Abstract:
To disincentivize theft of a leased TV, the leased TV is tethered to a set top box (STB) by means of preventing full operation of the TV unless the TV receives periodic authorization messages from the STB. Absent a refreshing authorization message, typically sent to the TV pursuant to a periodic lease payment, the TV presents at most video with a watermark superimposed over it and no audio.

Description:
I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present application relates generally to leasing TVs. 
       II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Present principles recognize that leasing TVs to consumers can be a win-win all around. The consumer is able to enjoy the latest TV technology without having to pay the full sale price up front. At the end of the lease period, the customer can buy the TV if desired or turn it back in for a newer model. The TV manufacturer pumps sales, and the TV service provider gains an additional customer. 
         [0003]    As also understood herein, however, steps should be taken to prevent easy theft of the TV. A lessee could, for example, simply move, take the leased TV with him, and cancel his credit card on file, thereby defeating the business case of the lease. Accordingly, present principles are provided. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In general, various embodiments below seek to disable normal TV functionality if the leased TV is not authorized. The viewer must keep making lease payments in order for the TV to keep receiving authorization updates needed to keep it functioning or de-authorization messages to explicitly take away functionality. The TV lease may or may not be managed by a service operator providing pay-TV or other service. In the case of the service operator, the TV might work normally only when electronically tethered to a TV outlet from the particular service provider. In the case of being managed by a 3 rd  party, e.g. the TV manufacturer, TV retailer, or other entity, TV authorization messages might be passed through the TV outlet or received independently through other means, e.g. a separate phone or Internet connection, from an authorization web portal being operated for the 3 rd  party. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, a method includes leasing a TV to a lessee and electronically tethering the TV to a TV signal outlet such that the TV presents unobstructed TV programming for a period of time without communicating with the TV signal outlet. 
         [0006]    The TV signal outlet can be a terrestrial broadcast, cable, IPTV, or satellite set top box or an Internet network interface such as cable, satellite, or ISDN modem. The electronically tethering may include cryptographic binding. For example, at the TV, receiving an authorization message from the TV signal outlet, and causing the TV to decrypt the authorization message to render a code. The method may further include causing the TV to compare the code with a check code, and responsive to a determination that the code does not match the check code, causing the TV to reject the authorization message. If the check code matches, then the TV processes the message. The message may include a sequence number which increments with each new authorization message. And the message is checked to see if the sequence has advanced. Alternatively, the message may contain a validity time period, and the validity time period is checked against current time to see if it should be acted upon. Assuming that all the checks are OK, then the message can be processed. It is to be understood that not all TV features need be enabled in a message and if the message is a de-authorizing one, features could be taken away. Some features, 3D or built-in personal video recorder (PVR) functionality, may require an additional payment from the customer. However, responsive to a determination that the code matches the check code and the message is for the current time period and not a repeated or old message, then message can be acted upon and features of the TV can be enabled or disabled as called out in the authorization message. Enabling TV features can mean providing unobstructed TV usage, e.g. rendering of programming and video/audio input use, according to user commands. Likewise, if a customer cancels the service, an authorization message can take away functionality from the TV ahead of a normal expiration. And even if a customer were able to block this de-authorization message, feature disablement would occur as a normal course of expiration of the authorization period. 
         [0007]    For network enabled TVs, feature enablement can include the navigation to Internet websites and the playback of web content. The authorization message may indicate a renewal period, and could enable all or selected features on the TV only for the renewal period absent receipt of a refreshing authorization code from the TV signal outlet. 
         [0008]    The authorization message from the TV signal outlet can be received on a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) link or other interface such as Ethernet, Homeplug, USB, or MOCA. The TV signal outlet can receive the authorization message from a distributor of TV programming which in turn can receive the authorization message from a different party such as a lessor of the TV or manufacturer of the TV. 
         [0009]    The authorization may be received at periodic intervals by the TV responsive to lease payments being timely made, or the authorization may be received upon occurrence of a predetermined use event of the TV. For example, the use event can be TV power on and/or manipulation of a predetermined key or keys on a remote control, e.g. channel change or input change. The TV can interact with the TV outlet or authorization portal out on the Internet in order to check for authorization real-time. The advantage of such a method is that the TV does not need to maintain a sense of time. The TV checks for authorization based on certain events that will necessarily occur over time when using the TV. Upon failure to determine authorization, a user interface is used to instruct a user to contact a leasing source to activate or renew the TV&#39;s capability. And if the TV is not connected to the TV outlet, then troubleshooting information is displayed instructing the user to make the connection. 
         [0010]    It is also possible for the TV outlet itself to generate the authorization message for the TV. In that scenario, the TV outlet gets separate enablement in order to work with a particular or certain model of lease TVs from a particular manufacturer. 
         [0011]    In some examples, to receive the authorization message from the TV signal outlet, the TV sends to the TV signal outlet a filter identification usable by the TV signal outlet to filter out authorization messages that may be broadcast to the TV outlet from being sent on to the TV that do not conform to the filter identification since these would not pertain to the TV. 
         [0012]    In some examples, an initial authorization message received from the TV signal outlet by the TV establishes a time in the TV used by the TV in its powered up state to measure the renewal period. The authorization messages are ideally encrypted uniquely for a particular TV. If desired, the TV is a leased TV having a leased TV model number, and no non-leased TV has the model number. This may help prevent a customer from modifying the software of the leased TV to be that of a non-leased TV. 
         [0013]    As set forth further below, each time the TV is energized during the renewal period, the TV may compare a code received in the authorization message with a calculated check code or well-known check code, and subsequently process the authorization message only responsive to a determination that the code matches the check code. The above-mentioned authorization message can have a sequence number unique to the authorization message so that can be used to prevent the replay of the message by someone wishing to circumvent the proper authorization of the TV. 
         [0014]    As contemplated in non-limiting examples, the electronically tethering can also include, at the TV, receiving an authorization message from the Internet, causing the TV to process the authorization message to render a code, causing the TV to compare the code with a check code in a memory of the TV, and responsive to a determination that the code does not match the check code, which would be evidence of some type of tampering of the message, causing the TV to stop presenting unobstructed TV usage. The message may have a check code which does match, but also takes away certain selected features from the TV. For example, the message could remove all the functionality of the TV except the capability to communicate with the viewer through an on-screen display. Alternatively, the authorization could enable all functionality of the TV, causing the TV to present unobstructed TV usage according to user commands. 
         [0015]    A time in the TV used by the TV to measure the renewal period can be received from a secure Internet source of time. Alternatively, the TV may acquire a coarse sense of time from authorization messages. For example, a message can be sent at the beginning of a month. The TV can determine how long it has been powered-up since the receipt of the new message. 
         [0016]    A user of the TV may be permitted to purchase the TV during or at an end of a lease period by presenting an unlock user interface on the TV prompting the user to enter an unlock code which, responsive to a determination that the unlock code matches a prestored unlock code, untethers the TV from the TV signal outlet so that the TV can be used with full TV functionality without needing to receive future messages from the TV signal outlet. 
         [0017]    In another aspect, a method to disincentivize theft of a leased TV includes receiving, at a location remote from a leased TV, information pertaining to the leased TV, and providing, through a network interface communicating with the leased TV, authorization messages to the leased TV. Full operation of the leased TV is prevented unless the TV timely receives an authorization message. 
         [0018]    In another aspect, a TV has a TV display, a TV processor controlling the display, and a computer readable memory accessible to the processor and bearing instructions executable by the processor to configure the TV in a reduced functionality mode, in which no audio is presented regardless of what TV channel the TV is tuned to and at most video overlaid with a visually obstructing watermark is presented. A user of the TV is unable to remove the watermark in the reduced functionality mode. The processor, responsive to receiving an authorization message which enables TV features, configures the TV in some or full functionality mode, in which the TV presents audio and video unobstructed by the watermark. 
         [0019]    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 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an example TV leasing system in which the leased TV is “tethered” to a signal provider set top box (STB) by means of periodic lease authorization messages, referred to herein as “TV_Auth” messages; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an example STB with an example TV; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart of example logic for initiating the lease; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is an example screen shot of a set up user interface (UI) that is presented when the leased is first energized by the lessee; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart of example logic for initializing the TV; 
           [0025]      FIGS. 6 and 7  are screen shots of example onscreen displays (OSD) prior to completing TV authorization, respectively when an authorized STB is not detected and when one is detected; 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is a flow chart of example TV operating logic; and 
           [0027]      FIG. 9  is a screen shot of an example UI for permanently unlocking a leased TV incident to full sale of the TV. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0028]    Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a system is shown, generally designated  10 , which includes a lessor computer server  12  controlled by or otherwise associated with a lessor of a leased TV  14  and communicating with an operations center server  16 , typically controlled by or otherwise associated with a TV signal provider. In the example shown, the TV signal provider is a satellite TV signal provider that uplinks TV signals through a base antenna  18  to a satellite  20 , which relays the signals to multiple home satellite antennas  22 . Each home antenna  22  is connected to one or more home integrated receiver/decoders (IRD)  24 , also referred to herein for familiarity as a “set top box” (STB). As shown in  FIG. 1 , signals from the STB  24  are sent, typically via a wired or wireless high definition multimedia interface (HDMD link  26 , to the TV  14  for display thereof. The TV  14  and STB  24  may be controlled by one or more remote commanders (RC)  28 . The TV  14  may also communicate with the Internet  30 . 
         [0029]    Various aspects should be understood about the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . While the example shown assumes a satellite TV signal provider, the signal provider may be a cable TV provider, in which case the STB  24  is a cable TV STB. Or, the signal provider may be an Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) signal provider in which case the STB equivalently is embodied by a network interface such as a modern or WiFi transceiver. It should also be understood that while  FIG. 1  shows that a TV authorization message  32  (“TV_Auth”) can be embedded in the TV signal stream and sent from the operations center server  16  over the satellite link to the TV  14 , and that the TV_Auth message  32  includes a TV model and TV serial number as well as a period of time described further below, in other instantiations the TV_Auth message may be received from the Internet  30  directly by the TV  14  and it may not include a period of time. Each of the servers shown typically includes one or more digital processors accessing one or more computer readable storage media such as solid state memory, disk memory, and the like to execute relevant portions of the logic described below. 
         [0030]    Now referring to  FIG. 2 , in the example shown the STB  24  receives TV signals at a TV signal input port  34 , and the signals are conveyed to signal processing circuitry which, among other things, digitizes the signals to render them usable to a digital STB processor  38 . The STB processor  38  can access computer readable storage media  40  such as disk or solid state storage to execute relevant logic set forth herein. 
         [0031]    As also shown in  FIG. 2 , the processor  38  may output TV signals to a HDMI transmitter  42  for supply of the signals onto the HDMI link  26 . User commands from, e.g., one of the RCs shown in  FIG. 1  may be received by the STB processor  38  through a command receiver  44  such as an infrared (IR) receiver. 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  shows that TV signals on the HDMI link  26  are received at the TV  14  by a HDMI receiver or transceiver  46  for provisioning to a TV digital processor  48  accessing computer readable storage media  50  such as disk or solid state storage to execute relevant logic set forth herein. The TV signals are output to a TV display  52  and audio speakers  54  controlled by the TV processor  48 , which can access the Internet as intimated above through a network interface  56  such as a wired or wireless modem. Note that while  FIG. 2  shows that the TV signals are provided to the processor  48  from the HDMI receiver  46 , in actual implementation the signals may be routed to a TV tuner  58  controlled by the processor  48  and thence through display drivers to the TV display  52 . User commands from a RC can be received by the TV processor  48  through a command signal receiver  60 . 
         [0033]    Now referring to  FIG. 3 , example logic is shown for commencing a lease of the TV  14 . At block  62  the customer enters a lease agreement with a lessor of the TV  14 . The lessor may be the manufacturer of the TV, or the lessor may be an agent or business partner of the TV manufacturer. The TV  14  is provided to the customer at block  64 , either requiring the below-described authorization upon connection in the home for full functionality or, if desired, delivered with full functionality enabled for a limited period, e.g., for 30 days—the billing cycle. 
         [0034]    Moving to block  66 , the lessor server  12  shown in  FIG. 1  provides the operations center server  16  the model number and serial number of the TV  14  and if desired a number of days for which the authorization permits the TV to be used with full functionality, e.g., thirty days, upon the expiry of which the TV reverts to partial functionality as explained further below absent a refreshing authorization. The TV service provider encapsulates the above information at block  68 , encrypting it as necessary, in a TV_Authorization message which may be embedded in the TV signal stream, although as mentioned above the TV_Authorization message may be alternately delivered over the Internet. Note that present principles may use different model numbers for leased TVs as compared to the model numbers for sold TVs. Thus, two identical TVs may have different model numbers to indicate that one of the TVs is intended for sale and the other TV intended for lease, such that no TV intended to be sold by the manufacturer will have a model number of any TV intended to be leased by the manufacturer. Occasionally a manufacturer will make updates available to users. By making the model different, it will make it difficult for a user to load a non-lease program intended for a different TV into a leased TV thereby defeating its security. 
         [0035]      FIG. 4  shows a screen shot  70  that can be presented on the TV display  52  when the TV  14  is power up initially in the lessee&#39;s home at block  72  of  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the non-limiting example screen shot  70  instructs the viewer as to contact information for setting up the TV for leased usage and also provides the viewer with information identifying the TV  14  such as serial number, model number, and TV software information. 
         [0036]    As indicated at block  74  of  FIG. 5 , the screen shot of  FIG. 4  may be presented until such time as the TV  14  detects the STB  24  shown in  FIG. 1 , it again being understood that Internet communication alternatively may be used. Should no STB be detected, the screen shot  80  of  FIG. 6  may be presented, informing the viewer to connect the TV  14  to the STB  24  or Internet and if desired to contact a TV signal provider with the information shown on the screen shot of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0037]    In any case, once the STB  24  is detected by the TV  14  using, e.g., HDMI discovery principles, in some example embodiments the screen shot  82  of  FIG. 7  may be presented. It is to be appreciated that the TV  14  is not yet in full functionality mode since in the screen shot of  FIG. 7 , no audio is presented and only video is presented, with the video being partially obscured by the depicted watermark. In the embodiment shown, the watermark is an alpha numeric message to contact the appropriate party to establish a lease and, thus, full functionality of the TV  14 . 
         [0038]    Once the TV  14  detects the STB  14 , at block  76  in  FIG. 5  the TV sends its identification to the STB  24 . This identification is a filter identification which the STB  14  uses to filter out all TV_Authorization messages except those pertaining to the particular TV  14 . The filter may be the serial number of the TV. In this way, the STB  24  passes only TV_Authorization messages intended for the TV  14  to the TV  14  at block  78 , since it simply compares the filter identification received from the TV  14  with the TV identifications in the various TV_Authorization messages received in TV signals from the operations center server  16  and passes to the TV  14  only those TV_Authorization messages matching the filter identification. 
         [0039]    The way in which the TV configures itself for full functionality upon receipt of a TV_Authorization message may now be better understood. The TV_Authorization message may be encrypted or otherwise encoded, and the TV processor  48  decodes the authorization message to render a code. The TV processor  48  compares the code with a check code, and responsive to a determination that the code does not match the check code, the TV rejects the message. Alternatively, as an anti-tampering measure, the TV can stop (or does not start) presenting unobstructed TV programming. It may, however, present the screen shot  82  of  FIG. 7  without audio in seine embodiments. 
         [0040]    On the other hand, responsive to a determination that the code matches the check code, the TV processor processes the message. The message is examined in more detail. For example, the sequence number or time field, if used as discussed later, are checked against the current sequence number and current time. If everything checks out, then the features to be enabled are processed. The TV can present some or all unobstructed TV programming per the authorization message and according to user commands. This can include full audio and unobstructed video presentation and full functionality of other TV  14  features. 
         [0041]    In some cases, the authorization message indicates a renewal period, and TV processor  48  is programmed to present unobstructed TV programming according to user commands only for the renewal period absent receipt of a refreshing authorization code from the TV signal outlet. In these embodiments, a new TV_Authorization message typically is sent only responsive to receipt by the lessor of the TV  14  of a periodic lease payment from the lessee. In other embodiments, the TV  14  may, upon occurrence of a predetermined use event of the TV, request or have pushed to it automatically by the STB a new authorization code. This predetermined use event may be, by way of non-limiting examples, TV power on, TV channel change command, e.g., from the RC  28 , and TV input change command, e.g., from the RC  28 . Thus, every time the TV is turned on, for instance, the TV must request and receive a valid TV_Authorization message from the STB to configure the TV in the full functionality mode. Note that an initial authorization message received from the STB by the TV may establish a time in the TV used by the TV to measure the renewal period. Or, time in the TV used by the TV to measure the renewal period may be received from a secure Internet source of time. 
         [0042]    In example embodiments, the code in the authorization message can be encrypted and the TV has no public key stored in it related to a private key used to decrypt the code. This is for augmented security purposes. If desired, the TV processor  48  can access stored codes in its local memory  50  each time the TV is energized during the renewal period to compare the computed stored code previously received in the authorization message with the check code and subsequently respond to user commands to execute full TV functionality only responsive to a determination that the code matches the check code. This is to further augment security, since less secure embodiments may do no more than set a full functionality flag for the duration of the renewal period indicating full functionality and that flag may be too easily altered by a thief. To foil unauthorized replaying of an old authorization message and fooling the TV processor  48  into thinking that it is receiving a new authorization, each authorization message for a particular TV has a sequence number unique to the authorization message and TV, and the TV processor  48  simply tracks which number was last received, ignoring a new authorization message from the STB having a sequence number equal to or less than the sequence number of the most recent authorization message received by the TV. 
         [0043]      FIG. 8  shows additional non-limiting example implementation details that may be established. At state  84  the TV boots at power on. The logic then determines, at decision diamond  86 , whether it is a tethered TV, i.e., a TV subject to the lease logic above requiring valid TV_Authorization messages for full functionality. If the TV is not tethered the logic moves to block  88  to set function filters to “all”, i.e., to configure itself in the full functionality mode in which it operates at block  90 . Decision diamond  92 , while not needed for the logic branch just described, is needed for a logic branch to be described shortly, and at this step in the logic the TV if tethered checks to ensure that the authorization time period in the most recently received TV_Authorization message has not expired. If the period has not expired the logic loops back to block  90 . 
         [0044]    In contrast, if the period has expired at decision diamond  92 , the logic moves to decision diamond  94  to determine if it has received a renewed TV_Authorization message, either upon request or automatically pushed from the STB (or in those embodiments incorporating it, from an Internet source). If not, the logic moves to block  96  to present the appropriate onscreen displays, e.g., the screen shots  80  or  82  of  FIG. 6  or  7 . The logic then moves to block  98  to set at least some function filters as not authorized, e.g., to cease display of audio and to overlay a watermark on video as described above. The logic then moves to block  90  to operate in accordance with the filter settings at block  98 . 
         [0045]    However, if a new TV_Authorization message is received at decision diamond  94 , the logic moves to block  100  to set function filters to “all”, i.e., to configure itself in the full functionality mode in which it operates at block  90 . 
         [0046]    State  102  indicates an example ancillary feature that may be used to enable a remote authority, through, e.g., the operations center server  16 , to permanently authorize or deauthorize a TV for full functionality usage to support an end-of-lease purchase by the user, permanently eliminating the requirement to receive TV_Authorization messages in order to configure the TV in the full functionality mode (in the case of authorization) or to permanently prevent the TV from ever being used in the full functionality mode (in the case of deauthorization sent, e.g., responsive to a determination that the lessee has stolen the TV). The authorization/deauthorization message is received at block  104 , and the TV determines, at decision diamond  106 , whether a special service identification in the message matches a check service ID which preferably is different from the check code described above. If no match is found the message simply is discarded at block  107 . If a match is found, in the case of an authorization message the service lock state is set to “unlock” such that a subsequent determination at decision diamond  86  always will result in a “not tethered” outcome to permanently set full functionality of the TV. In the case of a deauthorization message the determination at decision diamond  86  always will result in a “tethered” outcome which, coupled with a lack of any renewing authorization messages at decision diamond  94 , will permanently render the TV in a reduced functionality mode. 
         [0047]    Similarly, state  108  indicates an example ancillary feature that may be used to temporarily lock and unlock a TV from being tethered to support remote servicing and troubleshooting. The message is processed at block  110  and in the case of an unblock message, the service lock state is set to “unlock” such that a subsequent determination at decision diamond  86  will result in a “not tethered” outcome once only. In the case of a block message, the service lock state is set to “lock” such that a subsequent determination at decision diamond  86  will result in a “tethered” outcome once only. After the single use afforded by the temporary procedure initiated at state  108 , normal functioning at state  84  resumes for the next power on. 
         [0048]      FIG. 9  illustrates an example user interface that can be presented on the TV to facilitate the permanent authorization at states  102  and  104  described above pursuant to a purchase of the TV. A user of the TV may be permitted to purchase the TV during or at an end of a lease period by presenting an unlock user interface  112  on the TV, prompting the user to enter an unlock code. This code may be received at a remote site which sends the service ID to the TV as described above. Responsive to a positive determination at decision diamond  106 , recall, the TV is untethered from the TV signal outlet so that the TV can be used with full TV functionality without receiving messages from the TV signal outlet. 
         [0049]    While the particular SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LEASING A TV 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.