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

• US 10,587,906 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2018
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cronk, Gary, Putsch, Jonathan, Boutilier, James, Miller, Paul L., Dillon, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Abedin, Shanto
• Application Number:
  US16/195,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20190200062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• 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 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application

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.

Claims

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 between a computerized entity of the second network and the computerized user device;

performing a login process to verify a digital identity of a user utilizing the computerized user device, the verification comprising;

enabling the user to establish or input one or more credentials in a common login application (CLA) associated with the second network; and

accessing information unique to the user stored at a computerized network storage entity of the second network;

performing an authorization process to authorize or deny the computerized user device access to the digitally rendered content, the authorization process comprising receiving a communication from a computerized entity of the second network, the communication indicating that the computerized user device is authorized for the access; and

based on;

(i) the authorization, and (ii) an evaluation of the information unique to the user and the information input by the user, enabling the access of the digitally rendered content via the established session;

wherein the first network comprises an unmanaged internetwork, the second network comprises a managed network.

12. The computerized method of claim 11, wherein:

the receiving of the communication from the computerized entity of the second network comprises receiving a unique identifier associated with the user device; and

wherein;

the unique identifier is stored at the computerized entity of the second network; and

the storage of the unique identifier at the computerized entity of the second network enables the computerized entity of the second network to provide the user device access to second digitally rendered content without communicating with the computerized entity of the first network for authorization for access to the second digitally rendered content.

13. The computerized method of claim 11, further comprising performing a de-federation process to remove an association between the first network and the second network with respect to the user.

14. The computerized method of claim 11, wherein:

the determining of the plurality of resources comprises determining a number of program channels support by the first network; and

the receiving of the communication from the computerized entity of the second network comprising receiving data indicative of which of the number of program channels the user device is authorized to access.

15. The computerized method of claim 11, further comprising performing an account creation process to create the digital identity of the user, the creation of the digital identity of the user comprising correlation of the user to a division, the correlation configured to:

(i) enable account data to be correlated to the user, and (ii) enable performing searches for service details during the authorization process.

16. The computerized method of claim 11, wherein the performing of the authorization process comprises causing storage of authorization data configured to implement one or more rules via the computerized entity of the second network, the one or more rules comprising at least one rule indicative that:

(i) based at least on an the approved level of service of the user being of a first tier, enabling the one or more trick mode functionalities with respect to servicing one or more requests; 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, disabling the one or more trick mode functionalities with respect to servicing the one or more requests subsequent to the request for the protected digitally rendered content.

17. The computerized method of claim 11, wherein the performing of the login process comprises receiving data representative of a request for the access to the digitally rendered content, 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 one or more credentials are protected by the at least one of encryption and/or cryptographic hashing.

18. The computerized method of claim 11, wherein the performing of the login process comprises causing display of information to the user, the displayed information being pre-defined and relevant to both the first network and the second network.

19. The computerized method of claim 11, where the performing of the authorization process comprises 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.

20. The computerized method of claim 11, wherein the performing of the setup process comprises, based at least on a determination that a session has not been established between the computerized user device and one or more computerized processes of the second network, causing establishment of the session via at least a computerized network device configured to enable transport or migration of one or more sessions.