System and method for delivering geographically restricted content, such as over-air broadcast programming, to a recipient over a network, namely the internet

Abstract

A system and method for delivering geographically restricted content, including but not limited to over-air broadcast programming, to a recipient over a computer network, namely the Internet. The content is only delivered over the computer network if the recipient's computer or network device requesting the content over the network is verified to be located in the geographically restricted area. A conventional tuner is employed by the recipient's computer to receive one or more over-air signals having a broadcast range deemed to be synonymous with the geographically restricted area for the requested content. If the tuner is able to receive such over-air signal(s), the requested content is delivered over the network to the recipient's computer. This is because the recipient is known to be physically located in the geographically restricted area by the ability of the tuner to receive the over-air signal(s).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of delivering geographically restricted content over a network to a recipient device in response to a content server, coupled to the network, receiving a request for the geographically restricted content, comprising:
 receiving a request for delivery of geographically restricted content from a recipient device over a network at a content server;   continued receiving of global positioning system (GPS) coordinates from the recipient device indicative of a physical location of the recipient device;   determining if the GPS coordinates indicate a location of the recipient device as being within a geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content as a condition for continued delivery of the requested geographically restricted content;   wherein the geographically restricted area is defined as a geographic area where the recipient device is only permitted to receive the geographically restricted content; and   delivering the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network only if the GPS coordinates indicate a location within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recipient device is comprised from the group consisting of a personal computer, a network device, a television set top box, a mobile device, a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a personal messaging device (PMD). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content server is comprised from the group consisting of a broadcast station server, a corporate server, an audio server, a video server, an audio/video server, and a music server. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network is a network comprised from the group consisting of a TCP/IP-based network, a dedicated line network, a public network, a private network, a communications network, and a public switched telephone network (PSTN). 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the geographically restricted content is comprised from the group consisting of broadcast programming, audio programming, songs, video programming, datacast, and video presentations. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein delivering the requested geographically restricted content comprises streaming the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network until a connection between the recipient device and the content server is terminated. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein delivering the requested geographically restricted content comprises downloading the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising setting a flag indicating that the recipient device is authorized to receive the requested geographically restricted content over the network if the GPS coordinates indicate that the recipient device is located in the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining if a user account has been previously established on the content server for the recipient device after receiving the request for the delivery of the geographically restricted content from the recipient device over the network at the content server, and before delivering the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network if the GPS coordinates indicate a location within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising sending information to the recipient device over the network necessary for the recipient device to provide to the content server to establish the user account on the content server, if the user account has not been previously established on the content server for the recipient device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising receiving user account information from the recipient device over the network to establish the user account for the recipient device on the content server. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the user account information is comprised from the group consisting of a user identification (ID), a password, a name, an address, and billing account information. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising establishing a connection between the content server and the recipient device before receiving the request for the delivery of the geographically restricted content from the recipient device over the network at the content server. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the connection is comprised from the group consisting of a web-based services connection, and an Application Programming Interface (API)-based services connection. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising downloading an Application Programming Interface (API) software application to the recipient device, wherein establishing the connection further comprises the API software application establishing the connection between the content server and the recipient device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving billing account information from the recipient device;   determining a billing address associated with the billing account information; and   determining if the billing address is located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content;   wherein delivering the requested geographically restricted content comprises delivering the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network if:
 the GPS coordinates indicate a location within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content; and 
 the billing address is located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein determining if the billing address is located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content comprises determining if a zip code associated with the billing address is for an area located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising charging a billing account associated with the billing account information for delivering the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the billing account information is comprised from the group consisting of credit card account information, debit card account information, and bank account information. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the recipient device;   accessing a database to determine an address associated with the IP address; and   determining if the address associated with the IP address is located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content;   wherein delivering the requested geographically restricted content comprises delivering the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network if:
 the GPS coordinates indicate a location within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content; and 
 the address associated with the IP address is located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content. 
   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving billing account information from the recipient device; and   charging a billing account associated with the billing account information for delivering the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 accessing a database to determine an Automated Number Identifier (ANI) associated with the recipient device; and   determining if a physical address associated with the ANI is located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content;   wherein delivering the requested geographically restricted content comprises delivering the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network if:
 the GPS coordinates indicate a location within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content; and 
 the physical address associated with the ANI is located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content. 
   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the GPS coordinates are derived from at least one over-air signal. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one over-air signal corresponds to at least one GPS signal. 
     
     
         25 . A system for delivering geographically restricted content over a network to a recipient device, comprising:
 a content server;   wherein the content server is configured to:
 receive a request for delivery of geographically restricted content from a recipient device over a network; 
 continue to receive GPS coordinates from the recipient device indicative of a physical location of the recipient device; and 
 determine if the GPS coordinates indicate a location within a geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content as a condition for continued delivery of the requested geographically restricted content, 
 wherein the geographically restricted area is defined as a geographic area where the recipient device is only permitted to receive the geographically restricted content; and 
 deliver the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network only if the content server determines that the GPS coordinates indicate a location within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content. 
   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the recipient device is comprised from the group consisting of a personal computer, a network device, a television set top box, a mobile device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a personal message device (PMD). 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the content server is comprised from the group consisting of a broadcast station server, a corporate server, an audio server, a video server, an audio/video server, datacast, and a music server. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein delivering the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device comprises streaming the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network until a connection between the recipient device and the content server is terminated. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the content server is configured to deliver the requested geographically restricted content by downloading the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the content server is further configured to determine if a user account has been previously established on the content server for the recipient device after the content server receives the request for the delivery of the geographically restricted content from the recipient device over the network at the content server, and before the content server delivers the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network if the GPS coordinates indicate a location within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the content server is further configured to send information to the recipient device over the network necessary for the recipient device to establish the user account on the content server if the user account has not been previously established on the content server for the recipient device. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the content server is further configured to receive user account information from the recipient device over the network to establish the user account for the recipient device on the content server. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the content server is further configured to establish a connection between the content server and the recipient device before the content server receives the request for the delivery of geographically restricted content from the recipient device over the network. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the connection is comprised from the group consisting of a web-based services connection, and an Application Programming Interface (API)-based services connection. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the content server is further configured to download an Application Programming Interface (API) software application to the recipient device, wherein the content server is further configured to establish the connection between the content server and the recipient device by receiving a connection request from the API software application at the recipient device. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the content server is further configured to:
 receive billing account information from the recipient device;   determine a billing address associated with the billing account information; and   determine if the billing address is located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content;   wherein delivering the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device comprises delivering the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network if the content server determines that:
 the GPS coordinates indicate a location within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content; and 
 the billing address is located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content. 
   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the content server is configured to determine if the billing address is located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content by determining if a zip code associated with the billing address is for an area located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the content server is further configured to charge a billing account associated with the billing account information when the content server delivers the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the content server is further configured to:
 receive an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the recipient device;   access a database to determine an address associated with the IP address; and   determine if the address associated with the IP address is located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content;   wherein the content server is further configured to deliver the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network if the content server determines that:
 the GPS coordinates indicate a location within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content; and 
 the address associated with the IP address is located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content. 
   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the content server is further configured to:
 receive billing account information from the recipient device; and   charge a billing account associated with the billing account information for delivering the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network.   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the content server is further configured to:
 access a database to determine an Automated Number Identifier (ANI) associated with the recipient device; and   determine if a physical address associated with the ANI is located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content;   wherein delivering the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device comprises delivering the requested geographically restricted content to the recipient device over the network if:
 the GPS coordinates indicate a location within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content; and 
 the physical address associated with the ANI is located within the geographically restricted area for the requested geographically restricted content. 
   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the GPS coordinates are derived from at least one over-air signal. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one over-air signal corresponds to at least one GPS signal.