Method and system for determining locality using network signatures

• US 20050226152A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Long, Kenneth W., Cuttner, Craig Davis, Stephens, Spencer, Cahill, Conor P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,576,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0045 Arrangements at the receiver end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0061 Error detection codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals

Abstract

Content is distributed from a source to a sink only if the sink is within a predetermined geographic locality. In one embodiment, a signature request is sent to the sink. The sink obtains an actual signature compares it to the requested signature, and if the requested signature and the actual signature resemble each other sufficiently closely, then the content is sent to the sink The signature is compiled from parameters obtained from appropriate parameter detectors. The parameter detectors generate, detect and monitor various signals required for determining the locality of the sink.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting content within a predetermined geographic region comprising:

a content source generating control signals including a requested signature; and

a sink receiving said content, said sink including a portion generating a an actual signature indicative of a locality of said sink, wherein said sink is able to utilize said content only if said requested signature is within a predetermined range of said actual signature.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said signature is defined by a plurality of parameters associated with the characteristics of the network connections of said sink.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said sink includes a plurality of modules for calculating said parameters and a compiler for compiling said signature from said parameters.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said parameters include at least one of an IP subnet address, a MAC address, a path to an Internet Server, an FM signal, a cellular telephone base station signal, a path to a home network server and an RTT versus transmitted packet size profile.

5. A system for transmitting content comprising:

a source transmitting a requested signature; and

a sink receiving said requested signature, generating an actual signature and comparing the required and actual signature, said sink being able to utilize the content only if the actual signature meets predetermined criteria.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said sink generates a plurality of signals to determine said actual signature.

7. A method of distributing content from a source comprising the steps of:

transmitting a requested for a signature from the source;

receiving said request by a sink;

returning a response signal responsive to said request, said response including a signature dependent on at least one parameter indicative of the locality of said sink

determining if said signature meets a set of criteria; and

if said signature meets the criteria then in response transmitting said content to said sink.

8. A method of distributing content comprising the steps of:

transmitting a required signature over the linternet;

receiving said required signature by a sink;

comparing said required signature with an actual signature; and

transmitting said content if said actual signature is similar to said required signature.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising sending an acknowledgement by said sink responsive to said requested signature, wherein said content is transmitted responsive to said acknowledgement.