Network based proxy control of content
First Claim
1. A communications system for enabling content utilization by a first end user device in a communications network, the communications system adapted to communicate with a content distribution system or a digital rights management system, the communications system comprising:
- at least one network gateway that receives content from a second end user device in response to a user initiated attempt to utilize the content from the first end user device; and
a computer that serves as a proxy for the first and second end user devices and that receives the content from the second end user device via the network gateway for distributing the content to the first end user device, the computer including;
a format determining module that determines, from the content, whether a format of the content is supported by the first end user device; and
a content utilization module that determines, from the content, whether content utilization by the first end user device is permitted,wherein the content is distributed from the computer to the first end user device without contacting the content distribution system or the digital rights management system, if the computer determines both that the format of the content is supported by the first end user device and content utilization by the first end user device is permitted.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communications system serves as a proxy for a user device in a communications network. The communications system includes a network gateway that receives content in response to a user initiated content utilization attempt from a user device. A computer receives the content from the network gateway and, in response to receiving the content, determines whether the content utilization by the user can be permitted. The computer can also determine whether the content utilization by the user can be completed.
53 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A communications system for enabling content utilization by a first end user device in a communications network, the communications system adapted to communicate with a content distribution system or a digital rights management system, the communications system comprising:
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at least one network gateway that receives content from a second end user device in response to a user initiated attempt to utilize the content from the first end user device; and a computer that serves as a proxy for the first and second end user devices and that receives the content from the second end user device via the network gateway for distributing the content to the first end user device, the computer including; a format determining module that determines, from the content, whether a format of the content is supported by the first end user device; and a content utilization module that determines, from the content, whether content utilization by the first end user device is permitted, wherein the content is distributed from the computer to the first end user device without contacting the content distribution system or the digital rights management system, if the computer determines both that the format of the content is supported by the first end user device and content utilization by the first end user device is permitted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for determining whether a first end user device is permitted to receive content from a second end user device via a communications network, the communications network adapted to communicate with a content distribution system or a digital rights management system, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a proxy, the content from the second end user device via a network gateway of a communications service provider in response to a user initiated attempt to utilize the content at the first end user device, wherein the proxy serves as a proxy for at least one other end user device that may also attempt to utilize the content; and determining, at the proxy, from the received content, whether a format of the content is supported by the first end user device, and whether content utilization by the first end user device is permitted; wherein the content is distributed from the proxy to the first end user device without contacting the content distribution system or the digital rights management system, if the proxy determines that both the format of the content is supported by the first end user device and content utilization by the first end user device is permitted. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A computer readable medium for storing a computer program that determines whether a first end user device is permitted to receive content from a second end user device via a communications network, the communications network adapted to communicate with a content distribution system or a digital rights management system, the computer readable medium comprising:
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a content receiving code segment that, when executed, transmits the content from the second end user device to a proxy via a network gateway of a communications service provider in response to a user initiated attempt to utilize the content at the first end user device; and a permission determining code segment that, when executed, determines, at the proxy and in response to transmitting the content to the proxy, whether content utilization by the first end user device is permitted and whether a format of the content is supported by the first end user device, wherein the proxy serves as a proxy for at least one other end user device that may also attempt to utilize the content, wherein the content is distributed from the proxy to the first end user device without contacting the content distribution system or the digital rights management system, if the permission determining code segment determines that both the format of the content is supported by the first end user device and content utilization by the first end user device is permitted. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification