Security framework for HTTP streaming architecture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9485238-B2
Application number	US-201414296322-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2014
Priority date	Dec 29, 2009
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for preventing unauthorized access to online content, including in particular streaming video and other media, are provided. In various embodiments, techniques are provided to authorize users and to authenticate clients (e.g., client media players) to a content delivery system. The content delivery system may comprise a content delivery network with one or more content or “edge” servers therein. The requesting client is sent a program at the time of content delivery. The program may be embedded in the content stream, or sent outside of the stream. The program contains instructions that are executed by the client and cause it to return identifying information to the content delivery system, which can then determine whether the client player is recognized and, if so, authorized to view the content. Unrecognized and/or altered players may be prevented from viewing the content.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method operative at a content server, comprising:
receiving a request for multimedia content from a client player application;
sending the multimedia content from the content server to the client player application and, at the time of sending the multimedia content from the content server to the client player application, also sending a program to the client player application, the program including one or more instructions that, when executed, cause the client player application to encode a user identifier into a token;
receiving the token;
extracting the user identifier from the token and determining whether the user is authorized to receive the multimedia content.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the program includes one of a plurality of algorithms for encoding the user identifier into the token, the content server selecting the algorithm from amongst the plurality of algorithms.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the program specifies one or more steps needed by the client player application for encoding the user identifier into the token.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is an HTTP request.

5. A system, comprising:
a plurality of computers, each comprising a processor and memory storing instructions for operating the respective computer, the plurality of computers forming a distributed processing system for delivering multimedia content;
the plurality of computers operative as a result of executing the stored instructions to cause the distributed processing system to:
receive a request for multimedia content from a client player application;
send the multimedia content to the client player application and, at the time of sending the multimedia content from the computer to the client player application, also send a program that is embedded into the multimedia content to the client player application, the program including one or more instructions that, when executed, cause the client player application to encode a user identifier into a token;
receive the token;
extract the user identifier from the token;
determine whether the user is authorized to receive the multimedia content based at least in part on the user identifier; and
abort transmission of the multimedia content when the user is not authorized.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the program includes one of a plurality of algorithms for encoding the user identifier into the token, the distributed processing system selecting the algorithm from amongst the plurality of algorithms.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the program specifies one or more steps needed by the client player application for encoding the user identifier into the token.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the request is an HTTP request.

Assignees

• Akamai Tech Inc

Inventors

• Knox Christopher R
• Law William
• Devanneaux Thomas
• Brookins Nicholas Shayne
• Olugbile Akinwale Olugbemiga

Classifications

• H04N21/47202

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

• H04L63/04

  for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks · CPC title

• H04L65/1069

  Session establishment or de-establishment · CPC title

• H04L29/06462

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L29/06448

  Electricity · mapped topic