Theft prevention of media peripherals in a media exchange network
View Patent ↗Systems and methods of theft prevention of communication devices are provided. In one embodiment, the method may include, for example, one or more of the following: registering a communication device being used at a home, where the device is connected to a communication network; entering validation information relating to the communication device; and analyzing the validation information to determine whether the communication device is authorized for use in the communication network.
1. A method of registering a media peripheral for use at a location comprising:
registering the media peripheral for use at a designated location by identifying the media peripheral by a unique identifier with a registration device, in which the registration device associates the unique identifier of the media peripheral with the designated location and retains the association of the unique identifier and the designated location;
registering the media peripheral for use at a second location that differs from the designated location by associating an access code with the unique identifier;
validating subsequent access to the media peripheral with the registration device to validate the unique identifier of the media peripheral, in which validation is granted when the media peripheral is at the designated location; and
validating subsequent access to the media peripheral with the registration device to validate the unique identifier of the media peripheral when the media peripheral attempts access at the second location, in which validation is granted when the access code is entered at the second location.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein when registering the media peripheral for use at the designated location, the registering device is a server.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein when registering the media peripheral for use at the designated location, the registering device is a media exchange server.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein when registering the media peripheral for use at the designated location, the registering device is a broadband access head end device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein when registering the media peripheral, a serial identification number of the media peripheral is registered as the unique identifier.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein when registering the media peripheral, a digital certificate associated with the media peripheral is registered as the unique identifier.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting an attempted validation of the media peripheral at another location different than the designated location and the second location.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting an attempted validation of the media peripheral at another location different than the designated location and the second location and disabling the media peripheral when the media peripheral is at the another location.
9. A method of registering a media peripheral for use at a plurality of locations comprising:
registering the media peripheral for use at a designated location by identifying the media peripheral by a unique identifier with a registration device, in which the registration device associates the unique identifier of the media peripheral with the designated location and retains the association of the unique identifier and the designated location;
registering the media peripheral for use at locations other than the designated location by associating an access code with the unique identifier;
validating subsequent access to the media peripheral with the registration device to validate the unique identifier of the media peripheral, in which validation is granted when the media peripheral is at the designated location; and
validating subsequent access to the media peripheral with the registration device to validate the unique identifier of the media peripheral when the media peripheral attempts access at locations other than the designated location, in which validation is granted when the access code is entered at locations other than at the designated location.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein when registering the media peripheral, the unique identifier, designated location and the access code are registered with a server.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein when registering the media peripheral, the unique identifier, designated location and the access code are registered with a media exchange server.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein when registering the media peripheral, the unique identifier, designated location and the access code are registered with a broadband access head end device.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein when registering the media peripheral, a serial identification number of the media peripheral is registered as the unique identifier.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein when registering the media peripheral, a digital certificate associated with the media peripheral is registered as the unique identifier.
15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising detecting an attempted validation of the media peripheral at another location from the designated location and disabling the media peripheral when the media peripheral is at a location other than the designated location and the access code is not provided.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the access code includes a name and a password.
17. An apparatus to register a media peripheral for use at a plurality of locations comprising:
a processing device to register the media peripheral for use at a designated location by identifying the media peripheral by a unique identifier, in which the processing device associates the unique identifier of the media peripheral with the designated location and in which the processing device registers the media peripheral for use at locations other than the designated location by associating an access code with the unique identifier;
a storage coupled to the processing device to retain the association of the unique identifier, the designated location and the access code; and
wherein the processing device validates subsequent access to the media peripheral by the unique identifier of the media peripheral when the media peripheral is at the designated location and validates subsequent access of the media peripheral by the unique identifier of the media peripheral and entering of the access code when the media peripheral attempts access from locations other than the designated location.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the apparatus is a server.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the apparatus is a media exchange server.
20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the apparatus is a broadband access head end device.