Method and system for allocating access to digital media content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10387629-B2
Application number	US-201314024159-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2013
Priority date	Jun 26, 2009
Publication date	Aug 20, 2019
Grant date	Aug 20, 2019

Abstract

There is provided a method and system for allocating an entitlement to digital media content. In one implementation, the system includes a media server accessible over a communications network and configured to utilize a processor to issue the entitlement including a transferable authorization to access the digital media content to a first user, and to store an entitlement record identified with the first user and authorizing access to the digital media content by the first user in a memory of the media server. The media server is further configured to receive a communication including a data corresponding to the transferable authorization to access the digital media content from a second user and to update the entitlement record to authorize access to the digital media content by the second user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for allocating access to a digital movie of a plurality of digital movies, the method comprising:
obtaining, by a media server, a primary license over a network from an originating license server for using the digital movie having a plurality of video frames;
receiving, by the media server, a first request over the network from a first user requesting a first right to access the digital movie stored in a single media file;
determining, by the media server, a first secondary license based on the primary license in response to the first request from the first user;
providing, by the media server, a first license key to the first user for making use of not the entirety but a first predetermined number of video frames of the plurality of the video frames being streamed by the media server from the single media file, in response to the first request, to the first user, wherein the first predetermined number of video frames of the plurality of the video frames are made unavailable for licensing to other users while being streamed by the media server from the single media file, and wherein each of the first predetermined number of video frames is made available for licensing to the other users immediately upon completion of streaming each of the first predetermined number of video frames to the first user; and
providing, by the media server, a second license key to a second user for making use of not the entirety but a second predetermined number of video frames of the plurality of the video frames, other than the first predetermined number of video frames, being streamed by the media server from the single media file, in response to a second request by the second user, to the second user while the first predetermined number of video frames are being streamed to the first user.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the media server, the second request over the network from the second user requesting a right to access the digital movie;
determining, by the media server, a second secondary license based on the primary license and the second request in response to the second request from the second user, wherein the second license key is provided based on the second secondary license.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising prohibiting assignment of the second secondary license for using the digital movie to a user other than the second user while the second predetermined number of video frames are being streamed to the second user.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising canceling the first secondary license to the first user.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising enabling reassignment of the first secondary license.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital movie comprises audio-visual content.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein digital movie comprises music content.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital movie comprises gaming content.

9. A media server for allocating access to a digital movie of a plurality of digital movies, the media server comprising:
a processor configured to:
obtain a primary license over a network from an originating license server for using the digital movie having a plurality of video frames;
receive a first request over the network from a first user requesting a first right to access the digital movie stored in a single media file;
determine a first secondary license based on the primary license in response to the first request from the first user;
provide a first license key to the first user for making use of not the entirety but a first predetermined number of video frames of the plurality of the video frames being streamed by the media server from the single media file, in response to the first request, to the first user, wherein the first predetermined number of video frames of the plurality of the video frames are made unavailable for licensing to other users while being streamed by the media server from the single media file, and wherein each of the first predetermined number of video frames is made available for licensing to the other users immediately upon completion of streaming each of the first predetermined number of video frames to the first user; and
provide a second license key to a second user for making use of not the entirety but a second predetermined number of video frames of the plurality of the video frames, other than the first predetermined number of video frames, being streamed by the media server from the single media file, in response to a second request by the second user, to the second user while the first predetermined number of video frames are being streamed to the first user.

10. The media server of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive the second request over the network from the second user requesting a right to access the digital movie; and
determining a second secondary license based on the primary license and the second request in response to the second request from the second user, wherein the second license key is provided based on the second secondary license.

11. The media server of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to prohibit assignment of the second secondary license for using the digital movie to a user other than the second user while the second predetermined number of video frames are being streamed to the second user.

12. The media server of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to cancel the first secondary license to the first user.

13. The media server of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to enable reassignment of the first secondary license.

14. The media server of claim 9 , wherein the digital movie comprises audio-visual content.

15. The media server of claim 9 , wherein digital movie comprises music content.

16. The media server of claim 9 , wherein the digital movie comprises gaming content.

Assignees

• Disney Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Robert Arnaud
• Schonfeld Robert
• Todorovic Maja
• Diner David
• Peng Shih-Ta (Thomas)

Classifications

• H04N21/2541

  Rights Management (protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08) · CPC title

• H04N21/835

  Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates {(protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10)} · CPC title

• H04L63/10

  for controlling access to devices or network resources · CPC title

• G06F2221/2141

  Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices · CPC title

• H04L2463/101

  applying security measures for digital rights management · CPC title