Method and arrangement for providing access to a consumer device
A method of and arrangement for providing access to a consumer device ( 101 ). A user can switch between multiple content providers. To switch, he calls up a set of representations ( 202-207 ) of offerings by content providers ( 107, 108, 109 ). He can then select a content provider. The selection is submitted to a gateway system ( 106 ), which then provides the selected content provider access to the consumer device ( 101 ), preferably in return for a fee paid by the selected content provider. The invention makes it easier for users to switch content providers even when descrambling boxes, subscriptions and other hassles are normally involved in switching. All these hassles are taken care of by the gateway ( 106 ).
1. A method for providing access to a consumer device ( 101 ), comprising the acts of:
electronically presenting to a consumer representations of services from a plurality of content providers ( 107 , 108 , 109 ), each service being respectively offered by one content provider from among said plurality of content providers ( 107 , 108 , 109 ),
receiving a selection ( 203 ) from the consumer for a demonstration of the features of the service offered by a specific one of content providers from among the plurality of content providers ( 107 , 108 , 109 ): and
responsive to receiving said selection ( 203 ), initiating a demonstration of said service features for the specific one of content providers;
querying the consumer at the termination of said demonstration to determine if the consumer wishes to subscribe to the services of the specific one of content providers; and
providing the specific one of content providers access to the consumer device ( 101 ), responsive to determination that the consumer wishes to subscribe to the service of the specific one of said content providers.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing registration information on the user to the selected content provider for facilitating a subscription for the user to the selected content provider.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing access comprises receiving a transmission from the selected content provider and intended for the consumer device ( 101 ), and retransmitting the transmission to the consumer device ( 101 ).
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein providing access further comprises transcoding the transmission to a format suitable for the consumer device ( 101 ).
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a referral fee from the selected content provider after arranging the access to the consumer device ( 101 ).
6. An arrangement between a gateway system and a consumer device for providing a user-selected content provider access to the consumer device ( 101 ), wherein
the consumer device ( 101 ) comprises;
presentation means ( 201 ) which electronically present to a user representations of services ( 202 - 207 ) from a plurality of content providers ( 107 , 108 , 109 ), each service being respectively offered by one content provider from among said plurality of content provider ( 107 , 108 , 109 );
selection means ( 103 , 104 ) for receiving a selection from the user for a demonstration of the features of a service offered by a specific one of content providers ( 107 , 108 , 109 ) from among the plurality of content providers ( 107 , 108 , 109 ) to the gateway system ( 106 ) in communication with the consumer device ( 101 ); determination means which determine, at the termination of said demonstration, if the user wishes to subscribe to the demonstrated service offered by said specific one of content providers ( 107 , 108 , 109 ); and
selection means ( 211 ) for submitting a selection ( 203 ) indicating the user-selected content provider from among the plurality of content providers ( 107 , 108 , 109 ) to the gateway system ( 106 ) in communication with the consumer device ( 101 ); and
the gateway system ( 106 ) comprises;
selection reception means ( 340 ) for receiving the selection ( 203 ) indicating the user-selected content provider from the selection means ( 211 ); and
access means ( 331 , 337 , 338 , 339 ) for providing the user-selected content provider access to the consumer device ( 101 ).
7. The arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the access means ( 331 , 337 , 338 , 339 ) are arranged for receiving a transmission from the user-selected content provider and intended for the consumer device ( 101 ) and retransmitting the transmission to the consumer device ( 101 ).
8. The arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the access means ( 331 , 337 , 338 , 339 ) are further arranged for transcoding the transmission to a format suitable for the consumer device ( 101 ).
9. The arrangement of claim 6 , further comprising registration means ( 310 ) for providing registration information on the user to the user-selected content provider.