System for multimedia viewing based on entitlements

Abstract

An advertising control method is described. The method includes receiving an advertisement identification message (AIM) ( 127 ) at a first mobile device ( 125 ), sending the AIM from the first mobile device to a content display unit (CDU) and storing the AIM in the CDU, selecting at least one content item from among a plurality of content items based, at least in part, on at least one stored AIM, the stored AIM being stored in the CDU, and displaying the selected content item on the CDU. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A content control method comprising:
 associating an entitlement with a content item identifier;   embedding the entitlement in an article;   sending the entitlement from the article to a content display unit (CDU); and   displaying a content item associated with the content item identifier on the CDU.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24  and wherein the sending the entitlement from the article comprises secure sending. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25  and wherein the displaying comprises:
 locating the content item to be displayed based, at least in part, on location information comprised in the content item identifier. 
 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26  and wherein the locating comprises:
 locating the content item to be displayed via remote network access. 
 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27  and wherein the remote network access comprises World Wide Web (WWW) access. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to any of  claim 24  and wherein the entitlement comprises content item network location information for determining a location of the content item on the remote network. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 24  and wherein the sending comprises:
 sending the entitlement to the CDU using a wireless communication protocol. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 24  and wherein the sending comprises:
 sending the entitlement to the CDU using a wired communication protocol. 
 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 24  and wherein the sending comprises:
 sending the entitlement to the CDU upon receipt of an instruction from a user. 
 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 24  and wherein the sending comprises:
 querying the user to authorize transfer of the entitlement to the CDU; and 
 sending the entitlement to the CDU only if the user authorizes the transfer. 
 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33  and wherein the sending from the article also comprises:
 verifying that the CDU is able to display the content item associated with the entitlement; and 
 performing the sending only upon receipt of a positive answer to the verifying. 
 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 24  and wherein the sending comprises:
 verifying that the CDU is able to display the content item associated with the entitlement; 
 based on result of the verifying, querying the user to authorize transfer of the entitlement to the CDU; and 
 performing the sending only upon receipt of a positive answer to the querying. 
 
     
     
         36 . The method according to either  claim 34  or  claim 35  and wherein the verifying comprises the article polling the CDU. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to either  claim 34  or  claim 35  and wherein the verifying comprises the CDU polling the article. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 24  and wherein the entitlement comprises a disabled entitlement. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 38  and also comprising:
 sending an enabling message to the article, thereby enabling the disabled entitlement. 
 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39  and wherein the sending an enabling message to the article comprises secure sending. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 40  and wherein the sending an enabling message is performed after an enabling action is performed. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 41  and wherein the enabling action comprises sending a securely signed message. 
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 42  and wherein the message is sent using a wireless communication protocol. 
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 42  and wherein the message is sent using a wired communication protocol. 
     
     
         45 . The method according to any of  claim 38  and wherein the entitlement comprises an inactive entitlement. 
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 45  and also comprising:
 activating the inactive entitlement. 
 
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 46  and wherein the activating comprises actuating and/or de-actuating an actuator. 
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 46  and wherein the activating comprises one of opening a container; and triggering a heat sensor. 
     
     
         49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . The method according to  claim 48  and wherein the heating comprises heating the heat sensor is heated with body heat. 
     
     
         51 . The method according to any of  claim 46  and also comprising:
 de-activating the entitlement. 
 
     
     
         52 . The method according to  claim 24  and also comprising:
 disabling the entitlement after the sending to the CDU. 
 
     
     
         53 . The method according to  claim 24  and also comprising:
 not disabling the entitlement after the sending to the CDU. 
 
     
     
         54 . The method according to  claim 53  and also comprising:
 altering the entitlement after the sending to the CDU. 
 
     
     
         55 . The method according to  claim 54  and wherein the entitlement comprises an entitlement value, and
 the altering comprises reducing the entitlement value. 
 
     
     
         56 . The method according to  claim 24  and wherein:
 the content item comprises a series of content items; and 
 the entitlement comprises an entitlement to at least one member of the series of content items. 
 
     
     
         57 . The method according to  claim 24  and wherein the displaying comprises:
 displaying the content on the CDU exactly once. 
 
     
     
         58 . The method according to  claim 57  and wherein:
 the CDU comprises a plurality of CDUs and the displaying comprises displaying the content on one of the plurality of CDUs exactly once. 
 
     
     
         59 . The method according to  claim 24  and also comprising:
 displaying the content on the CDU only during a display time period. 
 
     
     
         60 . The method according to  claim 24  and also comprising:
 associating the displaying of the content on the CDU with a personal domain. 
 
     
     
         61 . The method according to  claim 24  and wherein the CDU comprises at least one of the following:
 a domain identification name; 
 a domain identification number; and 
 a domain key. 
 
     
     
         62 . The method according to either  claim 60  or  claim 61  and also comprising:
 associating the entitlement with the personal domain at the time of the sending. 
 
     
     
         63 . The method according to  claim 24  and also comprising:
 aggregating of entitlements by a first user. 
 
     
     
         64 . The method according to  claim 63  and also comprising at least one of:
 trading of entitlements between the first user and a second user; 
 selling entitlements from the first user to the second user; and 
 loaning entitlements by the first user to the second user. 
 
     
     
         65 - 92 . (canceled) 
     
     
         93 . Apparatus for content control comprising:
 an entitlement associating unit associating an entitlement with a content item identifier;   an entitlement embedding unit embedding the entitlement in an article;   an entitlement sender sending the entitlement from the article to a content display unit (CDU); and   a display operative to display the content item associated with the content item identifier on the CDU.   
     
     
         94 - 98 . (canceled) 
     
     
         99 . The method according to  claim 35  and wherein the verifying comprises one of: the article polling the CDU; and the CDU polling the article. 
     
     
         100 . The method according to  claim 61  and also comprising:
 associating the displaying of the content on the CDU with a personal domain, and 
 associating the entitlement with the personal domain at the time of the sending. 
 
     
     
         101 . An object comprising:
 entitlement storage means for storing an entitlement associated with a content item; and   entitlement receiving means for receiving the entitlement from the entitlement store and send the entitlement to a display unit.   
     
     
         102 . Apparatus for content control comprising:
 entitlement associating means for associating entitlement means with a content item identifier;   entitlement embedding means for embedding entitlement means in an article;   entitlement sending means for sending entitlement means from the article to a content displaying means; and   displaying means for displaying the content item associated with the content item identifier on the content displaying means.   
     
     
         103 - 131 . (canceled)