Regulating access to content using a multitiered rule base

• US 10,586,221 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2010
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blumenfeld, Steven M., Raduchel, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Qayyum, Zeshan
• Application Number:
  US12/685,235
• Time in Patent Office: 3,711 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/434 using image data, e.g. images, photos, pictures taken by a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 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 Class Codes: H04N 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 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 Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content 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 Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed

Abstract

Access to a content selection may be regulated by accessing a medium associated with the content selection, identifying a profile associated with the medium, using the profile to analyze a content request with a multitiered rule base that includes two or more of a medium rule base, a media player rule base, and a host rule base, and enabling access to the content selection in accordance with one or more results of the analysis.

Claims

1. A method of regulating access to a content selection, the method comprising:

receiving by a computer, a request to access a content selection;

configuring by the computer, a media player to access a medium associated with the content selection;

accessing by the computer the medium associated with the content selection;

reading by the computer and using an out-of-band sensor an image with reference information encoded in machine readable format, the reference information including a token identifier;

determining by the computer a state of network connectivity for a media player;

accessing and applying by the computer, based on the determined state of network connectivity for the media player and the read reference information a rule base from across a domain, wherein the domain includes a set of rule bases where one or more of the rule bases in the set of rule bases is inaccessible as indicated by the state of network connectivity, the set of rules bases including at least;

a medium rule base stored with the medium, the medium rule base including a set of access rules related to content permissions associated with the medium;

a media player rule base stored on the media player, the media player rule base including a set of access rules related to content permissions associated with the media player; and

a host rule base stored on the host, the host rule base including a set of access rules related to content permission associated with the host, the host being remote from the media player;

analyzing by the computer, the request by;

determining that (i) the host rule base stored on the host is inaccessible and (ii) one or more of the medium rule base stored with the medium and the media player rule base is stored on the media player is accessible;

in response to determining that (i) the host rule base stored on the host is inaccessible and (ii) one or more of the medium rule base is stored with the medium and the media player rule base stored on the media player is accessible, accessing by the computer at least one accessible rule base; and

determining by the computer and based on the token identifier, at least one result associated with access rights to the content selection from the at least one accessed rule base; and

accessing by the computer, the content selection in accordance with the at least one result of the analysis.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying a profile associated with the medium, wherein identifying the profile includes identifying a reference for the medium.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein identifying the reference includes identifying a unique serial number.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying a user accessing the content selection.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

identifying content identified by a profile; and

determining an access right for the user for the content identified by the profile.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising reporting the request to access the content selection to a reporting agent.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein reporting the request to access the content selection includes aggregating multiple requests to access content selections associated with the media player and reporting the aggregated multiple requests to access the content selections to the host.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the request by accessing the accessed rule base includes automatically discovering additional access rights by polling any of the rule bases upon determination that a user attempts to engage in a request to access the content selection for an operation not previously allowed in accordance with the access right.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising enabling the user to engage in the request to access the content selection by charging the request to access the content selection against a user account.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein charging the request against the user account includes adjusting a license pool that enables the user to engage in at least one licensing operation.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein adjusting the license pool includes adjusting an escrow account for previously purchased access rights that do not specifically identify the content selection.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein charging the request against the user account includes using an out-of-band token to identify the account, and charging the request to access the content selection against the user account in response to using the out-of-band token.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the at least one result associated with access rights to the content selection from the at least one accessed rule base comprises:

determining the at least one result using, in order of priority and based on accessibility, the host rule base, the media player rule base, and the medium rule base.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the request includes determining an access right without challenging a user.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising reading the medium with an out-of-band token related to the medium.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the request includes:

enabling a user to copy content in response to determining to make the determination of at least one result from the host rule base stored on the host.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the request includes:

enabling a user to copy content in response to determining to make the determination of at least one result from a content-access system rule base and based on a media player storing the media player rule base exchanging licensing information with a host.

18. A system comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium;

a processor;

the non-transitory computer readable medium storing executable instructions that when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the functions of;

receiving a request to access a content selection;

configuring a media player to access a medium associated with the content selection;

accessing the medium associated with the content selection;

reading and using an out-of-band sensor, an image with reference information encoded in machine readable format, the reference information including a token identifier;

determining a state of network connectivity for a media player;

accessing and applying based on the determined state of network connectivity for the media player and the read reference information a rule base from across a domain, wherein the domain includes a set of rule bases where one or more of the rule bases in the set of rule bases is inaccessible as indicated by the state of network connectivity, the set of rules bases including at least;

a medium rule base stored with the medium, the medium rule base including a set of access rules related to content permissions associated with the medium;

a media player rule base stored on the media player, the media player rule base including a set of access rules related to content permissions associated with the media player; and

a host rule base stored on the host, the host rule base including a set of access rules related to content permission associated with the host, the host being remote from the media player;

analyzing the request by;

determining that (i) the host rule base stored on the host is inaccessible and (ii) one or more of the medium rule base stored with the medium and the media player rule base stored on the media player is accessible;

in response to determining that (i) the host rule base stored on the host is inaccessible and (ii) one or more of the medium rule base stored with the medium and the media player rule base stored on the media player is accessible, accessing by the computer at least one accessible rule base; and

determining based on the token identifier, at least one result associated with access rights to the content selection from the at least one accessed rule base; and

accessing the content selection in accordance with the at least one result of the analysis.

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

identifying a profile associated with the medium, wherein identifying the profile includes identifying a reference for the medium.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to access a content selection;

configuring a media player to access a medium associated with the content selection;

accessing the medium associated with the content selection;

reading and using an out-of-band sensor, an image with reference information encoded in machine readable format, the reference information including a token identifier;

determining a state of network connectivity for a media player;

accessing and applying based on the determined state of network connectivity for the media player and the read reference information a rule base from across a domain, wherein the domain includes a set of rule bases where one or more of the rule bases in the set of rule bases is inaccessible as indicated by the state of network connectivity, the set of rules bases including at least;

a medium rule base stored with the medium, the medium rule base including a set of access rules related to content permissions associated with the medium;

a media player rule base stored on the media player, the media player rule base including a set of access rules related to content permissions associated with the media player; and

a host rule base stored on the host, the host rule base including a set of access rules related to content permission associated with the host, the host being remote from the media player;

analyzing the request by;

determining that (i) the host rule base stored on the host is inaccessible and (ii) one or more of the medium rule base stored with the medium and the media player rule base stored on the media player is accessible;

in response to determining that (i) the host rule base stored on the host is inaccessible and (ii) one or more of the medium rule base stored with the medium and the media player rule base stored on the media player is accessible, accessing by the computer at least one accessible rule base; and

determining based on the token identifier, at least one result associated with access rights to the content selection from the at least one accessed rule base; and

accessing the content selection in accordance with the at least one result of the analysis.