is generated when a subscriber selects a service or, if pre-authorized, a service is impulsively purchased. The token is secure and signed and is used by the policy / proxy server 18 to demarcate NO IPS and related services to make it easier to provide these services to subscribers.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present application derives its benefits from US Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 149,263, filed August 17, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to communication networks such as cable television, satellite television and computer networks that are serviced for a fee, and more particularly to methods and systems that allow data and multimedia services to be purchased through such networks. Regarding

Cable and satellite television networks for which video services are available for a fee are well known. Computer network services such as the Internet, America Online, ComputerServe and others having websites with different types of applications ranging from general information to entertainment to electronic shopping are also well known, but all of them are well known. It is accessible for a fixed monthly fee. In the past, cable and satellite television networks have offered individual television services under impulse purchase.
Such "Impulse-Pay-Per-View" (IPPV) services include television movies or special sporting events where viewers can pay the dues and order the service at the same time.

Granting pay-per-view services is desirable from the consumer's perspective, as consumers only have to pay for those services that they want and are offered when they enjoy themselves. The success of pay-per-view services, which were either movie or sporting events, has prompted system operators and programmers to consider using the pay-per-view approach to provide other types of services.

One result of the pay-per-view approach is the ability to provide services based on data and multimedia applications. Such services include, without limitation, information with games or television programming, home shopping, e-mail services, etc. In order to provide such services, acceptable security standards must be implemented. In the area of subscriber television, such as satellite television and cable television, security is provided using conditional access (CA) technology.

It would be advantageous to extend television IPPV conditional access to new application-based services. It would be particularly advantageous to extend such conditional access by requiring no new infrastructure to support these features, ie by providing a simple extension to already deployed systems. It is further advantageous that a subscriber terminal, such as a set-top box previously used alone for video IPPV services, can be given "impulse pay per use" (IPPU) for video or non-video applications. .

[0007]   The present invention provides methods and systems that have the above and other advantages.

[0008] Secure impulse pay via gist communication network invention - Par - method and system order to obtain a Youth (IPPU) service is given.

In a simplified embodiment, subscriber IPPU selection is access control by the subscriber (eg, over the phone for call-ahead entitlement or over the subscriber terminal for pre-authorization). Sent to the vessel. The access controller generates a cryptographic message with a service identifier and associated authorization settings for subscriber IPPU selection, which is then sent from the access controller to the subscriber terminal with the cost of the IPPU service selected by the subscriber. The subscriber terminal verifies that the cost of IPPU selection is within the subscriber's credit eligibility. If the verification is successful, the subscriber terminal generates a secure entitlement token for use by client applications belonging to the subscriber terminal. The entitlement token is alternatively generated by the access controller and transferred to the subscriber terminal. The client application then sends the entitlement token to the server (eg, proxy / policy server) in a secure manner to determine the subscriber's entitlement status to receive the IPPU selection. If the subscriber's eligibility to receive the IPPU selection is verified, the server will select the service / service selected for use by the viewer.
Further process the IPPU selection to enable the application.

The server can be an independent internet service provider (ISP) proxy / policy server, an ISP proxy / policy server affiliated with multiple system cable operator (MSO), or another network operator (NO).
Proxy / policy / policy server, NO proxy / policy / policy server, etc.

In an alternative embodiment, the IPPU selection is first sent to a customer response center (CRC) / billing system, which in turn forwards the IPPU selection to the access controller. The billing system sends the subscriber a bill of choice for the IPPU.

In the case of a "cyber CRC" configuration where the communication is provided through a global communication network (eg, the Internet), the subscriber IPPU selection is CRC / billing through a web browser running in the subscriber terminal and a web server in the billing system. Sent to the system.

As part of the communication with the access controller, the billing system can activate the access controller to add the service referred to by the subscriber IPPU selection, which allows any subscriber to access the service. It is a separate process from telling the access controller if it was qualified to do so.

The term “billing system” is used herein in a much broader sense than just a payment computer, as is well known in the industry. Generally, a billing system refers to a business system that performs network operator operations and includes functions such as payment, system configuration and business operations.

In an alternative embodiment, the secure credential token is a signed and encrypted credential token, the signed and encrypted credential token is secure to the server for authorization and decryption from the client application. Sent to. The entitlement token is encrypted using, for example, the subscriber's private key. The proxy / policy server can then use the subscriber's public key to decrypt the entitlement token. Alternatively, the token may be encrypted using symmetric key cryptography. For example, a token is encrypted using Data Encryption Standard (DES) technology and is sent with a DES key that is encrypted using a public key associated with the server (DES is the cipher described in US Pat. No. 3,962,593). Standard). The server then uses its private key to decrypt the DES key and the decrypted DES key to decrypt the token. The entitlement token is generated at the access controller or subscriber terminal.

In another embodiment, the service identifier is associated with one or more service related codes and data objects that are periodically sent from the access controller to the subscriber terminal.

The access controller is a local access controller or a national access controller.

IPPU services include accessing a site, streaming media from the site, downloading multimedia applications from the site, accessing content on the site, shopping, e-mail, video mail. Etc.

The subscriber terminal may be a cable television set top box, a digital television or host with deployable points, or a personal computer.

In an alternative embodiment, the subscriber IPPU selection is pre-authorized at the subscriber terminal for a given credit amount. Pre-authorization for the IPPU allows the subscriber to request authorization locally (eg, at the subscriber terminal). The subscriber terminal can deduct the costs associated with the subscriber IPPU selection from the credit amount.

To prevent payment refusal of the IPPU selection, the subscriber terminal securely reports the subscriber IPPU selection back to the access controller.

[0022]   Corresponding methods and systems are provided.

[0023] in accordance with the Detailed Description of the Invention The present invention, impulse pay-related television service previously - par -
The view concept is extended to Impulse Pay-Per-Use (IPPU) related to supplementary data and multimedia applications and so on. The term "use" refers to the act of utilizing either subscriber terminal resources or code / data objects. Such objects consist of software code and / or data and are either present in the subscriber terminal or downloaded.

The invention empowers subscribers to impulsively purchase services securely. Such services may or may not rely on real-time interaction with the network to deliver the service. In particular, the secure microprocessor in the subscriber terminal is equipped with hardware and / or software to enable the secure processor to generate a secure and signed entitlement token for further processing by the server associated with the granting service. Before ISP or NO proxy /
Used by the policy server. Subscriber (if pre-licensed)
A token is generated when selecting a service or impulsively purchasing such a service. Such IPPU purchases utilize not only applicable network components that support IPPU purchase transactions, but also components that reside within the subscriber terminal.

Various system elements are used in providing IPPU services in accordance with the present invention. These include:

1. Customer Response Center (CRC): where the subscriber's order is formed (through a cyber customer service agent (CSR) or other means) and the order call is processed (typically used by a call ahead service) To be done.

2. Existing Network Operator Billing System (NO-BS): The exciting NO billing system interfaces with National Controllers (Access Controller-AC) or Local Controllers (Digital Access Controller-DAC). Typically, access requests and authorization rights (entitlements) are carried from the billing system.

3. Internet Service Provider Billing System (ISP-BS): This
NO Partner's existing billing system (additional) for Internet Service Providers (ISPs), which handles ISP services.

[0029] 4. AC / DAC: An access controller that controls authorization and purchases a collection of services based on subscribers.

5. Subscriber terminal: A device such as a cable television set-top box, a digital television or host with deployable points, or a personal computer that provides video, audio and data based on reservations, call-ahead or impulse payments. To do.

The invention is best illustrated by the various process flows between related elements, as shown in FIGS. Before referring to the figures, it should be noted that there are several applicable scenarios under which the present invention may be utilized. These include:

1. Call-ahead qualification / authorization 1.1 Carouseled applications (services) 1.2 Server-based applications (services) 1.3 Streaming media services 2. Impulsive Purchase Qualification / Authorization 2.1 Revolving Applications (Services) 2.2 Server-based Applications (Services) 2.3 Streaming Media Services Both of the revolving application scenarios described above are achieved in a manner similar to IPPV and call-ahead of video services. In particular, the reservation and impulse layers in the conditional access system are associated with service identifiers, which themselves are associated with one or more service-related codes and data objects. These objects are rotated (ie, sent periodically) on either the in-band channel or the out-of-band channel of the grant corresponding to the service provided. The authorization layer is carried in the encrypted message and thus delivered to the secure processor in the subscriber terminal.

If a consumer wishes to purchase a service marked IPPU, and if he also generally has an authorization layer that allows IPPU purchases, then again the network is suitable for him. Such credits allow consumers to order purchases directly at the subscriber terminal without involving the network. The subscriber terminal will then report this purchase back to the network when requested or voluntarily in a secure manner.

On the other hand, server-based application scenarios are more complex. this is,
This is due to the fact that certain actions are required by the server (or proxy server) to facilitate the use of the service / application selected by the viewer. Such services may be, for example, accessing certain sites, downloading programs from these sites, or content present on these sites (eg streaming media content).
Including accessing. The policy / proxy server requires a secure mechanism to determine if the subscriber is legitimately qualified for the selected service. The mechanism is that purchases are not registered but entitlement tokens (
Encryption, signing or otherwise) must be secure to guard the workarounds that indicate that the subscriber is entitled to the desired service.

A set of impulse purchasable services (eg, multimedia applications, home shopping, e-mail, etc.) is associated with a corresponding service identifier (service # id) recognized by both NO and IPS billing systems. . A call ahead service layer and / or IPPU layer is associated with each service for each subscriber. Each service # id has a non-zero cost associated with it.

In one embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the subscriber IPPU selection is sent by the subscriber to the access controller 14 (eg, over the phone for call-ahead entitlement or for pre-authorization enrollment). Through the terminal). Access controller 14 generates a cryptographic message with a service identifier and associated authorization settings (eg, authorization layer settings) for subscriber IPPU selection, which cryptographic message is then sent from access controller 14 to subscriber terminal 16. The same message (or another message) contains the corresponding cost of IPPU selection.

The subscriber terminal 16 verifies that the cost of IPPU selection is within the subscriber's credit eligibility. If such a verification is successful, the subscriber terminal 16 provides a secure entitlement token for use by a client application residing in the subscriber terminal 16 (eg, by a secure processor located in the subscriber terminal). To generate. Alternatively, the entitlement token may be generated by the access controller 14 and forwarded to the subscriber terminal 16. The client application then sends the entitlement token to the server 18 in a secure manner to determine the status of the subscriber's entitlement to receive the IPPU selection. If the subscriber's eligibility to receive the IPPU selection is confirmed, the server 18 further processes the IPPU selection to facilitate the viewer's use of the service / application.

The server 18 is an independent Internet service provider (ISP) proxy / policy server, ISP proxy / policy server affiliated with a network operator (NO) proxy / policy / policy server, NO proxy / policy / policy server. Etc.

In an alternative embodiment, the IPPU selection is first sent to the customer response center (CRC) / billing system 12, which in turn forwards the IPPU selection to the access controller 14. The billing system 12 sends the subscriber a bill of choice for the IPPU. CRC is NO as shown in Figure 1
It may be part of the billing system or may be an independent component. The CRC informs the call-ahead (or cyber) billing system of the subscriber selection and sends that information to the NO billing system (NO-BS).

In the case of the “cyber CRC” configuration where the communication is provided through a global communication network (eg, the Internet), the subscriber IPPU selection is CRC via the web browser executing in the subscriber terminal 16 and the web server in the billing system 12. / Sent to billing system 12.

The server also informs the ISP's billing system 20 (ISP-BS) of the purchase process. In NO systems where there is one NO billing system for all services, the ISP's billing system 20 is actually part of or identical to the NO billing system 12.

Depending on the billing model, the subscriber terminal 16 deducts the reservation fee associated with the IPPU (single purchase until terminated) and the ISP-BS 20 charges an additional processing fee. Alternatively, the subscriber terminal 16 registers only purchases (as described above)
Carry qualifications for free. The ISP's billing system 20 then charges.

As part of the communication with the access controller 14, the billing system 12 activates the access controller 14 to add the service referred to by the subscriber IPPU selection, which subscriber is entitled to access the service. Is transmitted to the access controller 14, which is another process.

The term “billing system” is used herein in a much broader sense than just a billing computer, as is well known in the industry. Generally, a billing system refers to a business system that performs NO operations and includes functions such as billing, system configuration and business operations.

In an alternative embodiment, the secure credential token is a signed and encrypted credential token that is signed and encrypted by the client application to the server 18 for authorization and decryption. Sent safely.

The entitlement token may be a public key / private key method and / or a DE, for example.
It is encrypted using the S encryption method. Subscriber terminal 16 passes the encrypted entitlement token to server 18 for entitlement determination. Credential token is access controller 14
Alternatively, it is generated at the subscriber terminal 16.

In yet another embodiment, the service identifier is associated with one or more service-related codes and data objects that are periodically sent from the access controller 14 to the subscriber terminal 16.

The access controller 14 is a local access controller or a national access controller.

The IPPU service includes accessing a site, streaming media from the site, downloading multimedia applications from the site, accessing content existing on the site, shopping, e-mail, and video mail. Etc.

The subscriber terminal 16 is a cable television set top box, a digital television or host having deployable points, a personal computer, or the like.

In an alternative embodiment, the subscriber IPPU selection is pre-authorized at the subscriber terminal for a given credit amount. Pre-authorization for the IPPU allows the subscriber to request authorization locally (eg, at subscriber terminal 16). Subscriber terminal 16 deducts from the credit amount the costs associated with the subscriber IPPU selection.

To prevent payment refusal of the IPPU selection, the subscriber terminal 16 securely reports the subscriber IPPU selection back to the access controller 14.

FIG. 2 provides an example of the processing that occurs at subscriber terminal 16 in a particular embodiment.
Subscriber terminal 16 receives the encrypted message from access controller 14 as discussed in connection with FIG. As mentioned above, the encrypted message or the separate message contains the corresponding cost of IPPU selection. The secure processor 32 located in the subscriber terminal 16 then processes the encrypted message to see if the cost of IPPU selection is within the subscriber's credit entitlement. If the verification is successful, then the subscriber terminal 16 generates a secure entitlement token for use by the client application 40 (eg, by the same secure processor 32). The client application 40 is provided with this token by the application layer interface routine, which then sends the entitlement token to the server 18 in a secure manner as discussed in connection with FIG. In this way, the server 18 also ensures the legitimacy of the subscriber's entitlement to the requested service. It also does not provide payment refusal of the purchase process within the subscriber terminal, while allowing the NO to have absolute visibility and control of the services available for purchase.

Once the eligibility for a particular IPPU selection is confirmed, the IPPU selection content is forwarded by the server 18 to the subscriber terminal 16 as discussed in connection with FIG. The IPPU selection is received by the safety processor 32 through conventional receiver circuitry (ie, the receiver output of FIG. 2). The secure processor further processes the IPPU content (eg, if the content associated with the selection was encrypted). The unencrypted content is then processed in a conventional manner for display (either by demultiplexer / decoder 34 or software in subscriber terminal 16).

A device memory 30 is provided for recording local data concerning the subscriber terminal 16 and / or purchases there. This memory is also used to record the data being processed by the CPU 36 as well as the software and / or firmware associated with the subscriber terminal 16, depending on the particular implementation selected.

It should be appreciated that the present invention provides an improved method and system for secure Impulse Pay Per Use (IPPU) services to be obtained over a communications network. In particular, the subscriber terminal shall be the signature that should be used by the NO or affiliate ISP proxy server to further ensure the subscriber's eligibility for the requested service or set of services provided by the NO or affiliate ISP. And / or encrypted tokens (eg, by a secure processor located in the subscriber terminal). The invention also does not provide payment refusal for purchase transactions through the subscriber terminal, thereby requiring payment for all IPPU services ordered to the subscriber. The intended result is to give a NO with absolute visibility and control over the services available for purchase.

Although the invention has been described in relation to various preferred embodiments, it should be recognized that various additions and modifications can be made without departing from the claimed aspects of the invention. is there.

[Brief description of drawings]

[Figure 1]   FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to the present invention.

[Fig. 2]   FIG. 2 is a block diagram of related parts of a subscriber terminal according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

12 Customer Response Center (CRC) / Billing System 14 Access controller 16 Subscriber terminal 18 servers 20 ISP billing system

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] March 20, 2002 (2002.3.20)

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be amended] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Contents of correction]

[Claims]

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Claims (32)

[Claims] 1. A secure impulse pay for subscribers through a communication network.
A method of providing a per-use (IPPU) service, comprising the steps of sending a subscriber IPPU selection from a subscriber to an access controller, and in the access controller, an encrypted message having a service identifier and a subscriber IPPU selection. Generating an associated authorization setting, communicating the encrypted message from the access controller to the subscriber terminal with the cost of the IPPU service selected by the subscriber, the cost being the credit entitlement of the subscriber. In the subscriber terminal, if such confirmation is successful, then generating a secure entitlement token for use by the client application residing in the subscriber terminal; and enrolling the subscriber's entitlement. Credential token from the client application to the server to determine the state of Process and method consisting of the steps of treating the IPPU selected in the server in order to enable the selection to be used by the processing at the same time as subscriber entitled to selection and related to send to. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the server is an independent Internet service provider (ISP) proxy / policy server, a network operator (NO) proxy / policy / policy server, and an associated ISP proxy. / Policy server, or NO proxy / policy / a policy server, which is one of the methods. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a subscriber IPPU selection to an access controller, sending the subscriber IPPU selection to a billing system, and the IPPU selection from the billing system. A method comprising the steps of carrying to a container and sending a bill of IPPU services given to the subscriber. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the subscriber IPPU selection is sent to a billing system using a web browser associated with the subscriber terminal and a web server associated with the billing system. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein as part of the communication to the access controller, the billing system operates the access controller to add a service referred to by a subscriber IPPU selection. Wherein the step of adding the service is a separate process from telling the access controller which subscribers are entitled to access the service. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure entitlement token is a signed and encrypted entitlement token, the signed and encrypted entitlement token for authorization and decryption. A method that is securely sent from the client application to the server. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the entitlement token is (i) Private key / public key encryption method, and (ii) symmetric key encryption method, The method of being encrypted using at least one of. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the service identifier is associated with one or more service-related code and data objects that are periodically sent from the access controller to the subscriber terminal. Method. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the access controller is a local access controller. 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the access controller is a national access controller. 11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the service is to access a site, stream media from the site, download multimedia application from the site, and reside on the site. Access to the content to be played, shopping, e-mail and / or video mail. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber terminal is one of a cable television set top box, a digital television or host with deployable points, or a personal computer. 13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subscriber IPPU selection is pre-authorized at the subscriber terminal for a predetermined credit amount. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein costs associated with subscriber IPPU selection are deducted from the credit amount. 15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of securely returning the subscriber IPPU selection from the subscriber terminal back to the access controller. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the entitlement token is generated at one of the access controller or the subscriber terminal. 17. A system for providing a secure impulse pay-per-use (IPPU) service to a subscriber through a communication network, the subscriber terminal having a client application, and receiving a subscriber IPPU selection. Access controller and server, the subscriber carries the subscriber IPPU selection to the access controller, the access controller generates an encrypted message with associated authorization settings and service identifiers related to the subscriber IPPU selection, and access The controller communicates the encrypted message to the subscriber terminal along with the cost of the IPPU service selected by the subscriber, the subscriber terminal confirms that the cost is within the credit entitlement of the subscriber, and if If such a confirmation is successful, the subscriber terminal is a client located in the subscriber terminal. The secure entitlement token for use by the client application, the access controller communicates the encrypted message to the subscriber terminal with the cost of the IPPU service selected by the subscriber, and the subscriber terminal Verifying that it is within the subscriber's credit entitlement, and if such verification is successful, the subscriber terminal generates a secure entitlement token for use by the client application residing in the subscriber terminal, The client application securely sends the entitlement token to the server to determine the entitlement status of the subscriber, and the server processes the IPPU selection to enable the selection for use by the subscriber at the same time as processing the selection and associated entitlements. The system that consists of the server and. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the server is an IS affiliated with an independent internet service provider (ISP) proxy / policy server, network operator (NO) proxy / policy / policy server.
A system that is one of P proxy / policy server or NO proxy / policy / policy server. 19. The system according to claim 17, further comprising a billing system, wherein the subscriber sends the subscriber IPPU selection to the billing system, the billing system carries the subscriber IPPU selection to the access controller, and the subscription A person can be billed for a given IPPU service, where the system. 20. The system of claim 19, further comprising: a web browser associated with the subscriber terminal for forwarding the subscriber IPPU selection to the billing system, and receiving the subscriber IPPU selection from the web browser. A web server associated with the billing system for, and a system consisting of. 21. The system of claim 19, wherein the billing system includes access control to add the service referred to by the subscriber IPPU selection as part of conveying the subscriber IPPU selection to the access controller. System, wherein the step of activating an appliance and adding the service is a separate process from telling the access controller which subscribers are entitled to access the service. 22. The system of claim 17, wherein the secure entitlement token is a signed and encrypted entitlement token, the signed and encrypted entitlement token for authorization and decryption. A system where a client application sends it securely to a server. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the entitlement token is (i) Private key / public key encryption method, and (ii) symmetric key encryption method, The system where it is encrypted using at least one of. 24. The system according to claim 17, wherein the service identifier is
A system, which is associated with one or more service-related codes and data objects which are sent periodically from the access controller to the subscriber terminal. 25. The system of claim 17, wherein the access controller is a local access controller. 26. The system of claim 17, wherein the access controller is a national access controller. 27. The system according to claim 17, wherein the service is to access a site, stream media from the site, download multimedia application from the site, and reside on the site. A system comprising at least one of accessing content, shopping, e-mail and video mail. 28. The system of claim 17, wherein the subscriber terminal is one of a cable television set top box, a digital television or host with deployable points, or a personal computer. 29. The system of claim 17, wherein the subscriber IPPU selection is pre-authorized at the subscriber terminal for a predetermined credit amount. 30. The system of claim 29, wherein costs associated with subscriber IPPU selection are deducted from the credit amount. 31. The system of claim 17, wherein the subscriber terminal securely reports the subscriber IPPU selection back to the access controller. 32. The system of claim 17, wherein the entitlement token is generated at one of the access controller or the subscriber terminal.