Network based proxy control of content

• US 20040148408A1
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Inventors: Nadarajah, Dinesh
• Granted Patent: US 7,725,582 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [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 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0464 using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it
• 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 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A communications system serves as a proxy for a user device in a communications network. The communications system includes a network gateway that receives content in response to a user initiated content utilization attempt from a user device. A computer receives the content from the network gateway and, in response to receiving the content, determines whether the content utilization by the user can be permitted. The computer can also determine whether the content utilization by the user can be completed.

Claims

1. A communications system that serves as a proxy for at least one user device in a communications network, the communications system comprising:

a network gateway that receives content in response to a user initiated content utilization attempt from a user device; and

a computer that receives the content from the network gateway and, in response to receiving the content, determines whether the content utilization can be permitted and completed.

2. The communications system of claim 1, wherein the communications system determines whether the content utilization can be permitted based upon an ID provided with the content.

3. The communications system of claim 2, wherein the communications system retrieves information associated with the ID, the information being used to determine whether the content utilization is permitted.

4. The communications system of claim 3, wherein the communications system determines whether an owner of the content has permitted the content utilization.

5. The communications system of claim 1, the communications system further comprising a memory apparatus that stores information used to determine whether the content utilization is permitted.

6. The communications system of claim 5, wherein the information includes license data.

7. The communications system of claim 5, wherein the information includes business rules data.

8. The communications system of claim 1, the communications system further comprising a digital rights management (DRM) apparatus that stores digital rights management information related to the content,

wherein the digital rights management apparatus is queried in response to receiving the content.

9. The communications system of claim 8, wherein a response to the query includes information used to determine whether the content utilization is permitted.

10. The communications system of claim 9, wherein if the content utilization is permitted, the communications system determines whether the content utilization can be completed.

11. The communications system of claim of claim 1, wherein the communications system determines whether the content utilization can be completed based upon an ID provided with the content.

12. The communications system of claim 11, wherein the communications system retrieves information associated with the ID, the information being used to determine whether the content utilization can be completed.

13. The communications system of claim 1, the communications system further comprising a memory apparatus that stores information used to determine whether the content utilization can be completed.

14. The communications system of claim 13, wherein the information includes capability information describing capabilities of the user device.

15. The communications system of claim of claim 1, wherein the communications system determines whether the content utilization can be completed based upon data processing requirements of the content.

16. A method for determining whether a user device is permitted to utilize content using a communications network, the method comprising:

receiving the content from a network gateway of a communications service provider at a proxy in response to a user initiated content utilization attempt at the user device; and

determining, at the proxy, whether the content utilization is permitted, in response to receiving the content at the proxy.

17. The method for determining whether a user device is permitted to utilize content of claim 16, wherein the determining is based upon an ID provided with the content.

18. The method for determining whether a user device is permitted to utilize content of claim 17, further comprising retrieving information associated with the ID, the information being used to determine whether the content utilization is permitted.

19. The method for determining whether a user device is permitted to utilize content of claim 16, further comprising:

in response to receiving the content, querying a digital rights management apparatus that stores digital rights management information related to the content.

20. The method for determining whether a user device is permitted to utilize content of claim 19, wherein a response to the query includes information used to determine whether the content utilization is permitted.

21. The method for determining whether a user device is permitted to utilize content of claim 19, further comprising, if the content utilization is permitted, determining whether the content utilization can be completed.

22. The method for determining whether a user device is permitted to utilize content of claim 21, further comprising determining whether the content utilization can be completed based upon an ID provided with the content.

23. The method for determining whether a user device is permitted to utilize content of claim 22, further comprising retrieving information associated with the ID, and determining whether the content utilization can be completed using the retrieved information.

24. The method for determining whether a user device is permitted to utilize content of claim 16, further comprising storing information used to determine whether the content utilization can be completed.

25. The method for determining whether a user device is permitted to utilize content of claim 24, wherein the information includes capability information describing capabilities of the user device.

26. The method for determining whether a user device is permitted to utilize content of claim 16, further comprising determining whether the content utilization can be completed based upon data processing requirements of the content.

27. A computer readable medium for storing a computer program that determines whether a user device is permitted to utilize content using a communications network, the computer readable medium comprising:

a content receiving source code segment that receives the content from a network gateway of a communications service provider in response to a user initiated content utilization attempt at the user device; and

a permission determining source code segment that determines, at a proxy, whether the content utilization is permitted, in response to receiving the content at the proxy.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, further comprising an information storing source code segment that stores information used to determine whether the content utilization is permitted.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 27, further comprising a management querying source code segment that, in response to receiving the content, queries a digital right management apparatus that stores digital rights management information related to the content.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, further comprising a completion determining source code segment that, if the content utilization is permitted, determines whether the content utilization can be completed.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 27, further comprising an information retrieving source code segment that retrieves information associated with an ID that is provided with the content and determines whether the content utilization can be completed using the retrieved information.