Systems and methods for accessing and controlling media stored remotely

• US 8,156,197 B1
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KIK Interactive Incorporated (MediaLab.AI, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: KIK Interactive Incorporated (MediaLab.AI, Inc.)
• Inventors: Livingston, Edward, Blokhin, Yuriy
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Application Number:
  US13/348,998
• Time in Patent Office: 89 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709225-229, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• 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 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity

Abstract

In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a server that stores a set of media files. The server is configured to send an authentication code to a first communication device in response to a request from the first communication device to access the set of media files such that the first communication device can present the authentication code to a user. The server is configured to associate an identifier of a second communication device with the first communication device such that a user of the second communication device can authorize access to the set of media files from the first communication device by sending the authentication code to the server using the second communication device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to cause a processor to:

receive, from a first communication device, a request to access a media file stored on a server;

send an authentication code to the first communication device such that the first communication device can present the authentication code to a user of the first communication device;

receive the authentication code from a second communication device; and

provide access to the media file from the first communication device based on receiving the authentication code from the second communication device.

2. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the media file is associated with a user account.

3. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 2, further comprising code representing instructions to cause the processor to:

receive a request from the second communication device to establish the user account; and

associate an identifier of the second communication device with the user account.

4. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 2, further comprising code representing instructions to cause the processor to:

receive, from the second communication device, a signal instructing the server to store the media file; and

associate the media file with the user account.

5. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the authentication code is a barcode, the second communication device being configured to scan the barcode.

6. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the authentication code includes a plurality of alpha-numeric characters.

7. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the code representing instructions to receive the authentication code includes code representing instructions to cause the processor to receive the authentication code from the second communication device in response to a user of the second communication device providing the authentication code to a media account application executing on the second communication device.

8. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising code representing instructions to cause the processor to:

receive, from the second communication device, a first signal associated with a presentation of the media file on the first communication device; and

send, in response to the first signal, a second signal associated with the presentation of the media file on the first communication device to the first communication device such that the first communication device modifies the presentation of the media file on the first communication device based on the second signal.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a server storing a plurality of media files, the server configured to send an authentication code to a first communication device in response to a request from the first communication device to access the plurality of media files such that the first communication device can present the authentication code to a user,

the server configured to associate an identifier of a second communication device with the first communication device such that the user of the second communication device can authorize access to the plurality of media files from the first communication device by sending the authentication code to the server using the second communication device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of media files are associated with a user account.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the authentication code is a barcode, the second communication device being configured to scan the barcode.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the authentication code includes a plurality of alpha-numeric characters.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the server is configured to receive the authentication code from the second communication device in response to the user of the second communication device providing the authentication code to a media account application executing on the second communication device.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the server is configured to send at least one media file from the plurality of media files to the first communication device in response to receiving the authentication code from the second communication device.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the server is configured to receive, from the second communication device, a first signal associated with a presentation of at least one media file from the plurality of media files on the first communication device,

the server configured to send, in response to the first signal, a second signal associated with the presentation of the at least one media file on the first communication device to the first communication device such that the first communication device modifies the presentation of the at least one media file based on the second signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the server is configured to route at least one control signal from the second communication device to the first communication device such that the second communication device can control the first communication device via the server.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a first communication device, a request to access a media file stored on a server;

sending an authentication code to the first communication device such that the first communication device can present the authentication code to a user of the first communication device;

receiving the authentication code from a second communication device; and

providing access to the media file from the first communication device based on receiving the authentication code from the second communication device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the media file is associated with a user account.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving a request from the second communication device to establish the user account; and

associating an identifier of the second communication device with the user account.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, from the second communication device, a signal instructing the server to store the media file; and

associating the media file with the user account.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the authentication code is a barcode, the second communication device being configured to scan the barcode.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the authentication code includes a plurality of alpha-numeric characters.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiving the authentication code includes receiving the authentication code from the second communication device in response to a user of the second communication device providing the authentication code to a media account application executing on the second communication device.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, from the second communication device, a first signal associated with a presentation of the media file on the first communication device; and

sending, in response to the first signal, a second signal associated with the presentation of the media file on the first communication device to the first communication device such that the first communication device modifies the presentation of the media file on the first communication device based on the second signal.

25. A method, comprising:

sending, from a first communication device, a request to access a media file stored on a server;

receiving, from the server and in response to the request, an authentication code associated with the request;

presenting the authentication code to a user such that the user can send the authentication code to the server via a second communication device; and

receiving, from the server and in response to the server receiving the authentication code from the second communication device, a signal indicating that the server has granted, to the first communication device, access to the media file.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the media file is associated with a user account.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the media file is a first media file, the method further comprising:

receiving, from the first communication device and after receiving the signal indicating that the server has granted access to the first media file, a signal instructing the server to store a second media file; and

associating the second media file with the user account.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the authentication code is a barcode, the second communication device being configured to scan the barcode.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the authentication code includes a plurality of alpha-numeric characters.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the signal is a first signal, the method further comprising:

receiving, from the server, a second signal associated with controlling a presentation of the media file on the first communication device, the second signal being sent by the server in response to the server receiving, from the second communication device, a third signal associated with controlling the presentation of the media file on the first communication device; and

modifying, based on the second signal, the presentation of the media file on the first communication device.