Method of using tokens and policy descriptors for dynamic on demand session management

• US 8,281,024 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2012
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• 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, Black, Neville A., Compton, Charles L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chambers, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US13/342,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20120110199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• Field of Search: 709/229, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/229
• 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, comprising:

sending to a client device a purchase token identifier;

responsive to receiving from the client device a first session request including the purchase token identifier, determining a first playlist of a plurality of content assets based on the purchase token identifier and transmitting the first playlist to the client device; and

responsive to receiving from the client device a second session request, determining a second playlist of a plurality of content assets based on the purchase token identifier and transmitting the determined second playlist to the client device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to receiving from the client device the purchase token identifier as part of the first session request, determining a transmission control protocol type based on the purchase token identifier, wherein transmitting the first playlist comprises transmitting the first playlist based on the determined transmission control protocol type.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to receiving from the client device the purchase token identifier as part of the first session request, determining a bandwidth based on the purchase token identifier, wherein transmitting the first playlist comprises transmitting the first playlist using the determined bandwidth.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to receiving from the client device the purchase token identifier as part of the first session request, determining a codec based on the purchase token identifier, wherein transmitting the first playlist comprises transmitting the first playlist encoded by the determined codec.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first playlist comprises dynamically determining the first playlist responsive to receiving the first session request, and wherein determining the second playlist comprises dynamically determining the second playlist responsive to receiving the second session request.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, generating, responsive to receiving the first session request, an asset list descriptor based on the purchase token identifier, wherein the asset list descriptor identifies start times of the plurality of content assets of the first playlist.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transmitting the first playlist comprises transmitting the content assets of the first playlist beginning at the start times associated with those content assets.

8. A method, comprising:

responsive to a request for a content asset from a client device, sending to the client device a purchase token identifier; and

responsive to receiving from the client device a session request including the purchase token identifier, determining a playlist of a plurality of content assets including the requested content asset, as well as start times of the content assets in the playlist, based on the purchase token identifier and transmitting the content assets in the playlist in accordance with the determined start times to the client device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, responsive to receiving from the client device the purchase token identifier, determining a transmission control protocol type based on the purchase token identifier, wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the plurality of content assets based on the determined transmission control protocol type.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising, responsive to receiving from the client device the purchase token identifier, determining a bandwidth based on the purchase token identifier, wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the plurality of content assets using the determined bandwidth.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising, responsive to receiving from the client device the purchase token identifier, determining a codec based on the purchase token identifier, wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the plurality of content assets encoded by the determined codec.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the playlist and the start times comprises dynamically determining the playlist and the start times responsive to receiving the session request.

13. A content asset delivery system, comprising:

a computing device comprising a processor, wherein the computing device is configured to;

responsive to a request from a client device, send to the client device a purchase token identifier,

responsive to each of a plurality of session requests from the client device that includes the purchase token identifier, process information associated with the purchase token identifier, and

for each of the session requests, determine a playlist of a plurality of content assets based on the purchase token identifier and set up transmission of the content assets of the playlist to the client device.

14. The content asset delivery system of claim 13, wherein the computing device comprises at least one server.

15. The content asset delivery system of claim 13, wherein the computing device is further configured to determine a bandwidth based on the purchase token identifier.

16. The content asset delivery system of claim 13, wherein the computing device is further configured to determine a codec based on the purchase token identifier.

17. The content asset delivery system of claim 13, wherein the computing device is further configured to, responsive to each of said session requests from the client device, process information associated with both the received purchase token identifier and a session group descriptor identifying a session corresponding to the respective session request.

18. The content asset delivery system of claim 13, wherein the computing device is further configured to dynamically determine, for each of the session requests, the playlist based on the purchase token identifier.

19. The content asset delivery system of claim 13, further comprising an edge device configured to, for each of the playlists, transmit the content assets of the respective playlist to the client device.

20. The content asset delivery system of claim 13,

wherein the computing device is further configured to determine, for each of the session requests, an asset list descriptor based on the purchase token identifier, wherein each of the asset list descriptors identifies start times of the plurality of content assets of the respective playlist, and

wherein the content asset delivery system further comprises an edge device configured to, for each of the playlists, transmit the content assets of the respective playlist to the client device beginning at the start times associated with those content assets.