Method, manufacture, and apparatus for instantiating plugin from within browser

• US 10,572,633 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2017
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Dorwin, David Kimbal
• Primary Examiner(s): Debrow, James J
• Application Number:
  US15/400,927
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3003 Monitoring arrangements specially adapted to the computing system or computing system component being monitored
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1062 Editing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1073 Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/50 Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/103 applying security measure for protecting copy right protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment, e.g. protection the software providers copyright G06F21/10; data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; secrecy systems or subscription systems H04N7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/00 Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00; network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorised activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 : Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1108 : Web based protocols, e.g. webRTC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 : for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 : at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0631 : Substitution permutation network [SPN], i.e. cipher composed of a number of stages or rounds each involving linear and nonlinear transformations, e.g. AES algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 : Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 : including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 : involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/24 : Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth, upstream requests monitoring of server performance or load G06F11/34; arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 : involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 : involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 : involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 : involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and manufacture for instantiating a browser plugin is provided. A client web browser of a client is employed to instantiate a browser plugin for the client web browser. Next, the client web browser is employed to obtain a reference to the browser plugin. Then, a command is given to the browser plugin via the reference to the browser plugin. The browser plugin is used by the client web browser rather than the web page.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

instantiating a module using an online content viewing application in response to identifying an action initiated by a web page, the web page being received by the online content viewing application, the module being instantiated based on one or more elements in a hidden resource, the hidden resource being generated by the online content viewing application, responsive to identifying the action, and hidden from the web page;

obtaining, using the online content viewing application, a reference to the module, the reference being inaccessible from the received web page; and

providing a command from the online content viewing application to the module via the reference.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein comprises identifying an action initiated by the web page comprises identifying media content in the web page, the method further comprising:

generating the hidden resource responsive to identifying the media content, the hidden resource comprising a first reference to the media content;

processing, by the online content viewing application, the hidden resource to initiate playback of the media content;

wherein the module is instantiated using the online content viewing application in response to processing the hidden resource;

wherein the command is provided in connection with the playback of the media content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the media content comprises identifying an action initiated by the web page, wherein the module is a content decryption module (CDM) that operates on the media content separately from the playback of the media content, and wherein the action initiated by the received web page comprises an indication that content decryption or content protection is required for media content.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the action initiated by the received web page comprises a cryptographic function being called by code provided by the received web page.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the module is executed in a restricted application space, separated from the online content viewing application.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the command is associated with decoding or decryption of the media content, the method further comprising:

performing decoding or decryption of the media content using the CDM.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the online content viewing application comprises a media stack, and wherein the CDM decodes or decrypts the media content in conjunction with the media stack, the media stack operating as part of a client media player to provide playback of the media content to a user interface.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

loading a media playback control application in response to a media tag provide by the received web page;

receiving an indication of an instruction by the media playback control application for the media stack to initiate the playback of the media content;

receiving an indication that a license is required for the media stack to initiate playback of the media content; and

receiving an indication that the license was provided to the media stack by the media playback control application,

wherein the playback of the media content is performed after the license is provided to the media stack.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sending, by the media stack, the license to the CDM via the reference; and

receiving an indication that the media content was decoded or decrypted using the CDM in response to receiving the license via the reference.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein instantiating the module comprises:

injecting, by the online content viewing application, a code element into the received web page.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein instantiating the module comprises:

injecting, by the online content viewing application, a code element into a shadow document object model, a hidden web page, or a hidden frame that is separate from and inaccessible by the received web page.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the command to the module is a command associated with obtaining a key for decrypting encrypted media content.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein instantiating the module comprises generating a document object model (DOM) sub-tree for a predetermined DOM associated with the received web page, wherein elements of the sub-tree are inaccessible by elements of the predetermined DOM.

14. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, perform operations comprising;

instantiating a module using an online content viewing application in response to identifying an action initiated by a web page, the web page being received by the online content viewing application, the module being instantiated based on one or more elements in a hidden resource, the hidden resource being generated by the online content viewing application, responsive to identifying the action, and hidden from the web page;

obtaining, using the online content viewing application, a reference to the module, the reference being inaccessible from the received web page; and

providing a command from the online content viewing application to the module via the reference.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the module is a content decryption module (CDM), and wherein the action initiated by the received web page comprises an indication that content decryption or content protection is required for media content, and wherein the operations further comprise:

performing decoding or decryption of the media content using the CDM.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the action initiated by the received web page comprises a cryptographic function being called by code provided by the received web page.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the module is executed in a restricted application space, separated from the online content viewing application.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the online content viewing application comprises a media stack, and wherein the CDM decodes or decrypts the media content in conjunction with the media stack, the media stack operating as part of a client media player to provide playback of the media content to a user interface.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise:

loading a media playback control application in response to a media tag provide by the received web page;

receiving an indication of an instruction by the media playback control application for the media stack to initiate the playback of the media content;

receiving an indication that a license is required for the media stack to initiate playback of the media content; and

receiving an indication that the license was provided to the media stack by the media playback control application,

wherein the playback of the media content is performed after the license is provided to the media stack.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

sending, by the media stack, the license to the CDM via the reference; and

receiving an indication that the media content was decoded or decrypted using the CDM in response to receiving the license via the reference.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed, perform a method comprising:

identifying media content in a web page received by an online content viewing application;

generating, by an online viewing application responsive to identifying the media content, a hidden resource comprising a first reference to the media content, wherein the hidden resource is hidden from the web page;

processing, by the online content viewing application, the hidden resource to initiate playback of the media content;

instantiating a module using the online content viewing application in response to processing the hidden resource;

obtaining, using the online content viewing application, a reference to the module, the reference being inaccessible from the received web page;

providing, in connection with the playback of the media content, from the online content viewing application to the module, via the reference, a command for an operation associated with playback of the media content; and

receiving an indication that the operation was performed based on the command.