CONTENT DISTRIBUTION AND EVALUATION PROVIDING REVIEWER STATUS

• US 20080320568A1
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hawkins, Dax, Ellie, Julien Jacques Nicolas, Multerer, Boyed Cannon, McKinley, Shelley
• Granted Patent: US 8,402,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• 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]

Abstract

A content distribution system may be provided for reviewing content such as video games, music, movies, or the like that may be shared by the system. The content distribution system may receive a credential from a user and authenticate the user based on the credential to permit access to the system. The content distribution system may also receive content generated by the user if the user may be authenticated. The content distribution system may provide the received content to a content evaluation entity, for example. The content distribution system may receive a review for the content from the content review entity and then may determine whether the content passes a review process based on the review, for example. The content distribution system may provide additional access to the content if the content passes the review process.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions for reviewing content provided by a content distribution system, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving a credential from a user and authenticating the user based on the credential to permit access;

receiving content generated by the user if, based on the credential, the user is authenticated;

receiving a review for the content from a content review entity;

determining whether the content passes a review process based on the review; and

providing access to the content if, based on the determination, the content passes the review process.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for removing the content if, based on the determination, the content does not pass the review process.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for:

receiving at least one descriptor from the user to describe the content;

associating the descriptor with the content;

comparing the associated descriptor and content to one or more criteria; and

providing the content to the content review entity if, based on the comparison, the associated information and content matches the criteria.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the review received from the content evaluation entity indicates whether the descriptor accurately describes the content associated therewith.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising instructions for:

receiving a content decision regarding the content from the content evaluation entity;

determining whether the content is approved based on the content decision; and

providing access to the content if, based on the determination, the received content decision is approved.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein providing access to the content includes providing public access if, based on the determinations, the content passes the review process and the content decision is approved.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for:

receiving a ranking corresponding to the review provided by the content evaluation entity for the content;

modifying a permission for the content evaluation entity based on the ranking, wherein the permission determines whether the content evaluation entity is allowed to review the content.

8. A method for ranking reviewed content, the method comprising:

receiving a review for the content from a content review entity;

determining whether the content passes a review process based on the review; and

providing access to the content if, based on the determination, the content passes the review process.

receiving a ranking corresponding to the received review for the content;

modifying a permission for the content evaluation entity based on the ranking.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the permission determines whether the content evaluation entity is allowed to provide one or more additional reviews for content.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a content decision regarding the content from the content evaluation entity;

determining whether the content is approved based on the content decision; and

providing access to the content if, based on the determination, the received content decision is approved.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing access to the content includes providing public access if, based on the determinations, the content passes the review process and the content decision is approved.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the ranking is provided by one or more public access users.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the ranking includes a numerical value indicating whether the public access users agreed with the rating of the content review entity.

14. A server computer system for reviewing content provided by a content distribution system, the system comprising:

a communications interface to a network, the communications interface accepting login attempts by a user from a remote network computer;

at least one storage area for program code and data;

a processor for executing the program code, wherein the program code directs the server computer to performs the functions comprising;

providing access to content to a content evaluation entity;

receiving a content decision regarding the content from the content evaluation entity;

determining whether the content is approved based on the received content decision; and

providing access to the content if, based on the determination, the received content decision is approved.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor further performs the functions comprising removing the content if, based on the determination, the content is not approved.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor further performs the functions comprising:

receiving a credential from a user and authenticating the user based on the credential to permit access; and

receiving the content from the user if, based on the received credential, the user is authenticated, wherein the content is generated by the user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor further performs the functions comprising:

receiving at least one descriptor from the user to describe the content;

associating the descriptor with the content;

comparing the associated descriptor and content to one or more criteria; and

providing the content to the content review entity if, based on the comparison, the associated information and content matches the criteria.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor further performs the functions comprising:

receiving a review for the content from a content review entity;

determining whether the content passes a review process based on the review; and

providing access to the content if, based on the determination, the content passes the review process.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the review received from the content evaluation entity indicates whether the descriptor accurately describes the content associated therewith.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein providing access to the content includes providing public access it based on the determinations, the content decision is approved and the content passes the content review process.