Apparatus and methods for content delivery and message exchange across multiple content delivery networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10587906-B2
Application number	US-201816195408-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2018
Priority date	Nov 24, 2008
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing protected content to subscribers of a managed (e.g., MSO) network via a content source accessible via an internetwork such as the Internet. In one embodiment, a user accesses a programmer website website, and requests content. The programmer determines whether the requesting user is permitted to access the content, and what rights or restrictions are associated with the user. This includes authenticating the user as a subscriber of the MSO, and determining the subscriber's subscription level. In another embodiment, a user's account with the MSO and programmer may be federated, thus a given user will have MSO-specific information regarding its identity (such as login information, GUID, etc.) and/or information regarding subscription level and service details, stored at the programmer. Messages received from the MSO representing permission for the user to access content may also be stored at the programmer site for later reference.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computerized method for determining whether a user is permitted to access, via a first network, protected digitally rendered content associated with a second network, the computerized method comprising:
causing establishment of a session via at least a computerized network device;
receiving data representative of a request for the protected digitally rendered content from a computerized client device associated with the user in the first network;
determining the second network to which said user is associated;
sending at least one message to a computerized entity of the second network, the at least one message comprising:
login information entered by the user; and
the data representative of the request for the protected digitally rendered content;

based at least on the message, receiving, from the computerized entity of the second network, a communication for storage at a computerized entity within the first network, the communication comprising data indicating that the user is permitted in the first network to access the protected digitally rendered content associated with the second network; and
based at least on an approved level of service of the user, causing enablement or disablement of one or more trick mode functionalities with respect to servicing one or more requests subsequent to the request for the protected digitally rendered content;
wherein the first network comprises an unmanaged internetwork, the second network comprises a managed network having a network operator; and
wherein the computerized entity of the first network comprises a server process, the server process configured to enable provision of digitally rendered content to a plurality of computerized client devices within the unmanaged internetwork via a plurality of corresponding sessions including the session.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving the login information from the user, the login information comprising information pre-established at the second network to correspond to the user; and
causing storage of authorization data related to the communication at the computerized entity of the second network.

3. The computerized method of claim 2 , wherein the causing the storage of the authorization data comprises causing storage of data configured to implement one or more rules via at least the computerized entity of the second network, the one or more rules comprising at least one rule indicative that: (i) based at least on the approved level of service of the user being of a first tier, the one or more trick mode functionalities are enabled with respect to servicing the one or more requests subsequent to the request for the protected digitally rendered content; and (ii) based at least on the approved level of service of the user being of a second tier lower than that of the first tier, the one or more trick mode functionalities are disabled with respect to servicing the one or more requests subsequent to the request for the protected digitally rendered content.

4. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the data representative of the request for the protected digitally rendered content comprises receiving the login information, the data representative of the request comprising an obfuscated communication comprising at least one of: (i) an encrypted communication; and (ii) a cryptographically hashed communication, such that at least the login information is protected by the at least one of encryption and/or cryptographic hashing.

5. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving of the communication comprises receiving the communication in a uniform description language, the uniform description language enabling management of the protected digitally rendered content across heterogeneous network environments, the heterogeneous network environments comprising one or more networks outside of direct control by the managed network, the one or more networks comprising the first network.

6. The computerized method of claim 1 , further comprising causing display of information during a login process, the displayed information being pre-defined and relevant to both the first network and the second network.

7. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the second network to which the user is associated comprises displaying a data structure having a plurality of network entities from which the user can select.

8. The computerized method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying the user, the identifying comprising: (i) performing a hash algorithm of an Internet Protocol (IP) address which produces a hash output, and (ii) matching the hashed output with one or more outputs from the hash algorithm corresponding to one or more other computerized client devices associated with the user.

9. A computerized method of determining whether digitally rendered content may be provided, from a first network, to a computerized client device of a user in a second network, the computerized method comprising:
receiving first data representative of a request for authorization of access by the user to the digitally rendered content from a computerized entity of the first network, the receiving of the first data representative of the request comprising receiving the data representative of the request via at least a portion of the first network, the first data comprising at least a user-specific identifier and data indicative of the digitally rendered content;
performing an authorization process, the authorization process comprising:
determining based at least on the first data, whether a session has been established between the computerized client device and one or more computerized processes of the second network;
based at least on a determination that a session has not been established, causing establishment of the session via at least a computerized network device;
determining a subscriber identity within the second network based at least in part on the user-specific identifier;
retrieving service details associated with the user; and
evaluating the retrieved service details based at least on the data indicative of the digitally rendered content; and

based on the evaluating indicating that the user is authorized for access to the digitally rendered content, providing a communication enabling delivery of the digitally rendered content to the computerized client device via at least the first network, the delivery of the digitally rendered content to the computerized client device comprises delivery over at least a portion of the second network;
wherein the first network comprises an unmanaged internetwork, the second network comprises a managed network.

10. The computerized method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving second data representative of a subsequent request for authorization of access by the user to other digitally rendered content, the other digitally rendered content being from the computerized entity of the first network; and
based on the receiving of the second data being outside of a pre-defined time period relative to the receiving of the first data, re-performing the authorization process.

11. A computerized method for determining whether a computerized user device in data communication with a first network is permitted to access digitally rendered content, access to the digitally rendered content managed by a second network, the computerized method comprising:
performing a setup process to establish a relationship between the first network and the second network, the setup process comprising:
determining a plurality of resources supported by the first network; and
causing establishment of a session

Assignees

• Time Warner Cable Entpr Llc

Inventors

• Cronk Gary
• Putsch Jonathan
• Boutilier James
• Miller Paul L
• Dillon Michael

Classifications

• H04N21/6125

  involving transmission via Internet (transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82) · CPC title

• H04L63/102

  Entity profiles · CPC title

• H04N21/25875 Primary

  involving end-user authentication (restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06) · CPC title

• H04N21/4753

  for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password (cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08) · CPC title

• H04N21/47202

  for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand · CPC title