Personal Area Network Proxy Service for Video on Demand Systems

摘要

Techniques where a computing device such as a smart phone can be leveraged to facilitate video on demand (“VOD”) services through a set top box (“STB”) associated with a content subscription service such as satellite television are described. In an exemplary embodiment, a request for VOD content can be communicated from the STB to the computing device via a personal area network (“PAN”) connection such as Bluetooth. The computing device in turn can forward the VOD content request to a VOD authorization server over a wide area network (“WAN”).

主权项

1. A system for authorizing video on demand (“VOD”) purchases comprising:
a set top box (“STB”) configured to receive commands and selections from a user, generate a VOD authorization request in response to a VOD selection from a user, and play the VOD selection in response to receipt of an authorization message; a personal area network (“PAN”) transceiver unit in communication with the STB, wherein the PAN transceiver is configured to send the VOD authorization request from the STB over a PAN connection according to a PAN protocol in response to a command from the STB; a computing device comprising a processor, a memory, a PAN transceiver, and a wide area network (“WAN”) transceiver, wherein the computing device's processor is configured to execute computer readable instructions defined by an application installed on the computing device and stored in the computing device's memory, wherein the instructions are configured to (1) receive the VOD authorization request over the PAN from the PAN transceiver unit through the computing device's PAN transceiver and (2) send the VOD authorization request over a WAN according to a WAN protocol; and a VOD authorization server configured to (1) receive the VOD authorization request over the WAN from the computing device, (2) generate an authorization message, and (3) send the authorization message.