US20120124610A1

US20120124610A1 - Activating licensable component of consumer electronic device post-sale using unified software package

Info

Publication number: US20120124610A1
Application number: US13/072,941
Authority: US
Inventors: Peter Shintani; Aran London Sadja; Ludovic Etienne Douillet
Original assignee: Sony Corp
Current assignee: Sony Corp
Priority date: 2010-11-11
Filing date: 2011-03-28
Publication date: 2012-05-17
Also published as: EP2638501B1; CA2816703A1; EP2638499A4; CN103154984B; WO2012064388A1; JP5626551B2; US20160048843A9; CN102469371A; KR20130064131A; TWI446785B; CA2816703C; US10049366B2; CN103210659A; KR20130079587A; US20120120321A1; CN103535042A; JP5692552B2; TWI520594B; CN103154984A; US9691071B2

Abstract

A unified software download package is deployed to multiple CE device models, and a user of the device can configure the unified software package to the desired configuration. A remote feature activation system allows the device to take advantage of any of the additional features contained in the unified software package that can be supported in the device, even if it was not originally supported in the original configuration data of the CE device itself. When the CE device is ready for activation the user can be given the option to accept new features, and then the CE device can notify a server accordingly so that if additional licenses and their associated royalties are required, license codes can be provided to the CE device and royalty payments adjusted.

Description

This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/970,215, filed Dec. 16, 2010 and to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/412,552, filed Nov. 11, 2010.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present application relates, generally to activating a licensable component of a consumer electronic (CE) device at or after the point of sale (POS) of the device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Televisions incorporate a host of technologies to enable a viewer to watch programming from a variety of sources. These sources include terrestrial broadcast sources of analog (using National Television System Committee, or NTSC, format) and digital (using Advanced Television System Committee, or ATSC, format) TV signals. ATSC signals typically use video compression known as Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG-2) and TVs must consequently support MPEG-2 decompression if they support ATSC programming.
Cable-provided “basic” television programming can also be provided in NTSC or quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) format. Cable-provided “enhanced” programming may also be provided using high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) principles. Likewise, satellite-provided TV signals may be received in HDMI. As well, video from the Internet can be displayed on many modern TVs in a variety of formats, including data over cable service Internet specification (DOCSIS) format. Furthermore, TVs are often configured to support multiple audio formats, including advanced audio coding (AAC), Audio code 3 (AC3), digital theater system (DTS), and so on. And as contemporary viewers know, TVs are expected to support the presentation of electronic program guides (EPGs).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As understood herein, various technologies require license fees to be paid. As further understood herein, many technologies that must be built in to modern CE devices such as TVs to support various program sources may not be used. Nonetheless, license fees for the unused technologies are still paid, unnecessarily cascading cost. Present principles understand that license fees might be saved were licensable components to be activated only upon consumer request.
Accordingly, a method is disclosed for enabling a consumer electronics (CE) device to upgrade post-vending by enabling disabled licensable components in a unified software package with which the CE device was sold. The method includes configuring the CE device upon initial power on using a configuration file to access and invoke an initial subset of software modules from the unified software package. The CE device is not configured at initial power on to execute modules in the unified software package that, are not in the initial subset. Additional feature options corresponding to licensable components that are available but that are not yet enabled in the CE device are presented on the CE device. The method includes receiving user selection of one or more of the additional feature options and responsive to the user selection, providing to the CE device information needed to configure the CE device to execute respective modules in the unified software package that are not in the initial subset corresponding to the user selection.
If desired, the unified software package can include an initial subset of software pertaining to operating non-licensable components and to licensable components for which royalties have been prepaid and software modules needed to operate licensable components for which royalties have not been prepaid. The method may include presenting the additional feature options on a user interface (UI) of the CE device. In some embodiments the method includes correlating the feature options identified by the user selection to respective licensable components and respective license keys. In such an embodiment the method can further include returning the license keys to the CE device for enablement of associated licensable components with software existing in the unified software package. Royalty information associated with providing the license keys may be generated.
In an example embodiment, the method includes prompting the user, pursuant to receiving a selection of a feature option and prior to returning an associated license key, to pay remuneration either through a CE device cable reverse channel connection or by accessing a website and entering a credit card number.
In another aspect, a consumer electronics (CE) device includes a processor controlling one or more licensable components, at least one of which requires a license code to enable. However, the license code is not available to the processor at a point of sale (POS) of the CE device. The CE device has a display controlled by the processor and a computer readable storage medium bearing instructions executable by the processor to present on the display a list of feature options each having respective operating code stored on the computer readable storage medium and each respective operating code being disabled at time of sale of the CE device. The processor receives at least one user selection from the list and receives a license code corresponding to the user selection. Using the license code, the processor enables respective operating code corresponding to a selected feature option.
In another aspect, a method includes deploying a unified software package to multiple CE device models and receiving from a user of a CE device to which the unified software package has been deployed a selection of a feature associated with disabled software in the unified software package. Responsive to the selection, the feature is remotely activated at least in part by returning to the CE device a license code to enable the software in the unified software package associated with the feature selected by the user.
The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a non-limiting example system in accordance with present principles;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example TV;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of non-limiting TV set up logic in accordance with present principles;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of non-limiting logic for automatically detecting whether an ATSC demodulator is required to be activated;

FIGS. 5-7 are schematic diagrams illustrating alternate methods for activating an ATSC demodulator;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of non-limiting logic for licensing a component in a TV;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of example logic for providing enhanced features post-sale to a CE device; and

FIG. 10 is a screen shot of an example user interface that can be used in conjunction with the logic of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring initially to the non-limiting example embodiment show in FIG. 1, a system 10 includes an audio video device 12 such as a TV including a TV tuner 16 communicating with a TV processor 18 accessing a tangible computer readable storage medium 20 such as disk-based or solid state storage. The TV 12 can output audio on one or more speakers 22. The TV 12 can receive streaming video from the Internet using a built-in wired or wireless modem 24 communicating with the processor 12 which may execute a software-implemented browser 26. Video is presented under control of the TV processor 18 on a TV display 28 such as but not limited to a high definition TV (HDTV) flat panel display. User commands to the processor 18 may be wirelessly received from a remote control (RC) 30 using, e.g., rf or infrared. Audio-video display devices other than a TV may be used, e.g., smart phones, game consoles, personal digital organizers, notebook computers and other types of computers, etc.
TV programming from one or more terrestrial TV broadcast sources 32 as received by a terrestrial broadcast antenna 34 which communicates with the TV 12 may be presented on the display 28 and speakers 22. The terrestrial broadcast programming may conform to digital ATSC standards and may carry within it a terrestrial broadcast EPG, although the terrestrial broadcast EPG may be received from alternate sources, e.g., the Internet via Ethernet, or cable communication link, or satellite communication link.
TV programming from a cable TV head end 36 may also be received at the TV for presentation of TV signals on the display 28 and speakers 22. When basic cable only is desired, the cable from the wall typically carries TV signals in QAM or NTSC format and is plugged directly into the “F-type connector” 38 on the TV chassis in the U.S., although the connector used for this purpose in other countries may vary. In contrast, when the user has an extended cable subscription for instance, the signals from the head end 36 are typically sent through a STB 40 which may be separate from or integrated within the TV chassis but in any case which sends HDMI baseband signals to the TV.
Similarly, HDMI baseband signals transmitted from a satellite source 42 of TV broadcast signals received by an integrated receiver/decoder (IRD) 44 associated with a home satellite dish may be input to the TV 12 for presentation on the display 28 and speakers 22. Also, streaming video may be received from the Internet 46 for presentation on the display 28 and speakers 22. The streaming video may be received at the computer modem 24 or it may be received at an in-home modem 48 that is external to the TV 12 and conveyed to the TV 12 over a wired or wireless Ethernet link and received at an RJ45 or 802.11x antenna on the TV chassis.
FIG. 2 shows details of an example TV 12. As shown, the terrestrial signal in ATSC format is input to the TV tuner 16, as is basic cable in NTSC or QAM format in the event that basic cable is used and the wall cable plugged into the F-type connector 38. On the other hand, streaming Internet video may be received at a DOCSIS tuner 50 and demodulated/decoded at a DOCSIS decoder/demodulator 52. Typically, the DOCSIS components are housed separately from the TV 12 but in some embodiments may be included in the chassis of the TV 12.
The output of the tuner 16, depending on the signal format received, may be sent to an NTSC decoder/demodulator 54, or a QAM decoder/demodulator 56, or an ATSC decoder/demodulator 58. The output from the NTSC decoder/demodulator 54 can be sent directly to the display 28 and speakers 22 for presentation. On the other hand, the output from the digital decoder/ demodulators 56, 58 typically is sent to a transport stream demultiplexer 60, which separates the desired program from other programs in the selected stream and sends the desired program to an MPEG video decoder 62, which in turn uncompresses the MPEG desired program and sends the uncompressed program to the TV display 28 for presentation. Audio from the demultiplexer 60 may be sent to an audio decoder 64 which in turn sends the decoded audio to the speakers 22 for presentation.
In contrast to the sequence of decoder/demodulators, demultiplexer, and MPEG decoders discussed above, video from either the STB 40 or IRD 44 is in baseband HDMI when it is received by the TV 12. Accordingly, the signals from the STB 40 or IRD 44 are sent directly to the TV display 28 for presentation without further video decompression between the STB 40 or IRD 44 and TV display 28. Audio from the STB 40 or IRD 44 may still be in a format, e.g., AC3, that requires decoding prior to play on the speakers 22 so the audio may be sent through the audio decoder 64 as shown. Likewise, audio from the ATSC terrestrial source 32 may be in AC3 format and so may be sent through the audio decoder 64. Internet video from the DOCSIS decoder/demodulator 52 may be sent through the demultiplexer 60 and decoders 62, 64 as shown.
Now referring to FIG. 3, at block 66 a user of the TV 12 can be conducted, using onscreen user interfaces (UI), through a set-up routine upon first power on or thereafter from a menu to set up various features of the TV. As an example, the user may be asked, for one or more licensable components within the TV, if the user desires to use that component. This may be done implicitly, e.g., by asking the user if the user wishes to automatically scan the broadcast spectrum to detect channels, in which case it may be inferred that the ATSC decoder/demodulator 58 and MPEG decoder 62 will be required and, hence, that licenses to use those components will be needed. Also, in this latter case it may be inferred that a license to the terrestrial broadcast EPG may be required, whereas such a license would not be required if terrestrial broadcast were not being used as an input source.
Or again, the user may be given the choice to receive Internet video through the built-in modem 24 or from an external modem 48 and if the latter is chosen, no license need be obtained for the internal browser 26; otherwise, a license may be required to use the internal browser 26.
Proceeding to block 68, for each license that is inferred to be required based on the user set-up selections at block 66, the TV 12 uploads a request for the license over the Internet, for example, or back through a two-way cable system, etc. Or; as explained further below the request may be made by telephone. Regardless of how made, the request typically identifies the component for which a license is required based on user input at block 66 along with a unique identification of the TV, e.g., a hash of the TV model number and serial number, in some embodiments encrypted if desired. Or, the unique identifier may be a high definition content protect (HDCP) key selection vector (KSV) of the device 12, or a media access control (MAC) address, or a digital transmission content protect (DTCP) certificate, one or more of which may be hashed with the serial number and/or model name of the device 12. This hashed result can be sent to the server. The server can now uniquely identify the device. In the event the device needs to be repaired and the unique ID contained in the device is changed, the device's previous identity advantageously can be migrated to a new hashed ID. To simplify this migration of the ID, the server can generate a unique key, and send it to the repaired device after receiving the initial hashed ID and notification (e.g., from the device 12) that the device was repaired and requires a new unique ID. In some implementations the user of the device 12 can manually recall the original ID, send it to the server, and the server, using the original ID, migrates records of the licenses previously enabled by the device 12 to the new ID. Note that when a download occurs, no re-activation occurs of previously activated features.
The request may be made at set-up time. Alternatively, the request may be cached for later upload when, e.g., an appropriate broadband connection is sensed. In any case, the request may be sent to an Internet server at a prestored Internet address or to a cable head end or to another appropriate licensing entity or agent.
Block 70 indicates that assuming it passes authentication the TV 12 receives back the license in the form of licensing information, typically a code that must be input to the TV processor 18 to enable or unlock the associated component. Or the associated component may require software code to function and a critical piece of the code which is related to the licensable feature may be omitted when the device is vended, with this critical piece of code being supplied at block 70 to enable the licensable feature of the component. Prior to provision of the critical piece of code, the licensable feature of the component in effect 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 device.
The code may be automatically input to the appropriate internal components of the TV at block 72 or the code may be displayed on the TV and the user prompted by means of an onscreen UI to enter the code using, e.g., the RC 30. Proper input of the code activates the related component within the TV. Block 74 simply indicates that license fee data is maintained and used to generate billing information from the licensing agency to the manufacturer of the TV, and may also be used to generate marketing data as discussed further below. The data may be kept in the TV until uploaded to a licensing entity/agent by means noted above.
FIG. 4 shows that automatic license determinations may be made outside of a user set-up routine if desired. In the example shown in FIG. 4, commencing at decision diamond 76 it is determined whether a predetermined physical condition exists in the TV, e.g., a particular kind of connection, from which it may be inferred what licensable components will be required. In the example of FIG. 4, the physical condition is the presence of a voltage in the automatic gain control (AGC) circuitry of the tuner 16, which would occur when, for instance, a connection is made at the TV chassis to the terrestrial antenna 34 or when a cable from the wall is connected to the F-type connector 38.
When the tested-for physical condition exists, the logic flows to block 78, in this example to activate the NTSC demodulator 54. This is done recognizing that NTSC demodulators typically require no licenses, so to avoid unnecessarily requesting licenses, the signal at the tuner 16 is first tested to determine if it is an NTSC signal. Decision diamond 80 indicates that the test may be whether “noise”, is present in the signal.
If the test indicates that NTSC signals only are present the logic ends, but otherwise the logic flows to block 82 to activate the QAM decoder/demodulator 56. If QAM only is detected (by the QAM decoder/demodulator 56 recognizing QAM signals and/or no noise) the logic ends, but if the QAM decoder/demodulator 56 does not recognize the signal, this indicates that the signal is neither QAM nor (from decision diamond 80) NTSC, with the inference thus being that the signal is ATSC requiring use of the ATSC decoder/demodulator 58, which is activated at block 86 to process the signal. At block 88 an uplink is obtained by the TV processor 18 to the above-described licensing entity/agent to obtain the license code discussed above using the unique ID of the TV, and at block 90 the code is received and used as necessary to permit use of the ATSC decoder/demodulator 58.
Or, the step at block 90 can be omitted and the ATSC decoder/demodulator 58 immediately activated on the assumption that the processor 18 is programmed to send a message to the licensing entity/agent that licensing accounting is to be generated after activation of the ATSC decoder/demodulator 58.
Yet again, as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 4 the logic may flow first from decision diamond 84 to blocks 88 and 90 to obtain the licensing “unlock” code and then back to block 86 to activate the ATSC decoder/demodulator 58 using the code, to ensure that no use may be made of the ATSC decoder/demodulator 58 until such time as the licensing entity/agent has been informed of its use, has authenticated the TV for the necessary ATSC license, and has determined that under business rules the license code should be downloaded to fulfill the request.
Additional example inference rules that may be employed pursuant to automatically obtaining needed component licenses after vending the TV to avoid paying for unnecessary licenses prior to sale of the TV include, if there is ATSC present, it is less likely that QAM will be found; if ATSC is present, the total number of ATSC channels will be much smaller than the number for QAM channels. Also, when signals are received from an external modem 48, audio video programming does not require use of the built-in browser 26 and so receipt of video over an Ethernet link without receipt of signals at the internal modem 24 may be inferred to mean that the browser 26 is not in use.
FIGS. 5-7 illustrate logic that may be used during setup to obtain licenses. Using, e.g., the RC 30, a person may input 92 a request to conduct auto-scan of available terrestrial or cable or satellite channels from, e.g., an onscreen setup menu presented on an audio video display product 94 (which may be implemented by the TV 12). In response, the AV display product sends an activation request for, e.g., the ATSC decoder/demodulator 58 which may include the tuner ID and product 94 ID and/or the decoder/demodulator 58 ID/product 94 ID. Activation of the ATSC decoder/demodulator 58 is executed at 96 using activation codes from one or more licensing entities/agents such as server 98, provided the licensing entities/agents determine, based on the information received from the product 94, that the product is entitled to a license for the requested component.
A log may be kept by the licensing entities/agents indicating what products and what components in those products have been activated and based on that log, licensing accounting data may be generated for purposes of presenting licensing invoices for activated components to the manufacturer of the product 94. In any case, 100 indicates that the product 94 receives the activation response, e.g., activation codes, to activate the demodulator/decoder 58 at 101, which converts the product 94 to an ATSC-capable device. The user may be notified using onscreen notification that ATSC programming may now be viewed using the product 94.
FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment. Using, e.g., the RC 30, a person may input 102 a request to conduct auto-scan of available terrestrial or cable or satellite channels from, e.g., an onscreen setup menu presented on an audio video display product 94 (which may be implemented by the TV 12). In response, at 104 telephone information including a phone number to a licensing entity/agent is prepared and the user notified 106 of the information by means of, e.g., a user interface or prompt presented on the product 94. The user enters 108 the information into a telephone, either by speaking the number or by holding the telephone adjacent a speaker on the product 94 for receiving dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) tones from the product that are detected by the telephone and used to automatically dial the number using, e.g., a voice response unit (VRU) 110.
Other alternate embodiments involve sending short message service (SMS) messages to a server to send the above information or scanning bar-type codes on the TV or component to send the requisite information to the server to obtain the license. In any case, determining what licenses are needed may be accomplished upon start up and/or periodically during operation.
Tuner activation is generated at 112 by licensing entities/agents 114 such as Internet servers and the activation code discussed above sent 116 to the VRU 110, which presents the code to the user to complete the activation process at 120. Activation of the licensable component, e.g., the ATSC decoder/demodulator 58, is executed at 101, which converts the product 94 to an ATSC-capable device. The user may be notified using onscreen notification that ATSC programming may now be viewed using the product 94.
FIG. 7 shows another alternative embodiment. Using, e.g., the RC 30, a person may input 122 a request to conduct auto-scan of available terrestrial or cable or satellite channels from, e.g., an onscreen setup menu presented on an audio video display product 94 (which may be implemented by the TV 12). In response, at 124 Internet information including an Internet address of a licensing entity/agent is prepared and the user notified 126 of the information by means of, e.g., a user interface or prompt presented on the product 94. The user enters 128 the information into, e.g., a home computer 127. Tuner activation is generated at 130 by licensing entities/agents 132 such as Internet servers and the activation code discussed above sent 134 to the computer, which presents 136 the code to the user by means of, e.g., a web page or telephone to complete the activation process at 138. Activation of the licensable component, e.g., the ATSC decoder/demodulator 58, is executed at 101, which converts the product 94 to an ATSC-capable device. The user may be notified using onscreen notification that ATSC programming may now be viewed using the product 94.
Alternatively, licensing information may be exchanged using short message service (SMS) codes or by using bar codes. To use bar codes the TV can include a camera that images the bar codes on various components, which are interpreted by the processor 18 as identifying information.
In some instances, if only a limited number (e.g., two) NTSC channels are needed, a limited and less expensive license may be requested and granted to permit access to only those two channels through the NTSC demodulator with a license being requested and granted to any component such as a stereo audio decoder should the legacy device (typically, a VCR) use such audio.
FIG. 8 shows logic that may be executed by a licensing entity/agent computer. Commencing at block 140, a license request from, e.g., the TV 12 is received at, e.g., any of the above-described servers or head ends, which are programmed with software to execute the logic shown in FIG. 8. The unique ID discussed above is looked up at block 142 and the requesting device is authenticated at decision diamond 144 by, e.g., determining if the device is on a list of approved devices. If desired, it may be further determined whether a license for the particular licensable component that is the subject of the request has already been granted and if so, authentication fails. If the requesting device is approved and a license for the licensable component that is the subject of the request has not already been granted, the logic moves to block 146 to send license information, e.g., activation codes, to the requesting device.
Block 148 indicates that license accounting data is generated pursuant to sending the activation code to the requesting device. This accounting data can be used to effect remuneration from the manufacturer of the requesting device to the licensing authority for the component that is the subject of the request. At block 150 the authorized device database is modified to record the grant of the license.
Marketing data may be generated at block 152 based on the license grant. As an example, the total number of devices vended with the licensable component may be compared against the number of licenses granted to requesting devices to ascertain usage of the component compared to other components within the requesting device. For instance, it might be noted that 30% of vended devices of a particular TV model ever request activation of the ATSC tuner. This data can moreover be correlated to demographic data obtained during device registration so that, as an example, of the 30% of devices requesting activation of the TV tuner, it can be known which geographic region was more likely to request such activation, or which demographic age group, etc. It may be further ascertained, using device registration information submitted by purchasers, that of the devices requesting activation of the ATSC tuner, for example, 90% of those devices were second or third home TVs that consequently can be inferred to lack a cable or satellite hookup.
It is preferred that once a licensable component has been activated by obtaining a license for it, it cannot subsequently be deactivated by the user, to avoid multiple license payments for the same component. Accordingly, the TV processor 18 may be programmed to refuse deactivation commands from the user if any are input for any component that has been activated and licensed, at least insofar as deactivation would require another license to reactivate.
Verification of license may also be provided by the TV processor so that, for example, if a component license is requested by the TV but the corresponding feature never used within some period of time, the TV can retract the license request and any license fees refunded as a result.
FIG. 9 shows example logic for enabling a consumer electronics (CE) device such as the TV 12 shown in FIG. 1 to upgrade itself post-vending by enabling or activating licensable components it may have been sold with but which lacked necessary license keys (without which the components are disabled) owing to royalties for the respective components not having been prepaid by the manufacturer. Commencing at block 200, some or all of the CE devices made by a common manufacturer may be provided with a single unified comprehensive software package prior to sale. This software package may include software for multiple CE device models and/or all software needed for all components of a model, e.g., all software needed to operate all licensable components that a particular model may be capable of operating. However, only an initial subset of the items of software, namely, those software modules pertaining to non-licensable components and to licensable components for which royalties may happen to have been prepaid, are enabled at time of sale. Software modules needed to operate licensable components for which royalties have not been prepaid are not enabled by, e.g., not providing a CE device with respective license keys needed to enable the licensable components for which royalties have not been prepaid.
Proceeding to block 202, an individual CE device configures itself upon initial power on using a configuration file to access and invoke the initial subset of software modules from the unified software package. The CE device is not (and typically cannot be, absent possessing license keys) configured at initial power on to invoke modules in the unified software package that are not in the initial subset.
Moving to block 204, additional feature options corresponding to licensable components that are available (but that are not yet enabled) in the CE device are presented to the purchaser, who may select to activate one or more of the additional feature options. In one implementation, the user interface (UI) of FIG. 10 may be presented on the display 28 of the CE device to this end.
User selections of additional feature options are received at block 206 and uploaded to one or more of the above-described servers, which correlate the selected features to licensable components and respective license keys, with the license keys being returned at block 208 to the CE device for enablement/activation of the associated licensable components existing in the unified software package.
In some cases, along with the license keys, software upgrades may be included to enable the CE device to execute a software module in the uniform package that it did not possess the capability to execute before. For example, the uniform software package may contain software for premium device models and standard device models, and a feature for a premium model at the time of vending a standard device model might not be executable by the standard model even with the needed keys owing to memory limitations or operating system limitations or other software limitations in the standard model at the time of vending it. In the event that improved memory allocation or operating system software or other relevant improvement becomes available for the standard model and renders the standard model capable of executing the premium feature, this improved software can be downloaded along with the needed keys as part of fulfilling a request from a standard model to activate or enable the licensable component corresponding to the premium feature.
Also, necessary royalties for the now-activated licensable components are adjusted accordingly. If desired, selection of a feature can result in immediate return of license keys that expire after a limited time to allow a user to “try out” a feature prior to purchasing permanent keys.
In one embodiment, the royalties are adjusted by billing the user. This may be done by prompting the user, pursuant to receiving a selection of a feature option and prior to returning the associated license key, to pay either through a CE device cable reverse channel connection or by accessing a website and entering a credit card number. Only after payment are the needed license keys “pushed” to the CE device, with the CE device notifying the user through, e.g., an on-screen display that the feature is now available. Or, the server can periodically request (“pull”) selection of a feature and/or payment by presenting a prompt on the display of the CE device.
FIG. 10 shows an example UI 210 that can be presented on the display 28 of the CE device according to block 204 in FIG. 9. The UI 210 may list features having associated software in the unified software package that have not yet been enabled owing to a lack of the necessary license keys. For example, the CE device may have been vended with a non-enabled modem for Internet access and the user can select this feature using the UI 210 for provisioning of the necessary license keys to enable use of the modem for Internet access in accordance with principles above. Or, the CE device may have been vended with high definition capability but without HDCP keys needed to exploit it, and this feature may be selected using the UI 210 shown in FIG. 10, and so on.
Without limitation, the need for paying for licenses for the following technologies may be determined:
Video Decoders
MPEG-2 video, MPEG-2 video with optical disk, MPEG4 advanced video coding (AVC), MPEG4 Visual, MPEG video codec (VC) 1
Audio Decoders
unified AAC (MPEG 2&4 AAC) 2ch, unified AAC (MPEG 2&4 AAC) 3ch, Dolby Digital AC3 2ch, Dolby Digital AC3 5.1ch, Dolby Digital Plus (DD+) 2ch, ProLogic2 (Surround Sound), MPEG audio 1&2 layer 1, 2, 3) MP3, DTS_Blueray disk (BD) (2CH/2CH+ Digital Out), BBE Sound, sound retrieval system (SRS) sound
EPGs
Gemstar Guide EPG, non-Gemstar EPG (S1-EPG)
Demodulators
Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB) (D+BS+CS), ATSC, digital video broadcasting (terrestrial) (DVB-T)
Other Components Including Digital Rights Management (DRM)
Joint Photographic Expert Group (JPEG), digital transmission content protection (DTCP)/AACP/Open MG, HDMI, System Synchronized Brightness Control (contrast enhancement), Inverter controller integrated circuit (IC), IEEE 802.11 wireless license, IEEE 802.11(n), BD Pool (player), BD Pool (recorder), digital video disk (DVD) format, IEEE 802.11/16, IEEE 1394
Software
JAVA, MHP/Ginga interactive TV software, JAVA-BD combination, DivX codec software, Windows Media Audio, Windows Media Video, Windows Media Network read, Windows Media digital rights management (DRM), audio watermark, Netfront, web browser software.
Additionally, production encryption keys and test encryption keys may be used to permit testing a licensable component in production, pre-sale, without triggering the above-described license request mechanisms. A TV may be placed in a test activation mode used only in the manufacturing or test phase, and if desired the test mode may have a hardwired time out. A test key or keys can be used to activate licensable components and the license request algorithm recognizes a test key and responsive to the recognition does not request a license. The test activation mode may be hardwired to deactivate after a single power cycle and the TV processor may not permit reactivation of the test mode thereafter. Activation of a licensable component thereafter requires a production key which is associated with a license request.
While the particular ACTIVATING LICENSABLE COMPONENT OF CONSUMER ELECTRONIC DEVICE POST-SALE USING UNIFIED SOFTWARE PACKAGE is herein shown and described in detail, it is to be understood that the subject matter which is encompassed by the present invention is limited only by the claims.

Claims

1. Method for enabling a consumer electronics (CE) device to upgrade post-vending by enabling disabled licensable components in a unified software package with which the CE device was sold, comprising:

configuring the CE device upon initial power on using a configuration file to access and invoke an initial subset of software modules from the unified software package, wherein the CE device is not configured at initial power on to execute modules in the unified software package that are not in the initial subset;

presenting on the CE device additional feature options corresponding to licensable components that are available but that are not yet enabled in the CE device;

receiving user selection of one or more of the additional feature options; and

responsive to the user selection, providing to the CE device information needed to configure the CE device to execute respective modules in the unified software package that are not in the initial subset corresponding to the user selection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the unified software package comprises an initial subset of software pertaining to operating non-licensable components and to licensable components for which royalties have been prepaid and software modules needed to operate licensable components for which royalties have not been prepaid.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising presenting the additional feature options on a user interface (UI) of the CE device.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising correlating the feature options identified by the user selection to respective licensable components and respective license keys.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising returning the license keys to the CE device for enablement of associated licensable components with software existing in the unified software package.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising generating royalty information associated with providing the license keys.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising prompting the user, pursuant to receiving a selection of a feature option and prior to returning an associated license key, to pay remuneration either through a CE device cable reverse channel connection or by accessing a website and entering a credit card number.

8. Consumer electronics (CE) device comprising:

processor controlling one or more licensable components, at least one of which requires a license code to enable, the license code not being available to the processor at a point of sale (POS) of the CE device;

display controlled by the processor; and

computer readable storage medium bearing instructions executable by the processor to:

present on the display a list of feature options each having respective operating code stored on the computer readable storage medium and each respective operating code being disabled at time of sale of the CE device;

receive at least one user selection from the list;

receive a license code corresponding to the user selection; and

use the license code to enable respective operating code corresponding to a selected feature option.

9. The CE device of claim 8, wherein at the time of sale the computer readable storage medium stores a unified software package comprising an initial subset of software and software modules needed to operate licensable components that are disabled at the time of sale.

10. The CE device of claim 9, wherein the processor configures the CE device at initial power on with the initial subset of software and does not configure the CE device at initial power on with the software modules needed to operate licensable components that are disabled at the time of sale.

11. The CE device of claim 8, wherein the processor sends the user selection to a server and receives the license code therefrom.

12. The CE device of claim 8, wherein the processor presents on the display a prompt pursuant to receiving a selection of a feature option to pay remuneration for the user selection.

13. Method comprising:

deploying a unified software package to multiple CE device models;

receiving from a user of a CE device to which the unified software package has been deployed a selection of a feature associated with disabled software in the unified software package; and

responsive to the selection, remotely activating the feature at least in part by returning to the CE device a license code to enable the software in the unified software package associated with the feature selected by the user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the CE device can take advantage of any features associated with software contained in the unified software package even if the software is not originally supported in the original configuration data of the CE device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein when the CE device is ready for activation the user is given the option to accept new features.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the CE device notifies a server of the user selection.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein additional licenses and their associated royalties are adjusted to reflect the user selection.