Patent ID: 8843736

Claim:
A Consumer electronic (CE) device comprising: a display; a network interface; a processor configured for controlling the display and communicating with the Internet through the network interface; the processor programmed for executing logic including: registering with a management server at least in part by sending to the management server a unique CE device identification (ID) in a secure transaction; subsequent to registering with the management server and prior to a user request for content using the CE device, periodically contacting the management server to establish periodic contacts therewith; during each periodic contact, after receiving correct authentication information from the management server ensuring the CE device is not being spoofed, sending to the management server the unique CE device ID in a secure transaction, responsive to successful authentication with the management server each periodic contact, receiving from the management server a user token along with one or more service lists each of which contains a list of network addresses of approved content servers such that the service list is configured to be updated and provided by the management server to the CE device each periodic contact without a user of the CE device requesting an updated service list of content from a content server on the service list; presenting a service list on the display for selection of a content server thereon; responsive to user input indicating selection of a content server on the service list, uploading, though the network interface, the user token to the content server selected by the user; receiving from the content server a content list of content available for selection by the CE device; responsive to user input indicating selection of a piece of content on the content list, sending a signal representative thereof to the content server; and responsive to receiving the piece of content from the content server, playing or making available for presentation on the display the piece of content, wherein neither the content list nor service list can be modified by the CE device.