Method and apparatus for enabling content provider authentication

• US 20060218227A1
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Spear, Stephen L.
• Application Number:
  US10/567,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20060218227A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel

Abstract

The need for enabling content providers to authenticate those given access to certain content is addressed by embodiments of the present invention. When a content delivery server (110) receives a request from user equipment (UE) (101) to subscribe to a content delivery session, the content delivery server determines whether content provider authentication is required. If it is, the content delivery server requests authentication by a content provider (120) for the UE for the session. After obtaining needed authentication parameters, the content provider indicates to the content delivery server an authentication result. The content delivery server then either denies the UE subscription request or proceeds with UE subscription based on the authentication result.

Claims

1. A method for enabling content provider authentication comprising:

receiving, by a content delivery server, a request from user equipment (UE) to activate a content delivery session;

determining, by the content delivery server, whether content provider authentication is required to activate the content delivery session for the UE;

when content provider authentication is determined to be required, requesting, by the content delivery server from the content provider, authentication for the UE for the content delivery session;

when the content provider indicates a successful authentication for the UE for the content delivery session, activating, by the content delivery server, the content delivery session for the UE.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content delivery server comprises a mobile communications network content delivery server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the mobile communications network content delivery server comprises a multimedia broadcast/multicast service (MBMS) server.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the mobile communications network content delivery server comprises a broadcast-multicast service center (BM-SC).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the content delivery server comprises a content translation server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content delivery session comprises a multicast session.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to activate the content delivery session comprises a request to receive particular content from the content provider.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to activate the content delivery session comprises a request to subscribe to particular content from the content provider.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to activate the content delivery session comprises a request to join a multicast group for the content delivery session.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the request to join comprises a request from the group consisting of an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) join message and a Multicast Listener Discovery (MLD) join message.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the content delivery session for the UE comprises subscribing the UE to the content delivery session.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the content delivery session for the UE comprises adding the UE to a multicast group for the content delivery session.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising denying, by the content delivery server, the request from the UE to activate the content delivery session, when the content provider indicates a failed authentication for the UE for the content delivery session.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein requesting authentication for the UE for the content delivery session comprises sending at least one authentication parameter for the UE to the content provider.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one authentication parameter comprises at least one parameter from the group consisting of a login ID, a password, a UE identifier, a user identifier, smart card information, and user biometric information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the user biometric information comprises biometric information from the group consisting of a photo, a voice sample, a retina scan, a finger print, and a palm print.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the content delivery server from the content provider, a request for at least one authentication parameter for the UE;

sending, by the content delivery server to the content provider, at least one authentication parameter for the UE in response to the request from the content provider.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

sending, by the content delivery server, a request for at least one authentication parameter for the UE.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, by the content delivery server, at least one authentication parameter for the UE from the UE.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, by the content delivery server, at least one authentication parameter for the UE from a mobile communications network database.

21. A method for enabling content provider authentication comprising:

receiving, by a content provider from a content delivery server, an authentication request for activation of a content delivery session for user equipment (UE);

authenticating, by the content provider, the UE for the content delivery session to produce an authentication result;

sending, by the content provider to the content delivery server, an indication of the authentication result.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein authenticating comprises determining that the UE is pre-authorized for the content delivery session thereby producing a successful authentication result.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein authenticating comprises:

sending, by the content provider to the content delivery server, a request for at least one authentication parameter for the UE;

receiving, by the content provider from the content delivery server, at least one authentication parameter for the UE in response to the request from the content provider;

determining the authentication result using the at least one authentication parameter received from the content delivery server.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein authenticating comprises:

sending, by the content provider to the UE, a request for at least one authentication parameter;

receiving, by the content provider from the UE, at least one authentication parameter in response to the request from the content provider;

determining the authentication result using the at least one authentication parameter received from the UE.

25. A content delivery server comprising:

a network interface adapted to send and receive messaging using at least one communication protocol;

a processor, communicatively coupled to the network interface,

adapted to receive, via the network interface, a request from user equipment (UE) to activate a content delivery session,

adapted to determine whether content provider authentication is required to activate the content delivery session for the UE,

adapted to request, from the content provider via the network interface, authentication for the UE for the content delivery session, when content provider authentication is determined to be required,

adapted to activate the content delivery session for the UE, when the content provider indicates a successful authentication for the UE for the content delivery session.

26. The content delivery server of claim 25, wherein the content delivery server comprises a broadcast-multicast service center (BM-SC).

27. The content delivery server of claim 25, wherein requesting authentication for the UE for the content delivery session comprises sending, via the network interface, at least one authentication parameter for the UE to the content provider.

28. A content provider comprising:

a network interface adapted to send user content and to send and receive messaging using at least one communication protocol;

a processor, communicatively coupled to the network interface,

adapted to receive, from a content delivery server via the network interface, an authentication request for activation of a content delivery session for user equipment (UE),

adapted to authenticate the UE for the content delivery session to produce an authentication result,

adapted to send, to the content delivery server via the network interface, an indication of the authentication result.