Method and apparatus for content protection and billing for mobile delivery of satellite content

Abstract

A satellite dish assembly may comprise a reflector, feed horn, receive module, and wireless module. The reflector and feed horn may be operable to receive satellite signals. The receive module may be operable to recover content from the received satellite signals. The wireless module may be operable to communicate the content directly to a mobile device via a wireless connection between the mobile device and the system. The wireless module may be operable to communicate directly with a service provider network via a wireless connection between the satellite dish assembly and the service provider network. The communications with the service provider network may be to obtain security information for descrambling and/or decrypting the content and/or for providing billing information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a reflector and feed horn operable to receive satellite signals;   a satellite receive module operable to recover content from said received satellite signals; and   a wireless module operable to:
 communicate directly with a service provider network via a wireless connection between said system and said service provider network; and 
 communicate said content directly to a mobile device via a wireless connection between said mobile device and said system. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said reflector, said feed horn, said receive module, and said wireless module are attached to a common support structure;   said feed horn, said receive module, and said wireless module are attached to a boom of said common support structure.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said wireless module is operable to communicate with said service provider network to obtain security information for descrambling and/or decrypting said content. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said wireless module is operable to communicate with said service provider network to provide billing information about said mobile device. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said wireless module is configured to accept IP traffic from a cellular backhaul network and from said satellite receive module. 
     
     
         6 . Circuitry for use in a satellite dish assembly, the circuitry being operable to:
 receive a satellite signal and process said satellite signal to recover media content carried in said satellite signal;   receive, from a wireless communication device, a request for said media content;   communicate with a service provider network to determine whether said wireless communication device is authorized to receive said media content; and   communicate said media content to said wireless communication device via a first wireless connection.   
     
     
         7 . The circuitry of  claim 6 , wherein said circuitry is operable to communicate with said service provider network via a second wireless connection. 
     
     
         8 . The circuitry of  claim 7 , wherein said circuitry supports higher bandwidth than said second wireless connection. 
     
     
         9 . The circuitry of  claim 6 , wherein:
 said satellite dish assembly is connected to a gateway that routes traffic between said satellite dish assembly and a wide area network connection terminated at said gateway; and   communications between said circuitry and said service provider network do not traverse said network connection terminated at said gateway.   
     
     
         10 . The circuitry of  claim 6 , wherein:
 said satellite dish assembly is connected to a gateway that routes traffic between said satellite dish assembly and a wide area network connection terminated at said gateway; and   said media content does not traverse said network connection terminated at said gateway in traveling from said circuitry to said wireless communication device.   
     
     
         11 . The circuitry of  claim 6 , wherein said circuitry is operable to communicate with said service provider network to provide information about said wireless communication device, information about content requested by said wireless communication device, and/or information about content consumed by said wireless communication device. 
     
     
         12 . The circuitry of  claim 11 , wherein said service provider network utilizes said information about said wireless communication device, said information about content requested by said wireless communication device, and/or said information about content consumed by said wireless communication device for managing a billing account associated with said wireless communication device. 
     
     
         13 . The circuitry of  claim 6 , wherein said circuitry is operable to:
 receive, from said service provider network, security keys associated with said media content; and   communicate said security keys to said wireless communication device.   
     
     
         14 . A method performed by a satellite dish assembly, the method comprising:
 receiving a satellite signal and processing said satellite signal to recover media content carried in said satellite signal;   receiving, from a wireless communication device, a request for said media content;   communicating with a service provider network to determine whether said wireless communication device is authorized to receive said media content; and   communicating said media content to said wireless communication device via a first wireless connection.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said communicating with said service provider network is via a second wireless connection. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said first wireless connection supports higher bandwidth than said second wireless connection. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 said satellite dish assembly is connected to a gateway that routes traffic between said satellite dish assembly and a wide area network connection terminated at said gateway; and   communications between said satellite dish assembly and said service provider network do not traverse said network connection terminated at said gateway.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 said satellite dish assembly is connected to a gateway that routes traffic between said satellite dish assembly and a wide area network connection terminated at said gateway; and   said media content does not traverse said network connection terminated at said gateway in traveling from said satellite dish assembly to said wireless communication device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising communicating with said service provider network to provide said service provider network with information about said wireless communication device, information about content requested by said wireless communication device, and/or information about content consumed by said wireless communication device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said service provider network utilizes said information about said wireless communication device, said information about content requested by said wireless communication device, and/or said information about content consumed by said wireless communication device for managing a billing account associated with said wireless communication device.