METHOD OF USING TOKENS AND POLICY DESCRIPTORS FOR DYNAMIC ON DEMAND SESSION MANAGEMENT

• US 20070143457A1
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Holdings LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Mao, Weidong, Compton, Charles, Black, Neville
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1066 Session management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• 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 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

Tokens and policy descriptors are used for dynamic on demand session management in a distributed and scalable architecture for on demand sessions and resource management. The architecture includes an on demand client, a purchase server, and a session manager. A purchase token is generated at the purchase server and assigned to the on demand client. The purchase token represents at least one requested asset. In response to an on demand session set-up request corresponding to the purchase token from the on demand client to the session manager, the purchase token is expanded to generate at least one dynamic policy management descriptor for the on demand session. This provides token-based purchase authorization and policy management for on demand services.

Claims

1. A method of using tokens and policy descriptors for dynamic on demand session management in a distributed and scalable architecture for on demand session and resource management, the architecture including an on demand client, a purchase server, and a session manager, the method comprising:

generating a purchase token at the purchase server and assigning the purchase token to the on demand client, the purchase token representing at least one requested asset; and

in response to an on demand session set-up request corresponding to the purchase token from the on demand client to the session manager, expanding the purchase token to generate at least one dynamic policy management descriptor for the on demand session, thereby providing token-based purchase authorization and policy management for on demand services.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the on demand session is a video on demand session.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the on demand session is a network PVR session.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the on demand session involves the delivery of an IP stream.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the on demand session involves a two-way interactive service.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one dynamic policy descriptor includes an asset list descriptor that identifies the at least one requested asset.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one dynamic policy descriptor includes a conditional access descriptor that includes information regarding copy protection and encryption for the session.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one dynamic policy descriptor includes a policy descriptor which indicates priority requirements for the session.

9. The method claim 1 further comprising:

sending a purchase token identifier to the on demand client when the purchase token is generated; and

sending the on demand session set-up request corresponding to the purchase token from the on demand client to the session manger, the on demand session set-up request including the purchase token identifier.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the on demand session set-up request further includes a QAM list descriptor that indicates QAM devices available to the on demand client.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

upon successful session set-up, sending a session set-up confirm message from the session manager to the on-demand client, the session set-up confirm message including a QAM list descriptor that indicates the QAM device for the session.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the on demand session set-up request further includes a stream control protocol descriptor that indicates protocol types available to the on demand client.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

upon successful session set-up, sending a session set-up confirm message from the session manager to the on-demand client, the session set-up confirm message including a stream control protocol descriptor that indicates the stream control protocol for the session.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the purchase token is authorized for a specific period of time, and wherein the purchase token is used to manage a life cycle of the at least one requested asset within the specific period of time.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein multiple sessions associated with the purchase token are setup during the specified period of time.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein a first session associated with the purchase token is stopped, and wherein a subsequent session associated with the purchase token and during the specified period of time resumes where the first session was stopped.

17. A distributed and scalable architecture for on demand session and resource management, the architecture including an on demand client, a purchase server, and a session manager, the architecture being configured to perform a method of using tokens and policy descriptors for dynamic on demand session management, the method comprising:

generating a purchase token at the purchase server and assigning the purchase token to the on demand client, the purchase token representing at least one requested asset; and

in response to an on demand session set-up request corresponding to the purchase token from the on demand client to the session manager, expanding the purchase token to generate at least one dynamic policy management descriptor for the on demand session, thereby providing token-based purchase authorization and policy management for on demand services.

18. The architecture of claim 17 wherein the at least one dynamic policy descriptor includes an asset list descriptor that identifies the at least one requested asset.

19. The architecture of claim 17 wherein the at least one dynamic policy descriptor includes a conditional access descriptor that includes information regarding copy protection and encryption for the session.

20. The architecture of claim 17 wherein the at least one dynamic policy descriptor includes a policy descriptor which indicates priority requirements for the session.

21. The architecture claim 17 wherein the method further comprises:

sending a purchase token identifier to the on demand client when the purchase token is generated; and

sending the on demand session set-up request corresponding to the purchase token from the on demand client to the session manger, the on demand session set-up request including the purchase token identifier.

22. The architecture of claim 21 wherein the on demand session set-up request further includes a QAM list descriptor that indicates QAM devices available to the on demand client.

23. The architecture of claim 21 wherein the on demand session set-up request further includes a stream control protocol descriptor that indicates protocol types available to the on demand client.

24. The architecture of claim 17 wherein the purchase token is authorized for a specific period of time, and wherein the purchase token is used to manage a life cycle of the at least one requested asset within the specific period of time.

25. The architecture of claim 24 wherein multiple sessions associated with the purchase token are setup during the specified period of time.

26. The architecture of claim 24 wherein a first session associated with the purchase token is stopped, and wherein a subsequent session associated with the purchase token and during the specified period of time resumes where the first session was stopped.