Temporary TV Subscription Porting via Dynamic Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Television subscribers are typically locked into viewing specific channels at their registered location, limiting their ability to access their subscription package at different locations, such as a friend's home with a less extensive subscription.
Innovation Solution
A subscription porting system that allows temporary transfer of a subscriber's subscription to a visitor television receiver, disabling access at the home receiver while enabling it at the visitor's, using a mobile device to authenticate and authorize the transfer via a satellite-based television distribution system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a subscriber is locked into viewing television channels at their registered location, then the subscription security and location control are improved, but the subscriber's ability to access their subscription package at different locations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic subscription porting that allows the subscription access location to be temporarily changed from the registered home location to a visitor location. The system dynamically updates the authorized device list and modifies access rights based on temporary porting requests, enabling the subscription to adapt between different locations while maintaining security through authentication and temporary duration constraints.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the subscription is temporarily transferred to a visitor television receiver, then the subscriber's access flexibility is improved, but the complexity of managing multiple locations and authentication processes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a subscription management server as an intermediary that handles the complexity of authentication, authorization, and coordination between the subscriber's mobile device, the home television receiver, and the visitor television receiver. This server centrally manages the porting requests, validates authentication information, and coordinates the temporary transfer of access rights, thereby reducing the complexity at individual device levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the subscription management server receives status information from both the home and visitor television receivers, and sends confirmation signals to update access rights. The system monitors the porting status and provides feedback to ensure proper authorization is in place before allowing access at the visitor location, streamlining the complex multi-device coordination process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If viewing access is disabled at the home receiver during subscription porting, then the subscriber's access flexibility is improved, but the availability of recorded programming at home deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the television service into distinct functional components: live channel viewing and recorded programming access. During subscription porting, the system selectively disables live viewing at the home receiver while maintaining the ability to access previously recorded programming. This segmentation allows the subscriber to maintain some home access functionality (recorded content) while enabling the primary benefit (live channel access) at the visitor location.
Data Source
AI summary
Various arrangements that permit temporary subscription porting are presented. A temporary subscription port request may be submitted by a subscriber. The temporary subscription port request may include an identifier of a visitor television receiver and authentication information for the subscriber. In response to the temporary subscription port request, a first command to a home television receiver may be transmitted that disables viewing a first set of television channels linked with the subscriber's subscription account. In response to the temporary subscription port request, a second command to the visitor television receiver may be transmitted that enables viewing the first set of television channels linked with the subscriber's subscription account.