Regulating access to content using a multitiered rule base

• US 7,647,277 B1
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Raduchel, William J., Blumenfeld, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer; Andrew J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MURDOUGH, JOSHUA A
• Application Number:
  US10/691,970
• Time in Patent Office: 2,272 Days
• Field of Search: 705/50
• US Class Current: 705/54
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/434 using image data, e.g. images, photos, pictures taken by a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• 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 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content 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 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed

Abstract

Access to a content selection may be regulated by accessing a medium associated with the content selection, identifying a profile associated with the medium, using the profile to analyze a content request with a multitiered rule base that includes two or more of a medium rule base, a media player rule base, and a host rule base, and enabling access to the content selection in accordance with one or more results of the analysis.

Claims

1. A method of regulating access to a content selection, the method comprising:

receiving a request to access a content selection;

configuring a media player to access a medium associated with the content selection;

accessing the medium associated with the content selection;

configuring the media player to access a medium rule base stored with the medium, a media player rule base stored on the media player, and a host rule base stored on the host, wherein the medium rule base includes a set of access rules related to content permissions associated with the medium, the media player rule base includes a set of access rules related to content permissions associated with the media player, and the host rule base includes a set of access rules related to content permissions associated with the host;

identifying priorities for rule bases at the media player, wherein priorities determine the order in which rule bases are accessed;

accessing rule bases to analyze the content request in the order of the identified priorities; and

enabling access to the content selection in accordance with one or more results of the analysis.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises identifying a profile associated with the medium, wherein identifying the profile includes identifying a reference for the medium.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein identifying the reference includes identifying a unique serial number.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising identifying a user accessing the content selection.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining an access right for the user for content identified by the profile.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising reporting the content request to a reporting agent.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein reporting the content request includes aggregating multiple content requests associated with a media player and reporting the multiple content requests to a host.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing rule bases to analyze the content request further includes polling a higher priority rule base to analyze the content request before polling a lower priority rule base.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing rule bases to analyze a content request includes automatically discovering additional access rights by polling rule bases upon determination that a user attempts to engage in a content request for an operation not previously allowed in accordance with the access right.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising enabling the user to engage in the content request by charging the content request against a user account.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein charging against the user account includes adjusting a license pool that enables the user to engage in one or more licensing operations.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein adjusting the license pool includes adjusting an escrow account for previously purchased access rights that do not specifically identify the content selection.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein charging against the user account includes using an out-of-band token to identify the account, and charging the content request against the user account in response to using the out-of-band token.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing rule bases analyze the content request includes using the host rule base to analyze content requests, using the media player rule base upon determination that the host rule base is unavailable, and using the medium rule base upon determination that the media player rule base is unavailable.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein includes determining an access right without challenging a user.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein reading the medium includes reading an out-of-band token related to the medium.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing rule bases to analyze the content request includes enabling a user to copy content only when the host rule base is used to analyze the content request.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing rule bases to analyze the content request includes enabling a user to copy content when a content-access system rule base is used to analyze a content request and a media player storing the media player rule base has exchanged licensing information with a host.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising checking availability of the host rule base, the medium rule base, and the media rule base and identifying priorities for rule bases at the media player based on the checked rule base availability.

20. A method of regulating access to a content selection, the method comprising:

configuring a media player to access a medium associated with the content selection;

accessing the medium associated with the content selection;

identifying a profile associated with the medium by identifying a reference for the medium;

configuring the media player to access a medium rule base stored with the medium, a media player rule base stored on the media player, and a host rule base stored on the host, wherein the medium rule base includes a set of access rules related to content permissions associated with the medium, the media player rule base includes a set of access rules related to content permissions associated with the media player, and the host rule base includes a set of access rules related to content permissions associated with the host;

identifying priorities for rule bases at the media player, wherein priorities determine the order in which rule bases are accessed;

identifying a user accessing the content selection;

using the profile to analyze a content request by determining an access right for the user for content identified by the profile; and

enabling access to the content selection at the media player in accordance with one or more results of the analysis.