Method and system of provisioning a feature for multiple media devices

#Today, media devices, such as set-top boxes (STB), are quickly becoming the central hub for accessing entertainment and communication services. Many consumers are finding that these devices enable ubiquitous access to a wide variety of media content (e.g., broadcast television programs, on-demand programming, pay-per-view programming, and even Internet-based content). As a consequence, consumers often have multiple media devices in their households. Moreover, it is recognized that advances in technology, services, and affordability are accelerating explosive growth in the features these devices offer. At the same time, consumers are becoming accustomed to instant delivery of features and services through on demand services (e.g., video on demand). This expectation of instant delivery, however, can be problematic as traditional telecommunications and communications provisioning processes are slow. In particular, these features can involve complex manual provisioning processes and take a significant amount of time to complete. These delays, along with the inconvenience accompanying such manual processes, can discourage users from subscribing to these features.

#Therefore, there is a need for an approach that automatically and rapidly provisions device features.

#Various exemplary embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

#FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system capable of provisioning a feature on multiple media devices, according to an exemplary embodiment;

#FIG. 2 is a diagram of the components of a feature provisioning platform, according to an exemplary embodiment;

#A preferred apparatus, method, and system for provisioning a feature on multiple media devices are described. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the preferred embodiments of the invention. It is apparent, however, that the preferred embodiments may be practiced without these specific details or with an equivalent arrangement. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the preferred embodiments of the invention.

#Although various exemplary embodiments are described with respect to a set-top box (STB), it is contemplated that these embodiments have applicability to any device capable of processing audio-video (AV) signals for presentation to a user, such as a home communication terminal (HCT), a digital home communication terminal (DHCT), a stand-alone personal video recorder (PVR), a television set, a digital video disc (DVD) player, a video-enabled phone, an AV-enabled personal digital assistant (PDA), and/or a personal computer (PC), as well as other like technologies and customer premises equipment (CPE).

#FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system capable of provisioning a feature on multiple media devices, according to an exemplary embodiment. For the purposes of illustration, a system 100 for provisioning a feature on multiple media devices is described with respect to a service provider network 101 including one or more media content providers 103. It is contemplated that system 100 may embody many forms and include multiple and/or alternative components and facilities. As used herein, the term media content is contemplated broadly to include a wide range of media. For example, media content can include any audio-video content (e.g., broadcast television programs, digital video recorder (DVR) content, on-demand programs, pay-per-view programs, IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) feeds, DVD related content, etc.), pre-recorded media content, data communication services content (e.g., commercials, advertisements, videos, movies, etc.), Internet-based content (e.g., streamed video), and/or any other equivalent media form.