# US 8,544,111 B2 · Activating licensable component provided by third party to audio video device

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- Number: US 8,544,111 B2
- Document ID: US8544111B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/034,179
- Filed: 2011-02-24
- Published: 2012-05-17
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2010-11-11
- Assignees: Sony Corporation
- Applicants: Peter Shintani; Ludovic Etienne Douillet
- Inventors: Peter Shintani; Ludovic Etienne Douillet
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8544111B2

## CPC

- G06Q 30/018: Certifying business or products
- G06F 21/10: Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material (protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16) {; Digital rights management [DRM]}
- G06F 21/125: {by manipulating the program code, e.g. source code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code}
- G06Q 20/20: Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
- G06Q 20/306: {using TV related infrastructures (external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185)}
- G06Q 30/0251: Targeted advertisements
- G06Q 30/0283: Price estimation or determination
- G06Q 40/10: Tax strategies
- G06Q 40/12: Accounting
- H04N 5/44: Receiver circuitry {for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards} (H04N5/14 takes precedence)
- H04N 9/641: {Multi-purpose receivers, e.g. for auxiliary information (H04N9/642 takes precedence)}
- H04N 9/642: {Multi-standard receivers}
- H04N 21/2541: {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)}
- H04N 21/2543: Billing {, e.g. for subscription services (payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21)}
- H04N 21/25816: {involving client authentication (restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06)}
- H04N 21/426: Internal components of the client {; Characteristics thereof} (H04N5/44 takes precedence)
- H04N 21/4263: {involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners}
- H04N 21/4347: {Demultiplexing of several video streams}
- H04N 21/4382: {Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation (analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002)}
- H04N 21/4627: Rights management {associated to the content (security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08)}
- H04N 21/6547: comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
- H04N 21/6581: {Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application}
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An audio-video display device can download from a third party server a licensable component on which a royalty is to be paid. Various methods are disclosed for accounting for royalties associated with downloading the licensable component to the client device between the third party server and a client device manufacturer server.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Client device comprising:
processor;
input device configured for communicating with the processor to indicate selection of a link to a third party server (TPS) providing a licensable component;
computer readable storage medium bearing instructions executable by the processor to:
responsive to the selection and prior to accessing the link pursuant to selection of the link, request permission from a client device manufacturer server (CDMS) affiliated with a manufacturer of the client device permission to download the licensable component from the TPS;
responsive to a determination that permission to download the licensable component from the TPS is not granted, not download the licensable component; and
responsive to a determination that permission to download the licensable component from the TPS is granted, download from the TPS the licensable component, wherein the client device receives licensing information and/or a critical piece of the code that must be input to the client device to enable or unlock the licensable component, wherein the licensable component cannot execute a licensable feature associated with the licensable component prior to provision of the critical piece of code, the licensable feature is not merely locked out, but rather is effectively missing altogether, even though other parts of software code needed to execute the licensable feature are vended with the client device, wherein the licensing information and/or the critical piece of code is automatically input to appropriate internal components of the client device or displayed on the client device with a prompt to enter the licensing information and/or critical piece of code; and
wherein license fee data is maintained for use in generating billing information, wherein the license fee data is stored in the client device until uploaded to a licensing entity or agent.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The client device of claim 1, wherein the client device receives information that the licensable component is available for download over a network from the TPS.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The client device of claim 1, wherein the client device delays access of the link by a browser executed by the processor pending grant of permission.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The client device of claim 1, wherein the client device determines that permission is not granted to download the licensable component based on receiving an affirmative “not granted” reply from the CDMS.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The client device of claim 1, wherein the client device determines that permission is not granted to download the licensable component based on not receiving any reply from the CDMS before a timeout period expires.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The client device of claim 1, wherein the client device determines that permission is granted to download the licensable component based on receiving an affirmative “granted” reply from the CDMS.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The client device of claim 1, wherein the client device determines that permission is granted to download the licensable component based on not receiving any reply from the CDMS before a timeout period expires.

### Claim 8

Client device comprising:
processor;
input device configured for communicating with the processor to indicate selection of a link to a third party server (TPS) providing a licensable component;
computer readable storage medium bearing instructions executable by the processor to:
obtain the licensable component from the TPS; and
responsive to obtaining the licensable component from the TPS, inform a client device manufacturer server (CDMS) affiliated with a manufacturer of the client device that the licensable component has been obtained from the TPS to facilitate accounting for royalties for the licensable component wherein the client device receives licensing information and/or a critical piece of the code that must be input to the client device to enable or unlock the licensable component, wherein the licensable component cannot execute a licensable feature associated with the licensable component prior to provision of the critical piece of code, the licensable feature is not merely locked out, but rather is effectively missing altogether, even though other parts of software code needed to execute the licensable feature are vended with the client device, wherein the licensing information and/or the critical piece of code is automatically input to appropriate internal components of the client device or displayed on the client device with a prompt to enter the licensing information and/or critical piece of code; and
wherein license fee data is maintained for use in generating billing information, wherein the license fee data is stored in the client device until uploaded to a licensing entity or agent.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The client device of claim 8, wherein the client device receives information that the licensable component is available for download over a network from the TPS.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The client device of claim 8, wherein the client device informs the CDMS that the client device has obtained the licensable component and has enabled the licensable component.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The client device of claim 8, wherein the client device informs the CDMS that the client device has obtained the licensable component and requests permission from the CDMS to enable the licensable component.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The client device of claim 11, wherein the client device determines that permission is not granted to enable the licensable component based on receiving an affirmative “not granted” reply from the CDMS and responsive thereto does not enable the licensable component.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The client device of claim 11, wherein the client device determines that permission is not granted to enable the licensable component based on not receiving any reply from the CDMS before a timeout period expires and responsive thereto does not enable the licensable component.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The client device of claim 11, wherein the client device determines that permission is granted to enable the licensable component based on receiving an affirmative “granted” reply from the CDMS and responsive thereto enables the licensable component.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The client device of claim 11, wherein the client device determines that permission is granted to enable the licensable component based on not receiving any reply from the CDMS before a timeout period expires and responsive thereto enables the licensable component.

### Claim 16

A third party server (TPS) not affiliated with a manufacturer of a client device, the manufacturer of the client device being associated with a client device manufacturer server (CDMS), comprising:
processor;
computer readable storage medium bearing instructions executable by the processor to:
download to the client device a licensable feature established by a licensable component; and
communicate with the CDMS to inform the CDMS that the client device has obtained the licensable component such that royalty accounting therefor is facilitated wherein the licensable component is established at least in part by licensing information that must be input to the client device to enable or unlock a licensable feature, and/or a critical piece of the code without which the licensable feature cannot be executed by the client device such that prior to provision of the critical piece of code, the licensable feature is not merely locked out, but rather is effectively missing altogether, even though other parts of software code needed to execute the licensable feature are vended with the client device, wherein the licensing information and/or the critical piece of code is automatically input to appropriate internal components of the client device or displayed on the client device with a prompt to enter the licensing information and/or critical piece of code; and
wherein license fee data is maintained for use in generating billing information, wherein the license fee data is stored in the client device until uploaded to a licensing entity or agent.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The TPS of claim 16, wherein the TPS downloads the licensable component to the client device responsive to receiving a selection from the client device of a hyperlink provided by the TPS.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The TPS of claim 16, wherein the TPS executes royalty accounting associated with downloading the licensable component to the client device.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The TPS of claim 16, wherein the TPS does not execute royalty accounting associated with downloading the licensable component to the client device.