Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND MANAGING INDIVIDUAL USERS FOR
PERSONALIZED TELEVISION AND BLENDED MEDIA SERVICES
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The following relates to systems and methods for creating and
managing individual
users for personalized television and blended media services.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
[0002] There exist several systems that provide for the personalization of
users in a
television (TV) viewing household. For example, one prior system uses an
electronic tablet
application to allow the primary account owner of a TV subscription to create
multiple additional
user profiles in the household for the purpose of allowing for the generation
of personalized
recommendations and personalized TV preferences for each profile. Another
prior system
presents a stored list of household e-mail accounts previously known to the TV
service provider,
presuming that each e-mail address represented a member of that household who
may want to
personalize their experience. Yet another prior system presents a user with a
"who's
watching?" prompt, thereby encouraging a user to specifically identify
themselves and others in
the household by creating profiles which are then used to generate user-level
recommendations
based on prior viewing habits.
[0003] While allowing for user profiles to be created for a service, the
aforementioned
systems can be difficult to incorporate into existing telecommunication and
cable environments,
particularly for managing user profiles and handling the various relationships
between users in a
TV viewing household.
SUMMARY
[0004] There is provided a method of allowing members of a television
viewing location to
create individual user profiles using a plurality of input devices, the method
comprising:
determining the context of a user enrolment session; using the context to
adapt a user
enrollment to minimize operations required to complete an enrolment of the
user; and
generating a user hierarchy based on relationships between a plurality of user
profiles according
to a relationship with a television distributor and relationships between the
plurality of user
profiles.
-1-
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25 =
. .
[0005] There is also provided a method of allowing television
distributor administrators to
manage user profiles and user settings, the method comprising: enabling
creation of at least
one administrative user; enabling the at least one administrative user to
perform at least one of
managing, creating, and viewing user profiles created for television viewing
locations according
to an administrative level assigned to the at least one administrative user;
and enabling the at
least one administrative user to configure settings related to an enrolment of
a user.
[0006] There are also provided computer readable media and systems
configured for
performing the above methods.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Embodiments will now be described by way of example only with
reference to the
appended drawings wherein:
[0008] Fig 1. is a block diagram showing various components of a
system for creating and
managing individual users for personalized television and blended media
services in a TV
distribution environment;
[0009] Fig 2a shows a user enrolment sub system interface that
appears on a television
screen in one aspect of the system;
[0010] Fig 2b is a flow diagram depicting user enrolment sub system
processes to enable
user enrolment in one aspect of the system;
[0011] Fig 3a. shows a secondary enrolment interface that
contemporaneously interacts
with a primary user enrolment interface via the user enrolment sub system in
one aspect of the
system;
[0012] Fig 3b. is a flow diagram depicting user enrolment sub system
processes to enable
user enrolment using two interfaces that contemporaneously interact with the
enrolment sub
system;
[0013] Fig 3c. is a block diagram showing interactions between two
interface devices that
communicate contemporaneously with the system and with each other via the
system;
-2-
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
=
[0014] Fig 4a. shows a TV distributor application authentication interface
that may be used
to access a group and hierarchy management interface in one aspect of the
system;
[0015] Fig 4b. shows a TV distributor application menu interface that may
be used to
access a group and hierarchy management interface;
[0016] Fig 4c. shows a TV distributor application interface for managing
profiles within a TV
household viewing hierarchy in one aspect of the system;
[0017] Fig 4d. shows another TV distributor application interface for
managing profiles
within a TV household viewing hierarchy in one aspect of the system;
[0018] Fig 4e. shows yet another IV distributor application interface for
managing profiles
within a TV household viewing hierarchy in one aspect of the system;
[0019] Fig 4f. is a flow diagram depicting user and group management sub
system
processes to dynamically adapt hierarchy view and administration privileges
based on a user's
role in the hierarchy;
[0020] Fig 5a. shows a service association sub system interface that
appears on a
television screen in one aspect of the system;
[0021] Fig 5b. shows another service association sub system interface that
appears on a
television screen;
[0022] Fig 5c. is a flow diagram detailing service association management
sub system
processes that govern the association of third party services to the a
profile;
[0023] Fig 6a. shows a user lifecycle management administration sub system
interface that
appears on a TV distributor computer screen for the authorized 3"d party
management of user
profiles in one aspect of the system;
[0024] Fig 6b. is a flow diagram detailing the user lifecycle management
administration sub
system processes for managing a user profile; and
-3-
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
. .
. .
[0025] Fig 7. is a sequence flow diagram detailing the user lifecycle
management
administration sub system processes for setting a global parameter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] For simplicity and clarity of illustration, where considered
appropriate, reference
numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or
analogous elements.
In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a
thorough understanding
of the examples described herein. However, it will be understood by those of
ordinary skill in the
art that the examples described herein may be practiced without these specific
details. In other
instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been
described in detail
so as not to obscure the examples described herein. Also, the description is
not to be
considered as limiting the scope of the examples described herein.
[0027] It will be appreciated that the examples and corresponding
diagrams used herein are
for illustrative purposes only. Different configurations and terminology can
be used without
departing from the principles expressed herein. For instance, components and
modules can be
added, deleted, modified, or arranged with differing connections without
departing from these
principles.
[0028] As discussed above, collectively, prior user management systems
may be difficult to
use by individual users and very complex and expensive to implement in
telecommunications
and cable television environments that are not designed to manage user
profiles. It has been
found that such systems fail to provide a plurality of methods for creating
user profiles, fail to
accommodate for the various relationships between users in a TV viewing
household that may
dictate user privileges, privacy and security; and fail to provide a seamless
extensibility of these
user profiles beyond traditional television services and into new services,
including internet
based video services, internet-based non video services and television
operator based non-
video services. It has been recognized that usability and flexibility for end
users, and the
economically viable extensibility of platforms, are of particular importance
to distributors of TV
services.
[0029] It has also been found that such prior systems typically rely
heavily on the concept of
a primary user, which is the individual who is responsible for the payment of
the invoice
-4-
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
provided by the TV program distributors for TV services. Because of the unique
financial
relationship between this primary user and the TV service distributor, this
primary user is
granted the permission to create additional secondary users in the household.
These prior
systems do not provide the primary user the ability to selectively delegate
this unique
permission, or waive the need to provide permission credentials for specific
user management
activities to alleviate the need for this primary user to be uniquely involved
in user creation and
management activities.
[0030] Prior systems have also been found to follow a specific set of steps
for the enrolment
of users for the purposes of personalization, and often restrict enrolment to
specific input
channels such as TV distributor websites. These steps usually include a
verification of user
data that provides an indication of the financial account associated with the
user followed by the
creation of one or more user profiles, where a user profile is based on a
username or an e-mail
address, but not both. In many cases, the contextual information provided by a
user's input
device, or by a user's prior authentication to a specific application, may
dynamically change the
amount data needed for the enrolment of users. Prior systems have also been
found to not
dynamically adapt or offer a plurality of enrolment processes based on this
context. There is a
need, where possible, to provide for a plurality of methods and input channels
by which to enroll
users, where registration steps may be removed to simplify enrolment
processes, depending on
the context provided by the enrolment method.
[0031] These prior attempts at user lifecycle management do not have the
capability of
permitting the association of other additional cable and telecom operator
services to a single
user's profile via an identity federation process. For example, such
additional services may
include home automation, voice calling, messaging, personal content, billing
and account
services and other operator-based services, to name a few. By allowing an
enrolled user to
seamlessly federate their created profile, or identity, with other services
they consume that are
tied to additional operator identities associated with that user, the breadth
of features and
services individual users may enjoy as a result of creating a user profile
should increase. With
the increasing need to converge cable and telecom services into blended
experiences to
achieve differentiation, the utility of these prior systems creates a
disadvantage without this
functionality.
-5-
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
=
[0032] Moreover, it has been recognized that these prior user
lifecycle management
attempts do not have the capability of permitting the association of other
additional non-cable
and telecom operator services to a single user's profile via an identity
federation process. For
example, these other services may include weather, news, traffic, sports
applications, over-the-
top programmed video content, and other non-operator services, to name a few.
By allowing an
enrolled user to seamlessly federate their created profile, or identity, with
other services they
consume that are tied to additional external identities associated with that
user, the breadth of
features and services individual users may enjoy as a result of creating a
user profile should
increase. With the advent of internet-based television and the increasing
breadth of services
made available to those users, the utility of these prior systems creates a
further disadvantage
without this functionality.
[0033] The prior user lifecycle management attempts have also been
found to be lacking in
the ability to provide users with a flexible number of means by which they may
create and
manage their user profiles. Increasingly, users watch television while
browsing a secondary
device such as a smartphone or tablet. Thus, there is a particular need to
allow for the creation
of users with a varied number of user apparatus, including television remote
controls and tablet
and computer devices using touchscreens and keyboards. There is also a need to
allow the
user to combine various user apparatus simultaneously in user creation and
management. For
example, a user may initiate a user profile enrolment process on a television
screen using a
television remote control, but then elect to interact with a tablet computer
and television
contemporaneously whereby the tablet becomes an input device while the
television remains
the display device. Accordingly, there is a need for a user lifecycle
management system that
can provide improved user enrolment and management processes by linking
multiple devices to
one user management interaction.
[0034] The prior user management systems are also found to be lacking
a method for an
authorized third party such as a customer service representative to create,
view and manage
user on a household administrator's behalf via an administrative user
interface. In order to ease
the burden of the creation and management of individual user profiles, it may
be necessary for
the user to call their television distributor for assistance in creating or
managing user profiles.
Thus, there is a particular need for a secure and flexible interface that
allows an authorized
-6-
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
administrator to access a household hierarchy on a user's behalf for third
party user lifecycle
management actions.
[0035] Similarly, there is a need by which to present the household
hierarchy and users in a
visually representative manner that intuitively depicts, to authorized users,
the various users in
the household, their hierarchical privileges and relationship, and their
services and features that
are associated to their profile. Accordingly, there is also a need for a
single and comprehensive
visual representation of a household hierarchy and the services and features
of those users.
This single and visual representation of the household user hierarchy should
be capable of
being presented simultaneously and seamlessly across user screens and devices.
There is
also a need for the secure navigation of the household hierarchy interface and
user profiles,
respecting the specific permissions and privileges of the user who is
navigating the hierarchy.
[0036] The increasing importance of personalization in television and media
services has
created a gap in enterprise information technology systems as it relates to
the implementation of
user lifecycle management systems. Prior user management systems lack
management
interfaces, which allow the operator to define global characteristics and
policies for
personalization. For example, an operator may wish to universally limit the
number of total
users allowed in a given household, and also separately limit the number of
simultaneous logins
at any one time by setting these parameters in a global settings user
interface. Thus, there is a
need for the operator to have access to an administrative back end for the
easy configuration of
system settings.
[0037] Accordingly, there is a need for a user lifecycle management system
that simplifies
the creation and management of multiple users in a viewing household,
specifically for the
purposes of personalized TV and blended media services. This user lifecycle
management
system should provide a plurality of methods for user enrolment and
dynamically initiate user
enrolment flows based on the context of a user. The flexibility and
intelligence and this system
should also be more easily implemented in operator systems, and be efficient
and appealing in
operation by users and TV distributors.
[0038] For example, an individual should be able to turn on their
television, and by
navigating to a user profile creation screen, be able to initiate and complete
the process of
creating a user profile, and have the option to use either the remote control,
or use a companion
-7-
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
touch screen interface or keyboard and internet-enabled device to assist in
the completion of
the process. Similarly, should the user encounter difficulties, a customer
service representative
acting on their behalf should be able to authenticate to an administration
interface to complete
the enrolment process if needed.
[0039] There is also a need for that user to establish privacy settings for
their profile, if
needed, in order that other members of the TV viewing household are unable to
view their
profile. Given the possibility that there are minors in the household for
which privacy is either
not relevant or a risk unto itself, a head-of-household should be able to
administer how privacy
settings are established, and who can use them. This hierarchical complexity
should be
presented, however, by a system, in an easy to understand manner.
[0040] There is also a need to allow the user to leverage the created
profile as a
springboard, or gateway to other personalized services. Having gone through
the effort of
creating an individual profile for television services, the profile, with
appropriate credentials, may
be used as an identifier to authenticate access other services for seamless
presentation and
consumption as part of the TV viewing experience.
[0041] It is accordingly an object of the following to provide a system
that allows an
authorized user in a TV viewing household to enroll one or more user profiles
into a user
lifecycle management system that processes, stores, manages and presents the
enrolled users
for the purpose of providing a personalized TV service, accessible on a
plurality of devices.
[0042] It is another object of the following to enable a single authorized
user to delegate and
extend the authority of user enrolment and management to other users within
the TV viewing
household.
[0043] It is yet another object of the following to enable a plurality of
methods of user
enrolment; whereby each method of user enrolment is assisted by the underlying
system to
optimize the ease of enrolment based on the context (device or authentication)
of the user's
enrolment method.
[0044] It is still another object of the following to enable the user to
leverage the created
user profile for seamless access to other cable and telecom operator services
and features, and
-8-
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
for seamless access to internet-based services by providing an identity
federation capability that
will allow the linking of this user profile to other operator and non-operator
services.
[0045] It is another object of the following to simplify the user enrolment
process for TV
personalization by allowing the contemporaneous use of two devices
simultaneously interacting
with the invention for the creation of users.
[0046] It is yet another object of the following to provide a secure
management interface for
user enrolment and management to be done on a user's behalf by a credentialed
representative
of the cable or telecom operator (or a third party).
[0047] It is still another object of the following to dynamically generate
a user-specific view
of the entire hierarchy of a TV viewing group that visually depicts the
hierarchy in order to
simplify the management of the relationships between the operator and the
users and the users
themselves within the household.
[0048] It is another object of the following to provide a management and
configuration
interface to define global user lifecycle management settings that the cable
or telecom operator
wishes to implement via a graphical user interface to reduce the need for
customized software
development in order to accommodate the operator's desired policies.
[0049] In the following examples, it can be appreciated that the term
"household" may refer
to any location or premises (e.g., school, business, etc.) which is considered
a TV viewing
"group" and should not be limited to residential TV subscriptions.
[0050] Any one or more of the above-mentioned objects can be achieved by a
user lifecycle
management system. For example, such a user lifecycle management system can be
configured to include a software application processing engine that enables a
plurality of
methods for enrolling, presenting and managing individual users in a household
TV viewing
group, where each user is consuming services from the same subscription. For
example, a
software application may query a database to retrieve any user profiles for a
specific TV
household viewing group. Based on query results, the software application
platform sends data
to a remote user device, such as a tablet, smartphone or television set top
box, to enable the
enrolment of user profiles in the database via a plurality of device input
screens. The software
platform can be configured to dynamically modify enrollment methods based on
the user input
-9-
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
. .
apparatus, to accommodate for ease of use. The software application platform
can also be
configured to correlate users in a TV household viewing group in a
multidimensional hierarchy,
where a plurality of permissions and privileges may be assigned to a user
profile based on their
relationship with the TV service provider and based on their relationship with
other members of
the household. The software application includes a hierarchical processing
engine, via which
users can specify permissions and privileges for which profile that define
these aforementioned
relationships. The software platform can also be used to enforce privacy and
security for each
profile; whereby users may define credentials to govern access to their
profiles, and each user's
profile attributes may be governed according to privacy settings. The software
application
platform can furthermore provide an identity federation capability and
processing engine for
binding a plurality of services and features to a user profile. The software
application platform
can also be configured to generate a visual representation of the
multidimensional hierarchy
that is dynamically generated for the specific user profile who wishes to view
it.
[0051] Accordingly, there is provided a system that provides user
lifecycle management,
which enables the members of a TV-viewing household to create a hierarchy of
users; whereby
each user may use a specifically created user profile to personalize their TV
experience.
Particularly, the system is configured for creating, presenting and managing a
household
hierarchy of TV-viewing users, where the hierarchical structure enforces
specific policies for
each user, while at the same time the system increases the breadth of
personalized services
and features available to each individual user in the hierarchy. The system
described herein
advantageously enables increased convenience and efficiency for TV operators
and TV viewing
users to create, navigate and manage these user profiles using a plurality of
control devices.
System Configuration
[0052] Turning now to the figures, Fig. 1 is a block diagram of various
components of an
example of a configuration for a User Lifecycle Management system generally
designated using
numeral 10, as installed in a TV distributor's network and systems
environment. Physically, the
system 10 can be located in the TV distributor's data center, or another
centrally located
computing systems facility that can be remotely and securely accessed by the
TV distributor. In
this example, a number of user devices 18 are communicable with the system 10
via one or
more networks 26. The user devices 18 include user interface system components
25 that
-10-
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
, .
. .
enable user-to-system interactions, which may be located physically on the
user device 18, or
on the system 10, and accessed by the user device 18 in a secure and remote
manner.
[0053] A User Enrolment application module 11 is initiated when a user
seeks to create an
individual user profile via a user interface 25. The user enrolment
application module 11
determines whether it can automatically identify the billing account to which
the user profile
should be associated by either querying a user lifecycle management database
27, an operator
identity management system 19, or the user device 18, each of which may
provide the billing
account context to the user enrolment sub-system 11. This pre-processing
minimizes the steps
in the user enrolment process if the billing account information can be
derived with no manual
interaction. If a billing account cannot be determined, a billing account
association process is
initiated by the user enrolment 11 sub-system whereby the user enrolment
subsystem 11 will
dynamically present an input screen to user interface 25 for the user 30 to
enter the related
billing account resident in operator care and billing system 20.
[0054] User enrolment subsystem 11 queries operator care and billing
system 20 to verify
the existence of the billing account following which user enrolment subsystem
11 uses an
internal process engine to prompt the user 30 with a verification question to
confirm that the
user 30 is associated with the billing account resident in billing sub system
20.
[0055] User enrolment sub system 11 queries whether or not existing
user profiles exist for
the billing account resident in operator billing system 20, as it relates to
the specific TV service
being consumed and delivered via operator TV middleware systems 22. If pre-
existing profiles
are retrieved, data representing these profiles are sent by the user lifecycle
management
system 10 to the user interface 25 via the network 26 and optionally via a
resident
(orchestration/workflow) middleware system 21. User and Group management sub-
system 12
can be used to provide a determination of whether more user profiles may be
created by the
user based on limits defined in a User Lifecycle Management Administration sub-
system 17.
[0056] Should a user elect to create a profile via sending an input
signal to User Enrolment
sub system 11 via user interface 25, user enrolment 11 again uses its querying
mechanism to
determine if the user 30 is required to enter the account information or if
user enrolment 11 can
access this information via it's interfaces to user device 18, user lifecycle
management
database 27 or an operator identity management system 19.
-11 -
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
. ,
[0057] User enrolment sub system 11 uses a dynamic device mapping
capability to present
the optimal user interface 25 based on the specific device type 18 being used
for the user
enrolment process. For example, if user device 19 is a TV screen controlled by
the user 30
using a simple five-button remote control apparatus 31, user enrolment sub
system 11 may
present an enrolment interface that allows the user 30 to either use remote
control apparatus
31, or to contemporaneously interact with the user enrolment sub system 11 via
a more fully
functional input device such as a tablet device-type user interface 28. In
this case, a bi-
directional messaging sub-system 15 is used to broker and transport data
between a secondary
user interface 28 and the primary user interface 25.
[0058] User enrolment sub system 11 may also invoke the user and group
management 12
to determine the hierarchical placement of the enrolling user 30 in order to
present this to the
user 30 via the user interface 25. User and group management sub system 12
also detects any
additional sub processes required for enrolment based on the user's placement
in the hierarchy.
For example, if the user 30 enrolling a profile is the head-of-household or
primary user, user and
group management sub system 12 may sent an input prompt to user interface 25
to verify the
user. The input received by user and group management sub system 30 may be
verified
directly in user lifecycle management database 27 or via user lifecycle
management system 11
interfaces to user device 18, operator identity management system 19 or
operator TV
middleware system 22 depending on where verification credentials are held.
User and group
management 12 also determines, based on policies configured in user lifecycle
management
system 10 via user lifecycle management administration sub system 17, what
hierarchical
privileges user 30 may configure for themselves and present an interface for
input selection via
user interface 25.
[0059] Following the enrolment of a user profile using user enrolment sub-
system 11 and
the management and configuration of that user profile using user and group
management sub-
system 12, the user may associate specific services resident in operator non-
TV platform 23
and third party service platform 24 to their profile using service association
sub-system 13.
Service association 15 retrieves services associated with the relevant
household's account data
housed in billing system 20 and presents these to the user for association.
Service association
13 leverages permissions in user and group management 12 to ensure that only
credentialed
users, as defined by the TV distributor using User Lifecycle Administration
17, may associate
- 12 -
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
services to their profile. Once a user has associated services to their
profile, the user profile
and associated services are stored in ULM data store 27, where additional
personalization
attributes are stored to enable a personalized experience. For each service
associated with a
user's profile, service authentication and authorization 14 determines whether
or not the user
should provide additional service credentials (e.g.: passwords) to access the
service, and
prompts the user 30 via user devices 18 to input the appropriate credentials.
Following the
entry of these credentials, service authentication and authorization 14
verifies the accuracy of
these credentials and, if correct, stores them securely as needed in ULM data
store 27 to
enable single sign on to services by user 30 to their services.
[0060] The components of the user lifecycle management system 10 as shown
in Fig. 1 are
just one illustrative example of a configuration or platform. It can be
appreciated that the
particular implementation of the systems may vary depending on the existing
systems in place
in a TV distributor environment:
[0061] In operation, the user lifecycle management system 10 may function
as follows:
User Enrolment Mode
[0062] When a user wishes to create a user profile on a TV screen 25, a
user enrolment
screen 80, shown in Fig 2a is presented. As the primary user has not been
created, (in this
example as determined by User enrolment 11 - and described in further detail
below in Fig 2b),
a TYPE NAME prompt to create this user is presented by user enrolment 11. Main
user visual
marker 100 depicts the user as the top of the household user hierarchy with a
left-indented
indicator, and input field 104 is presented by user enrolment 11 to prompt
user 30 for input.
Secondary profile visual marker 102 is shown with a pronounced left
indentation to depict a
lesser place in the hierarchy, and user enrolment 11 should not permit the
creation of this profile
until the primary user profile is created. A SET PIN visual marker 103 allows
the establishment
of user enrolment 11 privacy settings to be stored in ULM data store 27 for
that profile. As
user enrolment also detects the input source as a TV screen in this
embodiment, user
enrolment 11 dynamically generates and presents a URL in visual marker 101 to
allow user
enrolment using a companion device 28 contemporaneously.
- 13 -
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
, .
[0063] Fig 2b shows a user enrolment subsystem process that may be executed
in support
of the user enrolment presentation interface and input processes depicted in
Fig 2a. As shown
in Fig 2b, A user navigates to a television-based enrolment interface in step
151 which then
triggers a query by the user lifecycle management system at 152 to attempt to
determine if it
can query and retrieve the billing account information for the interaction
from the set top box at
153. The user lifecycle management retrieves the account information and then
performs a
subsequent query to determine if any pre-existing profiles are associated with
the account at
154. Based on the data returned, which in this embodiment shows no profiles
have been
created, a prompt to create the primary, or top-level user in a household
hierarchy is presented
at 155. This is visually presented in 100, 104 as shown in Fig. 2a. It may be
noted that in this
process, the need for the end user to input account information was
dynamically removed by
user enrolment sub-system 11 based on the successful retrieval of the account
information in
step 153.
[0064] User enrolment sub-system 11 also determines that the user interface
is a TV set in
the initial navigation step 151, and queries enrolment options for the TV. In
step 156, user
enrolment 11 provides a tokenized URL that presents to the user interface a
URL 101 for a
secondary input, that is then presented on the TV screen in step 157.
Secondary Device Enrolment
[0066] The user enrolment sub-system 11 provides for an optimized method of
user
enrolment based on devices available to the end user. As shown in Fig. 2a, the
example
shown provides for the use of a companion, or secondary device 18 to assist
with the enrolment
process when the primary enrolment interface has limited input options, as
with a typical TV and
remote control. Secondary enrolment prompt 101 which is a tokenized URL
generated by
enrolment sub-system 11 allows a user to use a computer, tablet or smartphone
apparatus to
navigate to a web browser URL 200 and access an interface as shown in Fig. 3a
for ease of
enrolment.
[0066] Based on this secondary input device context, user enrolment sub-
system 11
presents an optimized interface for input of data. With a more flexible input
device apparatus
such as a computer mouse and user enrolment 11 presents the user with
information such as
the user hierarchy 201 and a specific input field for enrolment 202. In
addition to this, and in
- 14 -
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
contrast to Fig. 2a, the user enrolment subsystem 11 also presents more
information where
applicable, such as additional profile preference information 204 and the
opportunity to extend
the profile and add services to the profile via the addition of an e-mail
address or other user
identifier 205.
[0067] Fig. 3b presents the user enrolment sub-system processes for
presenting an
optimized secondary input interface and for the support of two devices 18
contemporaneously
interacting with the user enrolment sub-system 11.
[0068] In step 251, the user is presented with a URL by user enrolment 11
which ULM user
enrolment dynamically generates based on attributes/constraints of the input
device 18 and
enrolment context. The user may then in step 252 navigate to that URL via
another input
device. In step 253, the secondary enrolment device registers itself to the
user enrolment
session already underway in 251, and ULM Bidirectional Messaging sub system 15
acts as a
go-between to present on the primary user interface in Fig 2a, any input
information entered on
secondary screen Fig 3a. Based on the secondary input device used in step 252,
user
enrolment 11 presents an optimized interface in step 254 that accommodates for
device type
and stage in the enrolment process, to minimize enrolment steps and maximize
usability. In
step 256 the user enters data as prompted by user enrolment 11, which is
stored in ULM data
store 27 in step 257. Step 27 also encapsulates the completion of the user
enrolment process.
Following step 257, the created user is shown on Fig 3a in step 258, and data
is also
contemporaneously sent to primary user interface 2a using ULM bi-directional
messaging sub-
system 15 and presented on user interface at 259.
[0069] Fig. 3c shows the ULM system 10's use of the bi-directional
messaging sub-system
15 to facilitate the interaction between a primary enrolment device 275 and a
secondary
device279. In the example shown, the primary enrolment device 275 is a set-top
box with
remote control apparatus and the secondary device is a web-browser enabled
device with a
fully functioning input keyboard 279. When the user is presented with a URL
104 generated by
user enrolment sub system 11, on device 275 via connection 276, they may open
a web
browser on secondary device 279. The entered URL on device 279 directs the
browser to
user enrolment 11 via connection 277. User enrolment 10 also engages
Bidirectional
messaging sub-system (BMS) 15 to allow input from device 279, to be received
by BMS 15 via
- 15 -
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
, .
. ,
connection 278 and to be pushed forward by BMS 15 to device 275 via connection
276. This
can greatly simplify user enrolment processes for users with limited input
apparatus such as TV
set top remote controls.
Hierarchy View and Policy
[0070] Once users are created, the user and group management sub-
system 11 provides
for the secure view and management of the household hierarchy based on
configured
permissions and credentials of each user in the hierarchy. As shown in Figures
4a-4c, the user
lifecycle management system 10 dynamically modifies the presentation of the
user hierarchy
and a specific user's ability to modify profiles based on the relationship of
that user with the TV
distributor, and the relationship of the user with other members of the TV
viewing hierarchy.
[0071] Fig 4a shows a TV distributor's application running on an
unmanaged device, which
in contrast to the interface and processes described in Fig 2a and 2b, cannot
provide to user
lifecycle management 10 or other systems, the account or user associated to
the TV
distributor's application session. In this embodiment, a user provides their
profile credentials in
field 300 and authenticates to a session by selecting visual marker 301. When
a user provides
their authentication details, this data is passed to Service Authentication
and Authorization 14,
which verifies the user's credentials, and also verifies the user's
hierarchical role and privileges
in user and group management 12, prior to authenticating the user.
[0072] Following the authentication to the TV distributor's
application, the user is presented
with the various services associated with their profile in Fig. 4b, and also
have the option to
manage their user profile settings. This is shown in the example via a user
selecting the
Profiles and Settings visual marker 325. When a user selects this menu option,
an interface is
returned that leverages ULM 10 to allow a user to manage their profile and
settings.
[0073] When a user arrives at the user profile and settings interface
as shown in Fig. 4c,
user and group management 12 verifies based on the authenticated user, what
hierarchical
view to present. In this embodiment, the authenticated user is the primary
user, and in turn,
user and group management 12 dynamically generates a full permissions view of
the household
viewing hierarchy. The interface generated by the user and group management 12
provides
visual markers for the primary user, with a larger display window for that
user, and a displaced
- 16 -
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
, .
alignment of the user's profile marker to indicate the top-level place in the
hierarchy 350. Users
that are not the primary user are shown in a uniformly aligned manner below
the primary user
351. Additional privileges governed by user and group management 12, including
delegated
authority, are shown via additional visual markers embedded into the hierarchy
352.
[0074] In addition, user and group management 12, determines based on the
authenticated
user, which other users are either viewable and/or editable by the
authenticated user. In this
embodiment, the bold text and visual display of the secondary users 351
indicates that the
authenticated user may navigate, view and edit the preferences of the other
users in the
household. Note that a user may only be able to edit certain preferences of
other user profiles,
depending on the preferred embodiment of the invention.
[0075] The example illustrates that the authenticated user's profile as
managed in group
and hierarchy management 12 allows various functions, including the creation
of a new profile
358, the view of the authenticated user's profile details 353 and the
management of the
authenticated user's TV preferences 357. The user may also select visual
marker 356 to
further personalize their profile depending on the preference of the TV
operator.
[0076] In contrast, if another user has authenticated to the TV
distributor's application, their
view may be different based on the dynamic presentation generated by group and
hierarchy
management 12. As shown in Fig. 4d, a secondary user that does not have
delegated
administrative privileges and is not a main user, will be presented an
interface that allows the
viewing of the hierarchy, but does not allow the same navigation or
modification privileges as
allowed by the primary user as shown in Fig. 4c. In this embodiment, the
authenticated user
365 is presented with other members visually shaded out, 366, whereby this
presentation is
dynamically generated by user and group management 12. In addition, the
profile details and
ability to manage the profile details are limited. TV preferences 367 in this
scenario are
viewable but not editable by the authenticated user. Additional profile
details 368 may or may
not be accessible based on the TV distributor.
[0077] Fig. 4e further illustrates the user and group management privacy
and permissions
engine dynamically preventing a view of a primary user by a secondary user
based on the
authenticated user's role in the hierarchy. Authenticated user 375 is
navigated to view the
-17-
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
, .
. .
profile of primary user 376. User and group management dynamically presents
privacy
notification 377 based on the TV distributor's preferred embodiment.
[0078] Fig. 4f is a flow diagram depicting the processing performed by
user and group
management 12 to present a hierarchical view based on the authenticated user,
and to allow a
specific set of profile view and management tasks for that user based on their
role in the
hierarchy as shown in Figs. 4a-4e. In this embodiment a user initially opens a
TV distributor
application which cannot automatically determine the account or user wishing
to access the
distributor's services in step 390 and therefore user and group management 12
presents the
end user with an authentication screen in step 391. In step 392 the user
provides successful
credentials which are then used by user authentication and authorization 14 to
grant access to
the user to the TV distributor application, but more importantly in this
example , this data is
processed by user and group management 12 to determine the hierarchical view
and hierarchy
and profile management privileges to be granted to the user in step 393. In
step 394 the user
navigates to the user profile and settings interface, which invokes user and
group management
sub system at 395 to present the hierarchy with visual markers and navigation
and management
capabilities unique to that user.
Service Association Mode
[0079] When a user wishes to associate TV distributor non-video and
other third party
services to their profile, they may do so by selecting a visual marker to
navigate to the service
association 13 functions interface, shown in Fig. 5a in this example as visual
marker 400.
[0080] In Fig. 5b, following the navigation to Service Association
user interface, the access
to which is governed by user and group management 12, the user may elect to
associate their
user profile with any number of additional services as shown in the Associate
Services 451
interface. Selecting an association 453 or dissociation 455 visual marker
services invokes
service association sub-system 13 which processes the request for association
and dissociation
by prompting a user to provide the identity and authentication credentials for
that specific
service. All of the associations are federated by Service Association 13.
[0081] Fig. 5c is a flow diagram depicting the processing carried out
by Service Association
sub-system 13 in response to a user selecting the visual marker 453 to
associate to a specific
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
, .
service. In step 475 an authenticated user navigates to the service
association interface, which
triggers the service association sub system 13. The service association sub
system 13, in step
475, determines which services are eligible for association to the
authenticated user from the
service registry in service association sub system 13. The list of services
eligible for association
is then sent to the user interface in step 475 an authenticated user navigates
to the service
association interface, which triggers the service association sub system 13.
The service
association sub system 13, in step 475, determines which services are eligible
for association to
the authenticated user from the service registry in service association sub
system 13. The list of
services eligible for association will then be sent to the user interface in
step 477, from which an
authenticate user selects the service for association. By selecting the
service for association in
step 477, the service association sub system queries the underlying service
and return the user
a prompt to enter the user and credential information associated with that
service, in step 478.
The user then inputs the appropriate data in the primary user interface in
step 479. This data is
received by the service association sub system 13, which leverages an internal
federation and
authentication component to broker the authentication and authorization of
that service in step
480. To ensure that future interactions with the associated service do not
require duplicate
authentication, service association sub system 13 can store a token or similar
credential for
future access to the service. Once the association has been completed in step
480, the user
may seamlessly consume features associated with that service in step 481.
User Lifecycle Management Administration Mode
[0082] The TV distributor may wish to manage the user profiles for a TV
viewing household
on behalf of a user, or view the details of a given household and their TV
viewing hierarchy of
user profiles. Fig. 6a shows an interface whereby the operator may access the
User Lifecycle
Management Administration functions 17 via a ULM administration interface 500.
This interface
is accessed by a TV distributor customer service representative 502 after
providing username
and password credentials as preferred by the TV distributor. Following
authentication to the
interface, the customer service representative may query users resident in ULM
data store 27
via a query interface 503 which returns users with their profile details. The
customer service
representative may EDIT these user profiles using visual markers 504 which
invokes the various
user lifecycle management 10 sub-systems for processing actions including user
enrolment 11,
user and group management 12, service association 13. The customer service
representative
- 19 -
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
also has administrative privileges that allow management of all users
including privileges
beyond that of top-level primary users. These privileges including the change
of primary users
505, the association of services to any user 506 and the addition of users of
any time 507.
These privileges are stored and processed by User Lifecycle Management
Administration 17.
[0083] Fig. 6b is a flow diagram depicting the User Lifecycle Management
Administration
sub system 17 methods invoked by the user interface illustration in Fig. 6a.
In step 551 the user
starts the ULM Administration 17 sub system by navigating to a URL. The ULM
Administration
sub system 17 presents an authentication screen to the end user in step 552.
In step 553 the
customer service representative provides the appropriate credentials, which in
step 554 are
verified by the ULM Administration sub system 17. Here, the ULM sub system 17
determines
the privileges of the customer service representative to be allowed to
administer a group of
households based on the preference of the TV distributor. In this manner the
ULM
Administration sub system 17 designates the customer service representative as
a pseudo-user
with a hierarchical role that is superior to that of a primary user. Following
authentication the
customer service representative may query the ULM Administration sub system 17
in step 555
which will search ULM data store 27 for users according to various attributes
including account
and user profile identifiers. Any matching results are returned in step 556.
Following the return
of results, the customer service representative may view and manage users in
the hierarchy.
User Lifecycle Management Administration ¨ Global Settings
[0084] Fig. 7 is a sequence flow diagram depicting the processes performed
by the ULM
Administration sub system 17 to manage global ULM system 10 settings. In step
575, a TV
distributor administrator authenticates to the ULM Administration sub system
17. Based on the
administrator user and password credentials, the ULM sub system 17 authorizes
global ULM
setting configurations in step 576. Either via a user interface or via an
application programming
interface, in step 577, the administrator may configure global parameters in
the ULM sub
system 17, that allows the TV distributor to establish policies in user
enrolment 12, user and
group management 13, service association 14, service authentication and
authorization 15 and
in general, in ULM system 10. ULM Administration sub system 17 prompts the
user to confirm
the change in step 578. Following confirmation of the change, ULM
Administration may check
database entries that conflict with the changed policy and return an error, in
step 580. Also in
-20 -
22527309.1
CA 02847430 2014-03-25
=
step 580, once conflicts are resolved, or ignored, the global setting is
placed into effect by the
ULM Administration sub system 17 and enforced by the appropriate sub system.
[0085] It will be appreciated that any module or component exemplified
herein that executes
instructions may include or otherwise have access to computer readable media
such as storage
media, computer storage media, or data storage devices (removable and/or non-
removable)
such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, or tape. Computer storage
media may
include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media
implemented in any
method or technology for storage of information, such as computer readable
instructions, data
structures, program modules, or other data. Examples of computer storage media
include
RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital
versatile
disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape,
magnetic disk storage
or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to
store the desired
information and which can be accessed by an application, module, or both. Any
such computer
storage media may be part of the systems 10, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24 user device
18, etc., or any
component of or related to or accessible or connectable thereto. Any
application or module
herein described may be implemented using computer readable/executable
instructions that
may be stored or otherwise held by such computer readable media.
[0086] The steps or operations in the flow charts and diagrams
described herein are just for
example. There may be many variations to these steps or operations without
departing from the
principles discussed above. For instance, the steps may be performed in a
differing order, or
steps may be added, deleted, or modified.
[0087] Although the above principles have been described with reference
to certain specific
examples, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in
the art as outlined in
the appended claims.
-21-
22527309.1
