Patent · US Expired

Enhancing smart card usage for associating media content with households

US7124938B1 · kind B1 · utility

63Cited by
30References
51Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 23, 2000
Grant dateOct 24, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 23, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F21/109
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Various enhancements are made to using smart cards that are associated with (or to be associated with) a household. In one embodiment, data that is expected to be of value to a user (e.g., electronic money) is attached to that user's smart card(s), thereby providing an incentive for the user to keep his or her smart card(s) secure. In another embodiment, the smart cards are used for parental control (e.g., by restricting the children's access to one or more of the smart cards). In yet another embodiment, smart cards are used to enhance user privacy by maintaining user-specific information on the smart cards (which can be de-coupled from the computing device whenever the user desires). In another embodiment, the boundaries of a network of computing devices are defined by multiple smart cards—any computing device to which a smart card is coupled is part of the network.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.